//------------------------------// // Sky-Bound Savior // Story: The Conversion Bureau: Change of Life // by Hurricane Puncher //------------------------------// The Conversion Bureau Change of Life Part 2: Sky Bound Savior Robert finished shaving and gave himself the once-over in the mirror. He looked a bit more presentable, if only just. Throwing on a t-shirt and jeans, he returned to the living room to prepare the next part of his routine. Against the far wall rested a futon mattress, a throwback to his college days that he didn’t have the heart to get rid of, even if it lacked a frame. Moving the coffee table, he laid the mattress in its place and glanced over at the clock; 8:15. ‘Good, I still have a bit of time before she gets here.’ He grabbed his smokes and slid open the glass door leading to his balcony. The weather report that had woken him earlier was way off. The air was dank with humidity, and combined with the morning sun beating onto the balcony the temperature felt closer to 85 than the high seventies. Lighting up yet another cigarette he took a seat on the plastic lawn chair (the only piece of furniture on the balcony) and gazed out across Manhattan. Pegasi could be seen as far as Union City. Some seemed to be flying with destinations in mind, and others looped and darted about aimlessly, appearing to just exult in the joy that was flight. Robert had to admit, the ability to fly was a pretty strong draw for the conversion movement. The governor had thrown a fit when the first requests to remove the no-fly zone over the city came in. However, as the number of humans in the city dwindled, so did the opposition to the bill, and he had no choice but to relent. Robert had begun to slip into his own flight-filled fantasies when he heard the door of his neighbor slide open. A light brown Unicorn with a black mane emerged, two cups of coffee levitating above his head. Stifling a yawn the pony addressed Robert in a sleepy tone. “Morning Rob.” “Morning Mr. Miller” The pony scoffed and levitated a cup over to Robert, who took it with thanks. “Rob, we’ve been neighbors for three years.” “Heh, sorry. Morning John” “That’s better.” Whenever Robert had spiraled into darkness, and believed everyone he cared for to be gone, he would always be reminded that wasn’t the case when he came out onto his balcony each morning. John Miller had been Robert’s neighbor for as long as Robert had lived in the fifty year old Brownstone, and the two became close friends. They often spent their mornings like this, shooting the shit while enjoying John’s premium home ground blend. It was a tradition that persisted even after John’s ponification. John maneuvered his floating mug to his lips and took a gulp. “So, did’ja catch Maitland crash and burn in that debate earlier?” Robert laughed. “Yeah, it was painful.” “I’ll say. Plus that newcomer was pretty easy on the eyes.” Robert grinned, it was too easy. “The Unicorn?” The pony glared. “Smartass. I don’t care if they say your ‘tastes’ change after the conversion, for me sex will always walk on two legs not four.” Robert chuckled. “Yeah, that red head is a bombshell. What happened to their original guy?” “Apparently he got ponified and they needed someone new. Fucking miracle that they were able to land someone like that though. Slim pickings these days when it comes to humans.” “I’ll say.” The two sat in silence for a while. Drinking their coffee and, in Robert’s case, smoking. John broke the silence when he spied the mattress behind the glass door. “Oh man. Still?” Robert drank the last of his coffee and turned to John. “What?” John tilted his head towards Robert’s door. “Oh. Yeah. Almost every day.” John laughed heartily. “You’ve got a thing for her.” It was Robert’s turn to glare. “She’s a horse.” “Pony.” “Whatever. It’s like you said, sex walks on two legs not four. She’s just a friend.” He held out the empty mug to John who levitated it out of his palm with a grin. “Hey man you never know. They say that it’s different for everyone…maybe your ‘tastes’ will change a lot more quickly than mine.“ At this Robert shifted his gaze back to the pegasi in the sky and shrugged. Immediately he heard the sound of two ceramic mugs shattering on John’s balcony. Robert turned and found the pony staring at him wide-eyed. “The hell is up with you?” “The hell is up with YOU? In the past anytime I would even graze the idea of you heading to the bureau you would look like you wanted to strangle me. Now all I get is a shrug? Did something happen?” Robert shrugged again and returned to looking at the pegasi. “A lot of things I guess.” “Is it your family?” Damn. John could always see right through him. Robert refused to confirm John’s assumption though, his pride wouldn’t allow it. “It’s…a lot of things.” John stared at Robert for a few long seconds before levitating the shards of the broken mugs into a tiny trash bin on his balcony. “Look-“ He began. “-Nobody is making you get converted, and nobody is making you stay human. The choice is yours, as well as any reasons you have for making it or not. Whether or not you go through with it, my coffee and I will still be here.” Robert sighed, and turned to John with a smile. “Thanks man, that means a-“ Robert gasped. “Oh shit, you have the time?” John glanced back into his own apartment. “Almost half past eight.” Robert’s head