The Chronicles of Summer Rain

by shysage

Chapter 31, One Pony Away

Summer Rain woke up the next morning after the sun had cleared the trees to the east of town.

The train car was empty, evidently she was the last one to wake up.

The Twins would all no doubt be with their Twins, and Summer knew they were all enjoying every minute. Summer also suspected that Princess Twilight was probably already back into the affairs of the day.

Summer decided to do what she had made a mental note about doing before their sudden return.

Summer walked out of the train car and onto the platform, and was quickly in the air heading towards Cloudsdale.

---

Summer's Mom and Dad were up and were overjoyed to see Summer again. She just held them both and they all just cried together a little while.

Summer's Dad said a couple of times "Summer we are so proud of you."

Soon, they just sat and talked.

Summer tried to apologize for all the grief she had put them through, but they quickly accepted her apology, and moved on.

Summer's Mom made a special point of saying how overjoyed they both were that Summer and Fluttershy were best friends again.

Mom and Dad spent a little while reminiscing about some of their experiences with their special ponies as they were growing up. Summer was amazed.

Summer felt guilty at this point that she had not visited her parents for a while, they were clearly enjoying this time. Summer promised herself she would do this more often. Fluttershy should come as well.

Summer's parents clearly thought the world of their daughter now. Well, Fluttershy too. Her Mom and Dad simply could not find enough good words for both of them.

Summer's Dad said at one point "And thank you too for rescui--", and Mom stopped him with a gentle nudge.

Summer thought for a moment, then asked her parents "Do you both know what I have been doing here in Equestria these last three days?"

Summer knew her parents would never lie to her.

Mom spoke up, and said simply "Yes."

Summer was amazed, and ask "How could..."

Summer's Dad spoke up and said "You really need to talk to Shysage."

Summer knew she needed to head back to Ponyville soon anyway, so they walked her to the door, and they hugged for a little while.

"Shysage's house is that one down on the corner Summer, he's probably waiting for you" Summer's mom said with a smile.

"Thanks Mom and Dad, I will try to visit you both again soon, I really missed you" Summer said.

They hugged again, and Summer headed down the avenue to 'the house on the corner'.

---

The 'the house on the corner' was not small, but it wasn't huge either. It was the customary white of Cloudsdale architecture.

The door was open, so Summer walked in and said "Hello, is Shysage here?"

After her eyes adjusted to the lower light level in the room, she noticed there was a stallion standing, facing her.

He said "Hello Summer Rain", and then bowed as if she was royalty or something. He quickly got up however.

"Are you Shysage?" Summer asked, and then added "My parents said I should come talk to you."

"Yes I am, and your parents are amazing, and have two amazing daughters."

There was silence a moment as Shysage read Summer's mind.

"Summer do you have time to hear my story, the brief version?" Shysage asked.

Summer thought a moment, then said "Well, my parents seemed to know a lot about me, and maybe you do to, so yes, I'd like to hear it."

Well, have a seat, I'll try to make it as brief as I can since you need to leav--" and he stopped right there and sighed.

Shysage told his story.

"I was actually born in the Equestria Girls world. I am so very much like your sister that it hurts. And I made the committment to True Friendship early in my life. My wife and kids simply didn't understand me, and so took what they needed from me and went their own way.

"During the last 20 years before I came here, I simply gave and gave and gave, as true friends do, and received very little. I was shattered inside.

"Dying of cancer, I passed out in front of a wall at the High School, and ended up in the Crystal Palace. The cancer was gone at least.

"The guards were upset I was there, and showed me out of course.

"I didn't know where to go, and simply wandered around.

"I was a Pegasus, and ended up here in Cloudsdale.

"I quickly became interested in the history of my new world, and made a trip to Canterlot specifically to ask Princess Celestia for access to the Library there.

"She was very hospitable and walked me to the Library herself, just to let the guards know that I was allowed in, and had access to any area I wanted.

"As soon as I entered into the Library, my Cutie Mark appeared, Princess Celestia noticed immediately, and attached significance to this new stallion wanting access to the Library, and receiving his mark on the spot.

