Chapter 1
The center of the Crystal Empire was bustling with activity. It was the day of the Crystal Fair, and the area surrounding the citys castle was filled with ponies setting up festivities. This was the day that everypony in the crystal empire looked forward to- the day when they would celebrate their heritage, history, and culture, all the while providing the spirit needed for the crystal heart to protect the land from the monsters and bitter climate that existed outside this kingdom. Far above the preparations, an alicorn gazed upon his fair empire from the top of his castle. The overwatcher was none other than Emperor Emerald, ruler of the Crystal Empire. His eyes shifted towards the center of the preparations, where the magnificent Crystal Heart sparkled. It shined with energy, the spirit from last years fair still powering it. Admiring his small kingdom, the emperor made himself comfortable beside his window.
CLANK
Suddenly, the door to his chambers slammed open, interrupting his concentration. Emerald turned to find a crystal guard rushing towards him. “Your highness! Captain Sombra demands an audience with you at once!”
“Sombra? What does he want?”
“I'll explain on the way. We must make haste, your highness; he said it was urgent. Follow me.” With that, the guard dashed back through the door, the emperor close behind.
As they continued through the castle, Emerald addressed the guard, “Now, what is the meaning of this?”
“I am not sure.” He replied, “Captain Sombra spoke of a new addition to the fair that would improve the lives of everypony in this kingdom.” This made the emperor think. The fair was already brilliant: excellent food, entertainment, competitions, and all kinds of spirit-raising activities, more than enough to fill the crystal heart. What could be so fantastic that it would improve the fair on such a degree? The guard Emerald was trailing halted abruptly, stopping his thoughts. “We're here.” The king found himself in the castle`s courtroom, with a circle of ponies talking amongst themselves on the opposite side of the room. Upon seeing their ruler, the ponies gave a quick bow before unfolding their circle, revealing Captain Sombra.
Before he could speak, however, Emerald demanded, “Captain Sombra. For what reason have you interrupted me from tending to the festivities? Should we not all be out enjoying our fair country`s greatest celebration?”
“Forgive me, your majesty. I bear a proposal, one that will benefit all of our kingdom, and especially this fair.” With that being said, Sombra grabbed an enormous hat from behind his back. It appeared to be made of straw, but its edges were laced with colorful green stripes, and yarn with beads on its ends hung from the sides. Sombra placed the phenomenon on his head, and put on a goofy grin. The captain of the crystal guard exclaimed, “Olé! Sombreros!”
The room was still. Nopony moved or said a word for several minutes. Finally, Emerald broke the silence with a cough, and proceeded to declare, “We will not speak of this again” He turned to the crystal ponies. “You all are dismissed. Go back to your duties at the fair.”
Sombra objected, “But your highness! Do you not see-”
“No.” The Emperor interrupted. “We will not do anything with your “sombrero.”This is the end of this conversation. Go back to your duties.”
“But-”’
“No! That is an order, captain.”
“Very well, your majesty. I will see to the fair.”
“Thank you. I will see you there.” Emerald turned and trotted out of the room back towards his quarters. He sighed, thinking, “What was Captain Sombra thinking? He of all ponies should know that adding something as radical and unorthodox as that... “sombrero” to the crystal fair would disrupt the spiritual, routinal harmony required to charge the crystal heart.
The Emperor should have obliged, however, for the sombrero had not left Captain Sombra`s head. As he trotted back to the fair, Sombra muttered to himself, “I'll show the emperor... I'll show them all! I'll show everypony the true power of the sombrero...”
As he uttered those last words, Sombra placed his famed hat upon his head, and began to twist an imaginary mustache as he laughed maniacally. The skrill of hysterical cackles reverberated through the fair, hysterical chortles catching the attention of many of the surrounding ponies. The bystanders merely stared as they saw the leader of their military break up while boasting the most ridiculous headgear the ponies had ever seen. Upon seeing that he was already on the streets where the crystal fair was being set up, and that there were many ponies eyeballing him, Sombra abruptly stopped his convulsion. After a moment's pause, Sombra smirked and teleported away, back to his chamber.
Upon arriving back in his home, Sombra put on a scowl and paced over to a corner in his room. He glanced at his surroundings, making sure there was nopony around. Confident he was not being watched, Sombra returned his gaze to the wall and closed his eyes. A blinding flash of green and red light emitted from the unicorn's horn, and a beam of energy collided with a small hole in the wall. The room shifted, and a door appeared on the wall. With a small creak, the door opened, exposing a long, descending flight of stairs. The captain passed through the entryway, the door shutting behind him. He began the trek to the bottom, his hoofsteps echoing through the chamber.
Captain Sombra reached the end of the stairs, and approached a doorway that met him at the bottom. He shot an opening above the door with another beam of energy, and the door once again opened to accept the captain. Sombra found himself in a bright workshop, full of tables with straw, yarn, beads, and green dye on top of them. On the opposite side of the room, hundreds of completed sombreros rested against the wall, ready for action. Sombra lifted the hats with his magic, carrying them back out the door he came. Once they had all been piled outside the door, he exited the room with the door once again shutting behind him. He levitated the sombreros again and carried them with him as he began trotting up the stairs
As he ascended up the stairs, Sombra whispered to the hats, “Come, my children. we have work to do.”
