"I didn't want to just leave him like that…I know he must be awfully worried about me. I just didn't know what else to do." Nona took another sip of tea. "Even if he and Mama don't get back together…at least now he doesn't have to spend what time there is left worrying about what to do with me." She glanced around the garden, admiring the roses. She took a breath, savoring their sweet perfume. "I suppose I should contact him, let him know I'm all right…but I wouldn't know what to say to him. Especially…now."
Celestia smiled gently at Nona. "You're right. You should at least let him know you're safe. I'm sure you can get a letter to him."
"Should I tell him about…?" Nona waved a hoof.
"That's up to you, my little pony. Of course, if you tell him where you are, it wouldn't be hard for him to guess."
"Maybe he'll decide to Convert too…" Nona mused. "He might even be able to convince Mama, since they don't have to fight about me anymore."
"That choice would be theirs to make, as you made your choice for yourself."
When Nona opened her new eyes, the first thing she noticed was how bright the colors were. She rolled onto her belly and gazed around the conversion room in awe, admiring the gleam of light off the metal appliances, the vivid green of the disposal bin, the pristine cleanliness of the tiled floor. She barely heard Dr Pastern and Lynn telling her how pretty she was, although her ears perked up when the doctor explained that, as an Earth pony, she would be able to make things grow.
"Like flowers?" she asked excitedly. "Real, living flowers?"
"Flowers, trees, grass…even rocks."
Nona's new jaw dropped. "Rocks?! Surely you can't be serious!"
"I am serious, and don't call me 'Shirley'." The doctor grinned and winked at her. "Earth ponies can make anything organic or mineral grow. They're responsible for Equestrian agriculture, after all. They maintain the land just as pegasi control the weather."
Nona considered this. "I think I'd rather grow flowers."
Pastern laughed. "You can grow whatever you like. We could certainly use more flowers in the world."
"Isn't her coat beautiful, Ros?" Lynn, the physician's assistant, stroked Nona's neck. "She's the prettiest shade of lilac."
Nona perked up. "Lilac! That's my name. I love flowers and Lilac is a flower!"
Lynn beamed. "And I love helping find names. Lilac it is!"
Nona became thoughtful. She looked down at her hooves–sturdy, perfect for walking and trotting, more dexterous than she might have thought…but not very suitable for working a keyboard, or for writing. "Lynn…can you help me write a letter to my father?"
Lynn was more than happy to help, then and there. She sat right down on the floor and took dictation from Nona–Lilac–while Dr Pastern tidied up the Conversion Room.
Dear Papa,
I want you to know that I'm fine. Better than fine. I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye. I didn't quite know how to explain my reasons, and I don't think you would have let me go anyway. I'm sorry if I hurt you.
Please don't be too mad at Mama. She's scared, really scared, and I know she was only doing what she thought would be best for all of us.
I'm a pony now, which is why I'm having someone else write this. I will learn to write again of course, but I wanted to send you this right away so you'll know I'm all right.
I guess I really just wanted to let you know I'm okay, and to tell you that the stories about ponies not being the same people they were as a human aren't true at all. I'm still your daughter, but I'm called Lilac now. A flower name, of course. That should prove more than anything that I'm still me! I haven't been brainwashed or lobotomized. I'm still the same me, only I can talk to people a lot better now. Even strangers. That's a change for the better, isn't it? So maybe Conversion did rewire my brain, in a way, but it didn't change who I am inside.
I love you both so much. Come see me if you want. Maybe you'll decide to convert too. I hope you will. I'll be watching for you.
Love,
Lilac
(the pony formerly known as Nona who is still your daughter)
When the letter was done, Lynn gave it to Alexi with directions to Jacob's office. He soon returned with news of a successful delivery. "When I confirmed his name, I put it right in his hand and walked away," he said.
The next day, Lilac got a roommate, a pretty girl with chocolate skin called Ana. She was in a wheelchair, and didn't seem very good at working it, but didn't want any help either. Lilac didn't take her slights or jibes personally; Ana's legs had been crushed and healed very badly and she was in an awful lot of pain. She got better after Dr Pastern gave her a nerve block, and Ana didn't resist Lilac's gentle offers of help quite as stridently.
Papa never wrote back, so Lilac began checking the lobby of Clinic 042 every morning, perusing the new applicants…hoping…always hoping to see a familiar face. Or two.
A few days after her Conversion, Lilac noticed a girl about her own age sitting in a group of registered applicants. Well, she wasn't in the group, not really. She was sitting in the same area as the others, but somehow she seemed to be holding herself apart. Lilac remembered too well how that felt. Things were a lot better now. She loved talking to people, turning total strangers into new friends, sharing ideas and hopes and plans for the future. It was so much better not being alone. Alone was hard.
And this new girl looked like she could really use a new friend.
Lilac trotted over to the post-reg waiting area. As she approached, the skinny girl with curly hair turned to look at her.
Lilac gave her a big welcoming smile. "Hi!"
The girl looked startled, and Lilac hastened to reassure her. "I don't mean to bother you, it's just that you looked kind of upset. Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine. Thank you." The girl's eyes–such a pretty hazel, dark honey with green and gold flecks–darted back and forth as though looking for a way to escape. How well Lilac remembered that feeling! Poor girl, poor…what was her name, anyway? Of course, she'd probably pick a new name after she Converted, but for now she deserved to be known as more than just "the girl".
Well, if you wanted to find out someone's name, wouldn't it only be polite to offer your own first?
"My name's Lilac. Just Lilac. Some ponies have two names but I just picked one. Have you picked out a pony name yet?"
"What? I…no. No I haven't." After a moment's pause, she added, "I'm Tib."
"Tib? I like that!" Lilac couldn't help prancing in place. She did that a lot, these days. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Tib! You'll be coming to the cafeteria for lunch after the tour, right?"
"Yes, I think that's what they said up front."
"Great! We can have lunch together. Okay?" Lunch. There were going to be apples! Real Equestrian apples! That would be sure to put a smile on Tib's face. She'd better hurry to make sure they had some left.
As she hurried past the front desk, the receptionist looked up from her work and smiled. Without slacking her pace, Lilac said, "Hey, Beth! I just made a new friend. Her name's Tib and she's super nice!"
She cantered into the cafeteria, smiling at everyone she passed, and everyone smiled back. Making friends was so easy now, and she would someday live in a beautiful world full of green growing things. She would find a place to recreate her garden mural, this time with real, living, growing flowers. Lilac was happier than she'd ever imagined she could be. She was living her dream.
But she never saw her father or mother again.
The End