Dusk Cloud flew by her aunt's side, enjoying the evening weather. She chuckled, looking at her sister, who was half-asleep by now. Silver Lining supported the younger filly. Dusk Cloud picked up her saddlebags, trying to help.
She never wanted to be a burden.
"Here you go. You will share the guest room for now" Silver Lining announced, tucking Silver Cloud in bed. Dusk Cloud looked out of window, smiling at the rising moon.
"Auntie, I'm going for a fly" she said. Silver Lining nodded.
"Stay close and be safe" she warned. But Dusk was already gone. She glided downwards, enjoying to fly just above trees. Some treetops even tickled her tummy, making her giggle. She flew up and did a few barrel rolls.
As far as she could see, nopony was around. Nopony was awake. It was truly a shame, as above clouds, night sky was as beautiful as ever, and when she dove below clouds, she could see faint light of the moon shimmering through. But then she flew further and looked down onto one of many villages, and it was quiet. Too quiet.
Dusk hovered between village and clouds, suddenly overwhelmed by nightly silence. Every single night, she hoped somepony like her would appear and play with her. Not certainly go for a nightly flight; it could as well be a unicorn or an earth pony. Just somepony to admire the wonders of night together, to play together, to be her friend...
Slowly, she descended to the ground. She trotted around the village, but there was no sign of ponies around. She approached a hut and peeked inside. The earth pony family she saw inside were all asleep. Mother, father, three foals... Dusk trotted away. Soon she sighed heavily and flew up, back to her aunt's place. She should be used to it. Ponies weren't around when she was awake, and she wasn't awake when other ponies frolicked in blinding sun... blinding for her, at least.
She entered her aunt's house. Normally she wouldn't feel so lonely, as her mother made it known she could wake her any time, day or night; but she couldn't expect her aunt to do the same. Dejected, she sat on bed and watched her sister sleep. Jealousy that was mitigated by cake before burst with full force. Silver Cloud had everything Dusk wished for. Normal eyes. A bunch of friends. A cutie mark...
Dusk took her saddlebags and reached for her studybooks. Without Bright Sky to guide her through her homework, she had to reread the chapter a few times until she made sense of it. Eventually she was done, and there was still a few hours left until the dawn.
The filly looked over at her younger sister. Silver had managed to kick the blanket away just enough to reveal the cutie mark. Dusk frowned and trotted over.
"Silver, wake up" she hissed, shaking her sister. Silver moaned, so Dusk shook her harder.
"What...? What are you doing, Dusk...?" Silver yawned. "It's still night..."
"Exactly!" Dusk Cloud grinned. "Wouldn't you want to go for a moonlit flight with me? To get the appettite running before breakfast? Come on, we hardly ever do things together..."
Silver frowned and pulled blanket over her head.
"Go to sleep. Like normal ponies do at night."