Chapter 14: Our Green Earth

=== The Conversion Bureau: A New Age, A New Era ====== Chapter 14: Our Green Earth ===

        Everything was proceeding apace. The American elections weren't that far away; and for the first time in quite some time, there was a legitimate campaign being waged. The polling was all over the place as far as the punditry was concerned. Mostly because the public had been apathetic for so long, it was hard to tell who actually would show up to vote. The Ponies, especially Celestia and Luna, refused to involve themselves in the Humans internal political disputes; although if you asked them personally, they'd say to a stallion or mare that President Aguillar should be re-elected - if for no other reason than to not have to deal with an entirely new regime. The Bureaus were also humming along worldwide, although not without incident. The random acts of vandalism and protest seemed to be becoming more and more organized, although nothing severe had happened to this point. Celestia and Luna could only hope that the situation on Earth would not degenerate so far or so fast, that they would have to interrupt their search for the final Conduit.

=* ACT I *=

[ Earth, November 3, 2080 ]

        The contrast between the now nine Ponies and the one Human could not have been more stark. Despite how white and clinical the dorm hall still looked, there were splashes of color everywhere. Mostly from Pinkie Pie's experiments in baking, and Rarity deciding it was a good idea to decorate the place a little bit until they settled into some kind of standard operating procedure. On the other hand, Kyoko was, to put it bluntly, about as grumpy and malcontented as any one human living around nine Ponies had a right to be. It seemed like every day that went by, Kyoko was getting more and more angry at, well, everything. All the bad dreams, all the questions, all the doubts, everything was piling up on her like so many bales of straw on the back of a camel.

Everyone was outside the dorms, doing the normal practice routine. Rarity had taken charge of doing the initial training for Natasha, since Twilight Sparkle was still working with Andre. Applejack and Pinkie Pie sat with Kyoko and watched the other six doing their thing. They were mostly talking were talking about what they were supposed to do if an Earth Pony came into their midst, seeing as they really had no resources to deal with it. The grounds around the Clinic were in horrid condition, and there was little to no chance they'd get inside of a Dome with how most of the Elite regarded the Ponies.

Ethan was taking a break from flight training by chatting with Natasha, while Andre was with Twilight learning the Catch and Hold spell. Twilight's preferred method of teaching this spell - an interesting display of two-Unicorn juggling. Andre was trying his best to catch and return the objects Twilight was tossing him, but not having the best of luck, so Fluttershy was assisting him by returning the balls that he missed to Twilight

Kyoko, still in a sour mood to say the least, decided at least she could help Andre. So she got up from her chair and walked towards the blue and purple Unicorns, but not before passing by Ethan and Natasha still talking.

"Oh stop, I mean ever since I got back you've been going on and on...," Natasha said, somehow blushing despite the fact her coat was red.

"I know, but it's true... I just haven't been able to keep my eyes off you. It's like we're going through that same phase back when we just met three years ago...," Ethan said, still smitten with Natasha's new form since she completed her Conversion.

"Yeah, the Departments thought it would be a good idea to have an intra-mural get together in San Diego, and that's when we met," Natasha said, flipping some of her mane from over her eyes.

Kyoko then decided to stand behind the two of them, just to see what exactly they were talking about.

Ethan, completely oblivious to the fact that Kyoko was right behind him, then began to let the conversation drift. A decision he would come to regret in short order. "You know, it just seems like Kyoko and Andre are just kinda... stuck."

Stuck... what do you mean stuck... Andre and I are doing just fine!  Kyoko thought to herself, one part anger that Ethan would be implying that she and Andre were at an impasse, and one part denial that he was right when he said it.

Ethan, still oblivious to the figure standing behind him, continued, "I mean, just think, when they first see each other after her Conversion. The wonderful declaration of their eternal love, the commitment to their new life in Equestria. The wedding, the wedding will be wonderful..." Ethan was feeling light on his hooves... mostly because Kyoko had picked him up by the forelegs and was holding him like one would hold a plush miniature horse of his size.

"Might I ask just what you were talking about just now?!" Kyoko said as she spun Ethan around, her eyes burning with five months worth of rage and frustration. Ethan's answer was going to determine just how this rage was going to be vented.

He choose his words poorly, to say the least.

"Well... I... I was just thinking... how getting Ponified... might help you in your relationship with Andre... and...," Ethan started to say, praying to Luna that whatever Kyoko might do to him in this position could be recovered from.

"And?!" Kyoko snapped back angrily. The words Ethan were using were not helping anyone. Natasha, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash moved back a few feet, really not knowing what Kyoko might do in her rage filled state.

"Well... I... just got a little carried away... that's all... you know us Ponies... always wearing our emotions on our sleeves, or legs... or whatever... heh heh..," Ethan answered nervously, his voice quivering due to being bombarded with all the unfocused anger coming off Kyoko.

The answer did not sit well with Kyoko, not one bit. "Oh... is that all...," she started, then began to speak through gritted teeth, her rage starting to boil over like someone left and old-timey teapot on the stove a minute too long, "I'm glad to see you're so concerned..."

She promptly spun Ethan around, maintaining her grip underneath his shoulder joints. Then she spun herself around to build up speed, and slung Ethan towards the two cool-colored Unicorns still doing their juggling act, or at least trying to. Ethan instinctively flared his wings out and was gliding at high speed towards said Unicorns, albeit uncontrollably due to the sheer amount of fear Kyoko instilled in him.

"Do you hear screaming..." Twilight asked while still slinging softballs at Andre and Fluttershy.

"Screaming, what screaming?" Andre asked almost rhetorically. He really did not want to admit to himself that Kyoko may have just pulled off what he thought she did.

"Apparently, Ethan's. I wonder what he's done..." Fluttershy replied with a strange serenity to it all.

Rarity managed to break out of her stupor long enough to throw a cushion into the path of the softballs; she could see Ethan was about to bisect said path nearly perfectly, and taking a softball to the face might disorient him, making a clean landing impossible.

Ethan grabbed the cushion out of the Rarity's pale blue aura and held it against his face as he went into a crash landing a little past where the other Unicorns were set up.

「私は まだ人間だぜ！」Kyoko said in the angriest Japanese that anyone hearing it could remember. She then promptly stormed off back to the dorm complex, stomping each step as if to emphasize the point.

"Anyone mind translating what she just said. It sounded angry and possibly insulting." Rainbow Dash asked aloud, obviously not used to hearing anything other than English and Equestrian.

Andre sighed as he broke his concentration in order to answer Rainbow Dash's question, and getting pelted by a rogue softball for his troubles. "Ow... um... anyway Rainbow... she said [Watashi-wa mada-Ningen daze!] or 'I am still human!'. Whatever Mr. Golden Lawn-Dart over here was talking about got her red hot."

"What did I do... all I said was 'Maybe Ponification would help your relationship.'," Ethan replied, trying to defend himself somehow. Thankfully he didn't hurt anything crashing on the ground, learning first hand just how durable most Pegasi were.

Everyone else just face-hooved when they heard just what Ethan said to the obviously distressed still-Human.

"Tact is not a strong suit of his, is it Natasha dear," Rarity said with a large level of concern.

"Nope... I'm starting to wonder if he even knows the definition of the word...," Natasha replied, sharing Rarity's concern for the immediate future.

