When Celestia stepped into the force field, she saw an immediate change in the being before her. His scowl faltered, and he took a step back, obviously not expecting her to travel through with such ease. Now that she could take a better look at him, she began to see several differences. For one thing, some of Eclipse's body parts were colored differently, with more blues and mottled greens. Another thing was the fact that he was built like a walking stick, skinny and frail, but what muscle he had looked well-toned. His night-blue mane dropped about to his shoulders and looked messy and a little wild. He altogether looked as though he hadn't been living very well, wherever he had been.
Snap! Her wings and horn disappeared. She hadn't even seen him snap his fingers, but he had stolen her wings and horn before she could say a word. Trying to demonstrate her peaceful intentions, she shrugged it off, trying not to display how disconcerting it was to suddenly be an earth pony. "I don't need a horn or wings to talk to you. That really IS all that I want to do..."
"Don't take a single step closer..." He growled. Celestia was shocked at how different his voice sounded now than when he was singing. Gone was the mournful tenor she had heard just moments before, replaced by... something very angry. "You also don't need to be any closer to speak. I can hear you just fine..."
Celestia nodded, happy that he was remaining civil. "Well, I have a few questions I would like to ask you, if you don't mind."
Her captive motioned to the glowing yellow walls around them. "Do I have a choice?"
Celestia tried to ignore the sarcasm. "Well, first of all, I'd like to know what you're doing here."
"Talking to you."
"No, I mean why are you in Equestria?"
"Because I'm not anywhere else..."
Celestia groaned. Not only was he being uncooperative, but he was rude! "What is your purpose for being in Equestia?"
"I'm a creature without purpose, your highness. I simply wish to survive, which means not getting trapped like THIS. Though I doubt that I'll have my wish for much longer."
Celestia was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I saw what happened to the last guy..." He grumbled, jerking his thumb towards Discord. "I know what comes next."
"How could you think that?" Celestia was taken aback. "We wouldn't hurt you just for being a draconequus! That's why I'm here, to see if you are a friend or foe!"
"Of course! That's why you threw me into a prison! Give me a break." He rolled his eyes again, .
"You're still not LISTENING!" Celestia shouted, stomping her hoof in frustration. When her hoof came down, he was gone, leaving only another puff of smoke. Celestia looked around, a bit confused. He couldn't have gotten out, could he? After a few seconds, though, she spotted him, trying to hide behind Discord's statue and peeking over the shoulder. He's hiding... from me? He's scared of me? Celestia stopped to think. That would explain his behavior... He was trying to make me leave. The fight or flight reflex... Finally understanding what had happened, she smiled at him.
"I think I understand. You're trying to hide how scared you are, right? I swear on the sun itself, I have not come to do you harm. I think that we're getting off on the wrong hoof. My name is Princess Celestia. I think that I might have read about you... Is your name 'Eclipse?'"
He nodded from his hiding place behind the statue, still gripping it tightly. "You... read about me?" His voice had risen now. He had stopped growling, and he revealed that his speaking voice was on a higher register than his growling.
Celestia's smile widened. "Yes, I did! I read that you used to travel with Discord, but you never did any fighting like he did..." She nodded at the statue. "I'm guessing that you know him pretty well... And I'm very sorry for the fact that he's imprisoned like this. I assure you, if there had been another way..."
Eclipse slipped off of Discord's back, stepping out from behind the statue. "I... I can understand."
Celestia could hardly believe her ears. "Wait, what?"
"I understand." Eclipse looked down at the ground, then back up at Discord. "By the time we had reached Equestria, Discord was beyond most kinds of help... I can understand why you would do this." When he looked back at Celestia, there were tears brimming up in his eyes.
"Just, please don't do the same thing to me! I've tried to stay quiet and out of pony affairs! I don't really even LIKE ponies, that's why I've left them alone for so long! I'm a little scared of them, to be honest! Just, please, don't hurt me!" With those words, he moved back behind Discord's statue, turning his back to Celestia and sitting on the edge of the pedestal to hide his crying.
Celestia was taken aback. First of all, he understood the fact that his friend needed to be locked in stone for the rest of the forseeable future? He just... understood? Secondly, he was afraid of ponies? Afraid. Of ponies. Some ponies weren't very nice, but to fear a whole race seemed very blunt to his opinion.
And he was begging for his life. His pleas cut through Celestia like an icy knife. Is that really how I look to him? Like I've come to kill him? Trap him in stone? She looked up at the golden shield with new eyes: the eyes of someone who considered themselves as good as dead if they were to ever be trapped. It looked like a death warrant.
"Eclipse, I'm not going to hurt you, I made that promise to you already..." When she received no response, Celestia bit her lower lip in frustration. She was going to have to do something to make him trust her. "Can you make ME a promise? Promise me that if I let this shield down, you won't run. You'll stay and talk. Can you promise me that?"
From behind the statue, Eclipse turned around to look at her, a tiny glimmer of hope in his eye. "I can't assure you I'll stay for long, but I'll try..." He seemed sincere, so Celestia took a leap of faith... and let the light of Eclipse's prison fade.