The dark-robed pony was careful to make sure that nopony else saw her as she pulled her wagon up to the door and opened it carefully. The wagon axles creaked loudly, but surprisingly the castle was empty as she slowly made her way up the stairs with her sensitive cargo in tow behind her.
But once she reached the top of the stairs, she scowled. The castle was apparently not completely empty.
“Hello, Sunset Shimmer.”
The robed pony unhitched herself from the wagon and pulled back her hood.
“Hello yourself, Sunset Shimmer.”
Sunset Shimmer looked at her mirrored self, but her eyes were quickly drawn to the wagon behind her.
“Is Princess Twilight in there?”
“I'm surprised you have the courage to be here. Aren't there plenty of ponies looking for you?”
Sunset Shimmer gritted her teeth.
“I'm surprised to see you here as well. I was just looking for clues, but I didn't think you'd come by to reveal yourself to me.”
“What can I say? I need to go somewhere else now. That little police chase you led through town got a bit too close for comfort. They're still tearing the town apart looking for you.”
“You mean looking for you. You're the one who kidnapped the Princess.”
“Well, according to the National Police, you were the one who committed the crime and I must say, the ransom letter with your hoof prints all over it certainly won't help your case.”
“Why are you doing this? What did you hope to gain from it?! Bits are useless back in our world.”
“MY world. But, yes, your currency has no value, however gold is gold. It isn't exactly what I came here for, but once I have my gold, and you're sitting in jail for my crime, everything will be just fine.”
“I'm from this world, I actually know how to use magic. You can't get past me and you know it.”
The Sunset Shimmer across from her smiled as she shrugged.
“I was hoping you wouldn't make me resort to this, but I suppose I should have expected you to pick up on that fact. Of course, you should know I have a plan to deal with you as well.”
Without another word, she kicked the wagon hard, sending it racing towards the stairs.
“Twilight, No!”
The moment Sunset Shimmer stepped out of the way, the other Sunset Shimmer raced by her to the door where the portal was kept. But suddenly the wagon stopped, seized in place by a dark green magic. Seeing the danger to Twilight was suddenly gone, Sunset Shimmer quickly turned back to her mirror self. Using her magic, she slammed the door on the unicorn who, in turn, stared at the frozen wagon.
“But, how-”
“That would be my doing.”
Both unicorns froze at the all too familiar voice as Inspector Javanner and Officer Constable crested the top of the stairs.
Upon seeing the two Sunset Shimmers before them, Officer Constable's mouth dropped, but Inspector Javanner remained as emotionless as ever.
“I must admit, I was not expecting this. Twins? A changeling perhaps? Well, no matter. Officer Constable, secure the box.”
Constable ran over to the box, prying open the lid and finding a bound and gagged Twilight Sparkle with Spike tucked in between her legs.
“Princess Twilight! Don't worry, you're safe now!”
Twilight looked completely exhausted as Constable hoisted her out of the box and untied her.
“Are you alright, Your Highness?”
Twilight nodded as her stomach growled to the contrary.
“You have to...to listen to me... Sunset Shimmer is innocent. The other pony is...is from the mirror world...She's...Sunset Shimmer...but she's not...”
Twilight lifted her weary eyes to the standoff just outside the doorway to the portal. Two Sunset Shimmers stood there, both with concerned looks on their faces.
“Which...which one...”
Sunset Shimmer immediately stepped forward.
“Twilight! You're okay!”
Immediately Sunset Shimmer followed after her.
“Twilight! Are you okay?”
“What are you talking about?! You did this to her!”
“I did not! You did!”
Inspector Javanner cleared his throat as he stepped forward.
“I see. We have a conundrum on our hooves don't we?”
Sunset Shimmer's face became crestfallen as she looked to Twilight and smiled.
“There's only one option, arrest us both.”
The other Sunset Shimmer, clearly distraught that the other Sunset Shimmer beat her to her own words, nodded in agreement.
“Yes, that's the only way.”
Immediately both Sunset Shimmers glared at each other, but before they could protest each other's pleas again, Inspector Javanner took another step closer.
“Thankfully, I have another solution.”
Javanner opened his saddlebags and produced a small vial of blue liquid.
“You see, when Miss Zecora explained what she saw and heard yesterday, alongside...another pony's testimony...”
Javanner's eyes looked between the two ponies, uncertain which one was the Sunset Shimmer he met earlier, but ultimately he decided it was irrelevant.
“...I decided to purchase something that might help in such a situation, though I did not expect quite this situation, it will still work all the same. This is a tonic made from Poison joke extract. You will find it has the same effects as brushing up against the flower, though this will do its work much faster.”
Javanner levitated the vial in front of the two unicorns and a small smile began to appear on his face as he removed the cork from the vial.
“I do not believe I need to explain what happens next.”
Javanner levitated the vial above each Sunset Shimmer and dropped a few drops on each one's head and almost instantly one Sunset Shimmer began to glow a shimmering array of neon colors while the other Sunset Shimmer's head immediately swelled to twice its size.
“I see.”
Without another word, Javanner dropped the vial and a immediately a green dome encapsulated the big-headed Sunset Shimmer.
“Sunset Shimmer, you are under arrest for abduction of royalty, abduction of a baby dragon, evading arrest, extortion, framing-up an innocent pony, theft of a wagon...”
The glowing Sunset Shimmer felt a few tears well up in her eyes as she took a step towards Twilight, but almost immediately Javanner cut her off.
“I'm afraid I have questions for you as well.”
Twilight slowly and with Constable's help, began to walk towards Sunset Shimmer.
“Inspector Javanner, thank you...thank you, but I know this pony, she is my friend. Let her come to me.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Without waiting for another word, Sunset Shimmer raced to her friend and embraced her tightly.