Kyoko took a seat in the recreational area of the dorm complex, the only real noise in the background was the Ponies continuing on with their daily practice, and the speakers from Spike's game console in the back corner. She broke down and started crying... crying in some part because of what she did to Ethan just now in a fit of rage. But mostly, due to what had been plaguing her for 14 years; the incident that planted all of these seeds of doubt and consternation that were now, unfortunately, starting to bloom in her mind.

Just who am I?  Just what am I?

=---=

        That evening, while the nine Ponies were enjoying some more of the older movies the humans produced, the one Human decided that she needed to ask some questions. However, when she got to the Clinic's office, her parents were already in deep discussion about something. So like any good girl, she waited until they were done. But, like an impatient woman, she decided to eavesdrop again, just to see what they were talking about.

"You heard about the incident earlier today. There's definitely something wrong with Kyoko."

"And I'm having my suspicions as to what it could be..."

"Do you think it has something to do with that incident when she was a child..."

"I'm sure of it. But even after all of these years... I still don't know how to approach it..."

"You know what something like that can do to a child, and then to not talk about it after all this time..."

"I know dear, I know... but how do you even confront something like that... I mean it's so insane, I don't even know how to take it seriously."

"Considering all the things you attempted as a young man for experiments, I'm honestly surprised to hear those words coming out of your mouth."

"Yes, I know my history... but this is different. Those were just experiments on things that weren't of me. We are talking about fiddling with our flesh and blood. This... this is our daughter... I... I"

Kyoko pushed the door fully open and walked inside, interrupting the conversation. Her eyes welling up with tears, her mind racing in every conceivable direction. "You what.. what is it you couldn't say about 14 years ago..."

Dr. Hayato immediately went on the defensive, he nor Dr. Jun had any idea how long Kyoko had been listening in on their conversation. "Wait, Kyoko, please, I... I don't know how to approach this honestly. You have to believe, even after all this time it's hard for me to truly get a handle on what just happened back then."

Kyoko's mind was still racing... What does he mean 'he still can't get a handle on what happened back then...'  If nothing happened then... no... something did happen... something did happen to me back then... something happened to make them shout at me... to make them laugh at me... to make them question me...

"What.. did you do to me?" Kyoko asked, her voice trembling with fear and anger, no one was sure in which proportion.

Dr. Hayato was thoroughly confused by the question. "What? What do you mean 'what did I do to you'?"

Kyoko was getting beside herself with depression and anger now, "Don't lie to me... you did something... you did something... they wouldn't be asking me all those questions otherwise... they wouldn't be taunting me otherwise... they wouldn't be sneering at me otherwise."

Dr. Jun, already fearing what was swirling in her daughter's mind, tried her best to fish out what the problem was. "What do you mean. Please dear, we're just as confused as you are right now. These questions aren't making any sense..."

"NO! You're lying... you did something, you both did something. Maybe it was before that day, maybe it was when I was born... maybe it was even before that... but they didn't have any reason to question me until they found out who you were... they didn't have any reason to laugh at me before they found out who you were," Kyoko said, now clearly distraught. She backed her way out of the office, wanting nothing to do with her parents right now.

Dr. Hayato tried to reach for her daughter to try and get her to sit down and calm down, but she clearly wanted no part of anything Hayato or Jun Isegawa was offering her. She just wanted to get away now, even if it was only as far as the dormitories where the Ponies were, she just wanted out of her parent's sight.

"Damnit, every single time it comes up. Every single time it comes up and I can't even get the damn words out. What kind of father does that make me?" Dr Hayato said, wanting something to throw around to vent his frustrations.

"It makes you human my dear. We all have our faults, unfortunately. This is ours, and the consequences are ours to bear," Dr. Jun replied, forlorn at the fraying state of hea dear daughter.

Dr. Hayato was lamenting the fact his own indecision had allowed this problem to fester and grow; and was now beyond his ability to reign in. "I'm afraid of what she might do to herself, given how she's behaving. I can only hope that the nine of them can bring her around in some capacity."

Dr. Jun sighed, she could see where this was going to lead most likely. "You know how this will most likely end up. Andre will soon be two months removed from undergoing Ponification. Her other two friends are only a couple of weeks removed between them, and they were all getting just as bad as her. Our daughter may only look like our daughter for so much longer, at this rate."

Dr. Hayato didn't want to think his failure to rectify this problem would lead to this 'extreme' a solution. "When I saw just how much Kyoko cared about Andre after his blow-up... when I saw how much she fawned over him, despite her problems... I knew that day would soon be approaching. There is too much between her and Andre, I just hope she realizes that."

He then paused to get up to walk over to a window overlooking the dorm complex, how bright the lights looked, and how sullen his daughter looked walking inside under the canopied walkway.

"You know I'm not really afraid of a lot of things. If I were, I wouldn't be in this field and in this business. But this... Ponification... this Magic in general, well I do fear it some. But that's why I want to study it so badly, I want to stop fearing it. I want to know everything about it. There are so many things about Equestria we don't know, there are so many things about the Princesses we don't know. There are too many damn unknowns, and it frankly drives me up a wall. Now, to think my daughter, whether it be tomorrow or a year from now, is going to undergo the same thing... it scares me. It scares me what I might do if something goes wrong. It scares me what the future would portend if she comes out different."

He stopped and chuckled a bit to himself at the last statement.

"Oh yeah, everyone comes out different in one way at least. They have the body of an Equestrian. The thing I'm afraid of, and something I might never get the answer to... do they come out with a different mind? Is Ponification closing something down in their minds, or opening something up? We saw her three friends go in as they were starting to break down under the weight of their problems; and come out having had, I can only assume, some kind of catharsis. I saw it in each of their eyes as they've come through these halls."

Dr. Jun got up and joined her husband at the window. They looked on at the dorm complex - the bright, LCD lights and a few of the sounds of them shouting at the movies they were watching still able to reach them in the office of the Clinic proper. "Do you honestly believe that? Not about your motivations for researching Magic, but your beliefs about Ponification? You know there are those out there who are saying that Celestia and the others are just brainwashing humans into joining her, like she is running some kind of extra-dimensional cult. There are others who say they are angels, and that she is bringing divine enlightenment to anyone who'd accept it."

Dr. Hayato looked over at his wife, trying to figure out just where she going with this line of thought. "Yeah, I've heard and read the same things on the 'Net, and to answer your question, yes. I do believe that is what Ponification does. It's not brainwashing, it's not supremely divine enlightenment. It's just a person being opened up to their own self, and having to confront it."

Dr. Jun hugged him tightly, and whispered in his ear. "That's why I married you, and that's why I believe our daughter is going to get through this. No matter what, she is still going to be our daughter."

As she walked away to begin closing down the front-side of the clinic, she made one last admonition to her husband. "You know, we will have to explain to her fully what happened that day. We cannot go on like this for much longer. Her questions need to be answered once and for all."

Dr. Hayato remained in the office for a few moments longer, just gather his own thoughts. "That's why I married you, too. Always knew the words to keep me focused on the future..." He chuckled to himself as he grabbed his coat and digital pad, and left the office.

==* ACT II *==

        Kyoko had managed to calm down some, at least on the outside. She walked into the common area of the dorm complex, noticing Andre with a bowl full of cucumbers in light vinegar in his royal blue magical-grip.

"Um, how is everything Andre...," Kyoko asked, hardly making eye contact with the Pony.

