The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 2 -- Homecoming

by shysage

Chapter 12, The First Week

First Day

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The next day, which was the first day of the rebuilding of Ponyville, a few very important tasks took place. But this was all AFTER the 'Twins Ceremony' that Princess Twilight indicated they would do every morning.

Princess Twilight's 'inner circle', the six sets of Twins, gathered 'first thing' in a circle at Town Square, and repeated together, the same words as yesterday.

Princess Twilight had all the girls stay in their pony form, and they simply sat in a circle, and said this together.

"We are deeply devoted to each other..."

"We are true friends, and committed to true friendship..."

"We are... ...Equestria..."

Then Princess Twilight added this part as a reminder for herself.

"And I am only a Princess with you all at my side."

This would be the final form of their words together at the start of every day. This Twins Ceremony always happened. Period.

Summer just stood next to Shysage, but that was ok. Summer had no 'Element of Harmony' and so was not a part of this special circle, but that was fine with Summer. She dearly loved them all anyway.

---

The day would hold two official tasks. The first would be the fixing up and 'weathering in' of the Library, so Princess Twilight could move back in. Everypony started in on that after their morning ceremony.

Still, at noon, Shysage and Summer would be married by Princess Twilight. Shysage made sure that Summer didn't know about this, even though everypony else did.

Well 'everypony else' was just Dawn, Camille, and the six Twins. Ponyville was still empty.

At about noon, Princess Twilight walked back over to Town Square, and that was the signal, and everypony else gathered there. Summer was there too, and still had no clue what was going on.

Summer was quickly a crying wreck. The ceremony was simple and fairly brief. There were no rings either. Still, both recited the vows. Nopony had any question that these two would follow each other beyond the ends of Equestria if necessary. They already had.

When the ceremony was over, the Rainbow Twins had a surprise of their own, and quickly did a double reverse Sonic Rainboom, centered right above where 'Summer's Tree' used to be.

Princess Twilight tried to stop them, because she didn't want Phantasma coming just yet, but it was too late, the Rainboom echoed loudly, and spread rapidly, radially outward, and had quickly traveled to the edges of Equestria.

Evidently Phantasma just ignored it, probably because it contained no hint of magic. It would still be some time before she moved.

However, the rest of Equestria knew in their VERY SOUL, immediately and exactly what this meant; Princess Twilight and her girls were back in action, probably back at 'home' in Ponyville. And Eschate Zumulus was probably dead.

After being married, Shysage and Summer were hugging, and crying together for a while. When they stopped, they noticed everypony else had already left; they had simply gone back to work since there was so much to do.

Princess Twilight and her Twin were back in their warm Library by the end of the day. It only seemed fitting that the first building repaired in Ponyville was the one their Princess lived in. They all loved their Princess.

---

That first day held one other task.

Princess Twilight insisted that Shysage again start recording what was going on in the realm, starting with the events of the past maybe five days, that saw Princess Twilight's circle restored, and the realm re-born. Summer would be his assistant.

And Princess specifically said this: "Record everything."

Summer knew that meant the good as well as the bad, but that was Shysage's job as a Canterlot Recorder.

After being married, and hugging a while, Shysage and Summer carefully crawled through the wreckage of Shysage's home next to Dawns.

Shysage amazingly found his 'clip' thing, and some nice quills, along with a substantial supply of paper, buried under the cover of his 'scope'. This cover evidently protected these items through maybe 33 years of weather. Sadly, the 'scope' was a rusted, corroded hulk.

The Rainbows flew over the meadows, and rustled up some red berries, and Shysage quickly made some ink, and they were ready to begin.

That night would find Summer and Shysage sitting in the Library with all six Equestria Girls (and their Twins who just listened), as they told their story from their night at the Class Reunion, and what happened after.

Everypony was utterly amazed and deeply awed at the simple beauty of the process of these six ladies, with 'Equestria in their Hearts', finding each other, and ultimately, finding Equestria again.

Everypony was crying at the end of the session.

And at the end of the evening, Shysage had Chapter 1 complete.

