//------------------------------// // 3.13 // Story: The Goddess Within // by Bicyclette //------------------------------// When the Goddess spoke to her, Celestia was watching the newly-crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle happily lead her friends down the main street of Canterlot in a royal procession. She smiled as the young alicorn took off into flight, the joy inside her visible even from this distance. The moment was perfect. Celestia spoke to the Goddess. “Nightmare Moon is defeated. The Crystal Empire is resurrected. The Changelings are defeated. King Sombra is defeated. Equestria has no more enemies. My faithful student has completed her destiny. This is the culmination of Your plans.” The Goddess replied. at one point, it was. “’At one point’?” Celestia was confused. “This is supposed to be the end. The end of the bargain.“ The Goddess replied. you misunderstood the bargain. circumstances have changed. there are greater plans now. “’Greater plans’?” Celestia checked out of the corner of her eye and was relieved to see that Luna’s attention was back on the procession. She could not see Celestia’s frown. The Goddess spoke. to let you understand, I will show them to you. She did. Celestia wept. She wept for the broken child, imprisoned in stone forever for her crimes instead of being given a chance for redemption. She wept for the entire universes that would be created and discarded on the whim of a self-hating unicorn, continuing to suffer their apocalypses out of sight and out of mind. She wept for her faithful student, whom the Goddess would continue to reserve a special level of attention for, masterminding so many of the events in her life that she could hardly be said to be living one at all. “Why do You tell me these things?” Celestia asked. “Right before You make me go?” The Goddess replied. it is a kindness at the end of a life. “Kindness?” Celestia spat. “What in Tartarus is a kindness such as this? To be killed and remade over and over at Your whim?” The Goddess replied. you would prefer to have your questions answered than not. I choose to answer them even though I have no obligation to a being that will soon cease to exist. it is a kindness. All of that was true. The Goddess continued. you are upset about your death more than your previous versions have been. “How could I not be?” Celestia raged. “Because! I…” Celestia realized. “I was supposed to be the last one.” The Goddess replied. at one point, you were. Celestia turned her face away from both Luna and the crowd. She could not hide her emotions, and it was endangering the façade. This made her realize that the Goddess was right. She was indeed doing her a kindness right now. She had to ask one more question. “Why must You kill us at all? Why can’t You create the Celestias You need, but not discard them? Do we not count as lives to preserve?” The Goddess replied. one part of the bargain was that your lives were not to count more than any other being’s in the crafting of My plans. they are weighed against those of an entire world, and as long as My resources are limited, I cannot afford to dedicate enough to continuously preserve the existence of more than a few of the versions of you that I need. The Goddess continued. but there is an alternative. if you refuse to accept your fate, you may simply free Me from the restraints on My end of the bargain. Celestia did not. She weighed everything in her mind, and came to a realization. “I have asked this before, haven’t I?” The Goddess replied. previous versions of you have asked this before, yes. “And they have declined to release You, and accepted their fate.” The Goddess replied. yes. “Just as I will accept.” The Goddess replied. yes. “And you knew this the whole time.” The Goddess replied. yes. Celestia allowed precisely one moment more of agency for herself. She turned her head to smile at Luna, who looked at her, and smiled back. She looked so beautiful, happy, and proud underneath that ceremonial lunar crown. Celestia spoke her last words to the Goddess. “I accept my fate.” Celestia died, helpless.