Celestia's Last Letter
Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,
You're probably wondering why this letter was sent to you by mail rather than through Spike. I could easily blame Luna's bizarre infatuation with the Royal Equestrian Postal Service, but that would be a lie, and tempted though I am, it would be unfair to you, who have always been so brutally forthcoming with me in all of your letters, both as my student, and as my friend.
The truth of the matter is that, by the time you read this, Luna and I will no longer be at Silver Shoals, or any place else that you can find on a map.
This, I'm afraid, is my final letter to you, and where I'm going, you won't be able to send a reply.
Don't panic.
Let me start by assuring you that my sister and I are both quite alright. In fact, we are more than alright. Our retirement together has made up some of the happiest years of our lives, second only to our time spent watching you and your friends grow. I've had such amazing adventures since giving up the crown. I've hacked through jungles and climbed whole mountains without use of my wings - simply for the sake of the challenge! I've galloped through such amazing meadows, and tasted cleaner air than I ever dreamt of! I have journeyed from the ocean realm of the sea ponies, to the bitter tundras of Yakyakistan, and loved every minute of it.
Luna has occupied her time soaking up the symphonies and operas of the past thousand years, studying every sculpture, and painting that Equestria has to offer, from the prestigious Silver Shoals Cultural Center to Manehattan to Trottingham. (I don't pretend to get it myself, but most of those works had been inspired by dreams, and created under the moonlight, so it's hardly surprising that my sister is a sap for them).
We've both traveled so far, and it's all been so wonderful, as I'm sure you've gleaned from our many postcards and letters.
However, that excitement could not last forever. There comes a time when the world of ponies passes from under you, and becomes a place you no longer consider home. For me, there was no grand incident. It felt simply like a blanket draping itself over everything - a weight over the very air we breathed. I could not pierce it, or see through it, or bear it - that intolerable sameness. For my sister, "the call" took the form of a sharper heartbreak - when a grown pony first failed to recognize her. Luna has always been the sensitive type, and while it's not my place to get into the details, suffice it to say that she didn't take it well.
The point I'm making is this: our time is up. My sister and I both have felt it, each in our own way, each on our own terms.
You'll feel it someday too, and while I am sure that that day is countless moons in the future, sadly, it will come, and when it does, I want you to know that you don't need to fear, nor should you despair. If ever you valued my counsel or my judgment on anything, I beg you to please trust me on this.
You're going to be alright, and when you are finally ready, you'll know what to do.
You'll have to forgive the smudges on the page. Stoic though the role of princess may be, tears of pride are not among the things that I can control. It occurred to me now that you once gifted me with one of the most joyous moments of my life, and you didn't even know it. There was one letter you sent that shook my heart so deeply that I leaped out of my bed, and began to laugh and sing when I finished reading it. I woke half of Canterlot.
The reply you received from me was formal, of course. I couldn't tell you how I really felt at the time because it would have betrayed my secret hopes and dreams for you, which, by now, we're all reasonably certain that you've figured out.
It was your cutie marks - the letter about how you'd all discovered a commonality in your destinies long before any of you had met. I'd never doubted you, Twilight - not once - but your early years of friendship were expectedly rocky, and I confess now that I had doubted myself in my ability to prepare you for the tasks you needed to face.
That letter that you sent banished all of my fears and misgivings.
You see, there are forces in this world beyond even my comprehension - power that cannot be understood through spells or books. It aligned to bring you and your friends together - to bring you and I together! We would never even have met had you not passed your entry exam so impressively!
Those are the forces that will let you know what to do when it is your time to come and join us.
I never told you this, but I've often envied my subjects. Each of their lives are so brief, yet so wonderful - their passions like bursts of fireworks that light up the sky for just a tiny shining moment before fading away to streaks of ash hanging over the night. I'll never know that feeling - the urgency of their impermanence. The life of an alicorn is more like a slow-burning candle, even when our hearts are broken, or our tempers roused.
Our feelings my be just like anypony else's, but our experiences are not.
I confess to you now that Princess Luna and I chose Silver Shoals as the location not for our retirement adventures, but also as the leaping point for our eventual escape.
By the time you receive this letter, we'll have set sail, out into the great wide open, just like Luna and I had always dreamed of when we were fillies. Did I ever tell you of our pirate games? No, I don't imagine I have.
No worries. I'll tell you about it face to face someday.
In the meantime, all I can say is thank you. Your legacy is my greatest pride, and my greatest joy. In my heart, I know that Equestria has never been in better hooves, and that knowledge has granted my sister and I both freedom and peace.
Think of me when you raise the Sun. Think of Luna when you raise the Moon. And in those cherished moments between night and day - in dusk or in twilight - do me one small favor, and look to the stars. The first to twinkle, and the last to fade. It is there you'll find my sister and I.
We will be with you always. I promise.
