//------------------------------// // Chapter 39, Normal, maybe... // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 9 -- Future Perfect // by shysage //------------------------------// This next day was just wierd... We had come back from maybe 35 years into the future, where we helped heal serious fractures among our friends, and also helped liberate Equestria. We could say very little upon our return, and seeing everypony here again; that was a very jolting transition... But today it was like... Everything seemed fine again, I don't know... I woke up with Shysage on one side of me, and my Twin, Equestria Girls Summer Rain, on the other... My two Fluttershy sisters were facing me, already awake and talking quietly together. And, I guess at some point during the night, the Shyna Twins had moved over next to the Fluttershys. How could I not smile! Most everypony else was awake, spread around the Library, Twin with Twin, talking happily. That was a wonderful sound... I realized that it was still probably the middle of Winter. We had only been gone from our present for about a week. I really missed the warmth of Summer that we had left, though. I'm not really fond of cold... Plus, I wanted to fly... I guess I was one of the sleepyheads, and soon after I woke up (and rubbed Shysage's nose briefly with mine), Princess Twilight invited us all to breakfast. Breakfast was nice, and I was hungry. Still, I sighed not seeing the Cake family here doing what they do best... I realized they were doing that, but in their shop. Well, this was our present. I would have to just accept that. After breakfast, we gathered in the Library. Princess asked us to all gather around her. We did that, then we all bowed. Princess surely didn't expect this, and tears came to her eyes as she asked everypony to get up. Still, somepony started what we often say... We are deeply devoted to each other... We are true friends, and committed to true friendship... We are... ...Equestria... And Princess barely managed to say her part... And I am only a Princess with you all at my side. We all took turns hugging our amazing Princess! She just cried the whole time... I don't think she expected any of this, but we really do love our Princess. And everypony hugging her, this took a while. Nopony minded. Most of the ponies that weren't hugging Princess Twilight were hugging somepony else. Princess Twilight said today was another Twin Day, but that dinner was back at the Castle, and the Equestria Girls needed to go back home after that. We all had the whole day together, though. A bunch of us were still hugging, but the Library slowly emptied out, and happy Twins headed off to enjoy their day, as much as possible, since it was cold. I guess us Summers and Shysage were the last ones left. Shysage was a people, helping us Summers get our coats on. I really appreciate that! Princess and her Twin walked over, and Princess said "I think the Canterlot Recorders need to get ready for Volume 5 of Princess Celestia's Commentaries!" Shysage read my mind, pulled my coat off, and I hugged my amazing Princess. I worked hard to not cry... Still, Shysage and I, we weren't really sure where we were with that... ... As we headed down the steps and outside, we all realized it was going to be a warmish day. The Sun was out, and the sky was clear, and there was little wind. A few brave birds were chirping away. It wouldn't be warm, we would still need our coats. But it wouldn't be so unbearably cold that we needed to run from one warm place to the next. Shysage, Twin and I, we all decided to go for a nice, long walk together. We couldn't fly, it was still too cold for that. But we could walk, and stay comfortable with our coats on. Laughing, we told Shysage he was the navigator, and Twin and I talked happily as Shysage led the way. My Twin suggested seeing if the Fluttershys wanted to join us, and our navigator quickly changed course for the Cottage. Fluttershys and Shynas joined us, and off we went together. Well, the six of us walked together, and were following Shysage, who was in front of us. All we had to do was follow him. Us girls talked together the whole time, as Shysage led us aimlessly in the meadows around Ponyville. I don't think we were really wandering aimlessly. Us girls didn't care, but I realized Shysage was walking us on a wide circle around Ponyville. I think he was looking for a strange stand of majestic Redwoods. The day we found them in the future, Shysage said they were maybe 500 years old. Walking most of the way around Ponyville, we saw no trace... Around noon, it was pretty warm. What little breeze there was had died away, and the direct sunlight... Even though it was the middle of Winter, it was, well, warm! Shysage cautioned us it wouldn't last long. But I think we all got the idea at the same time. We weren't far, and Shysage led us to that little hill in the East meadow. We left our coats there on that hill, and we were quickly flying together. We stayed over Ponyville; in case it got cold again, we wanted to be near our coats. Still, it felt amazing to fly. I knew that our group flying, this would not escape the keen eyes of Equestria pony Rainbow Dash. The sky over Ponyville was her domain! The Rainbow Dash Twins quickly joined us. Princess Twilight joined us a little while later, but said she couldn't stay long. Shysage assured her it would be too cold to fly soon, anyway. Still, flying together like that was amazing... Maybe half an hour later, the cool breeze picked up again, and our flying was done. Princess Twilight and the Rainbow Dash Twins headed back to the Castle, and the rest of us headed for that little hill in the meadow. Shysage helped each of us six ladies get our coats on, and by then we needed them! For a little while, we laid on our bellies together on that hill, and looked off across the meadow. After a few minutes, Equestria pony Shyna started crying and said "Fluttershy, please don't leave me again like that..." Fluttershy hugged her new Sis tightly, well, we all did. Shyna worked on calming down. Even so, we decided to not stay there. Instead, we headed to Fluttershy's Cottage for the afternoon. Shysage just followed us as we talked together on the way. Once inside the Cottage, Shysage turned into a people and helped us all get our coats off. Then he worked on the fire some to warm the Cottage up. We talked together, mostly oblivious to what he was doing. Twin time... Family time... Shysage backed off and let me enjoy both... We could have Twin Linked together, all six of us. I didn't want to do that, because it would be so easy to see... I know the Fluttershy Twins had already Twin Linked a bunch. I