//------------------------------// // Chapter 25, Back to Life // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 9 -- Future Perfect // by shysage //------------------------------// Waking up next to my Stallion... We were together and alone! Rose was with us, but still napping. Well, Shysage hugged me some more, and we rubbed noses a while. We weren't in a hurry, and we were just enjoying being together. This all felt... amazing... "Mom and dad... It's so nice to know some things never change..." This voice surprised us. It was Princess Celestia (Cel), accompanied by Princess Luna (Lu) and both of their Twins. Cel and Lu were smiling, so I guessed we weren't in trouble! "Princess Twilight was pretty sure we would find you here" Lu said quietly. Shysage and I, we were quickly hugging our girls tightly. And after a little while, we included Cel and Lu's Twins, and we all hugged together for quite a while, crying softly. Still, these were tears of healing. It was a good time for breakfast, and we all wandered around the meadow and found some food. Both Fluttershys and both Shynas joined us, and four Panthers wandered off to find their own breakfast. Rose was walking better, and it looked like she had cleaned her leg off most of the way. Sis was right about Rose, of course. But watching our girls (Cel and Lu) have a relaxed meal together... This made me cry again. A little later, Lu came up to me, and I hugged her tightly. "Mom, can you and I go for a walk?" Lu asked. Shysage nodded quickly. "Just don't go far. I'm kind of attached to you both." Lu and I both hugged dad before we wandered off. At Lu's request, we took Lu's Twin (Vice Principal Luna) with us, because, well, there are no secrets between Twins anyway. And I quickly noticed that the Shyna Twins were soon flying slowly over Ponyville. I guessed correctly that Cel asked them to keep tabs on us. We fully understood. For now we just wandered the meadows around Ponyville. I knew my way well enough to keep us close to town. Well, ok, we didn't get very far before Lu and I were hugging, crying together. Well Lu's Twin was crying with us too, but I was pretty sure Lu needed me. Maybe half an hour later, we tried to calm down, and resumed our walk. "So mom, you and dad skipped past all this, and came here from the past, right?" Lu asked. I had to think about how to answer this. Then I remembered we couldn't ruin anything here and now. "Yes, dad says we came here from maybe 35 years ago." Lu answered quickly "Ok, yes, that was some years before all this happened..." After a brief pause, Lu said quietly "Thanks, mom, for rescuing us..." Then she stopped and cried. Her Twin (Vice Principal Luna) tried to add "Thanks, too, for rescuing Equestria..." but could get no further. We all stopped again, and cried together. But I think Lu needed that, and maybe her Twin did too. And I honestly was amazed that Lu had a handle on the passage of the years like that. I could have tried to explain to them both that I wasn't the only pony involved in the rescue. Lu and her Twin would learn that soon enough. We just cried together a while more. We started walking again. It was mostly quiet, and I could tell Lu was thinking. Staring off across the meadow, Lu said slowly "I know it was harder for my sister, but I think it was actually easier for me to be banished... All those fights with Dark Melvain... This showed me some of what she had to endure, as Princess of Equestria... I don't know if I would have survived all that..." We had to stop again, because I was quickly crying softly. "Lu, your absense was so deeply felt every time we went back..." I knew this would make Lu cry, but it was true... It did make her cry. "Mom, I really love my sister..." The three of us hugged and cried together some more... Again, we calmed down after a while, then resumed our walk. I noted to myself that we weren't getting very far, but it didn't matter. While walking again, Lu said softly "Mom, I wish somepony had told me being a Princess would hurt so much..." I said what I should have. "Lu, you are one of the two appointed ones. Equestria chose you to be the Princess. And you and your sister are amazing Princesses!" As I said this, I stopped and hugged Lu tightly. I really meant that. Starting to cry again, Lu said quietly "And you are my amazing mom..." THAT made me cry, a lot. We just stopped again, and hugged and cried together some more. Like I told Princess Twilight, I have no desire to be a Princess myself. But names like mom and mare, these mean so much to me... Calming down again after a while, we resumed our walk. Lu's tone was much more somber as she asked "So when do you and dad need to go back?" Well, I started crying