What if you could fly or travel back in time?
We welcome you to What If World.
Hey there folks, and welcome back to What If World, the show where your questions and ideas inspire off-the-cuff stories.
I'm Mr. Eric, your host, and today we're starting off with a question from a listener named Roxy.
Hey, What If World.
My name is Roxy, and I have been listening to your podcast for seven years.
I know, crazy, right?
And my What If question is, what if unicorns were somehow the villains.
Thank you so much for all of your hard work, and I really hope you guys keep going.
Ciao.
Roxy, thank you so much for your question and for the rest of that recording, which had a really really kind message.
Now we've got one more to add from River.
My name is River, and I like unicorns, bunny sisters, and alicorns.
And my What If?
Question is what if there was a hole through What If World and everybody fell through it?
Thanks.
Bye.
Oh, I love a good disaster in What If World.
Okay, love may be a strong word, but I know our What If-ians are resilient enough to deal with any challenge you kids throw at them.
Maybe have some fun in the process.
So let's find out what if there was a hole through What If World and everybody fell through it?
And what if unicorns were somehow the villains?
For those of you who heard last week's story, you might remember that we talked about a place that connects all of What, If World, called the Y-Way.
It is a path you can take by foot, by bike, by train or by flight, where a creature with no legs can travel as swiftly as one with many, and where there is even a current of water for those who must swim.
And however you must, or however you choose to wend the wayway, there is truly only one thing you need, and that is curiosity.
So today, I want you to ask yourself what might have happened to the unicorns.
Some legends say that they left our earth for our seas, becoming the long-toothed narwhal.
Of course, we know today that evolution doesn't work so swiftly, at least not on what is world, which is why i need your curiosity and imagination to whisk you along the y-way to a coastal town known to many as the stables.
But to the unicorns, alicorns and pegasuses of What If World, the stables were simply called home.
Race ya to the grazen field, cried her nosity.
Her rainbow-banded unicorn horn, leaving a trail of sparkles in her wake as she ran like the wind.
Won't be much of a race, cried Rocks.
He was a sturdily built alicorn, which is a winged unicorn, in case you need to know.
Rox was brown with dapples of black and barreled through the sky like a comet come alive.
He-he!
No fair!
Her nosity cried foul as her horn shone even brighter, and suddenly every stride of her hooves took her farther up into the air, where she ran neck and neck with Rox.
No fair is you, unicorn!
Stealing the secret of flight from we alicorns, complained Rocks with half of a smile.
But you alicorns, only learn to fly by watching us pegasuses, cried the pegasus known as River, who swirled up between them their pink fluffy body, speeding ahead as wisps of pink cotton candy clouds streamed out behind them.
River Roxy, her nosity.
All reached the grazing ground within the same second.
Yet there was much boasting and posturing about who really got there first until oh sorry friends, said her nosity, around a mouthful of the fresh, dewy grass of dawn.
But here comes mrs sun, so i've got to say me goodbyes.
Oh sorry, nose said rocks.
I wish the sun would just take its time and rising.
Oh don't, we all, replied her nosity as she started running for stable bay.
But we'll see you at the honing hole tonight, right, said River.
Their swirling, cloud-like, pegasus body hopping from one patch of grass to the next.
Oh, aye, honing day again already, huh?
I'll probably just be a little late.
Ah, we always miss you on honing day.
Just come early for a change, complained Rocks.
But it was a good-natured complaint.
This was an argument they'd had many times before.
So many times, in fact, that her nosity offered no reply as her trot became a gallop and she dove toward Stable Bay.
In this little seaside town, every unicorn was amphibious, sheltering in the cold sea during the day in their narwhal form, before stepping onto the shore as a unicorn each night, the dark and the cool, helping their body to stay wet, as there is nothing more dangerous to a unicorn than dryness.
A pegasus had a different sort of issue.
Here they were made of clouds in the shape of winged horses, and on the hottest days of the year they would evaporate into water vapor, not to come again until it finally rained.
Fortunately for River, it was the rainy season. and they were enjoying every minute of it.
Then there was rocks, the alicorn, creatures of warmth and fire and light.
They could only be out during the day, harmlessly drifting through the sky as specks of starlight each night.
Which is why he loved a lightly cloudy dawn, the kind where you could still see the moon hanging in the sky.
If that all sounds a little confusing, a simpler way to think of it is that a pegasus comes with the clouds, a unicorn with the moon and an alicorn with the sun.
What's up there, rocks? said River, interrupting their friend's reverie.
I was just thinking how unfair it is that I only get to play with her nosily for a few minutes each dawn before she dives back into the ocean.
On rainy days, we get to play together for ages and ages.
The two of you do, but I'm stuck as starlight.
Oh, that's right.
Well, I simply choose to enjoy our crepuscular outings rather than Winnie over what I can't change.
Well, that's why you're River and I'm Rocks, stomped the alicorn, headed towards the honing hole.
Oh hey, you're not going to wait for her nosity to finish your honing said.
