//------------------------------// // CH 9: Ring of Fire // Story: Bridging Ages, Bridging Worlds // by BlueDWarrior //------------------------------// === BABW: A New (Old) Magic === === Chapter 9: Ring of Fire === The Element of Generosity certainly lives up to her name, doesn’t she? Yes she does, although it does help to have the person you are trying to help actually be receptive to said help… Indeed, although I worry not for the person in question, but for the lady friend of the newly rechristened Golden Storm… Perhaps her continuing involvement in this little sub-plot will help settle her mind on a course of action… We can only hope so… [ October 22, 2080 – New York, USA, Earth ]  Natasha screamed as the flames whipped around her; the remorseless inferno threatening to burn her alive while she cradled the blood-drenched body of her mortally wounded mother.  Her mother strained to reply. Despite the heat of the flames all around them, she could feel the chill of death wrapping itself around her like a snake would a mouse.  Natasha cried, as she was paralyzed by the fear of her own possible death, either by the flames or by the man-shaped demons known as the Reznikov Crime Family.  Her mother intoned with all the strength she had remaining in her body. After which, she went limp, Death having finally claimed its prize. Natasha cried in anguish as the flames engulfed her. But instead of red, she saw nothing but black… ~~~ --- ~~~ …the inky blackness of her room, as all the electronics were off; save a small, dull red light on her terminal monitor showing it was in stand-by mode. She was back in her condo’s room, her temporary residence while the C.I.A. was still concluding negotiations with a certain informant in the New York metro area. “It’s just getting worse and worse, every night almost now…” Natasha moaned as she went over to the window and slowly opened the blinds. Her eyes stung for a moment as the bright lights of the city flooded into to her dilated pupils; though after a few moments she was able to refocus on the signage for the sundry attractions within the Domed community. “What am I supposed to do… at this rate I’m going to be a nervous wreck by the start of the November, and that’s only a week plus away,” Natasha groaned as she sat in the chair, silently cursing the demon of malice that had attached itself to her back, in a metaphorical sense. The droning hum of the air conditioning managed to quell some of her stress, but not all of it, at least not without talking to a certain someone. “I am not sure why I would believe he is awake at this hour, but I may as well try…” Natasha thought aloud as she sent the message to Ethan’s vid-chat account. A few minutes later the familiar ping sounded on her terminal, and she opened the line, thankful to see that lovely golden-yellow face on the other side. “If you are calling me at 2 in the morning, knowing what you are doing on the coast, it must be bad…” Ethan said, the smile shifting to a look of concern when he saw how ragged Natasha appeared. “Baby, it is that bad. Those nightmares I was talking about? They are getting more frequent and less abstract. It would be safer to say that I am actively reliving that… horror show… every other night now,” Natasha explained, as she tried to straighten her hair out as much as she could without a brush at hand. “And I don’t have to ask how that’s affecting you, because it’s carved all in those bags under your eyes. Is it affecting your case in anyway?” Ethan mused and then asked. “You know I cannot divulge details. But I am trying my best to not let my internal stress affect these proceedings,” Natasha said, as she thought about the implications to herself. If they are successful, we can have a lot of information on some of the mafia families operating across the whole Eastern United States, not just the New York City area… “Well, just know that I’m here for you right now. And I’m going to stay here for you, no matter where this… assignment… of yours leads you,” Ethan replied with all earnestness. I know, Ethan… that’s why I’m seriously thinking I’m going to do it… and soon… ** Later that Day ** == New York City Conversion Bureau ==         “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Madame Director,” Natasha stated with all manner of formality, as she looked at the white-coated and violet-maned Unicorn that was the facility’s director. “Oh come now, as much as I appreciate having this level of responsibility, the formal title of ‘Director’ is a tad, stuffy…” the posh Unicorn replied, her modified Mid-Atlantic accent making her sound like any number of actresses on Broadway throughout the years. A New York City cop sat with the subject of the meeting, a middle-aged man of obvious-by-his-thick-accent Russian heritage; said middle-aged man fiddled with his jacket nervously as he looked around at the rather spacious, even at human-scale, meeting room. “I’m sorry. But… I’m rather nervous about all of this. The managers I work under, if you will, do not take kindly to rats… or Ponies. I would like to conclude this as soon as possible, if you do not mind, Miss Rarity, was it?” the informant asked with his nervous tic still quite evident. “Yes the name is Rarity. The issue of your Conversion is not actually what is holding these proceedings