The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 8 -- Dark Melvain

by shysage

Ch.11, Equestria's Gift to an Orphan / The Child

After making sure everypony made it through the Portal, into the Equestria Girls world, we all headed over to the bleachers. We just sat down together, and talked.

My sister Fluttershy was actually smiling. She had told me a number of times in the last few days, that she was really looking forward to our trip around Canterlot with Shyna. She usually said that she knew the results weren't assured, but she was still excited about finally trying, at least.

I mentioned this to my Stallion, and he just sighed. "Well, 'Twin Fishing' can easily fail for a lot of reasons..." he said softly.

Only time would tell.

Like last time, Equestria Girls Twilight Sparkle soon came running across the grass, and was immediately sitting next to her Twin (Princess Twilight), crying on her shoulder.

My Stallion asked the Equestria ponies to 'stay put', and the rest of them laughed, of course. Nopony wanted to be anywhere else.

Then He and I headed across the grass together. We checked the Shop, but didn't find anyone there. We headed to the Computer Lab, and the teacher stopped his lecture long enough to tell my Stallion what needed to be done.

He pointed to an empty table, and we knew what to do with that. Another complete computer system would go there. He also showed us a system that wouldn't start, and the teacher suspected a bad monitor. Well, the large crack, diagonally across the front of the monitor might have been a hint.

Maybe forty minutes later, we were done, and heading back to the bleachers. The air was cool, but the afternoon Sun warmed us nicely.

I sat next to my Sister, and my Stallion quickly sat next to me. I didn't know who to hug, so I put one arm around each of their necks. We all just hugged together.

Our Twins came soon enough, and then we were all hugging our Twins. Both Fluttershys and Shyna were all smiling and crying at the same time.

I think Shyna and my sister's Twin (Equestria Girls Fluttershy) had probably talked a LOT about Equestria. That would all become very REAL to Shyna in a few hours. That was just exciting.

But, in the recent past, most of the 'people' we had taken into Equestria almost immediately met their Twin. We simply did not know how this would work for Shyna, though.

Loving, needy girls from the High School soon streamed over, and us 'ponies from a different land' really just dissolved into this much larger group. Love, Compassion, and the Magic of Friendship were helping rebuild lives that afternoon. Laughter and tears... I still cry every time I get to be a part of this... It was amazing.

And at around five, most of the girls headed over to the track. Our group headed over to Fluttershy's apartment to get 'suited up' my Stallion said. Still, for him and I this just meant individual trips into the bathroom to take our jeans off; we still had our jogging shorts on under our jeans. And everypony that needed 'jogging clothes' got a set from Rarity.

We were not so quickly back over at the track, and our 'jog' began. Again, Rainbows and Applejacks set a faster pace, and most of the Soccer team and a lot of the guys joined that group. The rest of us took a slower pace, set by Equestria Girls Twilight Sparkle, who clearly loved doing this. Still, we pretty much filled up the track. It was a lot of fun. I hoped that everyone would keep doing this after we left. Well, when the weather let them...

At 6:30 according to the clock in the School lobby, all of us ponies were back in front of the Portal, hugging in a tight circle. Most weren't crying; that would wait until we were in Equestria.

Princess Twilight sent her Twin, then both Rarities, then all four of the red-heads through (a little more slowly), then she went through herself. Then the Applejacks, the Rainbows and Pinkie Pies went. Then both Fluttershy's went through.

My Stallion and I were left with Shyna, and the three of us group hugged briefly.

"Shysage, will we find my Twin?" Shyna asked quietly.

This was a hard question. Nopony really knew the answer, either. I knew my Stallion was trying not to cry. Still, he answered softly.

"Shyna, nopony knows. We will do our best though."

Shyna walked through the Portal next, and was, no doubt, quickly hugging two adoring ponies (both Fluttershys).

My Stallion decided we should wait a minute or two, so we just hugged. I knew he was hurting.

"I love you Stallion" I said quietly.

