Dinner at Princess Twilight's Castle was good, of course. Princess made sure there was plenty to eat; most of us had been walking for much of the day, and we were very hungry. I think we all ate a lot.
After dinner found us all relaxing in the grass outside the Castle. Our animal friends were there too, and got some attention from the Fluttershys and the Shynas. Well, Alyssa... Shysage and I fussed over her a while too.
Princess took sort of an unofficial inventory of everypony and their homes.
The Applejack Twins had their kinfolk; Applebloom and her Stallion were already living in the farm house at Sweet Apple Acres. The Rainbow Dash Twins added that, for now at least, they would stay there as well, along with Scootaloo and her Stallion. The Rainbows would need to find their own house in town, at some point though. We all expected Scootaloo and her Stallion to join them.
The Pinkie Pie Twins asked if they could stay at the Castle with the Cakes until the Cake's shop in the center of town was repaired. This task was in process. Evidently, most returning ponies had heard so much about it. There was a lot of interest in getting this Ponyville landmark of sorts back in operation.
Rarity's Boutique was weathered in again, and looked very nice. Maple Song was making good on his promise, and supplied plenty of paint for that. Sweetie Belle insisted on getting the colors just right, and her Stallion had done most of the painting (he was a Unicorn too). Sweetie Bell and her Stallion were already living there.
The Filia and Fiona Twins, all four of them, had reclaimed what used to be Equestria ponies Filia and Fiona's bedroom. The Twilight Twins would also stay at the Castle, of course.
Both Fluttershys and both Shynas would stay at Fluttershy's Cottage, and my Sis (Equestria pony Fluttershy) said it was already in pretty good shape. They asked for help with some minor repairs, and the Applejack and Rainbow Twins promised that.
It was quiet briefly, then Princess Twilight sighed deeply. "It's so nice to be home..." I think everypony felt the same way.
Princess Twilight next mentioned that she hoped the Canterlot Recorders (Shysage and I) would work tomorrow on getting caught up on the amazing events that had happened recently. She assured us that the Filia and Fiona Twins would be at our disposal to handle the writing. Evidently, Princess was really concerned that this get done. I think she knew we were feeling behind.
Princess also mentioned that she would like it if, on some sort of a regular basis, everypony could all spend the night together at the Castle. Trying not to cry, she mentioned that everypony... we really needed to work hard to maintain what we had recaptured. Princess wasn't the only one who cried at this point.
It was quiet again, then Princess Twilight smiled, and said "Ok, everypony, go home!"
That's just what everypony did.
The Fluttershys and Shynas and Shysage and I hugged and cried together for a little while. Then the Fluttershys and Shynas headed for the Cottage. Dawn and Filicia were Alyssa's friends, so we fussed with Alyssa briefly, then she ran and caught up with them.
Everypony else had already left.
...
I looked around briefly, discovering that Shysage and I, we alone were left here in the grass outside the Castle. It was bright around the Castle, but otherwise late evening, and very quiet.
"Shysage, where is our home..." I asked quietly, unable to mask the dejection I felt... I doubted our home would be here, but I really wasn't sure I wanted to go back to our present, even though we might get taken there any minute... I was looking off across the meadow, into the darkness beyond where the light from the Castle faded away. That darkness; I guess that's how I felt...
Shysage turned into a people, stood up, smiled, then held out a hand for me... One look into his amazing Blue eyes, I realized... My home was with him. I would sleep next to him. Not much else mattered. And I was positive he felt the same way.
I turned into a people right away. As people, we hugged tightly a few minutes, well maybe longer. Without even moving, we kissed there in front of the Castle for a while, too. I think we were both soon weeping softly.
Then we walked together, slowly, hugging, kissing some more too, towards the meadow off to the East. It was pretty dark, but we knew the way easily. As we walked past Dawn's, we noticed there were ponies in 'our house', and that was ok. We kept walking. Of course, we ended up on that little hill in the East meadow. Even though it was dark, we could probably find our way blind-folded, Shysage said.
Shysage sat down, and helped me sit in his lap. We both talked to true friend some. And, for what seemed like hours, I just relaxed there in his lap as he hugged me. For a while, he held my hand in his, and slowly rotated our wedding ring as we both looked off into the darkness. Well, ok... I didn't need a home, I needed my Stallion. This was home.
A half moon slowly rose, and out of the darkness, our familiar meadow grew brighter and brighter. In the growing soft Blue glow, the meadow looked like it always had. I had to wonder if when we were really made a lot of difference...
Shysage said he needed to get up a minute. I didn't know, I had been in his lap for a long time.
He turned into a pony right away, slowly extended his wings, rolled them carefully towards me and he bowed, put his head down and closed his eyes.
That still makes me blush... And I just melted. And I just don't understand how this Stallion can so clearly know exactly what I need, even when I don't...
Trying not to cry, I turned into a pony, faced him, and slowly did the same thing. We rubbed noses a long time, then he licked my nose, and ran off. I ran after my Stallion, of course!
For the next two hours, it was Pegasus play... And for those two amazing hours, nothing else even mattered... I forgot about everything we were facing...
I chased him... He chased me... We flew in the air above Ponyville, and around the Castle... We ran through town, wings extended, laughing, hoping nopony was watching...
At one point, I was chasing my Stallion. We both had our wings out, too. This is dangerous, so we had to be very careful. Still, as Shysage was running ahead of me, he clearly slowed, so I did too. Then he pulled his wings in, so I did too, of course. We had almost run Princess Twilight over one evening doing this...
