//------------------------------// // Devour // Story: Greene Fields under Red Lights // by Europa //------------------------------// Greene She didn't fully understand her situation, but she liked it. She didn't need to wait! She wasn't going to be an experiment! And so many advantages to boot! Another world, another world where the Similars couldn't find her and trap her and hurt her. She didn't understand much of the concept of 'planets' and 'other worlds', only what she could overhear, but what she did know was enough. She was, now and forever, free of the Similars. And that thought alone was enough to make her so happy happy happy! These equines were kind to her, the white one, Celestia, was going to share a meal with her! Such a thing was unprecedented. All her meals thus far had been either scavenged creatures when she'd been free, or simple injections in captivity that kept her alive and subdued, but left horrendous gnawing hunger hunger hunger in her. The idea of being invited to a meal with the leader of these equines, as a guest, not an experiment, was simply divine. Of course, there were... other things to worry about, things that made her frown. For starters, she still knew next to nothing of this new world. While basic titles and names of the two rulers were good (Bringer of the Day and Night? That sounded bad), she needed to know more. How large it was, the population, various population densities, so many things to know so she could plan. Second, this 'magic' that the sister Princesses shared. She didn't know what it could do, not the full extent. But teleporting and move-thought (There was a word for that, she was certain) already were worrying. If they decided to grip her with move-thought, or teleport her elsewhere, what could she do? And the white one had hinted that many others could perform magic. Third, these equines were almost as broken as the Similars. Independent, and no doubt so worried worried worried about their lives. She longed to bestow her Blessing upon them, to take away their pain, but she needed to wait. She didn't know enough, she wasn't strong enough yet to do so; she had a meal to attend to first. Then she could spread her gift. And lastly, it was still cold. Oh, how she longed to make it warm, but she was Celestia and Luna's guest. She didn't exactly understand the role of 'guest', but she was fairly certain she needed to ask permission before changing what was so clearly their Home. After all, she admittedly wasn't the most artistic of people, and those colored window pictures were pleasing. Before too long, Celestia brought her past another pair of guarded doors –the guards there were also identical, how curious – and into another large, decorative room. She stiffled a hiss, but some still escaped into the air. “Is something wrong, Elizabeth?” Celestia asked kindly. “Bright,” she whispered, shielding her eyes. “I see. My apologies, let me get that.” Celestia's horn lit up with golden energy again, making Greene bristle. It wasn't that she didn't trust Celestia – okay, maybe she didn't, not entirely – but the mere concept of magic alarmed her. Still, something off to the side moved, and the room darkened wonderfully. She didn't bother turning her head to see what had moved. It didn't matter; it moved, and where before it had been bright bright bright, it was now dark. She felt she should say something to Celestia, but couldn't quite figure out what. She sat down with Celestia at a large table. Before her was a silvery dish, with several sharp utensils next to it. Were weapons usually a part of breakfast? “So, Elizabeth,” Celestia began. “You must understand. While we do not regularly prepare meat, we have had to entertain members of different species who do require it.” Greene turned her gaze to the alicorn. Other species? There were others besides equines? Celestia's voice turned up in mirth. “Why, we even have a magical device that can conjure meat products. Needed to, ever since that incident with the griffon ambassador.” “Point?” Elizabeth asked. She wanted flesh already. She was weak, and she needed to get her strength back if she was to spread her Blessing. She didn't want to hear about mindless, nonsensical politicking, like the kind Similars partook in. “Ah, yes.” Her horn lit up for a moment. A second later, a new equine trotted in. This one was much shorter than either of the sisters, the height of the guards that had attacked her. It looked... different though. Not just in the red fur or longer orange fur around its head, and the orange tail and bone on its head. