I should have known something was up. From the moment I woke up that morning, I clearly discerned a slow, calm tune weaving faintly through my thoughts(1). It never stopped...
The tune was not laden with portent by any means. It seemed best suited for a calm, snow covered night after a blizzard had blown through.
I told Shysage about it as soon as he woke up.
Well, we hugged, rubbed noses and cried together some for a while first. After all we had been through, even recently, just waking up in the morning next to him is amazing.
He got up, changed to a people, and put some well placed small logs on the fire, and was soon back right next to me as a pony again. I told him about the tune while he was a people. He stopped a minute and listened, then said he couldn't hear it. Then he smiled, and asked me if I liked it.
We both didn't think it was that important.
After spending a little more time laying next to each other and hugging, I got up and started in on some breakfast. I don't know that I will pick up making stuff like this very fast. My sister Fluttershy does a way better job, and is a lot quicker too.
It had not even been a week since the Equestria Girls left. They quickly dove back into School, I'm sure. New year or no, School just kept going. Still, those bleacher girls... Just thinking about them made me sad...
"Shysage, can we..." I started to say, as I looked over at him.
My amazing Stallion... Shysage was smiling at me with the most loving look on his face. I completely forgot what I was going to say. And I just had to put the food down, and lay next to him and we hugged some more.
What did my Twin say? We were acting like a bunch of newlyweds, I think that was it. Well, maybe... Not counting my dream, Shysage first proposed to me maybe four years ago, buried in the Past. But we actually had our wedding in the Equestria Girls world less than a month ago. Wow, I don't know. Well, I know I love him a lot, and I will never... could never leave him. He feels the same way.
In some ways we were on pins and needles waiting for the material for friendship being magic among Princess Twilight and her girls. This would be volume five, and we had absolutely no clue when that material would begin to come in. Shysage had researched and roughed out the material for volumes 1-4 by himself, but I really was excited to be able to help with that this next year! With Princess Twilight and her girls, how could it NOT be amazing!
I think Shysage and I could have hugged and kissed in front of the fire all morning. We actually had done that a few times recently. It felt heavenly.
After we ate, Shysage suggested that we do some walking though. We would need to get our coats on for that.
When Shysage can, he changes into a people, and helps me get into my coat. I really appreciate that. Otherwise I have to kind of crawl under it, and hope it falls down over my back where it should. It usually does, but not always. Sometimes it is very difficult. And when you are cold already, or when it is cold outside...
This is another job that Unicorns have so easy. The rest of us struggle. Shysage says he's taking care of his Mare when he helps me like that. He is always looking for little ways like that to show me I am special to him. I really appreciate that. He really makes me feel like a Princess.
Oh wait, we still need to... Well, it's just hard during the Winter, for a lot of reasons. He will when he can. I'm not too worried.
We walked over to the Castle first. Princess Twilight, Rarity, Filia, Fiona, Dawn and Camille were all together in the Library working on magic. It was nice and warm in here anyway. And it looked like a lot of fun, well if you were a Unicorn. And I tried hard to not cry as I hugged everypony.
Princess Twilight asked out of the Blue "Summer what was that phrase everypony used during your dream? They were describing words that we couldn't say?
Honestly, I was drawing a blank. Maybe I was still crying with Dawn and Camille.
"Good words, I think, Princess" Shysage said quietly. I'm glad he remembered.
"Oh that's right. I had a dream about your dream last night" Princess said with a smile. "I kicked you or something." Princess laughed.
Shysage and I laughed, too. Like that would ever happen.
I hugged my Princess again, and wept softly. "I really love you Princess Twilight, I hope you know that" I said quietly.
"Oh Summer, I love you too. I don't think that will ever change."
I hugged her tightly once more, then Shysage and I headed out of the Library.
Our next stop was Fluttershy's Cottage. I love my sister, well both of them now, and sister time is always so special.
Fluttershy brought us quickly in, then closed the door. It was warm in here too. Fluttershy, Shyna, Shysage and I hugged tightly and wept softly for a little while. We all love our family.
Fluttershy made us a nice lunch. It was very good. Wow, I wish I could make food as good as she can! Still, I doubt it...
As we were eating, Fluttershy got this serious look on her face, and asked quietly. "Sis, the Portal has, uhm, taken you places, well a bunch. Will that happen to me now, too?"
I was next to Fluttershy, and I hugged her. I could tell this was troubling her. I also suspected that the amazing ankle band that Cel (Princess Celestia) in the Past had given to Fluttershy, Shysage and I; this was maybe behind Fluttershy's concern at this point.
"Sis, I don't know... I don't think any of us knows..." I answered quietly.
Shysage explained a little more though, and his explanation made more sense, and probably helped Sis the most. "Fluttershy, you carry an Element of Harmony. Equestria already has the right to call on you when that is necessary. I don't know if that ankle band makes that much difference. And if we get called to the Past again, we should probably take you anyway."
