Oh, ponyfeathers.
This was the actual games inspector. But, then, who were Twilight and the others with? And worse yet, she was in a terrible mood! No welcoming committee, a bad hair day, and Cadance was still being prepared! At this rate, the Crystal Empire would lose their pick for the Equestria Games!
"You seem put off," she remarked. Harry internally panicked.
"No- not at all," Harry stammered. "Just, had a hard day is all."
"You too?"
"I had an argument recently. She's had a lot on her plate recently, I don't want her to worry over me."
"Sounds like a family problem."
"Friend, actually, but she might as well be, she's helped me through a lot."
"She preparing this place for the games?"
"Yes, but I think I'm getting in the way," Harry said. "I'm... not from around here, and I don't have a lot of friends back home, no real family either. Sometimes the isolation gets to me, so she let me visit for the weekend and cleared her schedule to make time.
"But preparing for the games was too important for me to hold her back. I know I worry her a lot, so I wanted to help where I could, but it hasn't worked out so far. She's trying to juggle her responsibilities and me, but she's doing her best."
As strange as it was, just talking about his problems was lifting his heavy heart. Maybe Hogwarts should get a counselor or an on-site therapist. Now that Harry thought about it, trauma and emotions were things both the magical and non-magical communities struggled with.
"Let me tell you, in my line of work, you see a lot of ponies crack under pressure. This friend of yours sounds like she's doing her best, even if the supposed 'welcome committee' isn't," Ms. Harshwhinny commented. "Now, where is that spa; I need to relax."
Harry led Ms. Harshwhinny around the next corner, and the spa was now in full sight. He led her up to the front doors before turning to address her.
"Here we are. I'd like to apologize for your time here."
"You weren't involved. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to attend to something."
She grabbed her bag from Harry and entered the spa. Harry took a glance inside. He could see Rarity next to a screen door, a familiar silhouette behind it. That must have been Cadance, the inspector couldn't see her! If he could find Twilight, maybe they could salvage this! But where—
"Oh gosh, a spa! Haven't been to one of these in a while!" said a mare's voice with a heavy country accent. Harry turned to see a tan-yellow earth pony with green hair and a beat-up bag with flower prints.
"Were you going in?" Harry asked, holding the door open.
"Thanks. You folks here at the Crystal Empire are so nice!" She said as she walked past Harry. Suddenly, a small piece of memory flashed through his head.
"Everypony, just be on the lookout for the pony with the flower print luggage."
Wait! If Ms. Harshwhinny was here, Twilight and the gang didn't welcome her, and this pony fit their only description of the inspector. They might have mixed the two up!
"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to have met a purple unicorn, would you?" Harry asked. The earth pony paused to think.
"Why, yes I did. Such a nice girl, and her friends as well. Gave me the best gosh-darn welcome I've ever had. Turns out they thought I was some fancy-schmancy inspector or something. Took off towards the station in a flash," she explained. Harry's eyes widened in response.
"They did!? Thanks!" Harry turned and ran as fast as he could towards the station.
If he could tell the gang, they might be able to save the Empire's chance at recovering their chance to host the games! He ran as fast as he could, looking left and right for the gang.
"Hey, it's Harry!" Came a shout from Rainbow Dash. Harry planted his hooves, skidding to an abrupt start. The gang was running at him from the right, moving from a gallop to a trot.
"Harry, we messed up bad!" said Applejack. "We gave our big song and dance—"
"To the wrong pony, I know," Harry said. "I just saw her go to the spa."
"Harry, did you see Ms. Harshwhinny?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, I saw—"
"Where!?" Rainbow Dash grabbed Harry by the face, staring down with an intense glare. "We need to find her before she sinks the Crystal Empire's chances!"
"She's at the spa!"
"THE WHAT!?" All five of the girls yelled, nearly sweeping Harry off his feet.
"I ran into her not long after I left the building. I didn't know she was the inspector until after I promised to lead her to the spa! She didn't notice Cadance, so we still have a chance! I was looking for you!" Harry said as quickly as he could. All six shared a look.
"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Twilight declared. Then all six were off as fast as they could go. When they got there everypony pressed their face against the glass to peek inside. Ms. Harshwhinny was getting her hooves filed and had cucumbers over her eyes. Cadance was (presumably) the one behind the curtain.
"Oh, there she is!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash "We're in luck! I don't think either of them knows yet that the other one's here!" The six apprehensively entered the spa, cringing at the loud bell. Rarity excitedly noticed them.
"Wonderful news, look! Princess Cadance, better than new!" she said proudly, oblivious to the looks on everypony's faces.
"Ponyfeathers," Harry cursed.
