***

It is January 5th 2025. Your name is Sarah Ellis. You’re a soldier - one of the BDF, though the name is still strange to your ears. You joined the British Army Reserve - the words “British Defence Force” as a blanket term for everyone with a gun and a uniform isn’t one you’re used to. You’re one of the lucky ones - you still get to use the L85 you were issued. A lot of your squadmates have old piles of crap - M1 Garands or Enfields or Stens, museum pieces that by rights nobody should be using. Things are already bad though, and the war’s been going on for less than a year.

You’re in the middle of a battle. It’s Plymouth. You’ve never been to Plymouth. It seems like it might have been nice once. That doesn’t really matter though, as you’re distracted by the fact that you’re about to be Converted. It’s your own stupid fault really - they issue Hazmat suits and everyone’s meant to wear them, but it’s so damn uncomfortable. Taking it off for five minutes couldn’t hurt, could it? Except that it did, didn’t it? Oh well. You live and learn. Except you won’t.

The first sensation is a splash of liquid on the skin, and the feeling of your flesh starting to ripple and sag, followed a few moments later by the pain of your skin sloughing off as the process begins in earnest. You know this bit in theory - you’ve seen it before. Others getting Converted. It’s not nice to look at. You hope someone will do you the courtesy of shooting you in the head, but even though most of the Equestrian forces running around are dead, your squad is made up of a lot of new guys, some of whom might never have seen this before. They’re hesitating. Great.

The process is quick, but it feels slow: you feel like every nerve ending is on fire as more and more of you is replaced by this... this alien form. As your skin drops off from your body in red bloody sheets, fur pushes its way through your exposed flesh and musculature, coating your red raw body in fine hair. Coarse hair bursts from the base of your spine, coating your lower back and rump in blood. At the same time new hair is pulled from your bleeding scalp. The crown of your head weeps blood as a thick mane grows out from of your skull. Your bones are cracking and reshaping, you can feel them moving in ways that should be impossible. Your skull enlarges as your eyes and ears swell. Your spine warps and forces you to your knees. Unbearable pain draws your attention to your hands as your fingers fracture and split and your hands are torn from your body as heavy hooves force their way from your wrists. You try to scream but your throat is squeezed shut and your lungs refuse to respond as your entire body changes. You finally collapse to the floor as the last changes to your body take hold.

For a few moments, you're in pain, shaking, the new form unsteady and you yourself uncertain of what is what. Then you’re aware of something odd. A tingling in the back of your head, one that you've never felt before.

This is how it should be.

Your own thoughts struggle to assert themselves, your head ringing.

My name is... my name is Sarah Ellis - I'm...

The tingling gets more pronounced, almost painful.

Your name is Regal Blade.

That doesn't seem right to you, but every time you try to think about the name you think you should have the tingling gets worse. Maybe your name is Regal Blade. That seems less... painful than thinking your name is Sarah. And if it's less painful, it must be true.

But if I was wrong about that, what else am I wrong about? you wonder. You start running through all the things you thought you knew.

Am I a soldier? you ask, and there is no answer. That must be alright. Fighting for the BDF...

Solaminan Empire. You fight for the Solaminan Empire.

Is that right? You're not sure. But the voice was right before. Maybe it's right now.

So my name is Regal Blade, I'm a soldier... and I fight for the Solaminan Empire? you ask yourself. Some of that doesn't seem right...

Of course it's right. Everything is alright.

Well... alright then. Everything is alright. You take a deep breath, and actually start feeling it. Yeah, everything is alright. You feel ok, and sure, you need to get used to the new body, but you feel a lot better than you did. Sort of... nice. Yeah.

Speaking of the new body... you need to start getting used to.

You look around, stumbling slightly... you have hooves. You have hooves. That's going to take time to get used to... but, no, it already feels normal... right. Ok. Now you look around, blinking slightly. You frown slightly as you notice the humans you used to work with...

The Enemy!

But that's not right - they were your friends, your squadmates, you remember...

If they're your friends, maybe you should help them.

Now that... that sounds like a good idea. Maybe they need a hug. You feel a lot happier now, all things considered. Maybe they'd be happy being converted too - it seems to have worked wonders for you.

"Hi guys!" you say with a smile. "I feel ok... actually, I feel really good! Hey, do you guys want to try -"

A shot rings out and then you know no more.