The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 12 -- Sweep of Time

by shysage

Chapter 10, Born to Do

I woke up the next morning, early, and I think Shysage woke up at the same time. Cel was still between us, but she was awake, and her head was up. She was crying very softly.

"Cel, we both love you a lot" Shysage said quietly.

"I thought I was done... I honestly thought... I saw absolutely no way you could possibly... I... How could..." Cel got this much out, and could say no more. I turned into a people right away, and was quickly hugging her tightly. We cried together softly for a few minutes.

"Cel, can I brush your mane?" I asked quietly. Cel got quickly up, and used her magic to just as quickly bring her hair brush over to me, then she set her crown on the bed. Still a people, I sat on the edge of her bed, and did what I have done so many times... I don't know, brushing each other's hair has just become such a simple act of cherishing in our family. Cel cried quietly the whole time. I had to work hard to just cry quietly... I knew Cel had maybe 980 years before she would get her sister (Princess Luna) back... And for most of those years Dark Melvain would make her life miserable... I cried for Cel... If she only knew...

Well, we were here right now, and Cel needed us. The future needed us here right now too. I sighed and tried to calm down. We were here to help Cel any way we could, such a privilege...

I think Shysage and I both, we were in overdrive asking true friend for help, for wisdom... Still, Shysage asked "Cel, do you have any thoughts about tonight?"

Cel just sighed. "Well, there are a few things, and I think --"

There was a knock at the door, and Cel quickly asked Mildred to come in. Mildred was still Cel's assistant, and looked the same as she did maybe 19 years ago when we were here last. Shysage and I knew that she had used the Portal, and so wouldn't age, and wasn't aging. We couldn't tell Cel that. Mildred gasped of course when she saw us. Still, the master of details got to the point. "Princess, I'm sorry... The Audience Hall is already packed, and there is a long line... I think you need to come attend to..." Mildred couldn't continue, and just cried.

Crying herself, Cel said "We will be out shortly." Mildred excused herself and went back out. After thinking briefly, Cel said quietly "I think I want you both with me this morning. When it comes up, we need to explain carefully that you are family from far away. But I want you both nearby."

Shysage answered before I could. "For you, Cel, anything." Cel smiled, walked over, and hugged Shysage tightly for a few minutes. "I mean that, Cel" Shysage said quietly.

"I know dad, you are both..." We all hugged together, and cried softly for a few minutes. Then Cel walked over to her mirror, using her magic to pick her crown up on the way. After making sure everything looked like a Princess should, she led us to the door. We were soon standing at the top of the stairs on the Princess platform in the Audience Hall. The hall was packed, and we could see the line extending out the wide doors at the front of the hall, out into the meadow. Shysage and I sat together, to Cel's left, as she tended to Equestria... for... hours...

From comments we heard... The guards were now actively directing all ponies back to the Audience Hall, to the Appointed One. But many of the groups of ponies that stood in line that day didn't even bother with the guards; these just wanted the opportunity to thank Princess Celestia for her leadership, and to pledge their support for Equestria's Princess. Cel hugged everypony. Still, a leader who truly and deeply cared for those she was responsible for... Evidently the ponies of Equestria cared for their Princess as well.

Early in the afternoon, Mildred came up to Cel on the Princess platform, and asked for everypony to be patient, but Princess Celestia needed a break. Then Mildred stood there, while Cel led us to the dining area for some food. Cel clearly did need a break, but fully intended to go back out after lunch. And she wanted us with her the rest of the day. We would do what Equestria's Princess asked. Lunch was good, and Shysage ate a lot. I think he needed it.

The afternoon was more of what happened eariler. A few Princess decisions needed to be made, but most just wanted to voice their support for Cel. And when she could, Cel said quietly to Shysage and I that many of these ponies were not even from Canterlot, they were from other cities scattered around Equestria. These ponies would have had to run all night to get here so quickly. Princess Celestia was amazed... And the line extending out into the meadow from the Audience Hall, it never ended. In fact, it looked to Shysage and I that the meadow was full of ponies. Whatever happened tonight, I guess the ponies of Equestria might want to speak their mind.

At dusk, the Guard Captain walked in the main Audience Hall doors, followed by a group of about ten other ponies. Some were part of the guard force, but others were clearly not. The ponies of Equestria noted this, and the line leading up to Princess Celestia immediately evaporated, and everypony that could, crowded into the Audience Hall, leaving only the bright red rug, that led from the large, fully open Audience Hall doors, directly through the hall, and up the stairs to Princess Celestia; only that rug was clear. The Audience Hall was otherwise packed. The Guard Captain and his group stood together near the rug, near the back of the hall.

Equestria's ponies didn't wait.

