My eyes shot open, my body drenched in a cold sweat. This wasn't the first time this happened. It's been happening for a while now, but it seems no one has noticed. I never remember what I dream about that has me so uneasy, waking up so afraid, but it happens several times every night.

This time, the sheets were tangled around my feet, my arms clutching a plush pegasus as if I'd die if I let it go. This time I remember the dream, but it wasn't scary. If anything, it was pleasant. I had turned into Nightmare Moon, but I woke up as I went to face the world. Now I lay here, staring at a beam of moonlight on a wall. I can't move, and sleep wishes to evade me yet again.

Tossing and turning leads to sitting upright just to find a comfortable position. I examined my arms. There were marks where I clawed at bug bites, the itching sensation driving me mad, and a cut where I'd been careless with a knife. My legs were the same, scratched and bit. I rubbed my eyes and stared back at the moonlight on the wall.

Suddenly, every muscle in my back screamed in pain, as if someone had put a heavy load on it. My forehead felt as if something sharp was pressing against it, a grinding sound coming from my jaw as it seemed to be shifting around. I wanted to scream in pain, but it was like my vocal chords were changing as well. My hands balled into fists and wouldn't release. I fell onto my side, shaking, tears refusing to fall. I can hide pain, but this was the worst I'd ever felt. Where was everyone?! Asleep, probably, it was most likely close to midnight. My teeth felt they were changing shape, my eyes like they were being pulled. I shut them tightly, hoping it would stop.

But that is too much to ask, isn't it? It wouldn't stop, it wouldn't even give me the grace of not being awake to feel it. My bed was shrinking, or otherwise I was growing. I could hear the seams on my clothes ripping, and I something else covering me, like a blanket.

Without warning, something pierced my head and my shoulders seemed to have been pulled back with the weight of something heavy, and the grinding noise stopped. Everything stopped. I hesitantly lifted my hand to touch my head, but instead of fingers I felt a hard, cup-like object.

Panic hit me like a tsunami as I opened my eyes, seeing a black hoof. I moved the oddly dextrous hoof up my face, and it hit a lump on my head. No, a lump would imply it was small, this... thing was long and skinny. I glanced up at it to the pain of my already-sore eyes. A horn, an elegant spiral from my forehead. What appeared to be the night sky gently flew around it. Not it wasn't the night sky, merely my mane. A glance at my hind legs showed my tail was the same way. Tracking up my side, there was a pair of leathery wings folded to my side. I already knew who and what I was, but two final details wouldn't hurt... right? My flank was covered in a purple blotch, a crescent moon smack-dab in the middle of it. I pushed myself into a sitting position rather awkwardly due to my new, different anatomy. I peeked into a mirror on the wall opposite me.

An ink-colored alicorn stared back at me with teary turquoise eyes, draconic pupils barely visible for being contracted in fear. I wanted to scream, cry, laugh evilly just to see if I had the voice.

Her voice.

Nightmare Moon's.

I looked at my hooves. They were untainted by the cuts I had, or they were not visible under the silken fur that covered me. I could still twist the hooves like my wrist, though. I even picked up a plushie with the base of my hoof. It was as if there was some partially dried glue on it, because the toy stuck, but just barely. I set it down and slipped onto the floor quietly. Learning to stand on all fours took a moment, but I mastered it. Silently walking was especially difficult, as the house seemed to want to scream out to everyone. Then I considered my height and size difference. I was much taller than before, probably six feet, not including my horn, and I probably weighed several hundred pounds should I be going by earth logic. It was a miracle my bed didn't break. I looked out the window, seeing the moon. My hooves itched, and I succumbed to the want to be near it. I trod carefully out of my room towards the front door, throwing caution out the window, as if the moon brainwashed me. I used my mouth to carefully open the door and slip out. My tail got caught, and after some tugging, a few strands were left behind.

I felt so free in the warm night air, and I just started running, my wings unfolding even though I could not yet fly. I ran faster and faster, my hooves picking up droplets from last night's rain. I ran faster and faster, never wanting to stop. As if I lost control of my body, I launched myself into the air. Whatever caused it suddenly vanished, and I flapped my wings desperately to keep from falling. I was absolutely horrified, but... I liked it. No, I loved it. I laughed, my first sounds. I only scared myself more. It wasn't my laugh. It was Her's.

I flew even faster, trying to escape myself.

You never seem to know how far you go when you're afraid, do you?