[And the scroll opens up to show a very distraught Nozomi. It's like she's realized something for the first time in a long time.]

I think I've done something wrong.

A whole month went by and... I did nothing. I barely reacted when the Twilight from Mayfield disappeared. I feel like I've been on auto-pilot the entire time. I missed so many things!

I've been so focused on wanting to be a Princess that I've let so many things go by!

If my journey means ignoring things, then I don't want to be a part of it!

[She starts to have tears well up and roll down her cheeks.]

I want my friends! I want to participate in everything!

I want to be Nozomi Yumehara! I want to be Cure Dream! I want to be the cheery girl who embarrasses Captain Marvelous and wants to be Mako's sister! I want to run my shop and help others through that! I want to save the day again!

...I need help. Please. Help me.

[So many folks lately had lost others...and her own heart was burdened a bit by this, truth be told. But Nephenee was bound and determined to try to make the best of the situation...as much as she could, anyways. She wanted to help those who had lost loved ones recently, and while she ultimately wanted to do it for all that had, she needed to start somewhere small...]

[So there would be a pony knocking on doors today, handing out some gifts. When they open the door, they see a possibly-familiar pelorus pony there.]

( List of people inside; Find the peace within ourselves, No need for a cure )
[OOC: I'm sure I forgot some people who've lost some recently, so please poke me via PM or Plurk if you think of any!] 

[Oh, look, it's Nozomi. Normal Nozomi. Aaaaand, she's looking quite sheepish.]

Um, I know this is a very bad time with everyone showing up out of nowhere again and we're all normal again, but I got a VERY big question that I need answering!

How do you fix broken powers? Because I, uh...

[And she grins sheepishly.]

Kinda broke mine...?

[Nozomi's been a little listless since this all started and she's opted to write her thoughts down on something. That something, unknowingly, is her scroll.]

Hope. I feel that we have lost that feeling. That we are so used to Calice's actions that, when we lose a friend, it's not the hope that they'll come back someday, but the hope that Calice will show mercy and send them back, on purpose or on accident. We've already lost to her in anything meaningful that way.

We fear her, even if we don't realize it. We fear her and what she can do. What we fear, we hate. And what we hate, we want to prove we're better. We drew weapons from our homes in order to protect ourselves from her.

We can't hate Calice. We can't fear her. She needs us as much as we need each other. She's hurt and wounded.... well, maybe not wounded, but just hurt. And yet...

We need to understand her. We need the patience to find a way to help her. Once we do, we can push forward and never give up, and we can't give that up for a second.

Knowledge. Tranquility. Effer Effir Effervescence. Passion.

Karen. Komachi. Urara. Rin.

Nozomi.

Hope.

My name means 'hope'. I need to help them. I want to help them. I want to help her.

...Calice. I want to help Calice. If I can help Calice, I can help anyone. If I can give her hope, I can give anyone hope.

That's what I want to do.

I want to be everyone's hope. Starting with Calice.

[Audio]

Oh, darn, I'm out of room on here... wait, what is this...? AHHH! I WROTE THIS ON MY SCROLL!

Is on, Alpha! [Someone calls from out of the frame of the shot that shows a massive, St. Bernard-esque Diamond Dog sitting atop a stone and crystal throne. His collar is studded with intricate gem patterns, and his green and much less ratty than the ones that the average Diamond Dog might be seen in. He lifts his snout regally before speaking.]

I, Alpha, extend greetings from the Kingdom of the Diamond Dogs to all of Equestrian ponies. Many years we have lived beneath the lands, minded its gems, worked hard to tunnel and explore and build our culture. But maybe we stay too far from the sunlight. Is long time coming, but We have talked with the pony princesses, all pony princesses, and arrange for diplomacy. Dogs trade gems and goods, allowed to travel safe above ground, and ponieses are safe below where we call home.

I say thank you to all ponies for help with sleeping sickness. But thank you most to Luna, Captain Celestia, Wondrous Bolt, Littlepip, and Pyrrha. Will always be friends to Diamond Dogs and are welcome to call on Alpha at all times.

