friendyousohard | 17th Spell: [Video/Action for Ponies] (Forward dated to Saturday morning)

[The gear clicks on in the middle of a room in the Pokemon Center. Someone's clearly using it, since the sheets are rumpled and the monitoring gear seems to have seen recent use, but no one's in the bed at the moment.

There's a splashing sound nearby, muffled by a door. The gear is moving very, very slowly towards that door.]

Mmmmmmffff... huh?

[Someone appears to have just woken up behind said door, as well.]

A-AJ...?

Um... h-hey there, Sugarcube. You sure had one crazy sleep, didn't ya?

I did...? Where am I? What's going on...?

[The gear is about halfway to the door at this point.]

You passed out on us right 'bout the time we got into Celadon. We were all real worried about you.

Passed out...? The comas!

[Twilight's voice suddenly gets much stronger and there's the sound of a sudden splash, as though she's just moving around in a pool of water.]

I had one! I went back home! Well... sort of. You know what I mean, right?

I... think so?

I saw so much... My brother, and Cadence, the Crystal Empire, even Discord, there's so much to... Um, AJ?

Discord? What in tarnation's he doin' back? We sealed him up for good!

I'll explain that in a moment, but first... what were you doing just before I woke up?

... Givin' you a bath.

[The gear has almost reached the door, when suddenly a large yellow foot slams down in front of it. It wobbles and falls to the ground, showing an Alakazam glaring down at a Slowpoke, which was carrying the gear.]

And what do you think you're doing?

[The gear floats up into Starswirl's hand...]

Apologies to any who saw this and wanted to speak to my trainer. She is currently occupied, but will be with you shortly.

[And clicks off.]

A few moments later...

[The gear clicks on to show a wet haired and slightly bedraggled Twilight.]

Ah, hello everyone. It seems I've encountered one of those week-long sleeps that we go into on occasion, and gotten some new memories of home. Honestly, it feels a bit strange to be back here... but I'll adjust soon enough. If anything important has happened in the past week, I'd appreciate it if somepo- someone could let me know.

... Also, if anyone has any ideas as to how to curb the tendencies of some Pokemon to abscond with peoples' gear and pull, or try to pull, obnoxious pranks on their trainers and others, I'd love to hear them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I have four Ghost-types, so it would explain why they all know it by now.

Well, at least that. It would be pretty hard to re-learn how to walk on two legs, I imagine. Did, uh, anything especially significant happen to you this past year? [It's so weird to talk like he hasn't seen his friend in a year when he saw her just a bit ago.]

My brother got married to my childhood foalsitter, who also happens to be a Princess, which she never told me about when I was a foal, and I participated in saving an ancient empire from the shadow of its abusive former ruler, among many other things.

Wait, what?

[Well... active year, then.]

Uh, congratulations to your brother, but... what was that about an empire and its ruler?

This is a bit of a long story, so I advise you get comfortable if you aren't already.

[She clears her throat.] Over a thousand years ago, to the north of Equestria, a realm called the Crystal Empire flourished. It was inhabited by Crystal Ponies, who are exactly what the name implies.

However, tragedy struck the empire when a unicorn named Sombra became their King. He used dark magic to enslave the Crystal Ponies and transform the Empire into a nightmarish, horrible place. He hid the only weapon that could have protected them from him, a device called the Crystal Heart, and ruled unopposed until Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were forced to invade from Equestria and depose him. However, as he was defeated he called on his powers and cursed the Empire, sealing it away from outside forces and, to the best I can determine, trapping the Empire and its inhabitants in suspended animation. That was all more than a thousand years ago.

Not long after the wedding, his curse started to fade. Shining and Cadence were sent to the Empire as soon as it began to reappear to establish connections, but it was quickly discovered that King Sombra, transformed into some sort of horrific shadow-being, had returned as well and was attempting to re-enslave the Empire. Cadence used her magic to force him out, but it wouldn't last forever without the Crystal Heart to empower the Empire's defenses.

That's where me and the girls came in. We were sent by Celestia to determine where the Heart was and how to power it before Cadence's magic failed.

17th Spell: [Video/Action for Ponies] (Forward dated to Saturday morning)

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