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// The Fifth Assemblage 
// Story: The Conversion Bureau: Tortured Soul 
// by The REAL Mister Pkmn 
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The morning came again, and Celestia woke readily. Breakfast’d been left for her before she woke, likely an order by Tortured so that none of his workers got “influenced” by her. Speaking of, his vision on her was disturbing. He hated her, right down to his core. He wouldn’t stop until he “exposed” her, but what’d he do if she beat his final test? He’d said that he’d apologize, but… she wasn’t so sure that he’d keep his end of the bargain. She finished her breakfast, and got ready to go- and once more, she had escorts. As she was once more guided to the Oval Office, the thought that had bothered her before wormed its way to the front of her mind. For some reason or another, ever since she first came across Tortured, she’d had this nagging feeling that they’d met before somehow. Yet, according to what he himself said, that was impossible. No Celestia he’d come across before was ever spared, so the fact she still lived didn’t jive well with the feeling that they’d met before. Even so, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t quite shake that feeling. She couldn’t dwell on the thought though, seeing as they soon entered the Oval Office. Tortured got up from his chair and sighed. “Are you ready? Because you should know that your chances have dropped to about 25%. If you forfeit now, I can give you a slight bit of dignity when you die… How about it, hm? Just admit your true nature, and I’ll make your death quick and painless. Your choice.”

Celestia shook her head. “I’ve come this far; I won’t give in now. You won’t get me to change my mind on this matter, Tortured.”

A huff came from him as he shook his head in what seemed to be resignation. “Very well, then. If you want to drag out your fate, then so be it. I see no need for this, but since you insist on wasting my time, then I’ll oblige. Let’s get on our way.” He turned to face his Secret Service members. “Set location to Beijing. We leave in a few minutes.”

Tortured once more led Celestia to the warp pad. He remained silent, but Celestia wanted to know something. “You have magic, yet you don’t use it as often as unicorns do. Why’s that?”

A shake of the head accompanied his sigh. “I don’t think you’ve earned your right to ask a question yet. If you manage to pass today’s test, then I will oblige you with an answer. You can’t go messing with the structure of our agreement.” He received the signal from his Secret Service members, and nodded. “Energize.” The teleportation pads engulfed them in light like they had last time, and it wasn’t long before the light died down. Celestia took in this place, seeing as it was different than most places she’d been taken to so far. There were banners with strange script everywhere, and the style of the buildings were like nothing she had ever seen before in her life.

She was shaken out of her reverie when the reporters approached them as they tended to do. They posed a question to Tortured, just as the other one had before. “President Soul, what’s the test you have prepared for the one known as Celestia this time?”

Tortured smirked in victory. “Follow us to the hospital. I’ll explain there.” Tortured started walking, and Celestia followed close behind. The humans had their judging gazes locked on her, scrutinizing her very being. She could tell that some of them were perhaps starting to have their doubts about Tortured’s claim, but the rest of them were almost as stubborn as he was about it. It wasn’t long before they reached the hospital, and they entered inside. The place was impeccably clean, possibly to an extent that the ponies’d yet to achieve themselves. Once inside, Tortured turned to face the reporter. “The rules of this test fare simple. Help out our doctors today. This particular one is backlogged, so I’ve decided to outsource a bit. Ready?”

Celestia nodded firmly. “Always.” Without a second thought, Celestia went to work. She went from room to room helping the doctors as Tortured observed. At first, he seemed sure that she would crack. But the longer it went with her helping as genuinely as she did… he immediately dismissed that thought. No. No Celestia was that pure.

Before long, she’d helped ease the burden of many in the hospital, she turned to see Tortured as he looked at a timer that’d just gone off. He sighed. “Well, you did better than any I’ve put through this test. Congratulations. Remember, one question’s all you get.”

For a moment, she considered the questions she had. But with a nod, she reaffirmed the one from that morning. “Why is it that you don’t use your magic very often?”

Tortured sighed, shaking his head. “Humans of most realities are not used to magic. It is foreign and new to them, so I keep mine toned down and sparse in use unless absolutely necessary. Of course, I have run across some that have humans that use magic, but those realities are few and far between.” He cleared his throat. “That’s all, then. Let’s be off.” With a wave of his hand, they found themselves back in the Oval Office. Tortured turned away from her. “You know what to do.” Once more, Celestia was escorted away.





Tortured was left alone in the Oval Office, and that was fine. He needed time to think. This Celestia… She certainly was different from most, that much was clear. Though, he couldn’t help but consider the impossible. Was she somehow a reincarnation of one of the Celesita he’d faced before? Or perhaps there was some other explanation… Tortured shook his head. No. She was just like the rest. He wouldn’t be distracted but such a ludicrous notion any further. No matter what.