//------------------------------// // Chapter 36, Fluttershy's Sister, Part 2 // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain // by shysage //------------------------------// [Hi, this is Shysage. If you appreciate background music, then please purchase the Original Soundtrack for the 'Chains of Promathia'* expansion for Final Fantasy XI*. The tune will be track 20, 'The Celestia Capital -- Al'Taieu'* It will be amazing for a coming chapter, and probably be useful for the next volume of The Chronicles of Summer Rain. (*-c2014 by Square Enix) Also, these chapters switch back and forth between Equestria and the Equestria Girls world in order to cover events leading up to the Equestria Girls return with Summer. I apologize for the confusion, and this brief delay.] Dawn walked quickly to the back of her shop to Corn, and was soon crying. Camille was concerned, but Dawn walked over and hugged her daughter reassuringly while continuing to cry. Corn said apologetically and very softly "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong", and she started crying too. Dawn nodded no, and simply put one of her legs around Corn's neck and kept crying. They both cried for a little while, then their crying tapered off. Dawn said gently "Can we talk" "Yes" Corn replied. "And I want you to know that you have showed me nothing but kindness, and for no reason, so I will do what I can to answer your questions." The surly tone was gone. "Camille, mommy is not upset at you or anything, but I want you to not talk until I say so, is that ok?" Dawn asked her daughter. "Yes mommy" Camille replied quietly. "Corn what is your real name?" Dawn asked. "Well, like I told you, I really don't know. People, er ponies called me Corn, so I guess it stuck with me." Corn said slowly. "You told me the first time we met that ponies called you a freak. Do you know why that is?" Dawn asked next. "You know that mark thing on the side of your leg?" Corn said pointing to Dawn's Cutie Mark. "I don't have one of those, and I guess that is unheard of here, so I got teased a lot for that." Corn said. "And that's why you are always dirty?" Dawn asked again. "Yes, I decided to keep everything covered up with mud so people couldn't see I didn't have one. I got teased a lot less that way. I'm not doing that any more though, having to roll in the mud every day was disgusting." Corn answered. "Corn, I think you are beautiful." Dawn said with a smile. Corn blushed, paused, then said "Thank you. It has been a while since I've heard that." Camille could help herself no longer, and said out loud at this point "Mommy she's just like your friend Summer!" The tears welling up in her mom's eyes told Camille she was right. "Corn, I think I know what your real name is, and I have other friends who may be able to help you find out who you are." Dawn said. "But I won't force this on you at all, it is your decision. I just think the sooner we get this cleared up, the better." Corn thought for a minute then said "All right, I think I want to find out too." Dawn, Camille and Corn walked to Rarity's shop. It was now early evening, and Dawn felt bad about the lateness of the hour, but felt this needed to be addressed. On the way, Dawn asked Corn not to talk until she said so. Corn shrugged, and said "Ok." Rarity opened the door of her Boutique, and said "Well Dawn, what brings you here, and with a guest too. Rarity quickly looked Corn over and saw dirt, but was still cordial. "Rare, This is Corn. She and I need to go talk to Princess Twilight, and I was wondering if Sweetie Belle could play with Camille until we are done" Dawn asked. Sweetie Belle poked her head out around Rarity and said "Oooo Camille, lets go play!" Camille was delighted and ran quickly inside. "I want to go check up on Twilight too, can I come along?" Rarity asked. "Sure Rare" Dawn replied. The walk to Princess Twilight's was fairly short and very quiet. Dawn got ready to knock on the door, but Rarity used her magic to open the door, and just walked in. Spike was tidying up in the Library, and Rarity asked how Princess Twilight was doing. Spike replied "She has good days, and bad days, like today. I think she just needs time. I think we all need time." Dawn spoke up at this point. "Spike, I'm sorry, I don't think this can wait. We really need to talk to Princess Twilight." Spike shrugged, said he would see what he could do, and headed up the stairs. Princess Twilight was trying unsuccessfully to sleep, it just wasn't working. She had almost died being a princess, and was still in a state of shock over the whole ordeal. Fluttershy realized this, and, as their needs seemed reversed, Fluttershy was staying close to her