        “I do not regret it.”  Celestia looked at Twilight, lowering herself down until they were face-to-face.  A tear was trembling at the corner of Celestia’s eye.  “I knew she was about to make her move.  Her ponies were already in position, waiting for their orders.  Our fragile new empire would never have survived the strife, even if we split it evenly—as she had proposed—before it came to combat.”  She paused, drawing strength to continue.  “She knew what I was about to do.  Some part of her was still aware, was still uncorrupted.  My last sight of her for a thousand years was the look in her eyes.  It was not a look of anger, nor sadness, nor fear.  It was a look of resignation.”  Celestia looked back over the balcony and fell silent.  Twilight let out a shaky breath.