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

by shysage

Ch.34, The Pathway Home

Dark Melvain... We had 'run him off', again, hopefully for a while this time...

Cel (Princess Celestia), Summer, Fluttershy and I took to the air, and headed back to Canterlot.

I think the fight with Dark Melvain had 'steeled' us all, and this helped us focus on what we needed to accomplish.

But we were heading back now, and the closer we got to Canterlot, the more our emotions began to assert themselves.

As we flew, the three girls were soon weeping softly... Our family was 'whole' again... Lu was banished, but at least she was safe...

We even landed maybe half-way, for a breather, and simply hugged and cried the whole time.

Well, I couldn't cry much... It seemed the avalanche I had been propping up for so long; it was getting easier to keep there. But I couldn't cry much either. I don't know...

---

The morning Sun was just dawning when we landed in the Commons lawn outside the Audience Hall in Canterlot. I think we landed pretty much in the middle of the large Commons area...

The girls could control themselves no longer, and burst into tears right there where we landed, and we cried pretty hard for a while. Well, they cried mostly, and that was fine. This nightmare had hurt a lot of ponies, but especially these three. This 'healing' was necessary. I just wish I could...

And I had to wince again at this, not knowing how our friends in Equestria Present were faring... "We will be there soon..." I thought to myself... I could only hope we weren't too late... And I had no idea what terrible monster they had to face...

A large and growing crowd soon formed around us as we cried together there, but I suspect few even knew what was going on.

Well, the 'Princess of Equestria' was with us, and so the guards kept their distance, and kept everypony else back as well. And Princess Celestia's upper level guards were probably the only ones who knew their Princess had gone to face a terrible monster by herself. And nopony recognized the three other ponies. And Summer was light Tan now, and not Blue...

After maybe half an hour, Cel tried to calm down, so we did too.

As soon as she could do a tolerable job of speaking with a 'regal tone', Princess Celestia stood and slowly addressed the very large crowd of 'her ponies' who were gathered around.

"Citizens of Equestria...

"The four of us have just returned from facing a terrible menace, Dark Melvain..."

Most of the crowd gasped immediately at this. Evidently he and his character were well-known in Equestria...

Princess Celestia continued, still slowly.

"There was no way I could have defeated him alone, but with the help of family, together, we were able to 'knock him back into obscurity', for a while at least, anyway...

"And both today, and your future would have been far different had the four of us failed at this..."

Princess Celestia broke down and cried for a few minutes. This amazing Princess really cared about her ponies, and had personally 'stood out in front', for their sakes...

Then she continued.

"But thanks to my amazing family, we were able to overcome him, and destroy his Bastion.

"Citizens of Equestria, you will be able to live another day of freedom... Another week, another year maybe, too...

"But just remember that this is only possible, because some brave ponies 'stood in the gap' for you... for Equestria..."

It was quiet for a minute, then their Princess added quietly

"I am glad to be home..."

Their Princess broke down and cried again...

...and the huge crowd of ponies began stomping madly, and yelling "Long live Princess Celestia of Equestria", over and over. Equestria loved their Princess...

The four of us made our way slowly over to the Audience Hall, and the guards cleared a path through the loud and adoring crowd as we walked.

Without saying anything, Princess Celestia led us over to the corner of the Audience Hall, and sobbed deeply on Summer's neck for a few minutes. It is likely that nopony understood why.

The four of us did though... The now covered up cornerstone of the new Audience Hall had Summer's Cutie Mark inscribed on it... But the 'Shila', the Phantom Alicorn, would remain an obscure 'tactical asset'... Still, 'Princess Celestia of Equestria' knew the 'Shila', her own mom, was the reason Equestria would live on today...

We then moved to the Audience Hall doors, and Princess Celestia bowed to her ponies, then she led us inside.

The citizens of Equestria celebrated all afternoon, still stomping madly and shouting "Long live Princess Celestia of Equestria"...

It was another good day for Equestria...

---

Cel asked us to go wait in her bedroom as she met with her ruling commanders and staff in the Audience Hall. Their meeting took quite a while.

This worked out well. Once we were in Cel's room, Summer and her sister Fluttershy hugged tightly and sobbed together the whole time... Fluttershy kept saying "I needed my Sis..." as she cried, and evidently couldn't say anything else... Fluttershy really needed this time to cry with her sister...

By maybe the middle of the afternoon, Cel's 'Princess duties' were evidently done for the day, and she joined us. Well, she immediately joined Summer and Fluttershy, hugging tightly, and crying pretty hard... Cel needed this too; seemingly against all odds, her mom was 'back'... Cel didn't need to say she needed her mom, we all knew it...

Our family was mending...

I kept thinking about this 'false alarm' by the Portal, and a Blue pony that needed a helping hand... True friendship? A quick fix for my shattered existance? I never, ever would have guessed that I would find my Mare like that...

I thanked true friend a bunch more... 'Against all odds', I had my amazing Mare back now. I just wish I could...

Dinner was late, and very subdued.

As soon as we were back in Cel's room, the four of us hugged tightly again, and the girls cried together some more.

At one point, Cel asked that Summer and I sit on Cel's bed, as 'people', and hug Cel like we had done so often in the past. Summer and I even took turns some; Cel just cried the whole time... This evidently meant a lot to her. We love our girls...

