I sit at the side of the road, looking up at the building. The old white paint on the walls is peeling in places. The brown shingles could use some work. Like lots of the houses in the area, this had been standing for over a hundred years now.

There isn’t a fence around the whole property, though there is somewhat of a hedge row. There is however a small wooden fence on the side. The hedge is trimmed and cut back around the gap for the driveway and walkway to the front door. It is a two story house with two and a half bedrooms. Though it looks larger than it is. It sits on a huge back yard that goes right back to the woods.

“I’m here for you.” Blaze says, putting his wing around me.

Looking to him, I tucked my muzzle under his and cuddled closer, looking back to the house. These are all middle class homes. The town itself, however, is small. Only about 2,000 people live here. I don’t know if I am ready for this. It is terrifying.

Feather tucks her head between my front and hind leg from the side so she is peeking out from under me between my forelegs. “It’s okay mom.”

Gulping, I look down the street both ways. The houses are spaced, with mailboxes out on the edge of the road. Each family has its name on it, though some have themed boxes. Hixson’s has their Bear mailbox, while the Westwood’s have a swan. The one in front of this house, however, is plain yellow.

Reaching up, I touch the box with a hoof, before putting it back down on the ground. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

We got back from England just the other day. After two back to back missions, they had given me some time off. The first real time off I’ve had since the change. It is the first real breather, where I’m not expected to be training other unicorns. Somehow I wish I was still training. It would give me an excuse not to think of this.

The Cotton Twins snuggle up against my side too, behind Feather. Looking down I give each of them a nuzzle. I knew they are just as old as I am, but I can’t help think of them as my foals. They need just as much emotional support and mothering as real foals. At the same time though, they are giving me support and strength.

“When you’re ready honey.” Blaze keeps his wing tight around me.

Standing up, I slowly follow the path to the front door. It is only four steps up to the porch, but it feel like climbing a mountain. Taking a deep breath, I light my horn and ring the doorbell. Inside, I could hear the noise. Moving around, before the woman opened the door.

She looks in her late 40’s, though she is wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Her hands are a bit dirty, so she has likely been working in the garden in the back. Pulling her hair back she looks somewhat shocked at the ponies on her porch. This isn’t a normal thing for her. For most of America.

Taking a deep breath I look down at my hooves. “Hi mom.”

*** Tanya ***

Tanya yawns huge, stretching out on her side on the bed. Reaching out in front of her she arches her back a bit and pushes her hands and feet against the wall in a stretch. Normally this would have worked. Her bed, though, is pushed right up against the wall. It is a single bed, but still more than enough room for a human to do this. As she pushes, she feels her back go over the edge of the bed.

“Oh shit, not a human!”

By the time she realizes though, it’s too late. Her center of gravity has passed the critical mark and in one smooth, undignified, motion she rolls off the bed, landing on her back in a tangle of covers. Legs flailing above her she blinks. Looking at the mess she is in, she stops and breathes for a second.

“Help?” Listening for a moment, she called out a little louder. “Help!”

After a moment Dr. Ellis runs into the room, then she stops. She is a trained professional. She shouldn’t laugh at another’s misfortune. It isn’t right to do so. Covering her mouth she can’t help but giggle.

Seeing the mare laying on her back, her blankets and sheets wrapped all around her legs. Then add that sad pleading look she has on her face. It’s all just too much for her not to giggle. Moving over she kneels down and carefully pulled Tanya’s mane free, first. Once that is done, she works at untangling Tanya’s legs.

Laying on her back, fore and hind legs curled to her belly she blinks a few times. “Thanks. This… is awkward.”

“Swing your hips onto your side. Then swing your head in the direction you’re rolling to add weight and inertia should carry you onto your belly. Use your legs on that side and the curl of your body to stop you from rolling too far.”

“How?”

“We got training in some of this stuff. They gave us a rundown on how to roll over, stand up, lie down, and walk. Trust me, walking is going to be tricky.”

It takes her a few tries, but she gets onto her belly, then with guidance, to her hooves.

“Wow, I knew you’d have some height to you as a pony, but wow.”

“I don’t feel that tall. I’m shorter than I was.” Tanya says, looking around.

“Trust me your lucky, some of the girls turned into foals. Their eye level is at about one and a half feet.”

“That’s like, shin level.” Tanya says with a whimper.

