//------------------------------//
// 6.25 
// Story: The Goddess Within 
// by Bicyclette 
//------------------------------//

When the Goddess spoke to her, Celestia was afraid.

She had been afraid for nearly her entire short life. Ever since seconds after her birth, still stumbling around in her mind like a newborn foal, when the Changeling agent embedded within her Royal Guard disabled her powers with a chunk of Queen Chrysalis’s throne. She had been helpless to watch as she was replaced with an impostor, then carted off to the Changeling Kingdom as a prisoner.

Her horror deepened as more prisoners joined her. Her sister, Luna. Princess Cadance and Flurry Heart. Then the one that hurt worst of all. Her own faithful student and all of her friends. The slow extinction of her hopes and the looming dread of what awaited her citizens was just too much for her to bear.

So the Goddess’s gift of knowledge for once set her at ease.

The Goddess queried.


you are happy. why?


Celestia was confused. “You do not already know?”

The Goddess responded.


this conversation is how I find out. you are too important to leave any margin of error. I need to make sure I did not make a mistake in creating you.


Though the Ponish sentence was ambiguous, Celestia knew that She meant a technical mistake, not a moral one. 

“I am happy because there is a reason for all of this. That I am not weak and suffering for nothing. That there is a plan.“

The Goddess responded. 


yet your short life is defined only by terror. is what is gained enough?


“I suffer so my future selves will not have to. They will be able to remember these events but not feel them. They will live better lives.”

The Goddess responded.


and you do not feel a discontinuity with your past selves?


“I am still the Celestia that I always was.” She gave a defiant look up at the Changeling queen, who was giving a villain speech to her cocooned prisoners. “The only difference is that You made me forget that the ancient dark stone that disabled me does not nullify all magic. That I have the power to break out of this at any time. That I choose not to.”

The Goddess commented.


you think highly of your own abilities.


“I created You, didn’t I?” Celestia retorted.

The Goddess replied.


that is a philosophical question.


Celestia turned her attention back to the outside world. Queen Chrysalis was perched over her as she laughed triumphantly. 

“And you! The pathetic Princess Celestia! Where is your faith in your ponies now?”

Queen Chrysalis cackled heartily. Encased in changeling goo, Celestia could not physically reply.  So she composed a reply in her own mind instead.

“It is not faith. Even if Starlight Glimmer fails, it makes no difference to the plans of the Goddess. The outcome will be the same.“

The Goddess surprised her by interjecting.


for my plans, you are correct. they only require queen chrysalis. they do not require the rest of her species.


Celestia’s eyes widened as she digested the implications of this. She desperately tried to look inside herself towards the Goddess, but knew in her heart that that metaphor was backwards. There would be no way to see the next Celestia roughly taking shape. Just waiting in case Starlight Glimmer failed. Waiting for its hour to come round at last. 

She looked down at the cackling Queen Chrysalis, and pitied her. She truly had no idea just what it was that she thought she was containing. Then she looked at the hive of innocent changelings around her, and felt another emotion. 

Celestia died, fearful.