Magicopia Recap

(Recap. Skip to the greentext if you’re caught up. Or skip to the pastebin if you want to read in entirety)

 

The dreaded disease, Magicopia, affects those who cannot use magic. Their bodies react in confusion to the introduction of the magical strain, and severe symptoms emerge. This disease spread throughout the world causing the population to drop to a miniscule fraction of what it once was. Witches, as users of magic, acted as protectors of everyone else in zones called ‘settlements’ to limit the spread of the disease and to secure the witches’ own stock.

Our hero, Sunset Shimmer, was just sixteen when an accident at Twilight Sparkle’s house involving all seven crystals sent her into this disease ridden future. This is where our saga begins. Alone, in a now empty continent with nothing but the clothes on her body and her own red crystal Sunset wandered in despair. On returning to her hometown of Canterlot she was disturbed to find that it was now rotten and abandoned. Luckily, Sunset was found by two witches from a settlement up north. One was Artemis Lulamoon—descendent of the late Catherine Lulamoon, who was the first headmistress of North Canterlot settlement. The other was Amelia—descendent of Applejack. Upon taking interest in Sunset and her crystal, they took her back to the settlement.

Sunset was taken to the headmistress, Spicy Sweet—descendent of the late Sour Sweet—along with the rest of the high witch council. Her appearance was controversial, as they were naturally slow to believe her tale. To Sunset’s surprise, all her old friends, are considered world famous for being the first witches. Eventually the headmistress made a deal with Sunset. She’d be the first one to ever be admitted to the Academy in North Canterlot if she could pass a test…

 

Amelia and Artemis were tasked with training Sunset, who learned she was a witch herself, in the ways of magic study and battle. In addition to increased bodily durability, speed, and strength, each witch has one power that they have exclusively which is called ‘main magic.’ Also, each has a wand that allows them to learn and use a variety of less intuitive spells.

Now North Canterlot is a settlement located along the north side of the mountain range that spans along the east side of the continent near the coast. For the entrance test, Sunset learned she would join the rest of the young witches to a place south east of the settlement called Appolusa. The test was to get one of the limited amount of charms hid throughout the city, and return it to the settlement. Upon finding hers, Sunset comes in contact with a witch looking to take her charm from her. This was Lainah. A girl with the power to create shields of magic on her body. Sunset took much damage from her, as she was unused to using her powers. Just when things looked their worst, Sunset used her main magic—the power to read minds—to taunt Lainah with her deepest insecurities. This allowed Sunset to trick Lainah into a fatal situation in the crossfire of another battle. Artemis came to Sunset’s side and together they returned to the settlement. With this, Sunset passed her test and was accepted at the Academy. However, Lainah held a grudge against Sunset for this...

It was soon after the entrance exam that the headmistress made Sunset, Amelia, and Artemis an official expedition team. At the Academy Sunset made some new friends other than Amelia and Artemis. They are as follows: Cadenza Dazzle—descendent of Adagio Dazzle and user of a power of seduction. Cinderbelle—a user of plant manipulation. Carrie Basket—a witch that can create sophisticated crystal forms from other solids. She also met Veronica Sparkle—descendent of Twilight Sparkle and rival to Artemis Lulamoon.

 

Soon after Sunset got adjusted to life at the Academy, the headmistress herself gave her and her new teammates (Artemis and Amelia) a secret task. To the northeast of the settlement, near the lakes, was a hotel settlement that was in possession of a crystal they were to negotiate for. It would turn out to be much more difficult to get this, as the settlements inhabitants were intentionally infected with magicopia from an unknown source and the crystal was stolen. Together with the ones that snuck into this task (Cadenza and Carrie), Sunset found the culprit at a nearby abandoned stadium. The culprit was a rouge witch named Evelyn. Not only had she committed the crime, but she also trafficked many non-witches. The three held her off for a time before Amelia and Artemis entered the scene. The former being able to defeat the rouge witch.

