Another day has passed before the ship arrives at the Crystal Empire. The plan was simple. Lyra would have Sunset barrel taken to her apartment and let her out for a while before planning to board another ship towards Canterlot.
The passengers walk down the gangway as guards begin to search them. Lyra was caught up in the search that she lost track of which barrel Sunset was in as the crew began to unload the cargo and take them into a building.
Meanwhile, Sunset had been rolling in her barrel for an undisclosed time until she stopped suddenly and sat upside down, which did not sit well for the mare. Unfortunately, she had to … relieve herself in her confined space. But Sunset would not be dissuaded. Sunset does not give up so easily.
"I can't take it anymore!" Sunset screams as she forces the top of her barrel open. The lid lands a few feet away as she takes deep breaths of fresh air. She leans over the edge of her barrel, catching her breath before noticing that she's not alone. Her eyes widened as she looked at the two guards staring at her in shock.
She stares back at them, not sure what to do. Sunset does the only logical thing one does when they are busted. She gives the guards a big fat smile as she uses her magic to slowly move the lid of the barrel over her head as she goes back in before they shout, "Stowaway!"
Panicking, Sunset teleports herself behind the guards running away. Unfortunately, other guards nearby became alert when they heard the shout and quickly started to fill the hallway. Quickly Sunsets uses a spell of invisibility and hold her breath as guards run past her. She can't believe it worked since she had only read about it in a magazine and never field-tested it. Slowly she moves through the hallways trying to get her bearings. Seeing an exit at the end of the hall to her right, she was about to approach it when one of the guards said something, stopping her in her tracks.
"You guys smell something?" Sunset felt a lump in her throat. Her spell might make her invisible to the naked eye but not to one's sense of smell. Panicking Sunset, look for the closest place to hide and enter one of the nearby rooms. She slammed the door behind her, hoping no one heard her, before turning around and looking into the room. Her heart stops as she stares at the occupants in the room.
Sunset has entered the Guard's mess hall in the middle of lunchtime as Guards stop mid-eating and staring at her. She gulps as their stares don't let up. Sunset is hoping they were only staring at the door that just opened quickly with no pony there. However, that thought was thrown out the window when she looked down, seeing herself again. The spell had worn off.
Sunset smiles weakly as she waves at her companions, "Hay guys. Enjoying your lunch?" They were not amused.
The guards quickly detained Sunset as they put a magic dampening ring on her horn, carrying her away.
Once outside the building, the guards put Sunset inside a jail cart as she grumbled, "That is the last time I take advise from Unicorn Magic Monthly." They close the door on her before being pulled away to the Empire.
"This is it. My life is over." She thought to herself. "I'm going to be put in jail; no pony will know where I am. I am never going to see my family and friends again. I will spend the rest of my life in a dark, dirty dungeon with a cellmate named Bob. I wonder if they're going to give me a bed?" She quickly gives herself a sniff. "Or maybe a bath?"
Sunset has only heard stories of the Empire since they don't allow ponies to enter their borders without following strict protocols. Sunset looks outside her wagon to see the luscious green landscape before her, and in the distance, the Empire stands shining bright as the midnight sun.
Sunset has never seen anything like the Empire. Buildings surrounding a giant pillar-like castle stretch into the sky. Everything was made of Crystal, from the buildings to even the ponies. Or at least she thinks they were. They are see-through and shiny, so maybe? Some of the crystal ponies looked at Sunset with anger while others were curious. It is as if they don't know what to make of her. Then again, it's not every day a pony tries to break into the Crystal Empire.
Once arriving at the castle, Sunset was chained and taken inside to the throne room. Sunset nervously looks up at the two ponies sitting on the thrones. One was a cyan crystal mare with a bright pink mane, a purple robe across her back, and a golden tiara on her head. The Queen of the Crystal Empire, Queen Amber Leaf. And to her left was a dark grey Unicorn stallion whose horn is bright red at the tip, curves towards his head, wearing a bright red cape and silver armor and a crown on the top of his head. The King of the Crystal Empire, King Sombra.
They stared at her as the guards pushed her forward. "Guards, who is this pony you bring before us?" Queen Amber Leaf asks as her husband studies Sunset.
"Your Highness. We found this stowaway amongst the barrels just entering our lands."
Their eyes frown as the Queen gets agitated, "You dear to enter our lands unannounced!?" She growls, "Guards take her away. I don't ever want to see her again." Sunset looks down in defeat as a guard starts grabbing her when a commanding voice echoes through the room.
"Wait!" Everypony turns to stare at the King as he slowly walks down his throne. The guards quickly move away from the prisoner, leaving Sunset to face King Sombra alone as he stares her down with his dark green eyes. Sunset gulps as the King stare into her soul. Her legs start shaking in fear. Sunset has never met the King before, but his mere presence scares her.
