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

by shysage

Ch.57, Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Well, we guessed Princesses don't get many days off.

Equestria's Princesses (Cel and Lu) got us all up pretty early, but fed us well. Shysage and I did get a little family time with our girls, but they evidently had a full day of appointments ahead.

As soon as it was warm enough, we were all standing out in the center of the Commons lawn, and some of us were climbing into four Air Coaches for our return trip to Ponyville. Again, it would take more than one trip.

Principal Celestia and Principal Luna went with the first group, and must have gone through the Portal back to the Equestria Girls world right away. We wouldn't see them again.

Well, after I thought about it, I realized that the first four Air Coaches took all of the Equestria Girls. And they must have gone through the Portal too, because when we were finally back in Ponyville, only us Equestria Ponies were left.

That was weird and sad at the same time. Shysage explained that there was an important celebration coming up for the Equestria Girls, and most of them probably had to get back for that. He called it christmas, and said he would explain it to me at some point.

Still, we had some down time, and the Ponyville Bunch just visited together, sitting in the grass. With the Sun high in the sky, and since we had our coats on, we weren't shivering.

But just sitting there... I could look around the Commons lawn, and in many of the directions I looked, vivid memories could quickly rise to the surface. It is just that so much had happened here... I had to fight back tears.

Suddenly I realized it was only a few days ago that I had almost lost Shysage. I was quickly a mess. For a while, Shysage and I hugged tightly as I cried on his shoulder. He must have known why I was crying, and he just cried with me.

My sister joined us. It is not the Twin Link, but Fluttershy and I sense a lot of things together.

Princess Twilight joined us next, but I think she was crying before she joined our hug. Shysage thought so too. I was not surprised at this, many of the memories that surfaced for me, involved our amazing Princess too. We hugged her tightly and cried with her.

Before long, we were all sitting in a tight circle, hugging, crying together. Dark Melvain alone had caused us all so much pain... Just a terrible bully from the past... He had deeply hurt a lot of ponies.

I just think we all needed to cry a while together, and that included Shysage too.

In the middle of this, Princess Twilight said quietly "Girls, I am only a Princess while you all are at my side. It scares me, but I need everypony in this circle. I hope that is ok..."

We cried with our Princess. We cried with and for each other, too. Well, we all cried there, together for a while, until the Air Coaches came back, got rested up, and were ready to leave again.

There were thirteen of us in the second group to Ponyville, so they pulled in a fifth Air Coach. Just like yesterday, we were all back in Ponyville a little before noon.

Not being able to say goodbye to our amazing Equestria Girls Twins wasn't easy, though. I don't think I was the only one who felt that, so Princess Twilight had us all hug together for a little while more as some of us cried. Then everypony headed off to start their days.

---

Shysage wasn't ready to try to fly yet, but he wanted to go for a long walk. He suggested heading out to Sweet Apple Acres to see if Applejack would let us wander in her fields for a while. I didn't think it would be a problem.

We took our time walking there, it was very relaxing.

Applejack was already deep in chores when we found her in the barn, and she laughed and quickly sent us out into acres of orchards and meadows.

Shysage and I... I told him we were together and alone, and he just smiled, and we rubbed noses a minute. Then we walked for a long time together. It was so amazing just to be together like that. I love my Stallion. And the fields we walked were just so peaceful. No wonder Applejack likes it here so much.

After walking for over two hours, Shysage and I ended up on a little hill in the meadow near the barn. I think it was near where Rainbow Dash taught Shyna how to fly, but I wasn't sure. Still, it felt vaguely familiar for some reason.

We just laid on our bellies next to each other and talked. Maybe an hour later, Applejack and Rainbow Dash joined us. Visiting together with such friends, it was amazing.

In a lull in the conversation, Shysage quietly asked Applejack about doing something special tonight. He was pretty careful, and explained that he didn't want to just invite everypony over to Applejack's house for the night, even though that would the final result.

Shysage asked about having all of the girls together tonight, but he wanted it to be around a fireplace. He said he knew Applejack was around her family, and didn't want to take her away from that. And Shysage asked about some nice warm cider too.

Applejack loved the idea. Well, the fact of the matter was that, in many ways, we were all one big family anyway.

Rainbow Dash was quickly off to round everypony else up. She left her coat right there, and flew quickly into town. Letting everypony know didn't take long.