"Oh good, everything's good. We were debating what movie to watch next, probably Hot Shots or some other kind of action-comedy. Fluttershy really isn't much for the overly dramatic or gory action movies. Then again, really only the three of us former humans are," Andre replied.

Kyoko winced at the phrase 'former human'. It was true in one respect, none of the four of them still had their human bodies except Kyoko. But, wasn't Ponification just a change in body? Then again, what if it changed their minds as well, made them forget their human identity; or worse yet, if they had to renounce their human identities? The thoughts were swirling in her head again, and she was hardly in a position to make it stop.

She walked over to one of the staircases leading up to the upper terrace bedrooms, and sat there. Andre followed her and sat on the ground, bowl of cucumbers still in his magical grip.

"Say, what do you think about who you are now," Kyoko asked, honestly not thinking about how Andre would treat the question. But she needed someone, anyone to take her mind off her own problems, even if for a few moments.

Andre thought about it for a few seconds. "That's an awfully introspective question. I dunno if I can give you a brief answer, but I'll try. I guess I see myself as a human brain trying to pilot a Pony body, like a tiny, tiny man in a relatively very large machine."

Kyoko wondered just where Andre was going with his metaphor.

Andre continued, "Well that's the awfully simple way of putting it. It's really not that black and white. I guess I could say that I still think of myself as 'myself', despite the fact I'm in a completely different body, doing things a few months ago I would have thought impossible. What I felt when I was going through the process... it was like... someone was playing back to me everything I felt up until that point, and making me confront it. The positive, the negative, all of it. As far as I can tell, the Princesses just don't want human brains in Pony bodies. They want fully-formed and realized people... in Pony bodies."

Andre could feel the weird face that he was getting from Kyoko.

"Hey look I know it sounds weird. But that's how it feels. There is no way to get around the fact that turning Humans into Equestrians is just plain strange. But it's a reality now. So I figure I just roll with the tide, so to speak."

Kyoko had no idea what to make of the statement. Andre still thought himself as Andre in his heart. Not Ponified-Andre, not Andre the person who gave up his humanity in favor of a being a Pony. But just... Andre. It was so damn simple, and yet... so complex. A complexity she was really having a hard time trying to get a grip on given her own mental state.

"Ugh, I... I dunno... for some reason... I... I... I need to go lie down...," Kyoko quickly got up from her seat and headed up the stairs to her room. Hopefully she would have some time before she fell asleep to internalize everything from today.

"Oh well... um... good night, I guess. But really, don't think you have to keep everything to yourself. You got nine Ponies here and two parents that really want what's best for you." Andre said, as Kyoko went off to her room.

UGH, Why can't I figure out what is eating at her so much. It's so obvious there is something there but I just can't sort it out... Andre thought to himself. He wanted Kyoko to go back to being 'Kyoko' instead of being the moody facsimile that she was.

[ Earth, November 4, 2080 ]

        It was very early the next morning now. Andre had fallen asleep on the floor of the recreation room, his stomach rumbling some because he really didn't eat a decent dinner so many hours ago.

"Ugh... why do I have such a bad habit of this... this is like the fifth time in the last couple of weeks...," he said to himself out loud. He did not know how the Native Equestrians, nor Ethan, nor Natasha managed to do the same things he did, and still think to go get in the bed at a decent time. He simply chalked it up to always living according to no schedule in particular, and not being used to living with others for an extended period of time.

He went into the kitchen, where he pressed a button on some adjustable-height shelving, in order to lower a cake-saver full of some pineapple flavored miniature cakes Pinkie Pie had baked a couple of days ago. Despite her proclivity for making a mess while cooking, he had to admit - when she got something right, she really got it right. And these pineapple minis were definitely her getting it right.

Man I hope they don't mind if I get too many of these, but damn I just love anything pineapple... he thought as he grabbed a nice cluster of five with his telekinesis.

He took out a disposable plate and levitated the cakes down onto it, and trotted back off to his bedroom. That was until he noticed a distinctly tall and black-and-green haired figure staring at the projector screen.

Now what is Kyoko doing up at this time of the morning... He thought, as he promptly turned around and headed back to the rec room.

She was just sitting there with a blanket, staring off into the projector, fiddling with the control pad. She eventually settled on the overnight news-casts, not really caring to watch anything scripted at the time.

"And in Politics... tomorrow is Election Day, as President Aguillar has so far managed to hold her own in much of the state and territorial polling to this point. According to most AI forecasters, she has a 60% probability of winning; although the margin of error is particularly high, due to the AIs not being able to agree on a model for turnout. Many citizens groups on the Internet are trying their best to gin up the vote in favor of her and her allied reformists running; although most feel that the Dome backed politicians should, at the very least, maintain control of Congress. Remember, stay tuned to ABC-Disney News, Your Number #1 Name in Real Reporting."

Andre chuckled a bit at the ending line of the report. "Heh, real reporting. I bet they don't employ any more than ten field reporters at a time. Although I guess some is better than none."

Kyoko just sighed despondently, only halfway paying attention to the screen or her sorta-boyfriend.

Andre continued a bit, just to see if she'd start talking about anything, instead of just curling up in her blanket and looking the sad sight she was. "Well, I sent in my absentee ballot of course. I mean, I might be a Pony, but I didn't renounce my American citizenship or anything... right?"

Kyoko really did not want to look Andre in the face, her mind was awash in a hellish struggle and it was all she could to not start flipping out randomly.

Andre then looked at the cakes on his plate, and thought that maybe some food would get her talking to him. "Well, hrm... wanna try one of these pineapple mini-cakes Pinkie baked. Trust me, they are really good..."

"I think I'll pass, I'm not really feeling hungry right now..." Kyoko said, her voice barely getting over 'dejected monotone' the whole while.

It was at this point where Andre had pretty much enough of the whole situation. He had been walking on eggshells around her for the last few weeks, especially since he Converted. But now push was coming to shove. He was going to have to confront her directly about her attitude, and just take whatever she sent back at him like the stallion he now was.

"Ok, hold it. Seriously, this whole 'Kyoko moping around like her pet or semi-distant relative died' thing is starting to grate on me. I've known you for some time, and you've never been like this. Now seriously, come clean, what's eating you?" Andre asked, levitating the mini-cakes away onto a nearby table just in-case decided to react violently.

Kyoko turned to him, looking like she was ready to slap him across his muzzle. "What's WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG?!" she started, eyes burning with anger. But then the fire just went out, like someone had dumped a bucket of water on her head. She lowered her hand and head and meekly said, "That's the problem, I don't even know what's wrong with me right now..." All the while she was curling up tighter in her blanket, like she was a hermit crab wanting to withdraw into her shell.

Well at least I got her talking... now let's see if I can figure out what the hell is going on in that brain of hers... he thought to himself. He used a trick he saw Twilight perform, and slicked his mane back. Apparently it was going to be his turn to play amateur psychoanalyst.

"Hrm, the girl that could seem to read anyone like an open book, not being able to read herself. This is honestly quite the predicament. On top of that, I can tell you've hardly been able to sleep for at least the last few weeks, and who knows how long before that," he started off with, fishing for any clues.

"Well... how could you tell if I had or hadn't been sleeping right the last few weeks or whatever?" Kyoko said with some strain of obvious denial in her voice. There really wasn't going to be any way to get out of this questioning now.

