Deferment (Days 27 - 34)

Day 27

I just realized. I hadn’t seen a human in over a week and I hardly noticed except by the fact that I was bored with nothing to do. I guess I’m adapting? I guess it’s more that they’re just as human as we are. I guess human isn’t the right word there.

At least all the suspicion seems to have cleared up around me. Either that or I’m not noticing any different treatment. I couldn’t do much helping with the construction but I was still useful with helping to set up the rooms and cleaning up the old ones. I must have made 100 beds yesterday. I’m practically a pro now. It’ll be nice to be helping people/ponies again, though. Something just feels right about it. I can’t get enough of it.

Transformations were a bit shaky today. I guess it’s a lot of new policies for everybody. Check in took forever. Not only are we handling twice as many humans but a more thorough check is being done with every person coming through the gate. Apparently metal detecting spells are being used to check everyone but it takes time and wears the guards out pretty quickly so its slow work. We actually split into 4 groups of 50 instead of taking everyone in one large group. That way the transformers could get the work done while others were checking in. Even so we didn’t finish until well past lunch.

I got pared with one of the two new doctors and Willow today. Dr. Seafoam seems nice enough, she’s going to be a more permanent residents here since she lives in Canterlot and the Portal is closer to Ponyville. She’s actually a very little pony. About half a head shorter than Willow. She seemed to alternate between being aggressive and timid with the transformees. I guess I kind of know the feeling, I sometimes act that way when really stressed. I can’t imagine having a job where you have to reshape your client’s body. Hopefully she’ll be able to relax next time.

The spell actually seems to be going a lot smoother now. I think there have been some improvements since the last set of humans. It’s still grotesque to look at. I don’t think anything will ever be able to change that but at least it apparently isn’t as bad on the receiving end anymore. Most of the fresh ponies say they felt mostly numb or tingly or like they were being compressed. Not: knives in my feet and all my hair being pulled out. It’s quicker too. Still have trouble with ponies rejecting the transformation though.

Things were going slowly but smoothly but when batch 3 was gathered in the mess hall things got a little uncomfortable. A pair of humans cornered me and started asking me questions. I was a little confused at first how they recognized me. Apparently that helicopter that flew past managed to get a few clear shots of the camp, clear enough recognize me. They weren’t interested in the transformation at all. According to them a reporter had ‘visited’ the camp over a week ago. That part wasn’t news to me. They also told me that they hadn’t been heard from since. That was.

I had just assumed they had had their cameras confiscated and were sent away, nothing more. I doubt that sort of trouble would be enough to warrant imprisonment. Besides, where would we even keep someone locked up in a place like this. Ponies would notice if any other humans were about. Still, seems unlikely that two people would just disappear on their way back to town too. I didn’t really know what to tell them. Apparently according to the official statement from Rarity is that no humans had been seen around camp.
They left soon after. Took a few other humans with them too who were starting to have second thoughts. Nopony stopped them, but they had to be checked again on the way out. Honestly I’m a little surprised more didn’t leave with them.

The rest of the transformations went fairly smoothly. Lunch was late but the nice thing about Equestrian cuisine is much of it you don’t have to worry about it spoiling. Just reheat it and you’re good to go. Or in this case I think it was a freshness spell because today was sandwiches. Which is a terrible choice for new ponies by the way. I was the king of hand having, they could barely walk with their hooves much less eat with them. It ended up more like salads with bread.

Couldn’t find Rarity after lunch. Apparently changing the physical makeup of 30+ creatures is exhausting. I wasn’t going to let this one wait though. Afternoon’s ‘watch ponies learn to walk’ session went about as well as one could hope. Dinner made me grateful for hands even if I don’t have utensils. After dinner though I managed to find Rarity.

Apparently things didn’t go as well as I had imagined. The official story is that nopony had seen them. The fact is that they did evade detection even after I notified the guards. They were eventually found during dinner in Cadence’s quarters. Not exactly the place you want to be found with one of you carrying a bulky black object less than 48 hours after a bomb attack. Guards were reportedly ‘rough’ with them.
Rarity had arrived soon after. Cadence was unavailable at the time so she did her best to reconcile the situation. It was impossible. You have a squad of ponies assault you, destroy your camera, then detain you, then they try to negotiate. She couldn’t just detain them forever so she had to let them go. Apparently they left some time after nightfall. She was expecting that there was going to be a lot of bad publicity from it but the reporters never returned. Understandably there’s no real way to make it look good for them. The best way to minimize the damage would be to pretend they were never caught. Seemed a little reckless but I guess there’s some logic in it. Kind of like how you don’t want to be the last person seen with someone who is found dead.

So I’ve been asked to keep the secret as well. I suppose that means that this journal isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. At least not with this page intact. I’m not really sure what to do with this information. I mean I want to trust Rarity on this one but it still seems odd that they would just vanish. I hope it really was just coincidence.

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Day 32

I can’t believe I’m now actually getting paid to do this. I mean when I took the position here I thought room and board was more than fair. I paid to go to summer camps back when I was a kid and then we had to cook our own meals and sleep in tents. I have to say this is a real step up.

Anyway, Princess Cadence is once again visiting the camp. Apparently she’s going to be taking some time off. I can’t imagine why. Being diplomat to dozens of nations must be exhausting. I’ve only been around ponies for just over a month and I could tell she was worn out. She had really only stopped by to pick up a few things but decided to extend her stay to observe our afternoon session. I don’t really know how she manages it. To have the whole worlds eyes on you and then still have enough energy to help the individuals here.

