At long last, the fight against King Magnifico was finally over-- the wishes were returned, Queen Amaya was now in charge, and Allura and Twitch were on the side of good for good this time.

Everything seemed like it was going to be perfect.

But just in case, the Mane 6 wanted to stick around for a little while longer and help the kingdom rebuild after so many years of Magnifico’s manipulation.

And they would soon be very glad they did.

XXXXXXXX

Later in the day, many hours after the fight with King Magnifico had ended, the townsfolk were all gathered in the square, happily chatting about how excited they were about their new life and were finally able to trash talk their old king.

“We never needed Magnifico.”

“Magnifico, Schmagnifico.”

“Excuse us!” Zipp exclaimed as she, Sunny and Asha led a woman through the crowd in order to find the queen. “Coming through!”

“This way, this way. She’s just over here,” Asha said as Queen Amaya came into view with Twitch, Allura and a young man dressed in nothing but green. “Queen Amaya!” Sunny called as they approached. “We found her!”

“Your Majesty!” the woman curtsied in excitement. “I hear you long to fly,” said the queen to the woman, who nodded, and then Queen Amaya gestured to the young man next to her. “Well, Peter here wants to build a flying machine.”

“Hi,” Peter greeted with a smile. “You two should work together,” Queen Amaya suggested as she guided them away. “Let me know how I can help.”

Asha sighed as Star approached the group, with Asha smiling from ear to ear. “I can’t believe it’s been like this all morning! So many people wanting to break from the old rules and start forging their own paths.”

“And it’s not just the young people,” Hitch said with a chuckle as he walked over with Misty. “Your Saba is really getting his groove on, Asha.”

Turns out, Hitch wasn’t wrong-- Sabino was in the middle of a large crowd, playing a stringed instrument with Izzy and Pipp dancing right in the middle of it. “I’m just getting started!” Sabino couldn’t help but smile at his granddaughter from afar.

And after a moment, Asha smiled again. “This is more than I could have ever dreamed possible.”

“I dream,” Valentino then interrupted, “of a utopian metropolis where all mammals are equal, and wear clothes!”

“Well,” said Sunny, “you’d enjoy Equestria then, Valentino! If we ever figure out this whole magic star business, we might be able to bring you guys there for a visit someday.”

Suddenly, Star seemed to get an idea before he flew off, leaving Asha to look around, bewildered. “Wait. Where’d you go?”

“Oh, there he is!” Misty said as Star quickly flew back to the group with the stick King Magnifico/Simon in disguise had broken, causing Asha to wince slightly. “Ooh. I know. I’m sorry I broke it.”

Of course, Star didn’t seem to mind, and with his magic, he repaired the stick like new, but also turned it into a dazzling wand, causing those around the group, including Asha’s friends, to gasp and stare in awe… Gabo especially. “W-W-W-W-Wait, is that a magic wand?”

“Uh, thank you, but no thank you,” Asha said politely, feeling the weight of the gift already sinking in. “I am no good with magic. I mean, I put a dress on a tree.”

“I will take it for her,” Gabo began to say before Dahlia grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away. “Uh-uh,” she said with a smile. “It’s for Asha.”

“Come on, Asha, take it already!” Pipp said excitedly. “A moment like this doesn’t come too often, you know.”

“But what am I supposed to do with it?” Asha asked. “Be our fairy godmother. I mean, what else?” Dario spoke as if it were obvious, causing Asha to snort in disbelief. “No, I couldn't do that.”

But by the looks that the ponies, her friends, her family and Star were giving her, this made Asha begin to second guess her own thoughts. “I… could?”

“There’s an old saying in Equestria that I think you might relate to,” Zipp said gently, putting the wand into Asha’s hand. “You’ll never know how high you can soar until you lift off the ground. Come on, Asha… after all you've done for us and for Rosas… you deserve it. Right, Star?”

Star chirped in agreement, and began flying around Asha, causing her to giggle as her hair and dress became adorned with white sparkles. “Thank you!”

