The last daybreak sure was a time to be remembered.

From sneaking into a mansion, to getting caught, escape a prison, fight a mob with numeral advantage and weaponry, discover two hidden powers, fight a brute bodyguard, being throw at a pool from the third floor and almost drown, and finally... escape without being seen by the local army.

Arriving to the cult's hideout, Mane went directly to his bedroom without caring for his wounds, dropped on the bed and wishing to fall asleep in an instant. He and Pinkamena went through a lot to attend any reunion with the cult's leaders, and they only wanted to rest and nothing else.

His wish was granted by his fatigue, allowing him to drop out in a good rest, after fifteen minutes laying on his dead uncle's bed.
But even like that, It was not over...

His brain decided to have another bad dream, but instead, he was on Luna's office with It's walls surrounded in books on shelves and some weapons like axes and spears. She was the nicknamed "Battle Princess" for some reason.
Behind the desk, Luna showed up in her big chair, dressed in her normal royalty dress, and looked at Mane with a concerned look.

"Welcome Mane." She greeted.

"Luna... I had a rough morning... please." He looked around the room tired. "Is there a reason why you put me here?"

"Yes. But first, wait here..." Luna disappeared with a magic flash, and returned with Pinkamena by her side, which expression in her face was from how unexpected It was to have the Night Princess herself, to take her to her own office in a dream.

"Somepony went to sleep too..." Mane said looking at his friend.

"No shit, Mane. After all we passed through, you expected me to keep up for the rest of the day?" Pinkamena looked around with suspicion. "Besides, where are we? Why are we having the same dream?"

"It was me, and you are in my office in a dream realm." Informed Luna with a smile. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Pinkamena. Mane has talked about you."

"Oh... um...hi, our Highness..." The pink mare didn't know what to do in the presence of Princess Luna herself right in front of her. She blushed at the fact Luna knew who she was and how happy she was to meet her.

"Seems Mane did a got job in you. You are no longer the serial murderer you were before. And please, don't call me 'princess' or 'highness'. Just Luna." She smiled at her.

"oh, okay. And yeah... I... I have a gratitude debt with him since then." Pinkamena scratched her head in suspense.

"Please, take a seat you both." Luna invited. "The reason I called you here is urgent, and to make sure you both hear the same thing, I joined you two in a dream with me."

Mane and Pinkamena sat down in the comfortable golden chairs by the other side of the desk, and they leaned forward to hear carefully what Princess Luna had to say.

"I got bad news..." She started with a sigh. "The amnesia you did on Dr.Fumes ended, Mane. And my sister got informed of what happened there, and Shining Armor was there too when It happened."

"It was to be expected..."The grey stallion took a hand to his face and sighed.

"Let me guess!" Pinkamena pointed at Luna. "The army is coming."

"You took my words." Luna putted her hands on the desk and stood up. "But It's not over yet. Fumes informed also that you both are on the Crystal Empire and trying to end the weapon smuggling there, and Mane, you know how Shining doesn't like how you interfere in the law's business."

"I know enough." Mane scratched behind his ear. "Tell me, how many are coming?"

"Many." Luna sighed. "And they are bringing muskets and pistols."

"Eh, for what I heard from Fumes, they are not that skilled." Mane laughed.

"If they weren't that skilled, they wouldn't be bringing them, Mane!" Pinkamena contradicted with her arms and legs crossed, disappointed with his argument.

"She's right. In the last week and half, the army's skill with these actually raised a lot." Luna pointed a finger at Mane. "I know you escaped a lot of times, but don't judge Shining's training skills."

"Okay, I was wrong." Mane opened his eyes widely and smiled. "Oh, Luna! Look what I can do!"

He stood up and turned into his crystal form, showing off his arms made of shinning smoked quartz and facial features like the emerald eyes and the obsidian and ruby hair but combed in a more arranged way, with the same flexibility of normal hair, breaking the laws of physics, but for Crystal Empire ponies It was normal.

"That's wonderful." Luna clapped. "You seem to have a better control of your natural crystal sense than the others."

"So... this is not that normal?" Asked Pinkamena.

