The Conversion Bureau: Dominance

by Barrobroadcaster

Normal Anymore

It was late when Nathan finally got back to his house. As the strange woman had said, she dropped him off at the corner of the street so he'd had to walk all the way home. He tried to keep his eyes on the sidewalk but he couldn't help but look up and over his shoulder every now and then. The pegasi could be anywhere, could catch him from any direction. The thought of them coming for him at home in his sleep occupied his thoughts and made his stomach feel uncomfortable.

The sun went down as he arrived home, he was happy to feel the handle on the door as he opened it.

"I'm home... mom? Dad?" he called to his parents.

His father turned around the corner of the kitchen in front of him. "Nathan, where have you been?" His mother descended the stairway near the kitchen.

"I was at Dave's," he lied. He'd told his parents he was going to his friend's house when he went out to scavenge.

"We weren't expecting you to be gone for so long," his father said, walking over to him. "I want you to call when you're going to be out past six."

He met his fathers eyes. "I'm sorry, dad. I got distracted, lost track of time. I'm sorry." The two hugged. He couldn't tell his father how happy he was to see him, how overcome with relief he was just to be home. "I love you, dad."

"Love you too, Nathan," his father replied. "I want you to be more careful, though. People are still moving back into the city. It can get pretty dangerous out there."

"I know dad, it won't happen again." That was the truth. He was giving up scavenging. It wasn't like he'd found anything interesting or useful anyway. The next time he told his parents he was going to his friend's house... he would actually go to his friend's house.

"Did you have fun with your friends?" his mother asked. Without answering, he hugged her next. "Oh, happy to have you home, sweetie. We saved you some dinner, it's in the fridge." It was pretty much the warmest embrace he'd ever felt with his parents. It wasn't uncommon for him to show his parents' affection but at the moment, the fact he still had arms made each moment all the more special.

"Thanks mom," he said, releasing her. Dinner sounded wonderful but he really didn't feel hungry. Whatever the stuff it was that they'd forced down his throat at the conversion center combined with the stuff he'd inhaled had made his appetite disappear. Still, he managed to microwave a slice of leftover pizza and wolf it down. He savored the pepperoni slices; the thought of being a four-legged vegetarian was horrifying.

After dinner, he went to his room, closed the door and just lay in his bed fully-clothed. He stared at the ceiling for a good few minutes in thought. Tomorrow was a school day for him; with so many people readjusting to their old lives, the school schedule was still taking time to get back in place. Nathan didn't have any homework or assignments do. He tried to think of something to preoccupy his time. Television, video games, reading... nothing felt like it was normal, like the way it was.

Equestria intruding into Earth had changed everything. It was a fact that still wrapped some people's minds. Two different worlds occupying the same space at the same time in two different dimensions. Years ago, a hole had been made between dimensions and magic from Equestria had poured in. This strange energy spread like a virus, turning anything in touched into some form of itself. But when it encountered something it couldn't convert, it erased it. This was true for higher life forms, including humans. For a time, it seemed like Earth would become a second Equestria and humanity would simply be wiped off of it.

Ponies, the inhabitants of Equestria, passed beyond the barrier when they realized what was happening. An alliance between humans and these aliens had been made and quickly both groups searched for a solution to their problem. The only one that had been found was to modify magic using human technology in an effort to change humans into ponies. It was either that or see an entire world's worth of people simply erased from existence.

It was discovered humans could be changed into ponies by combining magic to human and pony DNA. A serum had been created and administered to the population. Conversion Bureaus had been established to make the transition easier. Entire families had been converted and relocation to the converted Earth had been established. It wasn't easy but it looked as though the only way humanity would be saved is if they were changed. But not all humans wanted to be saved.

Some countries flat-out refused to allow the ponies to build Conversion Bureaus. Others didn't even allow ponies to cross their borders. And still, too many people fled the advancing magic barrier making organizing a system of conversion harder. Some countries attacked the barrier, hoping to stop it. None succeeded; all that did not flee from the barrier were consumed. These things complicated the situation but didn't slow it down until the Conversion Bureaus themselves came under attack.

Armed extremists began attacking Conversion Bureaus, believing paranoid stories. Humanity rebelled against the inevitable itself in acts of random violence that might otherwise have been called inspiring. But there was nothing inspirational about innocent lives being lost and soon the ponies were forced to react. Under the guidance of their ruler, Princess Celestia, conversion became mandatory. Humans would be forced to undergo conversion in order to save their very lives. But this still wasn't enough.

Relocated ponified individuals kept their human natures. Violence spread on both sides until Equestria was forced to take even more drastic measures. The serum was modified to effect human memory, to erase all memories of Earth and humans. While it preserved their personality, their nature, their memories of their lives before ponification were completely erased in most cases. Humans would've probably reacted even more violently at this new process of forced ponification if any the majority of them had heard about it. However, soon after the process was implemented, the barrier stopped.

All of a sudden, a switch flipped. The world watched for weeks to see if the barrier would start moving again. It never did. Conversion Bureaus and centers closed overnight and ponies began helping humans return to their homes and lives. Thousands of people had chosen conversion, some of them began immigrating back to Earth. Soon, pony and human life became integrated as the leaders of the world allied with Equestria to rebuild society. Some in Equestria were not so sure humanity should be rebuilt, though.

While the barrier had stopped, the princess ordered that the process of conversion continue only in secret. If it became public again, humans would only lash out again with the same violence as before. But if it ceased all together, the process would only repeat itself when the barrier began its advance again. Why it had halted was unknown but Celestia believed that it was only a matter of time before it started once more. So what the ponies were doing was to take advantage of the opportunity.

Nathan tossed and turned in his bed. The rumors that conversion was still going on were true. Was he really to believe what that woman told him, that telling anyone about it would make him a target? Could he live with this secret? What was normal life anymore? What was the point of doing anything if they were just going to haul him back to that center and convert him one day?

He tried not to think about it. His clothes still smelled a bit of that strange gas he'd been exposed to. His parents probably hadn't noticed because it smelled like cotton candy. That was the last thing he wanted to smell or taste now. He undressed, pulled the blinds closed on his windows and climbed into bed. In the comfort and warmth of his own home, his own bed, Nathan Sheffield let the uncomfortable thoughts that plagued him simply slip away. He coughed one last time, noticing his breath smelled like cotton candy. But he was too tired to let this bother him; he fell asleep.

Comments

[Runner]

Please make more

[Barrobroadcaster]

2841999 Don't worry, I'm writing more. I'm happy you like it, I've had this idea for a very long time. Well over a decade, I'm serious. Now I have a story and a franchise I can apply it to.