again. Still, through tears, I tried to explain as best I could... "Lu, we are really not sure. The Portal put us here, and if we go back we could probably prevent a lot of this. But that is scary, and we are thinking we shouldn't say anything when we go back... And maybe we should say if we go back, I don't know... That is just really hard..." Both Lu and her Twin hugged me as I tried to calm down. This was just a very real concern. I had no idea how this would all work out... We were soon walking again, and realized we had better make our way back to dad and the rest. I just sighed. "Lu, I love you a lot..." I said this, then had to work hard to not cry again. Lu and her Twin sighed too, at the same time, in the same way... After a few minutes of quiet, Lu said softly "I doubt Sister and I would even be alive without you rescuing us like you have..." "I think that may be a part of my calling, honey..." I answered quietly. Using my Phantom Alicorn abilities to rescue family... I could live with that. We saw Cel and dad up ahead. We stopped again, and hugged and cried together a while more. After we got back from our walk, we rejoined the rest, and we all walked back to the Castle together. Cel and Lu led the way, with their Twins at their side, and the four of them were talking together. Ok, so I still had to work to not cry... Shysage and I along with both Fluttershys followed them. Near the Castle, we stopped briefly, and I hugged Equestria Girls Fluttershy... Well, the four of us ended up hugging together. I was pretty sure we all knew what was going on. Still, on the way we did encounter a few ponies, which we didn't recognize, but who did recognize and bow to both of Equestria's Princesses. I am sure it had been decades... After we all got back to the Castle, we found most everypony relaxing in the grass, Twin with Twin, outside the Castle. Of course, everypony got up right away and bowed. Princess Celestia had us all up quickly, and then we all cried together. It had only been a few days since... A little while later, a bunch of the Twins wandered off. Well, Princess Twilight's girls mainly. The Applejacks headed for the farm, the Fluttershys headed to their Cottage, and the Rarity and Fiona Twins walked into town to check out the Boutique. Rose and Alyssa decided to stay with Shysage and I, but the other two Panthers jumped along behind both Fluttershys as they walked off, chatting happily together. I think we both knew animal friends in the clearing next to Fluttershy's Cottage, that was therapy for both amazing Fluttershys. A little after noon, a VERY unexpected visitor landed near the Castle, and was quickly hugging with Equestria's Princesses. It was Princess Cadance, and Equestria's four Princesses hugged tightly and wept softly together for quite a while. After that, they were all on their bellies facing each other, and everypony else spread out in the grass around them. "Shining Armor and some of his men will be here soon. They left the Crystal Palace when I did, and are running here" Princess Cadance said. After some thought, Princess Celestia asked "So, I take it that the Crystal Empire was, well vacated, while the monsters were in control?" Princess Cadance replied "Yes. And our return seems to have repaired the damage to all the buildings in the Crystal Empire. It also seems that while we were absent, time stopped for all of the ponies in the Crystal Empire. All our precious crystal ponies... It is like we never left..." Princess Cadance cried briefly as she said this. Still, a Princess' heart for her ponies, this was so clear... And I knew that both Princess Cadance and Shining Armor would no longer age, since they had been through the Portal. But, from what Princess Cadance said, the Crystal Empire took care of all of it's ponies during the time the Empire was not in Equestria. This was amazing... Cel was clearly thinking all this through. Then she said quietly "I think the rest of my questions will be directed at Shining Armor when he arrives." Everypony just relaxed in the grass there, and talked calmly together. It was a nice warm day, and the Sun felt so good. We didn't have to wait long. Shining Armer soon ran up along with eight other guards. I recognized Roderick, but not the rest. They were all Unicorns like Shining Armor though. Shysage and I were on the far edge of this sea of pony friends, but still Shining Armor and his men kept their distance because of the two Black Panthers he saw. I had to remember again, that each Panther was as big as Shining Armor! I just reached over and scratched Rose's closest ear with my hoof, and she closed her eyes and purred loudly. Of course, Shysage had to do the same thing to Alyssa, but neither minded. I