Dark Art · 3:06pm Apr 30th, 2017
Three princesses and a dragon admired the darkest work of art in Ponyville, ‘A Thousand Nights in a Hallway’.
Sources: Spike, Twilight, Luna and Celestia.
“That’s an interesting work,” said Twilight. “It takes the concept of abstract expression to the logical limit by depicting a monochrome image devoid of detail or structure.”
Luna stared at the canvas with wide eyes and a gleeful smile. “This one is absolutely marvellous. Tia—you were right to say that Ponyville is the up-and-coming hotspot in the Equestrian Art World. Look at it! It is a perfect representation of our understanding of the early cosmos. It captures a hundred million years of history from the dark age of the universe.”
“What was that?” asked a sceptical dragon.
“Three hundred and eighty thousand years after the Big Bang the universe was a dark place,” said Twilight. “After the primordial plasma cooled enough for the protons, neutrons and electrons to form the first atoms, there was no light save for an afterglow of relic photons which we now see as the Cosmic Microwave Background. Exactly what happened then is not clear. But we know the atoms and dark matter were drawn together by their gravity, starting to form the structures which would become the first galaxies. Eventually, after a hundred million years or so, gas clouds collapsed and became hot and dense enough to start nuclear fusion and the universe was lit up with starlight for the first time.”
“It’s a completely blank black picture,” said Spike.
Celestia chuckled. “That’s what Twilight said.”
Perhaps it would have been more clear if there were a giant microwave in the background.
As the royal guards gaze into hallways, they gaze into the beginnings of the universe. Luna's use of her troops is unconventional, but I can't argue with the results.
This obviously depicts the heat death of the universe.
Alternate titles:
- The Cutie Mark Crusaders Discover the Large Hadron Collider
- Twilight Uses the Blow Dryer while the Coffee Pot is Still Plugged In
- Applejack Cheats on her Taxes
It reminds me of another piece I quite liked. I believe the title was "polar bear in a snowstorm."
4514689 derpicdn.net/img/2016/12/12/1316151/medium.png this one I drew myself. It's titled "Celestia in a snow storm
4514640
Through extensive training and education in both physics and philosophy (two subjects that should always go hand in hand, really), the best of the royal guards see not a hallway but indeed the very beginning and end of the universe, and such understand the present and everything in it on a deep, fundamental level that normal guarding - as the civilians occasionally suggest they (should) do - simply cannot achieve. They understand why we are here, where we are going, and indeed they understand why the shady pony with the opened-safe cutie mark ran past them with Celestia's golden toothbrush and gem-encrusted manedryer about twenty minutes ago whilst they were gazing into the hallway, perhaps better than any of us and even the burglar himself[1].
[1] Or herself. The fundamental truth of the universe is not always quite clear about such unimportant things like gender. One of the reasons why Equestria stands as a pinnacle of acceptance and equality in the world, surely.
I loved this part of the episode. Made me think, though: why is the Royal Guards' view of their duties so grim, or dare I say, dark?
4514700
This should have been in the Ponyville art show.
I'm in the mood to find this affecting, and I like what I'm being affected by.