Deferment (Day 3)

Day 3

Well I think its day 3 anyway. It could be past midnight for all I know. Had I known that there weren’t any clocks or even electricity around here I would have brought a watch. Not that it would do me much good I guess. Haven’t seen anyone refer to a specific time. It probably would have been easier to write when the sun was still up but I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t really prepared for it. Wasn’t feeling up to it but now I can’t sleep either. So I might as well try to at least document what I can.

Breakfast wasn’t quite as funny as yesterdays lunch. Oatmeal and fruit, still no utensils. Skipped out on the oatmeal and opted for fruit instead. Bare hands aren’t exactly suited to the goopy mix. Smelled wonderful though. Most of the human/ponies had trouble with it though. Probably 30 spilled bowls and twice as many messy faces. A few seemed to not even bother trying and stuck with fruit like me. I suppose it might be something that didn’t come up in planning. They have to learn to eat all over again. Well at least it’s just messy faces they have to worry about and they certainly aren’t alone in any embarrassments.

Now that I think about it my stomachache is back. I didn’t notice it at all after throwing up but now it does kind of hurt a little. Not nearly as bad as yesterday. I feel mostly fine otherwise. I don’t think it’s a flu or anything. Could be the food I guess. Everything is being brought in from Equestria so I guess that would make it ultra-organic. Maybe it’s the opposite? Could be that magic is in the food and my body has no tolerance. I guess as long as it’s getting better instead of worse I won’t let it bother me.

Anyway, after breakfast pretty much everyone went out to the training yard. Really it’s just a sectioned off area of the main courtyard but it works well enough. Some still are getting used to quadruped life and just focus on walking but there’s some obstacles set up for the more adventurously inclined ponies. It’s mostly stuff that you would see at a kindergarten level. Walk across the foot wide beam that’s suspended 3 inches above the ground! Jump this hurdle, its 6 inches tall! Walk up and down these three stairs! Actually, that last one is probably pretty difficult.

Of course that’s not all that’s out there. There’s also some everyday obstacles that need to be relearned. A half dozen doors are set up, all with different handles to practice on. Pencils and paper is set out too if anyone feels confident enough to try and write. I don’t think anyone managed a straight line, at least not while I was watching.

I spent half of the morning helping out the trainers/therapists/doctors, I guess all those titles fit. They’re just helping out in any way they can. Some ponies are still having a bit of walking trouble so they help them keep their balance or give them tips on how to do more complex things. I at least could help with that a little. Gave me a good chance to talk to them too. They seemed a little confused at why I was there if I wasn’t being transformed but didn’t really mind me just observing. A few of them told me that their friends and family weren’t all that supportive of their decision to get transformed. They were glad to see that at least a few humans understood where they were coming from.

I wish I could say I was as supportive as they think I am. I can’t help but feeling we’re all rushing into this. Not just the humans that are jumping at the bit but the ponies as well. I mean after what I saw today I’m kind of freaking out but most of the ponies who’ve been transformed seem happy and well adjusted. Who am I to stand in the way of that. I guess I’d rather they just took it slower it’s not like there’s any hurry.

After a few hours of that the next set of humans showed up. I know they can get a bus out here but the road is still at least 2 miles from the camp. Must have been a bit of a walk. Some of the heavier ones looked pretty worn out. Last bit of exercise as humans I suppose. A few looked like they could use a bath or five and I spotted at least one neckbeard. Way to be guys. When I get transformed I want to be as close to a picture of human perfection as I can get. I guess it shouldn’t really matter though. Now that I think about it as soon as the battery on my razor dies I’m going to be pretty unshaven too.

First thing was everyhuman was guided to the mess hall. Humans are kept separate from the already transformed ponies at first. Apparently a lot of time gets wasted if they’re allowed to mingle though I get the impression that a few might get cold feet if they knew what was coming next but I suppose both reasons are viable. Once they’ve signed their final wavier and given their last chance to back out they get subdivided into four groups. Each is assigned a unicorn transformer. There’s more than 4 unicorns in the camp of course but only 4 can manage the spell needed at this point.

