The former ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia, had been drifting away from her usual self throughout the years. She managed to get confused as to where she was, or the ponies she was around, and it effected her memory really bad. It all started just a few weeks after Nathan and Apple Bloom's wedding, Zodiac (who was now a full grown Pegasus and the sergeant of the guards.), was at the Retirement Community Center of Equestria where his mother and aunt, who had physically aged, now resided. He had come in here to have lunch with them, as always, after a long half shift of patrolling the castle and keeping watch on Princess Twilight and was looking forward to spending an hour with the only family he had, but this evening would be one that would change his life forever.
Zodi managed to take off his helmet and walked into the center room that led through a maze of corridors where there were dozens of rooms that housed old and retired ponies of all three races. Once he was at the main desk, he held his helmet and managed to get a hold of the reception pony who sat in the center.
"Excuse me?" he asked with a very mature stallion voice.
"Yes?" asked back the reception pony.
"I'm here to see Celestia, my mother."
"Oh yes, we have moved her to room...." the reception pony levitated a book that contained information about all the senior ponies and rooms they resided in, for two seconds she flipped through the alphabetized pages until she came across the letter C. She then searched through until Celestia came into full view, then drew her attention back to Zodi.
"Your mother is in room E12, E corridor, fifth room on the right." she said.
"Thank you madam." said Zodi as he hoofed towards corridor E. As he walked through the hallways, the smells of senior ponies getting changed in diapers, bathrooms, food, and people talking embraced his emotional self. He really just wanted to break down and scream because his only parent was now in here and all he had for another was his aunt, and he could not bare to watch his mother slowly drift away from him.
As he found the room the nurse told him where he would find her, he walked inside and put his helmet on a table that rested a tray which had empty plates from a previous dinner that Celestia had eaten. Plus on this tray also lay two empty red cups that had droplets of juice and water that she had drunk, and they were ready to be taken by the custodian back to the kitchen for cleaning. Once Zodi had put his helmet on the table, he then walked over to his mother who was lying down in her bed, covered up.
Due to many years passing, she and Luna had the appearances of typical senior adults. Their manes did not flow smoothly liked they used to, their wings had dried and preened badly to where they could not fly well anymore, and their skin was wrinkled and covered in liver spots. Luna was doing fine and functioned well, but just like Zodi, she too could sense something was not right about Celestia.
She saw her nephew walk up to the bed and greeted him with a typical warm smile, thrilled to see he made it safely.
"Good for you to come Zodi, it has been rather challenging here these days." she said with a voice of a woman who would be in their 80's or 90's.
"Why's that?" he asked.
"Your mother has been flocking through with remembering things."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, for one thing, before you got here, she called me Lily instead of Luna."
"What for?"
"I'm not sure, she also treated me rather filly like by saying I could not have a Hay Bar."
"A Hay Bar?" asked Zodi, "They stopped making those moons ago."
"I know Zodi, I'm just thinking something bad is going on with her."
As Zodi and his aunt looked at Celestia's senior adult like body, they saw her waking up from a small nap. From Celestia's view, she saw her grown up son wearing guard armor and smiled, Zodi showed a loving smile as well.
"....Is that.....you?" she asked, Zodi kept his smile on him and walked up to her bedside, he then put his hoof on her left hoof and held it.
"Yes mom, it's me." he answered.
"I'm proud of you, Ice Breaker."
Zodi quickly changed expression, "Ice Breaker, no mom it's me, your son."
"I don't remember having a son."
"What?!"
"Who's your mother?" asked Celestia.
"You are my mother, you found me as a colt in a basket. You adopted me and named me Zodiac, you've always called me Zodi."
"Oh uh when did I do that?"
"Years ago." answered Zodiac.
"Now you be nice, young colt." she said wagging her hoof.
"Mom, I'm too old for that."
"Now, now, no need to be rude."
"Why are you treating me like this, a former ruler does not act like a curious cat." said Zodiac
"What was I ruler for, I don't remember measuring anything."
Zodiac was really on now, "Not that kind of ruler, you were ruling a country, you are the former ruler of Equestria!"
"Equestria, is that where I'll find the Hay Bars?"
"Mom, they stopped making those years ago, why are you acting like this?"
"I'm fine Ice Breaker." she said.
"No Mom, my name is Zodiac, I'm your son."
Celestia quickly recognized the name, "Oh I'm sorry Zodi, my minds been back and forth lately."
Zodiac quickly gave her a hug, "I know, Aunt Luna told me everything while you were asleep, I'm just glad you finally know now who I am."
"It's okay Zodi, you know I'm still proud of you for all you're doing." she said with a smile.
"Thanks Mom." he said as he kissed her on the cheek, he then looked at a clock that was mounted on the wall. The time signaling that he needed to get back to work, so he turned back to his mother, "Look, I've gotta get back to my duties, so just go back to sleep okay?"
"Gotcha." said Celestia as she drifted off for another doozy, Zodi then walked over to his aunt and gave her a hug as well.
"Bye Aunt Luna."
"Bye, Zodi, you have a good day."
Zodi then picked up his helmet from the table and walked out the door. Once he was out of sight, Luna then turned to her sister who was fast asleep again and frowned.
"What is going on with your mind?" she thought.
Meanwhile as Zodiac was out in the hallway, he put his helmet back on and walked towards the direction that the exit was. As he walked through the corridors, his armor clattering through the halls, he quietly pondered to himself over what he had just experienced.
"It just does not add up." he said, letting some caretakers escorting an old stallion in a wheelchair get through, "Why did she act like she didn't remember anything?"
Once he found the exit and walked out into the streets of Canterlot, these questions floated through his head.
"Maybe when I get back to the castle, I'll see if Princess Twilight can help, or maybe Captain Cadenza." he said as he flapped his wings and flew towards the entrance of the castle.