• Published 7th Jun 2012
  • 19,691 Views, 1,031 Comments

The Conversion Bureau: United We Stand - RK_Striker_JK_5



The TCB bites off more than it can chew as humans, Equestrians and Autobots roll out.

  • ...
63
 1,031
 19,691

Chapter Seventeen

Megan walked through the lower-most catacombs of Crystal Castle, head bowed somewhat. Princesses Sparkle and Tiffany flanked her on her left and right, respectively. Flickering torches lit their way. If any of them looked at them, they'd notice there nothing actually burning. A simple flame danced inside the bronze braziers, giving off ample light and chasing away the shadows.

Tiffany extended a wing and gently ran her primaries along Megan's folded wing. “How are you doing?” she asked, concern laced through her voice.

Megan kicked at the stone floor as she walked along, digging a furrow through the gray rock. “The voice isn't any louder, but she's still there.” She smiled. “Thanks for helping me out.”

Sparkle shook her head. “As much as we'd like to claim credit for anything here, it's really not us who will be helping you out.” She turned, lowered her head slightly, and pointed her horn at a door the three were approaching. “It will be him.”

Megan nickered. Her eyes narrowed. “I think I've got something of an idea who this mystery mentor is, Sparkle. I'll wait until I see him, though.”

Sparkle's horn glowed and the door opened. “Would you like us to wait for you?”

Megan lowered her head in thought for a moment. “No,” she finally said. “I don't know how long we'll be, and I don't want you two waiting for hours.” She motioned to the ceiling. “Might as well go up there and see how the others are doing with Mei Long or something.”

Tiffany and Sparkle followed her gaze. “Are you sure?” Tiffany finally asked.

Megan nodded. “I'm sure, you two. I could be hours here, or minutes. Or this might not work at all. I don't want you two staying down here, getting hungry or tired or whatever. Go up, get some food. Talk to Mei Long and figure out what she'd like to do with all the crystals in the Crystal Desert.”

Tiffany nickered. “I think we'll leave the haggling to Royal Blue.” She stomped a hoof. “We'll take shifts if we have to, but we're not leaving until we know you're alright, Megan.” She unfurled a wing and jabbed it at the door, her expression set in stone.

Megan looked to Sparkle, who had the same look on her face. Megan smiled at them, turned, and trotted up to the door. It opened as she approached, hinges silent, as if they had been recently oiled.

Inside. There was a faint glow, illuminating an empty cave. Megan walked inside. “Hello?” she called out, head turning from side to side. As soon as she cleared the door, it closed. She cantered about, looking it over. “Figures.”

She turned back. Her eyes crossed slightly as she concentrated. The tip of her horn lit up, brightening the room even more. “Hello? I'm here. I... really don't have much time.” She walked around, looking all about. The cave itself wasn't very large, with only a large boulder and some smaller rocks scattered about inside. “Anyone here?”

Megan walked up to the boulder. She tilted her head from side to side, craned her neck about, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary about it. She even tapped a hoof against it, but it proved solid through and through. Megan shook her head. “This is ridiculous.”

The boulder's surface suddenly wrinkled, seeming to tug down on itself. Megan whinnied, jumped to all fours, and scrambled away. The boulder seemed to roll in on itself, revealing a hollow interior. A rather short man peeked his head out. He wore a green pair of pants with a wide, brown belt, a matching green shirt, and a dark green jacket. Most of his face was covered by a thick, white beard and mustache. He looked up at Megan with inquisitive eyes that bore a twinkle of mischief in them. “Oh, my. Terribly sorry about that. I fell asleep.” He stepped out and folded the boulder back down, patting it before turning back to Megan. He smiled. “It's so good to see you again, my dear! Although have you grown since last we met?”

Megan's jaw worked for a bit before she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Mister Moochick?”

The Moochick nodded. “The one and only, Megan!” He bowed, sweeping his hat off his head before straightening out. He walked forward, all around Megan, eyes taking in every inch of her. The smile fell away with each step. “Oh, my. Oh my, indeed.”

