The truth behind the banishment of King Sombre the first time was a lie and Celestia told Luna and the residents of Equestria that lie to make them more comfortable. The truth was that instead of banishing the king forever, Celestia and Luna merely imprisoned him in the ice where he sculpted a cave of ice and starved. This type of imprisonment meant that he could not use his Unicorn magic but, as the time passed, he prepared, searching his territory, set miles into the ground, until he found a magic that did not need the help of his own. It was a golden box with a roaring lion moulded unto the lid. The moment he read the inscription he knew that this magic was his key to escape. He set it beneath a crack in the ice and lifted the lid. Instantly, the ice broke away but his firm form melted until he was a cloud of purple smoke slithering up and shooting towards the Crystal Empire with severe determination and wicked decisions. That was when Shining Armour and Princess Cadence arrived.

The banishment also happened when King Sombre made this attempt but the story didn't quite go like said.

Twilight Sparkle stood on the circular floor, black rocks reaching up and leaning in, refusing any escape – several attempts with her horn settled that swiftly – and she peered through a miniature gap to see Spike, a purple and green baby dragon, his arms crossed and drops of sweat trickling down his forehead. He cried out as another rock rose before him, blocking his path.

"Don't move!" Twilight shouted fearfully, and Spike panted as he stood on one leg, one of his feet frozen in mid-air and thousands of droplets of sweat beading on his forehead. "You can move, just not towards me!"

Spike scurried back, struggling to catch his breath again. "You need to get out of there, Twilight! You need to be the one to take the heart to Princess Cadence! If you don't, you fail Celestia's test!"

"King Sombre is already attacking the Empire. He could reach the Crystal ponies at any moment, Princess Cadence, my brother, my friends. There may not be enough time for me to find a way to escape." Twilight narrowed her eyes in deep thought, and then stared sternly at Spike. "No, Spike, you do."

"Me? But Twilight…!" Spike began to protest.

"Go!" Twilight shouted. As he struggled to protest again she repeated her answer, more stubborn this time, "GO!"

After a moment's hesitation, Spike clambered onto the ledge and tucked the heart under his arm, racing down the rocks which spiralled upwards. In his hurry, he called out, lifting the heart so all could see and smiling proudly as more sweat ran down his chubby face.

Hearing the cry, King Sombre glanced up and clenched his teeth, allowing the rock spear to shoot out from beneath him, sending it slicing through Spike's heart and making him gasp in pain, the point stick out of the other side of him. Cadence heard the whimper of pain and looked up to see a newly shaped Sombre marching towards a motionless Spike. The heart fell from Spike's grasp and Sombre grunted as it tumbled towards the ground, waiting for the magnetic pulse to grab the heart and pull it to the holder. The motion worked just as the evil king cried out in horror and the Crystal ponies bowed, enveloping their love and banishing their fear.

"Noooooo!" Sombre lost his form and was forced out, dragged down through the ice. "I'll get you for this, ponies!" he promised before he was sucked into his prison and the ice locked together.

---

As Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie all sat on the bunks in the narrow corridor, Spike hobbled in with a tub of popcorn in his hands. His face was pale and on the edge of being green and Twilight smiled comfortingly.

"Don't worry Spike, King Sombre is gone for good," Twilight promised.

"Yeah but you have been there since then, but I haven't!" Spike protested. "And what if he chooses today to return!"

"Don't worry, Spike!" Rainbow replied casually as she swallowed a piece of popcorn. "If he comes back, we'll give him the once-for!"

"Oh dear," Fluttershy whispered, hiding behind her mane. "I hope he doesn't return ever."

Spike nodded furiously as he jumped onto his bunk. "If he returns, I'm staying in the castle!"

"If he returns, I'm giving him a make-over!" Rarity insisted, grimacing as if remembering him. "That robe is so last season!"

Everyone laughed except Spike, who was too nervous to even think about laughing or the joke.

Finally, the train tooted, announcing their arrival. Spike had barely noticed that, outside, they had passed the whirling snow and were inside Cadence's love bubble. It appeared that they had built the track all the way into the Crystal Empire and this made Spike calm down, allowing himself a deep breath.

Twilight lifted him onto her back and the six friends trotted out, laughing and sharing further jokes or riddles. They passed the ecstatic Crystal ponies calmly and, as Spike caught sight of the Crystal heart, he felt himself instinctively put his hand on his chest, feeling the uncertain, fevered beating of his injured heart. Twilight had fixed it with magic but reminders of the stone piercing his heart were still there such as how his heart no longer beat rhythmically and how he had a slight breathing problem and how his chest was constantly swollen and if it began to puff up Twilight had to cool it with her magic.

Princess Cadence and Shining Armour were waiting patiently with eager smiles swallowing up their faces. The last time they had been there Cadence had been wearing her usual tiara and Shining Armour had worn no crown. This was now a while after and Cadence wore a clear silver tiara with a heart shaped piece of crystal imbedded in it whilst Shining Armour bore a gleaming golden crown with emeralds and rubies set in a pattern following the circle – it had one point at the front.

"Shining Armour!" Twilight cried, racing forward and throwing her forelegs around him, burying her face in his soft blue mane. Then she twirled towards Cadence and crouched, mirroring Cadence as they completed their song. "Sunshine, Sunshine, Ladybugs awake, Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" They laughed kindly but then Cadence's face became solemn.

"What is it?" Twilight asked anxiously, looking from her brother to her sister-in-law.

Shining Armour shook his head sadly and turned. "We'll tell you later at dinner. For now, get some rest."

After a moment's hesitation, Cadence turned and together, the couple strode towards the castle. Twilight looked at her friends nervously and then trotted after them, her friends falling in behind her. Just then, they all heard a loud banging and Spike threw his arms around Twilight's neck in fear.

"King Sombre made that noise when he tried to get in last time!" Spike hissed. He looked around but the Crystal ponies continued as if nothing had happened. Frowning, he wondered if he was dreaming it but Twilight and the others had stopped to. "Why aren't they worried?"

"Well, it appears that all them Crystal folk think that Sombre can-neigh get in," Applejack suggested in her country accent. "Maybe we're safe an' all with the Crystal heart 'ere."

"Maybe," Rarity threw her head up fancily and marched forward. "And if that is so, I would prefer to be as close to the heart as possible."

"Gee, Rare, if Sombre gets in then the heart has failed, right?" Rainbow rolled her eyes as she floated past, her wings barely moving.

"So?" Rarity tossed her head again, her mane bouncing.

"Well then, you won't be safe with the heart if it isn't working, right?" Rainbow Dash replied as if it were obvious.

It suddenly dawned on Rarity and she darted into the middle of the group. "I've changed my mind. I think we all need to stay together."

"Yes please," Fluttershy whispered fearfully.

"Ooh! This'll be fun!" Pinkie Pie cried as she bounced past Rarity and the heart.

After a pause, they all followed Pinkie into the castle.

---

Sombre lay in waiting, kicking a stone with his hoof and groaning, listening to the train roaring overhead. Then he heard the long-awaited whispers of the wind, aiding in his escape. He sneered and reached for the box, pulling it into the single crack of light that came through the ceiling. Lifting the lid, he watched as a white globe rose before him, the light pushing back the darkness until not a single corner wasn't visible. Then the light exploded in sorts so that enormous rays crackled like lightning bolts and struck the walls. He watched to see what the globe recommended this time and saw an impossible clue. What did it mean?

The image included the Crystal palace and heading towards it was a group of ponies and a baby dragon. He wasn't sure what it meant but he knew that he had to find out, and at that moment the ice cracked and he slithered out, forcing his way through the wind to slam against the shield, insistent on getting in.