Who are you princess Celestia?
Twilight had come back from Luna’s room. She had then spent the rest of the day pretty normally and hadn’t seen princess Celestia anywhere. Dusk was approaching and soon the sun would hide again behind the horizon, signaling everypony that the time to sleep was coming.
Twilight was ready to answer to that signal. She was tired and she was happy. Two very good reasons to go to sleep and enjoy some neat dreams.
At that very moment, she heard the voice:
“Don’t you want to know?”
Twilight didn’t have to turn back to know who was saying those words. Only one pony in all of Equestria could provide such a warm, gentle, and yet powerful tone.
Twilight had prepared for that moment:
“Princess Luna explained everything to me. I understand you want to win your challenge with her, but I would like to stay out of it.”
“I do have to apologize to you, my dear Twilight. I understand why you would feel betrayed. Yet, I assure you I never lied to you. Every single word was true. And I truly wish you would find out why I don’t have a shadow.”
“Why?” Twilight asked. “What can be so important to you that my own wish not to take part of it should be ignored? I am not a tool. I am a pony. I deserve better.”
A little silent ensued, during which Twilight wondered if she hadn’t be too harsh on Celestia.
After all, even if she too was an alicorn now, there was a lot she didn’t know. Celestia and Luna had lived thousands of years, met countless ponies, lost almost just as much. Maybe it was normal in such circumstances to forget how to properly treat another pony. Maybe, in a thousand years, she too would have forgotten.
Maybe that was the lesson.
“Again, I have to apologize. I am acting selfishly and I do see how frustrating it can be for you. I did say I was asking a favor from you. You certainly don’t have to grant it to me. I just really wished you would.”
“But what for?” Twilight asked, turning back and facing princess Celestia directly. “So that you could proclaim yourself best princess over princess Luna? And then what? What would it change?”
“I admit it: there is very little at stake. And maybe there is a lot. It all depends on you. The future depends entirely on how we build it. So maybe I was wrong, and maybe you don’t need to unveil my little secret.”
Twilight’s curiosity was urging her to stop pretending she didn’t care and just bite in any of those baits and follow them no matter where they may lead. There was something to be learned. That fact was clear. Celestia was promising it. So in the end, she would deliver.
“No.” Twilight found the strength to reply. “I do not need to unveil your secret. If it doesn’t concern Equestria, it doesn’t concern me.”
“Then let me reveal two things to you. And if, after that, you still don’t want to grant me my wish, then I shall leave you alone and never bother you with it ever again.”
Twilight had no choice. Her curiosity was about to choke her. And once she would have heard what Celestia had to say, she could go back in her room and find whatever way to console herself from having missed that opportunity to learn.
“Here is the first thing: my fur isn’t white by accident. It had to be or I couldn’t have existed. And yet, it shouldn’t be white at all.”
Twilight heard the words, but to prevent her curiosity from taking over, she didn’t even try to make sense out of them. She hadn’t heard anything. She was fine. Everything was fine.
“Here is the second thing.”
Twilight’s fur was bristling with excitement. Her heartbeat was so loud she couldn’t even hear it anymore and her face was covered by some salty liquid to compensate how hot everything was feeling now. And yet, she couldn’t move, or complain, or do anything else but wait for what princess Celestia would reveal to her.
And Celestia spoke:
“My name isn’t Celestia.”
Twilight’s head exploded. A huge blaze had taken over, forcing reason to abandon ship. She was only driven by her emotion and her instinct.
“Tell me your secret.” Twilight said. “I want to know.”
“There is a condition.” Celestia replied.
Twilight already sort of knew what the condition would be. The victory smile on Celestia’s face wasn’t letting much doubt about it. She was back into the game, into Celestia’s hooves, ready to serve the purpose the sun princess had devised for her.
Twilight wondered how many of those challenges Luna could have won against such a great adversary.
“Tell me, Twilight Sparkle. Who is the best princess? Do you prefer the princess of the sun, or the princess of the night?”