Megan waited until the Moochick was once more in front of her before speaking. “I have... some questions for you,” she finally said. “May I ask them?”

A bark of laughter escaped the Moochick. “But of course, Megan! But of course.” He leaned in. “I've always loved your inquisitive nature, you know. A true sign of intelligence!”

A small smile graced Megan's muzzle. “Thank you. Now the first one is, and not to be too blunt about it, but how are you still alive? And where have you been?”

The Moochick chuckled. A jump rope appeared in his hand and he started skipping rope. “Oh, you know, exercise, diet,” the rope disappeared and a glass of juice replaced it. He downed the juice in one gulp, then tossed the glass over his shoulder, where it vanished through a hole in midair. “And mastery over arcane arts that allow me control over time and space.”

Despite the situation, Megan giggled. “Good answer. Now, if you're still alive... what about Scorpan? Or Alonzo?”

The Moochick's grin fell away. He bowed his head, swept his hat off and held it in front of his chest. “I am sorry to say, time passes at the same rate in the Realm they settled as it does here in the Equus System. I'm sorry, Megan, but he and all those you knew passed to the Holy Lands of Key'Tuck, as the Scriptures of the Mag'ne call it, a very long time ago.”

Megan's eyes glistened. She wiped them with a wing, but the action did little to dry them, or stop some tears from trailing down. “Okay, thanks. Stupid question, I guess.”

The Moochick shook his head. “Not at all, Megan. Now, if I may guess, your next question is if I'll be able to change you back to being a human?” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “I can... but the extreme level of your transformation, and the sheer power put into it, means it would not be easy or quick. And I fear Queen Celestia would be fighting me every step of the way.”

Megan's jaw worked for a bit. “So... what? You can't do anything? You won't do anything?” The tip of her horn started brightening as she snorted.

The Moochick held up a hand. “Wait, wait! Calm down, Megan! I can gather how stressful this must be for you. No need to jump to any conclusions, my dear.” He turned and walked to a smooth patch of the rock wall. “I can't do anything within an acceptable time frame. However, there is something that can.” He ran his fingers along the wall. “Let me see... ah! Here it is.”

He slid the portion of the rock wall aside, revealing a dark hole. “The magic from the Heart of Ponyland does not travel through one tunnel. There are many, many tunnels it travels through. Think of it like branches from a tree. This tunnel will lead you to one such branch, Megan. There, you should be able to get yourself changed back to human form and break the spell that warped Celestia has over you.”

Megan slowly walked up to the hole. She leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “Okay, so what's the catch?”

The Moochick slowly nodded and waggled a finger at her. “A very savvy question, Megan. The catch is, the Heart is not exactly... sapient. I think.” his brow furrowed. “There is a will behind it. I'm not sure if it's being directed, maybe by Granny Bonnie, or it's some collective will.” His expression changed to one of deadly seriousness. “I cannot predict what you will encounter in there, Megan. I also cannot guarantee your safety.”

Megan nodded. “Okay, thanks for the warning.” She let out a small sigh. “And... thanks.” She floated the Moochick up and gently nuzzled him. “It's really good to see you again.”

The Moochick gently patted her muzzle. “I'm glad to be able to see you again, although Bonnie knows I wish it was under different circumstances.” He shook his head as Megan lowered him back to the ground. “I'd give up all my magic and knowledge if it meant you could be changed back right now, Megan. I'm sorry I can't help more.”

Megan shrugged. “Thanks, but at least you showed me one way to do it.” She looked to the hole, eyes narrowing. She pawed at the ground before trotting through the hole in the rock face. She was quickly swallowed by the darkness, disappearing entirely.

The Moochick stared at the hole as it was resealed. “Be careful, my friend.”


Megan walked along, not entirely sure if she was in a large room, a tunnel, or something else. She could see her immediate surroundings, but only a few feet away, the light bled away into darkness. No matter how hard she squinted or how bright she dared to make her horn, she just couldn't drive away the darkness. “Hello?” she called out. “Is there anyone here? Anything? I'm here!” She shook her head. “I don't even know what I'm supposed to do, here.”