whipped skyward. He could already see the prismatic trail appearing from behind a far skyscraper. He took one last quick drag from his smoke and flicked it off the balcony. John shook his head and grinned. “Alright lover boy I won’t keep you from your date.” He turned towards his door and stole a quick glance back at Robert. “Tell her I said ‘Hi’” he added with a wink, and then disappeared back into his apartment. “Har Har.” Robert replied to nobody. He turned to his door and slid it open, then looked back to the trail of refracted light. The cloud of pegasi was already beginning to split in order to accommodate the multi-colored missile streaking towards his building. Robert had many, many reasons to despise the ponies and their movement. In fact he probably had more reasons than most people still living in the city. Yet for all the reasons he had to be full of hatred, there was only one responsible for the fact that he wasn’t. And it was hurtling towards his balcony at over a hundred miles an hour. As the kaleidoscopic blur drew ever closer, Robert could see two pastel blue wings flare out and its speed slow considerably. He held out his open hands expectantly, and as the blur screamed past him four envelopes fell neatly into them. What followed could only be described as a cannonball hitting a pillow as the mattress broke the fall of the supersonic flyer and was slid all the way into the kitchen. Robert walked into his living room just in time to see the rainbow-maned pegasus pop her head out of the crumpled mattress. “TIME?!” She yelled. Robert glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. “8:30 on the dot. Nice job!” “YESSSS!” The pegasus cheered. Dislodging herself from her down-filled prison, she flew to the center of the room and pumped her hooves in victory. “Best flyer of Equestria?! Try best flyer ON EARTH!” Rainbow Dash. The fastest living thing to ever grace the skies of Equestria and the world beyond. She was currently serving as both a mail-pony and a weather control expert in New York, and had been delivering Robert’s mail for the past three months. The two had met under…less than desirable circumstances, specifically when on the first day of her route Rainbow Dash obliterated his sliding glass door and was injured as a result. A lot happened between that day and the present, and the two now spent the majority of their free time together. Rainbow brought some much needed color into Robert’s life, while Robert alleviated her crushing boredom. However strange their meeting had been, their friendship ran deep. Robert laughed as Rainbow Dash continued her midair victory dance. “You never get tired of that do you? “Psh. You’re just jealous. AND a sore loser.” Robert sighed. A while back, shortly after the door incident, Robert had extended a challenge to Rainbow. If she could get his mail to him by 8:30 in the morning, he would have to buy her lunch after she got off her weather duties. Robert had originally planned the challenge just to spite her for breaking his door, but he had severely underestimated her speed and desire to win. She never lost. Not even once. However over the time they had known each other, the challenge had lost much of its competitive feeling (for Robert at least), and was now just the way the two began their day together. Robert threw up his hands in resignation. “Yeah, yeah I know. You win yet again Dash. Come on back when you’re done with weather patrol and I’ll-“ “Oh! I actually have the rest of the day off.” “Really? What about your other stops?” Rainbow blinked and nosed through the two saddle bags on her sides. “Nope, looks like you’re the last on my route.” “Huh.” Robert scratched his head. Usually after Rainbow Dash had dropped of his mail, she would have a few more stops and then her weather duties. This worked out almost too well for Rainbow, as she would be done with work by noon; the perfect time for, as she liked to put it, her ‘victory lunch’. Robert was about to ask why she had the day off but noticed the disarray of his living room. The mattress lay in a heap in his kitchen, some pictures had been knocked off the end-table, and a few chairs had fallen over. Dash noticed Robert looking about with disdain and smiled sheepishly. “Uh...hehe…my bad” --------------------------------------------- Robert finished moving the coffee table back to its original place and slumped into his couch. Rainbow hovered over and sat next to him. “So, what do ya wanna do? We’ve got the whole day.” “Hrm…no idea.” Robert said as he reached for the remote. The TV hummed to life as the News channel materialized onto the screen. A recap of the earlier debate was being broadcasted, showing highlights of Twilight and Maitland’s exchange. Rainbow Dash’s expression twisted into a scowl. “Ugh. I HATE that dweeb.” “You and I both, but you should have seen it Dash. He got bent over the political table earlier and by that Purple Unicorn no less.” The highlight switched to the part of the debate where Twilight had skillfully shot down Maitland’s attempt at turning the exchange into a holy war. Rainbow began to laugh uncontrollably at seeing Maitland’s beet-red face. “HAHAAA—OH MAN THAT’S GOOD! Next time I see that egghead I have to congratulate her!” Robert blinked. “You know Twilight Sparkle?” Rainbow stopped laughing and turned to Robert with a look that screamed ‘Really?’ Robert thought for a minute, and then brought a palm to his face. “That’s right; she’s one of your friends from Equestria.” “Uh. Yeah. How could you have forgotten?” Robert sighed as his expression became sullen. “Sorry, there’s been a lot on my mind.” Rainbow gasped and lunged at Robert taking his head in her hooves, a look of mock-concern on her very close face. “Oh no! You’re spiraling again! Come back to me Rob; don’t go back to being a wishy-washy dweeb! My heart can’t take it!” “Dash-” She began to shake him back and forth as she yelled at the ceiling. “Oh what will I do, what will I do?! My friend is going to become a boring- “Dash.” “-uptight” “Dash!” “-pitiful” “DASH.” “-excuse for a lame-o again and there is nothing I can do! Oh woe is me! Woe is-” Rainbow was cut off as Robert grabbed her hooves. She looked down and saw an expression of extreme annoyance on his face. Rainbow blinked, and then fell back onto the couch laughing. Robert folded his arms with a glare. “Hehe, sorry man I went a little too far with that one.” Robert looked a bit dejected. “I’ll say.” “Oh hey come on” Rainbow said as she jabbed him playfully with a hoof. “You know I hate it when you’re depressed, and nothing gets you out of a funk quicker than getting you riled up!” Robert sighed, she had him there. “Plus-” she added as she wiped away a tear from her magenta eyes. “-It’s hilarious!” Robert shot her a mischievous grin. “Is that so?” Rainbow froze. “H-hang on, I know that look. What are y-”Her sentence was cut off as Robert pounced on her. Sounds of hysterical laughter filled the apartment as Robert began to tickle her mercilessly. “HAHAHA- NO ROB, STOP, I CAN’T- HEEHAHA!” He didn’t let up. “Make fun of me huh? Take this, and that, and this!” “HAHAHAHA- STOP, STOP PLEAAAEEAAHAHAHA!” Rainbow Dash squealed and squirmed about, her hooves flailing wildly. Robert grinned. “Surrender and I will!” “AHAHA OK, OK HEEHAHAA I GIVE, I GIVE!” The two friends laughed as they wrestled for a bit longer on the couch before finally collapsing, completely out of breath. Robert chuckled heartily as he wiped the tears from his eyes. Rainbow was taking a bit longer to recover, breathing heavily and coughing. “Jeeze.” Rainbow said between gasps. “I should never have told you that I’m ticklish. Don’t you ever get tired of doing that?” “Nope.” Robert said with a smirk. “It’s hilarious.” Rainbow shot him a look, and for a few moments they simply stared at each other…before bursting out into another fit of laughter. These were Robert’s days with Rainbow Dash. Through all of his pain, loss, and the uncertainty that pervaded his heart, Dash had managed to bring happiness back into Robert’s life. She had stuck with him through these dark times, even if all he could give her was his company and a free lunch, and he had become a better person for it. She had saved him. Eventually the two calmed down enough to go back to watching the TV, though the anchor was now covering a different story. Robert flipped through the channels, hoping to find something interesting to watch while they figured out what they wanted to do. Eventually he gave up, placing the remote on the table with an exasperated sigh. Most of the major networks had shut down, leaving very little to watch besides the news and public programming. “Hm. Well I can’t think of anything, and it’s only ten to nine.” Robert said rubbing his eyes. He turned to Rainbow Dash and noticed her staring intently at something near the balcony door. Following her gaze, Robert saw an upturned photo and piece of paper. He had forgotten to put them back in their envelope. Before Robert could even move, Rainbow Dash was already in front of the door, the photo and note in her hooves. She tilted her head in confusion as she studied the picture. “That’s weird. This was taken in Ponyville, but I don’t recognize these ponies.” Robert said nothing. He kept his eyes locked on the wall, his face devoid of emotion. “ ‘Please come home. We are waiting’? Robert who are these ponies?” He remained silent. “Rob-“ “My family.” Rainbow looked shocked. “What?” “They are my family Dash. My parents, my brother, my cousin and his fiancée, and my best friend; they all got ponified and moved to Equestria.” Robert said without looking at the pegasus. “I don’t know who the seventh is.” He added. Rainbow tried to process what she was hearing. “I thought you didn’t know what happened to them? That they just disappeared?” “For a while I didn’t. But then you delivered this-“ He found the envelope that had contained the photo and note and held it up to Rainbow Dash “-last week.” The pony’s mouth hung open as Robert strode over and took the two items from her hooves, replacing them in their envelope which he laid down on the table. “I…I didn’t even notice the return address Rob. If I had I would have-“ “I know. I know you would have warned me. It’s alright.” Robert sat back down on the couch, his head in his hands. Rainbow fluttered over to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. For a while the two remained silent. The only sound in the room the ticking of the clock on the wall. Eventually Rainbow broke the silence by clopping her hooves together in a pony equivalent of someone snapping their fingers. “I got it!” Robert pulled his head up and turned to the Pegasus. “Let’s go to the park!”