“Can’t I choose Cadance and we can call it a tie?” Twilight asked, trying to get herself out of that situation while still obtaining the knowledge she was after.
The smile Celestia was displaying didn’t let any doubt on the matter: she wouldn’t get around the problem so easily.
She had to choose who the best princess was.
“I can’t. I’m sorry, I like princess Luna a lot. She is a great princess. It makes no sense to oppose you against her. You complement each other. You are a team. It’s only together that you can be the best princess!”
But Celestia’s look was proving too authoritarian to accept such a weak copout. She wasn’t asking anymore: she was demanding. She was ordering Twilight to choose.
“Come on, Twilight Sparkle. Just be honest and say what you think. What you have always thought, what everypony in this land truly thinks: who is the best princess?”
As the sun was now reaching the horizon and Celestia had grown so big she was supplanting Twilight's mere existence. She was everywhere, overwhelming, more powerful than the universe and her will ruled supreme.
So Twilight confessed:
“You are! Everypony adores you. I adore you. You are kind, and patient, and always ready to listen to us, and dedicated and altruistic. There hasn’t been a day in my life when I didn’t hope than one day I could become just would it only be nearly as perfect as you are…”
“That is the truth.” Said the imperial voice from the huge Celestia.
And the huge Celestia wasn’t white anymore, but black. Completely black. Which was normal. It all looked completely normal.
And then a voice came from the other side of the corridor, approaching and as the voice approached, Celestia on the wall quickly shrank.
“It is the truth: you better never forget it.” Luna said, emerging from the darkness.
Twilight looked at Celestia, what was left of her at least, and saw her legs going along the wall and then along the floor right to Luna’s hooves.
“A shadow?” Twilight asked, incapable to accept what she was witnessing. “What is happening? Where is princess Celestia?”
“I am here.” The shadow said.
And Twilight had just blinked that the shadow was gone, replaced by Celestia, in all her glory. Only her four white legs were still going to the floor and then directly to Luna.
“Do not worry. Everything is fine. I just wanted you to know.” Celestia explained.
“I told you not to trust her.” Luna responded. “She always has a plan and she always obtains what she wants.”
“I don’t understand…” Twilight simply said, lost beyond measure.
Luna walked towards Twilight and her hooves detached from those of Celestia who stayed behind, understanding that she wouldn’t be welcomed to come closer right at that instant.
“I told you I have many shadows, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna explained. “Nightmare Moon is one of them, the shadow of my inner rage, my jealousy and my despair. Celestia is another one of them. The shadow of everything that is good inside of me, displayed in the real world. The one I decided to listen to and follow.”
“Celestia is your shadow?” Twilight asked, still unable to grasp the concept of it.
“Perfection doesn’t exist, Twilight Sparkle. She is just a projection. A part of myself. The part everypony likes. The rest of me, ponies like less. Some part of me, they are right to reject.”
Celestia approached at her turn and sat in front of Twilight.
“Do you mind me being a shadow?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure.” Twilight replied.
“You are a princess too now.” Luna explained. “Ponies will also only see a part of you. And that part of you will become more real than yourself to everypony around. I guess the best part of me wanted to warn you, so that you wouldn’t risk following the same path that I have once your shadow is loved more than yourself.”
Twilight looked at Luna, then at Celestia, then at Luna and then at Celestia again. She was confused, unable to feel the ground under her hooves. She wasn’t certain to be awake anymore.
Out of the confusion, she tried to find anything that could bring her back to the reality she knew and wanted to be a part of.
“Princess Celestia… are you real?” She asked.
Celestia smiled:
“Of course I am.”
“Then who are you princess Celestia!?” Twilight screamed in catharsis.
Luna and Celestia looked at each other, giggled and both at the same time put their right hoof on Twilight’s muzzled, bumping it to show her she shouldn’t worry, and then said as one voice and one big smile:
“We are your friend.”
