Chapter 6
Rebirth: Winter
As Summer waited for Charlie to arrive at her house, the former weather reporter decided to confide in Jennifer, her older sister. Perhaps she, like the other siblings, would be able to help. Summer dialed Jennifer’s number before her fingers felt like they were numb. She hoped her new voice would not startle her sister as the phone rang.
Jennifer, unlike what Summer expected, was not at all startled by the call. In fact, she was almost to the point of getting impatient waiting for it. She didn’t know why she had the feeling that something was wrong, but she did. Itching to figure out what this weird feeling was, and somehow knowing her sister would have an answer, she had the phone picked up and to her ear before the first ring had even ended.
“Little sis? Is something wrong? She asked. A finger tapped impatiently on her thigh, an annoyed glance at the door.
Summer sighed, “Jennifer, I am so sorry I hung up on you. My friend, John, from work, showed up. He’s becoming a pony as well. He’s really tired, so he is in the guest room, taking a much deserved rest. What do I do?”
“You are kidding me, right?” Jennifer asked. She began to pace. “What is it with this? I am just so confused!” She let out a little huff of aggravation, and then, was once again tapping her fingers. “Take care of him for now, I guess. There is not much else to do.”
Summer nodded, “Okay, can you come over when you have some free time? I think my back is starting to itch, my back hooves are making it very uncomfortable to walk, and I have light grey fur all over my legs.“ Summer began to feel an itch in her back; this was due to the beginning of her wings starting to sprout.
“You aren’t the only one…”, Jennifer muttered. She absently scratched an itch on her own back. “Well...let’s see...I am free right now...I will be right over.” Jennifer snatched the keys to her car and practically sprinted out of her house, almost forgetting to lock it in her haste. She hopped in her car, and starting it up, sped away to her sister’s home. “On my way, sis.”
Summer looked out the window, waiting for signs of her sister’s arrival. If anyone, or anypony would be able to help John/Aqua Splash, it would be her sister. She also contemplated calling Charlie, the youngest of her siblings, and the eldest sibling, Aaron, and find out how far they were progressing with their changes.
Summer played with her necklace around her neck, seeing it looked better on her new body than on her old one. The necklace was a part of the Seasonal Celebration Collection. The necklaces were a gift for each of her siblings, each adorned with the Cutie Mark of her sisters.
Jennifer parked her car in front of Summer’s home, and then dashed inside. Unable to help it, the first comment that slipped out of her mouth when she saw her sister was unintentionally hurtful. “Still wearing that Devil object, I see…” Realizing what she just said, she slapped a hand over her mouth. “S-sorry...too much going on...and when do you think all this stuff started happening?”, she said. Sighing, she walked over to the table and sat down. “So what do we do now?”
Summer rubbed her head with her right hand. “Well, I think it was the birthday party or the fact we each earned a Cutie Mark, as Charlie called them. I lost my job around two days ago, and I ended up becoming your sister. You can call me Summer now. At least that’s the name of the pony I am becoming. And the itchy back, I think we are Pegasi.”
Summer headed over to give her sister a hug and show the changes to her body. “It is so hard to walk on these hooves, sis. Besides the Cutie Mark, my eyes are now turquoise, and I have a blue green mane and tail. My ears are on the top of my head, and I have hooves. I have also become your younger sister. You are okay about that, right?”
“As strange as it is...I guess. I mean, it’s not like we can do much about it. Why not just embrace it?”, Jenn said, and hugged Summer back. “You know, it is the strangest thing, I began to draw these...winter scenes...in a place that I don’t know, but at the same time, seems so familiar. It started with these transformations. Is it at all possible that we aren’t just transforming and changing, but completely taking over the lives of the ponies we are changing into? Like, we are them, not just look alikes? Their lives are now ours to deal with?” Jenn scowled and stared off into space. “I swear...when I find out who did this…” She mocked strangling something, with very disconcerting ferocity and seriousness.
Summer accepted the hug from her sister and smiled, “Yeah, I mean, who is going to hire a Pegasus to help keep track of severe weather? We used to do that back in Equestria, right?”
“We did? I don’t even know that well. The memories haven’t come yet, I guess. You are farther in your transformation than just about all of us, so it reasonable to say that you are going to be the first to get your memories from Summer.”, Jenn said. She spaced out for a second, deep in thought. “Perhaps...perhaps we could use the memories to find out who did this, and see if we can reverse it.” A pause and a sigh of cluelessness. “That is, if we even want to change back when these damn changes finish.”
Summer smiled and looked at her phone. “I just received a text from Charlie. She’s becoming a pony named Spring Breeze. She’s our youngest sister. She could use our help. And, Aqua Splash, the former supervisor of the Cloud Factory in Cloudsdale, where we were formerly employed prior to Discord’s attack, showed up and is sleeping in the guest room. She’s somewhat depressed and also started to drink and I don’t know how to reach out to her.”