River flowing after the grumpy alicorn in a swirl of pink.
What's the point?
She always waits to the middle of the night.
When I'm starlight and you're fast asleep.
She is nocturnal, brother.
I know, Sib.
It's just that one day a year she's always thoughtless.
Maybe so, was all River could say in reply as they finally reached the honing hall.
There was a ledge of rainbow-blasted rock that interrupted the wayway.
Once there had been ways around it, but it had grown with every honing day until the creatures of the stables found themselves completely cut off from the rest of What If World?
Rocks tried not to think of this as he shook out his mane and warmed up his horn.
See, there's another thing you should know. about the stables.
Long ago unicorns, alicorns and pegasuses moved to this seaside town so that bipedal people would stop trying to catch them and train them and ride them.
The three different kinds of magical horses found it was hard to get along and it was hard to build a town that could accommodate aquatic and aerial and land-running people all at once.
That is until the inventions Of the smart hone.
Come one, come all, to get your very own smart hone.
That's right, clip-cloppers, flip-floppers, and hip-hoppers.
It's been 20 years, and we've had 20 models, each one more magical than the last.
So ditch your chipped and scraped up stones, and upgrade to the iHoneW.
It's not just a letter anymore.
It was Mr Business, looking slick and hale in a fitted black suit, standing at a long oaken table selling his wares.
Rocks tried not to trot over to the table and its many smooth flat, oval-shaped stones.
Available in three colors this year gray gold and double ice.
Why double ice when there isn't a single ice?
Because of the double you thing.
Listen, if I have to explain it, it'll be less cool.
Oh no, you don't have to explain it to me, I get it, yeah.
I'll take a double ice, please.
Just turn in your old smart hone, and we'll get you taken care of.
While these creatures never wore saddles, each of them carried their smart hone front and center on their chest, held by three straps that some of you equestrians might call a breastplate.
Rock's old eye hone had a few scrapes and scratches, but still looked pretty shiny.
Unless, of course, you compared it to those brand new ones on the oaken table.
Hard to know what you all see in these devices, said River, who'd always cantered to their own cadence.
Oh yeah, well, I know some of you pegasuses don't like using smart homes.
Or some alicorns.
And unicorns don't use them either.
I've never met a unicorn who didn't want to fly.
And you know that pegasuses can't swim without a smart home.
Because we're made of water vapor, I'm well aware.
And we alicorns.
Can't get our horns as sharp as the unicorns.
Without a smart horn, I know.
And that's great, for people who want those things, and especially for people who need them.
But I'm just fine being myself.
Uh-oh, there's a mist rolling in, said the alicorn to his pegasus friend.
You know, you cloud folk, Can't keep your form in the mist.
But you can with a smart home, the W. Oh, I don't really mind.
It's like having a nice nap said River, as they were enveloped by the mist which was suddenly all tinged pink.
Oh, come on, River.
You know I don't like breathing you in.
I'm going to be smelling cotton candy for a week.
Sorry. said the mist as it settled low on the ground.
That's better said, Rocks willing their old smart home to pop out of his breastplate and fall to the rainbow pebbles below.
As soon as it hit those pebbles, the small oval stones started to shimmer and shake, making little rattling jumps as it got brighter and hotter.
Out with the old, in with the new.
Said Rocks, giving the smart hone a kick and letting it tumble into the honing hole.
All the other magical creatures gathered around to watch the stone fall, its light somehow growing brighter the lower it got, until an explosion rocked the stables.
And a telltale cracking and crumbling sound was heard within the hole as it widened and deepened again.
Nicely done, Rox.
Now come get your new double ice device.
It's got 50% more pizzazz, said Mr. Business.
What?
That's even more pizzazz than last year's We Aim to Please.
And, one by one, all but a few of the magical horses turned in their old honing stones, letting them explode inside the honing hole before sharpening their horns or hardening their hooves on their fancy new stones and strapping them to their bodies.
As Rox had predicted, her nosity didn't make it in time.
The sun finished setting, the clouds parted, and all the alicorns became starlight.
Before her nosity finally flew out of her cave?
Yes, I sleep in a cave during the day, rather than swimming in the ocean.
There's nothing unusual about all that, Mr. Eric, so you can stop narrating it.
Okay um, I said noticing that her nosity sounded a little don't you dare say furtive, furtive.
Why would i say furtive?
You wouldn't have, because there's nothing unusual happening, said her nosity as she, very casually and not at all sneakily, made her way to the honing hole.
That's better.
Traditionally, the unicorns traded in their stones at dusk so they could spend some time with the alicorns.
But her nosity had waited until the middle of the night to skulk her way into her carefully step her way to the honing hole.
It was so wide now that not only had it cut off the Y-Way from the stables, it was also cutting away the last strip of land that kept the peninsula of the stables attached to the rest of What If World.
Finally spoke a raspy voice.
Ahead of her nosity, the unicorn froze, activating her smart hone to turn invisible except.
There was a reason everyone replaced their stones on the same day.
