//------------------------------// // Chapter 8, Daddy's Little Girl, Part 2 // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 5 -- Faded Memories // by shysage //------------------------------// Cel (Princess Celestia) and Equestria Girls Summer were waiting for Shysage and his Mare when they came through the Portal into the Equestria Girls world. Shysage realized that he was unsure if the Portal would even clear the emotional effects of this 'wontonness' spell, and he may still need to deal with the same thing on the other side... It didn't matter, he was a wreck, laying in the grass, choking back tears... Equestria Girls Summer helped her Twin up, then said with some urgency "Shysage, you need to get up. We can't stay here." Cel said it again "Dad, you need to get up and come with us." Cel helped him up, and they were soon on their way to Fluttershy's apartment. In a couple of minutes, Shysage and his Mare were sitting together on the couch in Fluttershy's apartment. Shysage put one arm around his Mare, and just cried softly on her shoulder. She was soon weeping softly too. Shysage couldn't track much of the discussion that followed, but understood that Cel had asked that the Principal Twins come here. Fluttershy had already texted the rest to come. Shysage tried to calm down. Still, Cel bent over, and said softly to him "Dad, I know that was very difficult, but thank you for rescuing me." The Principal sisters arrived, and with Cel, all hugged together for a minute. Then these three sat on the cot. With Summer and Shysage on the couch, it was very difficult to get everypony else in Fluttershy's apartment. Equestria Girls Summer and Fluttershy squeezed onto the couch on either side of Shysage and his Mare, as Cel and the Principal sisters sat on the cot. Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack and Rarity simply crowded next to each other right inside the door. It was the best they could do, Fluttershy's apartment was very small. Cel spoke softly to Shysage at this point. "Dad, I'm sorry, but we need you to explain both what has happened to Equestria, as well as where things currently stand." As best as he could, Shysage tried to bring them up to speed. First, he discussed what he knew about the spells cast on the realm, and indicated that this happened two weeks ago. The main problem was the Memory spell that caused everypony to forget everything important to them. Shysage also mentioned that the Twin Link, once close enough to be active, immediatly erased the memory spell, and that would come in handy for finding the Equestria ponies. Next he mentioned that Shining Armor was one of the first to have the memory spell cleared, as he was the 'guard' for the mare who was the focus of the take-over. Shysage added that Shining Armor knew this mare had help from a much more powerful, currently unknown being. Shysage mentioned that Shining Armor had been a substantial help to Shysage and his Mare, and he really appreciated that. Shysage said he also suspected that the guard at the Portal was also working with Shining Armor as well. Shysage also briefly mentioned that the Portal initially had placed the same spells on anyone who came through into Equestria from the Equestria Girls world, but this had been fixed. Also, Shysage mentioned that his Mare had been assaulted and abused, and that they both needed some time together and alone to try to put themselves back together. Shysage finally mentioned that, as best as he could tell, once he and his Mare were ready, they would need to take the Equestria Girls through the Portal, one or two at a time, and use the Twin Link to locate and gather the rest of the Princesses and Princess Twilight's girls. After the leadership was reassembled, they would need to confront the cause of the take-over whatever that was. It was quiet for a few minutes. Twilight Sparkle said quietly to the girls "Each of you ladies need to prepare yourselves, so that we can go back to help locate our Twins when it is time." Shysage added here as well "As each Twin is located, we will need to bring them here to keep them safe, so housing will need to be provided for each Twin after they are located." Shysage didn't think this would be a problem though. Vice Principal Luna then spoke up quietly "Is my Twin still un-accounted for?" Cel answered softly "Yes, but I will soon go back and locate her, then have Shining Armor find a safe place for she and I until the rest are ready." Cel then said quietly to the Principal sisters "We need a place where mom and dad can recover, maybe for a few days. It needs to be quiet, and they need to be cared for, but left alone. Is this a possibility?" Principal Celestia spoke up right away "We have a small guest house behind our house. We always keep it ready, and it will be quiet." Equestria Girls Summer spoke up next "And we can keep tabs on their day to day needs too, food, etc. I will pick up a cell for them so we can communicate when needed, too." Cel then summarized "Ok, so this is the plan. "Mom and dad will recover here for now. "I will head back through the Portal, and go to Canterlot to find my sister, then we will find a safe spot there. "When mom and dad are ready, they will take Twins through to find their Twins, then bring them back here as they