Darkness was all that was around Scarlett. No noise, no light, nothing to signify that she was even alive. She felt as if she had been asleep for such a long time, longer than she had ever slept.
And then there was light. So bright, it burned her eyes. Surely she must be dead, since no one talked about a light that bright besides the one you supposedly saw when you died. But then it began to dim down and she heard the voice of her mother moaning. When she could finally see without blinding light blocking her vision, she noticed that she was in the Crystal Empire. She looked to her side and saw Sparkle laying on the ground next to her, seeming to just be waking up.
"Mama, what happened?"
"I-I don't know...are we in the Crystal Empire?" Sparkle got to her hooves and put a hoof to her head to try and stop the spinning. Everything looked the same, yet something felt different. Both Sparkle and Scarlett turned to the castle and were astonished to see it completely intact. That's when she noticed Scarlett's leg. It was still cut and bleeding. "Come on darling, we need to get you to the clinic."
The clinic was empty except for an old looking unicorn who also looked like he had just woken up.
"Hello Doctor. My daughter has a cut on her leg that needs to be treat."
"Well everypony has injuries these days and the King isn't so kind to give me very many resources, but I can see what I can do for her." He led them back into a dusty room and helped her onto a bed. He examined Scarlett's leg then went over to the cabinet to grab some disinfectant and bandages. "This might sting little filly." He cleaned the cut and wrapped it up, all the while Scarlett held back her whimpers. He patted her on the head when he was done. "Now that's a strong girl."
Scarlett got off the table and followed Sparkle to the front.
"I don't have anything to give you...." Sparkle started, but the doctor held his hoof up.
"Now don't you worry about it. It's a real shame bringing children into something as dangerous as mining." The doctor sighed, ushering them out of the clinic. "What I am worried about, though, is what in the hay just happened. I was just cleaning some old beakers when suddenly it went dark! Then here I am, waking up on the floor!"
"That's weird, since the same thing happened to us just before we got here!" Sparkle exclaimed. Scarlett nodded her head in agreement. That's why she felt so groggy and why she thought the light was so bright. Why did she and her mother and the doctor apparently fall asleep so suddenly? The concerned voices of other ponies began to fill the air, some complaining about the light and others questioning why they fell asleep. Then, another question began popping up.
"What happened with the Sister Princess' and King Sombra?" All eyes were on the castle. It looked like there hadn't been a battle at all.
"What's that in the sky!?" Some ponies began to cower in fear, thinking it was King Sombra, but the ones who were brave enough, or perhaps just curious, to continue looking into the sky. It looked like three pegasi were heading down for the main courtyard in front of the castle. Sparkle and Scarlett were among the ones brave enough to follow them to the courtyard.
When they arrived, though, they were very surprised to find that instead of three pegasi, it was the Sister Princess' and another alicorn they had never seen before. Everyone was still scared and said not a word as they looked over them.
"Why do you all cower? Seeing us instead of your cruel ruler should be a great sign." Said Celestia. The way she spoke was weird and different from what some of the ponies remembered. Still, no one said a word, some even raced off when King Sombra was mentioned.
"We bring you some good news! Does thou not want to hear it?" Said Luna. She talked liked they remembered.
"But first, I should tell you that the Crystal Empire has been....missing for 1000 years. We don't know what happened, but King Sombra was defeated and then the entire Crystal Empire just vanished." Some ponies shouted and thought that the claims were lies, yet others were silent and seemed to be thinking. Maybe it was true, everypony did just randomly fall asleep. The princess' kept talking.
"It may take sometime to adjust to the fact that the Crystal Empire was gone for 1000 years, but it's back now and you will no longer have to fear King Sombra, for he is gone." Celestia opened her left wing, gesturing to the pink alicorn on her left. She looked kind and had a cutiemark in the shape of the Crystal Heart, a prized possession of the crystal ponies, but King Sombra had taken it when he came into power and hid it away, sapping most of the crystal ponies strength and spirit.
"This is Princess Cadance, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire, is here now to take over the duties as the Crystal Empire's princess." The ponies didn't rejoice as the princess' expected, but instead seemed to hear something. Over the howling of the wind that surrounded the wintery mountains around the Crystal Empire, a low rumble could be heard.
"Look! It's King Sombra!" Somepony shouted out. Panic began to spread and ponies began running in all directions. Celestia and Luna opened their wings, but Cadence was the first to react. Cast a spell, a huge bubble appeared and surrounded the entire Crystal Empire. Outside, in the winter winds, a shadow darted towards the empire. It was indeed King Sombra, but he seemed to be a shadow with no real form.
That's when the ordeal with King Sombra and The Elements of Harmony came about and Scarlett Twinkle's world was flipped.