The Sun had already risen when Shiera noticed Nurse RedHeart awaken. "Sleep well?" she asked, her voice calm and collected. Nurse RedHeart blinked in confusion, "Hmm? Oh dear! it seems i fell asleep, goodness me..." Shiera watched as the pony-nurse got out of her chair and stretch for but the briefest of moments. Shiera had expected a yawn or something, but the nurse did no such thing. Instead, she turned to Shiera and asked, "How about some breakfast? You haven't eaten anything since you arrived."

Shiera blushed, she had completely forgotten about food. Strangely, she didn't feel all that hungry, but she shoved those feelings away. It hadbeen a while since she last ate. "Uh, yes, i would like that very much."
Nurse RedHeart smiled and nodded before leaving the room to go get breakfast.

Shiera decided to get off her bed as well, as she felt she needed to stretch as well. However, things did not go exactly as planned. Shiera was very much used to walking on two feet, thus, she was caught off balance by the different center of gravity that her body had, and fell flat on her face.

"Ow...." she groaned, as she lifted herself off of the floor. It felt strange be on all four hooves. While it felt natural to her body, Shiera's mind was still quite used to being in human form, thus why it felt so awkward. "So impractical....how are you supposed to hold things or get anything done when you need at leas three legs to stand up straight?" she pondered.

Sadly, she would have to shove away those thoughts for now. She really needed to stretch, and it would give her a chance to test out this new body a little bit. She started by lifting one hoof and stretching as far as it would go, and then proceeded to do so with her other limbs. Then she began making circular motions around the shoulder of each joint, testing out how the could and could not bend. She noticed that her front two legs were a lot more flexible than what normal horse's would be. They felt a lot more like arms than legs, but still had hooves like her back pair of legs. That brought another question to her, how would she be able to hold or grab anything with these things? She was starting to miss her fingers now.

She took a few more minutes to finish her stretches, but as she did the door opened up, revealing Nurse Redheart with a tray of what could only be assumed to be food on her back. She walked over to the table by the bed and placed the tray upon it. Shiera looked at the selection at hand-er, hoof she supposed. "Oh thank you, it looks.....um....well honestly, other than the apple, i don't know what any of this stuff is..."

Shiera pointed to one of the odd pastry looking ones, "What is this?" she asked. Nurse RedHeart began to giggle. "Oh, don't tell me....you honestly don't know what a cupcake is?" "Cup....cake? What is that?" Shiera asked, unsure of what was so funny.

The white-coated mare continued to giggle. "It's a treat. It's like a cake, but small and sugary. Try it, i think you will like it." Oh, like a cake...she should have figured that out by its name. Still, she liked cake, well some cakes. She hesitated for a moment, and then looked down at her hooves. "Um....how do i grab it?" Shiera asked, blushing a bit in embarrassment.

Nurse RedHeart went quiet for a moment, seemingly studying Shiera for a moment. Finally she replied, "Well, you grab it with your hoof, silly." Shiera simply stared at her and frowned. "How?" she turned back to the cupcake and carefully placed one of her hooves on it. Nothing happened. Nurse Redheart sighed, "Just think about grabbing it, and you will. It's not too hard, see?"

Shiera watched as the Nurse put her hoof on the apple and then suddenly lifted it up. Shiera's eyes widened in amazement. "Oh...." She then returned her attention back to the cupcake and gave it another try. Sure enough, it worked. She was not sure what kind of magic was keeping the cupcake firmly in her hoof, but whatever it was, Shiera was Immensely grateful for it.

She took a bite out of the cupcake. Her eyes widened it surprise. It was very sweet, very much like one of those honey rolls back home. however this tasted far more sugary than anything she had before. She decided she like cupcakes. Sadly, it seemed it take a bit to learn how not to eat so messily, but if the food was this good, she didn't mind having to relearn it.

It was then that there was a knock at the door. Nurse RedHeart suddenly perked up. "Oh! That must be the Princesses!" Shiera gave a curious look, "Princesses?"

Nurse RedHeart gave a sheepish smile, "Oops, i seem to forgot to mention that you have visitors today! The Princesses seemed very interested in meeting you!" Without another word, the nurse opened the door. and sure enough, there stood four ponies. two of which bore crowns upon their brows, and the other two clear dressed in guard attire. The princesses were much....taller...than what Shiera was expecting. And they also had both horns and wings. Shiera wasn't familiar with what those were.

Before introductions could be made, there was a loud clattering noise from outside in the hallway, followed by the sound of hooves rushing towards the door. "Sorry I'm late! I overslept! Are the Princesses here yet?!" came a voice that Shiera recognized from yesterday. Shiera watched as familiar lavender unicorn slipped and barreled right into one of the guards, knocking him into the other guard, causing the lot of them to fall onto the floor. "Oof! Sorry!".