up. It is more along the lines of…” Rarity started. “…who gets to question you after the fact, and where,” Natasha concluded, as her own tension was starting to build. I swear for some reason this man’s presence is making me even more agitated the more I’m around him, but I cannot fathom why… Natasha thought to herself, as she took a couple of breaths in and out to try and calm herself. “If you do not mind me asking, I would like to know of your involvement in this organization. I was briefed before-hoof about the known facts of the Reznikov mafia family, but I would like to understand you better, if you do not mind me prying,” Rarity asked, in a gentle yet firm tone. REZNIKOV?! He’s part of THAT mafia family?! Natasha thought to herself as she visibly clenched, as if someone was winding her like a spring and she was reaching her maximum tension. “Yes ma’am. I was… nothing more than a low-level grunt, both here and in Russia. Whenever we would have to go and take care of business, if you will, I would be one of those who actually had to perform the acts in question,” the informant started. This isn’t happening… he can’t be… the family is way too big… he’s just a bit player… Natasha continued to think as her hand was inching closer to her pistol. “There was… one job. It still haunts me to this day… about 10, maybe 11 years ago…” the informant continued. What is this horrendous sense of malice I’m feeling… is it coming from the informant… no… it’s coming from her? Rarity thought as she kept one eye on the informant and another on the CIA agent whose arm was beginning to visibly quake. “There was this… lady, I believe, she was deeply indebted to us through our gambling operations. The word came from the boss that we were to collect, or make an example of her,” the informant started before he heard a click slightly behind him. “Agent Alkaev. Put down your weapon immediately!” the cop shouted as Natasha held the gun as steady as she could directly behind the head of the informant. “Director, tell the beat cop to stand down. I want to hear every single word this man has to say, and he’s going to start talking or I’m going to pull this trigger…” Natasha said; her voice eerily cold, as if all the emotion had been drained out of her. I really hope I am making the correct decision here… Rarity thought to herself before she responded. “Officer, she is not going to shoot.” “What do you mean she has that gun right at the man’s skull?!” The cop asked as he was ready to draw his own weapon. “Trust me, she is not going to pull the trigger…” Rarity said as, he kept his hand on his holster just in case. “Please, please ma’am, stop. I will continue. Just… lower your weapon… please,” the informant requested, his anxiety never abating. Natasha slowly drew the gun away from the informant, and put it back into her own holster, and sat in a chair some distance from him. “She had a husband and a daughter, I believe. The family looked as loving as any you could imagine. It… it haunts me that I had anything to do with that… carnage that night…” the informant continued. “What carnage, sir?” Rarity continued, as she maintained as much poise as she could muster given the circumstances. “She was obviously unable to pay her debts. The man in charge of that branch, decided to attempt to kidnap her, to what end I cannot fathom, though no option I can think of would be good. There were shots ringing out all over. We were eventually ordered to leave, but not before two of the svetlâki decided to make their presence known,” the informant continued. Natasha began to sob once she heard that dreaded word uttered. “Miss Alkaev, what is the matter?” Rarity asked with all the empathy she could muster. “I knew it… he was one of the ones there. I’ll never forget that night… my father… my mother… everything I knew to that day… everything gone up in flames,” Natasha managed to reply through sobs; the officer that moments before was threatening to shoot her, now trying to comfort her as best he could manage. “You?! You must be their daughter… I… I cannot apologize enough. I know my words may sound hollow at this point, especially with so much time having passed… but I couldn’t bear the guilt any longer. Ten years is far too long as it stands. I felt like I had to do whatever they told me to… but now it is too much. They have to be stopped, and… any little bit that I can contribute to them being stopped… I will do,” the informant said, as he tried to approach Natasha. “STAY BACK! Just… please… stay back… this is too much for me as well. Ten years of wanting, want so bad to exact revenge upon anyone involved…” Natasha said as she rose up in pure, burning rage against the man who, at the current time, represented everything she wanted to destroy. She moved her hand back to her holster, but saw that a cornflower-blue aura held it fast. “Director, what are you doing?!” Natasha barked, as the informant moved as far away from Natasha as he could without exiting the room entirely. “I am preventing you from making a mistake you will dearly regret. This man is currently the only link you have to the rest of the criminal organization you so desperately want to defeat. Killing him would not only serve no purpose except slaking your own vengeance, but it could possibly set your entire investigation