Twitch babbled in excitement, his eyes glittering in awe, which Hitch translated with a happy giggle. “Twitch wants you to try that new wand out.”

“Well… okay,” Asha said before accidentally pointing the wand at one of Safi's chickens, causing her to grow to giant size. “Sorry!”

“Clara!” Safi hugged the chicken as she laid a giant egg, which fell right on top of Gabo. “And you wonder why I’m grumpy!”

This led Pipp to giggle, taking a picture for her socials before she put her phone away. “I’m sure she’ll work on it with Star, right?”

However, when Star's expression fell to a rather sad frown, Asha felt a sense of sadness wash over her as well. “Oh, no. I know you too well now. You’re going soon, aren’t you?” she asked Star gently. “So you can be there for others to wish upon.”

Valentino let out a soft groan as his eyes welled up with tears. “I will miss you…!!!” he said as he began to sob. “Oh, my voice is really high when I cry!”

“Aw, Valentino…” Misty said, wiping Valentino's eyes as Asha picked up her goat companion. “Well, soon doesn’t mean tonight.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Valentino said in relief. “That was just too much for me. I am only three weeks old, after all.”

Sabino sighed as the rest of the group gathered around. “Oh, my dear ponies… Star, how can we ever thank you?”

Sunny chuckled warmly to this. “That’s easy… just keep wishing.”

Suddenly, as Star flew around the group, causing them to laugh, a very familiar portal opened up nearby, causing Allura to look at the ponies in anticipation. “I take it that's our lift back to Equestria.”

“That’s it all right,” Zipp sighed. “We… better get going before the portal closes. After all, we do have a star to get back to Equestria where it'll be safe.”

“Wait! Before you go…” said Hal as the teens brought several gift-wrapped packages into view. “...we have some parting gifts for all of you, to remember us and Rosas by.”

“Izzy… I think you might wanna use this in your crafts,” Asha said, handing Izzy a circular wrapped package. “A little something from Star himself.”

Izzy gasped and immediately unwrapped the package, her eyes lighting up in excitement. “This is the yarn Star was playing with earlier! Oh, I know just what craft I wanna use this for!”

Next, Dahlia handed Hitch a large batch of cookies. “Here, Hitch… this is something for you and that cute baby dragon of yours to share when you get back.”

Hitch sighed knowingly with a smile. “These are probably gonna give him an unlimited sugar rush, but… thanks, Dahlia. Sparky is gonna love these, and so am I,” he said gratefully. “And look! They're even shaped like our cutie marks!”

Sabino chuckled and gave Pipp a small tambourine. “Here, princess… so a little piece of the music of Rosas can go with you wherever you go.”

Pipp gasped excitedly and shook the tambourine with supreme enthusiasm. “Thanks, Sabino! As soon as I get home, I'm using this in a new song!”

That was when Queen Amaya stepped up to Misty with a book in her hands. “This was one of Magnifico’s old spellbooks before he… was corrupted by the dark magic,” she said, giving the book to Misty. “I'd like for you to have it, as a way to remember there’s always good magic in the world outside of yours.”

Misty sighed warmly, holding the book in her hooves with gratitude in her gaze. “Thank you, Queen Amaya. It’s like you know me inside and out, despite us only meeting last night.”

Seeing that Zipp was next to get her gift, Gabo sighed and reluctantly handed a new magnifying glass to her. “I… managed to find this at a market stall last week. Since you seem to be so good at the detective thing… I thought you might like it.”

Zipp smiled at the gesture and tucked the magnifying glass under her wing. “Thanks, Gabo. You may be pessimistic at times, but… underneath that hard layer of doubt… you've got a pretty good heart.”

Gabo shot her a little look. “I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the pessimistic part, but… thanks.”

Bazeema was next, wrapping a friendship bracelet around Allura’s paw before putting a smaller, matching one on Twitch’s paw. “I know we haven't been friends for very long, but… I thought you both deserved something to remember Rosas by.”