Andre took a deep breath, and began to count off the different signs of mental disturbance. "Well for one thing you've been extremely moody. Like, 'No one wants to directly talk to you about anything for fear of getting an ear chewed off' moody. Then you've hardly been eating relative to what you used to. Don't try to play it off, because I've watched you eat over the com-link, and sister, you can pack it away. How you do it without gaining weight, I'm not even going to guess. Thirdly, let me remind you how you turned poor Ethan into an impromptu lawn dart not 18 hours ago, give or take. There, I have no idea if it was his magic that just makes him lighter despite his mass, or if you've been doing some kind of strength training behind all our backs." After each point, he checked it off on a clipboard that he somehow magicked into existence.

"Well... well... Well maybe I'm just some kind of robot then!" Kyoko snapped back, not even thinking about what she just said.

Andre stopped for a second, obviously taken aback by the line she just spouted. "Ok. I don't even know where that came from. But it's clear to me - you are having some kind identity crisis. I know I've told you this, but I'm being perfectly honest. Everypony has an emotional sixth sense, like being a right-thinking Pony makes you an empath. Do you know what it was telling me... either what you just blurted out was no joke, or you are too distraught to make one."

He stood up from his spot, and sat directly in front of Kyoko on the rug in front of the seats of the rec room. "Kyoko, you have eight other Ponies here, and they either know you or really want to get to know you. You have two parents, who know you better than anyone else, and they want to see you at your best."

He took a deep breath, he knew what some of her problem was, and it was related to him...

"And you have me Kyoko. 'I want to see you happy and healthy.', that's what you told me the day I snapped. The day all 14 years of pent up frustration and anguish came gushing out for your parents and Twilight to see. I haven't forgotten that day, and I've had to face far worse about myself. I still don't know what I'll have to face about myself, what any of us here will have to face in these months and possibly years ahead. But I have made my decision, and I am going to face them. I just want you to do the same. I want you to face whatever it is inside of you that is holding you back, being an anchor unto your soul. Whatever demons or what have you that are inside of you, you can face them and conquer them."

With that, Andre's mane went back to its normal somewhat scraggly lay. He was done playing psycho-analyst, but he was not done being Kyoko's friend and confidant. He took the plate in his magical grip, and went on to his bedroom to get some shuteye in a real bed, this time.

        She watched him walk back to his room, the same cute blue Unicorn Pony she remembered positively gushing over the first day after his Conversion. She remembered treating him like a plush toy those first few days. The grooming sessions that he especially looked forward to. Then she compared his voice and mannerisms to what she remembered of him from the conversations over the com-links. Aside from the physical parts of communication, hand gestures and what not, he was still mostly the same. Andre was, as far as she was concerned, still 'Andre'. Even when he called himself 'Blue Vague' he was still 'Andre' at the same time. No change in body could deny that, and no change in name either. He was still that same somewhat rotund dark-skinned pseudo-philosopher she loved listening to, even if now he was a scraggly cobalt-maned, blue-coated Unicorn half his original size.

        As she continued to sit under her blanket, Kyoko began to contemplate the nature of some of her more immediate problems. The isolation she was feeling wasn't simply because she was the lone human in a group of Ponies; she saw enough humans, at least for now, getting along with the Ponies, as co-workers in the Bureaus or otherwise. No, she was feeling isolated because while the nine Ponies of her group were opening up to each other and becoming closer, she was shutting herself in and withdrawing into a shell. When she finally stopped to truly consider the nature of the relationships she wanted to forge - especially with Andre - she knew that she really couldn't put it off any longer. She decided to become the tenth of ten, and her parents were going to have to get used to running a veritable stable of a dorm complex. As she sat in the chair and began to doze off, it felt more comfortable. Some of the weight she had piled upon herself was finally starting to be removed.

=---- ----- ----=

[ Earth, November 5, 2080 ]

        It had been a day since Kyoko formally registered for the St. Louis Conversion Bureau. Twilight had managed to temporarily reassume her head administrator role for Kyoko's conversion group, now 10 strong as the traffic had grown in the last few weeks. Tonight, the twelve of them, the Doctors Isegawa, Kyoko, and the nine Ponies of the dorms behind the Isegawa's Clinic, all decided to watch the election returns.

Twilight Sparkle was keenly interested in all of the production value put into 'festivities' for the evening. "You know, for all the complex charts and graphs, and the admittedly very pretty colors they use for said charts and graphs, you'd think that the actual process of electing their leaders was more... complicated."

Andre, ever the student of history and politics, decided to take this question, as he felt like he was going to have to take a lot of questions tonight. "Well, for political news programs like this, election night is pretty much the one night where anyone with an ear for news these days will even pay attention to the networks. The last 40 years or so have seen such domination by corporate and Elite interests, it's been accepted that whatever they want is what will get done. This is the first time I can honestly remember the election has even been in doubt."

Applejack wasn't still quite seeing the whole picture, "Okay, so... your President now, I think Aguillar was her name... she ain't an Elite-backed politician?"

Andre again fielded the question. "Well, not entirely. Of course she does have her backers for funding and whatnot, but the kinds of laws she proposed while in the Congress and now as President have really be more in the field of procedural reforms. It's going to take so much work to un-gunk the system that I don't know if the planet itself has enough time to wait."

Natasha chimed in. "On top of that, as Andre said, the people in general have felt so disconnected from the levers of power for so long, for the most part, they just stopped caring. This is the first time in some time I've seen any kind of public advocacy. I mean, you can't go on any message board without people talking about who should win and why."

Kyoko just sat back and thought, while she watched the scene of her parents in the dorm's rec room watching the proceedings with the other nine of her (new) friends. Heh, I have the best timing huh... oh well, this was gonna have to be done sooner or later...

Kyoko then spoke up through her connection, "Well Twilight, do you have any opinions on who should be our leader?"

Twilight was actually expecting the question, having already talked a bit of politics with some of the visitors and clients. "Well officially, we aren't allowed make any kind of endorsements or do any advocacy. Of course Celestia does not want to get herself, Luna, or any of us wrapped up in your domestic affairs. Although, personally, I'd like to see President Aguillar continue on as President. She's been nothing but friendly to us, and allowed us space to be able to work our magic, you could say."

The other five Elements of Harmony agreed.

So the night continued on, as the vote tallies came in, state after state and territory after territory came back, all relatively late. In fact, the pundits were honestly surprised that the election was as close as it was, and that turnout was as high as it was. Although 20% of all voters really couldn't be considered high in a strict sense; considering the previous trends, it was absolutely titanic. When all was said and done, President Aguillar was indeed re-elected to the Presidency. The Congress was also a harbinger of mostly pleasant news, as the House of Representatives was now controlled by the reformers, even though the old guard barely retained control of the Senate. At the very least, President Aguillar wouldn't have to deal with a completely hostile legislature this go around.

As she was giving her victory speech, the six Bearers of Harmony were visibly relieved when it turned out there wasn't going to be a dramatic change in leadership for the next four years. However, the Isegawas (Kyoko included) as well as the Conduits of Terra were concerned with the unintended consequences.

Twilight could see the concern on Andre's face in particular. "Hey, Andre, you're looking kinda... concerned. I mean, didn't President Aguillar retain her office fair and square?"

