Luna
The Evolved was staring at her.
It wasn't much surprise. After all, it had spent much of the morning with her sister, and its associations with her lasted from her use of the Royal Canterlot Voice to her going to sleep. So it made sense that Elizabeth would be interested in her, and at least she wasn't covered in blood anymore.
But why in the name of all that was holy was it still staring at her? Even with Celestia between them?
She nibbled at her delicately cut sandwich, tasting the various flowers inside of it, staring intently back at the alien. She, not even blinking, raised the leg of some animal - she did not care to know - and bit down, her teeth tearing through the bone like it was paper with a skin-prickling ka-crunch.
Finally, Luna turned from her meal, looking to her side. "So sister," she began. Said sister froze where she was, which happened to be in the middle of chewing a chocolate chip cookie. "How hast thy day been?"
She rolled her eyes before swallowing. "You should've heard some of the requests I got in court. There was this stallion, from some salt farming company, requesting pegasi to help with farming the salt. Pegasi!"
Luna rolled her eyes. She mostly got sensible requests in Midnight Court, since nopony with a foalish request came when their biology demanded sleep, but every now and then she understood her sister's pain. "What did thou do?"
"He's not getting pegasi, that's for sure. Hardly even my place to hire ponies for him."
"Indeed, that way layeth tyranny. Let us speak of more exciting news. For starters, we hath not yet been informed as to our guest's understanding of Equestrian culture."
"Three main types," the guest rasped, her voice echoing eerily around the dinner table. The blinds were open, revealing the beauty of her night sky, raised mere minutes before. "Dangerous early history, improved." She frowned. "Could be better."
Luna nodded. "Indeed, it is a terrible shame that despite our best efforts, some of our subjects insist on judging their fellows based on tribe. It is most fortunate such ponies are few and far between."
Elizabeth kept frowning. "Could be none," she mused, ripping apart another chunk of meat in her jaws. "Discord bad, you two good. Still... don't understand. Sun and moon, seems wrong."
Luna cocked her head. "What dost thou mean? Art thou somehow offended by the way we operate them? Art it done in a different way where thou art from?"
"No operation," she said, eyes flicking about curiously. "Move on their own."
Luna chuckled. "Ah, we see. Do not worry, Elizabeth. We assure thou, it is perfectly natural for it to operate thusly here."
"Very well," Elizabeth said, finishing her meat with a few choice chomps.
"So Elizabeth," her sister said, swallowing her 'meal'. "I hope your room is to your liking?"
"Yes," she said. "Bed is warm."
"We believe that may be thy doing," Luna said wryly. "Thou radiates immense heat."
"It is my doing," she confirmed. "Rest of room is... nice." She frowned, tapping at her plate with the tiny claws on her fingers. Then she smiled. "Read books. Map. Canterlot, right?"
"Thou art correct. This is indeed Canterlot Castle."
"Plans after meal?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in a manner that was somewhat... adorable, actually. Just how old was Greene? "Celestia goes to sleep, you sleep during day. Plans?"
Luna chuckled. "Straight to the point, Elizabeth? Very well. We hath, after dining, several hours before we must tend to Midnight Court." She tapped a hoof to her chin in thought. "Perhaps we may tour the castle ramparts and become acquainted with each other. Would be most useful for the upcoming diplomatic talks."
Greene scowled. "Useless politics," she spat.
Luna narrowed her eyes. "As tedious as they may be, ambassadors from allied countries are not useless. Thy existence can not be hidden forever, nor shall it be attempted. Thou art the greatest discovery of our world in ages, the discovery that we art not alone in the cosmos. When news of thy presence becomes widespread, there shalt be those who fear thee and those who seek to take advantage of thou to further their own goals. Among them would be politicians with no small amount of power, and it is the duty of the ambassadors from Equestria's neighbors to aid in controlling them via peaceful negotiation to set boundaries."
"Take care of myself," Greene insisted.