Her head shot up. She looked to her right and spotted a hazy outline, a bit of dark gray against the blackness. Almost as soon as she saw it, it moved away from her, vanishing back into the darkness.

Megan gasped. “Hey, come back!” she shouted, galloping forward. Whatever it was, it kept just barely ahead of Megan, no matter how hard she galloped. So intent was Megan on following, she failed to notice the surrounding area brightening, changing from pitch-black to dark-blue.

The thing Megan was chasing suddenly vanished. Megan slowed to a trot, finally stopping and noticing the change in her surroundings. She looked up, ears twitching. The surrounding area was light-blue, the floor almost indistinguishable from the rest of the area.

For a long minute, Megan stood stock-still. She glanced back and forth, taking in the changes. She turned –and stopped short as a tall mirror appeared, hanging in midair with no visible means of support. Megan walked around the tall, thin slab of reflective material. “Where did you come from?”

Megan continued walking, her reflection distorting itself. She suddenly stopped as another mirror appeared in her path. She backed up a few steps. “What the...” She looked around. Mirrors of various shapes and sizes were now hanging all around the area, about twenty in all. She looked around at them all.

Megan slowly walked around, staring at the mirrors and her reflection. Some of them simply showed her, while others distorted her image, like mirrors found in a funhouse. She allowed a small smile to drift across her face. She stopped in front of one mirror, her alicorn reflection distorted to look like a chubby little filly.

Who are you?”

Megan's head whipped around, her mane flowing about. “Who's there?” she shouted. She walked about, head turning this way and that. “Come out!” she shouted, putting as much magical projection as she dared behind her voice.

She walked past one mirror, but stopped and backed up as the reflection caught her eye. It was her, but not of her alicorn form. Instead, thirteen-year old Megan Williams stared back at her, wearing the same orange shirt, brown vest, and blue jeans she wore on that fateful day in 1982. The image locked eyes with Megan. “Who are you?” she asked once more.

Megan stared at the reflection for a few moments, blinking. “I... I...” She leaned in close. “Is this some sort of metaphor? Like-like for my lost childhood?” She rubbed the side of her head with a wing. “Well, I'm Megan. Wait, you should–”

Who are you?”

Megan's eyes widened, dilating slightly. She slowly turned in the direction of the voice. Another mirror floated to her immediate right. This one reflected back another image of Megan, this one much older, close to her current age. She wore simple pants, a shirt, hair in a ponytail, and for some reason a pair of glasses. A laptop was balanced on one hand, cell phone in the other. “Who are you?”

No questions came from Megan this time. She simply stared at the image. “I... don't wear glasses,” she finally said.

Who are you?”

This time, Megan rolled her eyes. She looked and, sure enough, to the immediate right of the previous mirror floated another one. This reflection of her wore a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, a plaid shirt, and fingerless gloves; her usual outfit while working at the ranch. “Okay, I think–”

Who are you?”

Megan let out a whinny, She tossed her head about as another mirror appeared. Her anger faded as she beheld herself wearing a cloak, holding a spear with a fiery tip. The cloak's hood fell back, revealing a Megan with a hard stare and scar down the right side of her face, going over her eye. The image loosened the clasps, letting the cloak fall off. Beneath it, she wore full plate armor, steel polished and gleaming. On her breastplate was a rainbow.

Who are you?”

Megan's ears folded against her head. She looked to the floor, but slowly, slowly turned to her right. She looked up, eyes widening as she took in this final reflection. In this one, she was in her current alicorn form. Her mane and tail flowed back in an ethereal wind. She was covered in regalia and armor, gleaming and polished to a high shine. She stared at Megan, eyes narrow.

The other reflections began speaking, all asking the same question as before. Their voices started out discordant, but they quickly synchronized.

Who are you?”

Who are you?”

Who are you?”