Sunset and company got their second major assignment in the Fall when they were called into the council of high witches to find the blue crystal in the settlement of Cloudsdale—. Joining them were two witches from Cloudsdale itself: Celestia VII (or XX) daughter of the current headmistress of Cloudsdale and Skyla. From North Canterlot, joining Sunset’s friends were Veronica, and to Sunset’s great surprise, Lainah. Cloudsdale is on the other side of the continent and far, far to the north west. It is a land of fantastic architecture on the mountains.

At one stop along the way, Sunset happened to find two women that attacked her and stole her property when she first arrived in this time. When she moved to confront them, she was met with great resistance from the locals—the controversy got her in trouble with Dean Crystal. As punishment, she’d spend the rest of the mission paired with Lainah…

 

The search party broke into three groups at Cloudsdale. But by sheer accident, Sunset and Lainah had a run in with two suspicious characters, Nera and Vannie, the night before the official search began! The two escaped with and injured Sunset. The following day it was Cadenza, Carrie, Cinderbelle, Celestia, and Skyla who found the ancient site that hid the crystal. Meanwhile, Veronica led Artemis to someone she happened to know, and who admitted to scheming against the settlements. This was Selene Sparkle, who Artemis and Veronica survived against for a time before she escaped to continue her work. Headmistress Celestia thanked the party for ridding them of the unexpected problem. And the team bid Celestia the junior and Skyla farewell.

There was a time of peace again, and there was yet another assessment to be had. But this time it wouldn’t just be an entrance exam for Sunset. Grouped with the highly rated witches of her generation, she would try hard to overcome the challenge,… but eventually would fail. During this exercise Sunset met Gunnel and Marble, Veronica’s other expedition team members. Not long after this Sunset started work with Rose, a witch with a knack for magic-based technology, and eventually customized a wand taken from Nera to transform into both a hammer and a broom.

 

 

The seemingly peaceful days would end not long after the winter celebration. The settlement was infiltrated. And the sick headmistress was attacked by an unknown intruder with witch armor that hasn’t been seen since before the outbreak of Magicopia. Sunset herself came to the headmistresses aid to fight off the intruder. A powerful attack to the helmet of the armor would reveal that this intruder was none other than Lainah herself—who was convinced to join Selene due to her knowledge of an atrocity that Lainah committed in her past. Selene and other rouge witches came to Lainah’s side. Sunset’s friends along with several high witches also arrived. At was at this point Selene announced that she found exactly what she was looking for, the old castle that was once the home of all witches. She also announced her intention to attack the North Canterlot Settlement with the technology in the castle.

Selene and her cohorts teleported away. The high witches of the settlement took the threat seriously and started to prepare to fight a war against Selene in earnest. Sunset and all other minors of the settlement were officially unallowed to participate. However, when Veronica revealed that she once worked with Selene and announced to Sunset and co her intention to take matters into her own hands they decided to join in too.

So, our seven secretly made their way out west to the other mountain chain of the continent where the castle was located. Veronica alone knew the spell to enter. Thus, our seven heroes fought battle after battle against some of Selene’s best rouge witches as they made their way through the castle. Carrie and Cinderbelle battled against Gram and Persephone. Amelia and Veronica fought the enormous armor clad enemy named Gaia—who turned out to be a male imbued with magic! At the cost of being experimented on with Magicopia… he was turned into a horrid, bastardized form inside the armor.

 

Artemis and Sunset finally made it to the throne room where Selene and Lainah waited. A giant wans behind the throne threatened to decimate everything outside the Castle ground’s barrier. The intense battle raged and laid waste to the grounds. Artemis, however, was bested by Selene in a huge attack. Sunset nearly succumbed to despair and gave up. Veronica came to her rescue. Together, the two managed to kill Selene. Lainah escaped with Galaxy. This came at a cost, as even though the spell of the giant wand was interrupted it still had the unintended effect of dispersing those present on and near the castle grounds around the continent. The girls that infiltrated the castle are all unaccounted for, with the exception of Sunset and Veronica…

Upon their return to North Canterlot, Sunset and Veronica were punished for staging such an infiltration without permission. They were sentenced to five years of manual labor. Before the sentence began, Sunset paid one more visit to the comatose Artemis.