"She asked me if I would be interested in assisting her in recording the events that were taking place in Equestria. This was a rather large load for her to carry herself. I quickly agreed.

"I became a Canterlot Recorder from that point on, and Canterlot pays for my needs.

"I used my background from the Equestria Girls world to build this."

Shysage was pointing to a large, scary looking device on a table in one of the corners of his room. Then he continued.

"I call this my 'scope', and it allows me to see, and in some cases to hear what is going on in various locations in Equestria.

"About this time, Princess Celestia sent Twilight Sparkle to Ponyville, and I was able to watch a lot of that unfold.

"Due to the nature of Princess Twilight's magic, I had to include her five friends as well.

"It was all amazing, and kept me really busy.

"Princess Celestia quickly realized that books should be commissioned about Twilight's life, and I helped... well maybe more than that.

"Anyway, one day, I was watching Fluttershy on a rare day when she was being uncharacteristically pushy, and I was having trouble with the volume of the sound channel for the 'scope', it was too loud.

"Your parents were walking past, heard their daughter's voice, barged in and immedately wanted to know what was going on. I told them of course, they got the full version though.

"Since then I have been giving your parents updates about what both of their daughters have been up to."

Shysage stopped at this point, he could see Summer was thinking.

"Have... have... ...you seen everything we have done the last few days?" Summer asked almost incredulously.

Shysage paused, then said simply "Yes."

Then he pointed to a tall stack of papers and said "This just covers the last 72 hours. I think I have been sleeping less than you have. And for the record, you are one brave mare."

Summer's mind was racing many different places, trying to understand the implications.

Shysage walked up to her at this point, and sat down right in front of her. Then he quietly said "Summer..."

Summer sat down herself, parked her mind then said "Yes?"

Shysage initially said nothing as tears began to stream down his face.

Then he said slowly "72 hours ago, the ponies, the culture, the society, the entire realm of Equestria was exactly ONE PONY AWAY from TOTAL AND COMPLETE EXTINCTION. That one pony was you, Summer...

"Equestria NEEDS to hear this. Equestria needs to hear how perilously close they came to oblivion. Equestria needs to hear how True Friendship played a crucial role in snatching them back from this horrible fate.

"Please help me write your story..." Shysage said, and bowed his head.

Summer started to cry at this point, and Shysage was concerned, and so put one of his legs around her neck to console her..

Her tears were tears of joy...

After a little while, she calmed down and said quietly "Shysage I would be honored if you would help me write my story."

Shysage sighed, backed away and said "Well, the story isn't over yet, you need to go soon."

Summer was thinking. "Can your 'scope' reach the Equestria Girls world?" Summer asked quickly.

"Amazingly, yes, but just around the school, around the Portal, and those of the Equestria Girls homes that are close. But not Applejack's farm. I will probably bring the 'scope' there soon anyway" Shysage said.

"...and so you saw my talk at school?" Summer asked.

Shysage teared up again, and said "Yes, it was amazing. Remember I am from that world, those kids needed to hear what you said."

Summer got up to go, then stopped next to the door.

"Shysage" Summer said quietly. "My parents were right, I did need to come see you. Thank you."

Shysage bowed his head, and Summer took quickly to the air.

---

Summer flew back to Ponyville. She wasn't sure where to go, her mind was still spinning... "One pony away..." she kept thinking to herself.

So she landed at 'her tree' in the field outside Ponyville. The location of Rainbow's tombstone was clearly visible, there was no grass or anything where it had been, just dirt.

Summer lay down on her belly in the dirt and just cried...

She thought about actually getting up and doing some sort of mental inventory. All she could think was "One pony away..."

"One pony away..." she actually said it through her tears this time... "How could we let this happen?"

Summer just put her head back down in the dirt and cried...

10 minutes...

20 minutes...

30 minutes...

Summer sat up at this point, still crying, and screamed

"EQUESTRIA, 72 HOURS AGO, WE WERE ONE PONY AWAY FROM OBLIVION... HOW COULD WE LET THIS HAPPEN???"