Twilight lifted her head, now noticing the Princesses, and exactly who it was she barreled into, and she got up with a sheepish smile. "Princess Luna! Princess Celestia! I am soooo sorry! i was late and just wanted be here in time for your arrival, and then i got into a rush and---"

The tall white one of the two princesses chuckled, "It's okay, Twilight, just....next time watch where you are going. And don't run. This is a hospital after all."

Twilight blushed and bowed in respect, "Yes, Princess Celestia, I....will remember that." Shiera could sense there was a bond between the two, though as to what it was still eluded her.

Every pony in the room except for Shiera gave a bow to the princesses. Shiera merely stared at them curiously. The tall white one, whom Twilight had called 'Celestia' spoke first.

"So you are Shiera An, i presume? Twilight has told me quite a lot about you....I am Princess Celestia, and this is my sister, Princess Luna."

Shiera grimaced, she was never a fan of political formalities. She hesitated in introducing herself, but finally decided to go with "Pheonix General Shiera An of the Shu Empire, but you can just call me Shiera..." She decided to leave the whole her being an Empress thing a secret for now. Not many pleasant memories with that title....well, that wasn't entirely true....

The one called Luna frowned, "Shu? I thought Twilight said it was the An...? No matter, it is nice to meet you, Pheonix General Shiera An." Twilight then perked up, "Pheonix General? That would explain the swords.....but is that what you were before? A pheonix?" she asked excitedly.

Shiera, having switched to political mode, showed no emotion, save for a small frown. "No. I was not....it's a title, one that--"

However, Twilight interrupted with yet another question, "Wait, i thought you said that Shu empire isn't around anymore. you called it the 'Former Shu' Empire, if i'm not mistaken, and you said you were from something called the 'An' Empire..."

Shiera cursed herself for being so lenient with that information. She was also not particularly happy with the lavender unicorn.

Shiera took another bite of her cupcake, opting to finish it before continuing the conversation. "Fine. I lied. Pheonix General is my old title. I had hoped i could skim by without having to mention it, but--" she gave Twilight a steel eyed glare, "I'm actually Shiera An, Empress of the An Empire. Though i'd really be fine if we didn't use that title."

Twilight gasped, "You're an Empress??!!" Thankfully, Celestia unfolded one of her wings, silencing Twilight for the moment. "Was an Empress. I died, remember?"

"Well, Shiera An, you look quite lively for one who has died, as you have claimed," said the called Luna. Shiera frowned. "I don't have an answer to that. I died, then i fell, and now suddenly i am here, talking to rainbow colored horses whilst also being one myself and i now have a horn on my head, making me a unicorn. You try explaining that one." she replied flatly.

"So what Twilight said was true, you really are from another world," said Celestia. Shiera merely nodded, "I suppose so...."

"See? I told you, Twilight was right!" said a voice. It was only then that Shiera noticed the small purple and green lizard that was standing next to Twilight. "Shh, Spike, the Princesses are talking!" urged Twilight.

"So it seems Lizards can talk in this world, too. Does every creature speak in this world?" Shiera asked, turning back to the breakfast place Nurse RedHeart had brought.

"No! And i am not a lizard, i am a dragon! Thank you very much!" the small one named Spike, huffed. Shiera rolled her eyes, suppressing a chuckle. "No you aren't. You look nothing like a dragon."

"Hey!!" he protested, but Celestia raised her wing again, silencing him. "I assure you, Spike is indeed a dragon. I know waking up in this new world must be strange and unsettling for you, but surely you could tell us more about you, and perhaps we can figure out how it is you came here, and perhaps even find a way for you to return home..."

Shiera noticed the motherly aura that this Princess Celestia emitted. She wasn't sure what to make of it. However, Shiera certainly did want to go home again. "....I....I'm not sure i can be of much help...I just remember falling....and landing....and then waking up here. I can't remember anything that happened between the moment i died and the moment i woke up here. I'm sorry..."

Both of the princesses frowned. They seemed to be contemplating on what to say next. They even looked a bit sad. However Shiera didn't need anybody pitying her. She then decided to change the subject, and pointed at one of the other pastries on her tray. "What is this?"

Nurse RedHeart suddenly perked up, "That is called a Donut. It's good too."

"Dooooonnnnut.....weird name," she replied, taking a bite of it. It tasted like sugar bread, but even sweeter. It wasn't quite as sweet as the cupcake though. She decided she liked it more than the cupcake.

Author's Note

Alrighty, now things are starting to pick up....well a little bit at least. Sorry it took so long to get this out, but at least it's here now! I hope you enjoy it!

P.S. (i don't know why, but the entire time i had to fight the urge to call Nurse RedHeart Nurse Joy....)