When Equestria emerged from the ocean, our world was forever tainted by its presence. In response, our reality pushed back, forming the Barrier around us as far out as the Moon. Before the first year was out, the last day the Earth had was calculated. Measures were taken, the Bureaus were built, and billions were saved through the process of Conversion. Even mankind's genetic legacy was preserved. But now, the clock has almost reached its end. Just seven days remain, and seven individuals who influenced history must stop, and consider their role in shaping a planet's destiny.
Chapters (5)
Uh oh. Secure all hatches and loose articles, folks. It's a Conversion Bureau story.
To BE opened?
Also, I love the premise of this story. The last holdouts of humanity. Self-punishing fools? Die-hard bigots? Foolish martyrs who refuse to let our species die without a fight? Humanity has too often been defined by violence. What better way to see us into history than by having the last human die a painful, horrible death?
Or as my dad used to say, "Son, I plan on leavin' this world the same way I come in: naked, screaming, and covered in someone else's blood!"
ahh finally a Conversion Bureau story with out the ponies as villains, I very much prefer these ones. Always felt the ones with the ponies as the bad guys forcing the conversion where too negative to enjoy really. Seeing what the last hold outs do with the clock running out has lots of good conflict potential with out defining a "bad guy". Choosing to prepare for death or finally converting, or just preparing the world for the final transition. How do you preserve humanity with out humans? I always felt the CB story universe should explore what being "human" means, does changing the body really change the person? How would humanity be seen after the last days? How do ponified humans reflect on their past? What do those who fought against conversion do to handle a post conversion world?
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If you liked this one, I do recommend reading my other TCB work. As much as I dislike promoting my own work anyway
Well now, this is most interesting. I look forward to seeing the finer details of this take on the Bureau, and the other people who you choose to highlight.
3396408 He accidentally a word
3396598 3398355 I would have to second Fang's suggestion, his entire Cloudyverse setting is well worth the time.
Awesome story! BTW, may I have a list of the TCB stories in order, please?
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Well, my stories in terms of chronology go: In Duty's Name->TCB: The First Year->TCB: What Separates Us->TCB: St Louis Massacre and TCB: Never Forget (along with it's companion story The Ones You Love by Aegis Exemplar)->TCB: Dogs of Winter and TCB: Project Thesan->TCB: The Last Week. There's other stories I've written, though they don't fall into the general chronology.
3460500 Awesome! Thanks!
Wow... That was sad.
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Made my pre-reader want to tear up too
You're not alone there friend
Wow....
I wouldn't undergo conversion either. Odd for a guy that would love nothing more than to fly like a pegasus.
Even if all that changed was my body, I would never give that up willingly... Maybe on my death bed but even then I'm not sure I could do it.
I would want to be the last human on earth. Head held high in the knowledge that a single human stood to the end and shouted out to the cosmos that while humanity may have been defeated its spirit was unbroken and unbending to the end.
That would be a fine legacy and example for our race to leave.
Well then, isn't this planting the seeds of some major events about to hit the fan...
6297909 Damn man, that is noble.
6297933 I don't often make grand gestures but when I do it's going to leave an impression on anyone who hears about it.
Huh, this received an update a while ago. Interesting...so I take it there's a nastier event that's coming after the Rejection? ( I really need to read more of your stuff
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I don't understand.
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I'm not entirely sure what to make of your comment. Perhaps you could clarify what you don't understand?
Is this how you're working in Twilight's ascension? I got the standard/classic/cliche 'Perceive the Higher Plane of Existence/Enlightenment' vibes from Twilight in the moments before she faded.
Did see a few good glimpses of the current state of the world hidden in the descriptions though. Very interested in who 'They' are though.
7421457 I skimmed through a little bit so maybe I missed something, but what is the rejection, and what was Twilight trying to accomplish with the spell that unified everyone's mind or something? Does this help?
edit: Also did Twilight die or is that something that's going to be explained later?
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i.imgur.com/WncvRBq.png
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Well, it's kind of tied in with my TCB setting, so requires a little bit of prior knowledge from my stuff, but Rejection is the earth being pushed out of our reality due to being contaminated with Equestria's 'reality', so to speak. Was my take on how to set up the Barrier instead of the conventional idea of a wall sweeping outward from Equestria itself. As for Twilight, there's one more chapter coming which will explain things.
3396408 Did your dad really say that?
Well if cannon is any indication Twilight just ascended, she did just accomplish a magical feat no pony else ever did. I also have to add my praise for the tone of this CB story, 90% play up the "Ponies are secret;y evil, heroic humanity struggles against Tyrant Celestria", it fankly become a dull concept, I like the Ponies genuinely trying to save humanity and ponyfication NOT being basic death for the converted. I rather like the exploration of identity and learning a new body as opposed to the Machel Bayesque action movie cliches and righteous anger rampages
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Well, I'm very glad you've enjoyed it! I try to make sure my setting is semi-neutral (I am biased toward the ponies/diamond dogs/griffons/etc for obvious reasons
I'm just waiting for someone to spot the one bombshell reference in this chapter
6297909 Call me Coward if you want, but I want to live, So yeah I would Convert, as would one of my friends who would probably have been one of the first Volunteers. (She would want to be a Pegasus), me Unicorn all the way. Magic would be Awesome to have!
7466451 Don't get me wrong. I don't condemn those that would convert, I would fight to give people that chance.
But I wouldn't and I wouldn't stand for people trying to undergo the change being attacked either.
And so it comes to an end. And a good one too. Near death experience and a brush against the gates of the Great Herd before she could come back as an alicorn. That comment about choosing between going to the afterlife or risking oblivion for the chance of coming back...
Though I have to wonder, is that the same place people see during their conversion dream?
This feels like an origin story.
But isn't In Duty's Name your form of the origin story for your TCB series?
It is. The Last Week serves as my entry vehicle for the next phase of the Cloudyverse setting, which concentrates on post-TCB Earth. Specifically the setting is called Tales of a New Earth, as a few of my stories already are titled.