Allura looked at the bracelet in surprise. “Wow… thank you. I… I don't know what to say.”

Then lastly came Asha, who took a deep breath before handing a small book to Sunny… a book that Sunny seemed to recognize. “Asha… t-this is your journal with all the pictures you've drawn! I couldn't possibly take this away from you.”

Asha put her hand on Sunny’s hoof. “You wouldn’t be taking it from me, Sunny. I'm giving it to you. My dad would have wanted me to. Besides… this way, we'll be hopeful heroes forever… right?”

Sunny smiled fondly at this. “Yeah… I guess so,” Sunny said before hugging Asha tightly. “Thanks, Asha… for everything.”

“Come on, Sunny!” Hitch called as the group headed toward the shimmering portal. “We gotta get home before the portal closes!”

And so, with one another quick hug around Asha’s neck, Sunny galloped after her friends and into the portal before it closed, leaving the magical kingdom of Rosas behind.

XXXXXXXX

“...and then,” Pipp began to conclude the story that they were telling to their friends and loved ones after the Mane 6, Allura and Twitch got back to Equestria, “King Winterbolt was totally drug into his staff for all eternity, prompting Queen Amaya to become the SOUL matriarch of the kingdom of Rosas, where wishes, from now on… are guaranteed to come true.”

“As for Allura and Twitch,” Sunny continued as she spared a glance at the snow leopard and rabbit standing behind them, “we hope all of you will give them a second chance, because I know if we do… Equestria may just be a little bit safer from now on.”

After the applause ended after a few minutes, Posey spoke up with an impressed smile. “I gotta admit, I would NEVER have believed a story like that if it came from anyone other than you ponies. Not in a million years!”

“So… are we really safe now?” Comet asked hopefully. “We're… not gonna have anymore trouble in Equestria anytime soon?”

“Well… we're not gonna promise anything,” Misty said after a moment, “but… for the time being, we ARE safe, so… I think it would be okay if we finally started celebrating.”

“Hold on just a minute, Tea,” Alphabittle said to his daughter. “There’s one last thing I need to take care of… and… it involves you too, Haven.”

Queen Haven looked at him in surprise. “Me?”

Then, before anyone could speak up in confusion, Alphabittle bowed down to Queen Haven, with a small, delicate box in his magic aura. “Haven… I know our pony species have had their trials over the past 1000 years or so, and even now, we have challenges to face. But I know that with you by my side… we can do anything. So… I have one question to ask you.”

Alphabittle opened the box he was holding, revealing a delicate hoof ring, causing Queen Haven to gasp, completely stunned while Pipp, Paradise Moonray, Misty and Zipp held their breath in anticipation. “...Queen Haven of Zephyr Heights,” Alphabittle began, “...would you do me the greatest honor and be my wife?”

It took a few moments before Queen Haven responded, tears filling her eyes as she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes… yes, Alphie! Yes!!”

The entire crowd broke into cheers as Alphabittle and Queen Haven nuzzled each other tenderly, their cutie marks sending fireworks exploding into the night sky. And after the fireworks settled down, Paradise turned to the large crowd of ponies, Allura and Twitch. “Well, I say that this isn't just a welcome celebration for Allura and Twitch, but an engagement celebration as well!”

And so, the party that night went down in the memory books at one of the best parties that the Mane 6 had ever been to… even Allura and Twitch were finally letting loose and enjoying themselves.

But… little did they know that their Unity Quests were far from over.

That's right… there are new missions to be had, new friends to meet, new worlds to explore… and you won't believe it now, but many different twists and turns will shake the lives of the Mane 6 forever…

…but like most people say these days, those are stories for another time.

Author's Note

I wanna take this time to thank Willow and Indywriter Productions for helping me with this story, even when times got tough... and I mean really tough.

I could never have gotten all the way to a potential fourth season without your support.

Stay tuned for the first story of season 4, guys... and get ready for a new era of adventure that'll knock your socks off!