“Ok, now comes the hard part. It’s time to learn your walk cycle.”

“My… what?”

“Walk cycle. It means the order you move your legs when you walk. It’s not just picking up both your left legs at once.” She says with a giggle and shows her on the tablet a pony’s walk cycle.

She doesn’t know if she is stupid, clumsy or just a bad pony, but it takes her close to ten minutes of falling down, even watching the walk cycle before her muscle memory kicks in and she starts walking normally.

The problem is her knee’s hurt at the end. Falling down on them several times is pretty painful, so it is a nice break to sit down for a bit, even if it is to sit through an educational video. The doctor has cued it up for Tanya so she can start it when she sits down.

“Hi, my name is Twilight Velvet. Today we are going to talk about your horn and TK. Congratulations on becoming a unicorn by the way. As such, your field of control will be magic in general. Even if your cutie mark isn’t one that denotes magic as a whole, you will still have many useful abilities that you can learn. Now you’ve probably heard the terms magic and unicorn thrown around before. In the next half hour we are going to get into the bare horns of it…”

*** Velvet ***

I sit, head low, on the couch with Blaze beside me. The kids are lying on the floor curled up in balls listening, but trying not to interfere. They know how serious this is. Thankfully they have the compassion and intelligence to behave.

“So, you were never really my child?”

I can’t help but cringe at that. Looking down at my hooves, I sigh. “You raised me from a human baby, you took care of me. You taught me and protected me. You really are my mom.”

“But you were born a pony first?”

“Yep, you’re a grand mom I have two foals that are both back in Equestria. A male, Shining Armor, he’s getting married to Rarity in a few years. The second is a daughter, Twilight Sparkle.”

“And these?”

“That’s Feather Pinch, Cotton Candy, and Cotton Cloudy. They were cursed too, so they grew up for 25 years as humans before returning to foals. Because they are still kids though, and because of their size, I’ve adopted them.” I look down, my stomach’s doing back-flips.

“You you’re really…”

“A unicorn, yeah, complete with magic.”

“Actually I was going to say girl.” My mom says.

Gulping, I nod slowly and look down. “Yes mom. I have all the girl parts and they work.”

“They work? You mean you’ve used them?”

Blinking, going wide eyed, I blush. My ears going down almost right away. Stammering, I try and come up with something to say. “I... um… and… moooooom. There are foals present.”

“Do I have to give you a mares and stallions lecture now?”

“No I got that from Ah-Pee, she’s an earth pony that works on a farm. It took me more than a few weeks to adapt to the fact that I was a girl.” I say and tuck my muzzle under Blazes again snuggling.

My mom nods slowly. Looking at me, up and down, she gives a soft laugh.

Gulping I look down, “I understand it’s hard to take. I guess you don’t want to be my mom anymore.”

“Never say, or even think that. A mother’s love should be unconditional. It’s just a lot to take in. I love you, no matter how you look. You are still my… daughter.” Gently my mom moves over and hugs me tightly.

Burying my face into her shirt, I begin to cry. It is hard, just so hard, but my mom accepting me seems to lift such a weight.

“Celestia, mom, I was so scared you wouldn’t like me, wouldn’t want me.”

“So Blaze here is the father of your children in Equestria?”

“No, that’s Night Light, but that was an arranged marriage… He… I… Decided he wasn’t right for me anymore. Not after all you taught me. It wasn’t about love with him. Blaze and I are in love. He’s Yiska, from my unit.” I rub Blazes chest with my hoof.

“So this, Night Light? Wasn’t the best father?”

“He tended to be more concerned about his social status. Once I was late getting home, so he decided to feed Sparkle himself. He made her a cheese quesadilla, but he overstuffed it. He put too much cheese in, then baked it. Normally you’re supposed to let the cheese rest after you cook it, be it grilled cheese or pizza, so it turns from liquid back into a gooier solid.”

I shake my head slowly, “When my little Twi-Twi bit into it… she was still a young foal at the time, hardly bigger than Feather here. The cheese burned her nose, her tongue, it even got in her mane. She was terrified. It took me a while to calm her down when I got home. Even to the day we were cursed, she was still timid around them. Whenever she goes to bite one she remembers what happened as a foal and backs away.”

Feather giggled and shakes her head, “Poor thing.”

My mom starts gently playing with my mane a bit while holding me. She is just running her fingers through my mane. “To me you’re still my little Wally, hard to think you’re old enough to have a daughter.”