Fluttershy thought for a minute, then said quietly "Ok, I guess. I really don't like the idea of just disappearing." Well, she hugged Shyna when she said that, and I think that was her main concern, and I agreed with her there.
It was quiet for a minute, then Shysage added quietly "Fluttershy, every time the Portal has taken us, it has seemingly already set everything up. I wouldn't worry about it too much."
After another minute's silence, Fluttershy just laughed. "Well, maybe it will be ok if I get to have a big Black tiger for an animal friend."
We all just laughed together. That was so Fluttershy.
After lunch, we just talked at the table. Shysage mentioned we were just getting out and doing some walking. It had really been too cold for much else.
Fluttershy said she was getting cabin fever too, so the four of us got our coats back on, and went for a walk together. Well, my gentleman Stallion changed into a people and helped us girls get our coats on first.
We set off from Fluttershy's Cottage, and walked randomly in the meadows around Ponyville. We were just enjoying being together, it was amazing. But I think really, we walked where the Sun wasn't blocked; that is what determined our path.
Early afternoon found us on that small hill in the meadow to the East. The four of us just relaxed together and talked. Shysage and I were on our bellies next to each other, and Fluttershy and Shyna were on their bellies facing us. It was so restful, so peaceful. We talked together for a while.
The Sun was high, and there was no breeze at all. Before long, we all had our coats off. Well, we all knew what that meant! The four of us were soon in the air, flying lazily, well slowly over Ponyville. Flying like that felt absolutely amazing to these four Winter-bound Pegasi. I guess it was an unusually warm day for Winter, and we flew for over an hour.
We guessed everypony else was busy today, because no other Pegasus friends joined us. Still, after that hour, we all landed in the East meadow near that little hill, and were soon back in exactly the same places on our bellies. Shysage was right next to me, and Fluttershy and Shyna were facing us.
We just talked some more. Well, we talked a long time.
...
Well, for no reason that I know of, Shysage gently put his leg around my neck and hugged me. I love him so much...
I was about to ask him...
Equestria Present faded from view right then...
...
...
...
This is Shyna.
I... We were all visiting together, and had spent a wonderful afternoon together. I love my new family... We even got to fly some, and that felt so good. I think my wing muscles needed the stretch. I could have flown a lot faster, but I just stayed with the rest. Fluttershy especially can't fly very fast, but that's ok. Having family to fly with, that means so much to me. Well, even having a family now...
We talked most of the afternoon away. Fluttershy was next to me, and I was facing Shysage and Summer.
I mean, we are just talking together, and next thing I knew the three of them were gone! I didn't see them get up and leave, and I did see them faintly but quickly, well, disappear, right there on the ground where they were as we talked.
For a minute maybe, I just sat there looking around in disbelief. My entire new family had just disappeared...
Well, I was quickly crying. I didn't know where they were, or what to do. I think I cried there for a little while. Well, I guess I was slowly crying more and more.
...
I got up and ran to the Castle, to Princess Twilight. I was pretty sure she would know what to do. I had no clue anyway. I heard Summer say she was mush once, and now I was too.
I ran quickly into the Library, and Princess was there. I bowed immediately of course, then, without even getting up, I was crying hard. It was a while before I could say anything. I laid on my belly and just cried.
Filia and Fiona were soon at my side, and that really helped. They are my best friends... They cried with me for a while, and I started to calm down.
Well, Princess was concerned too, and really needed to know what happened. I don't remember my exact words, but I managed to get out that Summer, Shysage and Fluttershy just disappeared while I was talking with them. I missed them already, and cried some more.
I think Princess had Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia, then Princess came over, laid on her belly next to us, and tried to get us to calm down. I think this took a while. Fluttershy is my world...
Well, I guess Princess Twilight didn't like the looks of this either, and she was soon crying softly herself.
We all worked on calming down.
Princess Twilight, brushing tears away, said quietly "Shyna, I need Fluttershy back too. I am pretty sure that the Portal took them... somewhere... to a different time and place, maybe."
It was quiet a minute, then Princess continued.
"I don't think we should be too concerned yet, because when the Portal has taken them from us before, they have usually returned within a day or two, often within a few minutes. We will just need to wait and see."
We were all still working on calming down. Princess Twilight moved, then hugged me, then said softly "Shyna, please stay here at the Castle with us, and we will wait together. I don't want you alone at the Cottage."
Well, I didn't want to be alone right now anyway, and I quickly agreed.
We all went together back to that little hill, and nopony was there still, and I was crying again. Filia helped me get my coat on. Fiona picked up Fluttershy, Shysage and Summer's coats, and carried them back into the Castle with her magic. The Sun was going down, and it was very cold already.
Feeling the biting cold... I just hoped they were ok...
After dinner, Filia, Fiona and I ended up on our bellies together on the edge of the rug in front of the Portal, and I tried not to cry.
I wanted my family back. But all I could do was wait.