A Circle Has No End: Volume I

by Gladi Writes

Dialogue: The Meaning of Sunlight

Celestia is an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. Where did she come from, who is her ancestor? How is it that a pony could get a talent mark of the sun, how would one discover that sort of destiny? I have lived on this earth for many hundreds of years, I have solved a great many mysteries and dispelled thousands of myths; but until now I have been blind to the question before me, the largest question of them all.
Who is Celestia?

Star Swirl the Bearded, 402 After Harmony.

Celestia, Princess of the Sun; and millennial ruler of Equestria, powerful mage nearly beyond measure, keeper of the elements, bringer of harmony, founder of Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, honored guest of The Emperor Of Zebranca, and last but not least: mare.

The white, with a dabbing of pink, coated mare sat on a purple pillow, surrounded by books as the sun streamed into her 'office'. Her sparkling mane danced in the gentle breeze, this along with her height it was representative of her extreme age and magic power. Unlike most ponies of state she had no desk, nor any chairs or any sort of table. Instead she merely had that pillow, and a stack of smaller ones in the corner. Traditionally this was how all ponies had met, the 'bipedal fad' as she called it was only a recent development. A fad that she had seen before, back when the Crystal Empire was a separate state and ruled by it's own monarch. Celestia had seen empires rise and fall, Equestria bloom and wither, and a great many talented ponies come and go. She even had a few loves, and sired a few children lost to time- but not to her. She remembered it all, and would continue to remember into a time when the castle she lay in crumbled to dust, and every drop of water in the ocean filtered through the rain a dozen times.

A thousand or so years ago she sought to change the patterns of history she had seen replay time, and time again, through putting her efforts towards the mentoring of a protege. Dozens of these had come and gone, either through terrible tragedy or giving in to their own power hunger. Twilight Sparkle was the first to truly succeed, but along her ascension had come a period of incredible chaos. Nightmare Moon had returned, to be saved from her own insanity and returned to being Princess Luna. Discord had risen, only to fall once more. The Crystal Empire had returned with it's evil tyrant, only for him to be cast down into the depths of eternity. Star Swirls spell had even finally been completed, and shortly after the elements of harmony returned to their former home.

The connection between all of these events was Twilight Sparkle, repeatedly rising to save the nation. They faced a bigger threat now, one that could not be stopped by any single person. Whether she would prove herself, or ultimately fail, only time would tell.

Mare

That too Twilight and Celestia shared in common. Deep down they were both only ordinary mares, born to ordinary parents and had led ordinary lives until destiny took them in its grasp. Once it had you there was no escaping, but sometimes, especially now, Celestia yearned to experience life as that which she truly is: just another mare.

She sat on that pillow, reading over one of Star Swirl's histories. She knew it almost by heart- she was there after all, but it was sometimes amusing to see his take on things. Always philosophizing, he wrote chapters and chapters on a meeting between herself and Princess Luna- declaring that it be representative of the struggle between the universal constants of order and chaos.

They merely had an argument over what to eat for supper.

Celestia smiled and closed the book, putting it on the floor beside her amongst a dozen or so of it's brethren. Soon, as expected, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"It's unlocked, come in First Class," She said, and a second later the door opened.

She had often been asked why her assistant was a pegasus, and not a unicorn. The answer was that it was good to have a fresh take on things, and it was a reminder to all that the races were equal- even alicorns made mistakes.

First Class trotted in, a stuffed saddlebag covering her blue coat. It did not however manage to distract the observer from a larger bump in the mid-section, she was nearly three months pregnant now.

"I brought those books you wanted, had to go all the way to the Crystal Empire," She said, closing the door with a rear hoof.

As she trotted onward, she glanced up and seemed to contemplate something.

"Celestia, why's it called "The Crystal Empire" if it has no emperor, and isn't even separate from Equestria?" She asked.

"That, my dear, is history. It was once a proper empire, with an emperor and even colonies- all of which are lost to time. So now it falls to us to protect it's citizens," Celestia explained, gesturing to an empty spot on the floor beside the other books.

First Class nodded, and trotted over to start unloading her delivery.

"So, it's a province of ours, just like that?" She asked.

"For now, until they decide otherwise," Celestia said.

When she was finished unloading, First Class took out a small notepad from the same bag.

