"I took the liberty of having some tea and cake prepared for us," Princess Celestia gestured with a hoof toward the fancy tea set sitting on the small table next to her bed. Placed in a circle around the ornate porcelain teapot and cups were several slices of an overly rich looking chocolate cake. "I'm aware my sister prefers her coffee, but I wasn't certain what your preference was." Her kind smile made me feel sick to my stomach. More sick than I was already feeling.
"Personally, I can't stomach that particular beverage. Far too much caffeine for a drink, if you ask me. So, I made my favorite instead," she looked a little uncomfortable all of a sudden. "I... I hope that's okay," she looked away sheepishly.
Why is she rambling? And why is she acting so-
...
You've got to be kidding me.
It wasn't possible. It couldn't be.
Is she dreading this whole thing just as much as I am?
The possibilty of that being true may not have completely alleviated my discomfort, but it helped, if only a little bit. I suddenly had a lot more confidence than I did seconds before and the ego boost made the situation a lot more tolerable.
"I don't mind tea," I walked to the foot of her bed, not smiling, -- because I wasn't happy about all of this -- but willing to make an attempt at being civil with my mistress' sister.
"Would you like sugar in yours?" she asked as her horn flared to life, its golden light way too bright for my tastes.
So much more obnoxious than Her Majesty's hue.
She lifted one of the cups, as well as a small container filled to the brim with cubes of sugar, with her telekinesis.
"Please," I plopped down, trying my best not to look how I felt. "Three is enough," I stated before she had a chance to ask me how many I wanted. Without another word, she dropped three cubes into the cup before stirring it and carefully floating it over to me.
"If you need any more I ca-"
"I'm here to receive instructions on when I'm to depart for my task and any other details pertaining to it, Your Highness," I took the cup into my telekinesis, taking a sip. Unfortunately, it was the perfect temperature and delicious. "Not a thing more."
"Of... of course, Twilight," she lifted her own cup and took an awkward sip. "But I was really hoping we could... talk."
"I am talking," I took another drink from my cup. "It's not like I can stop you from doing whatever you please."
"You don't have to be like that, Twilight," she sighed, her countenance falling.
"Be like what!?" I snapped at her. "What do you expect from me, Princess!?" I was getting heated, but for some reason, I wasn't having much trouble controlling the simmering anger. "You gave consent for me to go to the Crystal Empire without my knowledge. You didn't even ask my mistress for her opinion on the subject, and you just expect me to come in here like we're best friends and have a wonderful time with you!?" I huffed, my body trembling as I took another drink of my tea to cool my jets.
That... that felt really good.
...
She didn't immediately react to my rant. She didn't even look particularly bothered by my outright disrespectful tone. Instead, she added a few more cubes of sugar to her cup and slowly stirred them in with a spoon.
"Let me ask you a simple question, Twilight." She had another taste, her face scrunching up before she added several more cubes and stirred some more. "Do you believe I... overstepped my bounds?" she asked as she moved the spoon in a circular motion. Her concentration appeared to be on her beverage and not me, and I'm not at all ashamed to say that irritated me to no end.
"It's not a matter of whether or not I believe. You did," I stated calmly, lowering my cup. "You had no right to make a decision like that for me."
"Hm..." she continued to stir, staring down into the liquid. "Life can be such a peculiar thing, wouldn't you agree? I was having such a splendid day, too..." she whispered that last part.
"I'm not really in the mood to wax philosophical with you, Princess. And I really couldn't care less how your day's been going." I took a long drink from my cup, downing the rest of the beverage before flipping the cup upside down and placing it back on the tray. "I'd really just like to know the details of my task and then I'll gladly be on my way."
...
"Very well, Twilight. I can do that for you," she lowered her own cup to the tray, though hers still had some tea left in it. "But first, I'd like to make something abundantly clear to you." She straightened up, not standing from the bed or anything like that, just... making herself appear larger. She unfurled her wings, stretching them out for a moment before folding them back in at her sides. "I AM half the rule of Equestria, one of the strongest nations to ever exist, as I have been for countless millennia. I AM the Princess of the Sun, the ruler of the day itself," her eyes narrowed on me, sending a spark of panic through my veins. When she spoke again her voice was deathly calm, her tone rattling me to my bones. "I am Celestia, the physical manifestation of Justice," her mane and tail began to flicker, as if they were both about to ignite into flames at any moment. "I CANNOT overstep my bounds, for in my endless years of existence, I have never HAD any." In the blink of an eye she was right next to me, no longer lying on her bed. I couldn't help but wince as she glared down at me.
