The Conversion Bureau : Landfall

by Feefers

Dreaming

High, above the city.

Soaring.

Flying.

A whispered voice, “Come closer.”

Landing on a roof top.

He is there; towering over.

Nervous.

Slipping.

Falling.

Plummeting.

“No.” The voice says, a magical aura extends, “Not this time.”

Arms ... No hooves reaching out.

Safe

Wednesday Morning - 04:05

Time until Equestria First Landfall : 1 days 6 hours 5 minutes

Smith started to feel his body lifted magically back onto the roof he was still asleep but it was like no dream he had before as he felt himself deposited on the roof landing and looking up at the large pony now towering over him.
He raised a hoof looking it over, just like a ponies he shook his head and tried to stand struggling to his feet.
“Perhaps.” The pony suggested, “We should take this somewhere safer.”
Smith nodded, “P..please.”
The pony nodded as she suddenly was flying large inky black wings stretching out as she nodded a magical aura of purple energy surrounding Smith as he felt himself lifted clumsily off the roof and a second later, on the ground safely.
Smith looked up at the pony, she had elegant feathery wings and a long prominent horn, her fur was dark purple all over.

“Y...you are a princess?” Smith asked confused looking to the pony and then over himself.
“That is correct ... you are not a pony.” The princess replied looking Smith over as well.
Smith struggled with his hooves rubbing them over his body clumsily feeling around at his back as his hair was now trickling down his back into an elegant long bright silver mane.
“No I am not supposed to be.” Smith said with a little sigh, “But I was going to be until the attacks and then tomorrow, well i’m going for conversion.”
The princess smiled, “I am very glad to hear that, contrary to what many of your kind think; we are trying to help. Now how did you come to be here?”
Smith looked around, things were a confused blur of colour and shadows, nothing quite coming into view.
“I don’t know where we are.” Smith admitted.
“You are in a dream.” The princess said quietly starting to snuffle around at the shadows, “It’s close enough that I can enter it but it’s like no dream I have been in.”
“Do you go into many people’s dreams?” Smith asked.
The princess laughed a little, it made Smith feel good hearing it, somehow safer,
“Neigh, I only enter the dreams of ponies, which is again why I ask you how I come to be here.”
“I’ve seen you every night for the past three nights, you watch as I fall.” Smith said quietly.
“I have been trying to help, but you were always just out of reach, tonight. Tonight you are not.” The princess replied.
“And these?” Smith held up his hooves looking to the princess.
“Unfortunate side effect of a dreamstate, you are having a turning into a pony dream.”
Smith sighed softly moving his hooves around awkwardly as he glared slightly, “And i’m still changing because?”
The princess raised an eyebrow as Smith turned a short silvery tail swishing up near the princess’s muzzle.
“Because you are still dreaming, perhaps we should leave here...” The princess suggested opening her wings.
Smith shrugged, “I’m going to be a pony anyway... why not this way?”
“I believe as this is a dream, you would lose more of yourself then using a potion, there would be very little of ... you left.” The princess said.
Smith wondered if that would be such a bad thing as the princess drew close unfurling her wing up against Smith as there was suddenly blackness.