“Mom, I’m twenty-five.”

“And that’s still young.” Mom says, hugging me.

“Cindy I’m home, ugh, why does it smell like a barn in here?”

Blinking, I look back at the human that just walked in. Mid 40’s he’s a tall guy, and somewhat overweight. He’s wearing coveralls and a company jacket.

“This is Ron. We’ve been dating for several months now. He works for a small company that produces and installs and maintains small scale hydroelectric generators for homes and cottages.”

Blinking, Ron looked at me and sneers. “Why is that on the couch?”

“That... is my daughter, Ron. It’s a long story but this was Wally. My son.”

He puts a large package of smoked meat and roast beef on the table in front of me, and looks at my mom. “When you said your son, I assumed you meant a human… and male.”

“I didn’t know, I just found out.” Mom says, looking at him sternly.

The smell of the meat is making my stomach protest even more. It had already been upset with all the stress, and now I am starting to feel like I am going to…

“Please tell me you didn’t sleep with a horse.” He says.

“No! That’s just rude!” She says.

“We’ve been dating for 3 months.”

“And I just found out now.” She growls.

Nope, lunch is not going to stay down…

“Were you sure before you let these animals in the house?”

“They’re not animals… They are family.”

“As long as they don’t make a mess.” He says firmly.

I get up and race for the bathroom, skidding to a stop, I throw up into the toilet.

*** Tanya ***

Sitting in a car is a little hard, she finds herself having to crouch down more than she likes because of her horn. They doctor is driving her into work, she knows she’d be able to drive again when she gets used to her powers, but for now she is pretty much an invalid.

As she pulls up to the Russell-Knox Building, Tanya finds out the first real thing she hates about the Doctor. Somehow, some way, the Doctor gets a parking space in the 3rd row in front of the building. It is less than 50 feet from the front door.

Walking inside the first day after the change has completed has a strange feeling to it. All eyes are on her, and it makes her a touch embarrassed. Walking into HR, the doctor smiles and puts her badge and ID pack down on the desk.

The HR rep smiles, “Ok Tanya, back up to the um, 3rd line, we’ll try, for the picture.”

Taking her spot Tanya stands, her head high. She isn’t sure how, but her mane seems just to fall into the styling it had in the show. The curls seem natural, she guesses. As the flash goes off she flinches, her eyes still sensitive to bright lights.

“Relax, calm down, and let’s try that again.”

Another three pictures, and they select the best for her ID pack, it is also going to be sent off for Tanya’s driver’s license. “Ok, turn sideways I need to get your butt.”

“Can you just call it what it is, flank or cutie mark.” Tanya says with a giggle and turns sideways.

“Pony name, and have you got a preferred nickname or short form you want to go by yet, Tanya? Some ponies choose short types if their name is too long or strange. AJ for Applejack, Ah-Pee for Apple Pie, or Ginger Gold over in OSI, she opted to go with Goldie. She didn’t like Ginger as a first name, something to do with a three hour tour.”

“Fleur Dis Lee, and shorted to Lis will work, I know it’s not the way its pronounced in French but unless I’m in New Orleans, no one’s gonna know the difference.”

“Lis works. Figured out your TK yet?”

“Sort of.”

The HR Rep holds out the badge and ID pack in a waterproof neck pouch. It lets ponies walk around with their badges like undercover officers.

Lighting her horn she picks up the badge and puts it on, it takes her several tries to close the clasp. She knows she needs practice, but she really does lack any fine motor control right now.

“You going to be going to Fort Bragg for training?”

“Is it covered?” Tanya asks, blinking.

“Oh yeah, we fly you up there, you get two weeks training with a specialist, learn a lot about magic.” The HR Rep said. “Army airfare, base hotel, food, travel expenses are all covered.

“There’s a specialist? Really?”

“Well she’s the closest thing we’ve got. She’s apparently okay with magic. She may not be the most powerful unicorn on Earth, but she’s trained more than a few unicorns. Her names corporal Twilight Velvet, she’s with the 75th Rangers.”

Goldie runs into HR, panting. Tough, strong with that whole farm girl look to her, she’s still as cute as any Apple family member. “Good! You’re here!” She says and holds a hoof up to the doctor and HR rep.

Taking a step back Tanya blinked. “What’s up Goldie?”