"H-how did y-" I tried to scoot away from her, but it felt like an unknown force was holding me firmly in place.
"As such, I need you to understand, Twilight," her face was inches from mine. "Everything I have ever done has been for the betterment of Equestria and its inhabitants." She pressed her nose against mine. "EVERYTHING! I will not let a petulant foal show me such a blatant lack of respect!"
I was struggling to find my bearings, her rant a lot more extravagant than my own. While her irritation was a little frightening, I'd witnessed this side of her once before. This was "Princess Celestia", one half of the Immortal Sisters and total authority of all Equestria. If she'd so wished it, I'd be face down on the floor begging her for mercy, but for some reason she'd used none of her royal or deific command. She was just posturing, and that made it all the more annoying.
I'm not even worth actually reprimanding?
Despite knowing all of that, I couldn't help but feel like I'd just heard some things I wasn't meant to hear. As she drew her head away from me, I stewed on her words.
Countless millennia? Ruler of the day? Physical manifestation of Justice? Just who does she think she... Well, I guess she just told me who she thinks she is... and it's not like she isn't really a goddess.
The most grating thing was that I knew exactly what she was referring to.
"Fine. You want to talk about it, let's talk, Your Highness." I still couldn't move an inch, but I could darn well speak my mind. "Why!?" I glared at the alabaster alicorn.
She flinched.
"After all this time... does your character still lack so much, Twilight?" Her words tore at my heart, just like they always had.
"If I lack anything, Celestia," I bit down hard, doing my best to hold back the virulent tempest that was threatening to spill out of me. "It's because of you."
"You flatter me, Twilight," she smiled, though it was clearly meant to be more condescending than anything else.
WHAT!?
I didn't speak, but I stared daggers at the Sun Princess.
"If you wish to attribute the mare you've become to me," she scoffed, looking down her nose at me. "Then I'll gladly take the credit for it."
"You stabbed me in the back!" I was growling. "You LIED to me!"
"Such foolishness," she shook her head, turning away from me. "Who do you think put you on the current path you walk?"
"You rejected me!" I stood to my hooves, finally able to move again. I was angry, but I wasn't foolish enough to do anything more than get to my hooves. "You made me feel worthless!"
"I did exactly what needed to be done so that you'd be standing here before me right now." She continued to face away from me, fueling my anger more. Her tone was soft as a feather, but her words were like the venomous bites of a serpent.
"I'm here because of my mistress, not because of YOU!" I slammed a hoof on the floor to emphasize my point. It didn't faze her, her body remaining perfectly still.
"Twilight Sparkle..." She turned to face me, the look of utter indifference on her face causing me to fall back down onto my rump. "You are my little sister's disciple because I deemed it so."
"W-what?" I searched her eyes for any hint of deception, but there was none to be found.
That... that can't be.
My head sunk at the possibility of her words being true. I had once been a failure because she had made me one. I was able to crawl out of that pit of despair because of my mistress, not the arrogant alicorn standing before me.
"Why would I believe a word that comes out of your mouth?" I spoke through clenched teeth. "You don't care about me now and you didn't care about me then."
"Perhaps," she shrugged, not a care in the world. "When evaluated by foolish mortals, I can be perceived as quite the heartless mare. What do you think the victims of Starlight's crimes think of me?" she asked dismally, her eyes glistening with sadness. I can't lie and say I wasn't a little moved by such a beautiful creature's sorrow, but I couldn't just forget about all the crap I went through because of her. "What do you think their families think of me?" She wiped her eyes before any of the tears could fall.
"What does your tarnished reputation have to do with me?" It wasn't a question, at least not one I actually cared to have answered. It was the most respectful way I could basically tell her shove her rationalizations. She'd get no sympathy from me. I was thrilled when her frustrated eyes narrowed on me yet again.
Maybe you finally feel an ounce of the pain you put me through.
"Be thankful I love my sister more than all else, Twilight Sparkle," the haunting grin that came to her face staggered me. I'd never seen such a terrifying visage on any creature before, but I refused to back down. "Were you not her beloved, Damnatio memoriae to the nth degree would be the judgment for you and that irreverent tongue of yours."