It was shortly before dinner when she took me aside and offered me an official position here. Apparently she had only heard good things about me. I was flattered. I didn’t think I was doing anything special. Everypony here seemed to be giving it their all and I just want to fit in. There wouldn’t be many real changes on my end. I just had to keep helping out like I had been. Only difference would be is I’d be getting paid to do so. In addition I’d be free to come and go as I pleased.

So all in all, today was amazing. I’ve already spoken with Rarity. She understands that I’ve been waiting to go back to town to get the supplies that she couldn’t find in Equestria. She also ironed out a few details of the terms Cadence had glossed over. Obviously I couldn’t skip out every day but weekly trips to town were fine. Also I’ll be earning 20 bits and $40 a day. I’m not sure if that’s a lot or not. Like I wrote before, I’d do this for free. I was also given an unusual bonus. Namely all the pocket change of the 1000+ humans we’ve come though.

Rarity mentioned that we do let people take their belongings with them but most don’t really care or just want a few things like an ID in case they end up on Earth again or a family Photo. So there’s a lot left behind. The clothing we’ve been donating to local charities. The money hasn’t been of too great of use really. Most materials we use are from Equestria though it has been handy to pay for transportation for the non pegasai. The change though. Nobody wants to take time to count it all. So I guess I get it. The bag must weigh at least 20 pounds. I feel like I should paint a $ on the side of it. I guess I’ll stop by a bank in town. I’m sure they have one of those coin counters there. There must be at least $100 worth of change in here. I suppose it’ll make buying supplies easier. Maybe there’ll be enough left over for a few gifts.

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Day 34

Skipped out on writing last night. Got back late and didn’t want to be all lethargic on my first real day. Being back in human civilization was interesting. I don’t know. It was nice for a change but I’m not sure I’d want to stay long term. I never lived in town but this Camp that I’m staying right now in is even further removed. I don’t know. I kind of like this, being able to visit town but not having to put up with it all the time. I wonder how long term life in Equestria would be.

So yeah, left with my bag of change and bag of laundry and caught the bus dropping off the newcomers. Had a nice chat with the driver. Apparently he had a nephew who got transformed a little while back. Hasn’t heard back from them yet but they’re not too worried. I wonder if anyone I know has been changed? It’s a pretty large group that comes in. I wouldn’t put it past me to miss an old friend before they got turned into a pony. Though I suppose they’d have to also not recognize me the 4 days they were here. I kind of stick out.

I stopped by a bank first just to get rid of all that change. Turns out it was even heavier than I thought. There was actually over $400 in coins. I got some weird looks when I just dropped it on the counter. Actually had a little talk with the teller while the coins got sorted. When I explained where the coins came from they were a little surprised that any humans were working there. Apparently the Ponies really keep to themselves. Though they’re good for the town too in a way, since so many fans flock to the city to stay the night before getting transformed. They’re big tippers too apparently.

Went to a Laundromat next and wasted and hour there. Unfortunately I didn’t really have any place to stash my clothing so I kind of just carried it around all day. Must have kind of looked like a hobo. Didn’t really stop me from getting what I needed though. Which turned out to be just the razor charger which I could never find. I did find a weird solar powered razor though. I guess it works well enough. I’m just worried it will break or something but I suppose it is better than having Pegasai flying it back and forth to DC.

Lunch was weird. Seems like I changed a bit more than I thought. I went to a local pizza place planning on ruining any health benefits my diet the past weeks had been providing. Turns out I couldn’t eat a whole pizza. I only got through about a third before I started feeling sick. I’m not really sure why. It could be that I was eating more cheese than I had probably in the past 2 weeks combined or the fact that its Earth food and my stomach is used to Equestrian stuff now. I just can’t win it seems.

Gift shopping was a little more difficult. I’ve never really been that good at it. Took me hours moving from store to store in a mall. Probably not the best plan but eventually I picked out a few things. Blue Moon thinks it’s really interesting how we managed to overcome our lack of wings. I got him one of those scale model plane kits. It’s going to take a while to help him to put it together though since I’ve never done much modeling and he doesn’t have hands or magic to help him out. Willow has been itching to try out Chess since I told her about it so it was pretty easy choice for her. I did manage to find an extra large set so hopefully Blue Moon can play with hooves too.

Seafoam was a bit harder to shop for. She hasn’t really mentioned anything in particular she finds interesting about humans. Nothing I could pick up in mall anyway. She had been mentioning her room felt a little plain so I picked up a geode and a hanging prism. Actually I think I did pretty well considering how I used to just give stupid t-shirts and books to my friends.

I spent the rest of the day at an internet café trying to catch up on news. No wonder Cadence looks so worn out. The United States was pretty accommodating but looks like most other countries are too keen on setting up an Embassy where the primary goal is to get their citizens to migrate out of the country. Not to mention all the rumors flying around. I don’t really think ponies are capable of a hostile takeover but a lot of other people seem to think so. It’s kind of surprising that there aren’t more people looking into it.

That’s about it for the day. Caught a cab back to camp and it took an hour for them to check through my things again and went straight to bed. Handed out my gifts this afternoon. Everyone seemed really pleased. We didn’t have enough time to actually open up the chess set or the kit but maybe tomorrow or the day after we’ll have some time. We should really plan a trip for all of us to go into town. I mean they’re ponies but I don’t really see any reason they wouldn’t be welcome. Just might be inconvenient. I don’t know.