THE END
Raichu Wrote a poem about the story that is spot on. I'm thankful and there it is:
"Luna's shadows are really odd.
To the nonexistent dark tag, I give a nod.
In the end, one could say it was just true.
But for me, it was much too blue.
To know Luna was loved more than herself."
***
I was simply listening to a pmv "Who I am" and felt the need to write a story that seemed nice on the moment.
So I did.
Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things 
.
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Wait one of luna's shadows is celestia and her own shadow sent her to the moon?
um ok, great story, great twist in the end, but I kind of hope twilight would have said something like I tell you when the sun rise and moon set, ie when both are in the sky doing hr of twilight and say this is the princess I love most the two who bring out this....but good story
6953770
I think, in this case, the Nightmare moon/Celestia struggle was more of an internal affair reflected onto the world due to the power of the entity in question. Celestia, being the winner, changed the appearance of Luna's body to match her own appearance.
Or maybe Luna herself is a shadow (the greater entities shadow of 'self')... honestly, anything is possible when dealing with omnipotent entities.
6953770
Lux Aeterna summed it up pretty well. By "one of Luna's shadow", it is meant that Celestia is a projection of a part of Luna. The "good" part to be manichean. So in this paradigm, Luna decided to banish the other part of her to the moon (a psychological "repression") after a breakdown during which another shadow of hers had tried to take control.
But all this time, it had always been Luna. Little simple flawed Luna.
...
I just liked the idea.
6954552
Yup, omnipotent entities offer huge possibilities. I see how Luna could also be a shadow.
I tried to leave the interpretation opened. On a second degree of reading, the story was supposed to also be an analogy for human beings, as people we interact with only see a part of us, an image of us that isn't exactly us: a shadow. And sometimes people see us as better than we actually are (as Celestia) or as the worst we could ever be (Nightmare Moon).
It's kinda vague, because I was in a trance when writing thie story. The writing was more emotional than rational.
6954065
.
Thanks
And you know what? Now that you propose it, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it. I sort of had in mind to play with Twilight's name (which is why the final scene happens during dusk) and therefore Twilight would naturally unveil the shadows, but I didn't consider that Twilight could be another shadow, the balanced one.
All the time, I treated her as a spectator, for the reader to identify with and not really as part of the story itself. This is why I didn't make her say anything. So that you wouldn't be frustrated by her reaction and decide her reaction on your own.
6954618
.
Thanks. I'm actually surprised by the positive reception, in a very good way
6954931 i did not mean that she a shadow, i mean that she care about both equal to much to ever choose, but love them both most when they both are in the sky, but yea her being shadow would been like what the fuck twist which would end with whole story of her being shadow without knew it.... she have melt down
It was a cool story and I think the ideas are great but it's pretty nonsensical when you really think about it.
or maybe celestia is a shadow that came to life and made its own identity like luna may also be the same
Wow. Now, that is some interesting worldbuilding. A completely unexpected answer to the riddle, yet it made so much sense.
Dang. This... this is dark. Why is there a slice of life tag and not a dark tag? Because this is some dark stuff. Like really.
But's it's also really good so I'm going to complain here. In fact, I feel like a poem needs to be written.
AHEM.
Luna's shadows are really odd.
To the nonexistent dark tag, I give a nod.
In the end, one could say it was just true.
But for me, it was much too blue.
To know Luna was loved more than herself.
Huh... That was a bit unexpected.
Though I like the idea. Maybe 'Princess Luna' is another shadow, of the being behind it all... Or, is every creature which is bound to a shadow, somehow controlled by Luna/this being?
Dangit, Twilight; stop asking questions which immediately change the worldview around you!
Have a thumb!
Also, this:
s18.postimg.org/pmxv7x6ax/Namnl_s.png
Gratz
6957204
.
