Saturday was one of the most fun days of Harry's life. First off, Spike, despite his age, was an exceptionally good cook. Probably not better than the house elves, but far better than Harry's best meals with the Dursleys. It was delicious, even if Harry did find one ruby in his breakfast.
Lunch as a picnic was splendid. Meeting everypony again took a lot of weight off Harry's shoulders. Plus it gave him a chance to put his unicorn body through the wringer. By the time they had to go their separate ways, Harry had amassed a small collection of superficial scrapes and overtaxed muscles.
After lunch had wrapped itself up, Harry spent more one-on-one time with the group. He helped Fluttershy take care of some animals, though none were as exotic as what Hagrid exhibited in his class. Harry also had a ground race with Rainbow Dash, seeing as she constantly flew and Harry was still new to walking it seemed an even race, though he lost by a wide margin. Finally, he helped Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack set up for some event in the next week at Apple Acres. Surprisingly, chores and tasks with his Equestrian friends were a thousand times more manageable (and fun) than anything in the Dursley household.
Between that and dinner, Twilight had insisted Harry practice his magic. Of course, Twilight was a very good teacher. She taught him how to improve his telekinesis and some basic cantrips for daily life. One of the biggest differences between wizard and unicorn magic was how malleable unicorn magic was. A wizard knew half a dozen spells to float and move an object, and each one did something slightly different. Nearly every unicorn knew the same levitation slash telekinesis spell and could do a dozen things with it. A lot of Equestrian magic was intent-based. Knowing both was a bit odd, nearly opposing in many regards. Structured and predictable versus inventive and malleable.
By the time Harry was tucked into Twilight's spare bed, both his magic and body were tired, but it was a good kind, the kind that came from doing something he loved, like Quidditch. And he couldn't wait to see what tomorrow brought.
"What do you mean my visit to the Crystal Empire was today!?"
Harry was jostled out of his deep slumber by Twilight shouting at the top of her lungs. Groggily he rolled (literally) out of bed, and he opened his bleary eyes to a frazzled Twilight looming over a quivering Spike. Harry winced at the unexpectedly harsh lights.
"Well, when I said your Sunday was clear, we were looking at last week's schedule for this week. Celestia hadn't put you on the welcoming committee until later when we remade this week's schedule in advance," Spike said nervously. Twilight's mane got poofier as she started to breathe heavily. Harry realized something important was going on.
"What's wrong, did I miss something important?" he asked. Twilight noticed he was awake, and her mane miraculously returned to normal.
"Oh, Harry, you're awake. Did I wake you up?" she asked in a much softer tone, to which Harry shook his head.
"No," he lied through his teeth. "What's going on, did I miss something? I heard you shout." Twilight sat on the floor as Harry walked to the main room.
"I forgot something important about today. Celestia has me and the other five on the welcoming committee for the Equestria games inspector. We're supposed to present the Crystal Empire to be a host for the games," Twilight said as Harry sat down next to her. "The only thing is, I totally forgot you were coming here, and I can't send you back until this afternoon at the earliest. I should've rechecked my calendar," she said. Harry gave her a reassuring smile.
"If this committee is that important, then you should go. I'm sure I can find something to do in Ponyville." Harry tried to absolve her worries.
"Twilight, why not just take Harry to the Crystal Empire? I don't think Cadance would mind," Spike said as he pulled out a cookbook. Twilight did a double take.
"Repeat that."
"Just take Harry," Spike repeated. "I don't think he'd mind."
Twilight turned to Harry. "Are you okay with that?" she asked.
"Am I okay with a chance to see the Crystal Empire? Yes! You wrote about it nonstop for a month!" Harry smiled.
Twilight giggled at her friend's elation. She grabbed two sets of bags to start packing for the trip, one for herself, and one for Harry.
"Good, I'd hate to have ruined your day, but we can make do with this. Hey, I can introduce you to Shining Armor and Cadance!" She finished packing the bags, draping one over herself, and giving the other to Harry, who slipped it on himself. "Let's go find the others. I'm sure they're almost packed by now."
"Bet you two bits Rarity over-packed again," Harry said.
