Twilight bit her lip as she pondered the situation. Apparently, Shiera was an Empress, back in her own world, but for some odd reason, she didn't seem to want to be called by that title. Even when the princesses offered to help find her a way home, she didn't really seem all that eager. Twilight couldn't figure out why. She could also tell that Shiera wasn't very happy with her. Apparently, Shiera had not intended on sharing her real title with the group. Twilight felt bad, she didn't mean to upset her...

Furthermore, Shiera seemed more interested in her food trey than talking any further with the princesses, which Twilight found to be rude. "Hey! The Princesses are only trying to help! The least you could do is listen to them!" Twilight said, taking a step forward. Shiera gave a long sigh. "You're right, i'm sorry. But.....you said you were princesses? Perhaps i could speak to a higher authority, then?" Her ears seemed to perk up, and her full attention was on Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are the highest authority in Equestria!" Twilight informed her. Shiera gave them all an incredulous look. "But you are just princesses. Does that not leave a power vacuum? What is to stop a Lord or Emperor from claiming sovereign rights?"

Luna stomped her hoof, "We are. No foreign power will ever claim dominion over Equestria without going through us and our armies!" Luna spoke with much authority, but Shiera didn't seem to show any initial reaction, but finally she nodded her head and shrugged. "I meant no offense, i was simply curious. I am not very familiar with how this world works, after all. I apologize if i have offended you. It was not my intent."

Princess Celestia was the first to respond, "It is alright. It is understandable that you would not be....familiar with how things are done here in Equestria. We shall respect your ways, but we ask that you respect our ways in turn."

Shiera nodded, and then Twilight noticed something strange. Shiera seemed to shift from her formal and proper self to that of an almost fragile mare...

"What do i do? I....I-I'm all alone now.....What did i do wrong? Why am i here?" Shiera asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. She seemed to be talking to herself rather than anypony else in the room. She had stopped looking at Celestia, and instead just stared at her own hooves.

Celestia moved to try and comfort her, but upon being touched, Shiera seemed to jolt back to herself, "I-I'm fine. I'm fine." Twilight watched as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "It's.....just stress, is all..."

Shiera took a deep breath. "I....I actually have a question i've been meaning to ask..."

"Yes, what is it?" asked Celestia.

Shiera took a moment to formulate the question, but decided being blunt about it wouldn't hurt. "What is with those butt tattoos you all have? Do you brand yourselves? Are they marks of ownership? Or something else? Why are they all different? Are you all slaves or something?"

Everyone in the room except for Shiera broke into laughter. Shiera didn't see what was so funny about that. Finally, Twilight was the one who finally managed to answer. "They are called Cutie Marks. And they aren't branded. And it doesn't mean we are slaves or that someone owns us. They are a sign of our destiny, silly! They appear when a pony discovers their special talent."

Shiera pondered this for a moment. What a bizarre idea it was. But then, this whole world was bizarre, so she really couldn't say that it was anymore out of the ordinary than anything else she had seen. She glanced down at her own flank. Did that mean she'd have to get one too? She hoped not, that kind of seemed weird to her. She didn't need another thing marking her as different than she already had. Her natural born white hair was proof of that. Though, truthfully, she wasn't sure that it was so out of place here in this world.

Shiera began walking around the room, inspecting everyone's cutie mark. She finally stopped at Twilight's, and raised hoof. She paused and looked at Twilight, "May i?" she asked, not wanting to be rude.

Twilight gave a nervous chuckle, "Go ahead, it's fine. Just don't get any weird ideas about it."

Shiera wasn't sure why, but that line made her chuckle a bit. She then pressed her hoof against the mark, and that is when it happened.

An unearthly, ear piercing screech emanated from the mark, and Twilight jumped away with a scream of pain. The mark began to flicker in and out of existence for a brief moment before turning back to normal. There was a small, red burning hoof mark on it, that also faded away as well.

"Ow!! What did you do?!" cried Twilight.

Shiera stumbled back, "I don't know, i just touched it! Are you saying that isn't what normally happens?!"

"Well, Obviously not! That hurt! And that definitely isn't normal!" Twilight retorted.

Shiera frowned, "I'm sorry, i honestly don't know what happened. I did not mean to hurt you."

Luna spoke up, "That is very strange. I have never seen a cutie mark do that before, have you, Sister?"

"No, i have not," replied Celestia.

"Did she cast a spell or something?" asked Nurse RedHeart.

Shiera quickly retorted, "I did not! I know when i use magic! And i did not use any magic! i just touched her, that's all!"

Celestia stepped forward. "Here, but your hoof on me." Shiera gave her an uneasy look. "I don't think---"

"Just do it, i promise i will not get angry at you."

With a sigh, Shiera put a hoof on Celestia's chest. Nothing happened. Shiera touched her again, but nothing happened.

"Hmm. Try touching my Cutie Mark." Celestia urged. Shiera frowned, not wanting to really do this, but she complied. That ear piercing screech could be heard again, and Celestia suddenly darted away before regaining her composure. The Cutie Mark began flickering in and out just as Twilight's had done before, and that same red hot hoof mark could be seen too, before it faded away, leaving no trace it was ever there in the first place. Just like before, a few seconds later her Cutie Mark was back to normal, as if nothing had happened.

"This....is most unusual..." said Celestia, wincing a bit. "Agreed," replied Luna.

Shiera just looked down at her hoof. "I am just as lost as you guys on this, i have no idea what just happened. This is just another layer of bizareness added to my day..."

Spike spoke up, "I don't get it, it's like Cutie Marks don't like her touch. I've never heard of anything like that. Have you, Twilight?"

Twilight frowned, "Well, no....but that did hurt. But the pain is gone now. Maybe it has something to do with why she doesn't have a Cutie Mark, I don't know."

"Well i have never heard of any blank flank doing that before," retorted Spike. Twilight sighed, "Like i said, i dont know. Maybe there's something in one of books in the library, or maybe in the Royal Archive? I don't know i'd have to check."

"I know i certainly haven't heard of anything like this before. Perhaps it has something to do with where you came from, Shiera?"

Shiera shrugged, "I don't know. We don't have 'Cutie Mark' things back in my old world. And i am pretty sure nothing like this ever happened to me back in my world either. I am just as clueless here."

The all went silent for a moment, everyone clearly confused as to what just happened. Finally Shiera decided to break the silence.

"Um, one last question....Can I leave this hospital now? Besides the freaky touch thing, i feel rather fine. Also this room is starting to feel really crowded at the moment...."

Author's Note

Finally we can now focus on getting out of that hospital. Definitely could use a change of scenery, and its about time Shiera starts to explore the world she's woken up in. Not sure when the next chapter will be out, but hopefully soon! Hopefully tomorrow, but we will see if my schedule allows it. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I aim to keep improving as i can.