back years. Is one minor player’s life worth having to wait any longer than necessary to defeat said organization?” Rarity replied, her horn still a-glow, keeping the pistol firmly seated in Natasha’s holster. Natasha continued to quake with a combination of anxiety and rage, as the informant hid behind a chair, trying to create any little bit of separation he could between him and the red-haired CIA agent. “I can’t…” Natasha said quietly as she slumped back down in her chair. “You can’t?” Rarity asked. “All of this… all of this pent up anger… this rage… this frustration… this sorrow… it’s been eating away at me bit by bit for the last decade. And now look at me… I was this close to killing the one link that we had into the organization. The one source of legitimate, first-hand information we had and I was seconds away from permanently silencing it…” Natasha replied, a she continued to quake with anxiety. “Natasha, I cannot pretend to say what the absolute right thing you should do, regarding this situation. But as far as I can tell, you have to let us continue. If we can Convert him and safely move him to Equestria, he is almost assuredly beyond the reach of the Rezinkovs, I believe they were called,” Rarity explained, trying to re-engage the logical part of Natasha’s mind. “I know but… I can’t just let this go… all of this tension built up in me. If… if I just let this go… then what purpose am I serving… just what exactly am I doing with myself?” Natasha asked of Rarity. “Do you have a significant other perhaps? Maybe you need someone else to help bear your burden?” Rarity suggested. “I… I do,” Natasha replied, as she began to calm down, which in turn allowed the informant to calm down as well. “That’s great!” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes positively lighting up. “I’m sure they wouldn’t want you to keep dragging this millstone around your neck. I am not saying to forget about your tragedy in the past, far from it. But this idea of vengeance… it only leads to bad ends.” “Perhaps… but… I… I don’t want to lose this thread either… I…” Natasha started as she began thinking out loud. “What do you mean ‘lose the thread’, Miss Natasha?” Rarity asked as she looked quizzically at the red-haired woman. “Him!” Natash said while pointing at the man, nearly causing him to leap out of his chair (again). “Killing him is right out, obviously; but I still need to know everything the Reznikovs have done and are trying to do up until this point. But if he’s moving to Equestria, as per the guidelines with Converts, then the CIA would have to go through an Equestrian intermediary to interrogate him. That or shuttle him back and forth between here and Earth…” “And the Reznikovs would obviously try to deep six him while he was Earthside if we did the latter,” the police officer thought aloud. “So that means we need someone trustworthy in Equestria that could interrogate him, so we can figure out where to start cracking this little nut,” Natasha continued. “But I would think this intelligence agency would know almost no one in Equestria aside from the Princesses. And I doubt they could involve themselves in this matter, despite the magnitude of importance to you personally,” Rarity posited. “Yeah, but I think there is someone we could involve in this whole situation, though,” Natasha added, the resolve returning to her voice. “And just whom would this person be?” Rarity asked, still a bit lost as to where Natasha’s mental train was heading. [ October 23, 2080 – Washington D.C., USA, Earth ]         “This is a very, very strange request. I mean, I can understand the theory behind it, but… still… you?” Natasha’s superior ‘officer’ replied, as he stood up from his desk and began pacing around the half-red- and half-blonde woman in his office. “Yes, it’s kind of an involved story. But I am willing to literally put my body on the line in order to continue this case in a clean fashion, Agent Jacques,” Natasha replied, doing her level best to not let slip the actual reason she was trying to clear this. This might be the simplest way to Convert, keep ties with the intelligence community, and keep in contact with that informant… “Ugh, you really know how to put me on the spot don’t you, Natasha?” Agent Jacques moaned, as he tried his best to come up with some kind of amicable solution. “Well we don’t have any kind of formal intelligence presence in Equestria, and there is no telling how long it would take to create one since they are beyond any of our normal communication networks. I don’t know how any of the information analysts would put up with having to wait for written or recorded communiqués every week or so. Even so, to have a live agent in Equestrian soil would be… a boon quite honestly.” Agent Jacques then walked to the window as he looked up at the glint in the sky that showed where the Dome separated inside from outside. “At the same time, there is no telling how the Princesses would react to us having spies in her world. She could see it as just us operating normally, gathering information as any nation, I would assume, on her side of that Aurora would. Then again she could react very badly, and we have little to no information on her capabilities regarding her military or the full capacity of her magic.” “I… I am willing to operate