//------------------------------// // Chapter 7, First Blush // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain // by shysage //------------------------------// Summer Rain traversed the portal quickly. She realized that she was both moving and crying, and both would probably need some sort of attention after she came out at the other end. Coming out the 'people' side of the portal she was still moving, just not near as fast as she surely was as she sprinted into the mirror. Summer turned slightly to her left, and slid quickly to a stop on her right side in short grass. She was amazed at how little sound this made. The spider things where her hooves used to be were here to stay, and Summer quickly accepted that. Summer used them to wipe tears from her new face. Aside from being far thinner than she was as a pony, she felt ok, but knew sooner or later she would have to get up and walk like a people did. That would be the real test. The portal had supplied Summer with some sort of cloth coverings, which didn't look too bad as far as she could tell. She remembered a little from Twilight's dream about this. Summer just accepted that this was the way things were done here. Oh, and her awesome book bag had been turned into something similar, now hanging from her shoulders? Summer assumed from the weight that her books were still in it, they would just need to be smaller to fit. Summer Rain quickly realized that she was not the only people on the grass here. Summer had landed fairly close to another people. This one was sitting up, curled almost in a ball, legs tucked up close. She was resting her lower jaw on her legs like this, something a pony could never do. This people was just staring off across the grass. There were a bunch of small papers scattered on the ground around this people. Without thinking much (enough) Summer Rain said "Hi" sort of questioningly. The other people said calmly "If you are here to tease me please leave me alone." Summer thought to herself. "Wait, that voice... light yellow coat, pink hair..." Summer's eyes got very wide at this point. "Fluttershy?" Summer said, again without thinking. The other people looked over at Summer immediately, and her eyes likewise got very wide, and her mouth also got pretty big, well for a people. "No, It can't be!" the other people said. After a pause, the other people continued "Wh... Who are you?" There were tears in the other people's eyes, and Summer could feel tears welling up in hers as well. Suddenly there was a very loud noise, like a bell rang over and over very quickly. The entire area was soon full of many people heading in many different directions. No people paid any attention to Fluttershy or to this new people who probably couldnt even walk right now. Both Summer and Fluttershy just sat there seemingly frozen for the longest time. When it was quiet again, the other people tried again. "Who are you?" Summer was sure the other people was Fluttershy. Summer sighed, realizing she needed more time to think this part through. The parallel world Fluttershy was the last person Summer thought she would meet first. But actually, Summer Rain decided this was probably the best people for her to begin with in this strange world. "Fluttershy, I am not sure how to answer that. Is there someplace we can go that's quiet so we can talk?" Summer tested. Just like Summer's sister would, Fluttershy quickly accepted this. Fluttershy said "Oh, ok, sure, my apartment is about a block away, we can walk there." Fluttershy bent down and picked up the small papers scattered around her. Summer sighed again and hoped for the best on this. "Fluttershy, can you help me up? I might have a little difficulty walking." Fluttershy shrugged, then said "Sure", and tried to help Summer up. It was awkward to say the least. Summer still had muscles, the hard part was controlling them. Summer's arm ended up around Fluttershy's neck, as they slowly made their way to Fluttershy's 'apartment', whatever that was. The trip was un-eventful, except that some other people made a comment about "being drunk already" that neither of them appreciated much. And the further they went, the more Summer could walk on her own. Also on the way, Summer decided that she needed to make the connection with Princess Twilight early on. This would help Fluttershy understand a lot, hopefully. Fluttershy used a little stick thing to open the door to her 'apartment', and they both walked inside. It reminded Summer a lot of her cottage, but had a lot of strange things in it. Fluttershy motioned for Summer to sit on a long, soft bench. While impossible for a pony, it was very comfortable now. "Would you like something to drink?" Fluttershy asked "Water would be fine S.." Summer almost said 'Sis' out of habit, but caught herself. Summer really didn't know how to handle this part. If Fluttershy really had a sister on this side of the portal, then Summer couldn't really occupy that spot (though she wanted to). It would get very complicated, very fast. Fluttershy brought two cups of water, set them down on a low table near the bench, then sat down on the bench near Summer Rain. Summer took a deep breath. "Fluttershy, do you remember Princess Twilight?" Summer said hopefully. Fluttershy replied immediately "Oh yes, she was here just a few weeks ago. They are still rebuilding the front of the school where Sunset Shimmer tore it up. Sunset Shimmer quickly disappeared, and the school is not happy having to pay for all the damage. They got the hole filled in quickly enough and the lawn fixed, but the damage to the front of the school is pretty bad. "That had to have been the strangest thing the school has ever seen, but it seems Princess Twilight saved the students from far worse. We are all thankful, but then Princess Twilight disappeared almost as quickly as she arrived. "People talked about it for a little while, but then it was like it never happened. I thought she was really nice though." Fluttershy paused for a minute in thought. "Wait, how do you know Princess Twilight?" At this point, Summer Rain remembered something Twilight said that Summer really should not have remembered, but she needed this, and was thankful for it. "Do you remember what Pinkie Pie said about Princess Twilight in the boutique?" Summer asked. "Hmm..." Fluttershy again paused in thought, then said "I think Pinkie said that Princess Twilight was from a different world, and had to come here to get her crown back from Sunset Shimmer." Confused, Fluttershy asked again "How would you know about that?" Summer took a deep breath again. "Fluttershy, Princess Twilight is a very close friend of mine, and specifically asked me to come help you and your friends." "Then you are not..." Fluttershy began. "Fluttershy, I am from Princess Twilight's world Summer said quietly. "The only reason that Princess Twilight was able to defeat Sunset Shimmer's magic was because you and your four friends chose to become Princess Twilight's friends, and do whatever you could to help her. "Princess Twilight was able to root her magic in your common friendship and character on this world the same way she could in hers. That makes you special pon.." Summer had to stop herself again "you special people are very amazing. "I don't know if you and the others felt that bond of friendship, but Princess Twilight certainly did feel that bond and has not forgotten it. Her duties as a Princess would make a return here unthinkable, but she asked me to come in her place. Fluttershy was quiet for a minute then said "She remembers, and she cares, thats amazing. I really liked her. And for a while she pulled me and my friends together. I wish it lasted though." Summer looked into Fluttershy's eyes, and calmly said "Fluttershy, thats why I'm here, to try to rebuild your friendships. Thats why Princess Twilight asked me to come." At this point a small picture frame thing on the table made a beeping noise. Fluttershy picked it up, moved her spider legs on it a little, then put it down. Then Fluttershy spoke quickly "Wait, we should tell the others, right?" Summer sighed at this point and said "Wait Fluttershy, we need to do that, but I am still having difficulty even walking. I think I need to learn a little more about this world first. Will you be my teacher?" Summer asked Fluttershy quietly. "Of course" Fluttershy said softly with a smile as Angel hopped up in her lap. "I guess your world is very different from ours" Fluttershy added. "And Fluttershy, I don't think it would be good for most people to find out that I am from another world." Summer cautioned. Fluttershy replied somberly "Ya, you are probably right, but that might be difficult."