"...Can you try not to take this the wrong way?"

"Of course, Twilight."

"Have you ever felt any anger towards the pony who made you an alicorn?"

Twilight kept her gaze away from her mentor - well, by now, her equal - and at the freshly-turned earth before her. It seemed like such a nice day for the circumstance. The sun was out, the clouds were bright and white and clean-looking, there was a light breeze rippling through her mane... but the terrible dolor she felt in her chest, pressing down on her insides, was the negative that cancelled any positive.

"Well," Celestia began, showing the air of calculated wisdom that she'd accrued over millenia of existence, "I was alicornized six thousand years ago, before Equestria, by our great King, Rushing Waters."

Twilight nodded. She knew the history; Celestia had gone over it with her before in the past, and even then, it was in the majority of history books.

"And I couldn't have any resentment towards him. He was powerful, grounded, and, above all, real."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He knew what was best for his country, and made the proper decisions. Something I hope you do."

Twilight shook her head, smiling despite herself. "You did enough. You were a fantastic ruler. You always worked in the benefit of Equestria."

"... That's not entirely true, Twilight."

"I beg to differ."

Celestia sighed, and looked away. Ever since a few years ago, she'd been growing visibly less and less majestic-looking. The colours in her mane had begun to fade, and the ethereal powers that kept them constantly waving were beginning to fade, just adding to the feel of decay. "I always... wanted the safety of the citizens. The citizens of the world, really."

"What do you mean?"

"I preferred their harmony over their ingenuity, their security over their innovation."

"That doesn't sound like a negative point to make about yourself."

"My laws are to keep ponies from harm and darkness. But this means I must sacrifice free will periodically."

"That's what law is, correct?"

"But I have gone above and beyond to ensure that nothing is created that could cause destruction to our race. There are all sorts of powers, all kinds of energy, that we can comprehend, but that I do not allow ponies to harness, out of fear of destruction. Do you understand?"

"I do, Princess."

"However, I expect you," she added, leaning over to her and speaking more quietly, "to make your own decisions."

"... I understand, Princess."

There was a brief lull in the conversation before Celestia continued. "At the age you are, you cannot understand the number of years of life I have lived."

"I accept that."

Celestia smiled gently, and extended a wing over Twilight. "I have a sole piece of advice to give you."

"Yes?"

"Try not to be bored."

Twilight laughed, before Celestia interrupted her. "It's literally the most important advice I've given any alicorn. Ever since Luna, I've supplied this idea. You must know in your heart that each day is a new day, or you can be driven into madness."

Here, her mentor's voice dripped with seriousness, showing the true gravity of what she was saying. "I'm trying to understand."

"You must, Twilight," Celestia replied, turning from the grave and walking away, Twilight quickly in tow. "Explore the world, as it is yours. Legally, no, but you are the blood of this planet; without you, the world would cease its existence."

Twilight remained silent.

Another soft breeze rippled through the small hilltop cemetery. "Twilight," Celestia said again, turning to face her protégé. "I didn't accept you as my student, and as my heir, merely because of your extraordinary magical power. Over my years, I have seen others with your powers, though few. However, I chose you for an alternate, perhaps more important reason."

Twilight looked up at her, her eyes still red. "What reason is that?"

"I believe this existence in within your grasp."

Twilight frowned. "I don't understand what you mean by 'my grasp'. Do you mean whether I can handle it?"

"Essentially," Celestia replied, another smile crossing her lips. "You are immortal, and, because of your youth, can resist wounds of magic and of blade alike. Until you are stricken in battle, you cannot die." She paused. "Or you can wait six thousand years before giving up, like me."

At this, Twilight kept a smile from showing. "Princess."

"Yes?"

"Why do you believe so strongly that I can handle it?"

Celestia opened her mouth as though to speak, and looked away. "You have something I did not."

"What's that?"

"Life."

"... I'm sorry?"

Celestia looked down, shuffling a wing. "When I was alicornized, I was ten years old. Because of the tumultuous state the country was in at the time, I was brought to the West from the countryside almost overnight, by the fastest pegasi the King had in his control. I didn't even get to say goodbye to anypony I knew besides my family, and now they've been dead for thousands of years."

Twilight remained silent for a moment, looking back to the grave. "I understand."

"The problem is, for most of that part of my life, I had no friends to rely on, and nopony that I could confide in truthfully. Besides the King."

"I'm sorry."

"Ah, at this point, apologies are beyond meaningless." Celestia smiled. "It's the thought that counts, though. Nevertheless, I sent you out all those years ago to Ponyville to study friendship because I realized exactly how important it was. I knew how having a rich life could enhance you, how it would help you in the future. You've begun this eternal journey in a much better state than I did."

"Thank you, Princess."

Celestia's face fell, and she turned sharply and walked towards the twisted black iron gate of the cemetery, Twilight alongside. "... I will die tomorrow, Twilight."

"Wh-" Twilight stopped herself. "But... tomorrow? I need to know more, Princess," she replied, looking over at her mentor with anxiety. "I'm to be alone for the next few thousand years?"

"No, Twilight. And I hope fervently that your life is not quite as long as my own." She shook her head, grinning with an odd, rather macabre joy. "And you'll have Luna until she decides to leave as well."

"Princess -" she stopped in her tracks. "I didn't mean, earlier, that I was upset at you for making me an alicorn."

"I know, Twilight."

"What I meant was... she's gone now, and... well, that's going to happen to everypony I know, and will ever know."

"I know you can accept this existence."

"I will, I will, but... have you ever felt a weakening in your friendships?"

"Simply because they will die? No." She sighed quietly. "Every moment with a friend is special, no matter how many friends will leave this earth before you."

Twilight bit her bottom lip. "And... I'm not to marry."

Celestia looked over at her. "... It would be best not to. Few ponies have wills as strong as the one I see in you."

"It was amazing while it - while it lasted," she murmured, familiar tears returning to her eyes. "I miss her already."

"You will understand as you grow that every romance is as special as every friendship. Especially for the other - not everypony can say they dated a Princess." She chuckled, and stopped where she was, reaching a hoof over and laying it on Twilight's shoulder. "I have married more than once myself. And, honestly, I'm not entirely against it, but for a while, I would refrain from that kind of relationship. It simply serves as more heartbreak as lost love piles up in memory, and as more faces fill your mind, how odd it seems that they all existed at one point, and..." she trailed off. "You'll understand eventually."

"Princess?"

"Yes?"

"I... I'll miss you. I'm so sorry."

"Twilight," Celestia replied, the largest of smiles spreading across her features in pure ecstasy, "tomorrow, I finish the duties I've been through for millenia. I let go of every pain I've ever felt and every problem I've ever had. And tomorrow, for the first time in six thousand years...

"I'm sleeping in."