A Moment in Eternity

Twilight knocked on the door of their room, more out of habit than anything. She didn't expect the pony inside would hear her.

She entered the room without waiting for a response. It was lavishly decorated with tapestries and a rug of purple and blue. There was a large wardrobe to store all the dresses that her wife Rarity made and kept, and in one corner was a sewing machine from which she unleashed her creativity. There was also a small bookshelf just beside their queen-size bed, where Twilight kept her favorites or books she was currently reading. The room embodied the personalities of its married occupants.

The afternoon sun shone its light through the open balcony and into the room, casting the shadow of a rocking chair outside where a unicorn sat swaying gently.

Twilight crossed the room and sat beside Rarity, who was knitting a sweater. The old mare noticed her presence, and gave Twilight a small smile, "Hello, my darling, how was the meeting?" Rarity said softly and slowly.

"It went great! The cities are more welcoming than ever, and every type of creature is more freely walking about even in the most ancient of cities," Twilight said excitedly. She was feeling quite light after the annual state of the nation meeting. She felt like the world was getting closer and closer to true unity and harmony, which she had dreamed for a very long time.

"I am glad to hear that, love. Didn't I tell you? You'd see it one day, a world with no hatred in any creature's heart. It's not just a naive dream, darling, it's your future!" Rarity said. She coughed violently, lost concentration on her magic, and dropped the sweater she was knitting.

"Rarity!" Twilight shouted in concern, immediately taking her hoof. For the first time since she entered the room, she took a proper look at Rarity. The color of her mane had faded, her body somehow smaller and more frail, as if one small trip might break all her bones, and her face more wrinkly. Twilight was under no illusions, she knew she was very old.

"I'm fine my dear, truly, I'll be fine. I need to finish this sweater, though. Hearthswarming is coming soon, I'm not even halfway through with making my gifts for everycreature!"

Rarity hummed a classic Hearthswarming tune, which somewhat soothed Twilight's heart. The old mare tried to lift the sweater and knitting tools off the ground, but her magic had gone weaker. Twilight's horn shone as she assisted Rarity with the levitation, and together they started knitting, the movements of their magic beautifully in sync.

Twilight nuzzled Rarity's sagging, wrinkly cheeks, then planted a soft kiss on it.

Rarity giggled, "Twilight dear, I love you and your affectations, but I don't want this to be mismatched. But I guess Li'l Cheese would still be delighted, with a more bold and chaotically colorful clothing."

A smile formed on Twilight's lips, "Yeah, he sure will. But he loves your gifts regardless."

Twilight remained leaning on Rarity, both concentrated on knitting, in silence. After half an hour of work, it was done. It was a comfy sweater made for an adult stallion, in pink and yellow with patterns of blue and yellow balloons.

"They would be proud of what you've achieved, Twilight. I'm proud of what you've achieved," Rarity said suddenly, as she set aside the sweater and tools and turned to Twilight with a smile.

"Our work, Rarity. When I feel hopeless, you’re always there for me, with the right words to pull me back up. Always." Twilight replied.

Rarity sat a few seconds in quiet contemplation, before she continued, "We'll always be with you, Twilight. And I'll always be in your heart, and I hope in your dreams too!"

"Please don't talk like that, love."

"I'm sorry, my darling. But I feel it, it's only a matter of time. Every breath is becoming an effort, every move feels like something might break," Rarity let out an exhausted sigh, "I just hope to spend one last hearthswarming with you and everyone else."

"And you will, and many more! I'll get some more yarn, and we'll finish the sweaters together."

Just as Twilight started to get up, Rarity laid a hoof on her, "No that's quite alright my dear, stay here, with me. We'll finish that later, I want to rest for now and maybe my magic will be in full strength again."

Twilight made no objections, and stayed right beside her as she rocked gently, looking out over the horizon at the new Equestria.

"Have I been selfish, Twilight?" Rarity said after a few minutes of silence.

"What!? No, Rarity, not at all! What are you saying?" Twilight almost shouted, choking back a small sob near the end. Rarity winced in pain at her reaction.

"I'm sorry, getting old has made me more reflective. And I can't help but think if you'd have been more happy if you spent the rest of eternity not carrying the pain of being left behind," Tears formed around her eyes, barely held back as she said the words, sobbing softly.

Twilight felt like she was short of breath, like a thousand knives began a barrage of stabs at her heart, as she listened to the words her love had said.

"Rarity, please," Twilight sobbed, "The last 50 years married to you had been the best of my life, and having you made every challenge bearable, even as we began losing everyone. Please, stay with me just a bit longer, I don't want to lose you too, not yet."

Twilight nuzzled Rarity's cheeks, and Rarity returned the gesture, as the tears were let to fall and mingle and drop on the smooth stone floor.

"Of course, my love, I'll stay a bit longer."

Twilight kissed Rarity's cheek, "I love you, Rarity."

"I love you too, Twilight. Wings or no wings."

Twilight took a quick peek inside to check their grandfather clock for the current time. Decades of routinely raising and lowering the sun has given her an intuition as for when to raise and lower the celestial bodies, and she was right. It was time for the sun to set.

"That time already? And I was just about to take an afternoon nap! Well, make your beautiful sunset, dear, before I get some sleep."

Twilight nodded, and she slowly lowered the sun and raised the moon, making a beautiful sunset over the horizon that lasted more than usual. But eventually, shadow covered the city of Canterlot, and lights began to turn on. Twilight flipped the switch on their lights too, and light quickly flooded their room.

Twilight sat back down beside her beloved Rarity and laid her head over her. But something felt wrong. She didn't feel the soft breathing of the old mare, nor the subtle movement that it brings, and the warmth of her body was quickly leaving and mixing with the cold winter air. "Rarity?" Twilight tried.

Panic gripped her heart. She began taking air in large gulps. Tears began forming anew.

"Help! Please, help!" She yelled.

Twilight cradled Rarity's lifeless form. She didn't hear the hooves that burst in and thundered across the room towards her nor did she see them. She only heard her own loud cries. She only saw, through a mist of tears, the limp form of an old mare; her Rarity.