What Lies in a Moment

by PaulAsaran

Briarpelt: Twilight, and the Time Surrounding

Twilight, and the Time Surrounding
By Briarpelt

Clip, clop, clip, clop.

My hoofsteps echo as I walk down the marble corridor. It’s been another long day, and I’m glad it’s nearly over. I’m tired, but the warmth of satisfaction glows in my chest, right alongside the burning fire of love. Just a few more moments, and the sun will set again on the beautiful land I’ve built. I will pass leadership over to my sister, and rest knowing that the world is happy and Equestria is safe.

I pass marble pillars and potted plants, and the golden archways over doors. I’m headed for one particular arch, the one directly ahead of me, at the very end of the corridor. It faces north, so that both the East and the West sky can be seen from the balcony it leads to. Perfect for two sisters to exchange dominance of the sky together, to see the sunset and the moonrise simultaneously.

Only a few more steps, and I’m through the archway, standing on the balcony. The sky is a bright delphinium blue, but my sun, dipping towards the Western horizon, is brilliantly gold, and gilding the clouds similarly. I smile as I watch it, and take a deep breath of the fragrant, warm air. I can smell flowers, herbs, and juniper from the gardens below, alongside the distinct scent of food drifting from kitchens all over Canterlot. Though I can neither see nor hear it from here, ponies will be flocking to restaurants about now.

What I can hear is the chirping of birds and the rustling of the wind in the leaves. As I prepare to lower the sun, another sound approaches: the flapping of wings. I look slightly to my left, and spot the source of the sound. My sister, Luna, is flying towards me from the residential area of the palace, where she’s been sleeping the day away. With a smile and a clatter of hooves, she alights on the balcony, and we embrace. When we separate, she comes to stand beside me. We nod to each other, and I light my horn.

The sun begins to descend, guided by the loving touch of my magic. In a few moments, colors begin to bloom across the sky. The clouds, just a few moments ago a bright gold, darken their hues. They fade, slowly, through solid gold to burnished copper to flaming orange, in sync with my glowing orb as it slowly glides down to the horizon. Then, the colors diverge—the sun deepens to a fiery red-orange, and the clouds lighten to a salmon-y pink. A few seconds before the sun meets the horizon, I hear my sister’s magic start.

As the sun starts to go out of view, its red deepens to scarlet. The Western sky is pale, almost white, except for the orange glow at the very edge, surrounding my sun. The clouds display a wide spectrum of hues—at the bottom, still gold; at the top, bright pink. The lower the sun gets, the deeper the pink grows, eventually fading to purple; at the edge of the sky, the clouds are starting to turn orange. When the sun is exactly halfway down, I pause for a moment, letting it hang there in suspended glory. Then, I let it slide the rest of the way down. The edge of its light, in accordance, slips upward, until even the tip of the Canterhorn Mountain is bathed in shadow.

The last rays of sunlight disappear behind the horizon, and I rest my magic. The clouds, no longer touched by the golden beams, have turned to a smoky indigo. I turn to look towards the East, where the sky is deep, velvety blue and my eyes are beginning to detect the first stars. The moon is a waning crescent tonight, and it glows silver-white. In the West, the sky is fading from yellow to green to blue, and the soft light permeates the land. Buildings are silhouetted against it, and shadows blend with light so that the edges of everything not outlined against the sky start to blur. The world is taking on softer, subtler, darker hues. A smell of dampness is rising, and I can feel it on the chill breeze.

Crickets are chirping. I don't know exactly when it started, but I am suddenly aware of the sound. The light slowly slips out of the Western sky, leaving behind a deep sapphire blue--not yet speckled with stars, and mostly unobstructed by clouds, it's pure and clear and beautiful. I feel like I'm staring into forever. I could get lost in the twilight sky.

Next to me, Luna sighs. She sounds happy, at peace. Twilight has that effect on both of us--it feels peaceful and refreshing, with just a touch of lingering melancholy. It's a feeling I wouldn't trade for the world. Without saying anything, I wrap my wing around my sister's shoulders. She steps closer and leans into my embrace, as she continues her work.

Twilight is a time of connections. I feel, all at once, a connection with everything.

My bond with my sister, the closeness we share right now, and my love for her.

All the ponies of Equestria, my friends and subjects and children alike.

The Earth itself, and the trees and birds and insects and animals upon it.

The sky, so distant and yet within my control, if I were to take it. Right now, I just guide the sun in its course, and leave the rest to nature's cycle and Luna's magic.

Speaking of Luna's magic, the moon has risen quite a bit now. Almost all the sunlight has drained from the sky, leaving the Eastern horizon nearly black. Stars of all colors are emerging, and I can pick out a few constellations. As the coolness and dampness of the world grows, the last of the sunlight fades away, and the galaxy emerges.

It looks like someone wove a fine silk scarf out of moonlight, and decorated it with the tiniest stars they could find, then tossed it across the sky to float gently in the infinite nothingness, surrounded by the other stars. Luna has told me that beyond the layers of air that surround the planet and make up the sky, the universe is truly a vast expanse of blackness. It's occupied only by other planets and stars, some of which are billions of times the size of Equus. It makes me feel incredibly small, despite my power. For some odd reason, it also comforts me immensely. Yes, we are tiny specks floating in a vast universe we cannot begin to comprehend, but that means that we matter all the more to each other. What we accomplish in our lives will be remembered by those who love us, and it will make a difference towards improving their lives. That is all I have ever sought to do, and I think that I have achieved it so far.

A cloud drifts overhead, lined with silver by the moonlight. That bright crescent stands out against the dark sky like a silver brooch on midnight-blue velvet, glowing just enough to be noticeably bright, but not enough to look obtrusive. The world is now touched with the lightest shine of silver-white, like a painter has brushed a very thin layer of paint over the tops of roofs and trees, grazing the very tips of grass blades or hairs on a pony's coat. Everything else lies in soft darkness, except where candles form pools of yellow light to help ponies find their ways through the shadowy wonderland. Not for the first time, I consider creating a law to limit artificial light after sunset. They're missing out on so much by lighting candles that drown out the moonlight and chase away the shadows. Maybe during the winter solstice, we can ask Equestria to turn off their lights for a day. If they find they like the natural light, they might start using their candles less.

I mention this to Luna. She admits that the candlelight has been bothering her too, and says that it might be worth trying.

"And," she says, "even if it does not extend to the rest of the year, I would like the winter solstice to be dark. It could become a tradition, and one that I would greatly appreciate." I murmur my assent.

A few minutes pass, then a clock chimes. It's ten o'clock, and time for Luna to begin her rule. We hug, then she turns and walks down the hallway towards the governmental section of the palace. I watch her go for a moment, then spread my wings and fly off towards the residential section, where my bed waits for me. Tonight, I'll dream of stars and clouds and wonder.

Comments

[Hoof of Approval]

Incredible. The emotional content in this is rich.