"Time for tea, what will you have?" She inquired.

Celestia considered it for a second, and an idea sprang to her mind.

"Black, no sugar. Bring something for yourself, I want to talk to you about something." She said.

First Class nodded. "Sure, I'll get us some scones too," she said.

Celestia smiled. "You read my mind."

Fifteen minutes later exactly, First Class returned and served her sovereign tea, pulling up a short pillow for herself. Beside them was a plate of scones, and she eagerly awaited whatever her Princess had to say. This wasn't the first time she had a talk with Celestia, and it was always nice to know she cared.

"My dear, if you don't mind the imposition: what is it that brought you and the changeling ambassador together? I must say I was quite surprised at the development, and greatly pleased such love could bloom between you," Celestia asked.

First Class considered for a moment.

"He didn't treat me like I was royalty, just somepony special to him. He never tried to use me to get something from the government either, and believe me I've had stallions- and a few mares- try," She said.

Celestia nodded. "It must be nice to have somebody you can open up to. Just drop the act and relax, no political games, just two ponies," she said.

"It really is nice. He can joke about his Queen, and I can j-" First Class paused, and put on a face as if she had just admitted to a murder.

"And you can joke about your Princess, I understand," Celestia said.

She noted a slight flutter in her assistants wings, she was frightened.

"I mean no disrespect, and I.. uh..." She trailed off, hoping she didn't insult the Princess of the Sun.

Celestia gently covered her with a wing, and calmed her worried glance with a disarmingly warm smile.

"Don't worry about it, nopony's perfect, we all make mistakes- which make for good humour" Celestia said.

"Except you," First Class added.

Celestia shook her head. "No. Princess Celestia is perfect- but I am not," She said. Now the real talk began, and Celestia hoped she could make it all clear.

"But... you are Princess Celestia..." First Class remarked, obviously confused.

"I am Celestia, just an ordinary mare that's been around longer than most. Princess Celestia however is a perfect bastion of wisdom and authority. Kind and caring, compassionate and always helping those in need. She, I'm afraid, is gone," Celestia said.

First Class was still confused. "Gone?" She asked.

Celestia levitated a scone up, and ate it.

"Gone," She said as she did, dusting herself with crumbs.

"When you think of Princess Celestia, who is that?" Celestia asked.

Still confused, but going along for the ride, First Class responded after a moment. "Just like you said, perfect. An authority, somepony we can all look up to. I kind of think of you as like, everyponies grandmother," She said.

"Now, if this Princess Celestia were to, say, hang a pony for treason- then what?" Celestia asked.

First Class considered, and then shook her head.

"She wouldn't."

Now we're getting somewhere.

"Not even if she had to, in order to save somepony else?" Celestia asked.

Another shake of her assistants head. "She would find some other way."

"So, Princess Celestia is unable to kill in order to save, but simultaneously unable to fail to save that pony. She's stuck, either way she fails. Princess Celestia however cannot fail, because she is perfect. So as soon as she fails, she dies," Celestia said.

First Class had a glimmer of realization in her eye. "The war..."

Celestia nodded. "Exactly. I'm not stupid dear- I could run this war the same way my sister is if I wanted to. If I did though, I would cease to be what I am- everyponies grandmother," She said.

"But by letting your sister run Equestria..."

Celestia's face turned to a frown. "Now you understand my position. If I become the warrior Equestria needs, then I lose what I am. If I fail to become the warrior Equestria needs, then I also lose what I am I was unwittingly released from my prison of perfection by an impossible dilemma " She said.

"You seem like you didn't like your 'prison'" First Class noted.

Celestia nodded once again, and took another scone. "It's a prison of my own design. I had long sought to create an image of perfection around myself so my subjects could have somepony to look up to, and a good many ponies such as yourself kept up this charade. In the end though, I am nothing more then a mare- and I make mistakes," she said.

"Do you know how we defeated Sombra?" She asked, and took a sip of tea.

First Class nodded. "You simply defeated him with magic after routing his army with the support of the Night Guard, whom were rather angry at his treatment of them before Princess Luna freed them," She said.

"Not exactly," Celestia said, putting the cup back down.