“Quick first name that pops to mind.” Goldie says, holding up a picture.

“I don’t know, Jetstream?” Tanya says, blinking, feeling confused.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it.” She says, turning, “Get a car there now. Send an ambulance too.”

“What’s going on?” Tanya says.

“Civilian, was in the reserves but washed out. It was her birthday yesterday. Some of her friends online couldn’t reach her last night. They sent a request for someone to look in on her. Apparently I said Jetstream too when I saw her picture. That’s usually a sign that they are changing and subconsciously we recognize or knew them as ponies.”

“She might not have taken it well?”

“Do any of us?” Goldie says, turning and running for the parking lot.

Turning Tanya breaks into a full gallop to follow. This is a very bad idea however for the new mare. She doesn’t know her size yet and doesn’t have a lot of practice running. By pure bad luck her horn catches the top of the door-frame, snapping her head back and sending waves of pain through her head. The impact causes her to trip and hit the ground hard. The last thing she sees before passing out is the carpet, noting that it really needs a good cleaning.

*** Velvet ***

Mom sits hugging me tightly. I really am not sure if it is nerves or I’ve got a bug. Or the smell of the meat Ron had. Something has me feeling like I swallowed a jar of butterflies.

“I hope you are not planning on letting them stay there. The house smells as it is.” Ron calls out.

“It’s my daughter and her family, Ron. They can stay here as long as they want.”

“Well, should I throw another stake on the barbeque for them then?” Ron calls out.

My stomach does a somersault and I throw up again. Coughing a few times I looked up at my mom. “I can’t eat meat.”

“You know what you need, some Apple Carrot Ginger soup. Help settle that tummy of yours down.” Mom says, getting up.

Moving back into the living room I see Feather, Cotton, and Cloudy pressed as tightly as they can be into a corner. Their eyes wide in fear as Ron chuckled, using a meat cleaver on a leg of lamb on the back porch. The lamb itself isn’t much bigger than the foals. Feather, though, is taking it the hardest with tears in her eyes.

“Ron, do you need to do that now?” Cindy says, walking towards the kitchen.

“Yes I do, we are doing that barbequed lamb and the meat was defrosted. If I don’t do it, its 30 bucks down the drain.”

Quickly I run over and lay down with my side to the foals, to block their view. I don’t know what’s gotten them so worked up, but I’m not going to let them be scared. Blaze follows from the bathroom after cleaning it up for me and sits on the other side.

“Hush now, you’ve seen Ah-Pee cook meat.” I say softly.

“She doesn’t like us around when she’s… preparing… the meat…” Candy says, “Especially Feather.”

“He… called us Lamb Chops, than mumbled about horse meat.” Cloudy says, whimpering.

“He thought we couldn’t hear him.” Candy said twitching his ear. “I could hear.”

“We all could.” Cloudy says and stays tight against her brother and Feather.

I sit up and narrow my eyes at the living room door. He had left the door wide open, just the screen closed. The smell of the meat on the grill is being blown into the house. The sounds of each swing of the cleaver fills the room.

“Excuse me. Some of us have been through rather traumatic experiences.” I say firmly.

“Yeah, and? Everyone has a sob story, oh treat me special. I had a vet just the other day saying he should the instillation of a generator free because he was a vet. He’d do it himself but he hurt himself so all the work should be for free for him.” Ron shakes his head. “Right, so I should do fifteen hours of work for free, right?”

“That’s no reason to be disrespectful.” I say, shaking my head.

“I have every right to my opinions. Every person I run into has a sob story as to why they shouldn’t have to pay to have stuff delivered. Why they should have a discount or have work done for free. Guess what, it’s the world we live in. If I don’t want to be sympathetic to a bunch of furries, that’s my choice. I’m not going to stop eating meat just because they find it offensive. Just like I’m not going to stop drinking beer because someone says alcohol is unholy. I’m not PC, deal with it.”

Grumbling I gnash my teeth a before all goes… light? Blinking I look at the feathers of Blazes wing that he’s draped over my head, my horn lighting his feathers nicely.

“Temper, dear.”

Taking a deep breath I let my horn go out. “Sorry.”

Looking up as mom comes out, I smile. She carefully sets cloths down on the floor with large soup bowls. Apple Ginger Carrot soup, I’d never heard of it before but it smells wonderful. It also seems to help calm my stomach a bit.