"Thou art on, what is to thee, an alien world. A few hours of reading material shall not prepare thee adequately for the maneuvering of politicians. Thou may not even be aware of their machinations when they occur."
Greene stayed silent, staring at her in that statue-like manner she'd proven herself expert at. The awkward pause in the conversation was mercifully ended by Celestia. "So sister, is anything going on tonight?"
Luna smiled. "As a matter of fact, we art finalizing the plans for our newest constellation."
Celestia smiled. "That's wonderful! What's it going to be?"
"Thou shalt see, sister," she said slyly. "Though we must say, we feel it is our best work yet."
Celestia yawned, inhaling another cookie as she did so, thus clearing her plate. "I look forward to seeing it. Good night, Luna. I'll see you in the morning."
"Fare thee well, sister. We shalt send thee pleasant dreams."
"Thank you sister. Have a pleasant night." With that, Celestia engulfed herself in a corona of light, and vanished, to the sound of a hissing Evolved.
"Relax, Elizabeth. Tis simply teleportation." Luna drew out of her own seat, having finished with her sandwich and coffee. She was ready to begin the night. "Follow us, we shalt show thee to our destination." With a shuffle of her wings and the padding of suited feet, the two left the private dining hall.
As soon as they did, two of Luna's Night Guard filed beside her, Elizabeth behind them. She turned her head towards each. "We thank thee for thy vigilance, but we art going alone with our guest tonight."
They bowed. "As you wish, Your Highness," said the one on the left, Aurora Falls. The two thestrals left her.
"Please, Elizabeth. Walk beside us." Faster than she could blink, the Evolved was next to her, Greene's intense heat making her sweat. "What art the nights like where thou art from?" she asked casually as they stepped out of the castle onto a balcony.
Elizabeth wasn't speaking. She was looking at the night sky. Luna smiled. It was always nice, as an artist, to find a new fan. Elizabeth Greene placed her hands on the railing, looking up at the stars and constellations, losing herself in the crescent moon.
"Thou enjoyeth our night?"
"Stars," she whispered. "So many stars," she said, her echos lost in the night.
"There art fewer stars where thou comes from, Elizabeth?" Luna asked. This wasn't even one of her best nights. She could do so much better and yet even this rendered Greene speechless?
"First home... no time to see stars. Then, no stars in the cold dark place. Second home... I enjoyed the night, but it was always so bright bright bright, few stars visible."
"Thy former home was rife with light pollution?"
"Light pollution..." Greene mused. "Seems right." Greene reclined, pulling away from the balcony. Luna noticed that where her hands were, there were two red blobs, films of blood-colored jelly clinging to the rails.
"Elizabeth," she deadpanned. "What hast thou done to the balcony?"
"Warm," she insisted. "Night good, dark, but cold. Warm."
"May thou remove that? Tis most unsightly."
She placed a finger on each of the blotches, and they receded, shrinking as she absorbed them. Luna raised a brow. "A most unusual power. At any rate, we hath a few hours before we must attend to the court. What is there thou wishes to know that thou does not already?"
"High population," she rasped.
"Couldst thou clarify?"
"Where is there high population?"
Luna narrowed her eyes. As much as she was overjoyed to see somepony who enjoyed the night more than the day, Elizabeth was still an alien creature and there was still a chance, however minute, that she was the scout for an invasion. "And why would thou like to know?"
"Crowded places easier to bless." She said it so simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Easy to bless," she repeated needlessly.
"We see..." What was this 'blessing' she spoke of? She asked her as much.
"Blessing lifts me above Similars. Stronger. Better. Don't weaken over years. Give it to others."
"We think we understand. How doest thou spread thy 'blessing'?"
"Show?" she asked forcefully. The inflection on her voice made her feel as though denying her would be like slapping a foal, the ominous echoes doing nothing to detract from that.