I won't pretend it's coherent with the show (I highly doubt Lauren would approve it), but thanks
6958234
I almost never use the dark tag (not even for "Pretend"), because I always think I'm going to disappoint people who want dark stuff.
But that aside: could I add your poem to the description of the story (mentionning it comes from you)? Well, maybe I shouldn't spoil the ending, but at least in the bottom author's remarks at the end?
Not only does it reflect the conflict between the big reveal and yet the fact it doesn't change much (it's just part of life, it "doesn't need to be corrected"), but the last line is the core emotion that drove me through the whole story.
6958288
I'm curious: how did you expect it would end? Because beside the whole emotional side of it, the story was also a new experiment for me to play with the concept of "stake", so I could need the data.
A very interesting concept. It would change the meaning I had in mind quite a lot... Wouldn't it become a story about stories then? Any character is just a shadow of the author. Or about the "futility" of life in the grand scheme, as shadow appear, change form, evolve throughout the day and the circumstances, and then, when the night come, disappear.
Heck, it would need another story. I can imagine Fluttershy doing her best to protect her own shadow, making sure it never disolves into the darkness.
Now I want to write that story, but it looks so difficult... So many aspects, so many details to take care of.
6958509
Well, I wasn't ever decided on any specific ending. But, with such a premise, making it turn dark-ish and having Luna as such an omnipotent (if that's the right word) character was the main thing I meant as unexpected. Not the bad kind of unexpected, just, well, not what I foresaw.
At the point of reading the summary and first chapter, I guess I had some ideas though. Some about it being comedic - Celestia's relation to the sun and therefor being shadowless, 'cuz magic.
Or, that the she had banned her shadow, or something, because shadows are seen as bad/evil.
When you threw Luna in, I was considering how it's said that Luna was in her sister's shadow. So when Luna was banished/returned, Celestia had done something to remove the ponies' initial bad feelings about her.
And then finally, just during the final reveal, I got the idea I wrote in the first comment; that the shadows were somehow controlled by Luna/whatever else.
Those were some stray thoughts while reading.
And while I'm not sure how the Popular Box works - I think it takes popular stories and lists them in random order - it's still in there.
6958598
.
Thanks for the information
I didn't expect that one
. It's fascinating to see how things can be interpreted. You kind of uncovered a way of watching this whole thing that I hadn't considered.
6959510
. Glad you liked it.
Thanks a lot
6958509 Of course! Use my poem! Just be sure to make sure you credit me.
Wow. This is by far the most interesting twist on the identities of Celestia and Luna I have ever read. Well done dude.
I really love the concept, but at the same time, I'm just as Twilight in that my brain is extremely hesitant to accept or even think about that perspective. I absolutely despise it, and I absolutely love it at the same time.
That means you did a fantastic job.
I also enjoyed the way you write dialogue, and the descriptions of certain moments. My favorite phrase by far: "Twilight found herself in that very stupid situation where you are either the only genius to have discovered something very important, or the only one not to be aware of something very normal for everyone else."
I hate when that happens.
Anyway, fantastic job on this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There are a few places where "that" and "than" are mixed up. You might want to get those fixed.
Well Then!
So in this Celestia is nothing more than a shadow manifestation of Luna's goodness? They liked that part of her so much better it came alive and became a being on it's own?
6959635
Thanks! I added it at the end of the story in the author's remark.
6960184
.
That means you did a fantastic job.
Thanks
So do I. Glad not to be alone in that feeling.
I found and fixed three. Thanks for alerting me. English isn't my mothertongue, so I tend to make quite a lot of mistakes (less now than before, but still).
6961440
You're free to interpret it as you want. In my mind, she became alive and independant the moment she was created (by Luna, consciously or not). But the ponies gave Celestia her name (it was "Selena" first, and slowly evolved to "Celestia").
I was going into the details in the story at first, then I decided it would be way too boring for the reader and could destroy the suspension of disbelief.
It isn't white to begin with. Celestia is a light pink.
