//------------------------------//
// The Crystal Empire Strikes Back, Part 1 
// Story: Letters from an Irritated Princess 
// by Tired Old Man 
//------------------------------//

My dearest Twilight,

You must come to Canterlot at once.

A place thought long forgotten has surfaced once more in Equestria. For over a thousand years, it has been hidden from us, but a Royal Scout Division has brought us news of its return.

It is here that you will face a most grave task, one that falls upon your shoulders to take. I... probably shouldn't give it to you, but hey, you've been sitting around in Ponyville long enough learning friendship lessons for now. What I want to see from you is exactly how you handle the situation that I will further explain upon your arrival.

If you like, you can consider this a test of sorts--one that you cannot afford to fail. If you do, Luna and I will need to step in and fix the problem, but only if it is absolutely necessary.

Remember, Twilight: this test is meant for you, and it is here I suspect you will learn a very hard lesson. It won't be comfortable to learn, but you must learn it all the same.

You will get further details on what exactly this test is as soon as you get here. Trust me, this is something far too big to thoroughly explain in this letter. You will want to hear it directly from me.

I await your arrival, and don't keep me waiting long.

I mean it. I have things to do to clean up the remnants and damages still left over from the wedding, including tending to a slew of Missing Pony reports. Luna and I are particularly troubled by this since Cuppa Joe seemed to have disappeared, but that's not why we're troubled.

As it turns out, Pony Joe doesn't remember having a brother. In fact, upon checking our citizen records, Cuppa doesn't exist. We haven't had much need to check them until now. But with this information, there's a few conclusions that can be drawn from this, and none of them are pretty.

Given he's the Royally Designated Brewmaster, we cannot leave this sit idle. We will find him--we must. Otherwise, we have to visit Brown Bean's Barista Bar for our morning fix, and that guy never gets our orders right. I think he even screws up our names on purpose. Seriously, Saladia and Gouda? Is he four?

I sidetracked a bit. Anyway, come as soon as you can. I'll be waiting.

Love,

Princess Celestia

Luna, please tell me you found Cuppa. He's not dead, is he?

Oh, thank goodness, I feared he was--aaaand you still don't seem happy. Is he injured, or...?

He's... one of them? Huh. Well, now I feel like a prick for buying him a bug bomb after he complained about bitterbeetles getting into his coffee beans. No wonder he gave me the stink eye.

No no, we won't throw him in prison. We'll talk with him first, and it'll be a nice talk. No Brutus, just us in a room while we sort this situation out. Let's not jump to conclusions yet.