Luna considered this. The 'blessing' Elizabeth claimed to have was what undoubtedly changed her from a human to an Evolved. It supposedly made her stronger, immortal, and able to spread the blessing at will. It was likely also the source of her ability to control the red slime. Luna was confident that she could control its effects. After all, she'd been through much worse. What could a 'blessing' do to her?
"Go ahead, Elizabeth."
Luna prepared herself for the worst. Greene came to her and held out a hand, firmly pressing her fingers to her coat. There was a rush of warmth from the Evolved, sticking to Luna's fur and sinking to her skin. It was unbearably hot, like a scorching summer's day - which she, as the Princess of the Night, hated with a passion - worming under her skin and through her veins. Greene pulled away, smiling like a filly who just got their cutie mark. The warmth faded, and Greene frowned.
"Not blessed," she murmured, holding out her hand again. Luna allowed it a second time. There was the same heat, the fire flowing through her veins, and then nothing. "Can't bless," she hissed, stepping back in some mixture of fear and revulsion.
Luna ruffled her wings, her gaze meeting Elizabeth's horrified eyes. "Tis no surprise. Our sister and us are quite resistant to all manner of change."
"Can't bless alicorns. Too powerful. Reject blessing," she murmured. She lit back up. "Gods, though. Gods don't... work as others."
"Tis true," Luna said. "We assume thou wishes to spread thy blessing?" Greene nodded vigorously. "Well, we are afraid we do not yet know of the effects thy blessing shall have. We may yet study it, but until then we ask for thee to refrain."
Greene scowled, but said nothing as she returned to gazing at Luna's night. Blessing others must've mean so much to her. Though it left to question what exactly her 'blessing' was. It certainly didn't feel like any magic she'd ever encountered. Perhaps the humans of her world had stumbled upon a form of magic and, not knowing what it was, used it on her. Perhaps she discovered it, and that would make sense. In a world without magic, suddenly gaining such powers was bound to be seen as a gift from the gods. But she'd reportedly been attacked for it...
Elizabeth suddenly looked behind her, at the more lofty spires of Canterlot Castle. "Climb," she whispered excitedly, determination burning in her eyes.
"Thou wish to ascend to the highest tower? Very well; as the ambassador to the Evolved, thou art entitled to certain privileges. Follow us," Luna said, turning back towards the door. She twisted her head back to look at Greene. "The stairs art this - "
Elizabeth knelt, then shot up like a rocket, dozens of feet into the air. She alighted on a wall and began to sprint up the side of the castle.
" - way," Luna finished weakly, watching the crazed Evolved running a vertical serpentine pattern to avoid the Night Guards attempting to catch her. Groaning, she took wing herself. In a few short wingstrokes, she caught up to Elizabeth's former location, because by then the Evolved had gotten even further.
"Stand down!" she bellowed. The Night Guards immediately did so, hovering in a ring before her.
"Your Highness, there is an unknown intruder climbing the castle!" said one, his bat-like wings beating fiercely at the air.
"We art aware of this. However, it is not an unknown intruder, but rather the ambassador for the Evolved. She commutes in strange ways," she improvised flawlessly.
"Are you certain, Your Majesty?"
"Quite. Thou art to be commended for thy vigilance, however there is no need for it here. Thou may return to thy patrols."
"As you command, Princess," they said together, before departing to continue their night time patrols around the castle, leaving Luna to continue flying.
She alighted upon the highest balcony, where Elizabeth was already sitting on a tiny web of red and white tendrils.
"City large. City nice," she whispered, playing with some of her suit's straps.
Luna glared. "Yes. Very nice. Elizabeth, do try to not be assaulted by our guards. Knowledge of thy existence is not secret, however it can only spread so fast, especially between the nocturnal and diurnal. We may not be there next time, and we do not need for thee to repeat your initial encounter with the guard. Understood?"
Elizabeth frowned, the mat of flesh beneath her receding. "Understood," she hissed, baring her unimpressive canines. She tilted her head, and drooped. Even her ragged, mangled mane - hair? - seemed to fray. Luna blinked. No, that was just a trick of the shadows.