Megan hunkered down, seeming to shrink into herself. She folded her wings over her head and closed her eyes as she questions drilled into her ears, into her head. “Stop it,” she whispered. Her own eyes reopened. “Stop it!” She ground her teeth together. Megan straightened up. Her wings flared out and her horn glowed, tossing all the mirrors away from her. “STOP IT!”

She looked around. The mirrors were all lying on the floor, but still intact. She trotted up to the nearest one, the one of her as a child. “Okay, yeah. I get it. You're all me. You're all part of me.” She glanced to her right. The mirror with the reflection of her as an alicorn floated up and over to her side. “Yes, even you, now. You're all part of the whole, but you're not all me. And even combined, you don't make up all of me.”

A very familiar voice from behind sent shivers up and down Megan's spine. “I am a part of you too, child.”

Megan's head looked over her shoulder. She slowly turned as a spectral image of Queen Celestia appeared, twice her height and staring down at her. She sucked in a breath. “M-maybe, but it's a really small part of me.” She took a shaky step forward, then another, then one more. “And even being a part of me, no matter how much you yell and shout, I don't have to listen to you. So shut up, you hear me?”

Queen Celestia curled her upper lip back in a sneer. “I hear you, and ignore you. You are mine, Megan. And there is nothing anyone or anything can do about it.” Her form solidified. Her own horn glowed.

The mirrors all floated up and surrounded Megan. Megan's horn flared as she used her magic to toss the five away from her. She craned her neck up, eyes blazing. “Like hell there's nothing I can do about it!” She extended her wings, flapping them as she trotted forward and stepped up into the air. “I won't stop fighting you, no matter what! Humanity won't, either. And our friends will be with us every step of the way. You're nothing but a pale, pathetic shadow of the real Celestia, and your warped little Equestria is nothing but a funhouse-version of the place I know and love!” She snorted, steam billowing forth. “And we're gonna take you down, you... you... impostor!”

Queen Celestia's eyes narrowed. “Strong words from a weak human.” She fired a beam of magic at Megan. It expanded, splitting and weaving itself into a net. She chuckled slightly as Megan fired her own magic at her construct. “Useless. You cannot hope to defeat me. You are far too inexperienced, and you hold back far too much. Give in, Megan. It would be far easier to.”

Megan's breath came in hitches as she kept on firing bolts of magic at the net. They either glanced off it, or were absorbed into it. She flapped her wings and tried to turn, but the net encircled and closed up around her. She whinnied, kicked, and thrashed about, but to no avail. She steadily dropped back down to the floor. “No, dammit no!”

Queen Celestia walked forward. “Yes. It is useless to resist, Megan. Give in. It would be so much easier.” Her brow furrowed as Megan continued struggling in the net. “Why do you continue to resist? You can see my power is greater than yours. It would be far easier for you to surrender.”

Megan ground her teeth together as she fired shot after shot from her horn and flapped her wings as best she could. “I will never give up! Don't you get that, yet? Good lord, you're dense!” She focused on Queen Celestia as best she could through the holes on the net. “No matter what you do, no matter how bad it gets, I won't stop fighting against you. You'll have to kill me to stop me!”

A voice from behind caught their attention. “She means it, too. Her will is almost-unbreakable, certainly more than a match for anything you could throw at her.”

Queen Celestia's brow furrowed as she looked up and over. A third alicorn had entered, white-coated, with her blond mane tied in a bun. “Who are you?”

The alicorn lowered her head, allowing her to stare at Queen Celestia over the glasses perched at the end of her muzzle. “My name is Granny Bonnie. And I am very disappointed in you, young lady.” She walked up to Megan and bowed her head. “Good to see you again, although I do wish the circumstances were different.”

Megan blinked twice. “Granny Bonnie? Is it-is it really you?”

Granny Bonnie turned her head slightly towards Megan. “It is. This might be a battle in your mind, but that doesn't make it any less real.” She waved a hoof at Queen Celestia. “That is a representation of the mental control she has over you, as is this net. You must fight it. I can aid you, and I will, but you must fight as hard as you can, Megan.”

