Mankind Triumphant - Relic

by Dafaddah

AD 2200 part 2 - Illusions

Conrad Sachs walked the fragrant paths of Eastern Ascendancy Victory Park. Everywhere flowers were in bloom in the meticulously tended gardens. Often he would catch sight of the pony gardeners, snipping a branch or wilted flower here, whispering a bud into to full bloom there. It was really a joy to behold. At least it was for Conrad, as he waited patiently for his father to show up. 

This was the big day. His father would finally get to meet the failed leader of the invasion of earth: Princess Celestia of Equestria. It had been his father's obsession ever since he could remember. His father even had Conrad's nannymare tell him stories about Celestia from before she went bad and had to be brought to justice. Conrad probably knew as much about Celestia as any human alive, except for his father of course.
 
He sat at a bench to admire a particularly well trimmed shrub (all of them were in the shape of humans adopting various heroic poses) when a voice whispered his name. He turned to look but saw only the hedge behind him.  
 
"Don't turn back. Just continue looking at the shrubs," whispered the voice again.

"And why shouldn't I just call security?" asked Conrad calmly. As the scion of a wealthy and powerful family, he had both discrete security and training on how to handle situations. Rule one was 'Co-operate passively whenever possible.'

"Because the HLF are out to get you," said the voice, "and they've already neutralized your security."

Conrad was shocked. Still, it could be a trick. He had better follow protocol anyway and try to stall for time. "Why should I believe you? Are you one of them?" he asked.

"NO!" That was much louder. His invisible interlocutor was obviously upset by the question. Maybe he wasn't HLF after all. "Look, they are coming any moment now, your only alternative is to run. Now!" The voice was growing desperate.

Conrad was torn. The voice was quite convincingly sincere, but the protocol was to stay calm and wait for security to show up. He stood, yet was paralyzed by indecision.

"GO NOW!" the voice was insistent.

He made up his mind and decided to run back to the entrance when two men emerged from around a corner in the hedge. They weren't his security staff. He turned to run in the opposite direction. Two more men awaited him, one with a large syringe in hand. He turned again just in time to be tackled to the gound, his head and torso held immobile under the mass of his assailants.

His face was inches away from an immaculate white rose which filled his vision. He smelled its wonderful perfume, and felt a sting in his right arm, no doubt from the syringe one of the men were carrying. He had a moment to wonder what substance in the world they could possibly want to inject into him. And then the pain started. Pain such as he had never known in his short and privilidged life. Pain sufficient, finally to make him black out.

He was walking in a large field, around him, ponies galloped. Somehow he could feel that these ponies were friends. Some of them looked at him curiously, smiled, and galloped off. He felt the urge to run with them, and so without further thought, he ran. He ran over the hills and through valleys. His sweat flew from his body. The wind blew through his hair, whistled in his ears and stroked his body with its caresses. He felt the joy that was running. He felt free. He felt the approval and acceptance of his friends the ponies. He felt as one with the herd. He felt alive... more alive than he had ever felt before.

The herd approached a cliff, and the ponies just kept on galloping into the air itself. He whooped for joy, and ran with them into the sky. The moment lasted for an eternity, and then...

He was no longer running. He was standing on a grassy plain, a city in ruins before him. Only one of its building seemed intact, a white fairy-tale castle with tall spires that beckoned to him. He could do nothing else than approach. After a short while he arrived at the gaping entrance of the Castle itself, its portcullis raised. The urge called him inside, the insistent  inner voice directing his steps until he arrived at a huge room with two thrones at its center, one white with a sun motif upon it, and the other black, adorned with a crescent moon. 

Sitting in the white throne was a young girl, perhaps eleven or twelve years old, with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. As he came closer something in those eyes seemed... strange. Looking into those eyes he saw a soul much older and sadder than should ever reside in such a pretty young face. And yet, it was also a soul that knew great compassion, that was infinite in love, and time. Conrad suddenly knew who this ageless girl was. He harbored no doubt at her identity at all, his mind reeling as he figured out what it implied about his circumstances. He trembled and fell to his knees before her. 

"Rise, Conrad," said the girl. "Do you know who I am?" she asked with a shy smile.

He stood, still trembling, but now in understanding. "Yes, I know. You are Princess Celestia. In the garden, that was ponification potion that was injected into my arm, wasn't it? And this," he waved a hand to indicate the echoing throne room, "is a... is my conversion dream," he said.

"Yes, Conrad. You were done a great evil, and one which I am unable to undo," said the Princess. "The men who attacked you were with the HLF, if I understand correctly what happened." 

For decades now the HLF had been targetting members of the ruling class, accusing them of using forced ponification to opress the masses. Conrad figured he had been selected for 'exemplary ponification' because of who his father was. Usually, and unfortunately for him, such unsanctioned ponies were quickly and quietly disposed of, as they usually did not suffer mental damage from conversion, could potentially breed, and simply knew too much.

She gave him a shy smile. "You are far more knowledgeable about conversion, and about me, than the ususal poor newfoals who come to my castle these days."

"Yes, I suppose so." He thought about all the human beings sentenced to ponification for even the most trival crimes. "I can't help but be curious - why do you appear as a human girl instead of as an alicorn, and why is the city in ruins?" he asked.