"Want to go back," she rasped. "Want to read. Want to be warm."
Luna frowned, even as a chill wind blew away Greene's stifling heat. She'd only just got here, and she wanted to go back already? "Thou wishes to go to sleep so early in the night?"
"Not sleep. Read." Elizabeth was evidently sharper than she seemed, because even though Luna hadn't mentioned why she was disappointed by this she continued by saying, "Have windows, see stars through windows." She shivered. "Sleep bad."
Luna perked up, her ears raising themselves. "Excellent." She felt a presence flicker in her mind, signaling that Tia had just fallen asleep. She briefly flared her horn, bestowing pleasant dreams upon her. They involved a lot of cake. "Then we shalt bring thee to thy chambers. Prepare thyself, Elizabeth Greene! Thy first teleportation awaits!"
Blue magic began to circle around Luna's horn as she built up the matrices. Celestia had, of course, confided in her the location of Greene's room during the raising and setting of the heavenly orbs. She knew the room well, it was a guest room usually reserved for the griffon ambassador. She could teleport there easily.
Elizabeth stepped back warily. "Wait," she began to say. " - unsafe!"
"Perfectly safe," Luna said, engulfing both herself and Greene. She tugged them, slipping through the folds of space and time, and re-emerging on the other side with a crack of lunar magic.
Elizabeth stumbled, and fell to the ground with an unusually deep whumph. She recovered instantly, rising back to her full, intimidating height, and glared at Luna. "Scared me!" she shouted accusingly.
Luna couldn't help but smirk triumphantly. Tia wasn't the only one with a prankster streak. "Thou art safe, Elizabeth, relax." She looked around the guest chamber. "We would never... harm... thee." Her eyes settled on the bed, which was completely enshrouded in red and white tendrils. There were a few books on it. They were all open to various pages, arranged in a circle around a central spot. The tendrils spilled over onto the ground, reaching outwards a short distance. "What hast thou done, Elizabeth?"
"Nest, warm," she said.
Luna frowned. "Is the process at least reversible?"
"When I wish," Elizabeth said.
"Very well then. We shalt leave thee to thy reading." Luna turned around and headed to the door. She paused and craned her head back, expecting a 'goodbye'. None came; Elizabeth was hunting for something through some book or another. Luna sighed dejectedly, reminding herself this was an alien creature. Its customs may be and indeed were very different. She flicked open the door with her telekinesis, stepped out, closed the door, turned around and -
"Oof!"
Luna stumbled backwards, looking down at the pony who had galloped into her full tilt, and promptly fallen on her backside as a result.
The mare was clearly getting on in her years, judging by the streaks of gray in her otherwise sky blue mane and tail. Her red eyes, with bags beneath them, were at odds with her azure coat, and they widened exponentially when she realized just who she had galloped into. Instantly, she flipped over and lowered herself, lab coat billowing and obscuring her cutie mark, prostrating herself before Luna.
"Y-Y-Your Majesty! I am so dreadfully sorry! I swear I shall be more cautious whenever I walk, and, and, a-and - "
"Please, cease panicking," Luna said. "Rise, and continue on thy way."
The mare rose, but didn't continue. "A-Actually, I was looking for you, Your Highness."
Luna's stern look softened. "Ah, then it was most fortuitous for thou to find us, despite the... impact. What hast thou to say?"
"Doctor Lymph is requesting your presence regarding the blood and tissue analysis of, um, Elizabeth Greene?"
Speaking of which...
"Yes?" Greene asked, opening the door.
The pony jumped. "Guh! H-How did you - "
"Ears," she rasped. "Samples?"
"U-Um, yes." The pony returned her gaze to Luna. "If you'll follow me, Princess, I can bring you to him." She looked at Elizabeth Greene. "You can, uh, go back to whatever it is you were doing."
