Smith left the office heading back along the lit path towards the main door, finding another path lit in a soft grey colouring.
“April... who is that for?” Smith asked.
“This is a new employee, Splish Splash.”
Smith looked to the blue path before looking outside where a small silver car was waiting, he cursed the bad timing and left heading out to the car.
“Transport for ... Smith?” The car spoke softly, it was fully automated with no driver and just a single seat.
“That’s right!” Smith held up is wrist computer as it bleeped.
The door of the car swished open as Smith climbed in carefully sitting in the small comfortable seat.
“Departing.” The car announced as the door swished shut, the car hummed quietly as it started to levitate before flying off.
The view from above the city was one Smith was familiar with but still inspiring, seeing the vastness of the city all before him filled him still with hope that somehow, something would survive from here.
As they flew Smith could see large queues of people, all waiting outside various conversion offices, waiting.
Ponies and even some people were walking up the queues doing tests and even handing out some potions on the street.
Smith pressed up against the window, heading out of town was a small line of traffic, people with everything they could carry leaving.
“Landing.” The car announced as the car started to descend the humming becoming quieter stopping in a rather more expensive looking area from what Smith was used to, AI drones buzzed around here scanning the area and there were ponies, just walking about.
He climbed out the car looking to his wrist computer and up to the building the car had dropped him off at starting to climb up the steps to the elegant entrance.
Smith walked into a reception area smiling a little as it appeared to be fully staffed by ponies as he walked up to the reception, a fuzzy brown pegasus girl looked at him as Smith’s wrist-computer beeped.
The pegasus turned to the screen, “Mister Johnson?” The pegasus smiled, “Oh gosh it really is you!”
Smith smiled politely and nodded, “Yes?”
The pegasus bounced excitedly her wings flapping, “It’s me, Hopeful Heart!”
Smith nodded now wondering if perhaps this was the best place for him.
“Oh gosh of course ... you knew me as ...” She dropped her voice to a quiet whisper, “Pam.”
Smith’s eyes lit up, he knew Pam, she’d been the cool fun one that waved to him whilst she was in the submersion tank getting water samples.
“...You are a nurse now?” Smith asked nervously.
She nodded, “My true calling, I guess I always cared somewhat and now I do even more.”
Smith sighed slightly, ponies didn't get a lot of human culture, that before Equestria; nurses were skilled, highly trained spending years at university to learn about all the required procedures; now, even converted humans could be a nurse just if a magical butt tattoo told them so.
“Okay.. Where do I wait?” He asked looking to the large room with uncomfortable chairs.
She shook her head, “Oh Doctor Windy is ready to see you now.”
Smith headed down looking at the rooms as he went finding Dr Windy’s office as he knocked.
“Enter...” A commanding voice came from the other side.
Smith pushed the door open to a soft white male unicorn who smiled at him softly, “Oh my been in the wars a bit have you?”
“I ... had a trip this morning.” Smith blushed slightly looking as he took a seat on the overly long couch, it’d been redesigned for ponies and he sat awkwardly on it.
Dr Windy nodded and trotted across focusing a magical aura around Smith as his face twitched, little cuts knitting together magically.
“Well there we go, hardly anything to see a doctor about I’m sure those would have cleared up in a few days.” Dr Windy beamed trotting back to his desk.
“It wasn't about the fall Doctor.” Smith quietly said.
Dr Windy nodded his horn bobbing softly, “Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Smith took a deep breath, “ I've ... been having these nightmares.”
Dr Windy nodded softly, “What happens in them? Being chased?”
“No...” Smith replied wondering if that was common just now, “Falling.”
“Ahh ... well that is also common.” Dr Windy smiled confidently, “Less so just now but not unexpected.”
“Someone pushed me.” Smith added almost as an afterthought.
“Someone?” Dr Windy leaned in curious now.
“I never see who he is, but he has these brilliant bright blue eyes.” Smith answered, he would never be able to tell a normal doctor any of this.
Dr Windy pondered appearing to think it over heavily before asking, “Is there anything else troubling you?”
Smith nodded, “Yes. This nightmare ... I've had it every night, for three nights.”
Dr Windy frowned, “That is most unpleasant.”
“Very, I wake up feeling tired every day and ... this is so totally random but I had to take a psych test today, apparently I should tell you the results showed exceptional deviation.”
“Well all this is expected in the early stages of ponification.” Dr Windy replied.
“I... Doctor. I'm not undergoing Ponification yet.” Smith stared heavily to the Doctor.
“What? No, no, no!” Dr Windy laughed, “A prank surely, you must be?”
Smith shook his head holding up his wrist computer, anyone undergoing ponification had to lose it first as they reacted badly to the altered biology.
“This ... is unsettling, my magic worked on you as easily as it would any pony.” Dr Windy thought aloud as he turned taking a pen magically levitating and starting to take notes for him, “You can come back tomorrow? I will try and get an expert in this field! Tonight ... Well let me get you a prescription for a mild sedative, dreamless deep sleep at least?”
Smith nodded, “That ... would be bliss.”
Dr Windy raised his hoof to shake Smith’s hand on the way out, “And please uh ... actually I don’t think I caught your name!”
“It’s Smith Johnson.” Smith replied shaking Dr Windy’s hoof.
“Please, are you considering ponification?” Dr Windy asked looking up at Smith pleadingly.
Smith nodded, “I ... have been, I want to go for it but I have some minor obligations to fill, mostly to myself.”
Dr Windy nodded softly, “I’m glad, I will see you tomorrow Mister Johnson.”
Smith took the paper from Dr Windy and headed to the counter, “Hey Hopeful...” He smiled quietly as the pegasus nurse turned to him.
“Hi again Smith, everything go okay?” She asked smiling as she took the note from him trotting across to the pharmacy area.
“Yeah, should be fine. Are there any rules on... you know meeting people you used to know?”
Hopeful Heart shook her head, “Good relationships carry across.”
Smith blushed a little staring intently at the reception desk, “I was wondering Hopeful if you have; now what was the phrase ponies use?”
Hopeful cantered back placing a bag on the counter and looking across to Smith, “A special some pony?”
“Y...yeah.” Smith picked up the back clutching at it for support.
Hopeful shook her head, “No... no pony yet.”
Smith crinkled the bag in the palm of his hands twisting it slightly as he spoke, “Would you like dinner with me, tonight?”
Hopeful smiled and nodded, “I know a place that will be welcoming.” She took a little pen in her mouth carefully scribbling an address on the bag, “Pick me up at 7.”
Smith nodded flustering softly as he scanned the address into his wrist computer.
“I’ll be there!” Smith smiled brightly scurrying out the door starting to walk down the steps.
“Transport for Smith?” The same silver car he had been in spoke up.
Smith stepped back into the car sitting with a large smile as the engine thrum built up again and the car soared up into the sky.