“Started to drink? Yeah, good luck helping her.” Jenn huffed. “I just don’t understand. Why us? I mean, it’s affecting all of us, and if not all of us, most of us, negatively. Cha...Aqua Splash, there is a perfect example. Out of all the people for this to happen to, why we were chosen for this merciless bad luck?”
Summer shrugged, “I really don’t know. I think these Cutie Marks and those necklaces are a clue of some sort. The centerpieces match our Cutie Marks, and I think we were once these Pegasi sisters. It would make sense, right? I have wings, pony ears, and my tail matches my mane color.”
“Once, you say? I have a hard time believing that. Wouldn't we have memories of at least being turned into humans, if not earlier back? Besides, these necklaces,” Jenn lifted up her own, and shook it in Summer’s face, though not in a rude manner. “They might mean nothing. What if it is just coincidence, which I highly doubt, or what if it is a ruse to lead us in the wrong direction? All I am saying is that...well...I am not saying that much. I am just ranting.” Jenn sighed and sat down. “I hope when this is all over, we like what happens, for better or worse.”
Summer heads over and gives her sister a hug. “Have you heard about this spell Discord cast on the ponies called the Five Score, Divided by Four? The first victims were the Princesses and the six local heroes who bear the Elements of Harmony. The other ponies who got in the way, such as the younger foals and us came later. I guess we were that much of a threat to Discord.”
Jenn looked up at Summer, and cocked her head in confusion. “Whe...where in the world did you learn that? Spell? Who is Discord? This is just...gah!” Jenn clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to calm herself, to put herself in a clear frame of mind.
“So let’s assume that is what happened. Let’s assume we had a cur...spell cast upon us to turn us into humans. You say princesses and, what was that, Elements of Harmony? If we were all affected by this spell, where are those others? I am still confused how you came to that conclusion in the first place.” Jenn scowled. “Don’t bother answering right now. We are getting nowhere. We need to get outside, do something. Anything to take my mind off of-” Jenn threw her hands in the air dramatically as she got up. “Everything.”
Summer smiled, “I agree. I am going to ask Charlie/Spring to come with us. We can go get something to eat, and have a girls day out. But first, I need to get some clothes. I’m not going out looking like I just got out of bed.” She went to pick up some clothes Charlie/Spring brought over. Having a younger sister who works in a clothing store was one of the perks to this whole family bonding.
After looking more presentable in a pair of blue jeans, a nice long sleeved light blue-green shirt, Summer went over to hug Jennifer. “Well, I’m ready to go. I have hooves instead of feet, so I guess I don’t need shoes, unless you want me to find some custom shoes that fit over my hooves. And, I have pony ears and a tail, as well as wings. I look like a cosplayer.” She said, gesturing to her ears, tail, and wings. “Charlie has her wings, mane, tail, and ears, and you do as well. There are four of us; Autumn, Winter, Summer, and Spring. I think that’s what we used to be called back in the land of ponies.”
“The tail, and the mane shouldn't be hard. Nor should the wings. Would you happen to have any hats to hide the ears? You may embrace this stuff, but for now, I am not the biggest fan of it.” Jenn asked. She began to tap her finger on her hip again, a very obvious nervous habit.
Summer nodded and looked around her room for some sort of hat or cap to cover her ears to avoid scrutiny. After finding a light blue green cap, she placed it over her ears and then presented herself to her sister. “Just to let you know that I will be here for you when we end up back as Pegasi. We will have to relearn to fly again. That will be just a few of the challenges we will face. Another will be eating right. I guess since ponies are herbivores, we can safely say we cannot eat meat.”
“Well, I am not a big meat eater anyway, so that’s taken care of.”Jenn said. She shrugged, and walked toward the door. “Let’s go. I am getting claustrophobic.” God...I really hope that I am at least somewhere private when I complete this transformation. Jenn got shivers as thoughts of the stares when, right in the middle of public, she was just suddenly a pony.
Summer nods, and heads out with her sister for lunch, her wings and tail twitching as she locks up. “I found a hat to match my mane color. I hope this is fine to go out in, unless we have to remove our hats when we go to the restaurant. Maybe we can have a girl’s day out; just between sisters.”
Jenn smiled at the idea. It was a good change from the panic and stress from all that had been going on. She reached down and held her sister’s hoof. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Summer gave her sister a hug as her front hands began to slowly change into grey front hooves. “Uhm, Jennifer, I am not sure if I am going to be able to hold silverware with my new hooves. But, I am glad you are open to having lunch with me. Perhaps we should ask Charlie and Aaron to come with us. I’m sure they are going through the same thing.”
