After Chrysalis's cries died down, the Captain came forward to see what had become of their queen.
"Sh... She's dead," he said "You killed the Wicked Witch of the West."
"I... I didn't mean to," Twilight said standing next to Flash and Pinkie, mouth now de-jellyfied "It, It was just she was on fire. I didn't mean to kill anyone."
"All hail Twilight," the captain called out "The Wicked Witch is dead!"
There was a buzz of thousand pairs of wings flapping for joy that their queen and witch was dead.
"Is there anything we can do for you?" the captain asked Twilight and Flash smiling.
"Well you could give us our freedom," Flash said "And show us the way out of the forest."
"Of course, of course." the captain said trotting over to the door. "Come on, I'll show you the way to the edge of the forest."
After Twilight and her friends were out of the Everfree Forest, and thanked the captain, they made their way to the small village just ahead of them to spend the night.
***
Twilight woke up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare that Chrysalis was back and had killed Flash. Getting up, knowing that she wouldn't get back to sleep, Twilight thought to get some fresh air.
Outside, Twilight put her arms on the railing and looked up at the stars and thought of the question Rainbow asked to find the real Flash and his reactions to it.
"I hope it means that he does like me." she told herself resting her head down.
"Of course I do Twilight," a voice sounded behind her.
"Fl... Flash," Twilight spun around blushing thankful that it was dark. "Er... how much did you hear?"
"Everything you said," Flash said walking up to the railing too.
Not saying anything the two both looked up at the stars. Then after a while Twilight remembered what Chrysalis had said.
"Flash?" she began "Did... Did you really say you wouldn't let Chrysalis hurt me?"
"Yes Twilight," he said putting his hoof over hers looking into her eyes.
"And... going to Rainbow's question..." Twilight struggled to think of the words to say.
"If I had the time, Twilight," Flash said blushing and rubbing the back of his neck, "I would say exactly what Chrysalis said. That I loved you from the very beginning. The way your eye's twinkle as if they were stars. The way your smile makes me blush every time I see it, The..." But he was cut off as a pair of lips were pressed over his own, and he felt arms around his neck.
Pulling away away from him Flash saw that Twilight had tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong Twilight?" he asked.
"I'm just thinking that I don't want to go home anymore." she said looking Flash in the eye. And without another word, they moved back into another kiss, and they stayed out there all night, under the stars.
As the sun rose, and shone it's lights on Twilight's eyes she was pleased that last night with Flash on the balcony wasn't the dream.
"HEY GUYS!" Pinkie's voice rang in their ears waking Flash up. "Wow have the two of you been out here all night?"
"Err..." Twilight and Flash said looking at each other searching for an answer.
"Hey Pinkie, do we want to get going or what?" Rainbow said coming to the door. "Oh hi you guys. I wondered where you got to last night." she said looking over at Twilight and Flash still lying on the floor.
Noticing this the two got up blushing not looking at anyone in particular. There was a few moments of silence before Twilight asked... "So what now. How do we get back to the Emerald City to see the Princess so you guys can get what you want?"
Fluttershy came over "We can ask some-pony how to get there, or to take us there."
Then the Crescent Moon Necklace began to glow, and Twilight's eyes turned white. There was a flash and they were gone from the balcony.
By the gates of the Emerald City, Rarity was starting to fall asleep. You see it was really quite boring being the gate guard actually, all you did all day was... Stand there, open and close the gates to ponies coming and going from the Emerald City, and look pretty.
Rarity was in the middle of a yawn when a flash of blue light showed up on the hill above her overlooking the City. Getting out a telescope and holding it to her eye Rarity saw it was Twilight and her friends. "And they rescued the colt." she said smiling. "I must go tell the Princess." And with that she went inside the gates.
***
Up on the hill Twilight had collapsed, tired from all the power that had just flown though her.
"You ok Twilight?" Flash asked helping her back up.