think Shining Armor realized they were animal friends. Shining Armor then gave some orders, and the eight guards that accompanied him quickly took up perimeter positions around the Castle. At that point, Shining Armor hugged his Mare tightly for a few minutes. Then he hugged his sister (Princess Twilight) briefly as well; the two of them cried together. I wondered if Princess Twilight may have been in sad shape last time they talked. Shining Armor next walked all the way back to us, and hugged me, then my Stallion! I don't know. Maybe these two are closer than I think. Shining Armor next bowed to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. He usually didn't, but I guess... ... It was clear that a high level meeting of Equestria's leadership needed to take place. Princess Twilight had everypony back up some, and then Equestria's four Princessess and Shining Armor sat in a circle and conducted Princess business, maybe for the first time in many years... Shysage and I ended up the furthest away from, well everypony. It didn't matter, we could hear what was going on, and that was what was important. He and I laid on our bellies and listened, with a Panther napping on either side. And honestly, I was hoping they did not call me over. I am just Shysage's Mare. Don't tell anypony I said that! Princess Twilight first narrated the events leading up to today. She clearly told the short version, but actually started with Equestria reaching out to Princess' Twin in the Equestria Girls world six months ago, as well as Shysage's arrival here at about the same time. Then Princess briefly mentioned Fluttershy coming here, then me. Princess Celestia interrupted and spoke up quickly at this point. "Dad, make sure you record all of this." Shysage replied quietly "Cel, we will. Princess Twilight has already indicated that is a priority for us, and we have already started that task." Cel, well Princess Celestia looked at Princess Twilight and both smiled. "Very good. I want this written down. I want all of this written down." Cel said this forcefully and officially. Shysage and I looked at each other and smiled. I guess we both still had our jobs! Princess next covered recent events; the killing of Eschate Zumulus, the restoration of Princess' circle (both Twilights cried), the rescue of Cel and Lu (with Rose's help, of course) and the death of Phantasma. Anyway, I think Shining Armor was just amazed at all of this. He had nothing to add. And I also think that Cel (Princess Celestia) had already been thinking through her next steps. Maybe she and Shysage had talked about it, I don't know. But it was clear Cel was calling the shots again. Well, Equestria was... I tried not to cry. "Shining Armor, I don't think that, at this point, a large Guard presence is required here. With Princess Twilight and the Elements of Harmony, well and the Phantom Alicorn... and the Filia and Fiona Twins, too... "I want you to take all your Guards to Canterlot and immediately seal off and secure the Canterlot Library. That is to be your highest priority. Our past cannot be lost. "Once that is done, I want you to evaluate the condition of Canterlot, focusing on the leadership and Guard functions. "Evaluate the condition of the Audience Hall. I suspect structurally it will be fine, and don't worry too much about everything on the inside. The only thing that was there that was important to me..." Princess Celestia had to stop and cry a minute as she hugged her sister, Princess Luna. Well, the two of them cried together briefly. Then Princess Celestia continued. "But please evaluate the food stocks in the Audience Hall. That might prove helpful. "It is just a matter of time until thousands of our ponies flood back into the major cities, including Canterlot. We need to be ready for that. If you find suitable stallions who are willing to augment the Guard function, then make that happen. Wages will be deferred, but their contribution will be compensated." It was quiet for a minute, and Princess Celestia added this. "I want to be diplomatic here, and I don't want to offend anypony. Rainbow Dash Twins, since you both carry an Element of Harmony, we need to safeguard you. I want you both to stay near the Castle, for now. "However, I would like for the Shyna Twins to fly to Canterlot and back every couple of days, as Shining Armor sees fit. We will need fairly quick communication as we try to put Equestria back together." Both Shynas bowed, then said "Yes, Princess, we will." "Anything else?" Princess Celestia asked calmly. Princess Twilight worked on not crying, and failed... "I'm sorry, I just never thought..." Four Princesses hugged tightly again for a few minutes. Then Princess Celestia said "Shining