Can she... can she do that?
It didn't matter if she could or not. I couldn't stop now.
"Then it's a good thing I apparently have you to thank for that," I grinned with as much saccharine in my smile as I could muster. "Your Highness."
...
"It's no wonder my sister is so drawn to you," she spoke through clenched teeth, absolutely seething at this point.
"And why is that?" I responded in kind.
"You've the exact same rebellious spirit," her face was inches from mine.
"Thanks for the compliment," I smiled arrogantly, genuinely pleased by her assessment. "You couldn't have compared me to a more admirable mare."
"Which is why I did what I have," she sneered. "Are you such a foolish creature that all you managed to do these past years was wallow in your own self-pity?" I heavily considered biting her nose as hard as I could. "Have you ever even thought about why I turned you away?"
"OF COURSE I HAVE!" I shouted directly in her face. She drew back, a look of disgust coming to her face. "I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. SINCE YOU CHOSE SUNSET OVER ME!"
...
"I expected so much more from you, Twilight Sparkle."
She may not have been my mentor. I may have hated her more than I should have. I might have even considered her a liar beyond hope... but... hearing her say those words... finally hearing her tell the truth after all these years... It hurt.
I opened my mouth to yell, to scream. What? I don't really know, but nothing came out. Instead, my tears began to fall. My stupid annoying tears that I didn't want to show her, flowed freely from my eyes and along with them, the honest truth.
"I loved you, Celestia." I had to bite down hard so I wouldn't sob like a pathetic weakling. "You were everything to me. Y-you..."
"Do you still not understand, Twilight? Luna wanted you," she sighed, closing her eyes and covering her face with a hoof.
"I DIDN'T WANT HER!" I shouted, the pain of the Sun Princess' rejection and the despair of admitting how I felt at the time ripping at my heart. Saying it felt like betraying my mistress, but it was the honest truth. "I... I only wanted you, Celestia... I only wanted you." I bawled just like I had all those years ago, the memories that I'd tried to bury deep inside rising back up to the surface.
The Princess of the Sun didn't say or do anything, instead choosing to simply let me get it all out.
...
...
...
...
...
"How do you feel about me now? Do you still want me?" she asked after I'd quieted down, the displeased edge to her voice gone. "Do you still love me, Twilight?"
"No," I wiped the remaining tears from my face. I didn't even have to think about it. I didn't have to consider how she might feel if I told her the truth. I didn't care how she felt. "I hate you."
The barb was effective, her head moving back slightly and a small shake of her jaw due to my harsh words her initial reaction.
Good. I hope it hurts.
"And... and are you... are you happy?"
I wasn't expecting a question like that.
...
... Am I?
Thinking of my mistress caused my lips to slowly lift into a smile. Even Sunset and Starlight didn't seem so bad when I thought about them.
Maybe me and Shining might even...
"I am. I've never been happier," I smiled. She returned the gesture, igniting her horn and floating a rolled up parchment to me.
"Good. Then despite my feelings, that's all that matters," she waited for me to take the letter. "This has all the information you need for your trip. Please share it with Sunset and Starlight." As soon as I took it into my telekinesis she moved to get back onto her bed, obviously to do more work. "Thank you for coming, Twilight, I know it was difficult for you. Please, have a good night."
I looked down at the scroll, beyond satisfied it had been much easier than I thought it would be to get what I came for.
As I trotted giddily to the door, the merry clip-clop of my hooves echoing in the room, I slowly came to a stop. I felt a weight pressing down on my back, as if a gravitic spell had been cast on me to make it difficult to move. Reaching out to open the door I froze. My heart was pounding, sweat beginning to form on my brow.
What is-
"Is everything okay, Twilight?" The princess sounded legitimately concerned.
Because she is.
I turned to look at her, a sharp pang striking my heart when I saw her face.
You know it isn't right.
"Princess I..." my head fell as I realized the truth was what was weighing so heavily on me.
"What is it, Twilight?" She was right next to me again, her concern for me something I'd wanted more than anything else. Something that, to this day, I still wanted so very badly.
I still love her. I still love her so much.
"Celestia... can... can we... talk?" I gazed into her violet eyes, lost in the beauty and love I found there.
"I was hoping you'd ask," she smiled. "Of course we can, Twilight."