"Princess Cadance?" Ms. Harshwhinny said, plucking the cucumbers from her eyes. "So, this is where you've been! I will have you know this is by far the worst welcome I've had in all my years!" she scolded. Harry had a bad feeling about this.
"I- I can't believe it... What was wrong with your welcome?" Cadance stuttered.
"There wasn't one!" the inspector replied. Between this and the cursed headache, Harry would take the headache.
"What is going on?" Cadance demanded in a stern voice. The five cowered under her gaze, even Pinkie Pie. Twilight was about to speak, but Rainbow Dash flew in front of her.
"Princess, we gave our welcome to the wrong pony, left the right one waiting at the station, and completely ruined everything." Rainbow Dash paused while Cadance looked over the group. "When I was a little filly, I wanted so badly for Cloudsdale to win the Equestria Games. But it didn't happen. So I thought I could make up for that disappointment by helping the Crystal Empire win the chance to host the Games. But it looks like I ruined your chances instead," She said shamefully.
"Not so fast, speedy," said the green-haired earth pony.
"You see, I was considering throwing this place out of the selection process, but one young stallion inadvertently convinced me to give it a second thought." Ms. Harshwhinny looked straight at Harry with the smallest smirk. "And I just finished hearing about how this pony was just treated to the warmest, finest, most fabulous reception she ever had—"
"Darn tootin'!"
"Courtesy of these fine ponies right here. Which, in my expert opinion, amounts to the first ever unvarnished, unrehearsed, and unbiased appraisal of a potential host of the Equestria Games. Which can only mean one thing..."
"The next host of the Equestria Games is... the Crystal Empire!" declared Princess Cadance from the castle. "Congratulations, crystal ponies!"
A wild cheer went up from the crowd below. Their emotions caused the ground to glow, the light shining beneath the Crystal Heart before exploding into the sky in a brilliant display of light.
Harry was staring into the Crystal Heart in wonder. He was standing only a few paces away from the Heart, basking in the harmony of its power. Harry could feel the thing in his scar doing something akin to whimpering, repulsed by the feeling of this magic, this joy, but ultimately lacked the power to do anything but sulk in the presence of what had rendered it powerless in the first place. The magic of the Crystal Heart felt like the opposite of his scar: warm, inviting, and full of hope. He didn't even notice Cadance sneaking up behind him.
"You're certain It won't bother you again? Your scar?" she asked. Harry startled.
"I've been giving it some thought," Harry replied. He'd realized that the reaction to Cadance was a one-time thing, it had used up too much power trying to escape her. It wouldn't be able to harm him, not while he was in Equestria. He turned to face Cadance directly. "When it lashed out, it rendered itself almost powerless. Whatever power this... thing has left, it can't harm me, not really. Not anymore. Especially not near my friends."
"I could try to remove it, or ask aunt Celestia. One of us could-"
Harry shook his head.
"Thanks for the offer," Harry said sincerely, "but I need to figure out what it even is, it might be too risky otherwise. The only clues to the nature of this... thing... lie back in my world."
"Then at least allow me to put some of my magic over your mother's protection," Cadance offered instead.
"I'd be honored if you could, I'm certain my mother wouldn't have minded," Harry said fondly. Cadance quickly waved her horn over his scar. A tingling sensation tickled his forehead. "Thanks. If I discover it's serious, I promise you I'll come right back."
Shining Armor exited the castle only a few seconds behind his wife. He managed to catch on to the latter end of their conversation.
"You'd better," Shining Armor said in a more serious tone. "My little sis cares about her friends dearly, so you should take care of yourself back home," he said in a 'big brother' sort of tone that left no room to argue. Harry smiled.
"Equestria is as much my home as anywhere else, but I'll take your words to heart." Harry trotted over to the rest of the group, leaving the princes and princess behind him. "I would never hurt any of them."
"All aboard!"
The gang walked onto the train back to Ponyville, victorious at last. Sure there were some minor hiccups, but they got the job done in the end. Twilight and Harry hung in the back of the group.
"Twilight, I'd like to apologize," Harry said.
"I should too," said Twilight.
"I was worrying you and you had a lot on your plate. I should have been more aware of the stress your job had, considering I almost derailed it," Harry confessed.
"And I shouldn't have obsessed so much. You're younger than me, but you can take care of yourself. I should have considered your feelings," she replied. The two finally made eye contact, smiling.
"We both made some mistakes."
"We did," answered Twilight. "So, how about we put this behind us, and move forward?" She held her hoof out.
"Like you had to ask." Harry clicked his hoof against hers, and the two walked inside the train car. Harry couldn't wipe the dopey grin from his face.
If paradise existed, Harry was certain it looked like Equestria.