It was after a month of dreary labor and lingering winter that news arrived on the castle grounds that Headmistress of North Canterlot—Spicy Sweet—has died due to her sickness returning to her. The distraught Sunset and Veronica returned to the settlement to attend her funeral. Veronica went into hiding after its conclusion, Sunset did the same in response. Gunnel, Marble, Golden Spoon, and Celestia were sent after the two to find them and bring them to justice. It was days later when the successor Headmistress was begin decided, that Veronica appeared once again to speak out against a particular candidate—her mother Sharon Sparkle—for her negligent treatment of Veronica and her father.

 

Sharon saw opportunity in the situation. Under the guise of disciplining her daughter for inappropriately intruding on the meeting, she took her to a secluded location in front of the rotting Crystal Prep Academy. With the power of six crystals Sharon deduced that Selene hid the final one inside Veronica. In order to finally secure the seventh and last, she attacks Veronica. The girl holds her own for a time, but when she’s in trouble she’s helped by Sunset Shimmer who finally finds her.

But when the two have her on the ropes, Lainah, Galaxy, and Dean Xenia appear to apprehend the two. Sunset watches in horror as the last crystal is extracted from Veronica. Sharon, upon absorbing them all, transforms. She becomes much younger, her magic much stronger, her mind more malicious, her ego more forefront. The now unstoppable Sharon Sparkle makes quick work of the two… Sharon summons the rest of her allies: Persphone, Nera, Vannie. Sharon declares herself an Empress, mocks our heroes, and banishes them—daring them to try and stop her.

 

The demoralized Sunset Shimmer and Veronica Sparkle wander the wilderness in despair. Their only comfort being each other…

The two toiled in the wilds of the continent to survive, they resolved to find their lost friends no matter where they went. Sunset catches a trace of Cinderbelle’s power and begins to search in earnest. On their search, they stumbled into a heavily guarded old territory—the former Capital of the old country.

Now the Capital is split into two entities. The remnant of the old government in the Capital Interior, non-witches that survive with technology long since lost to the rest of the continent, and the Capital Settlement surrounding it—a witch settlement in the spirit of the old country. The two powers are constantly in struggle against each other, and have been for centuries.

The Headmistress of the Capital Settlement, Headmistress Marshall coerces Sunset and Veronica to infiltrate and spy on the interior with two residents of the settlement—Nike and Guard Charlotte.

 

Meanwhile back at the Settlement of North Canterlot, the new Headmistress and self-proclaimed Empress Sparkle consolidates her power and position. Most high witches accept the transfer of power as valid. All dissenters are silenced. Lainah is tasked by the Empress to join Gunnel, Marble, Golden Spoon, and Celestia VII (XX) to kill Sunset and Veronica. In remembering her regrettable past, and with the growing envy of Sunset’s comparatively simple and peaceful life she resolves herself once again to do finish the task.

The previous Headmistress’s young daughter, Bitter ‘Bea’ Sweet as well as Artemis Lulamoon were hidden by Dean Crystal and Professor Gardener during the transfer of power. When the Empress found out their location, she hunted them in earnest. Dean Crystal and Professor Gardener were there to protect the two from the Empress and her right hand witch Galaxy. The incredible battle commenced. Spark Crystal was able to flee the settlement with the two, but not without losing her old friend Isabel Gardener forever.

 

Lainah accepted her new role. With Professor Storm and a large zeppelin full of mutated soldiers given to her by the Empress, she heads to the capital. On the way she finds Gunnel and the witches sent with her in a small up and coming settlement. The girls are highly suspicious of her story, and Professor Storm’s uncertainty is unnerving. Before the girls make any decision, Spark arrives in the nick of time. Lainah, not wanting to get involved, decides to leave and head for the capital with what she has. Spark then tells Gunnel and the others the whole story of what happened at North Canterlot—the new true identity of Dean Sparkle, her plan, and her atrocities. The girls resolve to follow Spark with the hope of stopping this madness.