Each unicorn is assigned two assistants. I got to observe D group today. For some reason I forget the doctors name, he looks exactly like that one actor but without the facial hair. I just can’t remember the name, ugh, it’s going to bother me. Maybe I’ll ask one of the humans tomorrow. Anyway there are a couple of rooms on the far side of camp set up for the transformation process. Sparse and cold are probably the best two words to describe them. Aside from a single table the only thing in the room are medical supplies and paperwork. Floor is padded probably to catch people as they fall.

What’s worst about them though is they’re quiet. I mean really quiet. The moment you step into them you can’t hear anything outside and no sound escapes them either. I didn’t know until afterwards but they’re magically that way. It’s really creepy but I suppose the alternative screaming might be a little offputting to the others waiting their turn.

There’s paperwork for each human. It’s mostly just basics really. Name, age, residence, ect. That kind of thing, but it also includes information relating to the kind of pony they want to become. The spellcaster does have quite a bit of control. Pony type is not a problem to them and getting the right color isn’t too difficult either. Mane style is a bit trickier so is any kind of differences in color if somebody wants a two tone tail or something. I guess it’s not a perfect science/magic yet. One thing that did stand out is that the doctor claimed they had difficulty with certain colors but I’m not so sure. It only seemed to come up when the human had chosen a particularly garish combination. I’m not sure if he was telling the truth or just trying to preserve some sense of style. I think I could respect that.

The full profiles were pretty long and boring. I had filled one out myself about a week ago but I never turned it in. I guess the information is important to someone in some equestrian bureaucracy but I didn’t really care about that kind of stuff. After about 15 minutes of hovering over the doctor the first transformee was sent in. They were wearing a weird robe/gown thing. A lot of them opted for it. It was either that or come in naked. Apparently the gown was designed to come off easily where ordinary clothes might restrict. The doctor did some last minute checking, identity and if they had any last minute changes or if they wanted to back out. This time they also added in a little explanation how I was here to try to describe the process to the outside world.  After that the process began.

Now it wasn’t my first time seeing magic. I hadn’t seen any before I came to camp, not in person anyway but since getting here I had seen a little. Mostly just that telekinesis thing and once in a while at night I’ll see somepony outside with their horn lit. This was completely different.  I didn’t notice the first few times but there’s a flash from the pony’s eyes. It’s unsettling.  Then the actual magic. Well I mean it’s not really possible to describe without having been there. It’s kind of like when large vehicle drives past you and there’s that momentary gap in pressure. You couldn’t see it other than a little bit of glow around the horn but you could sense it anyway. It was more like waves converging on the human than anything.

I shouldn’t have really expected a clean little “*pop* You’re a pony now!” I mean after what I saw yesterday I should have known the process wasn’t perfectly painless.  I guess I was just in denial about it and hoping that it would be easy. This is something I’ll have to go through if I want to join them and now I’m not so sure.

It starts with the hair coming out, all of it. It just comes off in clumps until their completely bald. Most are scratching at their skin but fingernails are next to go. After that the skeleton starts reforming. At least that’s what I assume the cracking and popping noises are. I didn’t exactly ask. Worst is the hands. The fingers just hang limp as the bone retracts into the arms. Reactions from the humans are pretty mixed. Some scream, some whiper, some just grit their teeth and close their eyes. Me. I threw up the first time I saw it happen. Fortunately buckets are an equal opportunity receptacle.

It takes a little while but the rest of the fingers/toes retract into the limb and the whole thing starts forming a hoof.  The body is more pony shaped than human at this point. The whole transformation slows a little as the details start to come in. The face is the most obvious. Mainly because every human starts choking at this point. Apparently the windpipe gets blocked temporally when the head starts to change.
They can’t breath for a good 20 seconds. By that point the face is mostly like a pony’s. It doesn’t differ all that much I guess. Same features just a different shape. The eyes though, they’re quite a bit bigger than a humans, and the eyeball doesn’t quite keep pace with the socket. So for a brief moment they all have sunken circles for eyes that dart around wildly. I’m not quite sure why but this is the worst part for me. Mabye it’s because they’re so scared and it just rubs off? I don’t really know.