The last time Sunset felt this helpless was when she accidentally ate Celestia's secret cake she was saving for a special occasion. It was not pretty. "Why did you enter our lands?" King Sombra demands, his voice echoing in the throne room, "Who are you?"
Sunset has only heard stories about the King of Crystal Empire. None of which she was hoping were true. No matter how scared she was. Sunset must try and reason with him. "Mm… my name is Sunset… Shimmer. I am a student of Princess Celestia. My ship was wrecked on the way to Canterlot."
But this answer doesn't please the King as he scoffs at her, "You didn't answer my question." The King Sombra says as purple mist slowly leaks from the sides of his eyes, turning a deep blood red staring deeply into her eyes. Sunset's body shakes as the King speaks softly and firmly, almost growling at her. "Why did you enter our lands?"
"Honey, you're slipping again." Queen Amber Leaf says as the guards get nervous while two of them are hiding behind her.
Sombra turns to face his wife, "Sorry, my love, " he says, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as the mist disappears and his gaze turns back to normal. The guards visibly relax along with everypony in the room as their King turns back to his prisoner. "Well?"
Not sure what to do. Sunset decides to tell Sombra her whole story, from the journey leaving Canterlot to her plan to get home. Once she is done, King Sombra gives her a deadpan stare, "So let me get this straight." Sombra says, going back to his throne. "You thought you could invade our lands and steal the Crystal Heart to head back to Canterlot?" He sits down, "And I would be a good little pony and let you?!" He shouts the last part, causing Sunset to take a step back, lowering herself to the floor, but only to stop as she processes what he just said.
She stands back up, defending herself, "No, I don't want the Crystal Heart."
King Sombra growls, "But you just said you wanted our Crystal Heart that can handle the upcoming storm season."
"Yes, I need to borrow your ship, but I don't want the Crystal Heart."
The guards looked nervous as their King's anger rose as the purple mist returned to his eyes. His Queen looks between the two in thought before she realizes something, "I believe there is a misunderstanding," Everypony look took her, hoping for some answers, "Sunset, the ship you wish to procure has the same name as our kingdom's greatest artifact 'The Crystal Heart.'" Queen Amber Leaf says turns to her husband, "I told you calling the ship the Crystal Heart was going to cause problems like this."
He snorts as his eyes return to normal, "Regardless, The Crystal Heart is our Kingdom's greatest ship and has just returned for repairs. I will not allow your wish after you had broken into our lands and were planning on stealing it."
"But I-"
"Silent!" King Sombra shouted, causing everypony in the room to do so, "Take her away. And send word to Celestia. Tell her that we have her pet. Let her come for it."
"PET!" Sunset shouts as the Guard follow their orders,
Queen Amber Leaf looks at her husband as the guards take Sunset away. "Now that you mention her. I am not sure if a message will make it to Canterlot."
"Does this have anything to do with why you and the Crystal Heart return here in such bad shape? And why I nearly assemble the whole fleet ready to wage war?"
She sighs, "Yes, I am glad I stopped you before you tried to conquer one of the neighboring islands."
He grumbles to himself, "It would have been easy."
"As I was saying. About halfway on our return. We encounter Ships that sail the skies. With bright blue emblem in the shape of two antlers."
"The Storm King? He never ventures this close to our Empire. What is he doing in our waters?"
"I do not know. However, it would seem that he was using us as target practice rather than anything else. Last I saw of him; he was heading towards Canterlot."
"Did you warn them?"
"I couldn't. Our dragon was hit with some glowing dark orb and turned to stone. We have yet to find a way to get him out."
"What about the dragons in the Empire?"
"They are still on strike dear."
King Sombra face hoofs, "Right, those greedy lizards were demanding more gems for their services." He growls before shouting, "Guards bring one of those selfish Dragons here now!" Quickly two guards ran out of the room as Queen Amber Leaf looked back at her husband.
"Are we going to listen to their demands?"
"No. This will be our last request for them to do. If they refuse to work, then they have no place in the Empire."
Amber giggles to herself, "Why, Sombra. It sounds like you actually care about what happens to ponies in Canterlot."
He huffs, "I know that we have our differences, but we still have a peace treaty with them. And as King, I will honor that treaty."
"Is there something wrong?" A Guard says as Sunset stares into the 'Jail cell' her eyes glisten with excitement.
"Are you sure that this is the dungeon? Where am I going to stay?"
"Yes, now get in there."
Sunset almost jumps into the cell as the Guard locks her in, "Okay. But might I ask why your cells looks like a day at the spa?" She says, going to and from her cell to see all the wonderful premium mare care products.