Instead, Greene stepped out of her room and knelt down to the mare's level. She raised a hand and brushed it along the mare's cheek, who shivered at the touch. "You have done a good job," she whispered, pulling back and standing. Without further hint that she knew they existed, Elizabeth Greene went back into her room and closed the door.
The earth pony stammered, "T-T-That was, that was - "
"The alien creature, yes. Her name is Elizabeth Greene, she is ambassador to the Evolved." Luna didn't bother adding that, if what Celestia said was true, there were at most two other Evolved in all of existence. "Now, miss..."
"Ribo Coil, Your Highness," she said, rubbing the spot Elizabeth had touched her with a hoof.
"Ribo Coil, please bring us to Doctor Lymph."
"R-Right away, Princess Luna."
Without further ado, Ribo Coil began to lead Luna through the castle, taking twists and turns and stairs. Before too long, Luna's nose picked up the smell of doctors, antiseptic, and nutritional broths. The Pathogen and Vaccine research branch was a relatively new addition to the castle, at least by Luna's standards. It was truly the marvel of modern Equestrian medicine, using magic to analyze disease causing agents and create both cures and vaccines for them.
The door was easily passed, Luna ignoring the 'Caution! Disease causing agents and ponies do NOT mix!' sign. It was sterile white, with lab benches lining all the walls. She'd been here several times (Since vaccines were something that would've been nothing short of miraculous back before her banishment) and was surprised by the level of activity.
Doctors were rushing too and fro, levitating and carrying vials, checking off lists on clipboards and talking excitedly. Ribo Coil maneuvered between them easily, and while those who noticed Luna were quick to give a bow and give her space, whatever had happened with Greene's samples rendered those few and far between. Before too long, Doctor Lymph found them, his mane frazzled and fur matted with sweat. He seemed... jittery, as if he'd had one too many cups of coffee.
He gave a hurried bow. "Your Majesty, thank you so much for coming on such short notice. Please, let's get to someplace less crowded." He took a deep breath. "Alright everypony, clear a path! Royalty coming through!"
With his shout, the doctors around Luna took notice of her, gave worried bows, and made plenty of space for her and Doctor Lymph to pass through. Before too long, they reached an isolated corner of the Pathogen and Vaccine branch, where there was nopony but her and the doctor. Even the lab bench was clear except for several sheets of notes.
"We art most impressed, doctor," Luna said. "To analyze samples from what is, after all, an alien species so rapidly, and so against thy natural sleep cycles, does credit to thou and thy colleagues. What hast thou found? Is Elizabeth Greene free of disease?"
"Well, that's the thing, Your Highness." His horn lit up with a muddy aura and lifted a seemingly random paper to before his face. "She is rife with viruses. The sample of her blood that we took contained no less than three dozen various types of virus."
"Three dozen?" Luna whispered in awe. "How harmful art they?"
"Actually, they're mostly inert. I'll come back to the 'mostly' later, but they couldn't cause a sniffle, let alone anything dangerous."
"Interesting."
"It gets more so. The flesh sample we took is also rife with disease, but it's all one strain. We analyzed it with a basic Viral Classification Spell, and the diseases in her blood appear to all be mutations of the one in her flesh."
"We believe we follow. Her illness is in her tissue, and it mutates when it reaches her blood."
"That's just the thing, Your Highness. We don't think - I don't think she is sick at all. This strain in her flesh, we believe she depends on it. It is our belief that she exists in mutualistic symbiosis with this virus; she gives it a place to reside, and in return it... well, we don't know what it does for her; we'd need to perform more tests. But the way this relates to her blood is fascinating."
"How so?"
"She's not just mutating the virus. Her body is a factory. It's creating new strains of what we call the Greene Virus - creative, I know - at a dizzying pace. It's likely an ongoing process; were we to take another blood sample, I doubt we'd find even a single strain matching the ones we have now."
"And the original strain in her flesh? Is it dangerous?"
