//------------------------------// // Chapter 20, Heart to Heart // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 9 -- Future Perfect // by shysage //------------------------------// I didn't sleep very well that night. My hind legs really did hurt a lot. It was just hard to find any position for them that was even remotely comfortable. After a few hours, I gave up on sleeping, and just enjoyed being next to Shysage. We were both laying on our bellies, and I snuggled up as close to him as I could. I think he was sleeping ok. I picked my head up and just looked around. Seeing all these amazing Twins together, spread around on the floor like this... I was quickly weeping softly. "Summer, can we talk?" It was Princess Twilight. I hadn't noticed, she was away from the rest of the group. It hurt, but I got up slowly and limped over to her, and flopped down on the floor next to her. I could tell she was or had been crying softly too. I could easily imagine... I think Princess wanted to talk, but we were quickly hugging, and she and I cried together. I could not even guess how 30 plus years of banishment felt, and so much had changed for Princess Twilight in the last 12 hours. And I thought I was a mess... I held my Princess as she cried, and just wept softy with her. We cried together, and this lasted a while. I didn't mind at all. After crying together for some time, Princess tried to calm down. "I'm sorry... It's just that I never expected..." We both cried a little more. I hugged her tightly, and said quietly "It's ok Princess, I'm a mess too." Princess smiled at me, and we hugged as we both worked on calming down. "Summer, I really am sorry for what I did..." she said quietly. Princess Twilight wasn't yelling at me, and that meant so much... It took a minute for me to avoid crying just because of that. "Princess, I know... I am just so glad..." Well I couldn't say anything more, and just wept softly. We hugged and cried together some more briefly. But I think she understood what I meant. Princess had more to say, I guess. "Summer, thank you too, for bringing me my gi--" I think she wanted to say more, but right then she began crying, and couldn't stop. In so many ways, Princess Twilight depends on her girls being truly with her. Having them back now... We cried softly together some more. I could have tried to explain that Equestria did most of the work, as usual, but I understood her point. I, too, was deeply grateful for the small role I could play. It was quiet for a few minutes as we both worked on calming down. During that time, it was clear though that Princess Twilight was thinking. She spoke softly, more like a close friend. That really meant a lot to me. "Summer, I have heard you say on a number of occasions, that you feel like Equestria owns you. Well, until yesterday, I don't think I fully understood that. While I was banished, I tried a few different ways to get away from, well, Equestria, I guess. "But, whether it was a crown that always came back, or a book that refused to burn, or even 17 other ponies that my anger couldn't run off... I think I have finally realized that Equestria owns me too. Like you, I really don't have a choice. I belong to Equestria, and I have finally reconciled myself to that." I had to smile. "Princess, that is not a bad thing, though..." I answered quietly. Princess quickly jumped in. "Summer, you so quickly accepted that, maybe because true friendship made such a profound change in your life, and really I admire that. It has just taken me longer to learn to do that. You are right, it is not a bad thing. But it is something each of us needs to accept. It just took me a while, I guess." "Princess, I think you are amazing..." I responded. I don't think I really could have said anything else. I really feel that way. Princess said "Oh, Summer..." and we hugged a minute or two. "Princess, the day you told me I was the Phantom Alicorn, I told you clearly that I didn't want to be a Princess, because you are my Princess. I have never regretted that decision." I said this slowly, thinking it out as I went, and ended up crying at the end, because I really felt that way. Princess hugged me again, and just sighed. "Summer, I don't know if that was the right decision or not, but it really doesn't matter. Equestria owns both of us. And it is clear that you have so freely accepted that, even without any special title, or position. Princess or Phantom Alicorn, as long as we follow the equestrium, everything will work out." I understood her point, and smiled that she used the image of those three stars we followed to find the Pony Nation, buried over a millenia in the Past. She and I, we had to follow Equestria. Still, I said quietly, the first thing that came to mind. "Shysage's Mare is fine with me..." And I did cry as I said this; it was absolutely true. Princess Twilight