The bright light faded, and Luster found herself back where she was... the entrance to the Canterlot Garden. The former villains were there too. One look at her flank told her the glowing finally stopped. Cozy Glow went to the entrance and looked in.
"Wow... the garden looks beautiful," Cozy Glow said.
"Don't go in. It's getting fumigated," Luster warned.
Cozy Glow backed away.
"Oops. Sorry," she said.
"So... should we see the Princess?" Chrysalis asked.
Luster nodded. "Follow me."
Princess Twilight Sparkle sat on her throne. Recently, Spike left on an important royal adviser mission, and would probably be back the next day.
She was wondering how her prized student was doing when she saw the door open. Gallus, the captain of the royal guard, poked his head in.
"Your majesty?" he called out.
Princess Twilight got off her throne and made her way to the griffon.
"What is it, Gallus?"
"You know that friendship mission Luster went on that you told me about?"
"Yes?"
Gallus smiled.
"She did it."
The Princess gasped as her expression turned to joy.
"May I see her?"
Gallus opened the door even wider, showing Luster and the three reformed villains.
Luster immediately galloped to her mentor and hugged her. Twilight herself wrapped her hoof around her student.
When they released each other from their embrace, she saw the three former villains.
"Chrysalis. Tirek. Cozy Glow," she said, stepping forward, with Luster getting out of the way. Her smile remained.
"It is a pleasure to see you, Princess Twilight," Chrysalis said, bowing down along with Tirek and Cozy.
Twilight knew that she wasn't being made fun of, but instead, they were being as modest as they could be.
"You two have changed a lot."
"Oh we have," Cozy said. "Tirek increased to his second form. Chrysalis metamorphosed. And as for me, I lost my cutie mark."
Cozy then showed the Princess her blank flank.
"Well then, before we figure out what to do from there, just let me remove your magic and flight restrictions."
The Princess lit up her horn, with the light getting brighter and brighter. Three thin streaks of white light streamed out of the light.
Every streak touched the forehead of one former villain.
Finally, the glows faded.
When the glows faded, Cozy arched up her back and suddenly levited off the ground, flapping her wings.
"I can fly again!"
Chrysalis turned into Twilight before becoming herself again.
"I can change forms again!"
Everypony looked at Tirek.
"Don't look at me! I may have my powers back, but I feel like I am unable to steal magic anymore." Tirek smiled before he finished. "And I'm thankful for that. Ability to steal or not, I wouldn't do it again anyways."
"Ok then. Now that this is all cleared up, what are your plans for your futures? Would any of you want to go home?" Twilight asked.
There was silence.
"Actually..." Chrysalis began. "You can tell the hive I've changed, but I don't want to come back until I've learned everything about friendship."
"I want my brother to see a major difference in my attitude. Just reforming is not enough," Tirek said. "I need to learn everything."
"I don't know if anypony related to me is still out here... and as it turns out, I still have so much to learn about the REAL way of friendship," Cozy said.
"Very well," Princess Twilight said. "Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow! You three are to live in my old Ponyville castle until you all are comfortable with going home or finding a home. Does that seem fair?"
"It does," Chrysalis said.
"I can also try to get you three into the School of Friendship... but that can wait until the news has been spread."
"Decent plan," Tirek said. "As long as it works, I'm happy."
"May I escort them now, your majesty?" Gallus offered.
"As you wish."
With that, Gallus led the three villains out of the Canterlot castle.
"Luster... I'm proud of what you've accomplished," Twilight said.
"Well... I wasn't alone. I've had some help."
"Really? Who?"
Luster was about to answer, before she decided to wait.
"Maybe you know her. I wouldn't mind meeting you two up someday when your schedule is clear."
Twilight looked confused before brushing it off.
"If you insist."
"Or maybe now," a voice said.
Twilight and Luster turned their heads and saw who was the one that spoke: Princess Twilight Sparkle. Only, she was more sparkly.
Luster knew who that was... the Tree Spirit.
"I-uh-what?" Princess Twilight asked. She obviously hasn't met the spirit before.
"I bet you are confused, so I will make this easy. I may look like you, Princess Twilight. But I'm actually the Tree of Harmony."
For the first time, Luster saw her mentor in complete jaw-dropping shock.
"I-uh-but-Tree..."
"I have never contacted you like this, Twilight. But I have contacted others. I contacted your students a long time ago. And just recently, Luster and the former villains."
"HOW? You've-"
"Been destroyed and turned into a treehouse? Yes. But I still carry the ability to contact anypony."
"So... you helped Luster on her mission?"
"Indeed I have. She couldn't do it alone. Plus, she was wondering why the map sent her in the first place since she valued friendship for a month. Although she remembered the letters, at the same time, she believed she didn't know anything else. So I talked sense into the villains, brought a shard from each Element of Harmony, and brought it to the camp. When Luster performed each deed related to the element, it would activate a magic surge. When the trio accepted her friendship request, everything happened so fast. The next thing any of them knew, the villains all had a physical change to their bodies."
Princess Twilight remained speechless until she finally decided to speak.
"Thank you. My student and I are thankful."
"Yes," Luster said. "You were right. Despite all I learned, I thought I was far from where the Princess is at. But now I see that I know more than I thought. I learned that even if I can't force friendship, if I perform the right amount of deeds like the Elements, I can get through even the nastiest of souls if they ever listen to me."
The Tree Spirit nodded before she extended her wings. A blinding light emitted through her barrel. Luster and Princess Twilight shielded their eyes. When they opened them again after the light faded, the Spirit was gone.
Nopony said anything for a minute.
"So... what now? Should I go get the tents and the supplies? When we came back here, they were left behind."
"That's ok. We can wait until tomorrow. Until then, I suggest you go home. Since you told me what you learned over the mission, you don't have to write anything tonight."
"Meh. I'll write anyway."
Twilight chuckled.
"If you say so."
Princess Twilight and Luster nuzzled each other as a farewell before Luster left the castle, ready to go home.