It was another day in Ponyville.

The Mane 6 and Gohan were at the castle, where they sat on their respective thrones.

"Let's go through this one more time." Twilight said.

Rainbow Dash facehoofed. "Ugh! We've been through this, like, a million times! We found all six keys and found this sweet castle! End of story!" She said.

"Didn't you also return everyone's magic?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah, that too." She responded.

"Yes, but why?" Twilight said.

"I don't know, sugarcube. Maybe it's because, it's your house! Ain't nothing more to it than that." Applejack said.

"I must say, speaking strictly on this stead is all so simply divine!" Rarity said.

"I agree with Twilight! And Rarity, and Applejack, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie and Gohan. Oh, and probably Spike!" Fluttershy said.

Spike was napping in his chair.

"As princess, I've been chosen to spread the magic of Friendship across Equestria. So why would the Tree set a castle in Ponyville? It doesn't make any sense!" Twilight said, as she got on her throne.

Since each person and pony was on the thrones, the marks on the chairs lit up.

After spawning many crystals, a table was created in the middle.

Really, a map of Equestria.

Spike woke up. "Uh... Is that new?" He asked.

"I like it!" He said.

Everyone looked in awe.

Spike walked across the table.

"This is incredible! It's got all of Equestria!" Spike said.

Pinkie Pie stared at her rock farm. "Hi mom and dad!" She said.

Then Spike stepped on it, making Pinkie Pie sad.

But, everyone realized their cutie mark and a person's name in kanji was glowing.

The kanji '孫悟飯' was glowing yellow.

The glows then traveled up to the ceiling, where each of them circled around Twilight's cutie mark.

The seven then traveled across the map to a random place that was not Ponyville.

"But... If this is Ponyville, why are our cutie marks over there?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know, but it seems like the map wants us to find out! The tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map! How can we not follow it?" Twilight asked.

"You know what? There's a TON of room for dangerous adventure on route. So count me in!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah, shoot. I reckon' you're right." Applejack said.

"Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets, but OKAY!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Very well." Rarity said.

"Danger...? As long as none of you TRY to get hurt." Gohan said.

Then everyone looked to Fluttershy on her opinion. Or, stared.

"Uh, maybe I'll just stay here with Spike." Fluttershy said.

"Sweet!" Spike said, wearing a helmet with liquid gems he could drink and a #1 glove. "Big Mac and I have a huge weekend ahead of us talking hoofball, and trading hoofball cards, arguing about hoofball stats..." He went on.

Fluttershy was not interested. "Um, on second thought, maybe I should go. Just in case anyone needs me!" She said.

"Looks like it's time for a road trip!" Twilight said.

Everyone got off the thrones and started to walk towards the train station.

***

The train ride was pretty casual.

Gohan was testing out a new way to practice ki.

He was trying to use Instant Transmission, like his father.

It proved to be VERY difficult.

Gohan tried it without the fingers to his forehead at first, but he later realized that the fingers would help him focus on ki that is much farther away than usual.

But that didn't change the fact that he couldn't teleport to those locations.

"What are you trying to do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I'm trying to use Instant Transmission, but I'm having trouble on how to teleport to various locations." Gohan said, putting his two fingers down.

"Sounds awesome." Rainbow Dash said.

"How does that work?" Twilight asked.

"Let's see... I know that I need to sense a form of life in any location. Putting my fingers to my forehead makes it a lot easier to concentrate, and enhances the ability for me. But I just don't know how my dad was able to teleport to places such as the afterlife despite not being dead." Gohan explained.

"So you can just visit your dad if you learned Instant Transmission?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Not quite. I can't sense my dad's energy. I theorize that the afterlife is a different place and an entirely different plane of existence. You can't see ponies who died unless they had permission. My dad is somehow able to access it without dying. Maybe it's because he had died before, but it's strange." Gohan said.

"How far can Instant Transmission go?" Twilight asked.

"Across galaxies, that's for sure." Gohan said.

"W-What!?" Twilight asked.