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it. The new equine bowed and spoke. “Your Majesty.” She got back up, fixing Elizabeth with a look. That was it. This one was female. “What... would you two... like?” “I'll have just a salad this morning, Emerald Fields, and some tea. I really do need to watch the sugar.” Celestia looked to the Runner. “Elizabeth, what would you like?” She'd never been asked what she wanted before. She rather liked it. “Flesh,” she responded again. She didn't miss how the equine's posture tensed at her echoing words. “R-right, miss Elizabeth. Do you have any preferences?” “A lot of flesh.” “R-right.” The one named Emerald Fields looked at Celestia. “Your Majesty, I hope you don't mind me asking, but why is it so dark in here?” “Of course I don't mind, Emerald,” the white one said in that gentle voice that... stirred something inside Elizabeth. She didn't like that feeling, that sinking drowning choking feeling – it was the same one she got when she thought of Before. “My guest here simply has very sensitive eyes, so I closed the blinds.” “I understand, Your Highness. I'll go tell the chefs right away.” Emerald Fields turned around and trotted out of the room, closing a door behind her. The two sat there in silence for a moment before Celestia turned to her. “So Elizabeth. I should start by asking what the name for your kind is.” Elizabeth stiffened. “The name?” She'd never thought about a name for her kind. The Similars had one, of course, they had names for everything, as well as alternative names, names to use when on fire, names to use when they were well fed so many many absurd names. But she hated the name they'd given her. She hated everything about them. She realized her mouth was forming the word. “Ru -” She clamped down on herself. She could come up with her own name. “No. Nononono, that's not it.” She raised her head and locked eyes with Celestia. “Evolved. Evolved. Name, Evolved.” Celestia quirked an eyebrow, but nodded. “I see, Evolved. How many of you are there?” “Three at most. Myself at least.” The white equine sucked in a breath. “Might I ask... what happened that there are so few of you?” She shrugged. “Nothing.” She tapped her chest. “First. Two sons, Special Sons.” She tilted her head. “Don't need more than one of us.” “I... see.” A pause. “Elizabeth, do you mind if I clean you up? I won't question why you have them, but your bloodstains are unnerving my subjects.” She raised a hand to the right of her lips, tapping the blood there. “Clean how?” “With your permission, using my magic.” Elizabeth Greene tensed. She gripped the table suddenly, making gentle cracks fill the air before she forced herself to let go. She meant well. She meant well she meant well she meant well - “Do it.” “You'll feel a light tingling,” she said, her horn lighting up again. Elizabeth froze as she felt just that – a tingling around her head and left shoulder – along with golden light engulfing her. It persisted for a few moments, and the tingling at the left side of her head intensified as it encountered trouble, but then just as quick as it had come, it ended. Celestia nodded. “Much better.” Elizabeth glanced down to her left, seeing that her shoulder was no longer drenched in a thin layer of the precious precious ever so precious fluid. 'How?' she almost – almost – asked. Instead she settled for looking blankly at Celestia. “Next?” she inquired. “Indeed, next.” Her gaze turned hard. “Now, your arrival provides several questions. Some good, some bad. Since you can breathe our air, that means our basic chemistry is much the same, so you are likely able to eat food here. However, you do come from foreign – very foreign, might I add – lands, so you carry some risks with you. After breakfast, we must conduct some tests -” “TESTS!?” she snarled, leaping out of her chair, sinking to the ground and snarling at Celestia. Tests, tests! The tests the Similars had conducted on her, poking her and stabbing her and draining her! Trickery! Betrayal! Treaso - Simply by flaring out her wings, Princess Celestia cowed Elizabeth Greene. “Elizabeth, relax. Is there something wrong?” “Tests, tests. Similars tested. Tried to break, twisted my Blessing, turned it...” She choked down a sob. “Turned it against me.” Celestia seemed to ponder this for a moment, her wings slowly relaxing to their positions at her sides. “I... see. I promise you, Elizabeth, these tests will be benign in nature. If you'd like, I'll explain the purpose and procedures to you. I'll even stay in the room with you while it's being conducted, if you like?” “What's the purpose?” she asked hesitantly, rising back to two legs. “You may very well carry foreign contaminents on your body. We need to make sure you don't carry any diseases or poisons on you, ones that you wouldn't even notice but would kill us.” Watching for death. Stopping death. She could