"Hey there's the Emerald City again," Pinkie called pointing out into the distance.
"That was fast," Rainbow said looking around to check that they were all there.
"Erm... Did you do that Twilight?" Fluttershy asked walking up next to Twilight and Flash.
"No..." Twilight said rubbing her head. "I... I was just wishing to return to the Emerald City, there was that blue light, and here we are."
"Well there's no point just staring at it," Rainbow said flapping her tin wings "Let's go!" and she raced down the hill followed by the others.
***
When the gates opened, Rarity was there to meet them, a huge smile on her face. "It looks like you found your colt-friend then dear." she said to Twilight making her blush and look away.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rainbow butted in "We're all done and proud of ourselves. Now can we see the Princess about us getting what we want please?"
"Oh yes, of course," Rarity said turning around "Follow me." and she lead the ponies into the City to see the Princess.
***
When the throne room doors opened, and Rarity let them in there was some-pony in the room with the princess.
"Cadence?" Flash and Twilight said together running up to her.
"Looks like you did a good job protecting Twilight, Flash," Cadence said smiling at the two "Not a single scratch on her."
"Er..." the two said together as the others were wondering who this Alicorn was.
"There, there Cadence," Celestia said stepping up "They're here to get what they want, not to be confused." then turning to the other ponies "Although as I said I think you found everything you wanted, in Chrysalis's Hive."
"All we found there," Rainbow spoke up stepping forward "Was Flash. There weren't any brains, or hearts, or courage, back there..."
"Can I ask you a question then, since your so sure Rainbow Dash?" Celestia asked. "When you were stuck to the wall with royal jelly, how did you get off."
"My strength," Rainbow answered wondering where this was going.
"And where did that strength come from?" Celestia continued.
"My heart." Rainbow gasped in realization.
Then turning to Fluttershy, "And when you were scared, what made you go on?"
"The courage that my friends gave me..." the lioness said smiling, looking at the ponies around her.
Finally turning to Pinkie, "And what gave you the idea to talk to the Changelings for so long, until they did what you wanted then to do?"
"My brain!" Pinkie gasped grinning with glee.
"You all had what you wanted to find all the time," Celestia said looking around at the happy faces. "You just needed friends, and a chance, for them to become found."
"But what about Twilight and her getting home?" Flash asked.
"Twilight's had the power to go home from the very beginning," Cadence said. "That Crescent Moon Necklace grants the wishes of it's holder until it's holder gets what they want."
"What?" Twilight said looking at the necklace.
"When you were attacked by the trees, you wanted them to let go, the necklace felt your wish and granted it." Cadence explained.
"Yeah," Pinkie spoke up "Then when the changelings attacked us up on that hill before, you wanted them to leave you alone. A flash from the necklace later, all the ones around you are knocked out."
"And then when Chrysalis was about to kill you," Flash remembered "You wanted her to back off, and it shot her to the otherside of the room."
"Then this morning," Fluttershy said "You wanted to come back to the Emerald City, so we could get what we wanted."
"Yeah," Rainbow piped up understanding where this was going "And after that thing lit up we were back up on that hill, just outside the city."
"But... If that's true, then why didn't it let me go home in the first place." Twilight asked "Or let me get rid of it?"
"It wouldn't let you get rid of it," Celestia explained "Because it's bonded to you. As long as you're alive and are living here in Equestia, the necklace will always stick to you."
"And it didn't let you go home," Cadence said smirking a little looking between Twilight and Flash "Because all though you journey, what you've been wishing for, I feel, has changed. As it not?"
"Err..." Twilight said turning as pink as Pinkie and looking at the floor. Flash staring up at the ceiling.
"Awww..." Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rarity said together looking on to the romance before them.
"Blah..." Rainbow said as she couldn't stand so much of it.
"So, it's dissension time Twilight," Celestia said. "Do you want to stay here and be with Flash? Or do you want to go home?"
"I... I..." Twilight said.