He shrugged. "We don't think so. It's not like anything we've ever seen, being from an alien world, but it doesn't seem to be contagious, or any worse than a weak version of the flu. But this brings me to my next point; you know how I said most of the blood strains were inert?" he asked, changing the paper for another.
"Indeed we do."
"There was one that wasn't inert. We actually analyzed it, and you wouldn't believe what we found." Doctor Lymph beamed. "Your Majesty, using that strain - Greene Strain 17, we're calling it - we believe we've created a cure for wing cancer. Not just pegasi cancer, either! Griffon and dragon wing cancer as well, in all likelihood! Maybe even changeling wing cancer, if that's a thing."
Luna's eyes widened. "Incredible. Wing cancer hast been a scourge for longer than we hath been alive. And now Greene arrives and, in the span of a day, gives you a lead to a possible cure?"
"That's what I'm saying, Your Majesty. And it's not just a possible cure; we've implemented it on a volunteer, and already he's showing signs of tremendous recovery from what would've been terminal wing cancer. The strains she's creating... they could cure every disease on the planet, given time!" He froze, frowning. "Or, possibly, cause them. Most of the thirty-eight strains, not including the original, are inert, and seventeen was benign. It's not a stretch to assume that, just by shear luck, she may produce an apocalypse strain of her virus."
"So she has the potential to be dangerous," Luna said.
"Only if her blood gets out, and only if she happens to have a malignant strain in it at the time. We have no way of knowing how often she produces disease-inducing strains. But Princess Luna, think about it! With just one sample of her blood, we've cured one of the worst diseases in history! Repeated samples - !"
"Hold thy tongue, Doctor!" Luna bellowed. "Our sister hath expressed concerns to us regarding Elizabeth Greene's mental health. From what she hath revealed, Elizabeth Greene appears to suffer post traumatic stress disorder regarding needles and doctors, as thou well knows." Doctor Lymph lightly tapped his horn with a hoof, grimacing. "We will not have her come to give you more of her blood, we will not influence her and we forbid thee from doing the same. If she wishes to provide more donations, that is her decision alone."
Doctor Lymph looked down, hoofing at the ground with his ears splaid back. He looked like he wanted to put forth an argument, but decided that would be most unwise. "O-Of course, Your Majesty. So, what do you think about Elizabeth's health-safety factor?"
Luna considered this. She wondered if maybe this 'Greene Strain' was her blessing, and not some form of magic like she'd initially thought. If that was so, then Greene's intention to 'bless' others translated to spreading a disease. However, Doctor Lymph had said that the virus was nearly harmless, and it did appear to grant Elizabeth a great deal of fortitude.
"She's harmless," Luna decided. "We thank thee for thy diligence. Now, we highly suggest thou and thy colleagues get to sleep." Luna smiled. "We suspect thou shalt have a great deal of work to do on this cure for wing cancer."
"O-Of course, Princess. I'll get some sleep immediately."
"Sweet dreams, good doctor." Luna closed her eyes, and trotted across the space-time continuum, reappearing in her private quarters.
To tell the truth she wasn't certain what to think about Elizabeth Greene. She was filled with disease, and her blood could, if she understood, switch between toxic and harmless at a moment's notice. She desired to spread her infection to others, but the problem was Luna had no idea what that infection would even do. Doctor Lymph had said her base strain, likely the one she spread, was nearly harmless. However, it was still against her duty as a ruler to allow anypony - or anyevolved as it may be - to cause suffering, however minor, to her subjects.
Perhaps Greene thought it would strengthen ponies the way it strengthened her. Perhaps it was like an itch; she had to 'bless' others periodically, or the urge built up.
There was only one who could answer her, but Luna had Midnight Court to attend to in the meanwhile.
Perhaps she could get somepony to help her investigate Elizabeth. She had an idea who could, as well.
***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***
Greene
Oh what wonder! What joy joy joy!