are found. "Once we are all assembled, we will gather, probably in Canterlot, and together confront whoever is behind this. "And I just need to say this again... Each of you Equestria Girls have come to Equestria's aid repeatedly, and in such crucial times... The realm thanks you all. It's clear to me now, that we really need each of you amazing ladies." Cel was getting ready to leave, and all the Equestria Girls volunteered to accompany her to the Portal. They were all in this together; everypony had Equestria in their hearts anyway. Cel asked dad if he knew if Shining Armor had any specific details about the actual spells that were used. She explained that she could cancel them herself if she knew what they were. She also admitted that, since dad was a Pegasus, she would fully understand if he had no information. Shysage leaned back on the couch, and pulled a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket, and handed it to Cel. Cel unfolded it, looked at it for maybe 10 seconds. A blank stare washed over her face, and she burst into tears. She fell to the floor at Shysage's feet, and put her head on her arms in Shysage's lap and was sobbing... The Principal sisters tried to comfort her, but Shysage guessed why she was crying... They had to wait until Cel was ready to talk. Shysage just hugged her, and Summer was soon hugging her too. Half an hour later, Cel's crying slowed... Still crying, Cel tried to explain, one thought at a time, while crying in between... "Dad, that day you came back to the past and cried with Lu... "Lu was despondent after you both left... It crushed her... "She had recently learned how she could use her magic to kill herself... "The Unicorns and I were certain it was just a matter of days... "We knew she was hurting so bad, and we couldn't stop it... "For almost three hours, you cried with her... You held her... You loved her... "You saved her life... "She was able to move on from there... "How can I ever thank you..." "And it is clear to me now that, whenever you came to the past, you tried hard to avoid changing the future... "But if you had not stayed and loved Lu like you did, she would have killed herself in days, and the future WOULD have been changed..." And Cel just sobbed some more... Shysage said to his Mare "Can we stand a minute, Summer?" Shysage helped his Mare up, and the three of them just hugged tightly and cried for a little while. Cel's crying trailed off, and she said softly "I want to go find my sister. You both rest up here, until you are ready." Shysage said softly "Cel, I told you both on that day, that mom and I will always love you both. That's still true..." Shysage wasn't sure how much of this his Mare was aware of. But she surprised him and said softly to Cel "Tell Lu we both love her a lot, please." "I will, mom" Cel said. Summer and Shysage sat down, and the Equestria Girls walked Cel to the Portal, and were soon all back. In maybe twenty more minutes, thanks to Equestria Girls Summer's Mustang, Summer and Shysage were soon sitting together on a larger couch in the guest house. It was late afternoon, and Shysage knew his Mare needed to both drink and eat. She wanted a Hamburger and some water, and Equestria Girls Summer and Fluttershy headed off to get both. When they were gone, Shysage asked his Mare how she was doing. "Everything hurts... But I'm glad just to have you back... And you made a promise before, Stallion" Summer said softly. Shysage just answered back "Summer, honey, I will give you whatever you want", and he meant it too. Once back through the Portal, and in Equestria, Princess Celestia approached a very startled Roderick. "Do you remember?" Princess Celestia asked simply. Roderick quickly replied "Yes, Princess." "Please alert Shining Armor that I am flying to Canterlot to find my sister, and then I will require Shining Armor to find a safe place for us both" Princess Celestia said. Roderick replied again "Yes, Princess." Princess Celestia walked over to the balcony, and was quickly on her way, flying to Canterlot. It was mid-day in Equestria, and this was good. Maybe an hour later, Princess Celestia landed near the back of the lowest level of Canterlot, and began carefully looking for her sister, while trying to walk around aimlessly like everypony else. Two hours later, Princess Celestia found her sister on the second level of Canterlot. She asked her sister to follow her to an inconspicuous location on that level, promising her a surprise if she came. She wanted a surprise, so she followed. Princess Celestia then cleared all three spells on her sister, then hugged her tightly for a few minutes. "Your surprise is that Mom and dad said they love you a lot, Lu" Cel told her at that point, and they both cried together a few minutes more. Cel then carefully briefed her sister on what all had happened, and how they should act. Twenty minutes later, they walked, together, past Shining Armor, who was sitting outside the Audience Hall. Seeing that he was just sitting there, alone, Cel said quietly "Guard, I think we need to be arrested, can you arrange that?" Shining Armor said quickly "You are both under arrest, come with me." In less than ten minutes, they were locked in a prison cell together. They were ready and waiting... ...and safe, for now.