The tunnel door looms ahead, a gaping maw leading to the unknown. As you approach, the chatter of the waiting crowd fades, replaced by the thudding of your heart. Gripping the handle, you pause - once you cross this threshold, there is no going back.
With a deep breath, you pull the door open. A warm breeze caresses your skin, carrying earthy scents of hay and flowers. Stepping forward, the door swings shut, enveloping you in darkness. You feel your way along a winding passage, one hand trailing the rocky wall. Up ahead, a faint light appears, silhouetting a tall archway.
You pass beneath the arch and blink at the sudden brightness - you're in a cozy room filled with soft grass and sunbeams. Across from you stands a smiling pony, sky blue with a rainbow mane. "Welcome," she says in a melodic voice. "Are you ready?"
You nod, words failing you. She directs you to lay in the grass, and you comply, cushioned by the soft tufts. Closing your eyes, you feel a tingling warmth spread through your body. The pony begins to sing, her voice undulating hypnotically.
The tingling intensifies, vibrating your cells. Your limbs feel fluid, shape-shifting. Hooves sprout where hands once were, legs morphing, spine lengthening. Fur ripples across your body as your neck stretches upward. The song crescendos and you feel your essence transferred into this new form.
With great effort, you rise on all fours, legs wobbling. The pony guides you to a clear pool. You gasp at your reflection - a chestnut mare with a chocolate mane. The pony rests a hoof on your withers. "Welcome home," she whispers.
You test each leg, then coil to look back at your rump. It's blank.
"Don't worry about that." She touches her snout to your newly fuzzed cheek. "It'll come when you're ready. When you've found your place. There's no rush... We can wait."
She giggles, noticing your warmed cheeks. "I meant that as a new friend, nothing more. I'm Sassyfrass, by the way. I'd ask for yours, but the one you know isn't the one you're keeping."
Surprised, you ask about that.
"No no. You're a pony now. You'll pick a pony name. Again, no rush. Get your hooves under you. A new world awaits, and we're ready to help you every step of the way."
However strange that new world was, she wasn't making it sound bad.
Maybe this new world wouldn't be so bad?
Sassyfrass notices your gaze wandering. "Ready to take a look around?" she asks with an encouraging smile. You nod, curiosity welling inside you. What wonders await in this strange new land? What friends will you make?
As she leads you toward the doorway, you feel a nervous excitement building. Your old life is gone, and you are no longer who you once were. But as you take your first wobbly steps into this vibrant pony paradise, you sense hope and opportunity shining as bright as the guiding sun above.
The end.