As ambassadog, I name Ruby. [He makes a come-hither motion and a grinning Irish setter-esque Diamond Dog appears. Her collar is, helpfully, studded with rubies for identification purposes.] If ponies come to mines and have questions or want things, Ruby gives directions and helps. All Dogs will help if they can, but some maybe are not enthusiastic like Ruby. [Ruby's tail is wagging as she waves.] It takes long time to build bridges over deep ravines. We will try, though. And hope that all is well. Ponieses have Dogs to call on as allies in fight against anyone, especially the one who makes Dogs disappear in rainbows.

[Ruby's enthusiastic waving halts along with her wagging tail. She droops a bit and Alpha seems very solemn.]

Good luck to all.


((OOC: Please see this post for more information on what's going on with the Diamond Dogs and Mines.))

Dear Princess Celestia,

I know the past week has been rough for us with the snow and the Windingos and all of them, but I feel that this week's taught me a lesson or two, especially with what I want to do.

I think the biggest thing I've learned is that standing up for your beliefs is a rough and painful thing to accomplish and that, ultimately, it may come out on top in the end. When Coco became influenced by the creatures, I confronted her, but I refused to fight her. I didn't want to. I don't like fighting teammates nor friends. It's easy to try to pummel someone, but it's much more rewarding to have the higher ground. Sure, I got beat up -- and I got this really neat scar over my right eye! Makes me look unique! -- but, I hope someone saw what I did and hope that it gave them a better idea of what we can do than just try to hurt someone.

I'm not good at writing letters, so I hope this comes clear to you!

-- The other-worlder Pretty Cure, Nozomi Yumehara.

[Despite the bad snowstorm going on, one scroll pops open and showing a pretty nasty sight - it's Nozomi and she looks like hell. Her body, especially her face, is covered in cuts and she can barely muster the strength to even look at her scroll.]

Somepony... help... help..

[She struggles to get onto her hooves, but can't slumping back down.]

Help... her... I...

[Nozomi's determined to move, to help SomeONE, but in her state? Nope.]

[There's obviously no picture as something's covering Nozomi's scroll, but you can hear the girl as she's talking to herself.]

Augh, I can't stand this any longer! I feel so helpless! So restless! So bored! I like my shop, I really do, but I know this isn't what I want! This isn't my dream! I want to do something else, make a name for myself, be remembered a bit more!

[And there's the sound of flopping.]

Aaauuugh, but what? Mrrr... everything we do gets ruined by Hoovesweek, but... we don't have anyone to really root for us. A symbol, something needed...

...oh, I wish there was something I could do! I wish I was a princess again! I could help fix everything...

[And there's the sound of gasping]

That's it... that's it! I know what I want to do! I know what I have to do!

I'm going to be a princess again! It's decided!

...how do I do that, though?

...is this on? It's quite cold and I'm not sure!

Ah, listen, can we have a little bit of help here? Ako and I found this large book and, well... we have no idea what's going on in it. But, what makes this so odd is that there are things smudged out, pages torn... and there's this big huge block of text followed by nothing. It's like everything stopped here!

Problem is... we don't know how to read any of this!

So, um... little bit of help?

[Oh look, it's Zecora, whose hut has taken on a distinctly Nightmare Before Christmas aesthetic thanks to a few Hearth's Warming decorations being mixed in with her masks, cauldrons, and supplies. But Zecora herself looks sinister and ominous in the green light of a bubbling brew, and deeply serious indeed.]

I believe the time has come
To give you all a message from
A sinsiter place to us:
The depths of Tartarus.

For those of you who heard the story
That Celestia in all her glory
Told to us of the Pale Pony,
This may clear up uncertainty.

The Pale Pony -- the true one,
Not she who captured us for fun,
But the true figure of which legends speak
Is somepony we ought to seek.

For her existence may indeed be fact.
This new knowledge that we have lacked
May explain many mysteries
Littered throughout our histories.

She may be the one who hid the Tree
Which bore the Elements of Harmony.
So she may not be quite on our side
But against one foe, we may be allied.

Keep this in mind and seek more clues.
This fight is one we must not lose.

Thank you! Come again!

[And there's Nozomi at her store. She SEEMS to be back to normal after the panic attack over the body swap. And as she waves off a customer, she looks at her calender... and gasps.]

TOMORROW?! Oh, no! I've been so busy I totally forgot! It's my birthday tomorrow and I didn't tell anyone!