Queen Celestia stamped a hoof and snorted. “It does not matter what pathetic help you give her. I am Queen Celestia! I channel the Heart of Ponyland! My cause is righteous! Who are you to interfere with my helping of humanity?” Her eyes glowed white. “You are nothing compared to me!”

Granny Bonnie slowly turned her head in Queen Celestia's general direction. “Normally I like to think of myself as rather humble, not one to put on airs or brag. In your case, however?” She started walking forward. “I held council with the One when he created Primus and Unicron. I shook my head in sadness as Unicron fell to corruption, and helped prepare Primus' children to stop him. When the Chronarcitect needed to correct the flow of time, he consulted my watch. I molded planets, stars, and galaxies and sent them spinning into the void. I started the Heart of Ponyland pumping, breathed the fire of life onto Equus.”

Queen Celestia leaned forward and fired a beam of magic at Granny Bonnie, but it broke apart and turned into butterflies before reaching her.

Granny Bonnie shook her head. “Metlar and his ilk are squabbling children to me. Discord and Tirac are annoying at the worst of times. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, the real ones are growing and maturing quite nicely, though they still have much to learn. As for you?” Granny Bonnie slowly shook her head. “I feel sorrow for you, that you've strayed so far from the path. I wish circumstances could have been different, yet here we are.”

Queen Celestia let out an inarticulate, almost primal scream of rage. She reared back, kicking the air. “How DARE you judge me! You have no idea what I have been through, what I have had to do! I have given all to my Equestria, all for my little ponies! And then I saw a people suffering, dying! I took them in!”

Granny Bonnie shook her head. “Their bodies starve. Their souls are drained. You had good intentions, but we both know where that road leads.” She let out a small sigh. “Celestia, I give you this chance. Turn back from this path of madness. Please, for all those in danger. It–”

Celestia fired another beam of magic at Granny Bonnie, this one twice as bright as before. It turned translucent, breaking apart into a cool spring breeze and gently ruffling Granny Bonnie's feathers. There was the slightest of pauses, then Granny Bonnie reached out and tapped the net around Megan. “Megan, it's time,” she said.

The net sparked and wavered, the strands losing form. Megan reared her head back, eyes blazing. She leaned forward, firing a long, continuous stream of magic at the net. It strobed over the net for a few moments before tearing through, dissolving it and leaving Megan free.

Granny Bonnie looked up at Queen Celestia. “I gave you a chance,” she said, face impassive. “Remember that, if nothing else. I gave you a chance.” She motioned at Queen Celestia, who was suddenly thrown back, tumbling about in midair like a rag doll.

Queen Celestia's wings extended, flapping. She eventually managed to regain control. She spun about and dove at Granny Bonnie and Megan. “I will kill you!” she shouted, manic rage etched on her face. Energy wreathed her horn before she fired one more blast from it at the pair.

Megan shook her head. She wordlessly fired another beam at Queen Celestia. It collided with Queen Celestia's own magic. The two beams struggled for a bit, neither alicorn giving an inch. Sweat formed on Megan's brow. She dug her heels into the floor and gritted her teeth, but gained no advantage over her foe.

Granny Bonnie looked Megan over, smiling. “You've more than proven your resolve, your determination. Now, it's time for you to get some help.” She fired her own beam of magic at Queen Celestia. This one, unlike theirs, was pencil-thin, almost invisible.

The beam struck Queen Celestia's own, quickly overpowering and dispersing it. The alicorn had barely any time to do anything before it struck her in the chest. She sucked in a short breath, face a rictus of horror and pain as a bright-white light expanded from the point of impact, vaporizing her. The light continued on, the sphere covering everything.

Megan stared at the light, eyes not in pain despite the brightness. She smiled slightly as it flowed over her. “Ah, I see,” she said as it faded, her along with it...


Megan?”

Megan floated in the void, an infinite nothingness of white. She sighed. “Not again,” she muttered. She turned her head from left to right. “Can't we at least have a painting? Maybe a bowl of fruit?”