And Rainbow was to tell Rarity to bring Sweetie Belle as well as Fiona. Well, that meant that we should probably have Scootaloo over too. And I realized that Dawn and Camille had no other 'family' here, and we could probably invite them as well.

But the bigger the group became, the more Applejack loved the idea. She was clearly very excited about this.

After Rainbow left, Applejack excitedly led Shysage and I back to the farmhouse. The livingroom was quickly cleared of non-essential furnature; there was plenty of room.

Rainbow was soon back, mission accomplished.

---

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Fiona arrived first, and were quickly relaxing together next to the fireplace. Well, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo spent most of the evening in their own little group, planning, of course.

Princess Twilight and Filia came next, and Filia and Fiona were also soon talking together. Fluttershy and Shyna came soon after, and I hugged my Sis tightly as Shyna joined her friends.

Dawn and Camille came last, and I hugged both. Filia, Fiona and Shyna scooped Camille up, and she spent most of the evening together with them. Everypony made Dawn feel welcome too. She and Rarity were already good friends and had a lot in common artistically.

This was everypony we had invited, which was amazing. Still, I asked for everyponies' attention, then just bowed to our amazing Princess. We all did. Our Princess deserved this. I just hope we aren't getting out of this habit, or anything. The younger girls especially needed to learn this.

Princess Twilight didn't leave us bowing long.

Shysage and I enjoyed some time talking with Princess Twilight. Well, we both hugged her tightly first. Shysage and I both love our Princess. And she really is amazing.

Shysage said that he was feeling good enough about walking, that he and I could start walking at nights again with Princess should she ever need or want that.

She mentioned quietly that it had been a little cold for long walks at night, but that she would keep that in mind.

I don't know how we got onto this, but I asked Princess if her 'filly' side was coming back. I don't even remember where that came from, and I hoped I didn't offend her.

Princess smiled, then sighed. "Well, Filia and Fiona have helped that a lot. But it just seems like everytime I make progress, death stares me in the face again. So I don't know."

I just hugged my Princess again, tightly, and said "I really love you Princess, you are amazing."

Still hugging, Princess replied softly "Summer, I have amazing friends."

Well, looking around this room, I couldn't argue with that!

---

The evening was amazing. Between what Pinkie brought and what Granny Smith quickly made, there was plenty of yummy food, and nice warm cider too.

And later, Granny Smith and Big Mac joined our group. We were all family.

I think Shysage and I got to talk to everypony some, and we all hugged a lot too.

When it got late, Applejack put all the candles out, and just the light of the fire alone lit the room.

Those few that were still talking, were doing so very quietly.

And Princess Twilight ended up between me and my sister. Well, Shysage was on my other side, but that was expected.

But we were all together. It was so calm, and the crackling of the fire was soon the only sound in the room. Most quickly fell asleep.

Shysage and I had our heads together as we watched the fire. I quietly asked him if the way this evening had gone was what he had hoped for earlier this afternoon.

He quietly answered "No... This turned out so much better..."

I had to agree.

But he explained briefly too. He said that this would be christmas eve in the Equestria Girls world where he was from. Like our time together tonight, there was a huge emphasis on family.

But, for a number of reasons, his family there was so packed with turmoil and pain, as bullies trampled him and others around them just like they had the rest of the year. Those thinking only about themselves surely had a grand time, and acted like nothing was wrong. Shysage said it was all he could do to keep from just running away.

He said the main problem was that true friendship seemed an alien idea. Putting others first was just a foreign concept, and this ruined everything else. It was usually almost unbearably hard to be around 'family' like that.

Next, Shysage said "But this..." and started to weep softly. "I deeply love everypony in this room, and they love me. And we have spent the year trying our hardest to do everything we could to help each other, to help Equestria. And I have the most amazing Mare at my side. This is my family. I don't ever want to lose ANY of this..."

I hugged him a little while as he cried quietly, and I ended up crying with him. I didn't ever want to lose him or anypony else around me either.

After a while we calmed down again, and just watched the fire, enjoying being together.

Shysage was soon quietly humming a tune to himself, so I asked him about it.

Well, he told me the words for the part he was humming right then. The words were sleep in heavenly peace.

I think I know why he was humming that part. I think that's what we did that night.

---

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Author's Note:

The way Shysage describes his family in the Equestria Girls world, that is my family. If your experience is similar, I share your pain.