The Twilight Twins and the Applejack Twins and the Fluttershy Twins stayed at the Library that night. The rest stayed at Dawns.

---

The second day started with the Twin's Ceremony. That meeting was a given, and happened every morning, starting whenever all 12 were finally to Town Square.

No further mention will be made about this, Princess Twilight simply insisted that it happen every morning.

After some discussion, it was decided that Fluttershy's Cottage would be their next project, and that the Fluttershys and the Pinkies would stay there for now.

The main reason for this was that Fluttershy wanted her cats back; she didn't like leaving them alone, or being away from them. Everypony understood, and by the end of the day, the Pinkies and the Fluttershys, along with three huge Panthers, were comfortable in Fluttershy's Cottage.

Well the cats stayed outside mostly, but they were always close.

Nopony worried about the Fluttershy's safety, only a fool would even try anything...

---

Something else amazing happened that afternoon. Six very tired train stallions arrived wheezing and gasping at the Train Station with maybe twenty more ponies.

Dawn and her foal were waiting for them, and Dawn's Helping Hands was full of visitors that night. This was Dawn's calling, and she and Camille were so happy to be helping again.

Summer and Shysage stayed with the Fluttershys from this point on for a while, and Rainbows and Raritys moved to the Library with the Applejacks and the Twilights.

This first group of new ponies included three very special ponies, the Cakes, actually grand-children of the Cakes that Summer knew. They could still make amazing goodies.

It was a no-brainer that the Cake's Shop would be next for repair, and the Pinkies would get their up stairs room back.

---

Even so, the new ponies threw heart and soul into helping with the rebuilding effort, and this made everything go faster. Some had brought a few tools as well, and this was a big help.

At this point, since new material was still scarce, they all just pulled wood and such from already collapsed buildings to fix those building that were salvagable.

As the rebuilding progressed, collapsed buildings slowly disappeared, gutted for whatever material they could supply, as the rest of the town looked better each passing day.

---

That second day, Shysage and Summer completed chapter 2, which recounted the difficult melt-down that happened in Ponyville and Equestria after Summer disappeared.

Summer and Shysage cried a lot as they put this together. Summer missed all this, but Shysage lived this nightmare.

---

Third Day

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After the Twins Ceremony, everypony worked hard at fixing up the Cakes' shop. The building had weathered 35 years amazingly well, and it didn't need much structural work. The roof was still in good shape, and that had probably spared the rest of the building from the scars of time.

In the afternoon, the train stallions pulled in, wheezing and gasping a little less, with another load of new ponies. Dawns was packed but they did the best they could.

A bunch of the new ponies decided to rebuild Shysage's house as extra room for Dawns.

Shysage agreed to this, but also asked that he and Summer be allowed to move back in there at some point. That was fine with everypony.

It would take two days to rebuild his collapsed house, but having overflow would help Dawn a lot.

This group of ponies also included a very important pony -- a Paint Smith. All the buildings in Ponyville desparately needed a new coat of paint. This pony knew how to make paint out of naturally occurring plants and such. Two other ponies volunteered to help him, and before long the three of them had a few large vats of different colored paints.

Some other pony knew how to make very good buckets out of bark, and brushes too, and before long, Ponyville was looking very nice.

At the end of the day, Pinkie was back at 'home' above the Cakes. The Cakes indicated it would be a few days before some goodies were available, but everypony was fine with that.

That night also found Summer and Shysage completing Chapter 3, which covered Summer's first experiences thirty seven years into the future. Arriving at a deserted Ponyville was very difficult for Summer.

---

Fourth Day

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Rarity's was next, and took shape rapidly. All of Rarity's basic resources had survived intact, since her roof also held up.

Both Raritys used their magic to first make new 'Shield Necklaces' for Summer, Shysage and the six Twins.

TF
MPOF

Everypony put them on immediately when they received them, and then cried...

Well, Summer have hers to Dawn, and she just cried too...

Then Shysage gave his to Summer.

Even so, a number of the townsponies asked for some too, but they would have to wait.

The Rainbows moved in with the Raritys, and stayed for a while too.

