I haven't been living in New York City for a long time now. Had someone warned me that I would be near the epicenter of literally one of the biggest and most important events in the history of man, besides not believing them, I probably would have avoided this place like the plague.
I wish someone had warned me, but no one had any warning. Except the zealots but I don't really count that because this wasn't the first 'World's End' prediction, besides the world wasn't over. Although the human race was.
The first thing I did when I woke up was curl up tighter and fall back asleep. I did that a few more times, until the warmth became unbearable. In an exaggerated motion I threw off my covers and then proceeded to gape, idiotically, at my own body.
I'm more than 100% positive that I wasn't the only gaper. What I was looking at wasn't my body. Well, actually it was, but when you put hooves on my feet and cover me in a thin body wide fur I tend to think of my new body as not my body. I also tend to faint.
When I came to nothing had changed. Still had hooves on my feet and still covered in fur. Fur. Fur. Oh my god I'm gonna get lynched.
"No. No. No. No. No." I stumbled out of bed. My hooves thudding across my carpeted floor. I careened through my kitchen in crashed through my bathroom door.
The mirror mocked me. Large intelligent eyes looked back at me, but they weren't on my face, the slight, tapering muzzle wasn't mine, nor were the ears perched on the top of his head. Even the hair was different. I wanted to scream at the intruder. Chase him from my home, but when I opened my mouth so did he. And when I moaned and grabbed my head in my hands so did he. He stood on two feet, I looked down, so did I, and he was distressed, so was I. He was me. I am him. Darkness.
I came to, lying on my bathroom floor. I stumbled through my living room and peered out my window. The streets were mostly empty. Cars came and went but silent otherwise.
I turned to my TV. The remote I had somehow obtained was in my shaking hands. I fondled the little red button and then pressed it.
The being on the screen looked like the being I saw in the mirror. Looked like me.
"-esident has declared a National Emergency and has asked that everyone remain in your homes. Any available police officers, volunteers, EMT's, and doctors are asked to report to your local departments to aid in assisting others with adaptation.
Evidence shows that the change is world wide and covers 100% of all human population.
The change is not harmful.
The army, reserves, and national guard are being deployed to prevent internal disarray and to help with adaptation efforts.
Please refrain from calling 911 unless a true emergency arises.
Please refrain from going to the hospital unless your health is truly at risk.
This is a national advisory broadcasting on all channels."
I turned my TV off.
One month later
Life had not returned to normal, but it had not stopped going on. The initial shock was wearing off. Thousands of suicides, long done and over with. Religious fractions barricading themselves from society searching for the same thing thousands of doctors and scientists were looking for; a cure. There isn't one, because as all science points out, it isn't a disease.
Apparently after 'The Great Sleep' our base DNA reconfigured itself for no apparent reason. At least the reason won't be apparent for now.
Scientists have redubbed us Homoeqqus Sapeins because it was discovered that we picked up a few chromosomes from horses, which explains the hooves, fur and tapered muzzle. Meanwhile the others, like the varying colors of fur, wings and horns, popped out of thin air.
I later discovered I had a set of wings tucked under my night shirt. I guess it is possible to have wings and horns. Well either a set of wings, a horn or neither but never both wings and horns. Then a few synapses fired in the minds of a some people belonging to a rather larger community and suddenly the whole human race became known as 'Bronies' overnight.
I walked down my street. Adaption assistance programs sprung up world wide. On the street corner was a man in an orange jacket, behind him were 'hoof shoes'. Our new feet didn't fit our old shoes so you bring your old shoes and socks to him and they get recycled and you get a pair of hoof shoes.
Then there was the dietitian out in front of the grocery stores. Our entire diet structure had changed. I suddenly found meat revolting tasting and grass and hay to be quite enjoyable. Other's were still confused but in reality nothing much really changed.
Society had not broken down and besides a few people jumping the gun and offing themselves there were no mass murders or deaths. No riots or looting. Cities remained peaceful. Scientists speculated that during 'The Great Sleep' a wall of inhibitions was placed around everyone to keep society intact.
Short of some panicking everyone responded to the change with fast acceptance. The police and military got their wits back quickly and ensured peace was kept.
All in all, perhaps it was better this way.