"So, are you sure you want to do this?" The older man asked as he looked at the young man who was looking nervously towards the barrier that had been set up to warn people away from the Forbidden Zone. "You don't even know what's going to happen to you in there. You might even lose yourself completely, Steve."
"Yeah, I know," Steve said as he looked back at him. "I've got someone who's waiting for me on the other side. I want to see her again, I don't care what it takes."
"Right... if you say so," the older man said with a sigh. "Your family's not going to like it, but if you seem to think that it's what you want to do, I don't care."
Even so many years after the events of the METE, there will always be some people who wanted to give up their human side in favor of the Equine life. Steve had spent his whole life looking out at the fields beyond his home, and more than once had seen a beautiful savant mare. They had never spoken because that would've risked his humanity, but she was always there. Even today, he could see the beautiful black furred mare trotting back and forth behind the barrier, her tail flicking back and forth. She threw her head back and looked at him, but his companion couldn't see her.
"Someone's really out there waiting for you?" The older man asked. "That sounds unlikely, no one else has wandered into the Forbidden Zone in years."
Steve just laughed as he pulled off his shirt and pants. He gave them to him and waved him off. "Take care of yourself. I've made my decision."
The older man sighed and walked off, leaving him there. He didn't understand why someone would willingly let himself become a horse, but it wasn't his business. It wasn't like there was much left of humanity at this point anyway, it wouldn't be long before there wasn't any humans left at all at the rate things were going.
"Alright Steve, time to meet your destiny," he said to himself as he strode to the barrier and walked through it. He could feel the cool air on his bare skin as he walked into it. There was a moment of peace, before he heard the sound of hooves on the ground and looked up to see the black mare that had filled his dreams. She nuzzled him gently before speaking.
"You finally came, I was afraid that you wouldn't," she said, and he could finally hear her beautiful, lilting voice. "Are you ready to become one with the herd?"
"I am," Steve said, feeling the sensation he had dreamed of as his transformation began, with fur beginning to grow between his legs. "I'm ready to become what I was born to be."
"Good... now come... join me..."