 

Now inside the Capital Interior—Sunset, Veronica, and Nike faithfully follow Charlotte's orders so to uncover vital information on the Interior for the witches on the outside. However, the gang were fooled by Charlotte. She was a double agent for the Interior. She delivered them to the evil scientists in the underground bunker of the Interior for odd tests and torture. Scared for her life, Sunset just barely escaped being maimed in that hospital bed. The adrenaline and rage fueled girl resolved herself to find and kill Charlotte who betrayed her. With Veronica and Nike she recklessly made her way through the tunnels of the Interior dodging power armored soldiers until she met Charlotte, who resolved to fight her herself. Being up against a high ranking and more experienced witch, Sunset struggled greatly. Part way through the battle the master of the Interior along with his guard showed up in morbid curiosity of the battle. He promised to let Sunset go if she won (something he doubted would happen). Charlotte revealed why she worked with them—in order to help them to reverse the 'disease' of witchdom, and return them to being regular women. Sunset rejected this desire entirely. With newfound resolve, she killed Charlotte to the Master's (and everyone else's) surprise. The three prisoners were escorted out of the Interior as promised...

 

The Headmistress of the Capital settlement apologized profusely to Sunset and Veronica for sending them into the Interior with a double agent. As a parting gift, she gave them clothes to keep as well as gold. Sunset makes a beeline to Cinderbelle's position as she exits—something she picked up on during her fight with Charlotte. They run into an old cell phone tower turned rogue witch base. Sunset recklessly attacks it with no plan... And does a good job right up till she gets to the top floor. Spark Crystal and her crew arrive on the scene to make quick work of the rest of the rogue witches. Cinderbelle and Rose were freed from them. The two groups catch up and agree to work to stop Sharon Sparkle, who's next stop is the Kressen Empire. Rose modifies the cell tower to pick up on where the rest of their friends that got lost at the castle siege ended up.

 

The crew goes to sleep. Sunset, in a fit of insomnia, decides to go outside. On her way she spots the little girl Spark kept with her—the old Headmistress's daughter Bitter Sweet. They talk about their lives in this new barren world and their goals... Sunset finds herself able to relate to the girl... In the morning, the group is off to the Kressen Empire making sure to leave before Lainah shows up.

 

In the Kressen Empire, Sharon and Eris went ahead of their own troops to confront the Queen of the land herself. Despite the large army to protect the fortress, Sharon alone tore through them in a legendary display of strength. However, sensing Sunset's presence, the Sparkle family matriarch takes off for her. Eris is left to fight the Queen. Spark and the others set up camp in an abandoned gas station off away from the battle proper. Sunset and Veronica were sent to fight Galaxy and retrieve Cadenza. Spark, Cinderbelle, Gunnel, and Marble went to fight the Dean Eris Xenia and the Empress.

 

After an intense struggle, Dean Xenia prevails over Queen Shy leaving her barely alive. Spark and the others arrive just in time to save the monarch. Meanwhile Sunset and Veronica descend into the deep fiery prison where Cadenza is held. The two confront Galaxy and spring into action. Before the battle can conclude, they're warned by Rose that she can tell Sharon's on their way towards them. Sunset stubbornly tries to stay and fight and ends up quarreling with Veronica... Eventually they escape at the last moment with Cadenza using Veronica's sloppy teleportation.

 

Spark's fight with Eris seems hopeless. But with a trick and some teamwork, Spark manages to clash with Eris using her mighty drill. Dean Xenia, tired out, decides to sneakily kill Queen Shy—leaving the rest of them in despair. In the Queen's final breath, she tells the crew to rendezvous with her daughter. The rest of Spark's witches gather to her, and they all take off.

 

Spark and the others are caught off guard by a sudden attack midair. Landing, they eventually find that it's the Princess of the Kressen Empire--Princess Shy. After pleading with the Princess, Spark finally convinces her to take the crew with her to her escape. On one condition, that one person at least stays behind to distract their inevitable pursuers.

