Mom was becoming more and more worried with each passing day; I couldn’t really blame her it was only a matter of time at the rate the populace was changing. She was scared that what happened to me would happen to my younger brother and sister, Mom had made it a point to keep them away from me due to my current circumstances, and I could understand why.

Dad was just as stressed, apparently some of co-workers had just upped and vanished leaving his shift badly understaffed. Some of the people he worked with were either ponies like myself now or just vanished altogether.

My little Sunshine was recovering nicely according to Samuel we’ll be here a few more days before we can both go home. Shane is doing just fine; yeah sure we’ve had one or two arguments but that’s nothing new for us. We’re trying our hardest to make this work between us; he loves Sunshine just as much as I do.

Lately though things have been getting worse, more and more people are changing and the people who are still…human are becoming more and more aggressive towards us. Shane and I took Sunshine out around the town for the day; the doctors said it was okay so we thought it was a good idea to get out of the hospital for a bit.

Considering the latest reports on the news there’s enough of us so we can go out in public and not cause a panic. The day out was a disaster, the people who are still human just stared at us like we didn’t belong.

Sunshine didn’t understand, but Shane and I knew those looks. Thankfully they kept to themselves. Honestly I hated those looks, we’re just as human as they are but I guess they just don’t say it that way.

“So it’s true then…” A voice amongst the crowd questioned, “There’s more and more of…them every day.”

“They’ve got some nerve showing their faces here.” Another said.

“Aren’t they ones from the hospital?” One person asked.

We continued on and eventually found a café that would serve us, thankfully the owner was far more open minded towards us. It was quiet thankfully, at least until it got more crowded.

“Anyone know why Evelynn has been so stressed lately?” One woman of the group asked, “I mean she hasn’t exactly been speaking to us recently, has she?” The eldest and largest woman of the group pondered for a moment.

“Well there a rumours that her son is one of those…things now.” She gossiped, “Who knows what my brother Trevor would think if he found out. Mark never was very close with his father’s side of the family.”

Shane looked at me with a concerned look knowing what my relationship with that side of my family was like, and Sunshine was always quick to pick up on my mood.

“Mommy are you okay?” Sunshine asked. I gave her a wry smile.

“Mommy’s okay, I was just lost in thought for a moment.” I reassured her, “Just old memories that’s all.” My words seemed to comfort her a bit; Shane however was a different matter.

“I mean what was that stupid boy thinking…” The eldest continued her tirade, “His father would be so disappointed in him. Heaven forbid if that boy has kids of his own.” I glared at the woman in the corner of my eye and frowned, it wasn’t worth the effort or the trouble dealing with the ignorance of my former aunt.
There was a damn reason I cut ties with Trevor’s side of my family, and my aunt was prime example of why.

“Marcia, calm down please.” Shane pleaded, “Just ignore them.”

“I mean just look at those freaks over there.” My aunt said point towards us, “How did they allow freaks like that here in the first place, I thought no animals were allowed in here?” She sneered.

“Shane let’s just leave,” I whispered, “I don’t want Sunshine to be around people from that side of my family.” Shane nodded.

“C’mon Sunshine let’s get going.” Sunshine nodded and followed Shane and I towards the entrance of the café.

“What’s the matter freaks, you finally realise you’re not welcome here?” My aunt called out at us. We just ignored her and left.

All that was just the other day, I don’t know how my friends will react to me or Shane. The way the things are going it’ll just be a matter of time now.

“How is she?” I asked Shane.

“She’s asleep.” Shane answered, “She’s still trying to understand what happened the other day.”

“Sometimes I’d just wish that hateful bitch would just burn.” I muttered, “I’m glad I distanced myself from such a horrid group of people.”

“I heard the news, but I didn’t think it would get that bad.” Shane stated, “I dread to think what school is going to be like for Claire.” I gave Shane a worried look.

“We’ll get through this somehow…” I hesitated, “We always do one way or another.”

“We’ll be okay.” Shane embraced and wrapped his wings around me, “Besides our daughter is too much like her mother to let stuff like that get to her.” I gave a wry smile, as he nuzzled me.

