Sunset Shimmer was led, with the bridle still fastened on her head, into the throne room of the Crystal Empire's castle. The architecture of the castle, that had been a minor distraction when she was trying to steal the Element of Magic, confused her a little—the way she could almost but not quite see between rooms. She looked around at the small gathering of ponies.

Princess Celestia looked upon her former student, and although she wanted to just be happy Sunset was back and not causing trouble, she felt the old bile rise just at the sight of her. She wanted to look away, she wanted to leave, but thousands of years of rulership had taught her that sometimes you had to swallow a bitter pill.

Sitting on her throne with Shining Armor at her side, Cadance looked down at the very small-looking unicorn in restraints. "You have made it very hard to find somepony impartial to oversee your trial." Cadance lifted a hoof and gestured around. "Princess Celestia was your former teacher. Princess Twilight was assaulted and stolen from by you. Prince Shining Armor arrested you. And I… I am sister, wife, and niece to the three aforementioned ponies."

"We don't believe we were even on Equus when this started." Luna stepped forward. "And while we are, of course, related to one of those parties; we find ourselves not attached to the actual crimes." As she looked up to Princess Cadance, she got a smile and a nod.

"The Crystal Empire recognizes Princess Luna's right and impartiality in judging this case." Cadance leaned a little to the side and nuzzled Shining. "Please, can we get this over with. I do not enjoy such things."

"The old ways of Equestria," Luna began, "were filled with rigid court requirements and procedures. But while we would enjoy seeing them reinstated, this is the Crystal Empire, so we thought something less formal would be more appropriate." She gestured to a table to one side. "Come."

Sunset was a little dazed, and looked between each of the alicorns, as well as the "Prince" that she still didn't know the full story of, and settled with following Princess Luna. When gestured to, she sat in the middle of three seats on one side, while Luna sat on the other.

"Who will be speaking the facts?" The moment Luna spoke, Gleaming Shine stepped forward. "You know the full details of what transpired?"

"I do, Your Highness." Gleaming took an offered seat at Sunset's right. "I have reports here from myself compiled from my own time investigating the matter, as well as one Rainbow Dash, and Sergeant Gleaming Shine, a human... uh... guardspony." She mused briefly on her return through the mirror.

"Very well, and will anypony here speak on Sunset Shimmer's behalf?" Luna looked around the chambers, eventually fixing her eyes on a single raised, black hoof. The hoof was filled with holes. "Identify yourself."

"I am Careful Steps, Adviser to the Empress of the Crystal Empire." Careful loved using his queen's full title. "And I have spent time speaking with the accused." At Luna's nod, Careful stepped up and took the seat at Sunset's left. A look at the flame-themed mare revealed shock at his sitting there.

"Let us begin. Gleaming Shine, please read aloud the chronology of Sunset Shimmer's activities as revealed by your reports." Luna focused her considerable attention on Gleaming, not wanting to risk distraction in this weighty matter.

"Sunset Shimmer of Equestria arrived in Canterlot—the human world's Canterlot—some five years ago." Gleaming was reading her notes verbatim, but kept her ears perked for any questions from Princess Luna. "She took some time establishing herself, and assumed the identity of the human Sunset Shimmer already living there. She accessed the bits—I am translating here, they use a different name for bits—of the human Sunset Shimmer, and used her reputation and bits to gain entrance to various institutions and living arrangements."

"Please." Luna cut in when Gleaming paused. "Could you clarify? Did she steal the bits of this other mare?"

"Not as such. Because she was identical in form as the human Sunset Shimmer, in their world she could legally ask others to give her the human Sunset's bits. Their law structure does not distinguish between their citizens and inter-dimensional copies. Also, that world has an odd promissory note system as an acceptable substitute for physical bits." Gleaming struggled to understand the system herself, but hoped that would appease the Princess. Luna gave her a nod. "I did, working as an agent and ambassador of the Crystal Empire, repay the debts incurred."

"Very well, that sums up the crimes committed abroad." Luna smiled a little to Gleaming, welcoming a reply in kind. "Now, we would like to hear accounts of events that transpired the night before last."

"If," Careful Steps cut in, smiling to Princess Luna, "you would permit me, may I give the account of this one?"

"You may not." Luna smiled back, equally as much as Careful had. "Officer Gleaming Shine, please continue."