Then she lay down again and wept...

...

As Summer lay crying, she soon heard other ponies crying too... Without even looking, she heard all the Twins... Townsponies... Princess Luna... Princess Celestia even...

As soon as she heard Princess Twilight crying, Summer immediately jumped up turned around and ran to her Princess' side, burying her head in the grass next to her Princess' head and just cried...

They all cried together for a long time...

The Rainbow Twins had actually seen Summer earlier, crying in the dirt. They quickly rounded up Princess Twilight and all the Twins, and many others came as well, quietly.

They wanted to surprise Summer Rain, but when she screamed what she did, everypony began crying... She did not know they were there after all.

Almost as one, Ponyville mourned together for their perilous "harrowingly close brush" with extinction, and cried together for hours.

As the sun dipped over the treeline, five Air Coaches landed nearby to take Princess Twilight and 11 special ponies back to the Crystal Palace.

It was time to go.

---

Princess Twilight, Summer and the five Twins were all too quickly back in the Portal room in the Crystal Palace.

Even so, before ANYPONY had gone into the room, Shining Armor sternly warned everypony to keep completely away from Discord's 'cell' in the far corner, it would kill them on contact or any magic cast on it. It was extremely dangerous.

Princess Twilight called all the Equestria Girls to her side, and hugged them for a while. She was now even more deeply attached to each of them.

During this time, Summer's sister Fluttershy pulled Summer aside, and spoke quietly with Summer.

"Summer my Twin is hurting deeply at the loss of her sister" Equestria pony Fluttershy said quietly.

Summer started weeping at this, and said "I know... What can I do...?"

Fluttershy just said calmly "Summer you have already made a huge difference, just stay close to her, and be her friend."

Fluttershy continued "It really hurt when you left two weeks ago, and I will miss you, but my Twin needs you more than I do, both then and now."

Still crying, Summer just held her sister tightly, and whispered in her ear "Sis, I love you, you are so amazing."

"I love you too Summer" Fluttershy said softly.

The Twins had all prepared this part ahead of time. They called Summer and Princess Twilight to a spot in front of the Portal. The five Twins then all kneeled for both of them.

Summer understood their intent immediately, and quickly threw one of her front legs around her Princess' neck, and she and her Princess just cried together.

---

The time to leave came way too quickly. Summer went through the Portal first, followed by another Equestria Girl every 30 seconds or so. Soon Summer and her five precious friends were back in the Equestria Girl's world.

It was dark out, and they walked quickly to Fluttershy's apartment, and were soon inside.

They squeezed onto both the couch and the cot, crying, while picking up their cell phones, keys and other stuff.

Then they just held hands and cried together.

Rainbow looked at her Cell before putting it in her pocket.

"Summer" Rainbow said quietly. "It is around 3 am, Friday evening. We have only been gone maybe 24 hours."

Summer thought a minute, then said "Girls, can we still go to Applejack's Farm this weekend?"

Everyone smiled, still sniffling.

"Let's all meet here at noon maybe?" Summer suggested.

Applejack said "I'll have Big Mac meet us here with his truck to take us to the farm."

Everyone stood at this point, and without even thinking, just all hugged, and cried softly.

Summer spoke up again and said "Girls I have said this before, but I think I will be crying quite a bit for a while. You special people have given me my world back, and my friends back, seemingly against all odds. Thank you."

The rest of the girls then headed off into the night. Applejack walked Rarity home, and Rainbow walked Pinkie to the Cakes'.

Summer and Fluttershy took turns showering and getting ready for bed, and both were soon snug in bed in warm pajamas.

Fluttershy said quietly "Thanks Sis, for everything."

Summer got out of bed, ran over, and hugged Fluttershy tightly, crying loudly... "I wish I could do more..."

Fluttershy said softly "Summer you are already doing a lot, thank you."

After a minute or two, Summer returned to her bed and these two 'pony warriors' were soon fast asleep.