We were in the middle of the meadow though, and Shysage abruptly stopped. Well, I couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him, and we both tumbled into the grass together, rolled over each other, and ended up all tangled together, laughing... We didn't even bother moving. We hugged right where we were, and rubbed noses a while. We did that a number of times that night.
And, I don't know... Evidently, everypony else in Ponyville thought it was dangerous to be outside at night. Maybe it was. We didn't even see another pony though...
At one point, we ended up at my tree, near the Castle. The light of the Castle was still pretty bright, but we just hoped nopony came out.
We were facing each other, bowing, rubbing noses... Shysage licked my nose, then quickly laid down on his side in the grass. I climbed up under his legs, and he pulled me close. We both sighed deeply and at the same time. And it was clear we would end up at the lake...
And we did, because I got up, put my wings out, and ran quickly through town, straight to the far side of the lake. Of course, Shysage followed me...
Shysage took care of his Mare. Well, we took care of each other. Still, we couldn't risk a foal. I think we have both gotten used to that. Leaving a foal behind, as the Portal took us sometime else, I think that is one of our worst fears...
After splashing each other in the lake for a while, laughing, we both collapsed on the edge, half in and half out of the water. There, we hugged tightly, and rubbed noses for a long time.
Then, at the same time, we both started crying, and we cried together for a while... Nopony could unravel the uncertaintly we faced. We cried together because we knew that. We just had to wait and see.
But playing together with Shysage like that... We forgot everything but each other... I think we both knew taking care of each other would happen at some point, but it wasn't just that. Shysage and I played together too, and that was almost as amazing. Hugging my Stallion, all tangled up with him in the grass, laughing together... Chasing each other in the air around the Spire of Princess Twilight's Castle... I will never forget that night...
Overall, I think Shysage knew I needed a time out, a deep and amazing break from everything we faced...
How could I ever leave him...
Shysage and I managed to sleep a few hours, there on that little hill in the East meadow. We woke up as the Sun started to barely brighten the morning sky. We rubbed noses a little while, then we laid on our bellies; I snuggled as close to Shysage as I could.
We were facing East, well, staring East across the meadow, watching the Sun come up.
We heard the hushed steps of an approaching pony. Before we could even turn to look, we heard Princess Twilight...
"Aww, don't move you two, just let me join you."
Princess Twilight slowly laid down on her belly on my other side. The three of us watched the Sun come up. Nopony said a word, as we just enjoyed the start of a new day.
Without any questions or other discussion, Princess Twilight shared her heart. She didn't turn her head or look at us. Staring off across the meadow, she spoke slowly, and paused thoughtfully between each sentence. Princess was soon weeping softly as she spoke.
"I never could have imagined that Equestria would give me all this back...
"But Equestria gave me... Equestria gave all of us a second chance, and that is just amazing..."
Our Princess had to cry a few minutes at this. I hugged her and the three of us cried together. This really was amazing. Crying, Princess continued.
"Still... I think you both need to know this...
"I remember reading once, Faded Memories I think, that Princess Luna knew enough magic to be able to kill herself, and felt terrible at the time... And I guess, even basic magic can be used to do just that..."
Princess was now crying quite a bit, but kept going.
"Losing my girls... Being banished away from everypony, or anypony... Both were absolutely terrible... excruciating for me...
"And, honestly, it seemed like each day I was sorely tempted... I hurt so bad... I had nothing left... I wanted to just end it... I knew killing myself would be easy... Any of a number of magic spells...
"And I think Eschate Zumulus thought, hoped, wanted me to do exactly that...
...
"...but I couldn't..."
Princess stopped and cried a few minutes, then tried to continue.
"I just couldn't..."
...
"I would always think of you two..."
...
"I remembered the love you shared... the times I caught you playing together... the way you both almost effortlessly stepped in when the other needed it... the way you smiled when you look into each other's eyes... just a whole lot of things...
...
"I couldn't end my life... I just couldn't... I wanted... That..."
...
"I felt terrible, but if I took my life, I would never even have the chance... the opportunity... I just didn't want to give that hope up... that someday... I could have...
"I couldn't let go of that..."
...
Then Princess said quietly "I think your love kept me alive..."
...
The three of us cried together some more. Honestly, I cried pretty hard too. The prospect that Shysage and my devotion to each other could have such an impact... I never would have thought...
We cried together for a while, maybe a long while. Then Princess Twilight worked on calming down, and we did too.
Once it was quiet again, Princess Twilight sighed deeply. Then she turned to look at Shysage and I, smiled, and said this.
"I watched you play some last night, well early this morning. I couldn't sleep, and I was still unsure how safe a walk would be by myself, so I climbed the stairs to the porch at the top of the Castle. I'm surprised you didn't see me.
"After watching you both for a while this morning, I smiled to myself, and was quickly crying..."
She was crying as she said this too, but didn't stop talking.
"I realized I had won... I had made it through that nightmare alive. I can still hope now that some day..."
Princess Twilight couldn't finish, but she didn't have to. She and I hugged tightly, and the three of us cried together a while longer.
Maybe half an hour later, Alyssa, then the Fluttershys and Shynas found us and were quickly crying with us. Twilight Sparkle and the Filia Twins arrived next, and were relieved to have found Princess Twilight.
We tried to calm down. We had a lot of work to do today...