Gleaming blinked in surprise as the way her friend had been denied to talk. Clearing her throat, she continued with the next section. "At or around sundown, two nights ago, Sunset Shimmer returned to Equus through the mirror portal to seek out Princess Twilight Sparkle's room. She did enter the room, and tried to replace Princess Twilight's crown with a fake. Sunset Shimmer was caught in the act, and chased back to the storage room containing the mirror."

Not receiving any questions, Gleaming looked around those present. "Prince Shining Armor, at hearing Princess Twilight's cries of alarm, teleported directly to the chamber and stopped Sunset Shimmer from escaping back to the human Canterlot. With my own aid, we subdued her and placed her into custody."

"We will hold any questions until the end." Princess Luna gave a slight nod. "Please continue."

"The crown had, apparently, rolled through the portal. Rainbow Dash and I volunteered to retrieve it, whereupon we learned—from a fellow officer of law, Sergeant Shine—what had transpired there. We were allowed to leave with the crown, and promised to secure compensation for the human Sunset Shimmer's losses to both reputation and bits." Gleaming lifted out a scroll with the amounts paid listed.

Luna paused and read over the invoice. "This is very serious. The immediate reasons for all… this…" Luna gestured to the gathering while looking directly at Sunset Shimmer, "is that you have managed to annoy so many princesses that it was a struggle to find one you hadn't." It was as candid as could be, but Luna would not let it intrude and lighten the situation too far. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, what do you wish done about the attempted theft of your crown, the Element of Magic?"

"Your Highness, Princess Luna," Twilight was a little startled by the sudden focus on her, but she was a princess now. "I don't think I could be a princess and still hold this against Sunset Shimmer. But before I decide, I want to hear why she did all this." She gestured to the report that Gleaming had set on the table before Luna.

"Your Highness?" Careful cleared his throat a little and waited for Princess Luna to nod to him. "I could make up all kinds of fantastical stories, I am a changeling after all, but the truth is a simple matter. As a mature filly, Sunset Shimmer showed as much talent with magic as a unicorn was capable of. She excelled in her classes, and caught the eye of Princess Celestia herself."

Celestia blinked at how the story was going. "I don't—"

"Sister, this is a court in session, please do not cut in. Hold all questions for the end." Luna had no smile for her sister. "Adviser Careful, please continue." There was no pleasure to be had in cutting off Celestia, not during something as important as this.

"Sunset's dream came true. She became Princess Celestia's personal student. Things started well, with both Sunset and Princess Celestia divining the secrets of magic together, but I wouldn't be telling this if that was it." Careful gave a slight tip of his head to Luna. "They didn't get along. It was easy to ignore each other's faults at first, but the closer they had to work as mentor and student, the worse it became."

Luna's eyes scanned those who would have been present in Canterlot Castle at the time. Her sister looked livid, but was glaring at Sunset; the moment Princess Celestia noticed Luna looking at her, her mask of impassive calm was back. Princess Twilight's mouth was slightly open in shock. Cadance wore the most interesting look of the three—she was intrigued.

"I imagine this as nopony's fault. Princess Celestia had never had a student whose personality so clashed with her own, and Sunset," Careful turned his head to look at the magic-locked mare to his side, "she was literally just a filly. And she was trapped. Sunset could have dropped out, and started all sorts of rumors about her abilities, or she could stay and deal with daily reprimands by the Princess of Equestria."

"A new start was in order, or so she thought. Sunset studied hard despite her situation and discovered Star Swirl's mirrors. In a new land, with a new reputation, she could prosper as her own self." Careful looked into Sunset's eyes, and saw tears there. "This filly did it. She made the decision a princess would not and banished herself to a place where there was no magic."

"That would be horrible!" Twilight choked the words out before she realized it, but although she had broken protocol, all she got was an even look from Luna. "It would be! I withdraw my charges." She had had enough. Although Twilight couldn't understand how two ponies could clash quite so badly, she could see that the others seemed to accept it as true.

Nodding to Twilight, Luna turned next to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. "Of the bits you paid to correct her debts in the human world, we find Sunset Shimmer liable." Her next look was to Gleaming. "Of the danger she caused you and Rainbow Dash, I find her liable."

"We have no charges against her, Your Highness." Gleaming Shine smiled to Luna. "We considered it our duty to our friends and rulers. We have established friendly relations with another world and even communications." She turned her head to Twilight. "It was Princess Twilight's idea to give Sergeant Shine Sunset's linked diary."