6961829 That is deep.
6962193
. I'm just bad with colors. Touché.
I... have no way to justify my mistake
6962901
Don't sweat it, it's intentional. It's a trick in painting, actually. Putting a very minor amount of red into white will make it feel warmer and actually brighter than actual pure white would be. Put her next to Rarity and Rares will look downright drab in comparison, despite being an (equally light) grey.
Just curious, but you're German, aren't you? The way you translated Muttersprache a little further down is a bit of a tipoff.
6962918
An interesting trick
. It's amazing how much the human brain can be tricked (in a good way).
Nein, Entschuldigung. Ich komme aus der West Schweiz, deswegen ist meine Muttersprache Französich. "Langue maternelle" wird auch als "mother tongue" übersetzt. Ich habe aber ein bischen Deutsch gelernt, als müssen alle wo ich lebe.
6964458
Oh, interesting. I haven't talked to anyone from la Suisse in ages. Mon francais n'est pas trés bon, I hardly get to use it. I usually dealt with people from the German-language cantons. An ex of mine comes from there.
Thanks for indulging my curiosity.
I wonder how broken Twilight's mind will be after this hehehe...
I didn't expect the ending. Heck even when you got to Luna I could see her having multiple shadows and Celestia having none (because embodying the Sun = she can glow/illuminate = she can't case a shadow or some other magical nonsense)
But the end sure was a twist! I LOVED it
7295132
I'm glad you liked it. And I can't see how anybody could expect the ending, as I give no direct clue whatsoever during the whole story.
I actually went into the story knowing the twist already from a brief glance at the comments section to get a grasp what the story was about.
I admit, while I am not usually a fan of spoilers, it was knowing the twist that made me interested in the story in the first place.
Yet, I still had an entertaining time following Twilight along and finding out more details.
That's reassuring to know, it also makes sense with what was previously shown; Celestia clearly has her own thoughts and makes her own decisions, her memories are proven as separate when Luna is surprised to see Twilight.
Uhhh.... That sentence makes things a bit complicated, though.
Unless the way Luna meant it was that Celestia's body is "just" a projection.
Because the story makes it clear Celestia acts independent, and is her own individual.
(...Ok, I'll stop overusing spoiler tags now.)
The easiest way to think about it is as follows;
Let's say, Celestia was a Mirror-Pool clone Luna made. Except that, over the centuries, she became an entirely distinct individual with a clearly separate personality.
Now, the question Twilight should ask to gain greater understanding would be as follows:
What is the difference between this hypothetical "Mirror-Luna"-lestia and "Shadow"-lestia, ignoring their origin? How would the two (hypothetical/factual) Celestias "work" differently? Both mentally and "biologically", for lack of a better term.
Okay, now they're just messing with her.
7346102
... and the weird thing is she likes it
.
My take on it would be that "Mirror-Luna"-lestia would be less "perfect" because she would be free to be whoever she would want to be. "Shadow"-lestia as I see her in this story is doomed to be "perfect" due to her own nature. I mean that not in their respective actions or behaviors, but in how others would perceive them.
If "Mirror-Luna"-lestia were to do something bad, ponies would see "Mirror-Luna"-lestia do something bad and blame her or have their opinion about "Mirror-Luna"-lestia changed.
If "Shadow"-lestia were to do something bad, ponies wouldn't see "Shadow"-lestia anymore, but Luna instead, and ask (demand) for "Shadow"-lestia to be brought back to them.
I personally intended for Celestia in this story to represent the perception others can have of us in contrast with who we actually are (that perception being usually way too good or way too bad, like Celestia or Nightmare Moon, and Luna in the middle who lives unseen in the dark even if there is plenty of light once you open your eyes (the curtains), who drinks and who is basically like anypony else).
7347549
So, what's with Celestia's cake-eating habit?
...