as an independent intelligence contractor, for proper compensation of course,” Natasha asked with a bit of wry humor to her voice. “Honestly, that is probably the only way this thing could work without raising the suspicions of whatever intelligence apparatus Equestria has domestically,” Agent Jacques continued to reason aloud. “Is this going to have to be cleared with anyone above you?” Natasha thought as she looked out of the same window as Jacques. “No, this will be our own little private professional ‘operation’. As far as they know you will have resigned with grace and moved on with your life after an unfortunate incident during this operation,” Jacques thought aloud before pausing to write some notes on a small index card. “Once you convert, send me all your new personal information to this contact address. That way we can start setting up means for you to leave reports that I can then filter out to the other field officers and the various other law enforcement agencies,” Jacques continued in a matter-of-fact tone as he handed the index card over with several net addresses on it. “These are… LOBSTER addresses… that new anonymous information sharing service, right?” Natasha remarked as she looked at the somewhat familiar arrangement of numbers and short words. “Yes, I setup a LOBSTER account just for independent ventures like this. I have no idea what my superior officers are going to think about this in particular; but I’ll figure something out. We just need as much information on the Reznikovs as you can wring out that informant, Agent Alkaev,” Jacuqes instructed with a firm tone. “And what if I come across any unrelated but still juicy tidbits?” Natasha queried. “Well, in a manner of speaking, you have my number…” Jacques replied, with a devious smile on his face. [ October 29, 2080 – St. Louis Conversion Bureau, USA, Earth ]         “Alright, Natasha, you’re up!” Twilight announced to the small crowd in the lobby, including a certain white Unicorn that had made the trip from New York City for the day. “I should have figured you would convert eventually, especially considering who your ‘significant other’ is,” Rarity mused aloud as she looked up at the once-again-blonde Russian immigrant. “What can I say, he just has that effect on me,” Natasha quipped while mussing Ethan’s mane some before she stood up in acknowledgement of Twilight’s announcement; doing her best to hide her inherent anxiety at such a life changing event was to begin in a short while. I wonder what I will see during my Conversion. Ethan talked about that vision he had… I don’t know how I will be able to stand it if I have to go through something similar though… “Yeah, that much is apparent,” Rainbow Dash added as she looked on at the double-doors that led to the short hallway, which itself led to elevators down into the Conversion Rooms. “I wonder what you’ll look like. I mean it’s not like there is a definite template the potions follow aside from the obvious,” Andre thought aloud as the envisioned all numbers of combinations for mane and coat for the potential mare. Kyoko had her mind on other things, as she noticed she was now one of only a few non-employee or volunteer humans left in the top-side of the building. “This will make me the last human of the group; or at least the last one with a human body. It feels kinda weird to think about, honestly.” “So don’t…” Rainbow Dash replied off-handedly. “Don’t?” “Yeah, I mean it really doesn’t seem like Andre or Ethan stopped being who they were just because of the change in body,” Rainbow Dash started. “Then again… if you turned me into a human tomorrow I’m not sure I could say for absolutely sure that I would act and behave exactly the same…” The rainbow-maned mare and the black-and-green haired human sat there as they both thought about things a little longer. “I guess it would be unfair to say they would be exactly the same…” Rainbow Dash acceded. “At the same time, they didn’t become completely different either. I mean Andre still does the same things he did before; he just has to do them differently because it’s a different body…” Kyoko thought aloud. Ethan and Andre both looked at each other and the still somewhat nervous Natasha. “No one said any of this was going to be cut and dry,” Ethan thought aloud as he rubbed a forehoof along the back of his head. “No, and I guess it’s silly of us to think it ever would be. At the same time, if you are really having second thoughts you should tell Twilight right here and now; she is looking a little, concerned herself,” Andre pointed out as he redirected Natasha’s attention to the slightly nervous looking mulberry Unicorn. Twilight gulped a bit, but quickly regained her composure. “Oh, I’m sorry. But he’s right, if you are not absolutely sure you want to do this, we can always reschedule, or cancel outright.” Natasha thought for a few moments, looking at everyone there, friend or not. “Twilight, I’m going through with it. It’s pretty much the only way I’ll really be able to continue my relationship with Ethan, and I’m definitely not giving that up for anything.” She winked at Ethan, which was returned with a blown kiss from the gold-yellow stallion. “Okay then… well if you will just follow me then,” Twilight responded, resolving to just get on with the business of the