Andre replied, sighing because he knew Twilight and the other Natives knew little about the psychology of those idiots in the Domes, as he'd put it. "Yes, yes she did. That's not my concern. My concern is the reaction of those Dome idiots. They hate losing, absolutely hate it. There is no telling what they might start saying and doing to try and delegitimize her; even though she won clean, and her allies apparently should control the lower House."

Ethan sighed himself, although he didn't know much about politics actively, he was still interested. "Yeah, I can see where you are going with this. Knowing them they might try and blame the Princesses or something. It's not like a lot of them care if they have to lie through their teeth to get what they want."

Applejack really did not want to be reminded of the fact that a lot of human politics involved a lot of duplicity and double-dealing. "Just the thought of it burns me up. I can see how they'd do it, and I can see why they'd do it. The Princesses might not want to get themselves and us involved in y'all’s politics, but I don't think we're gonna be able to get around it."

Kyoko agreed with the farmhand/Element of Honesty. "I feel the same way. I think just you all being here is going to make you targets, be it rhetorically or literally." She realized that pretty soon, she might be painting herself with a bulls-eye for some people in particular. "I don't like thinking of it that way, but you know there are gonna be those out there that are going to blame you all, and I guess us before long, about what's going on."

Everyone took note of the somber yet perfectly legitimate point. There was no telling how those in the Domes were going to react to this news, and who they, or events in general, might inflame.

===* ACT III *===

[ Earth, November 7, 2080 ]

        The appointed time and hour had come. Twilight had managed to get the entire slate of converts done and handled, so that the entirety of the Isegawa contingent could sit comfortably in the lobby while Kyoko underwent the procedure. Dr. Hayato and Jun were glad that their load was light over at the Clinic, as they didn't necessarily like having to close shop early, but this was their daughter about to go in.

Twilight gave her final remarks before she and Kyoko would take the short ride and the long walk to the Conversion Rooms. "As you know, our good friend Kyoko here is about to undergo her Conversion. I am obligated to remind her that she can still decline the procedure, although if she does, she must refill the paperwork and wait another three days, barring emergency."

Kyoko was steadfast though. "No Twilight, I won't have to take you up on that offer. I'd like to go ahead and get this done with, if you don't mind."

Twilight then turned to Dr. Hayato and Dr. Jun, the two fellow scholars she had developed such a rapport with the last three months or so. "Honestly, you are the first relatives of a client to actually be here when said client was undergoing Conversion, so bear with me if I can't exactly find the words..."

Dr. Hayato interrupted her, however. "Don't worry Twilight, there is nothing that you need to say to assuage us. We've already come to terms with our daughter's decision. "

Dr. Jun then added, "Yes, no matter what form she takes, she is still our daughter, and will always remain our daughter."

Kyoko smiled faintly at the words her parents said.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I... I... I just want you to know. No matter what you might see during the process. We're all here, we all want to see you on the other end. I... I..."

Kyoko just put her fingers over his lips as he struggled to get the words out. "Just think about what you're going to say, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right back. We'll have plenty of time to talk. Who knows, Ethan could be right; us being the 'same' could make a little easier for us to talk."

Ethan just smiled and nodded, his neck still a bit sore from the crash landing a few days ago.

Applejack then stepped forward from the group to talk to Twilight on the side. After a bit of discussion, she then talked to everyone else present. "Me and Kyoko here built up a bit of a rapport over the last week or so, so I was thinking. I wanted to go see this for myself. I know there might not be any fireworks in particular. But, let's just say I have a farmers hunch about this one."

A farmers hunch, that and Honestytelling me to be down there for this... she immediately though to herself, hating she had to omit that last little bit from her aloud words.

        One elevator ride downward and a few minutes worth of walking later, Kyoko was in the Conversion Room, looking at Applejack, Twilight, and the various assistants through the window to the observation room half of the Conversion Room.

As she laid on the bed, she had one real thought before drinking the serum.

Well, it's zero hour Kyoko. For your and everyone's else's sake.

A few moments later, she was out like a light, body starting to glow the familiar soft white.

=---- ----=

        Kyoko then 'woke up' in the Astral Plane, body now formless due to being a disembodied soul and all. She almost immediately found herself in a mixed race village, Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth-Ponies all about, going through their daily lives.

Definitely didn't say anything about this in the orientation...

The first vision she saw was of a Pegasus filly flitting about. She was terribly uncoordinated and constantly dipping and diving all over. Some of the other Pegasi foals laughed and pointed, but she never gave up. Flash forward, she was flying around like the best of them. The other Pegasi that laughed at her now cheered her, apologizing for making fun of her in her youth.

Then she saw a Unicorn colt, struggling to make anything float or work due to his irregular magic, the others chiding and chastising him for being a slow learner. Flash forward into his adulthood as a stallion, and he was making an entire room's worth of machines run like clockwork, the foals of his childhood now understanding that even if someone is slow to pick something up, it still doesn't keep them from mastering it.

The last vision was of a an Earth Pony filly. Everything she'd make, even the crudest and most simple of tools, would break. The other foals would constantly tease her for being walking bad luck. They figured when she started growing stuff, it'd probably die within a week. Flash forward into her adulthood, and she had designed several tools that radically changed Earth Pony farming for the better, allowing the farmhands to concentrate on growing the crops rather than have to constantly till and tend the soil. The foals that once berated her for being walking bad luck, were now clamoring for her products and singing her praises.

Wow, even if the Ponies are mean to each other, they can still find a way to break through. Even if they don't understand each other, eventually they will work things out, or at least try to... Kyoko thought to herself.

The Ponies of the vision all turned to her, much to her surprise; but they were entirely nonthreatening, instead bidding her welcome: Welcome our new sister. We graciously await your arrival in our lands. Soon your heart shall be put at ease you embark on a new journey of self-discovery.

Kyoko was suddenly filled with a great sense of relief, even if she didn't know who or what she was, or would soon be, at the very least she could hold her head high as this new phase of her life began.

        Eventually she found herself in Astral-equivalent of Canterlot Castle, speaking before vague facsimiles of the Princesses of Day and Night. This fact that was not lost upon Kyoko, but it was their process so she just had to put up with it.

The Vision of Luna then spoke, "Kyoko, daughter of the House of Isegawa. Born on the 29th Day of December, Earth Year B.C.E. 2059. You come before us to seek a rebirth into your Herd and Family. Do you understand the ramifications of this decision?"

Kyoko let out a heavy sigh, as she gathered up her internal fortitude. "Yes Princess Luna. I understand that I will forfeit my Human body in favor of Body of an Equestrian."

The visions looked at each other. It was rare that any of the Converts actually knew the proper term for who they were to become. They continued nonetheless.

The Vision of Princess Celestia then asked, "Do you understand that this decision is final, and the process irreversible?"

Kyoko answered steadfastly, "Yes Princess Celestia. I understand that this decision is final, and this process is irreversible."

The Vision of Princess Luna then asked, "Do you understand that your form will be selected once you receive the Spark of our Magic. Also, that selection of form is entirely random and can in no way influenced by any entity, not even ourselves?"

Kyoko continued to reply steadfastly, "Yes Princess Luna. I understand the nature of the selection, and I do indeed accept the Spark."

The white Spark of Equestria then appeared behind the Visions. Kyoko thought a bit about how innocuous and small it looked for something of such great importance.