She wrapped a wing around me as we walked back towards her bed.
Coffee is also not my cup of tea, tea on the other hand…
A character that actually reads someone’s else’s reactions? Oh boy I sure do hope this ability will still be there during a RoMAnTiCAl moment!
Me personally, I wouldn’t take this much of disrespect, I’d rather you tell me that you don’t like my way of doing things to my face, so that I could tell I don’t care to yours. This also is a great segway into the topic of why Twilight hates Celestial so much, she really took getting ghosted by the sun hard. And honestly I feel her. If i’d been training for years and years of my life, pushing through tears, evaluating my limits and ways to achieve fidelity in the field of magic, reaching as high as I could in skill without proper training, and then they just keep telling me no?
I know some kinds of higher education might need a basic requirement so not everyone can get in just to waste money, but you can’t expect someone to be an already perfect pony/human before they come into the class! If you really want to have only one person as your protege, create an actual school where others can teach someone you deem not good enough for you.
Damn, Twi, you need someone to teach how to create a better “snap” because this was kind of tame. Fits the character, kind of like how I once did in like 6th grade of smth. “You know, soon my patience will run out.” Or something like that. Eugh.
“Do you know who I am?”.
Honestly, best response.
You know what? Uhm… I don’t think my school idea is so great now! Celestia can do whatever the buck she wants to!(Also recently recognized as my second favorite behind Luna, she is the strongest thing to exist and she knows it.)
You can’t say that you orchestrated one pony to be basically mentally ill, and then cry about a bunch of ponies being stolen by another pony. Like, if you’re so strong and powerful wouldn’t your minions find a discrepancy in population reports? Missing ponies? Stuff like that? I mean, it’ll take more than blind luck to kidnap over 10 ponies into your little “toy zone”. I like Celestia, but it’s not because she’s good. Honestly, reminds me of Celly from Scootertrix the Abridged. I guess a princess who always does bad things that turn out good is better than a princess who tries good deeds but always fails, eh?
Celly never experienced normal life has she? I think she’s heavily delusional.
I knew it was just trauma, but darn. Why does no one want Luna?
I think I know what happens next, if Sunny likes Luna (allegedly), but Twi likes Celly, are they gonna switch? Also thanks for the B-day gift, this chapter is a pretty wonderful addition to the whole story!
Also, I feel like Celly is omitting the truth about her manipulating everything into place, so that she could manipulate everything into place. Classic Celestia.
11755353
Same. Coffee makes me jittery. Last time I had it I went to the ER cause I thought I was having a heart attack.
to utter sharp biting words : bark out irritable or peevish retorts
This definition of snapped, not like went psycho lol.
Finally someone gets it. Try and stop her. I'm sure she'd be delighted to show you how strong she is.
A misunderstanding. Celestia isn't crying here because she regrets or feels like she did wrong. She KNOWS what she did was correct. The pain comes from not being trusted by her subjects. They view her in a poor light because they think she should've done something different, but Tia knows she's right.
How does God live a normal life?
Oh Twilight wants Luna now. She loves her more than anything else, but when Twilight was younger she only cared about Celestia.
As Twilight grows closer to Celestia, Sunset grows closer to Luna. I wonder.
Oh sweet! Replace Risu with Foxtrot.
My exact idea of who Celestia actually is.
Little Twily's got a lot of growing to do, yes?
11755424
Yep. Hopefully she can manage.
The character devlopment in this story so far has been great keep it up
11756083
Thanks so very much for the comment! I'm glad you're enjoying the characters. I hope I can continue to please.
I despise Dumbledore Celestia, which is exactly what this version is. I don't care if she's a physical god, she's neither omnipotent or omnicient. She can mess up just like any one, and right here, right now, she's messed up hard. I have nothing but contempt for her, and compassion for Twilight.
Screw someone over and then demand their respect, say you'd punish them if they weren't valuable to someone you actually care about? That is not the act of a good person, that is the act of an entitled brat who's believes their own press. Any shred of respect I had for this version of Celestia is well and truly gone.
Twilight, don't fall for it, You have Luna now, accept that Celestia is a user, and get out of the toxic relationship she's trying to maintain. The Celestia you cared about, the one you were trying to impress in the first place never existed.
11756187
Actually an excellent comparison that I wholeheartedly agree with.
Also very true.