smiled, and hugged me again. She didn't say anything, because we had talked before about this, well decades ago now, I don't know. And I honestly have no idea how I had found such an amazing Stallion. I looked up quickly, and spotted him sleeping, right where I had left him. He is my stability. I needed to know where he was right then. Princess, trying not to cry, said quietly "Well, I envy and appreciate you both. I don't think there is anypony we know that does not see the amazing gem that you both enjoy together." I quietly said "Thank you, Princess, and we cried a little more together. It was quiet a minute. "Princess, are Cel and Lu grafted into Phantasma like my dream?" I think I needed to know this. Well, I wanted to know. Princess answered, and I was crying softly again as she explained. "Yes Summer, they are. Your dream got that part right. And I know you are really concerned about that, about them. I have some ideas, but just remember they are also Equestria's Princesses, and Equestria has a stake in rescuing them both. I think Equestria will show us the way." I just cried a little while, and Princess hugged me as she cried too. I appreciated what Princess said. Cel and Lu were not just our girls, they were Equestria's Princesses. Still, I had to work to stop crying again. "Shysage said that Cel and Lu are Equestria..." Still, I was crying softly as I said this. Princess said "I think he is right. I really can't see an Equestria without them both." It was quiet for another minute. I asked this without thinking too far forward. Maybe I should not have, I don't know. "Princess Twilight, I am so glad that your girls... your circle is complete and devoted again... How can we keep it that way though? Shysage said that holding onto something amazing is very difficult..." Princess was deep in thought, then she said this. "Summer, I don't know. Shysage is right, it is very easy to take even something amazing for granted. Most things worth holding on to, usually take hard work, both to build up, and also to maintain. If we are not careful, time just has a way of eroding everything..." Princess Twilight was quiet a minute more, maybe, then she said this. "I know that is not a good answer, but I understand your point. I don't want to have to go through this every 1, 2, or 3 decades. But I don't know what the answer is..." It was quiet for a few more minutes. Honestly, I was just enjoying being next to my Princess. I always enjoy that. Maybe Princess sensed this. "Summer, I just want you to know that I really treasure our friendship. You really are a very special friend." Then she hugged me tightly. I just cried... A few minutes later, we worked on calming down again. Princess Twilight asked this next. "Ok, so you, Shysage and Fluttershy came from the past, well decades before now, right?" "Yes. Shysage thinks around 35 years ago is our present." Saying this scared me though. Princess asked this next "Well, there is no concern with what you say and do here, is that right?" "Shysage said nothing we do or say here, will affect our present or yours here..." I got this much out, then started crying... I couldn't talk... Princess just hugged me as I cried. I am pretty sure she knew that something... "Summer, what is it?" she finally asked softly. I tried to calm down, and that took a while. I worked on putting together an answer, and that took a while too. I ended up crying again, and I guess Shysage heard that, woke up, and was quickly at my side. I leaned up against him and just cried softly. Princess Twilight asked Shysage what she had asked me. "Shysage, I asked Summer if there was any problem with what she, you or Fluttershy says and does here. I sense from Summer, that there might be some issue here, and I think I need to know what that is." Shysage hugged me tightly and started to cry himself. I don't think we had even discussed this, but... And I was sure that, right then, Shysage felt exactly what I was feeling. Shysage said what I could not... I think he even used the same words that I would have... He answered quietly while crying softly... "Princess, we have come from the past, and found Equestria in terrible shape, just like Summer's Dream... "With each day here, we are finding out more about why that happened. We could easily go back to our present, and work to prevent all this... "But with each day here, we are realizing that... we don't... maybe we shouldn't... We love you all, and don't want to just... erase... all this... Maybe this is... better... And we may not even want... to... go ba--" Shysage and I, we had not talked about this at all, but Shysage said it perfectly, for both of us... He and I cried together as quietly as we could for a while. We couldn't stop... Princess Twilight clearly understood, and cried softly with us... Within an hour, we were all asleep, right there on the floor.