Awakening

>Slowly, Rarity opens her eyes
>The world that greets her is dark, tinged with the pink of her sleeping mask
>A small yawn escapes her lips, and Rarity begins to stretch
>Several things start to happen at once
>Immediately, her hooves meet resistance
>A strange taste floods into Rarity's mouth
>There's a sound, like a buzzing, that fills her ears
>Rarity's eyes widen helplessly beneath her mask, and her screams seem distorted, as if she were underwater
>It has to be a nightmare
>That's all, just a little nightmare
>She really shouldn't have eaten Pinkie Pie's mystery brownies, the dreadful things
>She knew the color was off, and the smell, and chocolate really shouldn't-
>Rarity realizes she's been holding her breath
>Her lungs are burning, it doesn't take long before her body betrays her
>For the second time, she tastes something in the...air?
>It's certainly sweet, but mere words could never give the horrid feeling of it filling her mouth, her throat, her lungs, justice
>Rarity takes another much needed gulp of the flavored air, and tries to move again
>Again, she meets a barrier
>It feels solid enough, and gives slightly when she pushes harder
>Any more attempt to move proves fruitless
>Her legs are nearly locked in place, in a position best described as 'uncomfortable'
>Rarity focuses on her horn, her magic, the only thing she has left
>Instantly, it's apparent that something is wrong
>Rarity can feel the spark of her magic drain away, leaving something else in its place
>Whatever it is, it isn't hers
>All the while, the buzzing continues
>She's been trying to ignore it, but Rarity recognizes the sound
>It has to be a nightmare
>"It seems you've finally woken up, little one,"
>It has to be a nightmare
>It can't be anything else
>For a moment the buzzing gets louder, and just as suddenly Rarity can see again
>This time, the world that greets her is green
>The Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, stands before Rarity, giving the mask in her hoof a quizzical look
>The small hole left in the cocoon repairs itself faster than Rarity can register
>She's in a cocoon
>Nightmare is not the word for this
>"Wh-what is-"
>Rarity could barely speak, her words still quiet and faded
>Yet she could her the queen perfectly
>"Come now, my subject," Chrysalis continued, tossing the mask away
>"Be happy. Your queen has never seen a more beautiful changeling."
>Rarity's heart nearly stopped
>With mounting horror, the former unicorn managed to shift her head, looking down at her body
>Her white fur was gone, replaced by the chitinous black of a changeling
>Her mane, a pale shade of its former stunning beauty
>All that remained of her white color was her belly, a translucent, membranous shell
>The omnipresent buzzing, the sound Rarity had been dreading for so long
>The wings were hers
>As disgusted as Rarity was, she had to admit
>She really could make this changeling thing look good
>Chrysalis grinned at Rarity's expression
>"Enjoy the body, little one. You can have any one you can dream of."
>Chrysalis' horn began to glow softly
>Dream
>The very word seemed to fill Rarity's mind
>Any appearance she wished
>Any style she could dream up
>Available in an instant
>Rarity closed her eyes again
>When she opened them, she was Applejack
>The stubborn pony would never have consented to all the outfits Rarity had planned for her
>Now the possibilities were endless
>Rarity could hear Applejack's voice
>Feel the braided mane and tail, even the hat she habitually wore
>For a moment, Rarity felt as if she really was the orange Earth Pony
>"You are her," Chrysalis cooed
>Rarity stopped, and her form shifted back to normal
>Normal?
>"Don't be surprised, little one. The mind and the body are the same. Pony body, pony mind."
>Rarity supposed it made sense
>Of course, her Queen was always right
>Rarity tapped the side of her cocoon, and it opened up easily
>She stepped out, testing her powers
>Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle all in turn
>Finally, Rarity changed to a white unicorn, before returning to her true form
>Changeling body, changeling mind, wasn't that it?
>Nightmare certainly wasn't the word for this
>It was a dream