Seconds Ticking Away

by Gilded Quill

Rating: everyone
Tags: Doctor Whooves, Original Character, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 3524

Twilight Sparkle has just been crowned a Princess. Everypony is ecstatic for the emerge of Equestria's new monarch, except for one stallion. A stallion who grew up in the shadows of others, and in the light of Celestia's reign. But that tim

The sun is setting; let's watch the twilit sky, shall we?

Princesses and peasants, illness and truth, sunlight and twilight, optimism and pessimism, birth and rebirth. These are the feelings of our faithful companion, Doctor Whooves. After having witnessed the coronation of Twilight Sparkle, he fears that Twilight may not be prepared for the future. He has watched Twilight from afar since day one, and begins to realize what impact she may have had on his life.

There's only two hours before she arrives back home. Follow Doctor Whooves on his self-reflection to understand the new era that is arriving. And maybe, put yourself in Whooves' shoes to better understand the perspective of ourselves...

Published 2013-02-17 04:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-02-17 04:20:01 UTC

Seconds Ticking Away

There are just some things in life that we can never see coming. Things that can shock us, thrill us, tear us apart, or send us to new heights. Things that can change your daily routine, down to the very rhythm of your stride. The beat that you once kept, in your heart and in your legs, is now orchestrated by something else. I was lucky enough to see it happen before my own eyes, right there in the metropolitan city of Canterlot. Everypony was there to see the fascinating sight, as they stood in silent awe of their Princesses. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were all standing on the raised platform inside the Celestial Chapel, wings unfurled in celebration, as a heralding fanfare called her in. All of our heads turned in an anxious heartbeat, and Celestia’s voice projected the final call: “Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

The doors opened, and I finally saw her.

If I were to describe what I saw in a single word, that word would have to be…worry. Before all of us stood a newly formed alicorn, a Princess, her eyes beaming with joy and determination. Flags were carried behind her, all emblazoned with the mare’s cutie mark, and they flew proudly as Princess Twilight slowly walked down the red carpet. There were murmurs of euphoria that spread through the crowd like the feather flu, and even I could feel its sickness taking hold of me. The sickness that compelled me to applaud her.

And applaud her, I did.

I didn’t like it in the slightest; every stomp on the ground was a reverberation of my hypocrisy. Each stomp was a dull ticking that stung my ear drums, and as I saw everypony in the room following suite, I could only feel isolated. Was I honestly the only pony there who was genuinely worried for Twilight’s future? Was I the only one who could feel our world shifting in a downward spiral? I assumed so, and I could tell that I might have been right.

The crowd that I was in finally stopped their stomping, much to my appreciation, but the sickness that I felt in my body was only worsening. My pessimism was battling the optimism of the crowds, all eager to become Princess Twilight’s subjects. Once again, that pang of worry reiterated its presence in my head as I listened to every metal-clad step that Princess Twilight took up those short steps. The coronation was nearing its end.

And then it happened.

Celestia gave Twilight her blessing, and her final words; I’ve never seen such a display of blind joy. Everypony in the room was alit with happiness, stomping and cheering for the new Princess, but I stood there, worrying. There was no evidence as to what Twilight went through to get her powers, even if Ponyville was restored. Nopony even knew how Twilight became an alicorn in the first place! There was so much mystery to all of this, and even if the cure of this blind following was right in front of me, I still wouldn’t be able to see it. I was infected with their happiness, with Princess Twilight’s happiness. And every drop of pessimism just trickled away. It was all replaced with this new drug; this mysterious drug. It was a drug that coursed through me, a magical substance that refurnished my body from the inside and out. I was a new stallion, manufactured in this coronation ceremony.

I was sick in the head, we all were. But we liked it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Several hours following the coronation, everypony had returned home, or were en route now. I returned to my humble home near the merchant center of Ponyville, but was dissatisfied with the path I took. The only way I could return home was to go through the central street, the one that led to the Town Hall and to the main exit. After getting off the train, I approached my usual route home, only to see more of those flags littering the sides of the street. Everywhere I looked, I saw the commemorative flags, all marked with the purple star of Princess Twilight, all standing tall and proud for this new Princess. It was scary, to put it bluntly.