Putting bowls down for everyone, mom sits on the floor and eats as well. “So do you still go by Wally?”

“Um, I don’t… like it… mostly cuz it’s a guy’s name and I stopped considering myself a guy. It was getting too confusing.” Looking at my cutie mark I nod, “I’m Twilight Velvet, I was her and I’m her again, for the most part. I still remember being Wally though, things like, growing up with you.”

“Wally is the name though, on the ID, as an alias. It’s a way the government keeps us straight for history and tax reasons.” Blaze adds. “I don’t use Yiska either. Not because I’m not him, just I like the name Blaze.”

“Do most ponies just go with pony names?”

“I think so mom, most that I’ve met when they find out their ponies names stay with them. It feels more natural especially in gender or age hops.”

“So how are you taking to being a mom?”

Feather hiccups once. I giggle and use a cloth to wipe her face for her. “There you go little one.”

“Never mind, question answered.” My mom says with a smile.

Blinking I look at the cloth and then Feather who’s doing her best to look innocent. “Ok yeah, I’m well trained.”

Mom gives me a scratch behind the ears. “How’s your tummy?”

“It’s much better now mom. Thanks.”

“Having any other symptoms?”

“Just my…” I blink and get quiet, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Your?”

“I… can’t say.”

“Come on, let’s go to the bathroom and talk there.” Mom says.

Standing up I follow her, head low, I can’t say no to mom but this is excruciatingly embarrassing.

Sitting down on the toilet, mom closes the door behind me. “I’m your mom. You can tell me anything. Even girl stuff, problems with your period?”

“I… we don’t actually have those. It’s a different cycle for us so, no it isn’t that.”

“Just my, udder I guess, has been getting sore. My uniforms been rubbing against it and bothering it a bit.”

“Had the problem before?”

“No, well yes but no. Not since the change.”

“Have you talked to a doctor about it yet?”

“No, that’s embarrassing.”

Mom shakes her head, “No hun, it’s not, you should talk about it with your doctor. Or your OBGYN”

“My what?”

“Go to your base hospital tell them you need an OBGYN, it’s a doctor who specializes in your reproductive parts. Making sure they are healthy.”

“My…” I blink looking down at my belly then at my mom.

“Wow, you really do blush big. Your ears go really red. It’s adorable.”

“Moooom.”

“Normally I’d have brought you to your first OBG as a young teen.”

“Oh.” I look down, I don’t know why but all of a sudden I wish I had grown up as mom’s daughter.

“So before the change you felt like this?” Mom asks softly, stroking my ears.

“Last time I felt like this was when I was… pregnant with Shining…” Blinking I look at my belly then at the door towards Blaze.

“See your doctor. Definitely. Tell him this.” Mom says and hugs me tightly.

“But I can’t be.”

“You may not be, but always good to check. You might be a mommy again.”

“Pregnant?”

***

“Paramedics.” The EMT’s knock on the door to the apartment.

Goldie perks her ears, listening, and then knocks. “OSI, Federal Officers. Answer the door or we are coming in.”

Both the paramedics blink and looked down at the pony. “You don’t have a warrant.”

“This is a medical emergency, don’t need one.” Goldie says.

Her partner shakes his head, “Universal key?”

“Apple Family style.” Turning, Goldie raised her hind legs and kicks. She knows where to buck. One hoof hits the deadbolt and the second hits the handle. The force of the kick shatters the handle and door frame. It is just like taking a sledge hammer to the door.

Her partner walks in and begins room clearing. It is a small apartment, and only takes a moment for him to call out for help.

The EMT’s ran in, the girl is lying in the bed, in bad shape. “Let’s get her on a respirator and get her to the hospital.”

Goldie sighs, “Come on Jetstream, you’re an endurance flyer. Fight though this.”

The girl doesn’t look well at all.

***

The lights come on, and the cameras start recording.

The griffin cub looks around in terror. She doesn’t understand any of what was going on, least of all why she is suddenly a griffin.

“And for this specimen, we are starting the bidding at 250,000 Euro’s. There may be lots of ponies, but griffins are still very rare. This chick comes from Griffinstone. More resilient than ponies, and able to take more punishment, she will be useful for any of your needs or experiments.”

“250, do I have 300, good, 350, 400...”

One of the assistants hits the griffin with the shock prod causing her to flare her wings, crying out in pain. It always helps for them to see what they are buying.