understand that. “How?” “A magic screening for toxins, and a blood-and-tissue sample for diseases. The magic screening will be similar to the cleaning I just performed on you, the blood sample will be taken via needle, and we would scrape a very small amount of flesh from a place you can choose for us. You are good with needles, yes?” “I can... tolerate,” she said hesitatantly, still frowning. “Excellent. As I was saying, after the tests have been performed, we'll need to wait a few hours while my top doctors and scientists analyze it to make sure you are safe. As it stands now, I'm passively sterilizing your environment, but that's a temporary solution.” She cocked her head. “Unaware.” Celestia smiled. “It is very subtle magic, indeed, but one invaluable for medical purposes. And of course, all magic can be adapted for different uses. Anyway, as we're waiting I shall instruct you on the basic history of our world. Should the tests show that you are safe – ah, here we go. Thank you, Emerald Fields.” Elizabeth wheeled around to see that the other equine had returned, carrying two silver platters with hemispheres on top of them, one larger than the other. They were both new enough that the smell had not yet reached her though, and both were also enveloped in a rusty glow as they hovered through the air with – probably the smaller equine's – move-thought. One landed before Celestia, and the larger one before the seat Elizabeth had occupied before leaping out of it. After depositing the plates, the small equine bowed, prompting a small smile from the larger one. “Thank you very much, Emerald Fields. That will be all.” She got up. “Of course, Your Highness,” she said before turning around. Elizabeth looked after her for a while, before turning to the plate before her seat. “What are those?” she asked. “Food platters. Please, Elizabeth, sit. We're all friends here.” “Friends,” she murmured as she sat back down. She couldn't remember having friends. Family yes, such a wonderful wonderful family with whom she shared her joy and shielded from sorrow. Friends, though. None; there were no equals beyond her family. Until she could endow children again... she decided she could use a friend. She inspected the silver hemispheres curiously. “Eat metal?” Celestia laughed, a chiming sound that Elizabeth didn't know how to feel about. “Oh, no no no my dear.” Her horn lit up, and the metal hemisphere before her lifted, revealing several green plants and ivory tea cups full of liquid. “Go on, lift yours. The food is beneath.” Elizabeth Greene frowned. “Pointless metal.” “I'm tempted to agree with you, actually. But it's one of the things that comes with being royalty, I suppose.” She lifted a cup of some-liquid to her lips with move-thought and drank briefly, before lowering it and eyeing the green plants with something like distaste. “Please, don't let me stop you.” Still baffled by the idea of putting a dome of metal over their food – these equines were so strange strange strange – Greene lifted hers and put it to the side, revealing a large piece of orangish flesh with several cups next to it that vaguely resembled poultry. At least she thought it did. Then she didn't care because the smell hit her and nothing else mattered. She dove into it like a woman starved – she was wasn't she? She thought so – and began to devour it, knocking the cups over. Flesh! Meat! It tasted so good! She never thought it was possible for anything to taste oh so very wonderful! It wasn't raw, it seemed to have been burned which was almost disgusting to her but it pleased some small part of her that it was burned-cooked because it tasted so good and she'd never in her life eaten anything so wonderful, with flesh that tore apart in her mouth and bones that crunched and shattered in her powerful jaws to let her taste the sweet sweet sweet marrow inside and mmph! All too soon she realized there was nothing left, and she reclined back in her seat – she realized she'd leaned over the table to better access the flesh – and frowned. To her left, Celestia's jaw hung and her pupils had shrunk to pinpricks. “Merciful heavens,” she whispered. “She's like me with cake.” She shook her head, returning to her meal and slipping back into composure, her magic cleaning up the mess wrought by the spilled beverages. “I trust you liked it?” Elizabeth smiled, feeling her body already going to work at turning the flesh into strength, adding it to her mass and might. “Greatest. Never had burnt flesh before.” “Burnt? Ah, you mean cooked," she said, picking at her salad. "It's just... you consumed a meal that would've left a family of griffons stuffed, in a matter of minutes. How is your stomach not distended?” Elizabeth took a moment