Now, for the sequel......
img00.deviantart.net/658a/i/2012/311/9/1/a_pink_shadow_by_phlar1245-d5kaul1.png
7295132
I was also running with the hypothesis that Celestia was a physical embodiment of the sun and thus glowed, which prevents her from projecting a natural shadow.
Though we were both wrong in the end.
Pretty interesting story!
Definitely different from other fics that analyze and explore Celestia wearing a metaphorical mask in front of the populace, a mask that she rarely removes (sometimes even wears masks around friends and trusted staff).
HOLY SHIT!!
This time, Celestia herself is a projection/mask of Luna for everyone to see.
Is Cadence also a projection of Luna?!
Is Cadence a projection of Luna's loving, intimate, and romantic side?
...Is Blueblo- Nooo. Why would Luna want to project her selfish and petty tendencies after NMM existed as Luna's dark and evil side?
...I guess that while Luna has many shadows, she doesn't particularly want to project many small shadows that are every single facet of her personality, but rather have a few major projections that encapsulate multiple portions of herself at once.
(The many tiny projections for each facet is illustrated here in the pic below)
It's a nice exploration of the different projections that we show in public and private to different groups of people. Coworkers, store and restaurant staff, and people of authority (law enforcement and politicians). We'll even cast a projection to our own friends, family, and lovers.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable story!
Two last things before I go
1) A minor detail (that may actually be accidental (going by some of your other comments)) that I like, is the difference between the behavior of the Solar Battalion and the Lunar Battalion/bat ponies. The Solar guard are part (in a sense) of the shadow-lestia projection that is supposed to be proper and perfect, whereas the lunar guard are (in proximity and behaviorally) close to Luna herself, and she would like to be relaxed while she is tucked away and far from the populace (the populace that shadow-lestia wrangles).
2) I find it odd that there is not a SINGLE comment on the first chapter, and a single one on the second chapter. It feels meta-as-fuck in retrospect.
If you somehow manipulated that situation into being, then Brav-fucking-o!!
That is some next level writing there!
Alternate reality writing right there (AR as in "Ilovebees.com")
giantitp.com/comics/images/GDYm1dLmcBjd9yppuHC.gif
Is anyone else reminded of the 'MGSV: Phantom Pain' twist?
7650854
Thanks
. Glad you enjoyed it.
No, I can't say I did.
Not me. I only played the ps1 metal gear solid way back in the old days. I haven't as much time for video games as before now.
7653545
Want me to explain/spoil the twist with text and video of the last mission and the relevant cut scene, or do you want to be able to play and feel the twist yourself?
Is Cadence another shadow of Luna, a separate pony, or is the question about Cadence simply something we lay in bed awake dwelling on?
7655927
I probably won't have time to play it, so your explanation would be welcomed.
I feel it would be better for the question to stay unanswered, because both possibilities are interesting.
Cadence could be the projection of Luna as a lover, the one who is seen a the perfect couple partner, always patient, sweet and loving. That would also open the idea of Luna having tried to experience a life as a pony and always ending up back into royalty, first through Cadence and then through Twilight, and now through the new devi... baby, which in turn opens a lot of questions.
But Cadence could also be an individual pony, an actual pony princessa as in from the old times of the three tribes, and that would open a lot of possibilities of her having to cope with the existence of that incredibly powerful and somewhat unstable being ruling over Equestria.
As a man who writes stories for fun, I would advise to choose the one that seems the most interesting.
But yet, I have to ask why Cadence shared the same interest for Twilight that Celestia has...
Good job. I think Celestia at this point is her own pony. However if Luna is the night and Tia isn't real who is the sun princess? Who raises the sun? How did Tia fight Nightmare Moon if she was herself? How did she stay if Luna was banished? Cadance isn't a shadow, she has family she was a pegasus turned into a princess a bit before Twilight
7745211
Well, those are all good points. I must actually agree. Please don't see my responses below as a rebuttal, but just as me having fun exploring the possibilities.