Armor, you have your orders. You may leave Princess Cadance here, or accompany her back to the Crystal Empire, or keep her in Canterlot with you. That is up to you." Shining Armor bowed, then walked back to Shysage and I. He met Rose and Alyssa, and was clearly amazed. I love my sister... Equestria's four Princesses hugged and cried together some more. I think each one was glad to be able to rule Equestria together again... Princess Cadance, Shining Armor and his men then headed away, back to the Crystal Palace. Princess Cadance would stay there until Canterlot was restored. Due to the way the Crystal Empire, well, vacated, when everypony came right back, everything was just like they left it. Food supplies, guards, everything was just as it was when everypony withdrew. I have no idea how that works. The rest of Equestria was clearly a huge mess. And after they left, Cel spent a while hugging and crying with the Shyna Twins, family from the distant Past... Later that afternoon, Camille walked up to the Castle with two other ponies. Equestria's three Princesses were relaxing in the grass together, but quickly got up, and got the three bowing visitors back up, too. "Princess Twilight, I am Pumpkin Cake, and this is my brother Pound Cake. You probably knew our parents, they ran a goodies shop here in town..." Equestria pony Pinkie Pie squeeled right away, ran over, and was quickly hugging both, crying. "I knew you both when..." This was all Pinkie could say. Once everypony calmed down, Princess Twilight took over, I guess. "Pumpkin Cake, how are your parents doing?" Pumpkin Cake frowned. "They are doing ok, I guess. They are pretty old. They are at Helping Hands right now trying to recover from a long trip." Princess said quietly "We must visit them then. They were an important part of Ponyville..." I think she wanted to say more, but was working on not crying. There were aspects of the lost past that just couldn't be replaced... Her Twin (Equestria Girls Twilight) took over for Princess "Can you both cook very well? I think Ponyville will soon be full of hungry ponies!" Pumpkin Cake was clearly not boastful. "I suppose, our parents taught us everything..." Then she paused, thought a minute, then continued. "Still, from the looks of the shop, I think it will be a while..." Princess Twilight had recovered, and smiled at Pumpkin Cake. Princess clearly had other plans. "Twin, can you show them to the Castle kitchen?" The Cake's kids were quickly on their way into the Castle, into the kitchen, to see what could be done there. "Summer, how many ponies do you think Dawn's can hold?" Princess asked me. "Comfortably? Ten maybe, I don't know. We fit 18 in there, but it was very tight" I replied. "I think we will need to see what we can do about that" Princess said, after some thought. I was not sure what she had in mind though. Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake were soon back out, brushing away tears. Equestria Girls Twilight explained. "Princess, there is a ton of food, supplies and ingredients usable and ready in your kitchen. The containers that were used to hold everything sealed very well, and just about everything is ready to go. Princess just smiled. "Would the Cake family like to take care of feeding us for a while, until their shop is repaired?" Well, Pumpkin Cake quickly hugged Princess Twilight. For the Cakes to be able to cook again... Princess added "Please find a comfortable spot for your family, and make yourselves at home. I don't think anypony else here knows how to cook like your family does. However, be mindful that it may be some months before our current stock of food supplies is replenished. After you all have come to terms with what is there, we can talk and decide on some sort of food schedule." "And we will help you too!" Both Pinkie Pies said this, at the same time, in the same way... I hugged Camille, and she started crying softly right away. "Summer, mom got up for a little while last night..." Camille and I cried together for a few minutes. Then Camille and the Cake's kids headed off to collect the rest of their family, which ended up being their two well known parents, Pumpkin Cake's Stallion, and Pound Cake's Mare. And, it seems, they all were still good at cooking! Princess called me over, and said quietly "Summer, your dream made this all sound so easy. I think bringing Ponyville back to life will be a challenge. Fun, but a challenge." "I know a very organized Princess who might do very well with that" I replied quietly. Princess smiled, and we hugged for a few minutes. Princess Celestia added "I think it may take all of us to bring Equestria back to life. But yes, It will be a labor of love." We all knew that was true.