to decipher the sentence's meaning. “Compress flesh. Density.” “Right. Now, um.” She took another bite from her salad. “As I was saying before your meal arrived, should the tests show you are safe to be around, I shall give you a room to stay at in the castle, and summon ambassadors from the neighboring countries. Your existence raises a notable question; if one ancient myth may be true, how about the others? And also, as a member of another world, where would you stay here? Would you need aid in returning home? Are there others coming? We'll need to discuss those.” She shook her head. “To say nothing of the time for me to attend my regular duties. Tell me, Elizabeth, how amicable are you to staying up at night?” She tilted her head. “Amicable?” “Would you be too tired, or can you forego sleep?” “Need no sleep. Better than Similars that way.” She shuffled in her seat. Already she could feel warmth spreading in her, her Blessing stirring in her veins and yearning to create her family anew. Not yet, she told herself. She didn't know enough. Not yet. “Excellent, then you'll be able to converse with my sister as well.” The remainder of the meal passed in silence, with Celestia slowly working away at her salad, while Elizabeth Greene sat and watched her like a hawk. However, instead of watching her, she was actually thinking. What had she agreed to? Being poked and prodded again? She could understand Celestia's reasoning; Greene had no idea what weaknesses the equines had, and as their ruler it was Celestia's duty to er on the side of caution. But the idea of being stabbed with needles and having her blood taken out of her again made her want to scream and roar and shatter and tear and - "Elizabeth?" Celestia asked insistently, like she'd been repeating it. Had she? Greene didn't know. "What?" she asked, blinking. "I'm finished with my breakfast," she said, though Elizabeth noted there was still a lot of the plants there. Was it common to be so wasteful, or was it just Celestia, or was it just this once? So confusing. "Would you like something to drink before we depart? You spilled your cups when you, ahem, were eating." She shivered, her insides squirming at the thought of putting something wet to her lips and drinking it. "I'm fine. Let's go," she insisted, leaping from her seat and crashing down onto the floor. She smiled. No crater, not enough mass for that, but it was a solid landing. When she decided she knew enough, she could begin to bestow her Blessing upon the equines. "Very well," the Princess said as she also rose. "The maids will clean these up." She looked at Greene and frowned, her eyes narrowing. "However, Elizabeth, I do have to tell you this. I understand you were hungry, and I don't know what custom is back where you are from, but here simply ravaging your meal is looked down upon. Next time, I suggest you eat at a more relaxed pace. Understand?" Elizabeth frowned as they exited the chamber, walking through more halls, all of them cold. "Looked down?" "It is considered noisy, disgusting, and all around rude," the equine asserted. She growled. "Fine. When do tests happen?" "We are almost to the Infirmary," Celestia said. Greene noticed some of the armored equines gave her wary glances, more so than the others had. Why was that? "There we shall have you tested. Remember, Elizabeth. Whatever happened back on your world, you have my word it will not happen here. You shall be treated with the same respect and dignity all sentient beings deserve." This actually managed to soothe Elizabeth. She found herself believing Celestia's word. And why wouldn't she? She had shown such kindness to her. They entered the infirmary, a white place with strange machines, equines moving about with devices with them. Now that she paid more attention, she noticed that some of them had bony protrusions from their heads, others had tightly coiled muscles beneath their skin, and still others had wings. Celestia and Luna had all three. Very curious. She lost focus on the world around her, thinking. The Princess had called her and the other Princess 'alicorns' and alluded to the existence of 'unicorns', also capable of magic. There was no doubt in Greene's mind; the glow of the horns proved beyond a doubt which of the equine types 'magic' was relegated to. The winged ones - also a word for that she was sure! - might've been able to fly. Their wings certainly seemed large enough, but then again, what did she know about flight? Perhaps they were just an extra pair of limbs. The strong ones... she could only imagine. Strong, that went without saying. Perhaps durable? She didn't know. " -ctor Lymph. Elizabeth?" She forced herself back to the present, however unpleasant she knew it was about