"Long live Princess Celestia of Equestria"

As Princess Celestia cried, Equestria's ponies, from all over Equestria, spoke their mind about their beloved Princess. It was deafening. And this went on for over half an hour. Cel didn't know how to stop it, and she probably didn't want to. She loved them all.

Well, it had to stop so we could deal with this madness. And I knew how to do that. Shysage and I, we were still to Princess Celestia's left, and Shysage was towards the crowd. I didn't wait or even leave and come back. Still the markless blue pony, I threw myself back, changed into a people and quickly spun up my Cutie Mark. It happened so fast, and I walked quickly up and stood on Cel's right, but some distance behind her, out of respect. It was instantly quiet in the Audience hall, and was soon quiet outside as well. That was all I wanted to accomplish. I unspun my Cutie Mark; my Unicorn horn and wings disappeared, as did the low rumble, but I stood right there, as a people in my amazing Equestria Girls clothing.

I was trying to decide what to do next. Cel already knew what to do.

"Guard Captain" the Princess of Equestria called out. This wasn't anger, but Cel spoke with the authority she had been born for. And Cel was talking loud enough so that everypony in the hall could hear her. The Guard Captain walked quickly forward, followed by some other guards, and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. The other guards bowed to their princess, but the Captain did not.

Cel wasted no time. "Captain, what does section 12.1.1 of the Equestria Governing Code say?"

The Guard Captain hung his head, and finally... bowed...

Cel added "Please answer loud enough so that everyone can hear you." There was again no anger, just... authority...

After a minute, still bowing, he said slowly, but loudly "ECG 12.1.1--The guard force exists to aid and assist the two Appointed Ones as they carry out their leadership role over Equestria."

There was silence here briefly then Princess Celestia asked, again loud enough for everypony to hear. "Captain, what does section 29.2.1 of the EGC say?"

The bowing Guard Captain said slowly, but loudly, as if reading from a book... "ECG 29.2.1--There shall no change be made to the government of Equestria, except by unanimous consent of the two Appointed Ones, and all other living Princesses."

"Captain, in your opinion, how shall we view anypony who tries to accomplish what section 29.2.1 forbids?"

It was quiet briefly. The Guard Captain hung his head again, then said quietly "Traitors..."

It was quiet a minute or two. Cel next addressed the Guard Captain. She really didn't need for everypony in the Audience Hall to hear this part, not that it mattered. She just spoke with the Guard Captain. "Captain, you have served me faithfully for over twenty years. I am having a hard time even understanding your role in something that clearly goes against the EGC you swore to obey..." Princess Celestia's voice trailed off, and for the next minute she was deep in thought.

The Guard Captain answered quietly. "Princess, I... I can only apologize. I guess... I just stopped believing... I stopped believing in Equestria, in you, our Appointed One... I can clearly see what happened. But I realize there is just no excuse for my actions."

Cel took a minute or two more to think this through. Then she answered, also quietly. "Captain, with your actions, you have implicated the entire guard force. I could simply replace you, but those under you likewise took part in... insurrection..." Cel stopped here, either deep in thought, wanting to let the this sink in, maybe both. Then she continued. "...But I honestly think that, out of everypony in Equestria, you are probably the most uniquely qualified right now to implement whatever changes need to be made to the oversight and management of the guard force, to make sure that something like this never happens again. I absolutely need to be able to rely on the support of Equestria's guards, no matter what. I think you can take steps necessary to ensure that, to make sure what happened this last week will never happen again."

I think the Guard Captain was amazed that he even was able to keep his position. But, I think Princess Celestia just knew how to handle this. The Guard Captain, still bowing, said quietly "Thank you, Princess, I will make sure that happens." He stayed bowing however.

After a minute's silence, Cel said quietly, Guard Captain, you may arise, and you are dismissed. And with that, the Captain and seven or so other guards, were quickly up, and walked down the red rug, and were quickly out the Audience Hall doors, and out of sight.

"Long live Princess Celestia of Equestria" As many ponies as there were out in the meadow in front of the Audience Hall, this was repeated thunderously, and continued for a few minutes.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute..." This voice yelled loudly in the Audience Hall, and it was immediately quiet. After less than a minute, the ponies in the meadow outside were quiet too. A younger Unicorn stallion stepped alone out onto the red rug. Well, his two other friends stepped out onto the rug too, but did this only to walk out of the Audience Hall; they were quickly gone. The stallion that had yelled remained. He didn't walk forward to Princess Celestia, but walked to the center of the rug near the back doors of the Audience Hall, where he was, and appeared to be about to address the ponies gathered. Everypony else in the Audience Hall turned to look and see who was talking. The displeasure of the audience grew quickly and loudly.

"Aww, come on, hear me out..." he yelled again. Well, Equestria's ponies were all about fairness I guess, so he would get his chance. It quieted back down in the Audience Hall.