At this point the worst is over, for earth ponies anyway. Mane, coat, and tail start coming in pretty quickly. A bit patchy at first but it evens out. They start gaining a little more control of their body and sometimes start rolling on the floor. Unicorns and Pegasai each have another step though. Unicorns, I’m not completely sure what happens with them. Compared to the rest of the transformation the horn growing out isn’t all that spectacular. However I can tell something more happens. Again you can’t see it but you still know it. It’s like a kind of static in the air. I’m guessing I need to read a dozen books on magic theory before I would understand it.

Pegasai are a lot more obvious to the outside observer and are a bit more unsettling. A pair of lumps form on their back and shift about underneath their skin pushing for a way out. They keep pushing harder and harder until they break through and explode out of their backs. There’s blood but thanks to the spell it quickly gets absorbed back into the body but the wings just keep jerking and twitching unnaturally. Out of all of them I think the pegasai have it worst. At least the others have analogues for all their limbs. Wings are completely new. Sensations you never felt before, nerves gone haywire. I can’t imagine it.

At this point it’s up to the new pony on how they pull through. I’d say about 3/4ths are in different states of achy but fine. Most will roll about on the floor a bit trying to stand up. Fast learners might even make it to their feet before proving the usefulness of the padded floor. The assistants help those ponies walk out on their own to join the physical trainers who evaluate them and show them to their rooms. Others can’t manage to get their legs working right but are otherwise fine. We have a gurney to wheel them out so they can still get to their rooms and work it out.

Others don’t do so well. You’re cramming a mind in a new unfamiliar form and sometimes it just doesn’t take right away. Earth ponies might freak out and flail about but the most damage their likely to do to themselves is pull a muscle and bruise themselves. More precautions have to be taken with Pegasai and Unicorns. Like I said I don’t fully understand the unicorn transformation but apparently they can do some significant damage to their brain if they’re out of control with their new horn. Pegasai are even worse with their new limbs. A few started immediately pulling at feathers and one tried to bite their wing off.

In both cases they’re immediately sedated by the team. It’s horrible yes but I can understand why they do it. Really they just need to buy more time. After the first one the doctor told me that most do recover fairly quickly. They wake up confused but calmer. Some are even improved enough to join the rest by the end of the day. Others just take it easy and stay in bed. Others, well that’s what I saw yesterday. From what I hear they do slowly improve but it’s not as easy. Apparently there is still one pony from the first group here.

About two thirds of the way through it was requested I switched groups. I was rather surprised. For some reason Rarity had required my input on a matter. There was an irregularity with one of the forms for one of the humans. She had assumed it was an error when the male had ticked female on their form but apparently it wasn’t a mistake. They wanted to be made female at the same time. Now the fact that there were a few humans that identified more strongly with the other gender didn’t surprise me but the fact Rarity wanted my opinion on the matter did.

I had no idea what to say really. I’m not a expert on human gender roles and sexuality. Adding to a complicated process of ponification seemed risky. Rarity seemed to be for it though and he did seem well adjusted enough.  If they had a risk free choice to change their body it didn’t seem wrong that they might want to change other parts. Again, I feel like everything is so rushed. I didn’t want to disagree with Rarity either. I’m not sure if saying no would have made any difference.

Rarities group seemed a bit more mentally stable than the rest. We didn’t have any more ponies break down in the rest of her sessions. We did have one throw up due to them eating meat for breakfast against the advice of the information they were given. I suppose they wanted to try bacon one last time. Can’t say I blame them though. Though I would have tried to eat it sooner I suppose. After that was dinner and then I had a lot of time alone with my thoughts.

I can’t say I’m quite as stoked about this situation as when I got here. The more layers I peel off the more reckless the whole thing seems.  I don’t even know if I want to sit in on the next session. I know I’m going to have nightmares, I just know it. I guess it safe to say one thing that is certain is I won’t be getting transformed myself any time soon. Maybe I won’t get it done at all. After seeing the transformation for myself I don’t know if I could ever consent to something like that. I don’t know if anyone would if they knew the truth.