After which, the Vision of Princess Celestia then stated, shifting from the tone of a monarch to the tone of a mother, "It is so agreed. Kyoko Isegawa of Earth, you will be imbued with this Spark and be reborn as a member of our Herd. Please accept this with all your Heart and Soul."

Kyoko then stated, with a great sense of relief, "Yes Princess Celestia. I accept this new role for myself."

Both Visions then shouted in unison, "THEN LET IT BE SO!"

Once the spark merged with Kyoko's soul, the entire scene began to quake violently, as if the projection of Canterlot Castle had become the epicenter of 10.0 earthquake.

=---- ----=

Applejack sat stunned as she watched Kyoko's form go from a gentle white glow to the entire exam room awash in some sort of green energy. "That... that definitely shouldn't be happening should it..."

Twilight was more stunned that apparently all four of the Elements of Terra, were all four of the Four Amigos. "Nope, it definitely shouldn't..."

The other seven Ponies above ground could feel the grave shift in mana on Earth themselves.

"Ok, did everyone else just... feel that... it's like... it's like..." Pinkie Pie started, obviously not having any real clue what was going on.

Well that was until all nine known Elements manifested physically and Princesses Celestia began cluing them all in.

We are sure you all felt that sudden alteration in the flow of Magic. Something grave is about to happen within the Astral Plane, and you all will soon witness its aftermath. I need you all to go to the underground floor of the Bureau, now. We will be there in short order.

Rainbow Dash directed the seven remaining Ponies to the elevator in order to get down the Conversion Room, meanwhile the Doctors Isegawa could only sit and watch, and pray their daughter was indeed alright.

=---- ----=

"All... this... shaking... tearing... me... apart..." Kyoko said, fearfully and disjointedly. The entire section of the Astral Plane was quaking violently still. The now fully manifested Celestia and Luna having to hover in the air just to make sure their own speech didn't become as distorted.

"A part of me doesn't want to be surprised by this, Celly. But honestly, I am surprised." Luna said to her sister.

"Why is that Lulu?"

"Because I met this girl, and I thought at the time she had the soul of an Earth Pony. I did not think she was also carrying a Shard of that entity's Power."

"That's Magic for you, isn't it"

"Indeed..."

"Please... help... shaking... really... hard..." Kyoko said, 'body' still quaking from the confluence of the Terran Shard and the Equestrian Spark.

Yes I should probably do something about that... said the ancient voice as she separated the green floating... something of her Power and White Spark of Equestria. Kyoko was just glad her Astral body wasn't being used as a drink mixer, for the time being.

Kyoko finally managed to take in the sight of where she was now. She saw a great ancient shrine behind her, although mostly obscured in some kind of fog. She also noticed she sat on top of a three-quarters filled insignia, the Symbol of the Elements of Terra. Three-fourths of whatever this is was apparently active as far as she could tell, and she was a smart enough cookie to realize she was slated to be the fourth of four.

The ancient voice then began to speak to Kyoko.  Child, your soul bears the final of the un-awakened Shards of my Power. Now, you face a choice - to awaken that Shard of my Magic comes with a Trial. One must face the very darkness that pervades their heart and conquer it, before they may be granted my Power. If you accept this Trial of the Soul and pass, you will be granted a Magic that no one from either World has seen in eons. If you accept but fail, your very soul will be destroyed and your body rendered lifeless and inert. The shard shall then embed itself in another of my Children's Souls. If you reject this Trial, your memory will be purged completely and the shard reassigned; while you may hold their Spark and Body and continue to live, you will remember nothing of your life to this point as one of my Children.

Kyoko sat there, unsure of what to think of everything. Her mind, though, finally began to focus. Apparently there was some extra things she was going to have to do, if she wanted everything she came to get out of this process; and she very well couldn't go back to Andre and her parents as a Pony with a blank mind. So the answer soon became obvious.

"Ancient ... voice, I guess... whatever this Trial is, I fear what it might be. But that fear does not outweigh the hope I have for moving forward. So whatever it is, I'll accept it, and I'll beat it!"

LET IT BE DONE, AND I PRAY FOR YOUR SUCCESS!

=---- ----=

        Kyoko was immediately whisked away to a quiet looking garden. She looked straight up, and saw the familiar sight, the sun beating down through the color-filtered dome. She then looked around, and saw all the strange looking people. They were dressed in all kinds of weird colors, wearing all kinds of weird accessories. The humans there stood in such stark contrast to the simple, natural beauty of the garden. That was when it struck her, it was the Domes outside of Tokyo. She rushed over the fountain to get a look at herself, and she looked exactly like she did when she was only 6 years old.

Oh no... no ... no no no....

She realized she was being forced to relive that day, the day she first entered the Domes with her parents on a client call. The day she had been reliving over and over again in her nightmares.

        That day started off normally - her parents were called into the Domes to take requests for different projects. They tried their best to pleasantly entertain the vapid and inane requests of the residents there. Everyone was clamoring for a geneticist or nanotechnician to fabricate something or other for their own desires, and her parents were little different than other prominent scientists in their fields, on the surface. Only being in the upper echelon in their fields allowed them to deny the more inane of the requests. Kyoko, being a precocious six-year old, had absolutely no clue what anyone was talking about with her parents... and so she did what any normal six year old would do. She wandered off to go find something more interesting to do with her time.

She came upon a quiet looking garden, with a patch of soil that was still to be planted. That was where she crouched down, her general intrest in the plants egging her on to get a closer look. She wanted to know how, by just sitting in the ground and staying in the sunlight, the plants could go from tiny little seeds to flowers, or big vines, or even bigger trees.

Some of the passers-by, however, were more interested in just who was this strange, plain looking girl sitting in a dirt patch staring at flowers...

, Kyoko thought to herself. The questioning would just get worse from there though.

It was a while before they realized who she was, and it was a while longer before Kyoko realized her parents had walked off without noticing she wasn't with them anymore.

 She thought to herself, she didn't want to start speaking back to someone she couldn't see, let alone didn't know.

Kyoko stood back up, trying to find her parents so they can come tell these random people the truth. But her parents had already walked off somewhere else. Not wanting to get lost, Kyoko stayed right there. So there she was, in the dirt patch, listening to these wild accusations about herself and her parents, and completely without the wherewithal or the nerve to counteract such statements.

To any adult, the accusations would have been total nonsense. However, to a child, and especially to a child that may or may not have been too smart for her own good, they were the most biting things she could be hearing. She was hearing she wasn't real... she was hearing she was some kind of... fake. A fake child? What kind of parents could really love a fake child? What if she really was just some orphan that had her memory wiped? What if she really was some kind of genetic freak experiment designed to produce hyper-intelligent humans?  What if she really was some kind of machine designed to look and feel exactly like a human? These question plagued her, plagued for so many years. And they were starting to plague her right now, her Astral body sinking into the once firm but now quite loose earth she was standing on, already knee-deep in it.

=---- ----=

What is this Celestia, none of these accusations seem to make any sense at all. I mean, we can tell by the fact she's undergoing this procedure she is not some kind of puppet created by her parents.

While that is true from an outsider's perspective, a child's mind is a very amorphous entity, and very fertile ground for all kinds of ideas. Any little seed of doubt and bloom into a weed of false identity, and now she'll have to rip them out before they choke her soul to death.

=---- ----=

I'm real... aren't I?  I have to be real... But what if they just fooled me into thinking I'm real... Kyoko began to think to herself, sunk now waist-deep into the quicksand-like earth.