"Listen... Princess Celestia has been a great leader for many years. It's just that she is not the only... There are a lot of other talented, intelligent, capable ponies in Equestria. I really think that we could all rule Equestria together, you know, as equals. And we could come up with a fair way to change who rules, so that everypony that is qualified would get their chance--"

He kept talking, but he sounded a lot like the angry Unicorn stallion that had kicked Shysage across the Library, the same one that was with Princess Celestia in our present as we were thrown into the dungeon of forgetting. He could not have been the same stallion almost a thousand years in the past, but he sure acted like it. It was hard to listen, his whole attitude made that difficult. And he was completely ignoring Equestria's Princess, the Appointed One. I worked on controlling my anger...

This stallion was still talking... "--so I am thinking we give some sort of representative government at try, and let's just see how we do. How does that sound?"

It was dead quiet in the Audience Hall for a minute maybe. Then a clearly older Unicorn stallion walked out of the crowd of ponies in the Audience Hall, down the red rug, and straight up to the younger stallion and was facing him. This older stallion said nothing for a minute maybe, as he looked the younger stallion over. Then he said loudly, yet without any anger "Well, sir, when you are as old as our Princess, come talk to us."

The ponies in the Audience Hall laughed quickly in agreement, then turned around to again face their Princess. The younger Unicorn stallion said quickly to the older Unicorn "Aww, pops, are you starting to forget things? Is she the only--"

"SILENCE!!!"

I yelled this, suprising even myself. I... I was angry on so many levels... I walked down the stairs, and up to the younger stallion, then stopped maybe twenty feet from him. Just so he listened, I spun up my Cutie Mark again, and spread my wings. Then I may have glared at him for a little while. And when I did speak, I spoke pretty loud. It hurt, but I felt it was necessary. I wanted everypony to hear this...

"Sir, were you responsible for the presence of the Appointed Ones in Equestria's founding, hundreds of years ago now? If not, then what right do you think you have to even suggest any sort of change?"

I paused briefly, but didn't really want him to reply. I kept going.

"Leading Equestria is not like playing some game. Equestria's ponies need to be cared for, loved, and protected, not ordered here or there with an iron, uncaring fist. Which of these two do you think some representative government would do?"

While I said this next, I took a big chance... Maybe I am just getting better at knowing the limits of my Alicorn magic. It seems more likely to me that Equestria helped me out, and kept anypony from getting hurt... Laying my right hand out flat, I motioned a flat shield, then quickly directed my left arm to form a good sized boulder. The boulder rested on the shield. Well, this Unicorn stallion turned white as a ghost. And thankfully, I didn't hurt anypony. But while I formed that boulder, I asked this.

"The next time some magical maniac walks into Equestria and kills ponies with his magic, and wants to take Equestria over, what good will that representative government do anyway, besides quickly collapsing? Are you brave and strong enough to step out these doors and confront magical demons to protect Equestria's ponies? Your Princess would do that in a heart-beat." Of course, I winced after I said this. Cel would have to do exactly this, alone, on a number of occasions, until she got her sister back...

Well, that younger Unicorn evidently couldn't speak any more. It didn't matter, I was not quite done. Without turning away from him, and as loud as I could, I yelled...

"Canterlot Recorder" I had no idea if such a position even existed yet. Still, I was talking to Shysage, of course. He wasn't surprised.

"Shila the Beautiful" he yelled back. I just smiled.

Still, I yelled this as loud as I could.

"Cause it to be written in stone...
Princess Celestia... Princess Luna...
The Appointed Ones...
...Are EQUESTRIA !!!"

The response from the ponies of Equestria was loud and immediate.

"Long live Princess Celestia of Equestria"

Yelling, stomping... I don't know what happened to that young Unicorn. He was quickly gone.

So there I stood, balancing this big boulder on my shield. I honestly didn't know what to do with it... Before I could think very much, the boulder lifted up off the shield... Princess Celestia had walked up next to me. Smiling, she said quietly "Thanks mom." I relaxed my right hand, and Cel carefully lowered the boulder onto the floor with her magic. I unspun my Cutie Mark.

The crowd immediately reformed around Cel as she walked the rest of the way down the red rug, out the Audience Hall doors, and into the throng of Equestria's ponies in the meadow, most from all over Equestria. Trying not to cry, she did the same thing she did the night before; she shepherded, she loved, she cared for and about Equestria's ponies, until well after midnight. The moon was high and mostly full, and lit the meadow softly.

As inconspicuously as I could, I changed back into the markless blue pony, and Shysage and I walked out the doors, and over to the corner of the Audience Hall. We sat down and waited while Cel did for hours what she was born to do. I guess that was all that mattered.

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