"I know Summer, I just hope this all works out well..." he answered slowly.

We just sighed together. I think we were both talking to true friend about this, too...

Then we held hands, and went through the Portal together and last like we usually do, and were soon back in Equestria.

---

When we came through the Portal into Equestria, my Stallion and I were standing next to each other, as ponies, on the rug.

Most everypony else was gathered around Shyna, maybe fifteen feet away, crying and hugging. This included both Filias and both Fionas. Equestria Girls Filia and Fiona were still Shyna's friends. I don't think the red-head girls ever thought they would see their friend here...

In Equestria, Shyna was a Pegasus, and her coat was off-White, peppered with Red. Her Mane and Tail were, well, Bronze my Stallion said, an amazing mixture of Orange and Red. She was beautiful, of course. Well, I think all our friends are beautiful, on both sides of the Portal.

But Equestria pony Rainbow Dash was standing by herself, off to the side, eyes wide, weeping softly.

That got both my Stallion and my attention, and we quickly walked over to take care of our friend.

Rainbow didn't even wait for us to ask...

"Summer, look at her wings... Folded up, they are thicker than mine are, and she's probably not full-grown yet. And the muscles around her wings are huge... And her Mane color is faintly 'tipped' on the edges of her wings, which usually marks a very rare Pegasus... And look at her Cutie Mark...

Rainbow stared as if awestruck...

Neither Filias nor Fionas had their Cutie Marks yet, but Shyna did. It was a simple circle the color of her Mane, and inside the circle was the shape of maybe the outer 1/4 of an up-raised Pegasus wing, outlined also in the color of her Mane. The wing tip was bigger than the circle, and just covered the circle up where it overlapped.

Rainbow was right... In her home world, Shyna was a cast off orphan with an ocean deep sensitivity like my sister.

In Equestria, Shyna was all that... ...and an amazingly gifted Pegasus...

I quickly hugged my amazing pony friend Rainbow, and said softly "Girl, it looks like you have your work cut out for you!"

We both just cried together...

Still, my Stallion walked over to Shyna, and asked for some room. Then he asked Shyna to put her left wing out, and gently helped her do that. Well, he was a pony; he helped as much as he could.

This is the first time Shyna ever had to do this, and it took maybe a minute to get this to work, and both wings came out. It didn't matter.

Her wings were already huge. Everypony else was now awestruck, too.

Shyna was just weeping softly. She wasn't used to being the center of attention like this. She never before had any reason to be...

I was still standing next to a softly crying Equestria pony Rainbow Dash.

It was also now very quiet.

I hugged Rainbow, then said softly "Sis, I think you both need to treat Shyna to a bunch of time with this amazing pony."

Well, everypony else knew this was right. Shyna, the Fluttershys and the Rainbows would be spending a lot of time together 'in the air', this weekend and beyond...

Just more Twin fun.

---

I also think this realization added some urgency to trying to find Shyna's Twin. This was actually the kind of thing Twins would do together, and it made more sense for Rainbow to not have to do everything twice, even though I knew Rainbow well enough -- she would gladly do that if she needed to.

Spike had watched all this. When things calmed down some, he told Princess Twilight that there were two Air Coaches outside with orders to take some ponies to Canterlot. Then Spike headed off for a nap.

This was now very exciting!

Everypony quickly headed outside the Castle to the Air Coaches. Shyna took the stairs outside the Castle slowly, and didn't fall.

Both Fluttershys and Shyna got in one Air Coach, and my Stallion and I climbed into the other. Everypony else backed away, and we were soon off.

Half way to Canterlot, I realized that one of the last rides I took in an Air Coach was with Star Dusk, and I shivered. My Stallion promised me some time in our room. I really love him...

We landed in Canterlot on the large Commons lawn.

We would only take one Air Coach 'Twin Fishing', and that meant that Shyna would come with my Stallion and I for this. While moving everypony around, Lu (Princess Luna) walked up.

Both Fluttershys bowed, and Shyna did too. Evidently Shyna knew about this.