"Harry, you don't have bits to bet," she said skeptically.
"I'm joking," Harry said.
"Oh."
"Now come on we don't want to be late."
After finding the other, who had gotten the bright idea of lending Spike their pets for the day, Harry and Twilight rushed to the station.
"Oh, this is gonna be a real treat. Princess Cadance said she'd never seen the Crystal Ponies so excited," Applejack said.
"Duh!" Rainbow Dash said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Of course they're excited. They're up for the Equestria Games. It's only the biggest sporting event in all of Equestria."
"Didn't Cloudsdale host the Equestria Games one year?" Rarity asked.
"No. Cloudsdale should have hosted the games one year. I'll never forget when we got the bad news." Rainbow Dash looked into the air with a blank face, obviously recalling a memory from when she was a filly.
"Does she know we can't see whatever she's seeing?" Harry whispered to Twilight.
"No, but we just go with it whenever somepony does this. Happens more than you think," she replied.
"These Crystal Ponies lost a thousand years to an evil king's curse," Rainbow Dash said.
"Sombra, right?" Harry asked. The mane six shuddered. "Sorry. I'm used to saying the names of evil magicians."
"Don't sweat it. Sombra was a dark part of their history, there's no way we're letting them experience the pain of losing out on these games," Rainbow said with a mid-air loop.
"Exactly," said Twilight. "Princess Cadance is counting on us to do our part to convince the Games Inspector to choose the Crystal Empire. And we are not gonna let her down. Are we?"
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Pinkie Pie dramatically slid across the platform floor. When the other six looked at her questioningly, she looked back cheerily. "What? I was just answering Twilight's question." The whole group couldn't resist a good laugh, it was her specialty.
"Come on Pinkie, don't wear out your voice," Harry said, nudging her towards the train. "You've still got to practice your song and dance."
The whole group got up, piled onto the train, and took off toward the Crystal Empire.
Harry watched from a nearby seat as the girls ran through their preparations for the inspector almost eleven times over.
"Four, three, two, one! The Crystal Empire, that's the one!" The six sang out. They just finished their twelfth run-through and had the song down to a T. Pinkie Pie pulled out a megaphone, despite the fact she didn't pack one.
"Okay, everypony, great job! Sounds like we're ready," she said to cheers and applause.
Harry clapped his hooves together. "You know," he said, "that was the best one yet."
"But we can do better," said Twilight. "Alright ladies, from the top, one more time."
The rest of the group groaned.
"Harry's right, we sounded perfect," said Rarity.
"And we've run this, like, twelve times already. I think we've got it," protested Applejack.
"Cadance said the Games Inspector really puts folks through the wringer on her visits," Twilight countered. "There's no margin for error here. And this time we need to practice the steps."
"In a moving train?" questioned Harry. He moved to the middle aisle. "We're almost there."
"I agree with Harry," said Rarity.
"You heard her, get on your hooves!" said Rainbow Dash. Emboldened by her words, Pinkie and Applejack started at the bottom of a pony pyramid.
"Two, four, six, eight—" The train gave a horrible lurch as the brakes slammed on. The six ponies started to tumble and fall into a lump of entangled limbs.
"Crystal Empire! Watch your step leaving the train!" the conductor announced.
Applejack brushed Pinkie's tail off her face. "Probably should've watched our step while we were still on it, too."
"Hey, where's Harry? Pinkie Pie asked. True to her words, Harry was not in sight.
"Down here," his voice came. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight were piled on top of his prone form. "You know, you three are very heavy, kinda uncomfortable under here." The three climbed off. "Thank Celestia, I can breathe again." He laughed, then winced when his head lazily throbbed. Somepony must have hit his head. Regardless, he stood up and followed the six off the train.
And with that, the seven ponies went to get their first glimpse at the Crystal Empire in a long while.
One glance at the Crystal Empire surpassed all of Twilight's descriptions. Harry's first look at the gemstone city took his breath away, it was simply stunning. Every crystal in the city was gleaming from within. In hindsight, the Crystal Empire was probably worth more than a small country in the human world, but it was simply a natural marvel in Equestria. And the crystal ponies were so glamorous Harry might have mistaken a still one for a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
It took a few moments for Harry to realize he'd almost been left behind in his stupor, and galloped to catch up with his friends.