moment. “Sure thing, Madame Director,” Natasha said as she hugged Ethan and walked off behind the double-doors with Twilight; but not before the two of them were stopped by a certain other Unicorn clearing her throat. “If you don’t mind, but I would like to accompany you Twilight in the control room during the Conversion itself,” Rarity asked, with a sudden spark of determination in her eyes. “Hrm, you sound like Rainbow Dash a couple of weeks ago…” Twilight chuckled before answering. “Sure, we have more than enough room for an observer.” Rarity quickly caught up to the pair behind the half-open double-doors, before the now three of them disappeared down the hallway. After a few moments Andre looked over at Ethan with a look of mild concern. “You think they…” Andre began before Ethan interrupted him. “… I’m sure of it. Now what that means going forward, who knows,” Ethan concluded as he inwardly prayed for Natasha to be able to conquer what she was most assuredly about to face. --- == ---         As she sat in her medical smock, cross-legged on the exam bed, she silently prayed and thought a bit to herself before lying down and drinking the potion. I really hope I'm doing the right thing... There is no going back from this... No, I can't be hesitant... I have to be strong... This is for me and Ethan... For a new life together... With that, she drunk the potion and promptly passed out. Twilight and Rarity also silently prayed to Celestia that nothing went wrong during the process. ~~ = ~~         She then appeared in the Astral Plane. Floating around like a disembodied soul would. Well this is new... she said to herself. She was then whisked away to her first scene, something that begun to open her up like she had ten expert therapists working on her as a team. She was seeing a genuine community being built. The Unicorns were directing plans and fashioning tools for the Earth Ponies to use. They also used their Magic to predict and gauge all the plans by the engineers of the three races. They were the mind of the greater whole. The Earth Ponies were using said tools and techniques to grow plenty of food and fabricate plenty of building material for later. They also built the framework for all of society; from a different angle, one could consider them the foundation, like the very earth itself. They were the body of the greater whole. The Pegasi were moving the clouds where sun was needed, moving others for shade, and still other were being seeded to cause rain. Thought they had ultimate control of the weather in their lands, they knew that trying to browbeat the others into some kind of submission would be foolhardy. Everyone had their role to play, and everyone had a chance to find it. They were the soul of the greater whole. Everything seemed to be flowing in a great synergy, as if the entire race was constructed to be parts to a far, far, FAR greater whole. This simple display of community and teamwork touched Natasha to her very soul. They are all so happy when they can do for each other, they are all so happy when they have a role to play in the greater scheme of things. It truly is a community; no, more like a giant, extended family... She thought to herself. Then she heard the voices, the voices of the multitudes, and possibly of the new world itself: 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. If Natasha was capable of crying in that form, she would have broken down into tears of joy then and there. She could feel the love, a pure love for the world and everything that inhabited it. She was then sped to the Astral Form of Canterlot Castle, where she landed in front of the Vision of Princesses Celestia and Luna. “Natasha Alkaev, we have heard your request to join our Herd,” the phantasmal embodiment of Celestia stated in a warm but firm tone. “Before we are to proceed, you must understand this process cannot be stopped once it starts. Do you still wish to proceed knowing this fact?” the phantom of Luna asked in a cool but still loving tone. Natasha looked at the vaguely Alicorn like being of light that appeared next to her own soul’s Astral Form. After looking at it for a few moments, she gave her answer. “I am quite sure I want to proceed, Princesses.” “The so it shall be!” the two ghostly, full-sized Alicorns boomed, as Natasha placed a hand on the forehead of the smaller, brighter Alicorn-like figure. ~~ -- ~~ “Twilight?” Rarity asked with a nervous tone, as she noticed Twilight had turned her back to the proceedings to check one of the machines with a human operator. “Yes Rarity,” the mulberry Unicorn responded, with a tone implying ‘please don’t ask me what you are about to ask me’. “Are the subjects supposed to change color mid-transformation? I’ve only watched a few live, and they always glowed white until the very end,” Rarity asked, cocking her head at the steadily brightening glow from the ‘conversion’ room. “… What color is she?” Twilight replied, while still not turning to face the other Unicorn. Rarity paused for a second, before responding. “Red, dear.” Twilight wheeled around as if she was sitting in a swivel-chair, and saw for herself the brightening red glow coming from the room on the other side of the transparent barrier. “That won’t be good…” Twilight thought aloud as she contacted Celestia through the