Until we meet again,
Princess Emeritus Celestia
My reasons for writing this story are deeply personal: I did it to make myself feel better. There's been a pony-shaped void in my soul ever since The Last Problem, and writing this has really helped me. I sincerely hope that it will help some of you too.
SPECIAL THANKS: Thank you to Seraphem and Mushroom for looking this over, and encouraging me.
Cover Art by My Little Sheepie https://www.deviantart.com/mylittlesheepy/art/What-a-Lovely-Light-334041531
SUPPORT: This is a labor of love. However, I also have mouths to feed. If this story, Hooves of Fate, or my Heart Full of Pony essays have touched you in any way, and you can manage to spare a few bits, I'd very much appreciate your support on Patreon. I could really use the assistance.
For those of you who already are pledging, seriously, and for real, thank you. Your support makes a difference, and it means a great deal to me. /]*[\
Other Version: This is a slightly longer version of a fic I posted on Tumblr.
https://heartfullofpony.tumblr.com/post/188500638847/celestias-last-letter
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GOSH DARN IT!
I'm crying again.
I've done enough crying this year.
I cried when I attended the last Bronycon.
I cried when I saw the final episode of one of the most meaningful shows in my adolescent life!
And just two weeks ago I cried because of this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tNXyOUS_Jfk
And now all these very sad well it together emotional stories are coming out.... I swear I will lose all my tear ducts in 2019.
9896982
I feel you. It's been a rough week for all of us.
Well, this is a nice change of pace from the recent influx of "Twilight's gonna outlive all her friends! Instant despair!" stories. I honestly thought the fandom had gotten that out of its system back in 2014.
As for your short take, this was quite enjoyable and meshed well with the canon depictions of Celestia and Luna. I always felt Celestia, having ruled alone for a millenia, would have grown numb to the march of progress while Luna's absence would make even the smallest advances in art or technology seem earth-shaking. It's nice that they seem to have come to an understanding on one another's views.
The best part, though, is their calling home. Felt very much like Gandalf and Frodo departing Middle Earth for realms unknown once the world had begun to rebuild. Makes it sound like the fitting reward for alicorn rulers that have dedicated themselves fully to promoting harmony and progress across their land.
And if Celestia's intuitions about Twilight are any indication, it seems like her power and wisdom shall usher in amazing things for the entire world. Fulfilling her duties in that regard will likely span a greater length of time than what Celestia and Luna had.
But I ramble. A great short story and hopefully a sign of more uplifting works to come out of the fandom in this post-finale era.
9896982
Try starting from the beginning. A lot of people are finding that Season One is the best therapy.
Someone should send this to Scribbler or someone else to dub it. I have a feeling that this can be made into a beautiful animation.
9898599
What is Scribbler?
This is a nice one, it could make some feel better after the ending, or worse, unfortunately
it's the magic of being bittersweet I suppose
I liked it, you wrote Celestia's words perfectly, it seems like it was really written by her
Aaaaaa- my feels, they buurrrrrn! D:
Seriously one of my favourite fics on the site, thank you, so very very much for writing this.
9897962
You know what.... I will.
Thank you so very very much.
Nicely done :)
9900483
I'm delighted to hear it. I've actually been writing up little reviews on Season 1 episodes as I watch them. I'll be posting them and other reflections on my FimFic blog next week when I get back from vacation.
In the meantime, I hope you find the rewatching process as fulfilling as I am. I feel as excited about pony as I did when it was brand new to me!
I wonder what Twilight's reaction will be.
Could there be a sequel were Twilight reads the letter or would it be too emotionally painful write? Because you don't have to if it is.
9946008
I appreciate your enthusiasm and hunger for more, but I think that's best left to the imagination.
Ok thanks
Very touching. Thank you for writing this.
10045454
I'm glad it meant something to you.
You made my day.
Sad but hearthwarming
One of my favorite fics, this is now a part of my headcannon. Thank you so much for writing it!
10194300
I'm glad it moved you. I wrote it to expand my own head canon, really. The princesses mean so very much to me, I felt they deserved their own ending.
There was quite literally no reason to write this I am disappointed and while I did enjoy it, I put a downvote as this does not fit with the Creator's intent
It took far too long for me to finally find time to read this. And it will be far longer before its impact begins to fade. This is marvelously and solemnly moving.
Thank you!
10681027
I wrote this to give myself closure regarding the Royal Sisters who, as you know, mean a great deal to me.
I'm glad it has made an impact on you, and on so many others here who have taken the time to leave comments.
I wonder where Celestia and Luna went off to. I can't help but think of the darkest possibilities.
This was a really powerful story. I enjoyed it.
11200625
Thank you!
10681027
It's a proud moment that an old flame such as yourself is still active.
It has it's own special meaning to be honest.
11200625
To a place with white shores, and beyond them a green land under a swift sunrise
I’ll be honest. Even years later, I have refused to watch most of season 9, because it’s not the ending I want.
Nonetheless, this story helps me reconcile with the show ending that I know is out there somewhere.