Perhaps not "just like anyone", but she can definitely screw up as she has before and, odds are, will again.
A reasonable assessment, but I'd say an imperfect mare is entitled to get angry once in a while. I mean we saw it with Starlight when Celestia threatened her and now we see it with Twilight. Celestia appears to have an anger issue. Maybe it's all the years of trying to appear like she's in control of everything.
I expected this and am glad to see someone has voiced it. One of my main sympathies for Celestia (my idea of her) is that she's just got so much to deal with and nobody to rely on but Luna who technically has let her down. (in the grand scheme of things, not just current cycle) It has to be difficult to be responsible for so much for so long.
This, may in fact, be true as well.
Thanks so much for commenting! I really love commentary like this because it shows what my writing is being interpreted as and I truly do appreciate it.
11755411
I wasn’t criticizing the use of snapping at someone, just saying that Twi isn’t the best at intimidation(?) here, which makes sense, at least to me it does.
Well a god would live a normal life through knowing everything, while what I’m thinking while I’m reading this is that alicorns aren’t truly all powerful. Yea, in relation to everything around them they might as well be gods, but they are closer to Greek gods, meaning they can’t just create matter out of no where, they still use up mana (be it practically infinite.) and if the canon is unchanged they still sleep to recharge.
I bet the SCP Foundation could capture the princesses. It might take years of field research, thousands of D-boys and MTF troopers, multiple researchers, but in the end, they will fall. The only forces powerful enough to be inevitable to the foundation are: The Scarlet King, SCP-682, and the IRS (plus countless more SCP’s which I haven’t read or heard of.).
Basically what I’m trying to say is that Stainless Steel Fox did a way better version of what I’m trying to say, so I thank him very much.
11756264
Oh yeah, nobody is intimidating Celestia except a berserked Luna... well, as far as mortals go.
Not all powerful, but on the cusp.
They have infinite mana. At most, they have to take a short break. A minute at most for Luna. Seconds for Celestia. And this would only be necessary in the event of destroying a galaxy.
Nope canon can go die. Short rest and they're ready to go. If Celestia went berserk and didn't have any intervention from Justice she could destroy the reality Justice created with ease.
If they worked with Kismet's creations or they themself, yes. The only way the sisters can be taken down in my canon at all is through Kismet manipulation because Justice allows it. Any other thing that happened Justice would just restart the cycle with Discord and then we're back to square one with Celestia and Luna as the start of reality along with the Sun and the Moon.
Homestly I wanted to feel moved by them giving it a try but I can't stop laughing at how this was set up...
I mean Twilight went year after year to be selected as Celestia's student but to only be set up as Luna's?
This has to be one of the biggest reasons to be mad at Celestia, to think that she spend years to be mentally broken and when she was at the end of the line she was dumped on Luna, just like that.
I am sorry Twilight but if this was worth nine years of failure then I can't blame Discord for the laughs.
11756283
I wouldn't say dumped on Luna.
So one of the main purposes of this story is to create conflict and weakness that isn't catastrophic. The world or Equestria isn't threatened, just things like emotions or dreams.
We technically don't even fully know what the Nightmare is trying to accomplish by possessing Twilight.
Doing so means making Celestia and Luna, (who are essentially invincible) weak in other ways. I don't want to give anything away, but here's a perspective with all that happened with Twilight.
Sometimes, we want things that we can never have, even if we deserve them. Even if we work our hardest for them. Twilight needs to learn to accept that. She's a genius who typically has always gotten what she wanted in canon. I've never liked that. For some reason I like a tragic Twilight way more than a fulfilled one. (Well, until it's all said and done.)
Here's a little tidbit that isn't really a revelation or anything but reveals more of Celestia's character.
Celestia saved Luna, but didn't change her nature. Luna is very... reserved. Doesn't like showing her weakness and doesn't like burdening others. It's pretty safe to say Luna did not voice her desire for Twilight as her student when she wanted her.
So all Celestia could do is reject Twilight and hope that Luna would eventually say something. It took Celestia picking Sunset for Luna to finally, (by herself) go to Twilight and bring her in. Luna, even in the end, refused to tell Celestia of her wants, and that scares Celestia because that is what almost caused the division and Nightmare Moon in the first place.
Also, Twilight never failed. She misunderstood Celestia's intentions. That is commentary on trusting those that have more wisdom than you.