"This realm exists within my mind and is maintained by the magic of the ponies within my herd. After I was cut off from Equestria, there were many years when I and my realm were close to nonexistance." She paused as if the memory was one that caused her pain. "Then humanity began ponification again, and my herd grew as did the magical energy they provided. This," she gestured to herself with both hands, "is how I appeared to myself when I was able to return here. At first I had no idea why I should take on this appearance, but now I believe that it is for these sad involuntary newfoals. Their last moments as humans were likely terrifying. Is it not a kindness that at least their first moments as ponies be as non-threatening and welcoming as possible?" She again produced a shy smile. "But to be truthful even I cannot be sure, for this is the only shape I may take here. Your father might say that this is my penance for having tried to invade the earth." 

Conrad nodded. How would the forcibly ponified feel when confronted with the alicorn Princess? He admitted that  perhaps this form was best.

"As to the city and castle," continued the Princess, "When I was cut off from Equestria, this realm was almost totally depopulated and starved of magic for many years. Its state improved significantly when all these newfoals began to join me,  but since only earth ponies are produced, many elements needed to make it work are missing. It is only with the 'exemplary ponifications' of the HLF that any new unicorns or pegasai have joined my herd. Most of them do not long survive ponification, alas." He again saw profound sadness in the little girl's eyes.

"Princess, how did you know I was going to be targeted?" asked Conrad. He wasn't angry at the HLF for some reason, or at least not as angry as he thought he should be.

"There were ponies in the garden who saw the HLF elliminate your security guards, and I saw through the eyes of these ponies. One of my agents tried to help you, but unfortunately we only understood the situation too late to change its outcome," replied the girl with a sad smile.

"Oh, so it was one of your ponies who tried to warn me?" 

"Yes. Ever since the HLF has resurfaced there have been many such unofficial ponifications. I have re-created the PER under my sanction this time," she smiled at the irony, "as the Ponification Emergency Railway, to help spirit these newfoals away before they are exterminated."

"Is that what happens to me now? I run away and hide?" The magnitude of Conrad's situation was coming home to him in rather stark terms.

The Princess held up a vial of purple liquid. "Not necessarily. Upon certain rare occasion, I can marshall sufficient magical energy to make one of these. It is a magical disguise, a spell that fools all biological entities into seeing a human when the being in question is a pony. It will not fool machines, but it will to an extent disrupt electronics. With this, a pony can simulate being a human and move about in human society if he or she is very careful. There are very few such - I call them 'simulacra' and they are my agents in this world."

Conrad was stunned at learning that Celestia had in some way managed to influence the world outside her prison, the Treasure Chest. He was stunned, but also pleased, a further surprise. All the stories he had heard about Celestia as a child gave him the impression that she was a resourceful and competent leader, and a person to be admired. He now felt a small degree of vindication for such feelings. Or was the ponification process itself influencing and changing his loyalties? He took a deep breath.

"I assume I now have a choice before me: become one of your agents, take the potion and do your bidding, or run away and hide," said Conrad.

"Just so. But I want you to understand that the choice is yours and yours alone, Conrad. I know your heart and have seen the quality of your character. I will not ask you to betray your morals or do evil in my name. But I do ask: will you join my herd, and become one of my agents in the world?" She looked up at him, a small girl almost lost upon that huge throne. 

Somehow, Conrad believed Celestia was being entirely truthful with him, and that she could be trusted to keep her word. He thought back on the ponies that had raised him and made his life so much easier, who had fed him and his dad, made their beds, washed their clothing, tended their gardens, and done all the other myriad mundane tasks needed to make a household work. He was genuinely grateful, and wanted to do something to help those ponies, regardless of whether he himself was now one of them. He knew, deep down where it mattered, that what she offered was right, and that he wanted this. 

"Yes, my Princess," he finally replied.

The girl on the throne smiled brightly. A shaft of sunlight pierced the gloom, painting a glowing yellow disc on the floor.  She slid off the throne and entered the circle, seeming to grow larger as the light swathed her small person in an ethereal glow. Celestia beckoned to him.

As he entered the light he felt his body change and his perspective lower. Looking down he saw two pony forelegs instead of feet. He approached the Princess, who opened her arms and clasped him into a hug. He closed his eyes, falling into the immensity that was Celestia. For the first time in his life, he knew true, utterly pure love. When he opened his eyes again the glow had assumed the familiar outline of the alicorn Princess, with the solid core of the small human girl still at its heart.

"I will always and forever be your friend, and from this day you will never, ever be alone." whispered the child Princess in his ear. Her words echoed through his mind as the world around him faded to black.

"Shh! Don't make a noise!" 

It was the whisperer again. 

"Quickly, drink this vial".

Conrad felt glass against his lips. He swallowed the liquid that was poured into his mouth, and felt something... change. 

"Look, you're going to be awkward on your hooves for a while, so we'll have to pretend you've banged your head and are a bit woozy. I'll hold you up, so to everyone else it'll just look like we're friends caught up in a misadventure." Conrad had the impression of a young man about his own hight. His former hight, that is! He saw a hand extended in greeting. "My name's William Hitchcock, you call me Billy, and we've been casual friends since our sophomore year. We met on the bench by happenstance and were together when those men showed up. They ran off because they didn't wan't any complications." He saw teeth in the gloom. "Guess I saved your flank!"