Yes... what if they just fooled you indeed... said a voice exactly like hers.

Who's there? Why do you sound like me? Kyoko asked, her body was starting to dim, losing to her own self-doubt and inability to tell what was up or down, much less what was right about herself.

Because I am you... I'm that voice that was just asking you questions until you met that, Andre or whoever he was and you stopped listening to me... her double replied.

Stop it, I don't want to listen to you anymore... I... can't... I...

What's wrong Kyoko, afraid to hear the truth... that you aren't just someone who was just born normally... that you were made... that you're a fabrication of life...

Stop it... I...

You know your parents, you know your dad's history especially... why do you think he never wants to talk to you about it?  Not even your mom wants to talk about it... she was probably in on the whole thing...Is that why they just left you there? left you to hear all those accusations...

Kyoko's soul was turning black, and she was now sunk to her chest. This double of hers and the earth were winning this battle wits, and winning it quite easily...

Please... no more... please... stop... I can't...

Why do you think Andre can never find the words to say to you?  What if he knows the truth?  How could he love something that isn't a real human?  How could anyone truly love something that isn't really like him?

No... he wouldn't... he couldn't... could he...

The dark reflection of Kyoko's soul then knelt on the ground, patting the head of Kyoko who was buried up to her shoulders in the earth.

That's right... there is no place for you back in the Physical World... let someone else take that Power or whatever else that voice was talking about... you don't need it...

I... don't... need... it

That's right... you'll soon hear the soft soothing sounds of your fake soul being crushed into nothingness... and then... silence... all you'll hear for eternity is the silence of the void from whence you came...

The void... nothing... nothing... come from... return to... nothing...

Kyoko's head sunk beneath the earth. The dark reflection giggled at how easy it was to break the mind of that poor girl, how she deserved nothing but... well... nothing.

That's right, just like everyone else who failed to this point... you'll be reduced to nothing... no one will remember you... you'll just cease to exist... it's what failures and fakes deserve...

=---- ----=

What... none of the converts ever had anything like this, not even the other three Conduits...

I know this feeling Celestia... it's the self-destructive spiral of doubt... all that double is, is just another aspect of Kyoko feeding into her paranoia... it's the same thing that started me on my road to becoming Nightmare Moon...

But...

She has no choice now... either she overcomes this self-doubt and self-pity, or she self-destructs.

=---- ----=

Kyoko was completely under the ground now... her soul's body nearly entirely black.

Nothing... nothing... that's all I came from... that's all I am... that's all I'll ever be...

The she heard another's voice - Stop it...

That's all....

STOP IT!

Huh?

Just who are you?

I... I don't know....

Do you really not know....

I... how...

Let me remind you. Three friends. Two Parents.

Three friends... two parents...

All of them love you dearly....

All love me? But... how?

Do they need a 'how'? Do they need a 'why'?

How could they love someone like me... I'm not even real... I'm just some... some kind of fake... I...

No.

What do you mean 'No.'?

That's exactly what I mean. No. You are not some kind of fake. You are not some kind of fabrication.

But... no one... no one ever...

Listen... Kyoko... you are 'you'. If you were some kind of fake... could you really be undergoing this trial?

Well... no...

Her soul began to light back up, someone was finally starting to straighten her mind out.

If you were some kind of fabrication, do you think that entity would have embedded that Shard in you to even begin with?

No... probably not.

She was finally starting to pull things together, the white glow beginning to reignite.

Insofar as being an experiment. We all are experiments. Life itself is nothing more than one great, large trial-and-error experiment.

You're right...

I know I am...

Who are you anyway?

Oh that's an easy question... I'm you.

What?

I'm you, I'm the you that saw the world as one great living experiment, something to be studied and understood as far as the brain possibly could manage. Then I got buried, buried under all that self-doubt, that self-pity, and almost obliterated by that self-destruction.

I'm sorry...

Don't be... because that other self was you as well... it was just your darker nature, the part of you that wanted to wallow in self pity. All beings have it, Humans, Ponies, what have you. The question is... will you be able to corral and control it, will you be able to refuse the constant temptation to just give in to the darkness.

Like I almost did...

We all have our dark periods. The question is, can we rise above them, and become better for having survived those trials. You still have not answered that question for yourself.

What do you mean.

You are not normal, but not for the reasons you thought before, though. Inside of you resides a Power this world needs in order to prosper and thrive. You were chosen to wield it along with the three others. Will you wield this power? Will you take up these arms for the cause of forging a New Age?

Yes. If I was trusted with it, it had to have been for a reason. So yes, I will!

Will forge a New Age where all can choose their path in life instead of being forced down it by some other being?

Yes!

Will you forge a New Age, where all flowers of the soul can bloom to their greatest extent, however that might occur?

Yes!

The let's grab that power, let's grab it and use it to forge A New Age, and a New Life for everyone!

You read my mind!

Heh, that's because I am your mind!

Kyoko's soul was glowing white hot now.

"I can't let myself fall into that pit, not this pit of oblivion. There is still so much I have to do... there is still so much I have to see... I want to see both worlds... I want to see Equestria... I want to see the whole Earth... I want to see both worlds thrive too, I want to see Equestria grow and prosper, I want to see the Earth renewed and revitalized. I want to see everyone, every Human, every Pony, every single living thing grow and bloom the way that it should, and not pruned or uprooted just because someone doesn't like it. I don't care what anyone said about me before anymore... I don't care what they might say about me in the future. None of them can hurt me anymore... they can call me whatever they want... robot... clone... fake... it doesn't matter. Because I'm me, I'm Kyoko!  Voice... Please... PLEASE... GRANT ME THE POWER... GRANT ME THE POWER THAT WILL HELP EVERYONE FIND WHO THEY TRULY ARE, AND FIND THEIR TRUE ROLES FOR THIS GREAT EXPERIMENT OF LIFE!"

Then so it shall be!

=---- ----=

        The ground then began to quake as the area around Kyoko was now glowing green. She soon found herself rocketing upward through the ground, on what she couldn't exactly tell... although soon it would become obvious. When she finally appeared above the ground, she saw what exactly she was being lifted on. It was a giant multi-terraced formation, each flat plane holding innumerable flowers of all kinds and sorts. When Kyoko floated back down to the floor of the shrine, the flower and ground formations dissolved into green particles, and reformed into the green Terran Spark of Earth, which was now hers along with the initial white Spark of Equestria. In addition, the symbol that she was standing on was completely filled in, the western quadrant now glowing green as the entire circle began to glow, the final symbol of a triple peaked mountain joining the other three.

        The ancient voice then began to speak, projecting the tone of a bearer of incredible power.You have done well my Child. Soon, as you accept each Spark of the two Worlds, you will conferred their Body. This will mark your rebirth as the Conduit of Earth. You are the last of the Conduits to be found, and I will address all twelve of you when this process is completed. Remember this, however, the New Age cannot truly be forged until all Ten have fully realized their Will and Power, in all respects.

She reassumed her role of a great matron. I sensed your great internal struggle for identity, and sometimes, it will feel even harder as you will no longer physically resemble the being that you remember. Despite that, you will remain my Child, even as you occupy the body of another World. Let no being, from either world, cause you to lose sight of this fact, nor lose sight of who you truly are.