Elements. Princesses… Yes Twilight… Code Red… … oh my, so you found that one this time… That’s our best guess… We’re on our way… ~~ -- ~~ “IT’S TOO HOT! I’M GOING TO MELT LIKE THIS!” Natasha screamed as crimson red flames engulfed the entire scene as it started to shift. “She’s right. It even feels unbearably hot to us…” Princess Luna mused while wiping a bit of sweat from her brow as she and her sister manifested fully in the Astral Plane. Then allow me to alleviate this heat for the time being… a mysterious voice said, as suddenly Natasha found a red ball of light floating in front of her face, along with her hand being removed from the Alicorn-like phantom Pony. “It is nice to hear you again… voice of the Ancient Magic,” Celestia mused aloud, as she spoke gently into the enshrouded ceiling of the cave-like shrine they were all located in. Indeed it is, Keeper of the Other World. At some point, we will have to meet formally, but I must conduct my business while I have the soul of a Shard Bearer before me, the ancient voice responded before ‘turning’ her attention to Natasha’s soul and the red and white lights next to her. In any case, Bearer of the Terran Shard: I offer unto you a choice. Your soul, as it stands, is irreconcilable with the Spark of the Other World the Keepers have so graciously offered you. This is due to Spark of Terran Magic I have embedded into your soul mixed with your internal turmoil. If you so choose, I may remove the Spark, but it will cause your current identity to collapse, rendering the Pony you would be born as to be a blank slate. If you wish to keep your identity and the Spark, you will be forced to confront your greatest fear. Conquer said fear, and you will keep your identity, Spark, and new body. If the fear conquers you, your soul will be destroyed, and the resulting Pony will be lifeless and inert. Take caution in your choice… “I can’t bear the thought of living without my dear Ethan. So regardless of what trial or test I have to pass, I will endure it so I can have my life with him on the other side,” Natasha replied, ‘breathing’ heavily. Remember Child, you must overcome your darkness in order to embrace the light. Succeed, and you will begin walking the Path of Will and Power. Fail and you will only walk the Path of Oblivion. I pray for your ultimate success. A sudden plume of flame changed the scene for Natasha, as she found herself looking as she did when she was only thirteen years old. She was sitting in the living room of her parent’s old home back in Russia. I should have surmised I would need to confront this eventually… but… =-=-=                  The dream started out like it did usually; she was running through the house, trying to find her mother and father. Then she came across the main room of the house, but what she saw shocked her. The Mafia members she had seen so many times now looked demonic - as if beasts from Hell had crawled from out of the ground and assumed mostly human shape. She saw the snarling vision of the leader of this pack of jackals, eyes burning with lust for anything pretty and female, greed for money, and hate for anything that'd get in the way of his pursuit of the first two. she tried to say, but the visions could not hear her. <"You will give me the money I want... or I will take what I want from this lovely home of yours, and maybe your lovely wife as well. I believe that is only fair compensation for the debts she owes me,"> snarled the leader-jackal at the vision of her father. The leader then reached out Natasha's mother, threatening to take her hostage to ensure compliance. Natasha's father then lunged out at the lead jackal, a hidden knife along his leg now in his hands. He held the knife in an outstretched arm, trying to cut down this bastard before he did anything to hurt his daughter and wife. The leader's flunkies however had very quick trigger fingers, and it took only a few shots before Natasha's father was down in a bloody heap on the floor. He fell right as he was up in the face of the demonic jackal-turned-humanoid Mafia representative. Despite the gunfire, the husband managed to carve a large diagonal scar across the jackal's face before his body fell limp. The leader-jackal howled in pain, staggering backwards, clutching his gashed face. <"THAT BASTARD, KILL HIM, KILL HIS WIFE, KILL ANYONE HERE THAT'S NOT IN THE ORGANIZATION. TELL THE SVETLÂKI TO RAZE THIS ENTIRE PLACE!!!!"> he barked out, him and a flunky trying to get back to the van outside to treat his wound. Natasha's mother had already run off, though, figuring that leader would call for all their executions seeing as he wasn't handed what he wanted. =-=-= How horrifying, how could anyone Human do such a thing to their own kind?   Luna asked of her sister. The better question would be 'Can we call anything that'd do something like this 'Human'?'  Celestia replied, face full of concern for Natasha's sanity. =-=-= Natasha and her mother ran through the hallways, trying to find an escape. Then came the firebombs, and soon the entire house was engulfed in red, searing flame. Natasha could hear the jackal-demons, seemingly unaffected by the fire; they howled and fired their arms, trying to either shoot the two or prevent their escape from this fire that'd certainly kill them.  