That would probably be Luna from the very beginning. But when she would raise the sun, ponies would only see her under the light of the raising sun, or in other words as Celestia the bringer of light that chases the darkness away.
I propose that Nightmare Moon was another one of Luna's shadow (under the form of a nightmare if we have to accept the comics). Ponies rejected Nightmare Moon and associated her with Luna, while ponies wanted Celestia. Luna had to choose between who she actually was and who the ponies wanted her to be. She chose to sacrifice every part of herself that the ponies rejected, literrally tearing herself apart and feeling hollow from that day on.
Celestia as a shadow would only have been a part of Luna, a projection that had taken a physical form. The part of Luna that was Celestia stayed and everything else was banished, the same way someone might feel forced to play a certain role and behave a certain way in order to please its companion in life or to belong to the community. Conformity: for the better or the worst, being as they want you to be.
I never put my hands on that comic, yet I wouldn't reject the idea that having a family might obligatory mean being actually born in that family or that no memory or even member of that family may have been forged to offer the shadow its silhouette. I like to play with the idea that Luna, as such a powerful being, might have wanted to become a normal alicorn to better blend with other ponies, even more if the goal was to love and be loved in return. But being a part of Luna, she was bound to show exceptional potential.
I know it's all kinda ridiculous in the end. I'm just fascinated by the concepts of identity and social constructs, both seemingly made of pure psychological illusions.
Let's imagine Celestia's funerals and at those funerals a weird pony asking "who was she?". What would the different ponies respond? What would you respond?
Beyond the coherence of the scenario, I must admit I'm mostly interested by the exploration of concepts. Which is one of the reasons I love MLP.
good points
here are some more questions
if luna is the moon princess how is equestria balanced?
when did she change her shadow and who knew?
7748103
I'm not sure in what direction to explore the idea. If it makes any sense, I would propose that the moon was actually the first world Luna created. As it didn't hold enough potential, she created another way more complex world, but kept the moon overhead. In that paradigm, the light isn't opposed to darkness, but is actually an unnatural aberration. The existence of light is what makes Equestria unbalanced.
I would say the shadows first looked exactly like Luna, but the perception the ponies had of those shadows made them differ and slowly the look of the shadows naturally adapted itself to the perception the ponies had of them. It took so much time for the shadows to change that almost nopony noticed. But maybe Starswirl knew, yet treated Luna and her shadows as individuals.
I would also imagine some other magical spirits knew.
7748361
sorry i don't understand your first answer and with the second i ment when did she create celestia (it was before starswirl he knew them both)?
7748652
In my mind and in that paradigm, she created Celestia when the world was nothing but darkness. She didn't understand her own powers, she was alone with her thoughts and gave form to those thoughts. Nightmare Moon first, but as she had made her dark, she couldn't see the one she was talking to. So she made Celestia white to be able to see her.
There was nopony around to see it.
It would also be possible to imagine Luna had a family and was just a child with incredible powers and therefore created her shadows as her "imaginary friends" who, of course, didn't stay imaginary for long. That would allow for quite a story about her parents having to cope with such a child.
I'm not sure I can help much with the first question. I mean, I never really expected for the story to make sense in the cannon universe. In fact, I imagine Lauren Faust wouldn't be too happy about my ideas there. It was just making enough sense to allow for a good suspension of disbelief and therefore allow the reader to focus on the ideas and not just the coherence (at least at first).
So yeah, if Celestia is Luna's shadow, then the world is unbalanced. Sorry.
for the sequel...
Twilight finds out that she is a shadow of Luna's , too.
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I may have something weirder and much more ambitious (yet different). I'm planning on writing it tonight.
No idea how it is going to turn out though...
[Edit: ...and I failed miserably. Months of work for nothing. Oh well, let's try something else
So let me get this straight. Princess Celestia only exists because Luna lets her exist outside of her? It's really confusing on what's going on here for me.
I love the story. But I need more to go with.
I'm surprised I don't have a headache after reading this story.