The Conversion Bureau: Reality Break

by Fullmetal Pony

Saga 1: Part 2: Rising Sun, Falling Earth

Izumi Taka was getting tired of the bed. She was tired of the being sick, and tired of having needles jabbed into her arms, tired of the doctors examining her. She was tired of the life she’d wasted away sick in a bed. Then there was the thing she hated most of all: the white. The walls of the hospital, the bedsheets, the doctors’ coats; they were all the color of death, yet it still hadn’t come for her yet.

Izumi hated the reality she lived in. Whenever she wasn’t in the hospital, she was at home. But even there, she couldn’t escape the sounds of medicine. Her parents doted over her day and night, constantly checking her vital signs. If she ever actually felt well, her parents would actually become more concerned. She remembered each time she felt well, how she would ask her parents if she could go explore Tokyo’s streets or go to a restaurant or something that didn’t confine her to the house. Every time they had refused. “You’re just getting better, you need to take it easy so you can fully heal. Then you can go to school and then college.” She despised the smiles they gave her whenever they said that.

The odd thing was she didn’t even hate the disease that was slowly eating her away. She didn’t know it’s actual name, but it had something to do with her blood. Instead of being a life source to her, her blood was a demon, slowly devouring the rest of her organs. Occasionally the demon would flare up, attacking a specific organ: sometimes a kidney would give out, or her liver would stop functioning, or her heart would get palpitations. Whatever the demon did, it always sent her back to the hospital. But she didn’t hate the demon, she hated the way people treated her because of it.

The demon was evil and by extent she was evil. Her parents tried to show affection, but that was all it was: a show. She was a burden on them. She was a burden on all society. Her fate was inevitable: she’d one day be discarded and the demon exorcised from the world. Thus everyone kept their distance from her.

Everyone in reality at least. Izumi’s most precious possession was her computer, more precisely its internet connection. Online she was free. Free to chat, free to see sights, free to exist. She never told her parents about the hundreds of chat rooms she visited or the thousands of anime and American cartoons she watched. If they found out, they’d take her only treasure away. They’d say it was bad for her health, that is should only be used for her education. She’d never let them take it. The internet was where her friends were, both the real ones from the chat rooms and the imaginary ones from the shows.

She’d never had any friends in reality. But when she’d first discovered the internet, she’d been happy to find friends in commercial mascots. She remembered the days when Hello Kitty and other cute mascots danced on the computer screen. But as she got older, she realized that was all they were: mascots for a company only meant to sell toys. After that realization she spent more time in chat rooms.

But recently she had discovered new friends. They had first popped up when someone talked about them in a chat room. They were from America, yet they were bright and colorful like Japanese mascots. Izumi thanked whatever god was responsible for language that she’d managed to learn English despite her sickness. A huge smile had crept onto her face the first time she’d heard the cartoon’s theme song. She cried a little at the lyrics “did you know you’re all my very best friends.”

The world of Equestria was the reality she wanted. It was even grander than the internet. There everyone- no- everypony was friendly and caring. She’d cringed a little when she’d seen Rainbow Dash get sent to the hospital, but then was relieved when she saw that Dash’s friends still cared about her. In that world, when you go to the hospital you still have friends. She looked around the private room she currently occupied. She was always in a private room. Her parents thought having her around others would make her sicker.

Her recent stay in the hospital had been her longest yet. Her blood demon had decided to attack her spinal column this time. She still remembered waking up and not being able to move, not being able to reach her computer or see her friends. That had been true torture, being alone was Izumi’s worst nightmare. If it wasn’t for the internet, that’s what her life would be everyday; the thought sometimes kept her up at night. Being paralyzed had been the closest she’d come to that abyss. Luckily, the doctors had acted quickly and the demon had been quelled.

But not without a price. Izumi’s nervous system was shutting down. In three months it would terminate and it would take her with it. She decided she’d spend the last three months with her friends. She had fantasies where she’d talk with Twilight or help raise animals with Fluttershy or go on awesome adventures with Rainbow Dash. She even wrote letters to the Princess, telling her how much she’d learned about friendship thanks to Celestia’s little ponies. Izumi knew that one day the Princess would read them.

~~~

She awoke to the sound of her heart beating irregularly. The machines weren’t going off though. Her chest was beginning to knot with pain as she reached for the emergency call switch. But she stopped. She saw that on the little desk next to her bed was a sake set with a letter next to it. She was still under the legal drinking age and there was no way her parents would ever let her drink anyway.

Despite the pain in her chest, she pulled herself over to the drink instead of the emergency button. She snatched up the letter and read it:

Young One,
You have been selected to start the conversion process. We know this may be sudden to you, but time is of the essence. However, the choice is still yours as to whether you cast off your humanity or endure it. But know that both Equestria and Earth rest on your decision. So we ask you, whether you drink or not, to spread our word and reignite magic. There should be enough for four more converts. Please find the other seeds as soon as possible. We will try to contact you again soon.
By Royal Decree of Princess Celestia, Monarch of Equestria

Izumi stared at the letter for a long time. Then she clutched it close to her throbbing chest. Her goddess had heard her prayers. She could finally escape the hospital, escape the demon. She was going to a better place.

She nervously poured the large jar’s contents into the smaller sake cup. The fluid in it was thick and purple and it shimmered even in the darkened room. Izumi stopped just as the cup was about to overflow. The pain in her chest was growing and her limbs were starting to go numb. With the last of her strength, she downed the glass. “Ban...zai.” She then fell into a sweet dreamy bliss.

