“Time is relative.” Celestia began, “If you didn’t know that by now, you shouldn’t be here.” The students sat relaxed at their desks. This wasn’t news to them, but repetition was necessary. They knew I wasn’t redundant for her to say that every time class started. It was one of her quirks. Every teacher had them, but no teacher had the same ones.
Celestia turned and pointed a wing toward the holographic pad in the middle of the class. A Center Holopad in a classroom allowed for more room and more perspectives on the lesson, literally, and metaphorically. The holopad projected a timeline in the image of a tree. The root being at the top, stemming downward in multiple directions. Throughout the projection, extensions protruded out from nodes representing options individuals have the choice to make. Certain areas of the projection were barely visible, showing possible, but unlikely points in time that could have led to important points of time. This extended the tree tenfold, making it seem much bigger than it actually was. More than eighty-two percent of the timeline was theory, while the other eighteen was actual history, marked in a plain bolded line.
“If you’ll see here,” she began, “this is a timeline of what has, and – theoretically speaking – could have happened during some of the most critical points in history.” Celestia, using her magic to work the computer module, lit the first node. “What took place here, and what ensued thereafter?” Celestia turned and looked around the whole room. Each pony sat watching her stride around the room. Her anklet on her left-front leg extended a few centimeters out. It blinked twice a feint blue. Everyone else’s anklets blinked a bright blue moments after.
One unicorn stood up near the top of the banisters. His Red mane looked black in the dark lighting of the classroom. His coat a teal coat clashed with it, only causing it to seem darker. He took a deep breath before focusing his eyes on Celestia. He wanted to be as respectful as he possibly could. She caught a glimpse of his bright coat, and used her magic to shine a dim light on him. It didn’t faze him at all. All that mattered was respect for the Princess. As the students directed their attention to him, each gasped in amazement. If his cutie mark of a crushed wrist watch didn’t reveal it, his augmented eyes did.
“The ‘First Conflict,’ as it is referenced by most scholars, was the decision to create.” He began. “Nopony is sure what the First Conflict actually was, considering this is all theory with minimal evidence, but as is speculated, the creator felt a sense of loneliness. This is assumed as all creatures show a sense of loneliness when separated from life, and begin to create ideas of individuals of which they can befriend.” He never looked away from Celestia. Only the utmost respect for the most respectable. He continued, “So, as is theorized, the original being, or source of life, felt the need to create. What ensued afterward is…” He lifted a hoof and shook it around, signifying that ‘everything’ is what happened after the creation.
Before he could sit down, Celestia spoke, “And what about this node?” The projector moved upward, revealing choices much closer to the present, as controversial as that word was – present. As the projection neared the bottom, the chosen the nodes became much narrower in connection, with less and less stems from each one. The projection stopped, exposing one last node.
The teal pony responded, “That node is dubbed the ‘Last Conflict’ respectively. It represents the end of the last creation. As most theories come from, scholars and professors observe what is around them to make assumptions on what is ahead of them – metaphorically speaking. This last node is as much of a mystery as the first node, with no evidence as to what it may hold. In fact, the thought of all creation ending seems highly absurd at this point.” He paused for a moment to catch himself. He knew he was about to go off on a tangent. The topic was the last node not ‘Perspective Removal.’
“Though regarded as a separate part of the whole, the Last Conflict is directly connected to the First Conflict. The reason for that is this: if we relate the Creator from the First Conflict to all the things he has created, then we must take into the account death. All things die, therefore, the creator will die, unable to create new things.” A sense of dread fell upon the class, but Celestia and the teal pony were unmoved.
“Thank you, Lag Time.” Celestia receded the light from Lag Time as he sat back down. Her anklet blinked twice, and soon after, so did everyone else’s.