"So can you use this awesome super speed move in battle?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yes. But it's not super speed, it's instant. I could teleport in front of or behind my opponent. Or anywhere around. Unless I can't sense their life energy, which would happen if you happen to be a cyborg or a robot." Gohan said.

"Sounds useful." Applejack said.

***

The train finally arrived at it destination.

Where there was no train station.

Instead, the seven had to traverse the land from there.

Going from the desert, crossing bridges and mountains, and they finally found their destination.

"There it is! That's the place on the map!" Twilight said.

"Right! Let's get down there and find the spas!" Rarity said, trotting towards the town.

Twilight teleported in front of her, stopping her. "Wait! We don't know WHY the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in, it could be dangerous!" She said.

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash said.

Then Pinkie Pie dashed in front of the group.

"Stay back everypony! I'm on it." She said with a serious face.

"Careful, Pinkie!" Applejack said.

Pinkie Pie rolled down the crevice and behind a rock like a ninja.

She hid under various rocks, motioning for her friends to come until she went under one too heavy and it fell on her.

Hilariously, she was still moving with the rock.

Gohan lifted it off her and placed it beside her.

Everyone looked at the town more closely.

"This is where the map sent us? Looks like the most boring place in Equestria." Rainbow Dash said.

The town was rather small, but it was just an ordinary village.

And the ponies seemed a little... Too happy.

And they all had the same cutie mark... An equal sign.

"It could use a few architectural flourishes. I mean, many architectural flourishes." Rarity said.

"I think it's lovely." Fluttershy said.

"Everyone seems to be forcing a smile." Gohan said.

"I don't like it, I don't like it one bit! I know smiles. And those smiles? They're just not right." Pinkie Pie said.

"Forget the smiles, look at their cutie marks!" Twilight said.

"Okay, that's weird." Rainbow Dash said.

"An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?" Twilight asked.

"I bet there's some horrific monster behind it!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Why would you say that?" Twilight asked.

"Because fighting a horrific monster would be super awesome!" Rainbow Dash said.

"No it would not! I should know!" Gohan said.

"Come on, I want to test my training!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Do that while not risking your own life." Gohan said.

"Fine." Rainbow Dash said, crossing her forehooves.

"Maybe there's a unicorn or alicorn so powerful that he or she made everyone's cutie marks the same." Gohan joked.

"That's funny." Twilight laughed.

"I reckon' we just head into town and talk to some locals. Find out what's going on." Applejack said.

"Great idea AJ! Let's go!" Rainbow Dash said, flying off.

Everyone followed.

"Those smiles are bad news!" Pinkie Pie noted.

As they entered the town, they were greeted by plenty of "Welcome!"s.

"This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!" Fluttershy said.

"Not to be rude, but they're kind of creeping me out with their smiles." Gohan said.

"Ugh, thanks a lot, map." Rainbow Dash said.

A unicorn stallion trotted up to the seven. He had a blue mane and a turquoise coat with blue eyes.

"Welcome! Sorry for my forwardness, but are you an alicorn?" He asked.

Twilight smiled awkwardly.

"That there is the Princess of Friendship." Applejack said.

"Well you've certainly come to the right place for 'friendship!'" He said.

Another earth pony stallion approached. He had a white mane and a white coat with blue eyes.

"What brings you to town?" He asked.

Gohan was getting even more uncomfortable with the smiles.

"We're not entirely sure." Twilight said.

"I see! Well, all are welcome here in our little village! My name is Double Diamond and this is Party Favor!" Double Diamond, the white pony said.

"Hi there Double Diamond, I'm Applejack, this here's Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle and Gohan." Applejack said, pointing her hoof at everyone.

"Ooh! You're not a pony!" Party Favor said.

"Yes... I'm not." Gohan said.

"And all the ponies have their unique cutie marks!" Double Diamond said.

"If you don't mind me asking, has there been any sort of, trouble here lately?" Twilight asked.

"Trouble? Why, I don't think we've ever had trouble in our little village!" Double Diamond said.

