//------------------------------// // Just Like Old Times - The Sun and Moon of the Future // Story: Written Off // by Georg //------------------------------// The Sun and Moon of the Future It was a beautiful machine, all crystal and spun bronze, with whirling widgets and spinning spheres, pointing golden arrows indicating the location of all the celestial bodies and toothed cogs marked in careful graduations.  It ticked and tocked, sparkled and glowed, and hummed like a happy hummingbird in a field of flowers. One entire room of the castle was taken up by its impressive presence, with a maintenance crew of a dozen ponies who kept it polished, oiled, tuned, and coddled to the point where Celestia swore they read it stories at bedtime. She hated it.  No, Celestia loved her alicorn student who had created it, and admired just how beautifully the machine had turned out.  The world appreciated the exactness of the motion of the sun and moon, and it certainly took a great load off the Royal Sisters’ shoulders.  She just despised what the machine stood for. Often, she took a few hours out of her day just to stand in its presence and listen to the whir and tick and hum of the world progressing along to the dictates of steel and glass. “Good eve, dear sister.”  Princess Luna glided up to Celestia’s side and joined her in regarding the machine.  “Still no name for our eternal nemesis, I presume?” “No.”  Celestia regarded the machine for a few more silent minutes before correcting herself.  “Nothing printable, at least.” “It hath only been a full decade.” Luna’s words held a light hint of chastisement, but much welcome humor.  “There is no rush.” “True.”  The sisters remained watching while the golden needle of the machine dropped closer to ‘Sunset’ by small clicks. “Do you miss it?” asked Luna abruptly.  “The touch of our stellar burdens, that is.” “No, of course not,” said Celestia.  “There were days when I struggled until sunset, blessing the time when I could finally collapse into bed and surrender my task to you, dearest sister.” “My banishment must have taxed your stamina greatly,” mused Luna nearly under her breath. “And my will, and all my soul,” added Celestia.  “Even then, I would not have surrendered my duty to a machine.  It reminded me of you, every day and night, and promised your eventual return.” “Masochist,” chided Luna. “Also,” countered Celestia before both sisters fell prey to a fit of unstoppable giggles. “We find ourselves briefly without a task this eve,” said Luna once she had regained her composure.  “Would you care to join me on the solarium balcony to watch Twilight’s machine perform?” “Gladly.”  Celestia fell into step beside her sister, tracing their familiar paths through the busy castle until they came to the room where they had raised the sun and moon for many years.  They took their places on the balcony, side by side, and watched the sun slowly descend until it reached the horizon… ...and stopped. “Strange,” mused Celestia.  “There must be something wrong with the machine.” Luna shrugged.  “Perhaps a chunk of rock found its way into the gearbox.  A tragedy.” Casting a skeptical look the innocent expression on her sister, Celestia raised one eyebrow and lit her horn.  “Shall we?” The sun set. The moon rose. And two sisters stood together, joined again in their duties.