Princess, just being there for her. Princess Twilight had no Twin to help her work through this nightmare. Fluttershy was laying down on a pillow on the floor past the end of Twilight's bed, very drowsy. Princess Twilight had not been sleeping well. So many needs, and so few resources. Princess Twilight just felt so utterly and completely drained. Mentally she decided a little good news wouldn't hurt, but realized things were pretty static for the time being, at least until Summer and the Twins came back. At least she was alive. Spike walked up the stairs, and said "uhm Twilight, Summer's friend Dawn has brought another pony here, and she says they really need to talk to you." Twilight said "Thanks Spike. I guess a Princess' job is never done. Do you know where my Crown is?" "Uhm right next to you?" Spike replied. "Thank you Spike, I don't know what I'd do without you." Spike went back down the stairs and said "Princess Twilight will be down shortly." Spike also said "Hi" to Rainbow Dash who had just dropped in, also to check on Princess Twilight. Within the next minute, Pinkie Pie showed up with Applejack, and Dawn knew why. There were tears welling up in Dawn's eyes at this point. She knew that Princess Twilight and her friends needed to see this, And maybe Corn needed them too. And everypony was here except Fluttershy it seemed. Princess Twilight walked unsteadily down the stairs and stopped in front of Dawn. Dawn bowed, and asked Corn to do the same, and she did. "Please arise Dawn and friend, how can I help you at this hour?" Twilight said feebly. Dawn was choking back tears, and said very slowly "Princess Twilight, I would like to introduce you to a Pegasus who calls herself 'Corn', and has a light tan coat, blue eyes, a faded gold mane and tail, and no Cutie Mark." Dawn began crying after she finished saying this, and the Princess could not figure out why. Spike beat everyone else, and said "Summer?" Everypony else in the room quickly gathered around Corn at this point. Corn felt a little intimidated and said simply "No, my name is Corn, I told you that". The voice was Summer's and everypony knew it. Corn was completely bewildered when all the ponies around her either teared up or began crying at this point. Corn couldn't fly very well, and it was dusk now, but Corn bolted for the door and took unsteadily to the air. "Corn wait..." Dawn pleaded through her tears... "Rainbow, please bring her back" Princess Twilight said slowly. "Summer Wait" Rainbow Dash yelled, as she quickly caught up with Corn. "I told you my name is Corn" Corn replied, still flying. "Corn, please land so we can talk. It is getting dark." Rainbow asked. From the distant reaches of her mind, Corn felt threatened by this voice, even though she didn't know why. Corn ignored Rainbow. "Corn please" Rainbow said as she started to sniffle "I really wanna help you. I really wanna be your friend because you are awesome." Rainbow said this last part softly as they flew together. "Then tell me why everyone was crying back there." Corn said simply. Rainbow told the truth, quietly "Because we all know who you are." Corn landed, and Rainbow did too. "Corn please. We just want to help you." Rainbow said near tears. Corn thought to herself at this point "Well Dawn said that too, and followed through. And they are not teasing me." "Ok Rainbow, is that right? I'll follow you back." Corn said quietly. Rainbow Dash gave Corn a hug before they took to the air. These ponies must be her friends Corn thought; she had received more hugs in the last few days than she could ever remember. As Rainbow headed out to get Corn, Princess Twilight had time to think. She thought very slowly, but began to make the right connections. It was clear she was Summer Rain. But no Cutie Mark? She could only be... Equestria Girls Fluttershy's 'dead' sister! This last point struck like a thunderbolt, and Princess Twilight knew exactly what needed to happen, she just didn't have any idea how to do it. Twilight just hoped Rainbow was able to bring Summer, er Corn back. "Spike, Dawn and girls, try not to cry until Summer knows who she is please." Twilight directed. "And by the way, this might be hard for Fluttershy, so keep that in mind, and help her if she needs it. Twilight didn't realize this but Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Spike almost began crying on the spot because they knew their Princess and friend was "back". Rainbow Dash soon came back with Corn, and Princess Twilight hugged Rainbow and thanked her, while observing that Rainbow's face was wet with tears. Princess Twilight started talking very softly. "Corn, more than anything else tonight, we just want to be your