If Equestrians were prepared to build this inexperienced mare up, what will they do when it comes crashing down? I’ve seen Twilight from afar in town, with her quintet of friends, and she seems too unstable. I was there when she arrived in town nearly two years ago. I watched her race through town when her pet dragon rampaged through the humble streets (the damn thing nearly stepped on my house!) I was there when the parasprites swarmed us, and when Discord controlled us. I was there for every single one of this purple mare’s blunders and outbursts, but none of them could come close to the biggest error I’ve ever seen her make: the day she snapped.

I was going about my business, a simple stallion living in Ponyville, and I saw her storming down my street in a huff. Well, many huffs actually. She was literally fuming with rage, her mane frazzled out in all directions, as she trotted down the street. I paid no mind to it; I just assumed that she was in a fight with one of her friends. Then, I unfortunately decided to take a walk in the park. As I carelessly strode through the rolling green grass, the sound of a stampede invaded my ears. I got scared, looking around to find cover, but it was too late. The townspeople ran into me, all of them chasing Mayor Mare for some odd reason, and I soon found myself following them. I didn’t know why I chased the Mayor, but it was for a doll; a raggedy old one, at that. It soon came to a point where we were all fighting for it; punches and kicks were thrown at me, and I returned. I was fighting with a controlling vigor that I didn’t understand, but abided to. It was after a drawn-out battle with a few of my neighbors (I specifically remember punching Mr. Breezy’s fake teeth out) that I was saved by the true ruler of our land: Princess Celestia.

I don’t remember anything else from that night; all I did was go home and go to bed, making sure to flip over a few of my hourglasses. I had many of them; I collected hourglasses when I went travelling across Equestria. Even with my settling here, some ponies find my habits odd. I’ve heard them call me a lunatic, and how I’m just a shameless liberal. They think that I’m just another pony who fights the popular choice, just so I have something to fight about. It was so far from the truth, and it made me laugh. Albeit I do have a critical attitude, it isn’t without a degree of maturity and pessimism. I have to be like this; I won’t side with the lesser or the greater. I just don’t like this coronation.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

So, here I sit now, in my room, after flipping another hourglass; it would be about two hours before Princess Twilight was scheduled to arrive, and I figured that a good cycle of my favorite hourglass would pass the time at its pace. It gave me more time to think about what was to come, and how I should prepare.

“Well, none of the stores or public services will be open for this ‘momentous occasion’, and I’m fairly certain that everypony else is too busy with the arrival ceremony to be bothered.” And it was true; throughout town, even after I had arrived home, the ponies were fueled by their viral pride, getting the preparations for Princess Twilight done. The banners were put up, the flags were waved, even the children were given small flags to run with and brandish. The sight of those foals with the flags in their mouths, or in their magical grips depending on the pony, irked me, but I didn’t understand it. I couldn’t hate them for wanting to have fun or be excited, and I wouldn’t; it made me want to kick my desk over just seeing them all worked up. With a forced huff, I turned away from the window.

Ninety minutes remained, and I had absolutely nothing to do. I paced about my room, every so often looking in the mirror for no other reason than to wish for time to pass quicker. There was a soft churning of sand as my hourglass filtered it out into its awaiting basin. As I paced, I continued to think about Princess Twilight. For some reason, she couldn’t stop working her way into my brain, steering me in a direction that I didn’t want to face. No matter what I was thinking, no matter how my thoughts were arranged, Twilight kept slithering in through the cracks and filtering out, like a rogue piece of sand in my hourglasses. She is one that pushes and shoves her way to the front, destined so by the Fates. While we were held back in our conceptions, Twilight was destined to go further, and that made me mad. We all had a destiny to fulfill at the moment of its discovery, but Twilight pushed ahead of us, passing through the neck of the hourglass and landing atop its expanding pit.

