Herd Mentality
Experiments in finding an alternate universe ripe for conquering have yielded an incredible result - a realm of all sheep! Easy picking for a hypnotist as talented as Director Vinyl!
A raffle price for vinyl-dragon!
"Initiating Realm Warp test five. Are you ready, Director?" 158 asked, calmly, into the microphone.
You gave him a thumbs up from the test chamber, and he flipped a few switches.
"Remember, the button on your wrist device will bring you back. Press it if you get into trouble." He warned you. "Good luck."
The device powered up, and with a bright flash, you were tumbling through the space between spaces.
Then, all at once, your paws touched a cool tile floor and your vision was suddenly on a busy city street. You looked around, in awe at the sea of white wool around.
You were completely arounded by sheep. They parted around you, eyeing you nervously, but not questioning your presence.
...This must be some kind of all-sheep alternate universe!
You chuckled with delight and gave one of the sheep near you a boop on the nose as he passed. He bleated in confusion but kept walking, following the flow of the crowd as all the others did.
It wasn't exactly the scope of the experiment. You were looking for alternate universes you had already conquered, in the hopes of moving your lab there.
But this one... it would do. You couldn't imagine it would be too hard to conquer a universe of sheep.
A van pulled up on the curb next to you, and you watched calmly as a number of sheep in black clip-clopped out of it and began walking toward you.
"Good evening, gentlemen." You greeted with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll-"
Without any warning, one lifted some kind of gun and fired it at your thigh. You jolted and looked down, instinctively reaching down to touch the dart embedded in your fur.
"Wha...?" You mumbled, before you slumped over. Thankfully, one of them caught you, and it was like falling into a comfortable, warm cloud.
You awoke strapped to a chair, beneath humming florescent lights. You looked down at your wrist and realized with dread that they'd confiscated your wrist device, in addition to most of your clothing.
You squirmed slightly to test the restraints. They seemed pretty snug. Whoever had abducted you seemed to know what they were doing.
"Hello." A voice said, making you gasp. A sheep stepped into view from behind you, studying you carefully, nervously.
You relaxed a little, and smiled.
"Hello." You said. You had to stay calm. You could hypnotize a sheep, easily. Just had to take it slow and be careful.
"What are you?" The sheep asked.
"I'm a wolf." You answered with a slight shrug. "Where I come from, we-"
"No." The sheep replied. "You're a sheep. What are you?"
You raised an eyebrow.
"...I'm a wolf. Which means-"
"No." The sheep said, with a tap of his hoof on the floor. "You're a sheep. What are you?"
...This was going nowhere. You squirmed in your restraints slightly and cleared your throat.
"Listen to me, and relax. You-"
"No." The sheep said, abruptly, before lifting a syringe from a small table you hadn't noticed. You squirmed in fear as he approached and calmly pushed the needle into your arm, and hissed through your teeth at the cool sensation of something being injected into you.
Your head spun, briefly, and your vision began to swim. You blinked a few times as dizziness welled up within you.
"What are you?" The sheep asked.
"I'm... a wo-"
"No." He said. "You are a sheep. What are you?"
That- that wasn't right, was it?
You were a wolf. You... you were, right?
"A wolf...?" You mumbled.
"No." He replied, sternly. He sounded so sure. Definitely more sure than you did. "You are a sheep. What are you?"
A sheep. It sounded familiar. Did it sound right?
"I'm... a sheep?" You replied.
"Good sheep. What are you?"
You felt a surge of warmth. Good sheep. That was you. That was a good thing to be.
"I'm... a good sheep."
"Good sheep. You're a sheep. What are you?" He replied, tapping his hoof lightly on the floor again.
"I'm a sheep." You said.
"Good sheep. Relax, good sheep." He said.
You sighed and sank into your restraints. You were dizzy and relaxed. Your body felt tingly, like static electricity was bouncing pleasurably around inside you.
"You are a sheep. What are you?" He asked, with some finality in his voice.
"I'm a sheep." You replied.
"Good sheep." He said, and picked up another syringe.
That... was wrong, wasn't it? Somehow, you felt like the syringe was a punishment. You didn't understand why, but you felt guilty. Why did you need another injection?
"Relax." The sheep instructed you, calmly. "Good sheep."
You were put at ease. You were being good. You just needed another injection of something.
You made a soft little noise as the needle slipped into your arm. This time, it was warm. The sheep wiped the spot gently and scritched under your chin.
"Good sheep. Relax." He instructed.
You relaxed. You were very relaxed. Very comfortable and relaxed.
You felt the arm he'd just injected with something start to warm up. It was heavier, softer. You liked it. It felt different, but better.
"Good sheep. What are you?" The sheep asked.
"I'm a sheep." You said. And you believed it. You were more confused now that he kept asking. You both knew the answer by now, right?
"Good sheep. Just relax. Don't resist the change." He instructed.
You distantly knew the change he was talking about was the warm, fuzzy feeling that was spreading through you. Don't resist it? You couldn't even picture how you'd begin to. It was within you. It was coming from you, it seemed like.
How could you resist anything that was going on? How could you do anything but relax?
Your fur was changing. You could feel it hanging more heavily off of you as it grew and began to curl into soft tufts. Your muzzle shortened, your teeth began to shift and change. Your whole mouth tasted chalky and unfamiliar as it shifted around.
You might have found it distressing, if you weren't so incredibly relaxed. You felt like you were half asleep, or maybe completely asleep and dreaming. You didn't resist your dreams. Your dreams happened to you completely outside of your control. What was there to fight?
Plus, you were told not to resist. So why would you?
The sheep was gone. You didn't even notice that he'd left. That was... weird. You should have followed him. It seemed like the right response, to another sheep moving out of your sight.
You squirmed a little in your bonds. You should be following. It isn't right for a sheep to be alone.
The sheep returned and you let out a long sigh of relief. He smiled at you, approvingly, and you felt... whole.
"What are you?" He asked.
"I'm a sheep." You answered.
"Good." He said, unlocking your restraints.
You placed your hooves on the floor and stood up. You were wobbly, off-balance. Your center of gravity had changed, though you couldn't imagine why or when.
"Looks like you're all set." He said, switch a scritch under your chin. He turned to leave, and you followed blissfully behind him.
Meanwhile, a fluffy, woolly form appeared in the test chamber back at the lab.
"...Director?" 158 asked.
The sheep turned and locked eyes with him through the glass. 158 tilted his head, watching them with slight unease.
"You should let me out." The sheep instructed from inside the chamber.