to be. She was in a little room, closed behind her via a door. There was all sorts of medical equipment around her, none of which she could identify, and the walls were white and violet. "Yes?" she asked, looking at the new equine. This one was a male, it seemed, with dark brown fur and a similarly colored bony protrusion, with a white layer of clothing on his upper body. Its secondary fur color, on its head and tail, was a pale gray. A far cry from the radiant, almost blinding color of Celestia. Also, similar to Celestia's emblazoned images of the sun, this one had some sort of spiked white glob on him. "This is Doctor Lymph, head of my pathogen and vaccine research branch. He will be performing the poison analysis spell and taking the samples for inspection." She eyed him warily. She'd never liked doctors. Oh sure, the word meant healing the injured, but it was never-ever-ever that. There was always something more. Something sinister. She'd learned. Then again, those were Similar doctors. She was no idiot; she couldn't have been, to have fended off their armies as well as she had. She had to assume, until proven otherwise, that there were great differences between Similars and equines. After all, the leader of the Similars had trapped her and hurt her children. The leader of the equines shared a meal with her. "Pleased to... meet you," she said at last, looking into the doctor's vibrant yet tired green eyes. He lifted a front hoof to her. "Pleasure's all mine, miss Greene." Greene looked at his hoof. What was she to do with it? As if reading her mind - the very thought! - Lymph said, "I'm aware you may not know of our customs. You shake my hoof, it's a form of greeting." Without waiting an instant longer, Elizabeth shot out her right hand and wrapped it around the equine's extended leg, moving it up and down once before letting it go. Doctor Lymph grimaced, tapping the hoof against the ground once. He winced, and then kept it up lightly. "Wow. That's, um, some grip you've got there." "Elizabeth, are you ready for the poison analysis test?" "Yes," she responded after a moment, eyeing the doctor warily. Bad. "Very well. The sterilization spell is released. You may begin, Doctor." Elizabeth tensed as a dark, murky wave of color engulfed her entire body. She forced down a hiss as her entire body tingled fiercely for several long-long-long seconds that stretched into minutes. Finally it ended, and she finally released her hiss as a dull murmur. "There's nothing poisonous about her, Your Highness," Doctor Lymph said with confidence. He turned to Elizabeth, horn lighting up again to move-thought a scalpel and what looked like a glass cylinder over to him, both engulfed in the same muddy aura. "Whenever you're ready, we can take the flesh sample. I must warn you, I do have to cut you slightly for this." "Not needed," Elizabeth said, grabbing the scalpel - no sharp objects for them, nonono - and pressed her right index finger to the flat of its blade. She willed her warmth to bubble forth from within, and moved her finger across the blade. Wherever it went, a thick red substance covered it. Once both ends of the blade were engulfed in her Blessing-endowed flesh, she pulled her finger away. After a moment, Doctor Lymph grabbed it again with his 'magic' and moved it gently until it rested over the cylinder. The aura shrunk, rippled along it, and pushed the red off the blade and into the glass, while Elizabeth watched in awe - and more than a little fear - at how accurate their magic was. If all of the 'unicorns' had such control with their magic, then they could be very, very dangerous. "E-Excellent," the unicorn said, placing the glass onto a metal tray. "We'll get this petri dish to analysis as soon as we're finished here." He levitated something else, something that made Elizabeth stiffen and growl low in her throat. An iron and glass needle. Princess Celestia turned to her. "Elizabeth, relax. No harm shall come to you, I promise. Our intents are benign. You can trust me." "Trust you," Elizabeth whispered as the needle closed in. Lymph's move-thought brought the needle over to her right hand, the point jabbing into her palm. "Don't worry, I'm a professional. This won't hurt a bit." The equine got closer to her. Greene bristled. Don't touch me don't touch me don't touch me! "Alright, there's a vein," he murmured, adjusting the position of the needle. The brown magic thickened around the needle's edge, and it began to push at her skin. Greene's eyes widened. Suddenly she wasn't on a different world free of Similars. She was back in the Cold Dark Place, laid back along the cold metal table with chilling things running through her veins as Similars clad in yellow suits stood before