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// As the Sun Sets 
// Story: Into the Depths I Fall 
// by 2006midnight 
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Princess Celestia stood on her balcony as she gazed out over Equestria for what was almost certain to be the last time. She had known for a while that this day was coming, she only wished that it had not come so soon. For thousands upon thousands of years she had reigned as a Princess of Equestria, yet, something that should be so easy, was near impossible for her to accept. Even knowing that her younger sister was more than capable of taking over as the oldest, highest order Princess of Equestria, was not enough to quell her fears.

The Princess of the Sun sighed softly as she stood still, just watching the last hour or so of her life slip away. She knew that, at the very least, she ought to have spent some time with her sister or with her former student, now fellow princess, Twilight Sparkle. However, for some reason, Celestia only wanted to be alone. Dying or no, she just couldn't bring herself to see anypony else. Maybe she was just too afraid of being faced with having to acknowledge the finality of that one simple word ‘goodbye’.

Shaking her head at her own foolishness, Celestia began to pace back and forth in the small space that she had on her balcony. As much as she thought she was prepared, the closer she got to the time that she would disappear forever, the more things she began to realize that she wished she had or had not done. She supposed that it was just nerves, and yet, a small bit of guilt kept nagging at the back of her thoughts, just enough to be a nuisance too prominent to ignore. 

If she really thought about it, she would have to admit to herself that she knew exactly what she was feeling and why, but she was too afraid of what might change once she did so. After all, to admit to oneself right before one’s death that there was something wrong with how one had been seen for their entire life was no simple thing to do. 

It was nearly time. The Princess of the Sun lit her horn as she began to pull the sun down from the sky for the very last time. A couple tears slid down her cheeks as she stood at the edge of her balcony, merely watching. Watching and waiting for her time to come.

Her bright amethyst eyes shone brightly in the light of the setting sun. From a distance, it was almost as if they were stars, and yet, up close, one would feel that they’d slighted their true beauty. Up close, those eyes were the rarest diamonds in the world. Pools of invigorating purple, one could get lost within their depths and never return.

Bathed in the dusk sunlight, she gave off a brilliant radiance. A radiance akin to the halo of an angel. Her silken fur, so smooth that one would fear to touch her for nopony would ever want to mar her sweet purity. It was as if she was the image of true beauty immortalized in living flesh. After all, no matter how many years went by, she never changed. Beauty had outdone itself.

Perfection so she was, yet, who really knew her? Who could truly say? Revered as she was, nopony ever got a chance to see beneath the goddess they thought they were seeing. For underneath all the beauty, all the pure innocence, were many dark secrets. Many mistakes she had made in her life. She was far from perfect, far from a goddess, yet, everypony refused to see the truth. All they saw was her outer beauty, her disguise, it could even be called. 

Princess Celestia shuddered as she realized what she had just unintentionally admitted to herself. At least it was over and done with now. Maybe nopony else would ever realize how she had felt, but at least she could die knowing that she hadn’t remained a coward until the very end. In her last couple minutes, she had finally found the courage she had needed for millennia. It was quite pathetic, but, it was better than nothing. 

Allowing herself to savor the last couple moments that she had, Princess Celestia looked out across the landscape of Equestria and smiled. She was leaving her country in good hooves. Her sister, Princess Luna and her former student, Princess Twilight Sparkle would most certainly be able to handle the responsibilities of running Equestria without her. They were well and truly ready. As was she.

Just as the sun was dipping below the horizon, its rays reached out and enveloped the Sun Princess. It was beauty at its finest. The inability to tell for certain what was, and yet, to still have everything be so clear. There was pure truth in the blur that was all around. The strength of clarity was unimaginable, yet more real than most everything else in the world. After all, vision has less than half the power that it claims. Why rely on vision when true beauty, true reality, all the truth in one’s world comes from inside? Is it not the heart and soul that are one’s true eyes? 

Truth must come from within if it can ever be accepted as pure. What one sees is merely the way that others have designed it to appear. If vision is to ever be trusted again, the world must shatter and begin anew. Forget using vision to gain clarity. Let all that supposedly defines the world fade back into obscurity. Allow all that once was to be once more. Close off what power vision had and feel for the first time. Give the heart and soul freedom unchained to paint the purest picture of reality one will ever know. New wings will spread, older wings will at last be able to thrust away the final unseen chains that had held them back. Without the limits of sight, what one sees will be all the clearer.