friends and help you. Should we do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, please just say so, we are not trying to run you off. "We think we know who you are, and can maybe explain a lot to you, but we won't force that information on you. Corn answered "Well just don't tease me or make fun of me and I think we will be ok. I would really like to know why I don't have that mark thing on my leg, because I really do feel like a freak here. Everyone else here has one anyway." Princess Twilight started with this first. "Corn please tell me what you remember from as far back as you remember. Corn started explaining. "The first thing I remember is waking up outside the big palace in the Crystal Empire. Everything hurt and I didn't know why. I could barely walk. "It is a crowded city, and immediately, other people started making fun of me because I didn't have that mark thing. Anywhere I went I was teased. I just wanted to get away, but for some reason I stayed there and I'm not sure why. "I met Dawn and Camille one day, and they were nice to me even though I was mean to them. Dawn offered to help me if I came here. Dawn even made a special trip to the city to free me from Green eyes, and I ran off because my hair was growing back. "I came to Dawn's shop a few days ago, and she took me in. And I watched Dawn in amazement as she went out of her way to help other people, er ponies here. I still don't understand how she could do that. I guess you ponies call that 'true friendship' and it looked a lot better than what I had known up to this point. "I want that..." This was not exactly the information Twilight was after, but Corn was being honest about why she was here. In her mind, Princess Twilight could only be amazed again at Summer's impact in Ponyville and beyond, as it expanded like ripples in a pond. There were probably many other similar events that nopony else would ever know about. Fluttershy thought she was dreaming, she was hearing her sister's voice. But even after she was awake she still heard it. She got up pretty quickly and was soon standing at the top of the stairs, and listened a while longer. She quickly ran to the bottom of the stairs and said simply "Summer?" Corn stared at this new Pony... that voice... Corn said "Fluttershy?" Equestria Girls Summer Rain's mind exploded at this point with a raging torrent of memories going back a long way. Everypony else just stood there and watched as Summer's shattered mind slowly put itself back together. Summer remembered the continual bitterness of Sunset Shimmer's incessant, brutal jeering. She remembered her own anger, and drinking way too much that fateful night. She remembered failing to make the curve, and her Mustang convertible careening over the side. She remembered waking up very much in pain feeling the heat from the blazing inferno that had enveloped her burning car. She remembered staggering back into town, ultimately to the school and leaning against a wall near the front of the school that immediately gave way. She remembered waking up on the floor of a strange room in the form of a pony, and with no clothes on, and with no idea where she was or why. She remembered four rough guards dragging her aching pony body out of the palace, and throwing her into a secluded grass area behind the palace. The rest she hadn't forgotten. But she now remembered her name. Her new friends were right, it was Summer Rain. Summer also remembered that, more than anything else, she just wanted her sister back. After putting this all back together, Summer Rain put her head down, closed her eyes, and simply said "Sis..." and collapsed into tears on the floor. Princess Twilight quickly said "Wait a minute girls" as she stopped Fluttershy briefly from joining Summer. "Fluttershy, look at me please. This is Equestria Girl Fluttershy's sister." "I know Twilight, thanks." Fluttershy said, already crying herself. Fluttershy's Twin would not be abandoned after all... Fluttershy ran over and lay on her belly next to Summer and held her and they both cried together, and were soon joined by everypony else in the room except Spike, who was crying anyway. Dawn was also sitting off by herself; she had simply continued to cry through this whole process. Dawn had no idea that true friendship could accomplish so much. Dawn was herself still learning about this gem. Dawn kept saying over and over "Thank you Summer..." Dawn soon felt the hug of a larger pony, it was Princess Luna. Dawn held on tight and just cried. Princess Luna said softly to Dawn "Dear one this is your victory as much as anypony elses'. Thank you." Princess Celestia lay on her belly and pulled Spike close, he was crying like a baby.