The little rock cracked all the way through as it started powering down.
The source of the voice turned toward Hernosity.
He was an orange unicorn with a great green horn, and he flashed a quick smile at Hernosity.
Mayor Roth, Hernosity greeted him, surprised to find anyone else by the hole so late.
Ah, yes, Hernosity. come to inspect our handiwork.
At last the stables will be fully independent and the unicorn's power will be absolute.
Oh dear, said Hernusity, who wanted no part of this plot.
I'm just here to hone me horn without a lot of fuss.
I'll come back later.
Nonsense, drawled Mayor Ross.
Your smart hone may be the one to finally set us free once and for all.
Best there be no witnesses about.
Oh, I couldn't agree more.
I prefer privacy on honing day, and I'd ask you to respect that, Mr. Mayor.
Ah, well, who would I be to deny the request of a fellow unicorn?
I'll just see you at the polls, Ms.
Nosedy, and I won't be voting for you. mumbled her nosity as the older unicorn ambled away.
Finally alone, her nosity shook loose her failing smart hone.
As she did, her rainbow-colored unicorn horn disappeared.
This was why her nosity kept to herself each honing day.
You see, she wasn't just a unicorn.
She was also a horse!
Save me, please!
It was Pixie Cato rising out of the honing hole, her wings in a tangle, as if she was falling only up.
Without her smart hone, her nose that he couldn't fly out to save the falling fairy.
But she bravely galloped across the multicolored ledge of the honing hole, catching up to the Pixie Child, just as.
Why are you upside down?
Pixie Cato cried, crashing into the edge of the honing hole before getting tangled up in Hernosity's flowing white mane and finally coming to a stop.
I was about to ask you the same question, said Hernosity, stepping carefully back from the ledge.
As Pixie Cato got reacquainted with gravity, she slowly loosed herself from Hernosity's mane, looking up at the white horse under the full moon's light.
Wait a minute, I've seen you before.
What happened to your- Don't worry about that, uh, unicorn stuff-
Let's just send you back through this hole so you can go back to leading the rest of What If World.
Madam President,
And her nosity started nervously walking back to the ledge again.
Now just a minute, cried Pixie Catto.
I was investigating a hole that suddenly appeared on my side of Waterworld when it started getting bigger, and I fell in.
Oh, sounds quite frightening.
Glad you're okay.
Now off you go.
But as she shook her mane to try to get Feralise to fly away, drops of pink rain started to fall around them.
Oh no, lamented her nosity.
What's the matter?
Oh, this rain smells like cotton candy.
I know.
Oh, listen, Pixie Cato, my friends coming, and they can't see me without my unicorn horn.
Um, Pixie Cato was flustered, but she looked into her nosity's eyes and saw a fear there, a little like the fear Pixie Cato had had when people saw her with her braces for the first time, except a hundred times stronger.
How can I help? said the acting president of What If World. without reservation.
Oh, I don't know, but they're coming.
The pink rain continued to fall, steaming instantly as it formed a fluffy, pink, cloud-like pegasus.
I've got an idea, said Pixie Cotto.
The braces on her teeth now acted as her magic wand, which meant that she had to make some pretty weird faces when she cast her spell sometimes.
But at her heart, Pixie Cotto was a helper.
And when River finally finished forming from the pink rain.
Oh, hey there, her nosity.
Haven't got your new smart horn yet, huh?
Thinking of going no horn like me, I bet.
Oh um, her nosity felt at her nose with a hoof and clack.
There was a horn that gave him a.
The muffled voice of Pixie Caddo sounded.
She had become her nosity's horn!
How long can Pixie Caddo's transformation spell hold?
And how might River react when they find out her nosity doesn't have a unicorn horn of her own?
And how many more?
What If World characters are gonna fall up through that hole before the story ends?
We'll learn all that and more when we finish our story.
In our next new episode, To Be Continued.
Oh, I know, I know.
River and Roxy, thank you again for your questions.
I wish I could have finished this in one story.
But there was all this unicorn lore to completely make up.
And I still have to get everyone falling through the hole.
Anyhow, you can see that things are getting more complicated.
Why do you think her nosity doesn't want to be seen by the other magical creatures without her unicorn horn?
What scheme could the unicorns, led by Mayor Roth, be up to?
And how would you react if your friend shared something about themselves that they'd been too afraid to tell you before?
Talk it over with your grown-up, and maybe your discussion will inspire your next What If question.
We're actually going to take a little break next week and bring you a remastered episode, so that gives you some time to send in your ideas about the conclusion of this story.
When you do, get your grown-ups permission to email hello at whatifworldpodcast.com.
Finally, if you want to support our show and help us keep going and also get ad-free episodes, monthly bonus content and more, check us out at whatifworldpodcastcom.
Slash support.
I'd like to thank Karen O'Keefe, my co-creator, my producer, Miss Lynn Craig Martinson for our theme song, and all you kids at home who know that you don't need anyone else to tell you what your magic is.
And until we meet again, keep wondering.