Jenn looked worriedly at the hand/hoof hybrids around her. “Tell me about it.” She looked at her own hands, lip trembling. I never once had the thought of what it would be like to suddenly not be human. It’s so strange, and so terrifying. “Let’s go. Panicking and thinking about this stuff won’t lift our mood at all.”
Summer nods, and heads out to follow her sister out to get something to eat. “Do you know any place that offers vegetarian meals? I mean, if we are becoming ponies, we will have to watch what we eat.”
A wan smile crossed Jenn’s lips. “I think I know a few places. Whether they accept pony/human hybrids, that’s a different story.” Jenn said, trying to make a small joke, however stupid and humorless, to change the mood.
Just then, Charlie arrived. She opened her mouth to say something, but then her eyes fell upon Summer’s hand/hooves. Her eyes widened in the slightest, and then a look of reassurance entered her face. “I see I am not the only one.” Hesitantly, she showed her new changes to her sisters. Her hair had become a rose pink mane, and her eyes were a light purple. Her recently sprouted wings and fur were a sea green. The youngest sister decided that in the last day of their changes that she wanted to spend some quality family time together. “So, you’re not the only one who is becoming a pony. Isn't this weird that we end up as four Pegasi sisters with names that are linked to the four seasons?”
Jenn offered an uninterested smile towards Charlie, hoping that she would take the hint, and drop the conversation. Jenn wasn't the best at body language, but she thought that this gesture hinted towards the fact that she was not at all happy with the subject being brought up.
Summer looked over at her sisters, “And, you are okay with the fact I used to be your brother before all this? Well, I’m now your sister, so, I thank you for helping me out with my new life. My old life was somewhat boring before this whole pony thing.” She gives Jenn and Charlie a hug as best she could with her new front hooves. “We will get through this together, as a family.”
Jenn nodded. “And as a family is where we will put this whole thing to rest. Now, can we stop talking about this? This whole ordeal has got chills running down my spine. I just don’t like it, and I more or less don’t like to talk about. Summer here suggested we go out and get something to eat. Sound good to you?” Her voice had gained an edgy, almost agitated tone, something that she failed miserably at trying to hide.
Summer nods, “Charlie mentioned something about this place called Chuck-A-Rama. I think it’s one of those buffet places and it has a salad bar and desserts. What do you think? A little family bonding time might help us get our minds off of, well, you know….”
Jenn silently praised God that Summer hadn't mentioned it specifically. Just a little miracle that calmed her that much more. “Hey, if it means that we all know we are in this together, it just helps me embrace this that much more. It is so much better to have someone or some people in times where you are...panicked for...err...reasons.” Jenn shrugged, and walked toward her car. Glad that’s over, even if it is just for now.
Summer attempts to walk with her hind hooves and falls over. “You know, it’s hard to walk with hind hooves. Maybe if I start to walk on all fours, I can relieve this back pain I've been having since these wings grew in.”
Jenn smirked in a mischievous way, hidden by the fact that her back was to the others. In full view of them, she got on all fours and walked that way for the rest of the short trip to the car. When she opened the driver’s side door and got in, she put her arm out the window naturally and said: “Just so you know how funny you would look doing that.”
Summer attempted to trot to the car and fell over at times, only to be helped up by Charlie. “Thank you, sis.” She said, climbing into the back seat. “I wonder how long we have until we have muzzles and be able to use these wings?” She pointed a hoof towards her light grey wings.
Watching Summer try to trot to the car, Jenn forced herself to suppress the urge to face palm and laugh hysterically. If she hadn't remembered the circumstances, she would have failed. By the time that scene was over, and Summer got into the car and asked that question, her face had become stoic once more. “I don’t know, and I don’t care to know.” Her face slackened a little, and she looked deep in thought for a second. “But...I wouldn't mind knowing when I get to use my wings. I mean, imagine it. Flying~” The thought actually made Jenn smile a little bit, that one thing different about her that she didn't mind. She imagined a day where she could just fly, fly far away, fly into the clouds and away from her worries...
Charlie sat in the back next to Summer as Jenn reminisced about flying. “I wouldn't mind flying with you...if you want me to…" She then sighed, "If I recall, as Spring Breeze, I wasn't the best flyer when we were back in Equestria. I think that’s why I was perceived as weak when that strange creature at that party banished us here.”
Summer thought about that word: Equestria. A world inhabited by sentient, colorful equines and other creatures. “The creature who banished us here was called Discord. He caused a lot of trouble and turned our real home into the chaos capital of the world.”
As the two in the back conferred with each other, Jenn absently started the car, and began to drive. Something that Charlie had said had stuck in her mind. I wouldn't mind flying with you...if you want me to… Jenn had found not the comment strange, but the tone with which it had been said strange. What am I even thinking?, she thought. We are supposed to be sisters. What she said meant absolutely nothing. I am just being paranoid. Right? Another part of her mind told her the opposite, however, no matter how hard she tried to push the thought away.