"Sunset told me about it." Twilight blushed a little at the attention. "She knows a lot about Equestrian magic and…" She trailed off, realizing she had gone a little too far.

Luna looked thoughtfully between Twilight and Gleaming. "In that case, the court recinds Sunset's liability for putting Rainbow Dash and Gleaming Shine in danger. Then with all that accounted for, Sunset Shimmer is remanded to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor to pay off her debt." Luna clopped a hoof on the table three times, the traditionalist in her unable to hold back all the old rules.

Gleaming Shine bowed her head to Luna, content with the solution. She really is barely a mare, she thought. "Princess, Prince," Gleaming bowed as Cadance and Shining approached the table, "I trust everything is satisfactory?"

Giving a nod to Gleaming, Shining took his duty in hoof. "Sunset Shimmer, do you promise not to leave the Crystal Empire?"

Sunset was in a daze. She had looked at Princess Celestia just once during the proceedings, and it had scared her witless. All the old anger at her, the shouting, even the calm times when she was just ignored; it all came rushing back to her. "Leave? Where would I go?" She looked at the Prince that wasn't a prince. Nopony said a word, and she realized they were still waiting for her reply. "Alright, I will stay here, as long as I don't have to ever go to Equestria!"

"Done." Shining reached with his magic, and touched a special keystone to the lock at the back of the bridle. Reaching up with his hooves, he pulled the device off Sunset's head and freed her to use her magic as she willed. "Don't ever make me chase you, Sunset Shimmer."

Cadance bit back the apology she felt like she should give, for not being the one to help Sunset out of her bad situation. She realized she was just a student at the time too, and wouldn't have dared challenge Princess Celestia on anything. "What would you like to do to work off… that sum." Cadance waved her hoof in the direction of the table and the invoice still on it.

"I…" Sunset froze and looked through Princess Cadance, her eyes unfocused. "I think I would like to learn music. It was an old story, but I remember reading about a mare who befriended a timber-wolf with just a wonderful song."

"A fair choice." Shining grinned. "But I am afraid I won't leave the decision up to you for my task to serve the Crystal Empire. You were trapped with Princess Celestia, you were trapped in that other world," he pointed to Gleaming Shine, "and while you might feel trapped here, I would like you to learn discipline to pay for your debt. You will be under Gleaming Shine's personal supervision, and will be starting in the Royal Crystal Guard immediately."

"Th-Th-The Guard?" Sunset's eyes were like saucers. "But I…" She choked back the snarky reply she was about to deliver. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Your days will be in shifts. Your mornings will be spent training with the Guard, your afternoons will be spent studying music, and your evenings will be spent tutoring students in magic. You will be paid for the tutoring and the Guard work, and once established you may choose how quickly to pay off your debt." Cadance saw dawning surprise on Sunset's face. "Gleaming, what am I to do with you now? You solve more problems than you create, so you are hardly an officer, but you have reached the highest rank we have before you can take on an officer's duties."

"Your Highness?" Gleaming snapped to attention, realizing something life affecting—apart from having to take care of another "odd sock" (as she called the strays she was bid to guide)—was about to happen.

"You are hereby promoted to Lieutenant, Gleaming Shine, in charge of special duties, and answerable only to Commander Gilt, and us of course." Shining Armor drew himself to attention, and waited for Gleaming to snap off a salute. "Congratulations, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Gleaming felt proud as could be, but realized she was going to need to have her armor fitted with another set of rank markers.

"I will find a teacher for music, and I already know of a school that can send students for extra study. You will start tomorrow, Sunset." Cadance turned to look at Shining. "I think I am done with all this formality. Let's both go to the spa and relax."

"We still need to discuss the rest of the business for this summit." Shining reminded Cadance, and booped her on the nose affectionately. "I will invite Twily, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia." He chose to ignore his wife's groan.

Author's Notes:

Pinkie: how's that ginormous welcome party coming along? Would you accept some "special" cookies Trixie made for snacks?

"Welcome party?" Pinkie looked blankly. "Wait, what is going on back in Ponyville?" She gasped for nearly ten seconds. "Is there somepony new in Ponyville?" The pink mare began to vibrate in place with the need to rush back and prepare a party.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

So I do this "Ask x" thing, x can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and I they will definitely hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories and of course, I they will answer the best question(s) in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer, try and keep it to one answer per post! I They will pick one question per chapter.

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