Lol it's really hard without context. 9 years is really nothing in the grand scheme of things.
11756219
I'm glad you took it as such. You've written characters that engage me, though in the case of Starlight and Celestia that engagement is by making me feel furious that I can't slap them upside the head and tell them they're jerks. But that shows you've done your job well.
I dislike canon Celestia for similar reasons, some of the things she did in the first season were jerk moves. Reality Check's Parting Words discussed them far better than I can. Sending a group of non-combatants to deal with a dragon, or sending only two tickets to the Gala when the whole point of Twilight going to Ponyville was to make a wider circle of friends, and let's not forget trolling Fluttershy with a dying pheonix and letting her think she killed it.
However, I suspect even she would consider this version of Celestia to be callous, devious and mean spirited. Oh, she's friendly enough as long as you agree with her and obey without question, but disagree with her and the horn lights up and you have Sun Goddess Celestia issuing dictats from on high.
11757038
I'm happy that you want to slap them. My intention for Starlight is definitely not lovable, or even likable, in any way. She's as I said in a previous comment a "boss". Tbh I'd slap her upside the head if I could too. But I also love characters like her so I'd probably want to be one of her toys if i could be.
Celestia is... difficult here. In my first big story I wrote Celestia ultra kind and loving. This takes place after that fic where Celestia has a lot more knowledge of the goings on of my canon, so needless to say she's got a short temper and doesn't really understand the more intricate workings of her creator which frustrates her. There's a lot that is not being revealed yet, so I can understand wanting to slap her.
I generally dislike all canon when it comes to both Celestia and Luna.
The only tolerable episode for me is Luna Eclipsed. I love that episode. Everything else sends me into a blinding rage.
Lol you'd probably be right, and I'm sure Celestia here would just quote herself...
"When evaluated by foolish mortals, I can be perceived as quite the heartless mare."
It's official: Snarky Twi is best Twi
11757091
She's so snarky!
Which doesn't apply to canon Celestia. Though my retort would be: "Better than a foolish immortal who can no longer observe her own actions with any objectivity or self awareness. Was there no better way of accomplishing your goals than by tearing down an innocent, acting through deception, trickery and cruelty? It's clear why Luna got the Elements of Honesty, Loyalty and Kindness."
11757119
Gah! I want to reply with what Tia would say, but that'd be spoilers.
I'll say this. Me the writer, would definitely be agreeing with your objections.
11757138 I wonder if making Twilight so desperate to be worthy of her that she'd actually make some sort of bargain with Nightmare Moon was part of Celestia's oh-so-ineffable plan?
11757152
Oh, her plan is the furthest thing
from ineffable, lol.
I wish I could think of Celestia as flawless, but she just bungles so many things in my eyes, all for the sake of "the plan". She's bound to screw up at some point.
The Nightmare in this cycle is a sole entity as it was not able to possess Luna in the past. So there's no Nightmare Moon here. That's not to say it still can't happen. Kismet is a conniving god.
Celestia here, with the knowledge that she has of Justice, would never conspire or try to manipulate her enemy's spirits. That's just asking for disaster, and Justice herself wouldn't put up with that.
So Celestia broke Twilight cause Luna wanted her!? Talk about destructive love. You basically watched this child have a mental breakdown cause your too spineless to give your baby sister a push out of her shell then reveal your grand plan and taunt said child just cause she(mostly) happy now!? Wow Tia that’s low
11759029
I'm... not sure how people are coming to a conclusion like that.
It could be my sisters bias showing, but what happened here goes a bit deeper than just surface level.
I suppose I'd say wait until Twilight's next chapter for full context.
I would like to ask a few questions and clarify a few things that I can.
Why think Tia "broke" Twilight?
As far as I can tell she merely did not choose her.
This would be under the presumption that Celestia loves Twilight. Not saying she doesn't, but she hasn't really indicated she does either.
Twilight's breakdown happened once Celestia chose Sunset. Once that happened, Luna then decided to approach Twilight in the dreamscape because she was no longer able to sit idly by. Lol I'm actually thinking of next chapter and there's a lot of context for Luna's feelings here too. Celestia at that point left it to her sister, which, barring the self-doubt and hatred Twilight developed for Celestia, Luna seems to have done a fairly decent job with.