~~~

Grass was nearby or at least the concept of grass was nearby. Wherever Izumi was now, it was certainly not the hospital. But it wasn’t her dreamland of Equestria either. It felt more like she was in a land of ideas. Concepts existed without physical form in this bizarre realm. But Izumi didn’t care about that. She was just overjoyed to even know the concept of grass; she had never known it before. But now she knew exactly what grass was like without even truly touching it. She was absolutely giddy to be in such an open space. The hospital- no- the city could never be this open.

But as she marveled at the splendor around her, a regal voice spoke up. Izumi looked up into the concept of a sky and saw a pulsating bright multi-hued sphere. It took up a good portion of the eastern horizon. The western horizon was also taken up by a sphere, but this one was more moon-like and encased in a blue aura. “Young one,” The bright sphere called out. Izumi knew it could be only one entity. She shifted her essence as best she could to bow to her deity.

“Great Celestia, you honor me with your presence.” She peeked an eye up to look at the moon-sphere. “You as well, Princess Luna. How may I serve you?”

“A loyal one isn’t she?” Luna’ commented.

“Yes, but it is what we need now,” Celestia’s then turned her attention back to Izumi. “Child, rise, you are not among rulers, but among those who require your assistance.”

“Me? But I am just a tiny girl.”

“No,” Luna replied, “you are a pony now and with that choice, you have taken on a responsibility, both to our world and yours.”

“What is it?” There was concern in Izumi’s voice now. If there was something that worried even the Princesses, it must have been a grave threat. Something threatened her heaven. She would stop it no matter the cost.

“Your world needs magic and our world needs space,” Celestia explained in a serious tone. “More and more ponies come into being everyday and our reality can’t contain them.”

“The situation is even worse in your reality,” Luna took over for her sister. “Your reality lacks a sufficient amount of magic to sustain itself.”

“W-what does that mean?” Something about the statement caused Izumi’s essence to shiver.

“Imagine the universe being held together by glue. That glue is magic. When that glue runs out it’s the end.”

Now Izumi was scared. It wasn’t an evil monster like Discord that she had to face, but a very law of nature. She had to defeat entropy. “W-what can I do?”

“Child,” Celetia’s tone was now smooth and motherly, “you have already taken the first step. But now you must be prepared to go further.” Izumi felt a jolt in her essence, like something was tugging at her. For a second she blanked out.

“Sister!” Luna cried out. “She’s fading! We must hurry!” The tugging sensation was growing.

“Child!” Celestia called out to Izumi, “Listen closely to my words. When you awaken you will be fully transformed. Guard the potion with your life! Convert others and build up as much magic as you can!”

“But how do I-”

“We don’t have time to explain!” Luna’s voice was growing more distant. “But what is most is important is that you find the others and make-”