[And as she goes to facedesk... she proceeds to get herself stuck thanks to her horn.]

Um... hello? Anyone in her shopping? I could use a bit of help here!

It seems like Mako is using the Shack of Truth for today's broadcast, once again beaming her natural, human visage across the scrolls as she talks.

"In case you weren't here for the reveal, I have a magic mirror that shows your true form in a shack behind my house - I don't actually have a miraculous spell to return you to your original form. But that's not why I'm here today."

The reflection moves a little closer towards the scroll as Mako leans forward.

"So today is the Giving Thanks celebration, and I got to thinking - why not be thankful for things that are going to happen, as well as things that have already happened? That's why I'm announcing - in advance - the Shining Road Project."

An honest, happy smile spreads over the reflection's face.

"In the center of my home region, Unova, is something called the Entree. Instead of light and water, it flourishes thanks to the power of bonds - the feeling of wanting to help your friends. Using the power of bonds, the Entree allows people to explore parallel dimensions, growing stronger as they help others. Once everything's over here, I get the feeling there are a lot of us that will want to stay in touch with the friends they made here, right? That's what the Shining Road Project is for - I'm going to use my magic and the power of the Entree to make a pathway between all our different worlds, but I'm going to need your help. If you want to be connected to the world network, I'm going to need something from your homeworld to help me find it."

A slight pause for breath.

"So! That's something to be thankful for, right?"

[The voices in her head were maddening. She was reminded of Mayfield and everything everyone went through. She'd gotten lucky with not getting hit with it and then, all of a sudden, she found herself being told to do (in her mind) horrible things in Princess Celestia's body... and nearly lost herself in the process. She finally found a way to get to sleep and, when she woke up, she found herself in a more familiar place - her home with Mako. Quickly getting up, she raced towards a mirror and looked at it.

It was her own face.]

I'm... I'm home. I'm... I'm Nozomi again! I'm... I'm Nozomi Yumehara. Nozomi Yumehara...! I'm... I'm...!

[She quickly raced out of the home and out into the open Commune, looking around.]

I'm... I'm me again! I'm... I'm...!

[Aaaaaand, her legs give out, folding her forelegs in front of her.]

Please tell me the voices are gone. Please?

[ACTION]

[Well, this morning's off to a great start! Well... it would be morning if the sun would rise. And, it's not. It probably lasts a good 30 minutes to an hour before something happens and the Sun starts to rise and...

...nope, it falls back down. And it's up again. And it's down again. One more time! Here... we... GO! And it's up!

Just what's going on? Is Celestia drunk?!]

[VISUAL]

[And the scrolls kick on and there's Celestia in all her glory, but... well... it looks like Celestia, it sounds like Celestia, but the person speaking doesn't ACT like Celestia!]

Ahahahaha, I-I'm sorry, everypony! I didn't realize how hard it was to raise the sun and... [She lets out a yawn] ...I'm so tired. But, this is probably a silly dream, so I'll see you all in the morning, right? Right!

[The scroll closes, then pops back open a few minutes later.]

Um... this isn't a dream, is it?

[Looks like the day's starting to wind down. The scroll's open to show Nozomi laying her head on the counter at the store, looking just absolutely BORED. She lets out a big sigh as she finally speaks.]

It sure is boring around here...

[She glares at someone passing by. You could swear there was somepony trying to start with "Ma boi..."]

It felt like there was so much going on, and now... nothing.

Frankly, I wish I could go home and sleep the day away.

AUUUUUUGH!

[And she flips around and lays on the counter.]

When Hayate appears on the scroll, she looks terrible. Her hair is even more of a spiky mess than usual, there are bags under her eyes, and most tellingly of all, her wings don't look obsessively preened - there are three feathers out of alignment. She opens her mouth to speak and is interrupted by a jaw-cracking yawn, which prompts her to grab what appears to be a tall Pumpkin Spice Latte from the local Starbucks and toss down the entire thing in one gulp before throwing the empty cup over her back to land on a massive pyramid of discarded coffee cups.

"So, uh, guys? That...that, y'know, the thingie where...where people were fallin' asleepy an' not wakin' upppp...."

A slight pause as she almost nods off mid-sentence before jerking awake and slamming down another PSL.

"Is...izzit over? C'n I go beddy now?"