Tia's plan hasn't been revealed. She told Twilight the most basic of reasons why she wasn't picked. Luna wanted her. There's so much more to it than that, (which a little more will be revealed in Twilight's next chapter.) But Celestia is secretive, so all of her plan may not ever be revealed.
This part is most confusing to me. There was no taunting, I think. Celestia merely stated the truth... (Mostly) she tends to say things she doesn't completely mean or wouldn't follow through on when she goes into a rage. (See Starlight Glimmer.)
It's a lesson for letting your emotions control you. Best thing to do, don't let them or...
Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I'm really glad Celestia is hitting so many readers in the gut. Whereas in canon she's typically a saint I prefer a Celestia who is more "right is right, even when most can't see it that way."
11759044
Ah I guess I’ll have to keep reading to see what’s under the surface. Celestia just seemed very cruel to me in this chapter as a lot of it seemed to come out of nowhere. The whole out of bounds thing really boiled my blood as I personally did feel she overstepped but that may be my own personal hatred of anyone taking away my choices talking.
I may have also misunderstood Celestia role in Twilight downfall. I thought she knew Twilight was having a mental breakdown over not be chosen and simply choice not to say or do anything cause she knew Luna wanted her and she was gonna just keep rejecting her till Luna acted.
The destructive Love comments was also more Celestia to Luna as I felt Celestia loved Luna so much she was willing to watch Twilight destroy herself if it mean Luna would get what she wanted(whenever she decided to act).
Celestia sounded to me very taunting when she told Twilight that the mare she became was because of her. Her “plan” being Twilight becoming Luna student I don’t know it just sounded kinda bully like. As if Twilight’s pain was some grand master plan to gift wrap her for Luna who has made her happy so Twilight should thank her for making her go through it.
Well sorry for writing you a paragraph but this chapter has lived rent free in my head since it came out so it suck what I interpreted was wrong but I can’t wait to see what happened next!
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This is a very fair assessment. While writing it I had to tone down her aggression because I wanted to portray her as the powerful creature she is. It is completely understandable to view her as cruel here.
Again fair. This was meant to establish just how powerful Celestia is and as such, the decisions she makes tend to mostly be the correct ones.
This comes down to Celestia... Well, I'll say you're not entirely wrong, but it will be delved deeper into the next Twilight chapter.
That is... actually a very interesting interpretation and makes a lot more sense. I will say Celestia did not realize just how badly Twilight was taking it.
This was simply the truth. If Celestia picked Twilight she wouldn't have been Luna's student. Even if she didn't pick her, if she brought her on as something else, Twilight wouldn't have been Luna's student.
Again, an interesting interpretation. My intention behind Celestia saying that was simply, "your life would be drastically different if I had made different decisions, Twilight. Better? Maybe. Worse? Maybe. So if you're happy with Luna, I had a hand in that."
You don't have to apologize. I appreciate the comment so much and I LOVE discussing what I'm writing. And don't think you're wrong. You can't be. I can only write what my intentions are. If you have a different perspective that is not wrong.
11757157 You misinterpreted what I meant. I was beinjg sarcastic. Saying that Celestia messed up by the numbers.
Unintended consequence of Celestia continually rebuffing Twilight without being honest with her. She made Twilight, still a foal, so desperate to become worthy that in desperation she was willing to make a deal with the Nightmare.
Well done Celestia! Now go tell that Adolf guy that his paintings are crap, and that he should find a new line of work.
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Ah. My mistake then.
The Bear Alicorn.
Twilight finally got to take her frustration out on Celestia. Good for her. And judging from the last couple of lines, that was exactly she needed. Celestia seemed a little uncharacteristically authoritarian here. The ending really surprised me but seems like they're finally on their way to putting the past behind themselves.
Reading on...
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Celestia is... very complex here. Shes going to get a lot of development upcoming. In this chapter she's dealing with a Twilight she's never encountered before so she responded in kind, a Celestia that Twilight never encountered.
39!
Sugar to relieve stress, if she wasn't immortal, she would have died of diabetes a few hundred years ago
I'm so used to seeing other stories using some kind of punctuation to signal a change of scenery, that I always think the POV has changed, then I remember that those three dots mean someone's silence
Now you're just messing with the girl's head
Fuck you, Celestia
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Yep, all those cakes.
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Gotta flex them godly muscles sometimes.
11819058
Lol. Can definitely understand that reaction. Her reply would probably be along the lines of...