The sun started to slip under the horizon and Celestia knew in her heart that for all the errors, shortcomings and misunderstandings in her life this day had been one of the better ones. The first star came out and glittered in the sky, then another, a third, a fourth. Each one added his light to the concert of twinkles, glitters and sparkles of the night. Celestia used to enjoy the dusk as much as she loved the dawn. When the powers shifted from her to her sister it reminded her of the great circles of life that she had the unique perspective to see. Day and night, summer and winter, the birth of a pony and its return to the great well of souls. She wished Luna was by her side to enjoy it too, but alas her sister was ... indisposed tonight.
By now the sun was more than half hidden and the less bright stars added their finer, but no less impressive voices to the great choir. Celestia knew that the inevitable was only a short time now but her thoughts still lingered on the first night they had completed the great cycle together. Most ponies would assume that Luna being the younger would have to train to keep up with her older sister. But actually it had been Celestia who had to work hard to get the sun to obey her magic. Luna had mastered the moon on day one, the stars had flocked to her like ducklings to their mother. It had taken Celestia years and years to admit to herself that she had harbored envy for her sisters talent with her element. Today that envy was just another thing she had not told her sister, another feeling she had hidden, another time she had not been honest with Luna.
The last rays of the sun shot over the sky and for a moment the western horizon looked like it was on fire. Like all of Equestria was consumed in cleansing inferno to burn away all the lies, half-truths and unspoken resentments. But in the blink of an eye that moment was gone and Celestia realized once more that there was no magical way to turn ponies into saints or angels. Only those ponies themself could turn their lives around, by talking to each other, by being the bigger pony and by being honest and brave in the face of doubt. Celestia turned her head from the west, from her now hidden sun and looked high into the sky. The river of stars sang to her and to anyone who would listen. Their song was tranquil and soothing. The princess of the sun took a deep breath and turned around.
For a moment the song stopped as she took in the moon. Her sister’s moon. Her beloved sister’s moon. Like every nightfall or sunrise she held her breath. She waited for something to happen, for something to break the circle like the prophecy said. But again, the moon rose on its way into the sky mocking her hope and fear.
Twilight was over. Celestia turned around and walked into her chamber, there was work to be done and nopony else to do it.
The silhouette of Nightmare Moon would remain in the sky until daybreak.