her. She tried to panic, tried to scream and breathe heavily but she was too cold to move. They spoke idly among themselves, hiding behind their alien masks, as they operated a needle, its sharp point bypassing her weakened skin and drawing blood blood too much blood! out of her, laughing at her, laughing at her pain, laughing laughing laughing! A part of her body tensed, coiling up. An organ wrapped around her spinal column tingled. That tingle passed into her right arm, and down into her hand. She blinked, and she was back with Princess Celestia and Doctor Lymph, her breathing heavy as the tingle in her right hand reached its peak, and then... CRACK! It was gone in a flash, but there was no mistaking the arc of brilliant emerald lightning that arced into the metal of the needle and leaped through the air to strike at the brown unicorn's horn. It didn't even appear to do that, rather there was a bridge of blinding green lightning between her, the needle, and the doctor, and then it was gone, replaced by a soft thunderclap. The tingle in her hand vanished as if it had never been there. Doctor Lymph flew back, giving a short cry of pain while Elizabeth jerked back, but she didn't get far. A brilliant golden aura surrounded her, like there was a wall around every part of her body. Princess Celestia's gaze was stern and cold, all traces of sympathy gone. "What did you do?" she demanded. "Panic," Greene rasped. That was just it, wasn't it? She'd panicked, and had struck at Doctor Lymph with some of her electricity. Very little, luckily; reducing him to ash would mean she could never Bless him. After another moment of being held in the alicorn's move-thought, Celestia released her, trotting over to where Doctor Lymph lay on the ground, shaking his head. He was splayed out on all fours on the floor, obviously dazed, horn giving off dark brown sparks. She helped him up with a slippered hoof. He stood on his own weight after a moment, though still wobbled from side to side dizzily. "I'm f-fine, Princess. Just a b-bit shaken, is all." He shook his head, mane flying. "That's... quite a shock, really." This time, it was Celestia's golden move-thought that engulfed the needle where it had fallen, moving it towards Elizabeth again, who shied back. "Doctor Lymph, I will take the blood sample lest she lose control again. Can you show me the vein you intended to use?" "Of course, Your Highness." Lymph walked forward, approaching her again! She stepped back, but another golden aura surrounded her, forcing her to be immobile. "I apologize for these measures, Elizabeth, but I need to make sure you don't accidentally lash out again." And, with Doctor Lymph's guidance, Celestia pushed the needle to Elizabeth's hand and stabbed the point in. Elizabeth stiffened even under the move-thought, though she forced the point of stabbing to soften so it could be punctured. Then there was that awful awful awful draining sensation as she lost her precious life fluid, but rather quickly, it stopped. The needle removed itself from her, the minor puncture healing instantly, and Celestia released her. The radiant glow around the needle, filled with a surprisingly small amount of her blood, turned muddy brown as Lymph pulled it, setting it on the tray that the dish holding the sample of her flesh laid. "R-right," he said, still wobbling from the previous blast. Elizabeth Greene could barely believe her eyes. Such a small amount of charge disoriented him so? How weak were these equines? ... or was that bony protrusion a weak spot? She resolved to find out later. "We'll get these samples looked at post haste. I'm assuming you want to keep news of her existence classified, Your Highness?" "That won't be needed, doctor. I see no reason to hide Elizabeth from the public eye excessively; I shall make a statement later today after Noon Court. When you come to a conclusion about the samples, contact either myself or my sister post haste." He bowed. "I understand, Princess. Unless you have objections, I shall take my leave immediately," he said, the tray glowing and following after him as he opened the door and walked through. Celestia looked down at Elizabeth. "That was rather eventful." Her voice acquired an undertone of steel. "Elizabeth, I will say this once and only once, so listen very closely. Panic or no, do not assault my subjects. I could let the Royal Guard slide, as you were new, didn't know our language, and weren't aware of the effects of your memory transfer. This is your only warning. Control yourself." "Panic," Elizabeth hissed. "Wasn't here then." "Be that as it may, I suggest you begin to work on those issues. Now come, let's walk and talk. There is much to tell you about Equestria, and we have