Izumi had left the concept plane.

~~~

A violent shaking woke her up. “Where is she?!” A familiar voice yelled.

“Mother?” Izumi called out as the room started to come back into focus. She’d been having a wonderful dream. But the current situation was pushing it to the back of her mind. “What’s wrong?” Her mother was never this emotional.

“You...you have her voice.” Her mother stopped shacking her and backed away. There was a wild terror in her eyes.

Izumi was concerned now. The emotionless wretch her mother normally was was gone. Standing before her was a creature of feeling. A creature that wanted the daughter that was right in front of her. “Mother, what is wrong?” Izumi repeated.

“Stop it!” Her mother was beginning to cry. “Oh god, where’s security!?” She began to run to the door. She was about to open it when Izumi cried out.

“Stop!” She didn’t want more doctors or security or any more of the horrible people. But much to her shock and her mother’s, the door listened. Despite her mother clearly pulling the door open, it wouldn’t budge. Her mother slowly turned around to look at Izumi again; her face was contorted in fear. Izumi then noticed that the door was covered in an electric blue aura. She also felt a tingling in her forehead, like someone was lightly shocking her. “Mother! Please tell me what’s wrong?”

“D-d-don’t hurt me!” Her mother was cowering in the corner. “J-j-just give me back my daughter!”

Now Izumi felt the urge to do something she’d never thought she’d do: comfort her mother. The cold woman was gone now and was replaced with a hysterical mess. She needs my help. She hopped down from the bed, but mid-jump she swore at herself. The needles! This is gonna hurt! She braced herself for the pain as she landed, but none came. She didn’t even feel the IVs tugging at her. She glanced at where she felt her arm was but saw no arm.
Instead she saw an electric blue hoof, the same color as the aura that had surrounded the door. “No way.” She tentatively brought the hoof up to her face and gazed at it. Then as a sensation of pure joy began to dawn on her, Izumi looked at her shadow. Under the artificial lights of the hospital room, her shadow was one of a four legged creature. The most unique feature of the shadow though was the protrusion that stuck out of its head.

I...I’m a unicorn. The thought was instantaneous in Izumi’s head, but it took her a few seconds to process the idea. Then a huge grin crossed her face. She jumped up and shouted, “I’m a unicorn! I’m a pony! I’m free!” She began to ecstatically turn to her mother. “Mother, isn’t this gre-” She stopped, her mother was now holding a scalpel and pointing it straight at her. “Mother, what are you doing?”

“Give. Me. Back. My. Daughter!!” Her mother made a mad rush at her with the faux weapon. Izumi backed up but tripped on her legs, she wasn’t fully used to her new body yet. The trip probably saved her life, as her mother proceeded to trip over her and went flying right into the wall. The scalpel bent backwards and cut a gash right at her wrist. She began to bleed profusely.

“Mother!” Izumi rushed over to her mother, instincts allowing her to control her legs. Here was a woman she had despised all her life for keeping her locked away and now that she was dying Izumi cared about her for the first time. “This isn’t fair!” She cried. “I get better and care about you and now I’m going to lose you! Please sta-” her eyes spotted the sake jar. It was where she had left it - where the human Izumi had left it. It was the only way. “Mother, hold on, I’ll fix you.”

“Izumi, Izumi,” her mother murmured as the life literally continued to drain from her.

“Ssh mother, it’ll be ok.” Come. The thought filled Izumi’s mind as the jug and the cup flew over to her. She filled the cup again, a little spilled over but she didn’t care. Her mother, in her semi-conscious state, was unable to resist swallowing the drink. Her mother was fully unconscious almost immediately. Then her body went white like porcelain. Despite being unconscious, her body squirmed as its shape began to change.

Izumi stared in amazement at the miracle that was happening before her eyes. This is what her savior had done to her as well and it was magnificent. Soon her mother wouldn’t fear Izumi, she would love her, just as Izumi now loved her. The air in the room was ignited with magic as her mother’s hands began bending into hooves. Her clothes were becoming ripped by the transformation as well.
Ponies don’t wear clothes anyway. As that thought crossed her mind, Izumi looked over at where she’d been sleeping. Her hospital gown was still there, ripped to pieces by her metamorphosis. The needles were strung around the gown as well, her transformation had pushed them out of her skin.

She began to ponder what type of pony her mother would be, but then she heard footsteps. The commotion her mother had caused hadn’t gone unnoticed. Damn it! They’ll be just as scared as mother was. We need to get out. She looked out the one tiny window in the room and saw the lights of the city. It was a cloudy night so the moon wasn’t shining and only the city’s lights lit up the night. She could also see a little of her reflection: her long neon pink mane matched well with the night’s lights. She looked over at her mother and the potion. The footsteps were getting closer. “It is time to go.”
With that she poured all her thoughts into going to the city lights. To the land where people talked and interacted. It was one step closer to Equestria, one step closer to her dream. She’d make it a reality, she swore it to the Princess.

There was a bright flash and Izumi and the potion were gone.

Comments

[Windchaser]

A little quick for the girl to be able to use her magic for levitation, let alone teleportation, but those points aside, another good chapter.

[Da Bunnana King]

Why does it always have to be cliffhangers... I need more.

[frieD195]

It's all about instinct and the desire to escape a bad situation. She wanted it badly enough and her magic responded.

[Fullmetal Pony]

276634
276528
Also consider the fact that in-canon, we've seen that newborn foals can do quite impressive magical feats.

[Chatoyance]

This just keeps getting more AWESOME! Write, write more. Write like the wind, like a room of infinite monkeys, WRITE! Write, damn you write! I need your words pouring like sake through my mind.

[Suomibrony]

I still wish to know the story behind that SUV.

[Derpmind]

277819
The guy and his gas station literally ran out of time. The SUV was traveling at normal speed, but from his point of view inside the relatively 'slower' gas station it moved much faster than normal.

[Suomibrony]

Still, the SUV crashed. Why? Oh well, I'm sure the next chapters will give an explanation.

[Fullmetal Pony]

277417
I think I just made Chatoyance reader-gasm...

278071
Where did I say it crashed? All I said was it *looked* like it was breaking the 300 mile mark as it passed in front of the store

[Suomibrony]

278195
Oohh, my reader comprehension breaky smeaky.

[Jaysteeny]

277417 Or Jameson through Krass' veins?

[ferret]

She didn’t know it’s actual name