She hummed a tune as she walked through the castle walls, one hand tracing a thin line of red along the left wall so she could find her way back. She didn't know where she knew the tune from, but it must've been from Before because whenever she tried to remember it felt like she was being crushed beneath the weight of the world. But the tune hardly mattered.
She could feel her Blessing in the equines she had touched, had gifted. Feel it thrumming in her veins, sense their positions in her mind. It was there, struggling through their veins. It wasn't spreading rapidly through them like it would in a Similar, but it was still there, she could feel it, and soon she would have children again!
Canterlot, Manehatten. Those had the highest populations. She'd Bless those areas first before spreading to the rest of Equestria. Then she could probably multitask several nations. The capitol of the Zebran Plains, Savarah. The capitol of the Griffon Kingdom, Aviona. So on, so forth.
She kept humming as she reached a patrol of guards, the night-time variety that Luna seemed to command. "Halt!" said the one on the left. "What are you doing here?"
"Guest, ambassador," she rasped, continuing to stride forwards, her hand leaking more of her warmth. "Went for walk."
"What in the name of the Princesses are you doing to the wall?!" the other asked, wings spread open aggressively as he took in the half-hoof wide stream of red... stuff she'd left behind her.
"Find my way back," she said truthfully, coming to a stop right before them. "Walking, pull trail back once returning to Home. Good of you to be concerned," she said. "Good for guards." She patted one on the head, then the other, Blessing each of them as she did so. They pulled back, shaking their heads, but didn't seem to realize the gift she'd bestowed upon them. It hardly mattered; they'd realize soon enough.
"Very well, then," said the one who'd accosted her first. "Continue on your way, just don't get lost."
"Won't," she said, smiling. Sure, they'd be in pain soon. Her Blessing's transitional phase was never pleasant; vomiting blood, disorientation, among other things. It was part of the process to begin letting them Listen to her, and the moment the process began she'd make them as happy happy happy as she could, ease the pain of the transition as best she could. They were, after all, her children.
She kept humming, walking forward and Blessing another patrol of guards, and a few servants of the royal sisters.
... oh, the sisters.
She couldn't Bless them, and that made her want to scream and shout and rip things from the unfairness of it all! They'd been so kind to her, and she couldn't give them her gift as payment! Their bodies couldn't be Blessed; when she gave Luna her gift, the alicorn's body - her raw power - incinerated her Blessing within seconds. That they should be forced to live independent for the rest of their immortal lives, forced to rely on themselves for happiness, that was a cruel cruel cruel fate she wouldn't wish upon her worst enemy.
Furthermore, she wasn't even certain if she should Bless them. As much as the idea didn't agree with her, they did seem to control the sun and the moon of this world. If she were to Bless them, she wasn't certain they could continue their roles, and either heavenly object being suspended forever would be bad bad bad. She could always Bless one, so that the other could continue the duties of both, but she'd have to ask them to know which one, and the one left behind would still lose their sister.
That was if she could Bless them at all, and Elizabeth wasn't sure she could.
She also had to be diplomatic about this. She didn't want to fight against the equines like she had the Similars; they'd been so kind kind kind to her! Surely, once Celestia and Luna saw how happy their subjects were after being Blessed, they'd understand. Surely...
... but those were sad sad sad worry-thoughts for a worry-time. She could feel her Blessing growing within a dozen and a half of the equines, and she was feeling weak. Greene stopped walking forward and turned around. She placed her right hand to the wall that had previously been on her left and began tracing her path back, absorbing the red warmth she'd left behind as she retraced her footsteps, her strength and mass returning.
Everything was going according to plan. The Blessings she'd bestowed weren't spreading quickly, but that wasn't important because the Blessing was there! She knew where to go, she knew how she could do this. The books told her enough.
She soon found her way back to her room and slipped inside. She sat down on her nest, crossing her legs, and gently touched it with her left fingers. The web began to grow, until soon she'd engulfed the entire guest room in her warmth, making it a proper Home.
Yes, Elizabeth Greene thought. Everything is going to be just. Fine.
