I wake up feeling nice and comfy but a bit morning groggy so I try to shake off by stretching my body across the bed. 'mhm that’s nice~.’ I can’t remember my bed ever being this smooth. Remembering what I have to do I let out a breath of disappointed air as I need to get up and ready for another day of slave labor as Liz calls it. ‘Well, at least it is better than the street’.

I stretch one last time enjoying my bed just for a moment more before blinking my eyes open.

‘Eh?’ Before I can get up I see something completely out of place.

A smooth gray surface is somewhat blocking some of my view no matter how I turn my head.

‘Is… Is that my nose? Did someone paint on me again while I was asleep?’ I clearly remember the day since we both got punished for wasting paint even though I did nothing wrong. 

As it was a new kid who did it.  He hadn't been in the correction room yet so I could not blame him too hard for not knowing how things work around here.

But there hasn’t been a new kid for a while so who would be this stupid to try it again. ‘And why me?’ I search through my memori--

‘Oh…’ Not sure how I deal with the contradicting mix of emotions and thoughts that are running through me I begin going over one thing at a time.

’Sooo... First I was floating. Then I kept floating. ugh, that was sooo boring! Oh yeah, then Liz pulled me somewhere. I need to find her. Then I arrived somewhere beautiful. Wait… Does that not mean I’m not at the workshop anymore!?!’ With a hopeful smile I jerk my head up to give my surroundings a quick scan.

‘Looks like a bedroom, a weird bedroom. I feel like I’ve seen something like this before. Oh yeah! That movie we saw that one time when that guy came to visit. I hope I get to see snow like in that movie.’ I enjoyed the movie but I kept getting distracted by Liz because she looked really distraught. Sadly she did not want to explain why, so I settled on giving her an extra big hug before we slept that night.

I focused back on the bedroom, there was one thing that really confused me. ‘Why is everything so large?’ The ceiling is towering above me and the furniture is gigantic. Especially what I can only presume is a bed to my left as I can’t even see the mattress. Even compared to the other furniture that is one big bed.

‘No stop getting distracted, where was I? New place, Check. Liz, unsure. What else hmm… The warm lady? Also unsure. Bird legs? Huh… bird legs.’ I remember how I stared at them wiggling the talons around. ‘My bird legs!’ I Look down and sure enough, my ‘arms’ have changed to exactly how I remember them.

I examine and flex them a few times more for good measure as I see that my talons aren’t as sharp as one might expect. They have somewhat rounded ends and I am not sure why but at least I won’t scratch something accidentally. Curious there have been more changes than just my arms I examine myself. 

So I sit up with my new legs beneath my torso and… my other legs behind them? ‘I have two pairs of legs?’ Which feels completely normal as if I’ve done it a thousand times. But I feel something is amiss from what I’m used to. I turn around to inspect my other legs.

‘No way…  I also have horse feet. Hooves right? Ohh and a tail, a blueish purple horse tail! That is so cool!~ I bet I can run faster than anyone now!’ I grin.

Pumped for more answers I think back to my nose. ‘If it is not painted then why is it gray?’ I raise my leg to poke my ‘nose’ but I have to lower my head a bit to reach.

Click click*

I feel both my nose and my mouth moving when I poke it. ‘That’s weird.’ I slowly touch it again. ‘It’s harder than any nose or mouth I know.’ I search around with my tongue for more clues. ‘Ehhh, where are my teeth? Now that is weird.’

‘Seriously what Am I?! Am I even human anymore? Is that why everything is so big? Because I’m just small? So many questions. I want answers!’

This short examination of myself did not quell my curiosity at all. So to get my answer I examine my vicinity while looking for anything reflective that can be used as a mirror.

I look to my right only to see a plain light gray wall with a wooden door. In front of me is a sturdy-looking wooden chair placed neatly under a likewise study table and on it is a… ‘nice!’

I can barely see what I assume to be a small standing table mirror peeking over the table across the room from my point of view.

‘Yay! I should be able to see myself with that mirror, I just need to get up there. But that table is so large! Maybe I can use the chair to get on the table. Hmm, sounds like a plan to me.’

‘Alright! let's go for a test run’

I stand up Surprising myself with how little effort I use. ‘Waw, I’m so light!’ I bounce up and down on my four legs enjoying this new feeling of near weightlessness.

‘Now.’ I look at the open space between me and my target. A simple-looking gray and black carpet covering a dark wooden floor up to the door on the right of me.

With a spring in my step, I move from my bed and walk around in circles on the carpet. I turn to the left, I turn to the right. ‘Easy!’ It’s like I’ve done this a million times. I even walk backward, which feels a bit awkward for my four legs but still not hard. 

‘Next step!’ There is not much space but I want to try to move a little bit faster. I move my horse rump to the door for maximum space on the small carpet. I set off walking, changing into a trot. My smile widens with the speed and the faint feeling of air brushing against me.

With barely anything left off the carpet, I dare myself to do my last test. I hop with my front legs tilting my front up in the air and an instant later I put a bit of strength in my hind legs launching myself in a jump forward onto the wooden floor.

Clunk*

‘So fun! Again!’ Trotting back in position I do the same jump but in another direction

Clunk* ‘Again!’ Not going back, I jump again.

Clunk* ‘One more time!’ 

Clunk* clunk* chuckle* clunk*

‘Hehehe so much fun! I still can’t believe how light I am, I bet I can get on that table with no trouble at all.’ I look towards my target with newfound confidence.

I Back up a bit. I line up with the chair. Crouch down a bit to prepare myself. I do the math. ‘Set OFF! Aaand…’ “Yip!” [Jump!].

Thud*

I land only with my two front legs which I quickly press down to get the rest of my body with me. ‘Whew, that was the hard part. Time to climb.’

I turn to the table and make a little hop to get my front legs on the table just in front of me. Then I try to push myself up with my hind legs flailing a bit while trying to get a grip until finally, I'm up.

My chest puffed out and my head up high in celebration of my magnificent accomplishment. ‘Muhahaha I am The Great Table Climber! All tables will fear me!’

Silence…

‘What was I doing again..? Oh yeah, the mirror!’ I look to see my reflection for the first time.

’C-cute! So cute! Am I even allowed to be this cute!?!’ My ears flutter with excitement. ‘Waow those ears look soooo— fluffy. And what is with my shiny purple eyes? Also more importantly… Are those wings!?! Noo way, can I fly?’

I quickly get a feel for my two tiny wings. I slowly stretch them out for the first time, feeling a satisfying relief from having my stiff back muscles loosened like a small ache I never noticed disappearing.

I slowly flap them up and down as I watch my primary feathers bend lightly while my secondaries and coverts are still. Because of the little wingspan I have nothing happens but the air rustling my feathers which feels kinda nice. Reminds me of having my hair lightly combed.

Wanting to get results I ready my wings before flapping as hard as I can. My whole wing grips the air with real resistance as they push down. I feel my already little weight disappearing and my body leaving the table for barely a moment before landing again with a click from my hooves.

“Chirp. Chirp!” [I can fly. I can fly!]. ‘This is the best thing ever!’ I jump and jump around on the table with my wings and hind legs, loving how free I feel with this body. 

I can’t help but wonder what crazy stuff I can do wi—— I slip.

Falling backward I loudly Shriek In a panic as I swing my front legs down to claw my way back up. But my gut wrenches as I can’t reach it. 

I’m falling uncontrollably. As a last resort, I fall back to my instincts as I curl in to brace myself against the impact.