It was a lovely night for a walk. Rainbow Dash smiled up at the sunset. It would have been better if she weren’t alone to enjoy it, but some of these things can’t be helped. She waved at her friends as they all went indoors. Sure, it was a bit cold outside tonight, and there was a chance there’d be snow. Rainbow wasn’t quite sure herself, as she had forgotten to ask the weather team. They weren’t always in such a rush to get inside, but perhaps they were eager to snuggle up with a loved one, a good book, and a warm mug of cider. The thought of it made Rainbow’s mouth water.
Every night, she watched as ponies went into their homes. She almost wished she would urge them to stay out, for just one night. They didn’t know what they were missing, really. The world was spectacular as day faded over the horizon. But she never tried to stop them, and she wasn’t about to start now. For some ponies, perhaps this just wasn’t as important to them. While she didn’t understand it, she could respect it.
It was almost eerie, how empty the streets became once the sun set. The usual chatter that filled her ears went quiet, and the air was free to move without ponies blocking its way. The wind whistled around Rainbow, ruffling her feathers and tousling her mane. It made the older houses creak and groan in quiet harmony. Crickets chirped to each other, shrill and insistent. A swirl of leaves and litter rattled in one alley, and in another a cat pawed at a bright yellow piece of paper.
It sounded dingy, walking through the streets when they looked like that, but it wasn’t all that bad. Everypony just didn’t know what they were missing. First the sky turned a brilliant orange, making the world glow in a calming peach color. It made the houses shine in different colors, browns and dull tans suddenly awash in pink and gold. The air felt almost hazy, and the clouds looked as though somepony dipped them in pumpkin-colored paint.
Rainbow watched as the last door slammed shut. It was dinnertime for most young foals, and after the sun set their parents probably wouldn’t let them outside to play for much longer. On occasion, a strange animal may wander down the streets, or a strange pony, or something else strange but completely unnamable. Too many ponies are afraid of the strange, thought Rainbow sadly. Too few of them are willing to give the glow of sunset a chance. It was a pity, really. How would they know what they were missing if they never came out to witness it for themselves?
And then, as the orange of the sunset gave way to the pink, the lights began flickering on. Slowly, one strand at a time, the strings of lights connecting houses and porches, shops and trees light up. They were the closest thing the ground had to stars, or flying through fireworks. Beads of cheery light hung in the air like dewdrops on a spiderweb. Some nights, the ones closest to the ground would be covered in snow, and they’d look like bursts of light coming from the ground itself. But there was no snow now, only lights and the crisp sting of cool, Hearth's warming-season air.
And there was one more thing. Rainbow turned to look at the castle. It was beautiful, just like always, but that wasn’t what she was focused on. Inside one of the windows was a mare who watched her every night, who had been watching her for months. Rainbow couldn’t tell if Twilight noticed her staring back, or if she ever noticed when she looked back at her, so she turned completely to gaze up at the window. Come join me, she wanted to say. Let’s fly together when the world is full of color.
But some things were better left unspoken. If there was one thing she’d learned, it was that being too forward with Twilight too soon, would only make the poor mare feel awkward. Better to take things at Twilight’s pace than at Rainbow’s. Rainbow was patient. She could wait, for as long as Twilight needed to be comfortable. Even… if that ended up being forever. Still, she thought, I will witness you watching, just as you witness me wandering the streets as night falls. Someday, I hope you’ll have the courage to join me.
Rainbow turned back towards the sunset. The pink was darkening, turning almost magenta. It really was beautiful, like a world dipped in the inner shades of a blooming rose. A part of her couldn’t wait for the day when she’d be more distracted by the company with her than by the beauty of the sky. As dazzling as the sunset was, Rainbow preferred the way Twilight’s face lit up when she laughed.
Rainbow smiled at the thought. She couldn’t help it. The thought of Twilight laughing with her made her heart soar. She could picture it, the two of them laughing together, nudging each other as they walked underneath the Hearthswarming lights, joking about things that were less important than the feelings they shared with each other.
There was little else to do. Besides, if she lingered around too long, she’d miss her favorite part of the night. She lept into the air and beat her wings, gaining altitude until the little town of Ponyville faded away, until there was nothing but Rainbow and the sky and the thought of Twilight.
She hovered for a moment, watching the last golden rays of sun disappear over the horizon. This right here was beautiful, but someday it would be better. With a laugh, Rainbow flew up towards the cover of the clouds above. She’d spend the last few minutes of the sunset alone at home, staring into the stars above, counting them as they appeared.
For now, at least, it should remain a secret that, while she loved the colors of the sunset, her favorite time by far was Twilight.