Completely unannounced, a tiny unicorn dodged Beth's best efforts to block her progress and burst into Pastern's office (which might have once been a broom closet). "We have to stop her," the unicorn once known as Park Eun-sook declared.
Pastern looked up, her expression carefully neutral. "Hello, Eun-sook. Come right in, won't you?"
"Name Harmony now, but no mind that. No time for protocol. Tib try get herself killed out there!"
"Out wh–wait a minute, please tell me that ragin' Cajun did not go outside and confront those picketers!"
Eun-sook–Harmony stared stonily at the doctor. "Yes All by herself."
"Shit!" Pastern slammed her desk drawer shut. "Well, I'll be damned if I let someone get slaughtered on our doorstep, no matter how stupid she's acting. I'll get security to bring her back in–"
"Send out guard, it cause big ruckus," Harmony cautioned. "It take more than one to make Tib back down–"
"And armed rent-a-soldiers coming out in force is asking for a riot. And sending ponies would be even worse. They couldn't fight, and the protesters would tear them apart." Pastern whipped off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose to forestall a burgeoning headache. "Let me think…"
"I have idea," Harmony said. "If she turn into pony, that solve everything."
"Turn int–you mean Convert her? Today? Now?" Pastern replaced her glasses and checked her pocket minipad. "That's not possible. The day's schedule is already set–"
"You change schedule for me, to save my life. No can do less for my granddaughter. I go tell Intercom Boy call her now." Harmony spun and galloped back through the door.
"Wait–Eun-S–dammit, Harmony–his name is Alexi!" Pastern yelled after the clatter of hooves as it faded down the corridor. With a sigh, she triggered her intercom. "Lynn? Get the Pony Room ready. Yes, now. We've got somebody else trying to die on us, again, and that ain't happening on my watch."
And that was how Harmony engineered Tib's Conversion into the pegasus known as Madrigal Baroque.
***
"...so there I was, sitting in a parlor that could have been in a Garden District maison, having tea with the Princesses. It was surreal." Madrigal stretched her left wing out, watching the spread of crimson feathers. She seemed almost unable to believe they were real, part of her. She folded it back down and seemed about to say something else, then she shook her head and smiled. "It was really nice."
"I had tea with Celestia too!" Lilac said. "I didn't see Luna, but it was Celestia's idea for me to send my father a letter. Only…he never answered me." Her ears shifted to half-mast. I looked for him for ages, but…oh!" She touched a hoof to her lips and looked at Chip with eyes like bright blue saucers. "Me and my big mouth. I'm so sorry, Chip, I didn't even think–"
"It's okay. Really." Chip gave Lilac a sweet kiss. "I've come to terms with my parents' choice. They're together, and that's what I hold on to. Actually, Celestia and I talked about it. She helped me get a lot of things straightened out in my head."
"About time somepony did." Featherfall's tone was mildly mocking, but she was looking at the young stallion with warm affection.
"What about you, Feather?" Lilac asked her. "Did you dream of Celestia too? What did she say to you?"
"I dreamt of both Princesses," Featherfall said in a soft, respectful tone. "Neither one spoke a word. We danced together, a beautiful pas de trois…it was phenomenal. The loveliest dance I've ever experienced…" Her pale eyes slid shut as she reminisced, with a gently blissful expression
"Oh, haycakes!" Chip laid his chin on his extended fetlocks and sulked. "You and Maddie got both Celestia and Luna? No fair."
"Must be a pegasus thing." Lilac sounded just a bit jealous.
"Not at all." Madrigal draped a wing over Lilac's withers. "No one really knows why we see one Princess, or the other, or both. It may have something to do with what brought us to the clinic, or a way to prepare us for the transformation…or something nopony really understands. Except the Princesses themselves, of course."
"It was just a dream," Featherfall protested.
"Maybe…" Chip wondered aloud
"Maybe not," Lilac finished. She turned to Harmony, who was sitting quietly on her cushion, listening to the others talk. "What was your Conversion dream like, Harmony? Did you get both Princesses, or just Celestia?"
"It's very late, you three." Harmony yawned theatrically and stretched out her legs. "This unicorn needs her beauty sleep. Trot off to bed so I can get some rest."
The trio mildly protested, but Madrigal rose and shooed them all gently out. She touched the dimswitch and joined Harmony on the pallet they both slept on.
In the soft semi-darkness Tib spoke in a near whisper. "Everypony has a Conversion Dream. But it's okay if you don't want to share it. Not everypony does. It can be a very personal thing." She kissed her grandmare's cheek and settled down. "Sleep well."
Long after her granddaughter's breath became slow and heavy in slumber. Harmony lay wide awake beside her, struggling to remember what she didn't know she'd forgotten.
She remembered almost nothing of her Conversion dream. She knew she spoke with one of the Princesses…she believed it was the dark one, Luna…and there was a grove of willows and night-blooming flowers…and a pool…and that was where the memory faded.
It bothered her, but she tried to shrug it off. It was just a dream, anyway. Every newfoal had them.
With a quiet snort she snuggled up to Madrigal's back and resolutely shut her eyes.
It was my thought we should speak, thee and I.
But that was all Luna had said. Wasn't it?
Sleep was a long time in coming.
***