Lu had them quickly up. Lu hugged Shyna though, and officially welcomed her to Equestria.

Lu then mentioned to us that Cel (Princess Celestia) was in Dodge City for the day, and that she would stop in Ponyville later this afternoon on her way back to Canterlot. My Stallion and I both hugged Lu, well, for a little while, then she headed off to finish a busy Princess day.

Shyna climbed into our Air Coach, and my Stallion briefly described what the Twin Link looked like. Then he asked her if she had seen anything like this on the way here, and she said no.

My Stallion had already talked to the lead Air Coach stallion about two circles around Canterlot; first a small circle, then a lower, larger circle to cover the lower levels of this 'stepped mountain' that Canterlot was built on. We ended up doing three circles.

We left both Fluttershys behind, and we were soon off, 'Twin Fishing'...

Maybe an hour later, we landed back on the Commons lawn. Shyna didn't see the Twin Link at all.

The five of us hugged together for maybe half an hour as the Air Coach Pegasi ate and rested.

It was clear that Shyna was disappointed, and was also fighting back tears. Both Fluttershys sensed this and felt the same way.

Well, I knew this would be very hard for my sister. And we fully understood their disappointment...

---

By mid-afternoon, both our Air Coaches were landing next to the Castle in Ponyville.

Three softly weeping mares climbed out of the other Air Coach, and the rest of the Twins gathered around to comfort them.

I have never seen my Stallion do this. After a few minutes, he gently squeezed his way in between everypony, next to Shyna, then sat down. He asked everypony to quiet down a minute, then he spoke softly.

"Shyna, I need you to tell me why you thought your Twin was in Canterlot." Then he hugged her and added "Nopony is upset with you, we just need to know."

Shyna was crying pretty hard, but she tried to explain. It went slowly.

"I was in the School Lobby during Lunch one day, and she talked to me for maybe ten minutes..."

A bunch of the Equestria Girls gasped at this...

Shyna continued.

"She said she was an orphan too, just like me...

"She looked into some sort of mirror thing... It was dark, but she looked just like I do...

"I asked her where she was, and she said she was in Canterlot..."

"Then all of a sud--"

Well, I think my Stallion is very smart. It was clear he was processing all this information, even as Shyna was talking through her tears.

But he interrupted her right there, then spoke himself.

"Shyna, you were Twin Linking with your Twin...

"Still, this doesn't make sense, the Portal hasn't been in Canterlot for a while...

"Unless...

"Wait..."

My Stallion was quiet for a minute, then he asked quietly...

"Pinkie Pie, is Equestria pony Shyna in Equestria?"

Both Pinkies looked at each other briefly, then looked back at my Stallion, and said together "Yes."

My Stallion clearly wasn't done.

"Pinkie, is Equestria pony Shyna in Equestria Present?"

Both Pinkies again looked at each other briefly, then said together "No..."

Shyna and both Fluttershys immediately burst into tears...

But I realized where my Stallion was heading with this, and I took it further, and gasped loudly...

"Shysage, 'the child'..."

My Stallion and I both realized at the exact same moment that the mare that Princess Celestia, in the past, was taking care of, looked EXACTLY like Shyna, even though we never heard her name...

He said "Oh my goodness..."

Then he and I were crying too...

Well, Shyna, and everypony else stopped crying, and stared at us.

My Stallion could barely talk, but at least he could talk before I could, and he tried to explain, still crying...

"Shyna, your Twin is over a thousand years in the past in Equestria...

"Summer and I saw her with Princess Celestia while we went back there this last time.

"The Twin Link must have functioned through the Portal, through time, back to the Past, and allowed you to talk to your Twin..."

---

Right then, another Air Coach landed in the grass beyond the other two, and Cel (Princess Celestia) quickly climbed out, and walked over towards us.

Nopony moved... Nopony said anything...

And Cel's smile just as quickly disappeared as she sensed we were all troubled at something.