"Not at all. Crystal ponies only show up this form during a local events IF the Crystal Hearth is showed to the public and It's power pulses in It's altar, the entire city made of crystal will shine more than ever for an amount of hours, and It's citizens while turn in their beautiful crystal form." Luna looked back at Mane. "But for Mane, he can turn whenever he wants, and many don't have the same control like him. It can be a mutation or other factor."

"I may have a guess..." Pinkamena commented.

"What is It then?"

"Hey, Shaker." She called picking his attention from admiring his new body. "I think you have other thing to show. You know..."

"Oh yeah! Luna, look at this!" He enthusiastically changed back to his normal form, and after a moment of focus with his eyes closed, his bottom body turned into black smoke, and next his arms.

Luna gasped and stumbled terrified in Mane's spectral form.

"Something wrong, princess?" Pinkamena asked.

"Yes. That was King Sombra's unique ability! It made our battle with him a huge trouble. You have what they call 'Devil Blood.', It gives a fraction of the powers if you are related to somepony with such powers. In this case, King Sombra." Luna stepped back. "But your ability seems less powerful, he could do in a blink of eyes. But still, It explains how you have such control in your crystal form..."

"Chill down, Luna..." Mane's face showed up in the smoke. "I don't have bad intentions."

"I know and I'm grateful for that. I just don't like to see It..." Luna shivered.

"I understand." Mane came back to normal again.

"Back into topic, we sidetracked a lot." Luna sat down in her silver chair, more rested from Mane's intentions. "The army is going for you and heavily armed. Besides going after the responsible smuggler, they are going after you both."

"When do they arrive?" Mane asked while sitting back in his place.

"Around tomorrow. They are going by train like you did, and bringing a huge arsenal along."

"That means..." Pinkamena stopped to think. "Means our cover will be broken as soon they arrive."

"Well seen." Luna notified.

"Seems going around freely in another city in Equestria is about to come to an end."

"Sorry Mane..." Luna sighed sadly. "Maybe I can talk something out with the local ones currently in charge of the Empire."

"Please do!" Mane begged. "I want to have the freedom of walking freely in my own hometown."

"Besides that, I have bad news about that too." Luna shrugged in doubt.

"Oh come on!" Mane vented.

"Two years ago, Shining Armor and Princess Candence got married!" Luna announced happily.

"Those two actually married?! HAHAHA! Shining Armor, you magnificent animal!" He laughed hard, admitting he somehow liked Shining Armor besides their differences. "...ahh... But... Haha! How is that bad?"

"Me and my sister are deciding if Candence would be crowned ruler of the Crystal Empire. Which means, Shining Armor will live with her there."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mane blurted out his nerves, losing his previous humor. "Now I won't be able to go around here!"

"Rest Mane... Candence has no grudges against you besides Shining for interfering in the army's business. And remember, she's the ruler, not him.. And he's only following orders from my sister, and you know how obedient he is to her."

"No shit Luna! Try come up with something. You are the inside mare in those parts."

"I won't make promises but I'll do my best."

"Thank you. And Pinkamena, come here..."

Pinkamena snapped from the long conversation between them, stood up from her chair and walked around the desk next to Luna. The princess stood up as well and hugged her like a mother, making the pink mare blush in surprise, asking herself what was going on in her head.

"You now have my protection, just like Mane. Don't disappoint me and protect him like he has been protecting you."

"I-I will..." Pinkamena cried in happiness. Receiving such honor from Princess Luna was a memory for a lifetime.

"You are now welcome to our tiny club." Luna giggled cutely.

"Thank you, Princess..." And she knelled down in one leg, like a soldier receiving a medal for her services.

"Stand up, girl. Save your honor to the service you are doing to Equestria and It's citizens, by punishing the filth that corrupts society."

Diane stood up as fast as she could and stood firm like a soldier in front of Luna, and Mane laughed at the scene, followed by Luna then Pinkamena. It was a relief for what they went through together to finally share a laugh with one of the royal sisters.

Luna conjured with her magic three glaces and a bottle of wine. Mane twisted his nose because of the drink, which was not of his appreciation but he accepted just to not be rude. The princess opened the bottle with her blue magic and spilled the violet liquid in the glasses and gave them to Mane and Pinkamena.

"A toast..!" Luna raised her glass along with them. "To the certain justice in Equestria and It's glory!"

They clinked the glasses and drank the wine all together.