//------------------------------// // Celestia's Selfish Wish // Story: Celestia's Selfish Wish // by vitagox //------------------------------// “I've seen generations of ponies pass before my eyes and their off spring soon take their place. Friends whose smiles I'll always see in my minds eye even after they've long gone. Millenia this dance has played out before me and so I have become hardened to it like rocks upon a shore, but even the rocks begin to succumb to the crashing waves.” “It was her, my faithful student, with every success, every moment she went above and beyond what I believed to be possible. I wanted to keep that smile with me, but how? Ascending was no easy feat, but in my heart I knew Twilight Sparkle was capable. Every time she was given a challenge she faced it and defeated it. Starswirl was given the opportunity, but he never wanted it he cherished his mortality saying it gave him drive and passion. I can not argue the results, he created some of the most powerful magics known to pony kind and taught myself and my sister everything we would need. Twilight, she will take the gift, but she will see it as simply another test and she will pass.” “My heart is torn however, she doesn't know the costs, and I do not know if I can tell them to her. I can push her in the direction, I can guide her to becoming a Princess, but is it right? Is my selfish desire to see my student, no, to see someone whom I would consider a daughter, always by my side right? Her potential is so great, even as a unicorn she would surpass Starswirl and become one of the greatest minds in history. So why, why do I wish to press this upon her, is it truly just my own selfish desires? Am I fooling myself into believing that I will be fulfilling some destiny by guiding her to the path of an alicorn? I do not know, but I dare not speak to Luna of this she would find the very idea of ascending Twilight to be folly. Even after her freedom from Nightmare Moon and all the other amazing feats of my student Luna already believes I grant her too much and by allowing her status as an alicorn I would be favoring one pony over all others. That's the truth though isn't it? I do favor her, I always have ever since that day when I saw her mark. The same mark that was upon the Tree of Harmony, I knew she was destined for amazing things, but I didn't expect these maternal desires to stake claim in my heart.” A quill that was encased in yellow magic soon paused on the page at the end of the word heart. It seemed frozen for long minutes, but were just scant seconds as the owner of the magic in question stared at the page of her journal. Celestia gave a soft sigh placing the quill into a spot specifically designed for it upon her overly intricate desk, it was a gift from a long time ago, of those ponies whose smiles she always remembers. The princesses head turned back towards the large double doors of her chambers, the windows of which were allowing the soft light of the moon to pierce through the silk curtains. Her sister always did create such beautiful nights, she had a grace of it that Celestia lacked when she was forced to do so herself all those many years. She stood slowly from her soft cushion upon the floor, her hooves making the softest of sounds as they moved across the carpeted floor of her chambers leading her to the doors which opened to a balcony over looking Canterlot and even further out into Equestria proper. Once her hooves met the stone of the balcony they clicked until she found herself at the railing, her mane radiant as the sun she represented ever flowing in the night wind. She knew that she risked being spotted by Luna, but she just needed the air and sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. Out behind the city she called home, beyond rolling hills she saw the faint lights of the little town of Ponyville, but the town was not what was occupying her mind. It was the occupant of the town's library that was taking up space in her thoughts. Could that little mare be prepared for what would happen? She would become a great alicorn like Celestia herself, but she would as well watch as her friends and family would play through the song of time without her. They would wither, grow old, and soon die as many ponies before them, but she would continue on. Even dear Spike, as many years as he has, even he would not outlast Twilight and soon the two would be forced to part by Father Time. Could Celestia force that upon her? Was it her right to do so? Soon the railing would face the wrath of her uncertainty as she slammed two hooves upon it, the stone slightly cracking under her strength and spark of anger. She winced as she noticed her outburst and gave a soft chuckle to herself wondering what the high and mighty would think seeing their princess breaking the castle. 'Quite unrefined' she could hear BlueBlood or one of his ilk speaking, she hated that game of acting high and proper, but it was that or return to the days of the Canterlot Voice and Lords. She allowed another sigh to escape her lips and soon rested her head upon the railing she earlier lost her temper upon. How would poor Twilight deal with that? Having to be judged by all these ponies who just see a crown and royalty? Yes Twilight had experienced much in her time in the castle, yes her brother was married to a princess, but she was never the fore front of the chaos of the politics. While she had opened with her time at Ponyville she was not a socialite, she loved her books and her solitude, but once she had a crown she would be forced into the public eye. To those power grubbing ponies in the courts that is all they see is the power and the royalty, they'd find it a blessing to be followed and looked upon, Twilight would not. Doesn't that make her the perfect candidate though? She has no desire to be loved more than any other pony she simply wishes to be seen as a normal pony. Then that would mean taking her normalcy away would be an even crueler punishment. Celestia's heart continued to twist and contort in her chest, she wanted to scream out in frustration at her own inability to separate her desire to see Twilight and whether or not doing what was necessary was fair to her. Twilight was like a daughter to her, she loved her with all her heart and if she had to see her-no, she didn't want to see her in the same way as Starswirl. Starswirl was her mentor, she was something more and she didn't want that to disappear because time continued to move against her will. With a new resolve the princess pulled her hooves from the railing and made her way back inside. Her gaze fell upon the journal she was writing upon moments ago and made her way back over to the desk sitting upon the cushion set before it. Once again the quill was enveloped in yellow magic, lifted up from its place in the desk, it quickly dabbed itself into the ink before moving back to the pages of the book. “These desire however are what drive me to see her towards greatness and although with partially selfish motivations I will guide her to be what she deserves to be, an alicorn princess. Her mark is upon the tree just like Luna's and my own, there could not be a clearer sign to me but that. I know there will be difficulties and hardship, but I will be there for her and I always plan to be. She is the closest thing to a daughter I have and though to other it may seem unfair, I must put her further on this path. Twilight is the most intelligent and amazing pony I have ever encountered, I can not simply let her pass on into history knowing the good she will do and will continue to do for pony kind. I will direct her to what Starswirl couldn't or rather, refused to do, and she will be a princess by my side.” As if signing some unbreakable contract with some higher entity she signed her name as usual upon the page and slid the quill back into its home once the deed was done. With a soft glow of her horn the ink would dry itself upon the pages so she could close the book, which upon the front had her cutie mark in gold upon the leather. She knew she had best sleep soon as the morning would come before she knew it and her duty would once again be upon her to raise the sun. Placing her hoof upon the cover briefly she made her way to the large bed that dominated her chambers and climbed under the silk sheets and heavy comforter. Soon her eyes would close, the image that came to mind was the Summer Sun celebration with her sister and Twilight by her side. The princess allowed herself a soft smile before allowing the sweet land of dreams to take her away.