“Intruder alert. Intruder alert. Intruder alert.” The computer whirled softly as Smith sat up in bed.
“Cancel alarm.” He groaned rubbing his head feeling a soft fuzzy warmth against his temples.
“Wh.. LIGHTS!” Smith yelped as the lights flickered on, he could see by the table the princess was standing there looking slightly bemused as Smith looked in terror at his hooves.
“Waitwaitwait...” He stammered, “T..that was just a dream.”
The princess shook her head, “It’s never, just a dream. All those that enter my realm risk everything, some do not awaken.”
Smith could feel the truth in her words, stinging in his soul as he looked more at the princess pony invader in his room.
He slid out of bed pulling some pants on over his underwear before cautiously bowing to the princess, not sure of the correct etiquette.
“Your highness?” Smith gulped slightly, “My name is Smith Johnson.”
“I am sorry to intrude into your house this way Mister Johnson, I could not allow you to continue your transformation in a dream without understanding why it was happening.”
Smith wiggled his new tail slightly, “I’m glad you pulled me out when you did Princess.”
“I should have left earlier, you were deep into the dream still and would have stayed until you were fully changed if I had let you.”
Smith shuddered hearing that feeling a tingle along his new mane, “I must thank you even more, you said you think I would have lost myself.”
The princess nodded, “It would have been a twisted version, not you but the dream that came out this morning, I fear it is my fault for getting involved, if you had fallen you would have woken up without any changes.”
Smith sighed as he realised that his previous nightmares, had been protecting him and if he hadn’t taken the pill maybe he would have been okay.
“I can’t blame you princess, I took some medication to help me sleep.” Smith admitted digging around and setting the bottle on the table.
“I see but still there remains the question of how I was able to see you at all, as princess of the night I guard the dreams of all my little ponies; but you are very much not a pony despite your appearance.”
“I don’t know.” Smith said quietly.

The princess trotted about a bit apparently in thought before closing her eyes, her horn flashing with magical energy for a moment.
“I have sent a summons to one more able to determine what is going on.” The princess said, “Perhaps you would be so kind to open the window for her?”
Smith nodded walking over to the window pawing at it clumsily with his hooves taking a few moment to catch the button as the computer beeped.
“Checking atmospheric content, clear to open window.” The computer announced as it clunked and the window started to open.
Smith used both hooves pressing against the glass as it slid into the wall frame before walking back to the table carefully picking the glass up in his hooves and sipping on some more of the water.

There was a tense buildup in the atmosphere before a light pop as from nowhere a purple princess pony appearing suddenly in the room with a magical poof of smoke.
“Princess Luna! I came as soon as I could!” The other princess bowed slightly trotting close.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle, it is very good to see you again, I am sorry at the urgency of the request but I need your assistance.”
Smith Johnson looked on for a moment trying to pinch himself, checking that he wasn’t still in a dream, however his lack of fingers made that quite impossible.
“Of course, I am please to help you withohhmygoshthatmanhashooves.” Twilight gasped looking at Smith.
Smith raised a hoof as if to wave lowering it sheepishly as he realised it didn’t work that way.
“What has been happening to you then?” Twilight trotted across her horn glowing a light aura that surrounded Smith as she continued to talk, Princess Luna looking on; “Nothing directly magical here, no spells or even better no curses.”
“I have seen him Princess Twilight, he is known to me.” Princess Luna noted.
“How do you mean?” Twilight asked looking back to Princess Luna for a moment.
Princess Luna hung her head slightly and trotted closer, “Twilight, I have been able to see him just on the edge of dreams, tonight I was able to break that barrier and touch him.”
“That’s not possible.” Twilight stated bluntly but catching the wince from Princess Luna she bit her lip.
“I mean Princess, even you could not bring a human into your dreamscape, their minds ooh his mind!” Twilight suddenly turned back to Smith looking across to him.
“Nope he’s not crazy either, that would have explained so much.” Twilight sighed.
Smith flustered a little but decided not to say anything.
“Waitjustasecond...” Twilight said thinking, “You aren’t due for an appointment with a Dr Windy later are you?”
Smith nodded, “Yes.”
Twilight grinned, “Well, he asked me to come help him out said he had a really interesting case of a human that magic worked on really easy; I guess we know why now.”
Smith sighed slightly, “Except we don’t I mean i’m partially ponified now but, that doesn’t explain why magic was easier to do on me yesterday or the dreams!”
Twilight shook her head, “It does, it explains everything.”

Comments

[pjabrony]

Apparently it doesn't explain everything. Not till next chapter, anyway. Moar!

[terrycloth]

Clearly the author wants us to speculate... so... "You're actually a changeling with a human's memories imprinted!"

[Feefers]

2843232 Maaaaan i best get the tin foil hat back on...

That's actually an idea a friend has been pitching me.