"It is a gift to her Majesty from his Majesty. The best bits could buy for her new spa, but some local dragons had eaten the building we had prepared for the spa. We didn't have anywhere else to put it, and her highness didn't want any of it too far from the castle. Is that a problem?"
"No. No problem at all." Sunset says, lining up bottles of mane care products and staring at them with stars in her eyes.
"So that you know. Anything products you use in there, you will be paying for later. No free Spa Day for you."
"Drat."
Meanwhile, out at sea with Twilight and her crew,
"What do you mean I can't send word to Canterlot?" Twilight questions the changeling as he continues to steer the ship. She had found a blank scroll lying around the boat and was going to experiment using the messaging technique she saw with Spike.
The changeling's current disguise is a young griffin as he gives Twilight a deadpan stare. "I am saying that it would be unwise to use DFM right now."
"Okay, why?"
"Because in case you didn't realize our current situation." He says, pointing to the nearby islands with dragons flying around. "The last thing we want is to attract attention to ourselves. Also, Twilight. Even if you send the letter to the Princess. What would that accomplish?" He guessers to the body of water surrounding them.
Twilight looks between the dragon island and him a few times before letting the scroll roll across the deck as she slumps to the floor, "At least let her know that we are alright, and we are not dead."
The changeling shakes his head, moving to comfort her, putting a claw on her shoulder, not noticing a claw grabbing the scroll, "If you care for your Princess as much as you do. Then I am sure she knows." Twilight smiles at this but confusion cross both of their faces as they hear somepony taking a deep breath and blowing at something. They turn around in shock seeing magic flying away with Spike looking back at them, sporting a big grin, "Wait, so we weren't going to send the letter?"
They look toward the Dragon lands seeing some of them coming closer to them as one of the dragons roars at them. The group gulps as the changeling says, "Oh boy."
Back with Sunset,
"You tricked me! This is a torture chamber!"
"How is this a torture chamber?"
"I can't use anything in here!"
The Guard gives her a deadpan stare, "And?"
"But I want to!"
"So, use it."
"But I can't afford to pay for this stuff!"
"Then don't."
"But it's the limited-edition Fleur De Lis Mane clean and glow!" Sunset says, holding a small pink bottle with golden letters, "They only make a hundred bottles a year! With a waiting line two years long!"
"How is that my problem?"
Sunset slumps to the ground in defeat, "You wouldn't understand." The Guard shakes his head as a new voice echoes into the dungeons with a familiar mare comes into view.
"My goodness, it is you."
"Rarity!? Is that you?"
"Yes, darling. You see, I heard that an orange unicorn mare with a wild mane was taken to the castle. I had to make see if it really was you. However, I was not expecting to be seeing you here of all places. Are you alright?"
"Could be better. But what are you doing here at the Crystal Empire?"
"Oh, didn't you know? Moa is now the new seamstress of Queen Amber Leaf." She says, putting a hoof to her chest, "Oh course, I still make dresses for other ponies, but the Queen is now my best customer. It is like a dream come true. Making dresses for royalty." Rarity squeals in glee, "But enough about me. Sunset what-" Rarity comes to a stop as a quick sniff causes her to cover her nose, "SWEET Celestia! What is that smell!"
Sunset chuckles, "Sorry about that. I haven't been able to bathe in a while. You know dungeons and all that."
Anger fills her eyes as Rarity turns to the Guard, causing him to back up, "How can you call yourself a stallion leaving her like this!?"
"I am a soldier of the Empire. I was told to bring her here and watch her. However, I was told that she could use the products in the cell so long as she could pay for it."
"Hold on, Sunset! Be right back!" Before anypony could say anything, Rarity was gone leaving a cloud of smoke in her wake, causing the Guard to cough.
"You don't have to do this, you know," Sunset says as a maid scrubs her mane while another looks between bottles. When Rarity returned, she had two maids, a bag of bits, a clipboard, and a female Guard to relieve the current Guard. Sunset wasn't sure how she could do this. But before she knew what happened. The two maids had gone to work cleaning Sunset while Rarity was busy writing down what products they were using.
"Oh, Contra Sunset. It is the least I can do for you. After our little incident at Pony Ville, I was able to run into her highness of the Crystal Empire. She was visiting the island for a meeting, but she was so impressed with my work she had sent me back to the Empire ahead of her to prepare Five dresses for her using the best materials and gems their Kingdom had to offer. This would have never happened if I had left Pony Ville as I originally planned. My future is assured thanks to you and your friends. Speaking of which. Where are they?"
"Get comfortable, Rarity; this will be a dozy."