a little time before I must begin Noon Court." "Noon Court?" "Noon Court is, you could say, a time for me to listen. My subjects come before me with an issue, I do my best to address it, and then they move for the next query. Does that answer your question?" "Yes," Greene mused. "Where to go during?" "There are a few books on Equestrian history it would do well for you to read. I'll do my best to go over the basics with you, of course. Come, the Royal Library is this way." The two walked and trotted down the halls. Elizabeth tried to remember which ways they went, but it was all so labyrinthine. Elizabeth, once again, soon lost track. She could memorize it, she knew, but not all at once. Not so fast. Either way, she soon found herself in the chambers filled with books books books again. There were more guards here than she remembered, none of them happy to see her. Poor things. "Where are we?" she asked at length as they stopped next to a row of books. Celestia sat down, and motioned for Elizabeth to do the same. She hesitated a moment, but did so. "This is the Royal Library, where you appeared. However, this is another section. Specifically, the Historical Section. Now, Noon Court is coming soon; during it I shall not be with you, neither shall I be after, since I will be handling the diplomatic issues your arrival presents. I'll have you take several books from here and begin reading them in the time we are to be separate." Celestia frowned. "You are capable of reading Equestrian, right?" Elizabeth sorted through her memories briefly. "Yes," she said. Celestia clapped her hooves excitedly, making several of the guards that had followed her and Greene stiffen momentarily. "Excellent." Her horn glowed, and several choice novels levitated down. Elizabeth shrank back from them, fearing that Celestia, like her, might slip and throw them at her. Not like books would hurt, but it's the thought that counts. "Once we're done here, you can take these novels back to the guest room I'll arrange for you. Any immediate questions will most likely be answered by one, and either myself or my sister can answer any that they do not." The books arranged themselves in a stack next to Elizabeth. "Now, let's start at the beginning..." For the next she didn't know how long, Celestia went over the history of Equestria, and it was... interesting for Elizabeth to say the least. Pegasus and Earth Pony, those were the names for the winged and the strong. These equines... ponies... equines had an early history disgustingly similar to the Similars. Conflict, war, enslavement, and nearly falling. And then? Well, something had happened. She didn't quite understand Celestia's explanation, something about fire and ice, but as best she understood it they changed and removed their volatility. They became happier, and while she intended to make them happier than they ever could be on their own she was giddy they managed so well on their own. However... "Seems wrong," she rasped. "What does?" Celestia inquired. "Sun and moon, raised and lowered by unicorns." She frowned. "Don't know why, but seems impossible. Wrong." There it was again, that sinking drowning choking feeling. "Strange. How are the sun and moon operated on your world, Elizabeth?" "Aren't. Move on their own," she said. "Feel like... sun doesn't move. Relative." She shrugged. "Unsure." The Princess tilted her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Our worlds truly do operate in vastly different ways. However, this is just something you'll have to accept, Elizabeth. It is how it works." Her story continued, reaching the usurping of power by something known as 'Discord'. The way Celestia described Discord terrified Greene. Not just his power-madness and chaos, the way he played havoc with the day and night, or corrupted the equines into shadows of their former selves. No, it was the way she said he could 'twist' things to his will. Her blood ran cold at the thought of him finding her, taking her Blessing and on a whim, where it had taken the Similars years, twisting it into a Curse, or worse. "Not coming back?" she asked hopefully. Celestia shook her head. "My sister and I imprisoned Discord a long time ago with the Elements of Harmony. He broke out of his stony prison recently." Greene froze, terror flooding her veins. "But he's been subdued again. Though, I wonder if perhaps he may be changed..." "Don't!" Greene hastily said, standing up instantly, her echoes buzzing loudly around her. "Don't take the risk. Don't take it, can't let it happen again the risk is too great DON'T DO IT!" She'd never even seen this 'Discord', hadn't known of his existence for more than a few minutes, yet he terrified her like her Wayward Child had in that uphill battle, so recent and so long ago. "I shall take your concerns into consideration, Elizabeth," Celestia said after a pregnant pause, coupled with intent staring from both parties. She tilted her head, an ear flicking. