Three days had passed since his wasted trip to the Salt Lake bureau and Storm had been doing his best to not think about the ever approaching barrier. As he was watching the news and saw that only a small swath of the nation remained, he knew the time was coming soon. He knew that the time he and Shadow had left was running very short. He began to think about his interaction down at the Salt Lake bureau and didn't regret his decision to return home one bit. He knew that coming home to die was the right decision.
That evening went by as most other evenings had since he knew things would be ending soon. He ate a larger than normal supper and Shadow got more food than normal. He figured that since so little time remained, that both him and his cat may as well get spoiled with large meals. Storm had not been wanting to sleep too much so he could cherish every moment he had left with his cat but that night when the two headed to their bedroom to try and get a few hours of sleep, he noticed that his mirror was glowing white.
"What the.....?" he gasped as he saw something actually come out of it.
What came out of it was something that he never expected, it was the large white winged unicorn he had seen on the TV, Princess Celestia. He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw her. He figured that she would take the time to address all of humanity but for her to come to speak with him personally was shocking. He bowed and asked, "Princess Celestia, is that really you?"
Celestia replied, "Yes Storm, it is me." She gave him a look of concern and continued, "Why do you remain here when certain death is all that awaits you? Why haven't you went to a conversion bureau to be ponified?"
Storm was unsure as to whether Celestia knew about his failed visit to the bureau but figured that in the event she did and this was her way of maybe seeing if he was worthy of Equestria, that he would tell her the truth. "Well a few days back I traveled to the conversion bureau in Salt Lake City but when they told me that I couldn't take Shadow with me, I decided that I would rather die as a human with my cat than survive and leave my cat behind to die."
Celestia could tell that Storm did hold his cat very dear and the fact that he would be willing to sacrifice himself to stay with Shadow, that he possessed many of the qualities that some Equestrians already had. She gave him a warm smile and replied, "Well it is quite obvious that you love your cat a lot and Equestria is a land full of love."
"But if that is the case," Storm questioned, "why did they tell me I couldn't take Shadow with me? Certainly that love would spread beyond just a love for other ponies, certainly that love would extend to one's pets." He paused for a brief moment before bringing up what the receptionist told him, "And when I asked about why I couldn't take him, they said that the serum doesn't work on animals, just humans."
There had been problems with the people working at the Salt Lake bureau, problems that Princess Celestia knew about. She sighed, "I have had multiple people report similar things regarding that bureau. Here is one thing they are forgetting to tell people, they are forgetting to tell people that as of now, the barrier will no longer kill domesticated pets. During these final days, cats and dogs will survive the arrival of the barrier and be taken to Equestria."
Storm was curious about one thing, "Why me? Why did you come directly to me?"
Celestia replied, "I get these feelings about people who go to the bureaus and don't convert and I come to let you know that there is one final chance to survive. Every bureau on the planet has closed except one. The conversion bureau in Denver has one final day of operation but to get in you will have to have this."
Celestia used her magic to create a note with her cutie mark on it. She wrote,
"To whom it may concern,
I, Princess Celestia, do hereby grant permission for this individual, Storm Lewis to receive the special serum for the final humans that will be converted. His cat will be allowed to be present after conversion as the barrier passes through Denver and fully destroys the earth.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia"
Storm read the note and was shocked by how it read. He asked, "Princess Celestia, you bring up a special serum for the final humans to be converted. What is different about it compared to the standard serum?"
Celestia replied, "With the standard serum, newly converted newfoals have to learn how to use their limbs and go through a process known as 'conversion euphoria.' There will be very little time remaining when the final three, you, the doctor and the receptionist drink the serum. With this serum, I have made it myself and after conversion, you will be like a native Equestrian. You will be able to use your limbs right away, there will be no euphoria and if upon conversion, you wind up as a unicorn, learning how to use your magic will be much easier than standard newfoal unicorns."
Storm was curious about one thing, "So what kind of pony will I become?"
Celestia replied, "That is something that even I can not determine. It is generally completely random but normally half of all newfoals are earth ponies, thirty percent become unicorns and twenty percent become pegasi. It is based off of the needs of Equestria."
While Storm was secretly hoping that he would become a unicorn because of the magic, he didn't react negatively of the higher chances of becoming an earth pony. He replied, "Alright, I was just curious."
Celestia replied, "Very well. Right now though I would strongly advise that you go to Denver." On another note she wrote down the directions to the Denver Metro bureau in the event he had never been there before. She continued, "There are the directions. Now go, time is running short."
Storm nodded and then Celestia headed back through the mirror. He then put the note in his wallet and put the directions in his coat pocket. He grabbed Shadow, put him in his carrier and said, "Alright Shadow, the time has come. The time has come for us to escape certain death."
As he left his house one last time, he did know that he would likely miss his earthly life but had a strong feeling that life in Equestria, regardless of what kind of pony he became and regardless of what he would do for a living, would be better. Once he got his pick-up fueled up, he hit the highway and headed on a trip that for so many years he never imagined he would be taking, a trip to become a pony.