"This place is incredible Twilight!" Harry couldn't stop the child-like wonder from his voice. The other six forgot this was Harry's first time here.
"Just wait till you see the palace up close," Twilight said "And the Crystal Heart as well. Come one, Cadance is expecting us." The seven rushed off to find Princess Cadance, though Rainbow briefly stopped them to talk to a foal. When they reached the spa where Cadance instructed them to go upon their arrival, Harry skidded to a stop outside the doors.
"Am I allowed to enter?" Harry asked. Was he, a male, allowed to go to a spa? "I'm still new to social taboos and customs. And my 'family' never took me anywhere. Last time was a zoo and then I wasn't fed for a week." The others visibly recoiled from him. It was borderline unbelievable, the stories from Harry's world. "Sorry, did I say something wrong?"
He was quickly dogpiled (Or was it ponypiled?) by his six friends, all squeezing him in a tight hug. He could feel someone, probably Applejack, gently giving his mane a petting. It was... oddly therapeutic.
"I guess it's easy to forget how much you went through. Don't worry, you're fine," Twilight said. She and the others separated from Harry. "Remind me to find you some therapy, ten years of abuse is horrific."
"No- You don't need to-" Harry tried to protest. He didn't need them to worry over him.
"Harry, if Twilight's made up her mind this quick, you ain't getting out of it," Applejack said.
"Can we talk about this later?" Harry asked.
"If that's what you need," said Twilight. "But, before we get back to that, we should maybe check on Cadance. She's probably wondering where we are." She walked up the spa doors. "We're here," she said as she opened the doors. The spa was filled with multiple crystal pony stylists, many of them fretting over one pink alicorn. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the ruler of the Crystal Empire, was quick to notice their entrance.
"There are my girls," Cadance exclaimed, nearly knocking her crown off. While her eyes were immediately drawn to Twilight, it didn't take long to notice Harry. "Who's the new guy? Did one of you finally go on a date?" she asked with a coy smile. Half the group, Harry included, blushed profusely.
"Cadance!" Twilight yelled, embarrassed at her foalsitter. The princess giggled for a solid few seconds.
"Sorry, princess of love here, can't help it," she said through her laughs. "But, my question still remains, who's your friend, Twilight?"
"This is Harry Potter, my friend," said Twilight with a heavy emphasis on the word friend. "We've been penpals for a while now, and decided he should visit for the weekend. Of course, I forgot about the Equestria games." She said sheepishly.
Cadance shook her head in mock disappointment and watched as the ponies looked around at the spa, Rarity looking like she was in paradise.
"Oh, my. This is spectacular. Please, everypony, stand back! I need air!" she said dramatically, looking seconds away from fainting.
After a quick giggle, Cadance composed herself and walked forward to greet the newcomer.
"Greetings Harry Potter, I'm Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, but everypony calls me Cadance. It's a pleasure to meet you." She held her hoof out in greeting.
Harry, meanwhile, was comprehending the fact that he was meeting a third princess of Equestria. Most got to see one once a year if they were lucky. Harry now got to meet all three in a fraction of the time. It didn't hurt that they all held an ethereal sense of beauty. It was almost giving him a headache. It took a moment to realize that Cadance was speaking to him.
"Oh, uh, nice to meet you two. Twilight wrote a lot about her foalsitter." Harry reached his hoof out to mimic her gesture, the pony version of a handshake. But the moment their hooves got close, a spark of light jumped between them, and Harry's imagined headache became very real.
"ARGH!"
Pain bloomed forth from Harry's head, an all-consuming numbness to everything but the agony erupting from his forehead. His hoves tried to grab his head as darkness blackened the edges of his vision. He could faintly hear the others calling his name, while others' voices screamed in terror. The screaming pain in his head reached a violent crescendo as a twisted laugh and a green light flashed in Harry's mind.
Harry fell to the ground like a puppet without strings, lost to the world of the waking.