Kyoko sniffled a bit, as she could feel the great pride that this entity took in her. "Thank you, I won't forget this experience. I don't think I could even if I wanted to."

Celestia and Luna were breathing somewhat easier now as well. They had found all the Conduits for Terran Magic, therefore they could start to formulate a more solid idea of what this 'Power' was they were dealing with.

Luna then called Kyoko to attention. "My dear, are you ready to conclude, I believe we all have things we have to discuss in the Physical World once we do."

"Yes, I am ready," Kyoko replied. Her mind was definitely going to need time to rest after this.

Assuming the role as the Supreme Monarchs of Equestria, both Celestia and Luna asked in unison, "Kyoko Isegawa of Earth, do you accept Both of these Sparks, the Spark of Terra and the Spark of Equestrian Magic, so that we together may forge a New Age for both our Worlds?"

Kyoko answered, with great strength and firmness, "Yes, yes I accept both of these Sparks and my role in forging the New Age to come."

Princess Celestia then said, as a mother welcoming a new child, "Come my little Pony, come and forge a new path as a Child of Both Worlds."

Princess Luna then said, as a teacher welcoming a new student, "Come my little Pony, come and learn of your new Role in this great Cosmic Dance of Life."

Then both said in unison, "Come our new little Pony, come and let us forge A New Age together!"

The twin sparks merged with Kyoko, and she felt enough strength surging through her to carry an entire planet on her shoulders.

=---- ----=

The whole exam room was still glowing green, and Applejack and Twilight completely awestruck. It wasn't until the glow began to cool that Applejack finally managed to get her words out, "Twi' we should really go check on her."

Twilight, finally snapping out of awe herself, concurred, "Yeah, Yeah let's go check on her."

They both exited the observation room, only to find the other seven Ponies all there waiting for them.

"Wow, we could see the glowing all the way down the hall, was it like that for three of us too?" Andre said, somewhere between surprise and concern in his voice.

"Yeah, all three of you when you were Converted, the room was glowing in the color you eventually took," Twilight answered.

"Well we can discuss the exact nature of our transformations and everything later, right now let's just check to see how Kyoko is doing," Natasha said.

"Come on y'all..." Applejack said as she walked into the exam room first.

        Kyoko, sat up on her new haunches as best she could managed, glad the bed was firm otherwise she would have toppled back over. She was an Earth Pony, with a rich coat like dark green grass, and a mane and tail a shade of somewhat brighter green. The Element of Earth around her neck resembling a quartet of mountains; the largest was in the center, a small one was in front, and two medium-sized ones on each side of the largest and behind it.

She looked at herself and said, "Wow I really look like my online name now, Midori..." Andre and the others mentioned how 'midori' meant green in Kyoko's native language.

Her large, lime-green eyes blinking rapidly, she got off the now lowered bed and trotted as best she could manage out of the room. All ten of them now stood outside of the exam room in the rather spacious hallway.

It was an amazing sight. The six Bearers of Harmony stood there in a semi-circle around the now complete set of the Converted Four Amigos. One set colored like candy, the other set in bold colors like a set of markers.

"So, how do you all feel being together like this?" Twilight asked, genuinely curious how they all felt being Ponies now.

"I dunno, I mean, we're the same, but we aren't the same," Andre said.

"Yeah, it is hard to put in words how we all feel right now, but it does feel like we're all complete," Ethan said.

"Frankly, I'm relieved that we've all gone and done it now, we're all a real group again," Natasha said.

"Yeah, I know I sound a bit unsteady right now, but I really feel good too that we're all a real group again," Kyoko said.

        As they began chatting each other up, Royal Princesses appeared. All ten of them instinctively bowed to them out of respect before them, before Luna bid them to stand.

Celestia spoke first, voice stern without trying to be overbearing. "I will make this message brief, because Kyoko needs to undergo the same rehabilitation as the other Converts. But I request that all ten of you come to Equestria as soon as possible."

"Did something happen, did Discord get loose again?" Twilight asked, wondering why her mentor would want them all back so soon after Kyoko's conversion.

Celestia responded quickly, "No, actually this is in preparation for something else."

Just then, a robed-figure with face obscured appeared on the wall behind the Princesses and in front of the Ten Bearers and Conduits. It was only visible from the shoulders up, but the voice was familiar to all twelve of them.

"As I stated before. I would have a message to deliver to the twelve of you, once you all manifested in the Physical World, and once you were all gathered together. Now that all of the Shards of my Power have been awakened into full-fledged Sparks, the seal surrounding the Earth's Magic may now be undone. However, do not blindly believe that you can immediately accomplish this task. If you are not capable of properly wielding the Power, the seal will not be removed properly, and the effects of the resulting flood of mana will truly be devastating. On the other hand, due to you all reawakening the four Elemental Sparks, the seal itself will begin to slowly but surely degenerate. If too much time passes between now and the point you attempt to undo the seal yourselves, the Magic I have restrained will flow into this world in a manner that could not be controlled by anyone, not even myself.

"One final warning - even if you properly unseal my magic, and it is allowed to flow back into the world normally, Society itself will, in all likelihood, not be able to handle such power suddenly being dropped into its lap. Therefore, you all must properly prepare yourselves, as well find and prepare as many allies as you can manage in the goal of forging The New Age. My Children have so desperately longed for the Power the Four Conduits now wield, and there is no telling to what ends they would go to gain control over it, once it is unsealed. Yet, if you are to truly save this world, my Power must be allowed to flow freely, and it must be combined with your Will. Only when the Ten of you have become fully realized, can The New Age be truly forged."

With that, the image of the robed figure disappeared.

All twelve of them were astonished the voice they had only heard as a voice also had a figure, at the very least.

"That... was... heavy...," Andre said, still trying to wrap his brain around the facts that ancient will had just dumped on them.

"You're telling me...," Twilight was also trying to get through all these facts, and the realization the fates of Equestria and Earth were starting to become more and more intertwined.

Luna sighed, she had a feeling that this was part of the nature of the Power the ancient will was speaking of. "What truly concerns me is her premonition of the destruction of this Society, one way or another. I can honestly see why her thoughts would lead down that road. Whenever the Magic of this planet is unsealed, there would be nothing to prevent undesirables from accessing that power. On top of that, what would happen if any of you ten were kidnapped and used as some kind of weapon or bargaining chip in some terrorist negotiation. It would be an utter disaster as far as I or Celestia could tell. This is why we need all ten of you to come to Equestria as soon as you can manage. I have a feeling that the Terran Magic the Four Conduits now wield cannot even be properly used until they have a better grasp of their now innate Equestrian Magic."

Celestia then concluded this little talk, "We cannot rush the training of the four of you, but at the same time, we do not have infinite time to do it. Therefore you have to learn and practice in the most optimal environment we can think of, which is Equestria proper. Now, Luna and myself must return to Canterlot Castle, we still have business to attend to Equestria-side. Maybe if we have time after next week, we can give a tour to our four new Ponies. Until then."

And with that, Celestia and Luna blinked out of this dimension, back across the New Light Bridge.

Kyoko finally managed to exhale properly, she was dead tired and just wanted to crawl back in her bed in the Bureau dormitory. "If you all don't mind... I am tired beyond tired, we all need to take a few days to sort this out anyway."

Everyone agreed, there would be time enough to discuss matters more in-depth. At least they hoped there would be more time.