The evening sky was lit with the waning golden light of Celestia's Sun blending flawlessly with the Amber hues of Luna's night. Mares and Stallions all gathered themselves for the night's festivities. Ponyville was awash with the scent of various sweets and the subtle tones of bouquets bought for special Someponies through the town. Vibrant energy pulsed through the streets each happy couple enthusiastically clinging, hugging and spending time with their significant other. High above the houses and businesses sat a single cyan mare among a bundle of clouds floating through the twilight sky.
Hunched over on her flank Rainbow Dash sat solemnly, completely unaware of the holiday fun happening below her, rather ignoring it entirely. It was a little known fact that Dash thoroughly enjoyed this time of the night, watching the sunset, it was the majority of the reason she slept during the day. Tonight was no different. Smiling faintly as the Sun met the horizon she and her addled emotions let herself sink through the cloud. Gently she stretched her wings and began to take off.
“Heya there Rainbow!”, A chipper mare's voice caught her off guard.
Regaining her composure as quickly as she could, Dash settled on the cloud that was floating just underneath hers. Settling her hooves she resumed her slouched position and continued glancing towards the horizon.
“Uhhhh, Rainbow?” The gray mare's voice filling with concern, “Are you feeling okay? I've never seen you like... not awesome before...”
Breaking her gaze from the horizon and looking towards the mail-mare, “It's nothing Derpy, I'm just really relaxed, enjoying the sunset, ya know?” Dash, doing her best to disguise her teary eyes with a well timed yawn, “it's been a pretty long day, I think I'm going to hit the hay..”
“Oh, okay!” Derpy's voice again took a bright tone, “It was nice to watch some of the sunset with you, it's nice to see some other pony who doesn't take it for granted.” She smiled her blonde mane swaying just in front of her eyes, which she promptly removed with a quick breath.
“It'd be swell if we could do this again sometime and chat.” she added as Rainbow turned to take off.
Dash waited for a moment as she fanned her wings in the cool evening air. The chilled breeze furled her feather. Without a response she dove into the air and soared down turning sharply to the right heading towards her cloud home, a dive to the left and a spiral to the right, a small workout at night seemed like a good idea to burn off some energy. Dipping, twisting, turning and flipping herself through the brisk air was quickly taking the edge off of her emotional discomfort.
Leaving Derpy ate at her though, she doesn't leave anypony like that. Flipping herself around in the crisp air, amber light glistening off her coat like golden tear drops, Dash banked left, back down to the cloud where her unexpected company sat solemnly, sullenly looking at the fading light.
Landing quietly next to the other mare, Dash sighed.
“Sorry about that Derpy. I have a lot on my mind.”
“I know the feeling.” She responded in a slightly less chipper tone than usual.