 

After building the courage, Spark offers herself up to be the one to do it. The girls solemnly see her off with the full knowledge of her terrible prospects for surviving... The former Dean eventually decides to sit and wait for the attackers at an iconic place on the continent. Realizing someone is approaching, she springs into action to find that the one that has followed her is Bitter Sweet. Spark scolds the girl harshly for following her here, and tells her to go back immediately. But it's far, far too late. Dean Xenia and her witches have arrived.

 

Eris Xenia fights alone first to mock Spark. The battle is hard fought. The fortress is coated in flames and is further broken apart. But the result is... predictable. Spark was struck down. Eris tells her witches to move on towards the rest of the crew. Bitter Sweet, in despair, fights suicidally against the Dean. The result is predictable also. Bea is pinned down. Soon to die...

 

When Spark gets back up with one last pathetic attack. Eris is distracted. Bitter regains her determination. In that one critical moment, the girl turns the tide and finishes Eris off using Spark's own signature move. Bitter Sweet rushes by Spark's side, but is distraught by the fact that she can do nothing for the dying woman. Soon, Spark's eyes close and lock.

 

But they open again. The princess decided to come back for them. Defeating Dean Xenia's force, she brings them both onto the escape submarine. And Spark gets to stay with the girls yet!

 

Atlantis. The lost sunken city. Thought to be just a legend. Maybe it always was... But this fantastic place was built not long after Magicopia broke out by some in the old country as Sunset and the girls are told. A hideout to avoid the disease. Eventually it was repurposed by Rarity's daughters in secret when all witches had their exodus from the old castle. It's a beautiful place that looks like an even more grand Egypt, but with much more plentiful oases. It's a place with magic technology that outmatches anywhere else the crew knows of.

 

As the crew descended into this incredible hidden gem of a country, they hoped the technology could bring Spark back to full health, wake up Artemis, and be used to mount an offensive against Sharon. The ruler of Atlantis, the one given the title 'Rarity', squashed all hopes of Atlantis revealing itself even to fight against the foe that has taken the entire continent--citing that Atlantis had always stayed hidden, and it was too big a risk for it to fall into enemy hands.

 

Despite this, the crew was still welcomed into the place complete with rooms. The still bed ridden Spark Crystal ordered the girls to hone their skills for the time being. Cadenza, Rose, and Cinderbelle went to the local Academy to train. Sunset, Veronica, and Bea went to the inn to rest. Marble, Gunnel, and Celestia completely ignored Spark's orders--to engage in debauchery...

 

But Cadenza, Rose, and Cinderbelle found an absolutely unexpected person when they went to Atlantis' Academy. None other than their lost friend Carrie Basket! Before they can all do too much reminiscing, the instructor of the Academy demands Cadenza and Carrie spar to see what North Canterlot witches can do. Cadenza won the little spar, and the session with the young Atlantean witches ended. But Carrie had an even bigger surprise for the crew—that she's engaged to an Atlantean prince much to the shock of the others. Carrie admits that she does not want this marrige, but cannot admit to it...

 

Meanwhile in frustration, Empress Sharon Sparkle sends out Windy Storm, Lainah, Nera, and Vannie with a ship crew in attempt to find Spark, Sunset and the rest. After a long, drawn out search... it seemingly ends up empty handed. That is, until Lainah catches Nera and Vannie plotting to ditch the ship, Professor Storm, and the crew in pursuit of a trail underwater. Lainah agrees to go along with their plan.

 

In the middle of a stormy night, Lainah, Nera, and Vannie sneak to the back of the ship and jump off onto a frozen platform of Vannie's. The crew waits for the water magic user to regain her strength for the search under the depths of the sea. But before they're ready, Windy Storm shows up to put an end to this rebellion. Lainah's the one to stand up to ward off the Professor. The battle is hardfought, creating a mighty seastorm in its own right. Making use of newfound techniques with her main magic, Lainah manages to make the fight difficult enough that Windy Storm retreats. And the three use Vannie's power to bend the sea to her will to find refuge in the ocean.