TCB: 'Not Just Ponies' Shades of Gray

by Alex Warlorn

Rating: everyone
Tags: Human, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Rainbow Dash, Sad, Science Fiction
Length: 1071

Rainbow Dash and Twilight discuss reality ensuing on saving human kind.

Princess Twilight Sparkle faces an enemy that has no body to fight, no ideology to overcome, no evil scheme to thwart. She faces a problem with no ideal solution. What would you do in her horse-shoes?

Set in TCB Not Just Ponies setting:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheConversionBureauNotJustPonies

Thanks to Godzillawolf for edits. https://www.fimfiction.net/user/32141/Godzillawolf

Published 2019-12-08 19:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-12-08 19:50:01 UTC

when life impolitely gives you a problem you can't just punch in the face

"What did you say?" ever loyal Rainbow Dash asked, eyes wide and slack jawed.

Princess Twilight was thankful for the mute spell over the Crystal Friendship Castle (which would REMAIN her seat of power for as long as she deemed fit, thank you very much!), and another over the throne room.

"I said," Princess Twilight explained, "with half of Earth at this point having been affected by the Veil... I've begun to wonder if we should cease research on an immunization potion for the surviving humans."

"I know what you said! I just can't believe it! Twilight! Equestria promised! We promised! You promised! That we wouldn't stop looking for a way till the bitter end!" Rainbow declared defiantly.

"Rainbow, I have looked, the closest we've come to us having Sunset sneak new foals into her world. It doesn't help that new whelps still turn into talking dogs in her world. And having their Sweetie Drops form new identities and lives for them isn't easy. We've had to bribe their SMILE with magical research to accept the refugees. And it doesn't help that a LOT of humans of Earth-2 find the humans of Sunset's Earth look 'freaky' to them!"

"So what?! We promised! End of story!"

"And that's the problem! 'End!' We are dumping so many resources into researching an immunization, meanwhile, the demand for more and more potions, of many many different types is just rising! And it's not helping that the PER are constantly stealing potions for their evil plans while the HLF seems to consider every potion they destroy a badge of honor! Even working at full capacity and if those two terrorist groups suddenly ceased to exist, we aren't going to convert every human before the end. Unless we develop ways to do it en mass."

"Wait wait wait!" Rainbow Dash crossed with her hooves. "You're talking about, what? A potion bomb?! That sounds like something from those HLF movies!"

"I'm not talking about doing it by force! Or randomly!...But I do admit, we'd need to make sure the PER from getting one or that'd be a disaster. The point is, even if we cut off the waiting period, AND just bump them to the curve without giving them a grace period to get used to their new bodies, we won't be able to convert everyhuman one at a time and save them all! By the time Africa is all that's left, we'll HAVE TO resort to transforming humans in large groups if we want to save everyhuman. And if we DO create an immunization at this point, then what?"

"Then we fulfill our promise, that's what!"

"What part of 'the potion can't be used more than once' haven't you heard?" Twilight pleaded. "We'll suddenly have BILLIONS of creatures who changed because they were told there wasn't any other way... then suddenly, THERE IS another way! What do you think they'll say when they find out? That we manipulated them into getting ponified? We'd dragged our hooves? We'd lied to them about there being no other way? That we'd used them increase our numbers? Cozy Glow would surely have a field day with THAT crowd! And we'd have the divide between those still wanting to change after having already made the choice, and those wanting to stay human! But we'd HAVE TO divert every resource to making as much of the immunization as we COULD! Even if it meant the amount of potion, (which we've streamlined as much as we can, and suffered a disaster thanks to the Storm Empire Remnants taking advantage of us outsourcing production), and the amount of vaccine WON'T add up to the total population of remaining humans!"

"We'll figure something out, we always do."

"This isn't an adventure Rainbow Dash! This isn't up toppling some evil villain with the Elements of Harmony, or getting two sides to realize their common ground. And what happens when the amount of immunization and potion don't add up? Chrysalis, the Umbrum, the Sirens, the Storm Empire, will all be there with potions of their own to offer the desperate a way out! And that's not even BEGINNING to talk about Discord and his 'draconequus' potion he says he intends to offer ONE usage of for a group of human to fight over so Earth can have a spirit of chaos of its own!"

"I thought Fluttershy was going to talk him out of that!"

"He said, 'saying no to Fluttershy about anything hurts more than you can imagine, but like it or not, Spirit of Chaos isn't just some fancy title, and making sure there's a spirit of chaos to balance out your namby-pamby harmony is part of it.' And this all isn't a conclusion I've just come up with, scientists on both sides are trying to find an immunization option and a lot of them, even the humans, are coming to the same conclusion...you know I wouldn't come to this conclusion without double checking my results, I've double, triple, and quadruple checked with their research. There's only one logical outcome: we're running out of time and if we don't start doing something soon, we'll be past the point of no return."

Rainbow's wings, ears, and tail all wilted. "Terrific." Rainbow shook her head. "But Twilight! If everyhuman finds out that you've, that we've just, GIVEN UP, on a cure, then they WILL think we've stabbed them all in the back! Every lie the HLF's been telling will become the truth!"

"I know! And! I! Don't! Like it!" Princess Twilight hissed. Twilight rubbed her temples. "If there was a nice clean simple solution for this I'd take it..."

"At least you've got three other princesses to help with this, four if you count Flurry Heart. And there's me, Spike, and ALL OUR FRIENDS!"

"... I know that too Rainbow, I know, and thank you." The two hugged.

"So why did you tell me first? Not Spike? Or Princess Celestia?"

"Because I knew you'd be loyal to the end. That you'd stand by us keeping our words. You're always good for the immediate and direct approach."

"Hey, you do the same with your magic."

"I try diplomacy first, THEN magic."

"Then how about we try the magic of friendship with our friends and figure out some way to make this work?"

"Alright."

~Fin