just couldn't though, so we didn't. I don't know, maybe the passage of time will help with that... Not being able to Twin Link with my Twin even... That seemed harsh... But we did spend a while hugging tightly and weeping softly together. And every one of us could feel quite a bit about everypony else around us right now. Maybe the Twin Link wasn't necessary, I don't know. We were all Fluttershys. As the Sun dipped behind the trees, it suddenly darkened substantially in Fluttershy's Cottage. That was our signal to head back to Princess' Castle. Shysage helped us girls get our coats on, and we were on our way. ... When we arrived at the Castle, Air Coaches were dropping off the Celestia and Luna Twins. The Air Coaches immediately took off again, probably returning to Canterlot. The Princess sisters were staying the night at the Castle, evidently. Cel (Princess Celestia) told us later that Shining Armor requested that Shysage and I spend the night at the Castle with Equestria's Princesses. Shining Armor expected no attacks or anything, especially in the dead of Winter. He just wanted to be cautious. Taking care of Equestria's Princesses, that was his job. As we all walked over to the Celestia and Luna Twins, Principal Celestia asked to speak with me privately. We walked some distance away from everypony else. "Summer, I, uhm... Will my sister and I be allowed back into Equestria? I mean into the future you saw? I think my sister and I really want to know where our home really is..." Principal Celestia asked this, and was crying by the time she finished. I realized this meant a lot to her, and maybe she needed to know, I don't know. Well, I didn't want to erase the future... Everything we worked for... And Shysage and I both felt everypony was so much better off then... Still, I said quietly "Your home is here..." then I hugged her tightly, and we cried together for more than a few minutes. I found myself hoping that the Keeper wouldn't be mad at this. Then I realized that this very discussion... This might be the exact reason why the Principal sisters would come back to Equestria, years down the road from today. Being a part of the future... That whole prospect... Where did the present end, and the future start? I don't know... Principal Celestia and I cried together for a little while. Nothing more was said, and we walked back to the rest, when the cold finally made us shiver! We were all soon in Princess Twilight's warm Castle enjoying a nice dinner together. After dinner, we gathered back in the Library. We all knew what that meant; the Equestria Girls needed to leave, through the Portal, and head home (for them right now anyway) to the Equestria Girls world. It would be early Sunday morning for the Equestria Girls. The Principal sisters (Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna) made it a point of both hugging me tightly before they left. I think knowing where home was -- that was very comforting to them! I was sad to see them go, though... In the future, I knew they would never again need to leave Cel and Lu's side... The Principal sisters went first, followed by Equestria Girls Fluttershy then Shyna... Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie... The Equestria Girls red-heads (Filia and Fiona) went, then Equestria Girls Twilight Sparkle followed to make sure everypony was ok (which made Princess Twilight cry). That left my Twin. About to go through the Portal, my Twin (Equestria Girls Summer) said quietly "Princess, please let Summer come visit for a day maybe. I think she needs some Bleacher Girls time!" My Twin disappeared through the Portal, and I burst into tears. I knew she was right. A one day trip for that sounded like heaven to me... I was a wreck, and Shysage hugged me as I cried. But, I guess everypony else was having the same feelings, and for a while, we all hugged and cried together. I felt so torn in half by the Portal... In the future, that wouldn't... I had to stop doing that... I just cried... As we all calmed down, it wasn't too late, which meant it wasn't too cold. Everypony tried to hug everypony, then Rainbow Dash went to the farm with Applejack. Fiona hugged Rarity for a little while, then Rarity and Pinkie Pie left, Rarity to her Boutique and Sweetie Belle, and Pinkie Pie for the Cake's. Cel stopped Fluttershy and hugged her briefly, as I stood in line. After hugging my sisters, Fluttershy and Shyna headed back to Fluttershy's Cottage. Filia and Fiona disappeared into their room. That left Cel, Lu, Princess Twilight, Shysage and I. We found comfortable spots sort of in a circle facing each other on the thick rug in front of the Portal. We somehow ended up spread around the circle near the center of the much larger picture of Princess' Twilight's Cutie Mark that decorated this rug. Cel didn't waste any time, and she didn't mince words. "Mom, dad, I'll be honest, I was a little put out with you both that you didn't tell us more about your Trip. You mentioned the Keeper, and that was fine, but still... We are the rulers of Equestria. I felt we of all ponies should be told more... "I have since remembered, well Lu helped point this out... The many times you came back to the Past, you were both so careful to avoid doing or even saying anything that might change the future. Well, that works here as well, and I realize that now. "Honestly, I would like to know a lot more about the future. But, like everypony else, even the rulers of Equestria, we need to wait and deal with the future as it becomes our present." Cel sighed. "I guess I should know... I have been doing that for centuries..." Cel and Lu cried together, and we hugged them and cried with them. Just another reason why being Equestria's Princesses wasn't easy. And, honestly, I really wanted to tell Cel more. Quickly surveying what we could say, I started putting some thoughts together... ...and evidently Shysage knew that, and gently put one of his front legs over mine. I knew instantly he wanted me to stop. I would not ignore that. I would not ignore him. It didn't stop there... I have written before I think, that Lu, well Princess Luna, is very sensitive. I think that suits her perfectly for watching over Equestria at night. She needs to be able to feel what cannot be easily seen. Lu must have also sensed the wheels turning in my thoughts... "Mom, no..." Lu said softly. I just cried... But Cel started crying too... "I want so bad..." she started to say softly... Well, making no sense to Shysage nor I, Lu must have sensed something else... "Sister, no..." Lu said softly. Cel stopped and just cried... We all cried together for a while more. We were all soon asleep, there on that rug.