“Yeah and she’s just as stubborn as her father when she wants to be.” I replied, Shane just chuckled, “But then again it is one of the things I love about you.”

Celestia gazed out of the window of her sister’s apartment lost in thought; Luna had brought her up to date and had showed her things, horrible and terrible things.

It had made Celestia realise that this world is far from kind, but that didn’t surprise her. It sickened her that other humans were so intolerant of the people who had turned into ponies.

“This world is far beyond saving.” Celestia muttered to herself.

“Well humankind doesn’t like to change, but what do you expect from such a primitive world?” Cillen asked taking a seat behind her, “It’ll get better in time.”

“Do you really believe that?” Celestia asked him.

“Give it a couple of hundred years.” Cillen answered with a shrug, “You’d be amazed what interstellar travel can do for a civilization.”

“You can travel through the stars?” She queried.

“Yes, our technology does get to that point.” Cillen answered back with a smile, “Even gets to the point where human kind and machine become one with each other. We may not be the peaceful of races, but when we make the effort we can surprise you.”

“How?” Celestia wondered, “Who would such a thing be possible?”

Cillen just removed his shirt and gloves, revealing various scars across his body and a black mechanical arm in place of where his left arm should be.

“…” Cillen looked away and frowned, “Does this answer your question?” Celestia took a moment to examine his arm, for a moment she could feel a brief spark of familiar magic resonate from it.

“So this why Rainbow Dash was in agony around you…” She stated flatly, “Where ever this came from it’s what remains of the Element of Loyalty, I can recognise that magic anywhere no matter how faint or twisted it is.” She looked a Cillen straight in the eyes, “Where did you get this?”

“I don’t remember…” He answered flatly, “All I can tell you is that it’s not human in origin regardless of how it looks, it was a spear when I came across it.” Celestia sighed,

“Your arm alone tells me a lot about you…” Celestia continued, “You were once like me, but the sacrifice was too much and it consumed you didn’t it. Your outburst when we first met told me that much.” Cillen remained silent, “And here you are now, barely able to remember who you used to be.”

“…” Cillen said nothing.

“I may not like it or you for that matter.” Celestia continued, “But I understand you better than anyone here. Luna showed me the locket; I assume the other person in the picture was your wife, am I right?”

“I guess she was, I must have lost the ring when I lost my arm.” Cillen answered, “Its scary how Luna and the woman in the picture look alike.”

“So you and Luna are husband and wife then?” Celestia frowned; Cillen just stared giving her a confused expression. “No I didn’t see a ring or a band, it still doesn’t explain her current form though, or why she blushes when she’s near you.”

“I’m sorry what?” Cillen questioned, “As far as I can tell she thought the people in the picture were her parents.”

“We really don’t appreciate being talked about behind our back sister.” Luna scolded, shooting Celestia a disapproving look. “Besides I don’t think it is any of your business if he bedded us or not.”

“Oh for fucks sake, I am not answering that.” Cillen cursed under his breath, “When I restored her memories everything came back, even her time with me when I was still alive.”

“So why didn’t you restore your own?” Celestia queried noticing he was trying the subject.

“The memories weren’t there.” He explained, “If you kill one of those monsters that used to be someone you knew personally like close friends and family then any memory of them is erased along with them. You know they existed but nothing else about them, and you forget everything about yourself when you become a Sentiment anyway.” Cillen paused, “Luna wasn’t exactly happy when I explained that to her.”

“Were we really that forgettable Cillen?” Luna teased, “Was our time together really that bad?” Cillen just gave her a deadpan look

“Luna!” Celestia scolded.

“Well as the phrase goes…Fuck it, I'm out!” Cillen said putting his shirt and gloves back on, then making his way to exit the room. “If you want me I’ll be in the bedroom sleeping.” Cillen left leaving the two sisters alone.

“…” Both looked at each other, “So I take it you were joking then?” Celestia asked, but Luna made her way out of the room.

“Well he does have very good stamina for a human, Sentiment or not.” Luna smirked. “Oh and by the way the guest bedroom is all set up for you.” Luna laughed and left Celestia shocked with her mouth agape.

Author's Note

And thats the next chapter done. Enjoy.

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