"Geez - my hero," deadpanned Conrad.

"Okay, on my mark we crash out of this hedge. Whatever happens, just follow my lead. And stay away from body scanners!

He tried a step, his first on four legs. He took another an nearly tripped on something soft in the dark. 

"Be careful. I had to cut your clothes off to prevent you strangling while you ponified."

"Waite a minute, I can't go out there naked!" objected Conrad.

"Don't worry. The simulacra spell will provide."

Conrad felt a push from behind and was propelled out of the hedge, stumbling into the light. Several people looked up at the noise. One of them was his father.

"Conrad! You're safe!" Wilberforce Sachs ran up to hug his son but was brought up short when a young man emerged from the same hedge and held up a hand.

"Easy, there. Conrad took a good hit to the noggin'," said the youngster. "Hi, I'm guessing you're his dad." He helped Conrad stand up.

"Hey dad, this is Billy Hitchcock, a friend of mine from school. When those goons saw him they ran off. By the way, where're Phil and Terry?" He truly was concerned about his security team.

His father's smile wavered. "I'm sorry son. They're... there was nothing we could do." 

Conrad was really sorry to hear the news. Phil and Terry weren't bad sorts. They were hard people, but that was their job. He would miss them. He looked down and saw purple pony legs. Dark blue mane hair hung down on either side of his face. Ugh! Just as well the simulacra spell seemed to be working. He didn't want to be responsible for blinding anypony... anybody. He was going to have to be careful about that. He gave a tight smile, and was surprised when he felt tears stream down his face.

"It's okay, son. Phil and Terry were professionals and they knew the risks. We'll make sure their families are well provided for." 

"Yeah dad," said Conrad through his tears, "please do." 

One of his dad's other security agents ran up with a scanner. "We'd like to scan your friend, and add him into our database. Mr. Hitchcock, if you would allow us..."

"I said he was with me!" shouted Conrad at the agent, taking everyone present aback.

"Woah, there. Hey Conrad, I'll just give the nice man my id card, okay? No harm done, see?" said Billy, handing over the card. Mr. Sachs waved assent and the agent gratefully took the card and shoved it into one of the scanner's card reader slots. After a moment he examined the screen and seemed satisfied with the information displayed.

"He's clear Mr. Sachs," reported the agent handing the card back to its owner.

"That's great! Now, how about we get back home, have the doc AI take a look at Conrad's head, freshen up and have a nice dinner. Billy, you'd be most welcome to join us as our guest this evening. Did you have any plans?"

"Er, no. Mr. Sachs. Sure, I'd love to visit if Conrad's up to it. Waddya say Conrad?" said Billy.

Conrad nodded.

"Good! Perkins, please lead them back to the car. I'll be there in a few minutes." Mr. Sachs turned back towards several other members of his security team. No doubt they wanted to scan the Gardens for clues to the identity of the attempted assailants.

The agent with the scanner nodded and began leading them slowly out of the Gardens, Conrad still weeping silently and being supported by his friend.

Once they were in the car Conrad pressed a button and the partition to the driver's compartment went black. 

"Look, nopony can see or hear us now." He sniffled and found some tissues to blow his nose. 

"I'm really sorry those people died," said Billy. "There really was nothing we could do. We don't have ponification potion of our own." He did seem sorry.

"So how did you get the simulacra potion so fast?" Conrad was beginning to recover his emotional balance, and the question had been bugging him.

"You came back from your conversion dream with it on a chain around your neck. It just materialized as I was watching over you." He took the vial and its chain out of an inner pocket and handed it over to Conrad, who dropped it onto the floor. "Maybe I'll just hang on to it until you get the hang of things." Billy, or rather the simulacra image of Billy picked it up and put it back in an inside pocket.

A moment later there was a knock and a door opened. Mr. Sachs came in and took a seat next to Conrad. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah dad. Let's just get home."

"Sure thing son." He pressed a button on the cabin wall. "Perkins, home please." The car accelerated gently. "You know, while we're on our way I can tell you boys about my interview with Princess Celestia."

"You mean Princess Celestia of Equestria, the failed invader?" asked Billy with enthusiasm. "I didn't know it was possible to speak with her in the Treasure Chest." He said Treasure Chest as if somehow he could pronounce capital letters.

"Well, there wasn't, until today. I've been working up to this for years, and finally it all payed off. I saw her just a few hours ago and had a conversation with her." He beamed at Billy who was obviously playing up to him.

"Please tell us about it, dad," asked Conrad. That should keep his father occupied for the entire trip home, and he really didn't feel like answering questions right now anyway.

Is this what the rest of my life will be like, he thought, trying to avoid being caught and fooling the people I love?

He lay back on the uncomfortable human sized seat and listened as his father droned on animatedly, looking at the purple pony reflected in the glass of the cabin's partition. 

That was when he noticed the horn sticking out of his forehead. Good Celestia, I'm a unicorn!