Still, Lu's absense was felt, and so we didn't do that for too long. Cel said that could wait until she had her precious sister back.

We had been up all night, and had done a lot of flying too. We were all beat.

Cel's bed was huge, but we all laid on our bellies next to each other on the large rug near her bed. We were all family.

I was next to Summer, and she was next to Cel, and Fluttershy was on Cel's other side. I realized again that leaving might be hard for both Fluttershy and Cel...

We all cried together for a while like this. Cel and Fluttershy were exhausted, and both quickly fell asleep.

Summer and I, we were Cel's mom and dad. We were her comfort. She was safe. Well, Equestria was safe too. 'Princess Celestia of Equestria' could sleep easy now, and she did.

---

Summer and I were soon asleep too, but I mentioned this to her first.

"Summer, your apparent death completely shattered me... I absolutely could not accept it from the minute it happened... And I absolutely had to shove all that pain far away, in order to be able to even function...

"I am happy beyond words that you are alive, but all that pain I shoved away... I still feel so horribly broken inside. I don't know what to do about that... I can barely even cry..."

What she said surprised me.

"Precious Stallion, I know... I felt that soon after you barged into my jail cell the first time..."

Then she began to weep softly, but tried to continue.

"It hurts me so to see you like this, but I think tonight, we should just sleep. Let's see how Cel is doing tomorrow, and maybe tomorrow night we can spend some time together and try to sort that out."

Then she put her head down in front of me, and I put my head down next to hers.

The fact that the 'Fluttershy' in her allowed her to sense the deadness I was feeling; that really meant a lot to me.

We were quickly asleep.

---

The next morning, I think Summer and I may have 'slept in' just a little.

Cel and Fluttershy were already up, and sitting across the room, beyond the bed, talking quietly together.

When I turned back around, my Mare smiled at me and said quietly "I love you, Stallion..."

I moved my head up and down next to hers. That was a 'Sue hug', and I am sure Summer understood.

Cel and Fluttershy came back over, and laid back on their bellies facing Summer and I.

Fluttershy looked briefly at me with an almost apologetic look on her face.

Cel had a pretty serious look on hers, but Cel would never intimidate me, not any more. I love her too much for that.

Still, her question caught me totally off guard.

"Mom, dad, I need to know if I will ever see mom's sister again. I need to know this, so I can decide how to handle our remaining time together."

Cel didn't start crying after her question was done, but I knew she should have, and probably wanted too...

Summer looked at me then lowered her head. I didn't mind. I was pretty sure I knew what to do. I had already done it once.

I just said one word "Probably..."

I think Cel understood. She and Fluttershy were quickly hugging and crying together...

And we didn't disappear...

Breakfast was good, and I think we all ate a lot. I think we all felt a lot 'better'...

We went for a long walk afterwards. For most of that walk, I just followed the girls... Cel in the middle, with Summer and Fluttershy on either side... I'm sure Cel felt like she was in heaven with these two amazing mares at her side.

At one point, we were standing near the Audience Hall, and the girls were chatting happily.

Mildred pulled me aside, and said quietly "I don't know what you ponies have done, but Princess Celestia seems like a totally different pony now. We really want to thank you all for that. For a while, we were really worried..."

I had to think a minute here. I knew I had to be careful what I said. I did the best I could...

"Mildred, we are all family. For a while, our family was reeling from a tragedy caused by Dark Melvain, but everything worked out fine, and we were able to get through it together. Hopefully days will be easier for Princess Celestia, her staff, and Equestria too."

Mildred bowed some to me, said "Well, thank you all...", then she walked off towards the Audience Hall.

And, again, we didn't disappear, so I don't know...

---

After our long walk, the Princess of Equestria had some things to take care of, and she left us in her bedroom. Summer and Fluttershy again hugged tightly, and mostly just wept softly.

I think Summer also talked to Fluttershy a little more about what she could say here in the past.

Weeping softly herself, Summer also asked Fluttershy how everypony in the Present coped with her 'absence'. Fluttershy said quietly she didn't even want to think about that until they were back home. This was just hard for both of them.

Beyond that, they basically enjoyed being together as sisters.

Maybe the middle of the afternoon, Cel joined us again, saying that her 'Princess chores' for the day were done.

It was clear she had been thinking though, and she asked us right away.

"Mom, dad, when do you think you need to leave?"

I remembered that our... my departure last time was too hasty, so I asked "Cel, do you have a suggestion?"

Cel right away said calmly "Never?"

I just sighed... I couldn't tell her that we really needed to get back to the Present, and that we had no clue what we would find upon our return...

"Cel, I think we should leave tomorrow night. Will that work?" I floated this anyway, to see what she would say.

It was quiet a minute, then Cel sighed, and said "Well, ok... But if you need to come back again, please bring Fluttershy, too."

Fluttershy blushed at this, but both of them, already family, were evidently becoming good friends.

Another long walk was in store, and like before, I walked behind as the girls enjoyed being togther.

And dinner was nice, and the girls talked the whole time. We all ate a lot.

Still, it was decided at dinner, well the Princess of Equestria decided, that Fluttershy would stay with her tonight, and mom and dad could have some time together.

This seemed to be a good plan. Fluttershy later told Summer that she and Cel stayed up late talking, then fell asleep on the rug next to each other, just like sisters.

This all worked well, I suspected that Summer and I would probably need that time...

---

---