Seventy-five minutes remained. I had begun to shuffle through some old knick-knacks that were strewn atop my desk; quills, scrolls, smaller hourglasses that timed minutes. Nervously, I flipped those tiny hourglasses over as well, listening to the soft hiss of sand. The large hourglass behind me was still spilling out; it was running low, signaling the approaching end of the first hour. The sands were a hissing lullaby to me, and I felt my eyes droop. I could never fully understand why I liked hourglasses so much, even after the day I earned my cutie mark. I remembered it as if it were only yesterday…

It was nearly five years ago, and I was just a young colt. I was a solitary youth, the last in my class to earn their cutie marks; I was picked on and teased by many of my coworkers today. I could only shudder at all the terrible things that ponies like Ms. Cheerilee and Thunderlane once said to me as fillies and colts. However, I had only two things that ran through my mind during my search for destiny: the flow of time, and the sun. I was insatiably fascinated by these topics, and it would only be a few hours later when my parents delivered amazing news to me.

“Son, we’re going to Canterlot this weekend for the Summer Sun Celebration.”

I’d never been so happy in my life. Full of life and optimism, I went to Canterlot with my family for the Summer Sun Celebration, where I soon realized my commitment to Princess Celestia. I used to be a fan of studying the stars, and that led me to wanting to understand the sun, and I even went as far as to time the lengths of the sun’s pathways in the sky. I began to notice the real effects of the solstices, and how each day’s sunlight was getting longer and longer. It finally occurred to me that the longest day of the year would soon be arriving based on my studies; the Summer Sun Celebration was upon us! In a fit of new confidence, I continued to study, timing everything that had to do with the sun; how long it was in the sky, how long it took to pass by a cloud, anything and everything was recorded in my notes. Apparently, along that route, I developed an interest in Princess Celestia, and it was apparent to both my parents. That day, I stood in front of the crowd with wide, hopeful eyes, watching as the Solar Princess herself approached us. I could see every detail; her pure white coat, the flowing iridescent mane, her imposing white wings, the golden jewelry studded with enormous gems, the ticking clatter of her shoes, and finally, the white horn that illuminated a golden glow. I was awestruck by her beauty alone, and my little heart would not have been ready for what came next. Celestia jumped into the air, her horn alit, and the very sun which I studied rose at her command. I leaped about with joy as the warn solstice sun splashed against my coat, and I realized that my studies were complete. Everything that I’d accomplished over the years was true. I basked in the light of success, not even noticing the cutie mark that appeared on my flank; I was finally alerted of it when a stallion beside me, who wasn’t my father, kindly told me to look at my flank. I thought it was strange at first, until I saw the mark.

It was an hourglass, filled with golden sand.

I didn’t jump for joy when I saw it appear; instead, tears of joy were welling up in my eyes. I smiled wide and hollered in joy. As I inspected it closer, I looked at the sand inside the hourglass; the gold hue was the same color as the glow of Celestia’s horn. My cutie mark was composed of the two things I most loved! I had never been so happy in my life, other than when my parents told me we were coming here.

“Congratulations, kid.” The gruff voice of the stallion rumbled over the cheering crowds, who were obviously still cheering for Celestia’s ceremony. All I had to do was turn my head, and I was greeted to a loving embrace by my parents. They were so proud of me, and I was proud of me too. As I hugged her, I looked over their shoulders and saw another filly, looking as awestruck as I was. Except, she looked familiar…

“It was Twilight.” I muttered. She was there at the peak of my triumph, although not directly, but she was there nonetheless…was she?
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sixty minutes remain. I finally got to flip my hourglass over, watching the sand hiss to the furnished bottom. That was always my favorite part; the sound of the grains pattering against wood, stifled by the glass. There was a soft lull to it that I enjoyed, but of course, I watched the grains push their way to the front and down the curve.

I walked away, actually getting angry at myself. Why did Twilight have to become a Princess? Couldn’t she have just refused or something? Didn’t she plan what she would do now, especially after that little tear-jerker of a speech? She would never see her friends again; she’ll be too busy with her duties and her subjects to care about the wants of her friends. Her friends would become the lowest of priorities, mainly because Princess Twilight would know that they are satisfied without her. After all, she is the Princess. All that talk of being there for her friends and learning from them, in less than a month, it will all devolve into a showy monologue. Friendship won’t matter; who would want to sustain friendships when they’ve got the other thousands of ponies that need her?