Then Cel saw Shyna, stopped dead in her tracks, and stared in disbelief, and shook her head slowly side to side... Then Cel burst into tears, and ran towards Shyna.

Princess' girls quickly opened up a path, and Cel was soon sobbing on Shyna's shoulders... Cel kept saying, over and over "Oh child..."

My Stallion and I both sighed to each other, and I nodded to my Stallion and lowered my head...

He moved and put his head next to Cel's head, and said softly near her ear "Cel, you need to listen to me a minute..."

Still crying, Cel looked up at my Stallion, and said "Yes, dad?"

My Stallion tried to explain... "Cel, this pony is Shyna from the Equestria Girls world. It was her Twin that you were taking care of last time we went back into the past. Evidently, this Shyna was able to Twin Link with your Shyna in the past, through the Portal..."

It was totally silent for a few minutes as Cel (Princess Celestia) tried to sift through memories from long ago. Clearly dissatisfied with herself, she again shook her head slowly, side to side, and began to speak.

"I loved Shyna, and tried to help her. She was abandoned by her parents... I just can't remember what happened to her..."

Cel realized her 'remembering' might be standing between Shyna and her Twin. Cel had a Twin too, and knew how important this was. She felt really bad, and began to cry, and was apologizing to Shyna while hugging her... "I'm sorry child, I just can't remember..." Cel's crying was slowly growing louder...

My Stallion and I were quickly hugging our girl... We had too...

"Cel, it's ok, we will figure this out. It's not your fault" my stallion said this softly, a few times... It really wasn't Cel's fault she couldn't remember something from a thousand year ago...

Cel calmed down slowly as we hugged her tightly.

Cel, Shyna, my Stallion and I were in the center of a group of loving Twins. Soon everypony was hugging everypony. Everything would be ok.

Maybe half an hour later, I think Cel was mostly back to 'normal'.

I also think my Stallion had some idea how we might be able to address this. If so, he would probably wait until Cel (Princess Celestia) was ok, and on her way back to Canterlot.

Cel did NOT give us that opportunity. She was just as concerned with Equestria pony Shyna as the rest of us were. Cel surprised us both.

"Dad, what can we do about this?" Cel asked. Cel didn't ask this curtly, but it was clear she wanted an answer from dad.

And I had to be amazed at a Princess who would still care about an abandoned 'nopony' mare even a thousand years later...

'Dad' (my Stallion) just sighed.

"The only thing we can do, is wait until you fire off the Portal Beacon again, well, from the past, and then take this Shyna back to find that Shyna, and then bring that Shyna here through the Portal. Then the Twins will be together."

Well, even 1,350 years later, Cel could still so easily read 'dad' (my Stallion)...

"But the only problem is?" she said quietly. Cel knew he was already working this part through...

"Cel, we have no idea when we will see the Beacon next. It could be days, it could be years. And we don't know at what point in the past the Beacon will be initiated from... There is just no way of knowing how this will all work out. But it's the best we can do..."

Cel (Princess Celestia) really was back to 'normal'.

"Shyna, child, do you understand all this?" Cel said softly.

Shyna bowed, then said quietly "I think so, Princess..."

Cel pulled Shyna up and again hugged her, then said softly "I know your Twin. She will be worth the wait."

Then Cel and Shyna cried together for a few minutes.

Still, this brief interchange set a lot of things straight, and really helped us all accept an unknown 'wait'. We had some 'hope', and that had to be enough for now.

And again, for the Princess of Equestria to take such a personal interest like this... And she really did say exactly what needed to be said...

Half an hour later, Cel, my Stallion and I were crying together next to her Air Coach.

"I will let you both know if I remember anything more, and be sure and keep me posted" Cel said softly.

I think my Stallion truly understood the 'odds' here.. "Cel, there are so many variables..."

Cel just smiled... "This is Equestria dad, it will work out."

'Princess Celestia' was soon heading to Canterlot in an Air Coach.

My Stallion and I still cried...