The wind whispered through her mane, leaving drops of dew as the cloud flowed around her. Up she flew, through the mist. She was completely blind, but without hesitation; the sky was her's today. With a burst of clarity, she surfaced above the cloud. She led the vaporous body's wisps through a sharp loop before coming to a rest on its nearby cousin.



The cloud body gave ever so slightly under her weight, like walking on pillows. Celestia smiled to herself and looked out to the east. How many times had she done this? How many times had she raised the sun? Some ponies get coffee in the morning. Some go for a trot. Some ponies break the snooze button on their alarm. Celestia raises the sun. The Canterlot ministry was thinking of making the raising of the solstice sun an annual holiday. Of course, it had some long, tongue-twistery name as ponies are so fond of. Let them have their holiday, Celestia mused, if it brings a little light to the world. Speaking of...



The glow started at Celestia' horn, tiny tendrils of gold and white light dancing across its surface. They began to speed up, racing around the fluted bone faster than the eye could see. The rest of her form began to glow in turn. As the Sun Princess shown a brilliant golden white, an identical ray peeked over the eastern horizon. So many times, Celestia had coaxed the sun from slumber, there was no more force or misunderstanding between the two. No more tugs, no more pulling or sweating or straining of the muscles against the titanic presence of the day star; like a foal being awoken by its mother, the sun slipped into the sky. Its light danced across the water and caught the cloud edges, sending beams cascading outwards.



Celestia eased her magic down, releasing the sun so that it might follow its own path across the heavens. She turned and looked west, towards Equestria, towards home. The first ponies of the day would be waking now, some would be just getting to bed. Somepony will be born today, somepony will find love, somepony will get hired, somepony will find their cutie mark. Somepony will finally understand. Celestia stole a quick glance back at her eponymous friend before leaping from the cloud. She enjoyed a moment of freefall before unfurling her wings and riding the first warm air currents home. Today, Celestia thought with her peaceful smile, is a beautiful day.



~*~



Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure. Another year has come and gone, and we find ourselves on the longest day of the year. And what a year it's been. I wish I had the words to describe it. I hope all of you have a fantastic solstice and good days every other day.



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