This was what I hated. Princess Twilight thinks that she can, but she can’t. She’s too young to understand the time constraints like I do. If only she could imagine the pressure that she will face in the upcoming year, then maybe I would have more respect for her. But I don’t! All I see is a selfish mare ready to plummet into the hands of discord, disillusioned by the things that raised her to these new heights! They’re all prepped to send Princess Twilight toppling to earth, crashing into the dirt. It would only be a matter of time…

Thirty minutes remained. I was beginning to repent for my little mental outburst, as I realized something important: Twilight was not so much a child any more. She’s conquered many evils that plagued our society; she was the sole carrier of the Elements of Harmony, and managed to vanquish the Lord of Chaos himself. Not to mention, she was also the only one who pointed out Nightmare Moon’s return before it happened. I won’t deny her intelligence, but her leadership is much to be desired. She doesn’t have the capabilities to be a Princess, not after the things I’ve seen her do. A Princess shouldn’t have flaws that can be easily exploited, and Princess Twilight’s perfectionism is one huge drawback. She can’t control it, and that frightens me.

I turned my head, noticing that the hourglasses behind me had run out; I quickly amended the situation and flipped them. The rush of sand returned, but it didn’t satisfy me. I looked about the room, surrounded in the trinkets, large and small. I needed more. One by one, I flipped the hourglasses over, watching and listening to the sands as they fell from the top halves. I was lost in a tumult of tumbling sand, watching each grain push its way to the event horizons of their destinies. Each grain fell, but landed with the rest of its brethren.

In a sense, we are all grains of sand. We begin our lives at the bottom, living and waiting within the previous generation. But, the tides of our lives change when an hourglass is flipped. The calming limbo of life before birth is disrupted, and millions of new lives spring into play. One by one, second by second, every foal in Equestria strives to achieve their destinies, pushing themselves and others closer and closer to the breaking point. Some find their abilities sooner than others, and pass through the curve in the glass and fall. Our foalhood innocence, our childhood, is gone, as we rush down the seemingly endless void of air between ourselves and the hourglass’s floor. We land on top of our companions, supporting one another and giving support to the next. Such is life in the hourglass; when it runs out, the generation is complete, and we wait for when the next generation can begin. It just takes an hour for me, at least.

Then, it all made sense. My hate for Princess Twilight wasn’t a true hate at all, but merely a flaw in an otherwise perfect hourglass. Princesses must cycle in generations, passing on their knowledge and destinies to the next. All great Princesses start small, and even if they are hated at first, they can only build upwards. Twilight was once a sweet mare with the best intentions in her heart, and I can see that, even with her flaws, there is still time to fix them.

I don’t hate Princess Twilight. I hate time’s unsuspecting presence on me. I should have seen it coming; Princess Celestia would not be in power forever, no matter how much we wished it to be true. I’ve been too caught up in studying her and her solar power that I lost track of what my research told me all those years ago:

“Time is an illness; We begin with no understanding of its presence, and then we feel its strength during the middle of our lives. Finally, as we grow old and die, time loses its strength, and when we finally realize how significant time’s toll has taken on our bodies, there is no time left. The same can be said of the sun. The sun rises every morning with little power, and in the middle of the day, is at its zenith. Then, the sun sets, its power draining, and the moon rises to harken the death of an era, and the beginning of another.”

I was sick, alright. Mentally sick, just like everypony else. I was too wrapped up in watching the era of Celestia leave, watching those golden seconds ticking away. But now, I can honestly say that this new era will be one that I accept with an open mind. Princess Twilight was a filly once, and she saw Celestia raise the sun before our eyes. She gave me my cutie mark, and I’ve created a peaceful world of my own. Now, Princess Twilight seeks to do the same to everypony.

All of my hourglasses ran out, except for the first one. Only a few seconds remained; outside, Ponyville had amassed itself beside my street, screaming and hollering as a golden chariot streaked across the sky. Upon that chariot sat the purple mare, waving down to the townspeople, and only furthering their cheers. They were all infected with the same disease I had now: euphoria.

Zero minutes remained. The hourglass stopped hissing, and I smiled wide; tears of joy fell down my face. Today was the start of a new era. Today was the start of a new generation of Princesses. And I couldn’t be any happier to watch the sun set, and the twilight paint the stars.

I am cured. Thank you…Princess.