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but it's time for me to hold court. However, let me first escort you to your room." Her horn lit up and lifted the stack of books. Elizabeth stepped in and grabbed them with her own power. Celestia let go, understanding, and let Greene balance them expertly on one hand. Celestia stepped forward, her gilded hooves clicking on the floor, and Elizabeth followed, keeping an easy pace. Once again, Elizabeth tried to follow the path, but there seemed to be no pattern to the castle's layout. She knew there was, otherwise equines would always get lost, but it wasn't any pattern she'd have ever come up with on her own. Before too long, Celestia opened a door with a gentle nudge of her magic, and Elizabeth stepped inside. She didn't know much about equine accommodations, but she still recognized a few things. There was a bed, sized large for an equine and slightly small for her. It was a soothing mixture of gold and violet, with some traces of ivory. There was a desk with a mirror, though she knew not for what. A doorway lead away, and she could smell moisture from it, making her wrinkle her nose. There were also large windows, letting her look out for the first time. "Oh," she said simply. There was a city beyond. It wasn't as... developed as the city she'd been in, filled with so many Similars, so close together that her Blessing practically spread itself, but it was still quite a city, purple and white and filled. Her wonderful wonderful eyes could pick out thousands of equines from her position high above them. She couldn't see which subtypes there were, or what they were doing, but it didn't really matter, did it? The sky was clear blue, more so than she had ever seen in her life, and the blinding sun beat down with a certain mixture of ferocity and gentleness that seeped through the windows and nearly made Elizabeth hiss in delight. It was no Home, but... this was nice. Once again, she felt she should say something to Celestia for the room, but the words escaped her. She knew it started with a 'T', though. "I hope this is suitable for you, Elizabeth?" "It is," she said softly enough to almost conceal her echo, left hand playing with one of her suit's straps on her right arm. She walked forward and placed the half dozen or so books on the bed. It looked soft, with its gold and blue covers. It also, like everything else in the room, looked cold. "Very well. I shall head to Noon Court now, and afterward send the appropriate diplomatic envoys considering an... alien species's arrival. When that's done, I shall send a servant to fetch you for dinner." "Acceptable," Elizabeth said. She looked at the books. One of them was bound to have a map, bound to have population centers. She needed to know those sort of things if she wanted to succeed. She couldn't handle another failure; it may be her end for real this time. She didn't want to die. "Then for now, we depart. I advise you stay in this room; you are unfamiliar with the castle's layout, and I would hate for you to get lost." Celestia paused, seeming to consider something. "If you would like, I can post guards outside your door for your protection." "Protect myself," she hissed. Did Celestia think her unable? The white alicorn knew what she'd done to those guards and she'd do it a thousand times again if they ever got the gall to touch her, warning or not! If she was intimidated, she didn't show it. "Then I shall leave you to your reading." Celestia gave her a short little bow, which Greene was confused at, crossing one foreleg before her golden chest piece. "I shall see you for dinner." And with that, Celestia left, the tip of her multicolored tail flicking across the door as a golden aura closed it. Elizabeth looked at her books, at her her her room, and shivered. Reading could wait for just a few more minutes. Just a few. Warmth blossoming inside of her, she leaned forward with her left hand, and gently put her fingers to the bed sheets. The warmth moved, a web of red and white tendrils weaving and expanding over the bed, under the books, over the covers and pillow, like a rapidly growing fungus. She could feel herself lightening as she moved her flesh out of her body, and she stopped once the bed was covered, a 'splatter' of the webbing on the floor immediately around it. She drew her hand back, the warmth settling again. She sat down on it, grinning like a maniac when her nest accepted her with a gentle bounce that didn't make it to the books. Warm.