Another load of new ponies arrived in the afternoon, and other new buildings began to spring up or be repaired in Ponyville.

---

That night, Summer and Shysage finished Chapter 4, the day Summer found Shysage, and became his Mare.

Shysage asked if they could not include his idiot move at the start, but Summer reminded him that he needed to record exactly what happened. Shysage still felt bad about it though.

Summer was re-united with her sister Fluttershy at the end of that day too.

It was a good day.

---

Fifth Day

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This day was devoted to Sweet Apple Acres.

Princess Twilight was now acting mayor, and specifically asked that all other building projects cease while the farm house, barn and near-by fences were rebuilt.

The farm supplied a lot of the raw materials used for making food and goodies, and so occupied an important part in their food supply.

Even so, at the end of the day, the farm house looked great, and the barn was back in good shape.

The Applejacks would take care of the rest.

The new load of ponies from the train that day included a 'sweet' surprise for Applejack.

Apple Bloom's grand-daughter and her family, five all together, tearfully ran up to Applejack, and after crying with their grand-mother's legend sister, were invited to move in on the spot. They did.

Still there were two Applejacks now, and they had trouble telling them apart.

Everypony knew though, that with seven of the Apple family at the farm, good food couldn't be far behind.

Equestria Girls Applejack actually found an old recipe book hidden in a corner cupboard in the kitchen, that managed to survive 35 years. The Apples had a bunch of good recipes to start with.

---

Princess Twilight had somepony repaint the 'Dawn's Helping Hands' sign on Dawn's shop. It looked very nice.

Next, Princess Twilight also had somepony make a new sign to post at the Train Station. This sign noted:

-- Phantasma is still in Canterlot, STAY AWAY

-- Head to Dawn's Helping Hands if you need a place to stay

-- Be nice to each other or leave

---

No further mention will be made of the work of the Canterlot Recorder. Whether the past or the present, they were both busy.

---

Days 6, 7

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More ponies kept coming, and not just on the train. Ponyville was growing rapidly.

A bunch of new ponies helped expand Dawn's Helping Hands, and so by the end of the sixth day, Shysage's house was empty, cleaned and ready for Shysage and Summer to move in on the seventh day.

---

On the sixth day, Princess Twilight called all the Twins to the library for the morning.

Summer and Shysage were asked to come too.

They read a few chapters out of Volume One of Princess Celestia's commentaries, and then talked together about each chapter.

Princess Twilight explained that her goal was to keep the past vividly in the present, so as to avoid previous mistakes.

This leisurely process took all morning, and was an amazing time.

After that, Princess asked the Twins to simply spend time together in the fields, and just take a break.

Everypony had been working hard, they deserved a little relaxation.

The work of rebuilding Ponyville continued around them, but the next two days would be dedicated to relaxing and remembering, for Princess Twilight and her circle. This evidently now included Summer and Shysage, and neither minded.

Well Shysage had to come to record stuff, and Summer wanted to come. It was fine.

The seventh day was supposed to be a calm day too, but everypony took time to help Shysage and Summer move their writing stuff from Fluttershys back into Shysage's house. It didn't take long.

Summer wasn't sure what to do with 'her room', she had no intention of leaving Shysage's side at night any more.

Shysage just made it 'their room' and that was that.

In the late afternoon of that seventh day, Princess Twilight helped Summer find a new 'Summer's Tree', and they all gathered there, and just sat quietly for a while.

They were all soon in a circle, hugging tightly and crying softly.

A little later, Summer's sister started the Numbers game with Summer, and they all played that together until the Sun set.

It had been a good day.

It had been a good week, Ponyville was coming back to life.

Still no Phantasma yet, this was very good.

---

That night, for the first time in a week, Shysage and his Mare spent the evening and night together in their own house, and by themselves. They slept in 'their room'.

Shysage lay on his side, and then asked Summer to climb in under his front legs, with her back and wings up against his chest, and her head below his. Then he reached his leg around her and pulled her close.

This was 'solace' for Summer, and she really appreciated it.

She so loved her Stallion.

They slept that way that night.