After making their way to Canterlot in the past few hours, Starlight and Trixie walked across the castle to find Celestia and Luna. After a half-hour of moving across the castle, they finally made it towards the throne room where the two princesses are.

"Your Highnesses!" Starlight shouted as she bowed along with Trixie.

"Oh hey Starlight. Whatever is the matter?" Celestia asked in a delighted manner.

"You wouldn't believe us even if you sent me deep into the pits of Tartarus."

Hearing this shocked both Celestia and Luna. So they decided to listen to what they had to say about what happened on their trip. After a whole hour, the royal sisters were completely flabbergasted about what happened to Spike and how he could be potentially possessed by the malachite crystal embedded into his heart.

"How could I let this happen?" Celestia asked, completely bewildered.

"Sister..." Luna pleaded.

"I always knew Twilight to be a workaholic worrywart, but I never would have imagined the day that she would kick Spike out. My own son..." Celestia said in tears.

"Everything will be okay, dear sister. We will find whatever method we have to save Spike. Should I send for the girls?" Luna asked.

"Now." Celestia said with silent fury in her voice.

Knowing that she was in no mood to be angered, she immediately wrote a letter and sent it to Twilight's castle in Ponyville. After receiving the letter from Celestia and reading it, mane six left the castle to board a train to Canterlot. On their way over, they tried to comprehend why Celestia sent for them in this sense of urgency.

"Hey Twi, do you think that the Princess sent for us because we forgot to tell her about the cake fest back at Ponyville?" Applejack asked.

"No, it couldn't be the case. She could've sent for us because there could be a test." Twilight speculated.

"A test on what?" Fluttershy asked.

"I dunno. It could be a test on trigonometry or something."

"Aren't you over-thinking it a little bit, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked."

"No. I'm just nervous is all."

"You are always nervous, Twilight. Besides, you're a princess now. You are beyond tests." Rarity said.

"I suppose..." Twilight said, scratching the back of her head.

"Hey girls! We're coming close to the stopping point!" Pinkie said, pointing to the train-station.

After pulling up to the stop, the mane six got off the train and proceeded to walk towards the castle. But not before stopping to eat first. After grabbing a quick snack at Donut Joe's, they proceeded towards the castle without cease. After a half-hour of walking around the castle, they finally made it towards the castle where two angry sisters awaited.

"How are you today, Your Highness?" Twilight asked in a friendly manner.

Celestia did not answer.

"Princess Luna?" Twilight asked with a nervous chuckle.

Luna did not answer either.

"Is there anything wrong, Princesses?" Applejack asked.

The two did not answer and all they did was give Twilight and her friends the look of furious anger when they entered the throne room. Twilight was now starting to feel nervous about both the Princesses.

"Did I do anything to anger you, Princess Celestia? Anything wrong?" Twilight asked, now completely unsure.

Instead of answering, Celestia rose up from her throne and walked towards Twilight. She was starting to feel even more unnerved now that Celestia has moved out of her throne. Sweating from the top of her head, Twilight did not know what to expect when Celestia finally appeared in front of her.

Slap!

In the next moment, Twilight felt the stinging effect of the slap that was inflicted by Celestia. Out of anger, Celestia levitated Twilight against the wall and asked in a cold voice,

"What did you do?"

"What do yo-" Twilight asked before being interrupted by Luna.

"Do not play innocent with us, Twilight Sparkle! We know what you did with him!" Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice.

"Who? You're not making any sense, Princesses."

"You threw Spike out of the castle!" Celestia shouted.

"N-No! I was just-"

"Just what? Angry over a mistake could be easily remedied? Upset that your plan didn't go the way that it should? Or embarrassed about what Spike did?" Celestia asked with anger.

Hearing this stunned Twilight as she couldn't think of anything else to say. After dropping her, Celestia said,

"I am very disappointed in you, Twilight Sparkle. Not only do we have a new enemy in our midst, but you have also betrayed the very teachings that you inherited over the years when you were my student."

Twilight lowered her head in shame upon hearing Celestia say that.

"What were you thinking about when you expelled Spike from your castle?" Luna asked.

Twilight tried to think of an explanation to back her argument up, but she was so devastated that couldn't figure out what to say.

"Were your friends involved in this?" Celestia asked.

Twilight gave her a solemn nod upon hearing her question.

"I trusted you. Among all the students that have came to me and failed, I have trusted you. But after what you have done and what your method of Spike's expulsion, my trust was misplaced. There is now only thing left to do." Celestia said as she lowered Twilight down and looking at Luna.

Twilight raised her head and looked at her with tears getting ready to stream from her eyes.

"We must search for him." Luna decreed.

Twilight and her friends looked at the two alicorns in confusion upon hearing that.

"Huh? Why? Shouldn't we-"

"Yes you should, but it is our responsibility to make sure that the entire land of Equestria is safe from harm and to bring Spike back." Celestia said.

Starlight came out of hiding upon hearing Celestia say that.

"When do we leave, Your Highness?" Starlight asked.

"Immediately. Did you send Trixie home?" Luna asked.

"She's already boarded the next train to Ponyville. She should be halfway by now." Starlight answered.

"Good. Everypony, get your equipment and-"

"Your Highness!" a voice called out.

Both Celestia and Luna turned around and saw a guard running into the throne room.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"We have just received word that the Crystal Empire has been infiltrated."

"What?" Celestia asked.

Upon hearing this, Twilight levitated the letter over to herself and started reading it. After reading it, she dropped the letter in terror upon learning what has happened in the Crystal Empire.