Natasha said, almost going catatonic with fear now, barely able to keep up with her mother. Her mother tried to get her to the exit, but then shots rang out. The jackal-demons had found them, and fired upon her mother. They did not shoot to kill however; they wanted to take pleasure in watching this woman who dared defied their boss’s wishes bleed out or burn to death, whichever came first. <”Mother, please don’t leave me… don’t leave me alone like this…”> Natasha screamed as the flames whipped around her, trying to do anything she could to keep the spark of life in her mother’s rapidly fading body. <”My time has already come. Don’t waste yours… please… escape… leave this place…”> Her mother strained to reply. Despite the heat of the flames all around them, she could feel the chill of death wrapping itself around her like a snake would a mouse. <”I don’t know what to do… where to go… I’m scared Mother… What if they find me? What if they try to kill me too?”> Natasha cried, as she was paralyzed by the fear of her own possible death, either by the flames or by the man-shaped demons known as the Reznikov Crime Family. <”You cannot let the fear of the unknown cloud you now. If you die here, then you will never know what the future will hold for you,”> Her mother intoned with all the strength she had remaining in her body. After which, she went limp, Death having finally claimed its prize. =-=-= You have to fight this Natasha, this fear is crippling you, and eventually it will consume your soul. You have to fight it, you have to survive, Both Royal Sisters implored. =-=-= Natasha sat there, the exit door now engulfed in flames, the jackal-demons surrounding her. She wanted to die right there, she wanted something to take the pain away, take it away forever. Yet, something in the back of her mind wouldn't let her quietly accept her demise. I’m just going to tell you right now Natasha. When you are going through the middle of your Conversion, the Royal Sisters, or someone anyway, will show you the thing you fear the greatest. When they do… you just have to do one thing for me. Don’t lose sight of why you are Converting and the new life you want to build… Natasha then began to look up; she saw the jackal-demons surrounding her. She saw the red-hot flames surrounding all of them. Everything about this situation was telling her 'Accept your fate. You will die here and now.' Yet she couldn't, she couldn't simply lie down and just accept she was to enter an eternity of oblivion. So she did what any right-thinking person would do staring certain doom in the face - she began laughing. The jackal-demons, understandably, were somewhat put off by this strange display of emotion. Wasn’t the person facing certain death supposed to be shivering in fear, or were they just supposed to sit there silent and catatonic? Whatever it was, they certainly weren't supposed to be laughing at it. So they resumed their approach, but something was denying them getting in any further. she said to the jackals. Everyone watching found it strange that the demons could not get any closer, and the flames just seemed to be doing nothing. Natasha then began to stand up, her soul beginning to glow like the flames around her. Natasha continued, her soul growing ever brighter, The jackal-demons began to retreat; they had absolutely no idea what to make of this scene... They are all waiting for me, my dear friends, my wonderful Ethan. There is so much I want to see now, so much I need to protect now... I've accepted my fate... not a fate of slow self-destruction... but a fate of growth and evolution... I'll become the vanguard for two worlds now... Her soul was rising off the ground; she looked down at the heeling jackal-demons, now reduced to formless shadows; still in retreat away from her and her glow. You all... you're the darkness of this world. You're the greed... the hate... the envy... the wrath... everything that causes good men to become monsters. I can't let you have this world, I can't let the men you've already turned into monsters rule this world... You've already taken so much from me, my childhood, my original home, even my parents... NO MORE.... I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ANYTHING ELSE FROM ME... I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE... YOU BASTARDS CAN'T HAVE IT...  VOICE... DO YOU HEAR ME... I DON'T CARE HOW DANGEROUS THAT POWER IS... I WILL CONTROL IT... I WILL USE IT TO BRING DOWN WHOEVER THINKS THEY COULD OWN THIS OR ANY OTHER WORLD!! So you have wished it, so it shall be granted! The flames surged toward Natasha, but not to burn her, but to feed her soul. They would soon be hers to control, but not before some others had spoken their peace. She returned to the ground, and walked over to the vision of her dying mother. She then knelt on the ground, and held her hand and cradled her head in arms. Her mother looked up at her and said, She then looked up into the flames, and saw the vision of her now deceased father.   "Thank you, thank you both. I won't ever forget this...," Natasha said; as her soul finally able to start feeling calm after that night 10 years ago. Humans are capable of such great love and such great hatred; truly, a very interesting species. Luna said to Celestia, as they prepared to accept a new member to their Herd. I wouldn't have it any other way, dear sister, Celestia responded, knowing their role in this drama was now at hand. The flames now swirled around Natasha, and began to breakdown into quiet red particles. Eventually the entire vision of her burning home was replaced by the red Terran Spark of Fire, now her Terran Spark of Fire. =-=-= “Finally, after so many years… I… I can finally move on. I hope…” Natasha said wearily as she saw herself looking less like a human in her soul body, and more of an indefinite shape. The phantasmal Pony and the red spark of Terran Magic ‘looked’ on eagerly, as if they were anticipating their merger. The ancient voice began to speak, using all the gravitas she could muster as the Keeper of an ancient Power. As you accept both the Spark of Life from the Other World, and the Spark of Terran Magic, you will be reborn as the Conduit of Fire. This will afford you a pathway to a great power, but remember: without the will to control and shape it, it will easily grow out of control and consume you. Always remember that Will and Power must be joined to forge true magic, and to build the New Age that is to come. There is still one other you must find. Once you do, you can begin the next phase in forging the New Age for all, along with the Bearers of the Other World’s Harmony. Her tone then shifted to that of a great matron. Child, the force that you control is wild and unpredictable. However, if you attempt to use it while you fear it, then it will be its most uncontrollable. You must keep yourself grounded as you begin to explore the true depths of the Power you now possess, and you must help those that you may ally yourself with to learn to not fear, but to truly respect the Power you all bear. The more the world believes that Power is nothing more than a monster to be tamed, the more of a monster that the Power you all possess will become. The only thing that can truly be monstrous when dealing with this Magic is the one that is using it; never forget this fact! “Yes ma’am. Just as I couldn’t fear the pistols I used as a human, I cannot fear the Fire that now burns within me,” Natasha said as she looked back at the white and indigo Alicorns that stood in respect to her coming assimilation with the Terran Spark of Fire; and the third quadrant of the symbol that represented the status of Terran Magic filled in with a bright, fire-engine red. “That only leaves one more to find…” Princess Luna stated as she breathed a sigh of relief that Natasha was apparently no worse for wear after that tribulation. “Indeed, my sister. Now, let us conclude our business. No sense in keeping Natasha’s coltfriend waiting any longer than necessary, right?” Princess Celestia replied, with a wink at Natasha’s now amorphous Astral Form. “Yeah, I’m ready to be done with this whole Astral Plane for the time being,” Natasha replied with a relieved tone. “The you must answer one last question: are you, Natasha Alkaev ready to have your Spark of Terran Magic and the Equestrian Spark of Life joined to your own, so that you may embark of your new journey in this life, as well as assisting in forging a new age for all us?” Celestia asked with both a regal and matronly tone. “Yes, I am ma’am. More ready than I thought I would ever be,” Natasha replied, as the phantasmal Pony sat down next to her, and the Spark of Terran Magic floated above the both of them. “Then let your Sparks and your souls be joined. And let us forge a New Age for all of our species and societies!” Princess Luna and Celestia boomed. This blaze within my soul will be the spark that lights the way to a world that everyone can be proud of… Natasha thought to herself as she touched the phantasmal Pony’s forehead, and could feel the Spark of Fire merge with both fully. ~~ -- ~~ Rarity opened the electronically controlled double-doors to the ‘conversion’ room, and could swear she felt a soothing heat and glow emanating from the red glowing form on the examination bed. Like a warm, fireplace on a cold winter's night... Rarity thought to herself as she entered the room while the figure cooled into the figure of a bright-red-coated and sunset-orange-maned Unicorn mare. "Darling, your mane is like a wildfire, no rhyme or reason to any of it. When you are done with your rehabilitation we simply must find a way to get it under control," Rarity said, sensing an opportunity to branch her artistic muse in a new direction. "Yeah Rarity, I'll have to take you up on that for certain," Natasha smiled, her body uncoordinated and her mind weary and tired. She lifted the recently-formed medallion around her neck and stared at it for a bit. It was in a shape of a stylized flame, the Terran Element of Fire, carved out of the most gorgeous of rubies and set in a soft pink metal. Hrm, a bit ironic. I wonder what my parents would say if they saw this... Natasha thought to herself. --- == --- When Twilight, Rarity, and Natasha finally got topside, everyone there was star-struck by the Pony that seemed like fire itself. Ethan flew over and hugged her. "I'm so glad to see you, and my God are you beautiful," Ethan said, being careful not to be in the way of Natasha's new horn. "Thank you baby, you don't know how much those words mean to me right now," Natasha replied. Both were crying, crying such beautiful tears of joy.