Granny Bonnie appeared. The image of the Mona Lisa appeared on her left. “I do apologize for the blandness,” she said, bowing her head. “Most of the time those who meet here just don't pay it much attention.” She rocked back and forth on her hooves. “I presume you have questions?”

Megan hesitated. “I do. And before I forget, thank you for helping me back there... wherever that was.”

Granny Bonnie half-smiled. “You're more than welcome, my dear. Now ask your questions. Time is meaningless here. We can take a bit of time.”

A sigh of relief escaped Megan. “Thank god. Well, okay. What just happened back there? Was that really Queen Celestia? Did we just kill her or something? And am I human again?”

Granny Bonnie glanced upward. “Well, in order... The Heart of Ponyland showed you the conflict within, between how different people see you, and how you see yourself. Then you and I fought and defeated the aspect of Queen Celestia that was trying to control you. It was a part of Queen Celestia, and it's now gone. The good news is, her power is now permanently diminished, even if only slightly. The bad news is, her attention is no longer divided.” She tilted her head. “As for the final question?” A mirror flashed into existence next to her. “Why not look for yourself?”

Megan rotated ninety degrees, to what her body was telling her was a vertical position. She gasped as she beheld her own human face once more. She gently reached up with a hand and stroked fingers across her cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

The mirror disappeared. Granny Bonnie walked up to Megan and gently poked her in the chest with a wing. “I don't want to say you're 'more than human' or anything like that, but, well... you sort of are. All the power of your alicorn form is locked inside. I apologize if this sounds speciest, but the human body cannot properly conduct an alicorn's magical power, except under specific circumstances.”

Megan shook her head. “No apology needed, Granny.” She reached out and wrapped her arms around her neck in a hug. “Thank you!”

Granny Bonnie leaned into it, gently nuzzling Megan. “You're welcome. Do you need anything else?”

Megan broke the hug. She rubbed her chin. “Well, when you send me back, where were you planning on sending me back to?”

Granny Bonnie glanced down in thought. “Well, I think the best place to send you would be Autobot City. Forces are gathering, there. Your family is there, as well. And it would be best for them to know you're all right.” She glanced to her left. A door appeared. “This will take you to the shelter your family is in.”

Megan turned to it. She took a step forward, but stopped. “Wait, 'shelter'? Why are they in a shelter?”

Granny Bonnie glanced to her right. A picture frame appeared, showing Autobot City–and the battle being waged over it. “Queen Celestia has sent forces out to attack Autobot City and the surrounding area. It is dangerous.”

Megan nodded. “Thanks for the warning.” She turned and, without hesitation, walked up to the door, opened it, and walked through.


Queen Celestia's eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping from her lips. She nearly tumbled from the Solar Throne, barely catching herself with her magic. She righted herself, glad that only her bodyguards were there.

Her shoulders slumped, and her wings folded around her body. “Oh, Megan. Why did you reject me?” Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “All I wanted to do is help! Why couldn't you see that?” Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth formed a thin line. “That Granny Bonnie, whoever she is, poisoned you against me. Well, no more Miss Nice Queen!”

She stepped off her throne. Just then, a guardspony galloped in. “Ah, excellent. Perfect timing!” Her expression brightened slightly. “Lieutenant, I need Captain Armor brought back from the front. We have much to discuss.”

The guardspony seemed to shrink into her armor. “Begging your pardon, your majesty, but I was coming to give you a report about him.” She swallowed and wiped some sweat from her brow. “C-Captain Armor and his squad have been captured by the humans during our attack. We have no idea on their condition.” She paused. “There are also reports of strange vehicles near Hoofington and the newfoal settlements. There have been reports-unsubstantiated reports-of humans being spotted among them.”

Celestia stood stock-still for a moment. Her mane and tail suddenly burst into flame. The temperature in the throne room spiked. She ground her teeth together. “Very well.” She began walking forward, the stone underneath her hooves bubbling and melting with each step. “Bring me Nemesis Prime. It's time to end this.”

Author's Note:

1. thanks to Shubzilla and all those at Space battles for their help with this.

2. Sorry about the wait.