I've always viewed My Little Pony in the light of a fantasy world skinned with pastel ponies and fantastical magic. I guess this explains why I'm so readily willing to introduce concepts more familiar to us like the military, the knightly virtues, unscrupulous characters, and the clashes between good and evil. I like juggling those concepts in the stories I weave and the worlds I build. It's hardwired into my writing style and I don't think I'll be getting rid of it anytime soon. Still, for the record, I don't aim on creating a grimdark world of corrupted childhood wishes and dead ponies. That's the last thing I want to do. FiM is my own little internet haven against a decidedly grimdark real world steeped in conflict, prejudice, and tears.

I've been fascinated with the character of Celestia ever since I first saw Friendship is Magic. Here was this being with godlike power and dictatorial executive authority who ruled benevolently and did everything in her power to protect her people. I could draw countless Warhammer analogies and pen endless amounts of fanfiction from that concept alone. The one defining trait, however, was Celestia's benevolence. Somehow, the ponies were able to exist in peace with each other and whatever races came from the surrounding lands under Celestia's guidance. This is in stark contrast with the way our human world works.

So here I am, applying for Celestia Invictus as an RP character. I have mixed feelings about doing so. I see so much story potential for her. She has lived countless lifetimes, experienced the range of emotions from joy to despair, and conquered life and death as monarch and goddess. Somewhere in the experience must be great stories.

This depth of the character is a double-edged sword. It is not the darkness I fear. I am sure that somewhere deep in Celestia's history, she has been forced to do some awful things. I am ready to write for that. As always, my issue seems to be balance. Celestia is a complex character with many facets. She is conqueror, empress, teacher, judicator, and executor, but also pony. She has a corporeal form just like every other pony and is subject to the same constraints of time and space. She feels emotion, is troubled by hard decisions, and experiences joy when things go wonderfully. I want to be able to convey this depth while still keeping within the spirit of the show. I love my serious Celestia, but she can't be "srs bizniss" all the time.

I'll continue to work on the application all week as I get time and inspiration. There's so much I want to say, but not all of it is relevant to the application. If the staff gives me the time, I would like to see the Discord arc resolved so I can add that to my rendition. Unless I'm prodded to hurry up, I'm going to take my time on this. Celestia deserves it.