//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Its a long walk down a hot road // Story: The Conversion Bureau: The Land Downunder // by Da Bunnana King //------------------------------// The Conversion Bureau: The Land Downunder By Da Bunnana King Chapter Two: It’s a long walk down a hot road === As I continued to walk down the scorched road that was showing cracks from not being maintained in ages I began to wonder what my new life would be like. 'Wonder if I will be able to find mum again. Wonder if any of my mates have been converted. Wonder if they will have rugby and cricket there.' I thought to myself oblivious to my surroundings or the very small bump in the distance that was the Bureau. I then stopped and then said aloud, "Wait do I really want to abandon my humanity?" It was the first time I was wondering if this was a good idea or not... Well not really since back when most of my squad was being converted I had wondered this myself, it came with the standard 'Do I want to lose my hands,' and the 'What is so good about being a four foot and also being any color of the rainbow.' "Well," I began to think aloud again to myself, "I would be able to see mum again and I wouldn't be attacked by HLF when I am in Equestria... but then again I am going to lose my hands and have hooves for the rest of my life and I don't want to be wasting my... oh wait I joined the Army." I said as I forgot that I had wasted much of my youth of being in the Defence Force, well Cadets wasn't full on Army, but things changed once oil and iron was found in Australia so anyone being over the age of sixteen and being a Corporal or above had to go through mandatory training in case of another invasion. I picked up the pace again and then wondered how I had survived not being killed by the most influential group that ruled Australia besides the large mining companies which kept the law since the government collapse after the Army disbanded. I could of stayed in school but the fees became too expensive which my family couldn't pay, even though my father was an engineer it wasn't enough for the fees. So I had to get a job if I wanted to stay in, the only people that were hiring were the mining companies and the Army, I picked Army since I was in the system and my Dad knew one of the recruiting officers there I was able to get in no problem. I joined and when through basic training and qualified very high in rifling and survival. So they put me on general security for the base which got me seeing action weekly since some people attempted to enter and steal anything so they could sell it on the black market. From there on I progressed to Sergeant which put me on the list for deployment but then Equestria came and I was pushed into firearm maintenance for the Counter-Terrorist Task Force even though I was a better rifleman in general but it was better than deployment somewhere in the Middle East or Africa on an oil rig guarding it for nine hours a day whilst being exposed to the radiation that most devices emit. Everything changed on that day I went on patrol, I remember it as if it was yesterday... Mandatory flashback === "Sergeant Linstrom go patrol sector eight and report your findings." said my officer, over the radio in my little corner of the armoury, the armoury its self was one large room divided up into smaller rooms where the guns were maintained but I was lucky since my room was not only my work place but also my room. So I could sleep on the job and no one would get mad at me which I thought was pretty cool. The room also had various rifles and explosives lying around, some gun oil, WD40, duct tape and my crushed clock. So I picked up the small black radio handle and pressed down on the call button, "Sir am I to do this alone or am I going out with a larger patrol?" I questioned being the smart ass I was. "By yourself since you wanted to do something else besides clean guns all day." came his voice jokingly, "Roger wilco. Out" I said setting the small reviver down, "Finally something to do that isn't cleaning bloody guns all day." I walked over to my small locker and took out my stuff. I had taken out my grey digital camo uniform and slipped into it, then my simple chest rig that contained pockets for all my ammo and last but not least my F88 AUSTERY. The rifle hadn't changed in years since it was built to last even if you didn't maintain it, but I had made a few modifications to it. I had changed the ACOG sights to a holographic sight and gave it a darkened grey finish to it. I grabbed my ammo and put it in the poaches then walked out the door and began to walk myself to the worst section of the Brisbane City... Fortitude Valley. === I arrived there and began my set patrol route which was to walk the street to show that the government was an ever present power and that it shouldn't be questioned. They employed this tactic since the sudden rise of Human Liberation Force members had sky rocked over the last month. I was only there to look intimidating and to show not to fall out of line of our oppressive government who was always watching, it was reinforced with all the cameras that were set up on each street corner that constantly monitored everyone’s movement. I continued down the main drag of it walking in amongst crowds of both ponies and humans, both of them would part in front of me as if I was infected with anthrax or some form of disease. I scanned each face and the alley ways looking for any suspicious activity, I spotted a man who was hurrying through the crowd as he attempted to get his way to the ally next to an abandoned shop. I called it in over the radio and was told to follow him. I continued to follow the man down the alley way until he came to an large metal security door that had what seemed to be an ocular scanner. He pressed his eye against the device and the unseen locking mechanism clicked open and he walked on through. I knew I had found a HLF safe house and I smelled Promotion, so I called it in to my patrol officer. "Sir I have reported HLF controlled safe house. How do I proceed?” I questioned to the patrol officer over my small ear piece, “Enter and eliminate them all.” He said coldly over the radio, “Ummm sir but isn’t there some one else more qualified to do it?” I asked, since I had never intended of killing anyone ever, “Do as you’re ordered. HQ out.” He said before cutting my connection, “Fuck me.” I swore as I strode up to the metal door... === I snapped back to reality as I felt the ground begin to tremble beneath my feet. ‘What could it be?’ I thought to myself as I pulled out my sidearm and got off the road and into a drainage ditch for cover and for protection for whatever was approaching me. Whatever it was it was big and it had a powerful engine. I saw what appeared to be a semi-trailer with a carriage that looked like it was carrying horses since I could see their tails at the end as it passed me at high speeds. “Bloody hell,” I said, as I put the pistol back in its holster and stood up and held my middle finger out to the truck and screamed at the top of my lungs, “BLOODY WANKA!” the truck stopped, “Oh shit… RUN!!!” I said as I bolted down the road to the Bureau as it was just with n 100 meters, I hadn’t run that fast in my life except for that time I played ‘Let’s see how big we can make the blood vain on the head of our CO’ game with the others in my squadron. I could hear the trucker opening the door on his cab and that just made me run faster since most truckers I know that work in Queensland carry a firearm encase of robbery. The Bureau was approaching fast and I could see both people and ponies inside but I didn't get a good look inside since I was more concerned about dodging the bullet that just whizzed past my head. I ran to the door and busted through it ignoring the metal detectors and just ended up at the front desk red faced and painting. The small brown pony looked at me in horror since I looked like a HLF suicide bomber, so I casually looked up and removed my shemagh and said to the horrified pony nonchalantly, “I am here to sign up to ponification please.” As I put my arm on the counter and giving of the worst smile that I could produce. === Authors Notes: I dun wrote a chapter. You like and comment a witty response that has something to do with this so my tiny ego will rise and then I write some more. But I must go since I am needed in Mass Effect 3 as Scumbag Shepard… hey those reporters aren’t going to punch themselves you know. Bunnana King, AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!