"Nightmare Moon is the alter-ego my sister uses when she wants to put the fear of herself into somepony. Most of you think of it as the reason she tried to seize power- but it's the result of, not the cause of, that idea. It was Nightmare Moon and Solar Flare that defeated Sombra, and it's why the Empire was lost," She added.

"Solar Flare?" First Class asked.

"Solar Flare, my own alter ego. I made the mistake of giving in to my hatred of that vile stallion, and through my own hubris thought I could use my power to seal him away. Instead he used us, and bent that power to his own ends- disappearing for a thousand years. I made a pact with myself never to make that mistake again, but that doesn't mean I didn't make it in the first place," Celestia explained.

"Doesn't your sister have the same problem?" First Class asked, noting with a frown she had lost the scone race.

"No, she's a different person then I. She is able to control her power for the most part, Nightmare Moon is just a parlour trick. Even she knows not to go too far, even if our definition of "too far" varies," Celestia replied.

"If sunshine burns, is it still sunshine?" She asked.

First Class merely cocked her head.

"No, it's sunfire," Celestia said.

"If I had chosen to fight this war, Princess Celestia would be replaced by Solar Flare, and the sunshine would become fire. I chose instead to admit my failure and allow my sister to lead, and now I am free from my prison, able to do whatever I want. The sunshine has faded, but it will return. Until then I am free to live my own life, and help Equestria in my own ways," She added.

"How will you help Equestria now?" First Class asked.

"You brought me those science fiction novels, right?" Celestia said, levitating one from the pile First Class had brought.

"I did, but why?" First Class asked.

"Sometimes you need to tell an incredible lie to find the truth. I've dabbled in writing for tabloids you know, as C. Sunspot," Celestia said, grinning at the mention of her alias.

"I don't think I understand, why would you write for.. tabloids?" She said, disgusted at the word.

"The Night Guard needs to be brought to account for what they're doing, my sister remains blind to it without tangible proof. With the Night Guard controlling the 'respectable media', I need to have a way to get somepony new, a nobody, interested. I'm going to cast a wide net, and see what I catch." Celestia said.

"You'll just end up with a nut that thinks the Earth revolves around the Sun, why not use the centurions?" First Class suggested.

"As soon as the Night Guard gets even a whiff of my suspicions, they'll be able to hide everything. If a nut is what it takes, then a nut is what I need. Somepony that nopony would suspect as a threat," She said.

"How can I help?" First Class asked.

Celestia levitated a small sealed letter to her.

"You can mail this, my latest editorial, to the editors of Equestrian Weekly News," She said.

First Class grasped it as if it was plague-ridden. "What's it about?" She asked.

"It's a rant about myself, accusing me of secretly being controlled by an alien force- from outer space," She said, laughing at the idea.

First Class smiled, and put it in her satchel. "I'll mail it off right away, your highness," She said.

"Use your local mailbox, don't want the Night Guard catching on," Celestia warned.

First Class nodded. "Good idea, I'll see you when I get back," She said.

Celestia watched her depart, and then lay her head on the pillow. She was free from her confining role now, and it felt fantastic to confide her thoughts and problems, but there was still a war on.

What would Equestria be like after the war, and what her role in it be?

For this, she had no answer. Only time could tell.

Author's Note:

Welcome to the first of probably many Celesta/First Class dialogues. Please note that it's rather dry and philosophical, but hopefully still interesting.

Comments

[Omnicron25]

First of all, either put the Starswirl annotation above his dialogue or right align it and italicize it. It confused me starting off, and I was sort of "Wha...?"

The bold: I think the line is something Celestia would say. Are you trying to suggest something else with it?

noponies perfect "noponies" is incorrect because it is a compound, not plurl
nopony's perfect

I'll PM you once I decide on what to extract, process and contrude this and give my own two bits on ideas for this.

Great philosophical POV and explaination by the way. I really liked it.

[Bast]

I really liked this chapter, nice job.

[Gladi Writes]

4110968
Thank you very kindly.

[SPark]

"So, Princess Celestia is unable to kill in order to save, but simultaneously unable to fail to save that pony. She's stuck, either way she fails. Princess Celestia however cannot fail, because she is perfect. So as soon as she fails, she dies," Celestia said.

Dang. That is quite a line of thought. I like it. Frankly I love this whole chapter. I didn't find any errors either.