Reaching out, I took the bottle in my hoof and took a sip from the strong apple cider. I preferred pear to be honest, but this was nice.
Real crisp and fresh, also quite strong. I knew better than to gulp it down. I made that mistake once when I was younger.
Not that I actually remember it. Just the aftermath.
That was embarrassing.
So I kept myself at a comfortable buzz.
I gave Cloud a poke with my hoof. He neither moved nor lifted his head from the table; the pegasus was out like a light.
I'm not entirely sure how he managed to even get his hoof on some cider as they didn't sell to minors. But he was almost an adult, so I was not going to take it away from him. Better he learn this lesson safely anyway.
“I thought we were not allowed to sleep?” I asked Swift, who was sitting on one of the other chairs around the table. “Could I have been asleep right now?”
The blue unicorn mare leaning against his side giggled. “No, you couldn't! You HAVE to be awake for the Summer Sun Celebration!”
Swift nodded, taking a swing of his cider. “Minuette is right. Can't sleep this night, it's tradition.”
I hid a yawn at that, looking around the square. The bars and clubs around it had all set up tables and chairs all across it for the celebration, lights were hanging between the trees and there was a band playing on-stage at the other end of the square by the dance floor.
Personally, I would have slept instead, but Swift would have none of it.
I was also not entirely sure how he ended up with Minuette by his side. She wasn't there when he dragged me (literally) out of my apartment. I had planned to spend the evening relaxing, getting some writing and reading done while enjoying some cider as it was the season.
But nope.
Anyway, I don't think they knew each other earlier either. Well, good for him I guess.
“Should we try to wake Cloud up?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, sipping at my cider again.
Swift laughed. “I don't think we could. No, let him sleep. He will enjoy tomorrow enough as it is.”
Nodding, I looked around before I perked up and had a great idea. It was tradition!
...Damn it! I forgot my satchel with my quill and ink back home! “Anyone have a magic marker?”
Minuette tilted her head in curiosity. “A what?”
“A... actually, never mind.” I sighed and gave the sleeping pegasus a glare. Stupid universal shift. I couldn't even draw a dick on his forehead.
“Oh! There is Twinkleshine! I'll be right back!” Minuette exclaimed and jumped out of her chair, disappearing into the crowd.
I looked after her before turning back to Swift Spear. “Where did you even find her?” Hell, even I could see she was good looking, even if her personality seemed to be somewhat... blonde.
He grinned, “Dance floor. You should try it.”
Like I don't have enough problems. “I'm pretty sure me dancing would cause a national emergency, not attract mares,” I grumbled.
Not that I was really interested in trying in any case. Things were fucked enough without making things even more difficult for myself.
“Having seen you fight, I can believe it.” Swift chuckled and took a sip of his cider.
I almost felt like throwing the bottle at him but I sighed instead. “When's Sun up?”
He shrugged. “Another couple of hours,” Swift said before looking down into his bottle. “The cider is gone. Where did all the cider go?”
I just facehoofed.
XXXXXXXXXX
The crowd shuffled around me and I looked up at the stage with the rest, the stars shimmering far above as the Moon slowly lowered opposite the stage.
As the Moon started to get close to the horizon behind us, the crowd started to go silent. I didn't pay too much attention as I followed the Moon with my eyes.
Moving faster than the Moon did back home, spending most of the night in zenith, the rise and setting took only half an hour in total. Same with the Sun.
As the Moon finally sank behind the horizon, Celestia slowly walked onto the stage. Climbing onto the marble platform from behind, her long rainbow-like mane flowing to the side as if underwater, the sky gradually started to glow behind her.
Her eyes were closed but her steps were sure as she strode to the middle of the platform where she stopped, standing still for a moment.
The crowd was completely silent and it felt like nobody was even breathing.
Suddenly, her wings spread out and her horn lit up like a beacon as she opened her eyes. They shone like stars as the Sun started to rise behind her, seemingly filling the entire horizon.
As the star started to rise, she rose with it, perfectly outlined in the middle of the star as it flowed along the horizon to form behind her as a perfect sphere. All you could see of her, was her silhouette against the light and her glowing eyes.
I lost my breath at the sight.
She rose with the Sun another fifteen or so meters before she slowly slipped from it's 'grasp', floating back down onto the marble platform below.
The Sun went back to it's normal light, shrinking down into it's smaller form and growing brighter until we could not longer look at it, by the time her hooves touched down on the platform.
Celestia didn't say a word. She simply folded her wings again.
Nothing moved or even breathed for a second before the entire crowd erupted into cheers loud enough to cause my ears to fold back against my head.
It was not until several seconds had passed that I realized I was also cheering. Goddess or Princess or not, she knew how to put on a show.
Ra, scoot over. There is a new Sun goddess in town. And I'm pretty sure she would kick your arse.
Damn that was awesome. It was probably easier on her too, since she didn't have to mind the moon.
I guess Celestia has had a lot of practice. Especially considering that such a performance probably requires several weeks of practice, even for someone who has been doing for thousands of years. After all, it likely requires a lot of precision, and 365 days is plenty of time to loose some of that control. Therefore, Celestia probably has to spend an entire month finding some way to synchronize her movements with the sun, keeping the sun from moving too fast or too slow, presumably without looking like she's practicing, like what she does is natural.
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw1723_medium.jpg
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Are you sure it's not, "And that is hwo Equestria was mead"?
...
...
Buh, dum, tssh.
heh. i like to play an online RPG called "rift" by Trion, and there's a character in the game who loves to drink "MEEEEEAD". i just can't help but laugh at the way he says "mead'.
Ra, I played smite.
quoting from Sword of Chaos
Sun-god is the best god!
Another well-placed nod to one of my favorite movies. Nice job Swift, you channeled your inner Jack Sparrow for about five seconds.
Where did all the rum go?
at least we still have the rum! ...wait..
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http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/291/797/723
I see the Pirates of the Carabin reference there!
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Why's the rum gone?!?!?!?!
heh. Twilight Sparkle is also a really lousy dancer:
she beats Ra and Apollo any day...but i think Good Dog would put up a decent fight...now i want to see a snip of Celestia and Amaterasu meeting.
Celestia might kick ass, but since she needed the Elements vs Luna i guess not like others more Skilled? Or ruthless...
Why is the cider always gone?
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What if I told you they are the same pony?
Pirates of the Caribbean
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So her s*ts explode?
Well yes but not just a national emergency for everyone who are forced to watch but one In my head as well. You know, anxiety
Nice Celebrations
***country accented, Stetson wearing screaming in the distance***
Why's the cider always gone?
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why's the rum gone?
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Wow, I hadn't even thoght of that video in like 10 years! Thanks for reminding me!
Pirate of the Caribbean reference
Celestia sure can be awesome, I wonder why anyone would be stupid enough to risk angering her by attacking Equestria.
Than again she owns quite large a Princessdom!
Classic by now.
Wonder if Luna enjoys the occational Moonshine