//------------------------------// // Mornings // Story: The Storybook Collection // by Mr Extra //------------------------------// The sun has a way of cutting through the eyelids. Not that it was a bad thing, especially for the ponies who needed to rise early. The stinging rays that assault the senses make sleep impossible but are almost offset by the warm tingling that spreads from where they touch. Almost. Waking up was always refreshing for the mare. Her eastern window was nearly blinding but the light was slowly warming the room. Rolling out of bed she landed firmly on the floor before stretching with a soft yawn.  Blinking blearily she stumbled toward the washroom. The hall was pitch black after the blinding daylight sun but the mare had no trouble navigating. Leaning against the wall she moved methodically onward before finding the doorframe with her shoulder and stepping inside. A mirrored medicine cabinet sat above the sink and she moved to look into it before fumbling for her toothbrush for a moment. She flicked her tail and stared expectantly at the mirror. After a second of standing in the dim room she glanced at the unresponsive light above her head before turning to glare at the switch resting defiantly in the off position. Gauging the distance she leaned toward it and flicked her tail again. The light blinked on and she turned back to the mirror with a satisfied sound. Raising the toothbrush to her lips she paused, then resumed brushing. Spit. Rinse. Replaced the brush. Eye the mirror to be sure.  “Eeyup. Gonna be one of those days.” ----- The morning was fairly mundane, all things considered, and Big Mac had proceeded to go about her morning chores. Carefully checking out each of the windows for any rampaging monsters or abnormal plant growth she had just stepped out the front door when a cry of ‘What in tarnation?!’ echoed through the house. With a sigh and another “Eeyup” Big Mac plodded toward the barn. When she returned, a decidedly less than feminine Winona in tow, she found the entire family around the breakfast table looking decidedly uncomfortable. Closing the door behind herself she glanced around the room. Applejack was morosely working through some biscuits and staring at his bigger, bulkier hoof between bites. Applebloom was curled up against ‘Granny’ Smith. He was fiddling with the bow in his mane and mumbling about how he “didn’t want a colt’s cutie mark”. Granny Smith seemed to be taking the changes best. The old stallion sat, Applebloom in one hoof, a biscuit in the other, looking out the window in annoyance. At the sound of the shutting door AJ looked up and relief flooded as a brief flicker of hope burn out. “Big Mac?” he asked. “Eeyup.” “Have any idea what’s going on here?” “Nnope” “You doin all right?” “Eeyup.” A snicker. “You know you look kinda like Rainbow?” A pause. “Nnope.” By this point Applebloom had turned to look slack jawed at his ‘sister’ and Big Mac looked at herself for the first time too. She was altogether smaller then when she had gone to sleep the previous night. Her large whooves and sturdy frame had slimmed down somewhat leaving her in the obvious feminine condition. Her mane was also longer and more silky than it had been, although it was a tangled mess from when she had opted not to brush it that morning. Strong muscle was still visible through her coat but it seemed less bulky than before, almost like Applejack’s used to be.  On the other hoof, Applejack looked like she belonged in the guard. He had bulked up and now stood eye to eye with Big Mac. He sported a large square jaw and heavily defined muscles that tapered down to powerful hooves. His ponytail had shrunk to just past shoulder length but was still tied back with Applejack’s usual band.  Applejack finished off his biscuit and set about clearing away the dishes. “I reckon it’s about time we figured this whole mess out then. Now we don’t know if'n anypony else has been afflicted so I’ll head on over to Twilight’s castle and see if she knows why we all woke up colts and Big Mac’s got a pair of eyes that could melt a rattler's heart.” Big Mac, for her part, glared at her brother while chewing into a pile of haycakes with deliberate slowness.