"It's true! You'll see!" Party Favor said.

"Perhaps you'd like to speak to our founder, Starlight Glimmer!" Double Diamond said, leading the way to this Starlight Glimmer.

"I wish everypony in Equestria are as friendly as these ponies are!" Fluttershy said.

"The friendliness seems really forced, and it feels like they're not actually happy..." Gohan whispered.

"I've got my eye on them! Something's rotten in... Whatever the name of the village is right now!" Pinkie Pie said.

The two stallions opened the door to Starlight Glimmer's place.

"Starlight Glimmer? We have a few visitors!" They said.

Everyone entered, and inspected the room.

"Be ready to fight! You don't know what's going to come through that door!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Calm down, there's no threat." Gohan said.

Then Starlight Glimmer came through the door in the room. She was a unicorn.

"Welcome! I'm so pleased to have you here!" Starlight Glimmer said.

Rainbow Dash groaned.

"This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Gohan and Twilight Sparkle!" Double Diamond said.

Starlight Glimmer inspected the alicorn and Saiyan.

"Forgive my bluntness, but I assume it is Princess Twilight Sparkle? We don't get many alicorns around here." Starlight said.

"Yes. But Twilight is fine." Twilight said.

"And you... Aren't you the one who defeated Discord and Tirek?" Starlight asked, pointing a hoof at Gohan.

"Uh, yes ma'am." Gohan said.

"We don't have any of your kind here in Equestria." Starlight said.

"...I have made the distinction." Gohan said.

"So! How did you hear of our little village!?" Starlight asked.

"It's kind of a long story. Let's just say we found it on a map!" Twilight said.

"Technically it's a tree chest castle map!" Pinkie Pie said with a smile before changing it back to an angry one.

"Well, however you found us, we're happy to have you! We're happy to have anypony who wants to experience TRUE friendship for the first time!" Starlight said.

Applejack had an unamused face, while everyone had a confused look.

"Say what?" Applejack asked.

"Oh indeed, that's what's so unique about our village, you see. Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents because we don't have any special talents to flaunt!" Starlight said.

"That sounds absurd, everypony has a special talent!" Gohan said.

"Is that why you all have those cutie marks?" Twilight asked.

"Perhaps it'll be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of our village!" Starlight said.

Gohan and Pinkie Pie were not buying this 'true friendship' nonsense.

***

The town really creeped the seven out.

Apparently they always smile, they don't compete, and they're all equal.

Nobody is superior and nobody shakes in fear.

Pinkie Pie and Gohan still don't buy the happiness.

They even want the seven to join the 'utopia.'

Rainbow Dash burst into laughter. "You're kidding, right? Give up our cutie marks? No way!" She said.

"Rainbow Dash, don't be so rude. I don't think we should judge them. They all seem perfectly happy with their choice." Fluttershy said.

"But they seem too happy." Gohan said.

"Don't believe their smiles, Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie said.

"I'm sorry, I guess we're just a little confused by all this." Twilight said.

"We have no judgements here in our village, each of us was confused as well. Blinded by the false promise of our cutie marks." Starlight said, and the townsfolk nodded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, is she for real?" Rainbow Dash asked with a little bit too much enthusiasm.

Gohan hushed her.

"When we were sent to this village, we assumed it was to help in some way. But it seems like you don't need any help." Twilight said.

"Have you considered perhaps that you might've been sent here so WE could help YOU?" Starlight asked.

Twilight hadn't thought of that.

"After all, nopony has ever come to our village and wanted to leave! Why should you be any different?" Starlight asked.

"But that is entirely your choice! Please, enjoy our little corner of Equestria. We're all quite fond of it! No doubt you will be as well. Double Diamond, please help our guests with whatever they might need!" Starlight said.

"Of course!" Double Diamond said.

Starlight Glimmer began to trot away. "Well, this will certainly provide a boost to our little community! When the rest of Equestria sees that a princess and a warrior gave up their cutie marks to join us, they'll finally understand what we're trying to accomplish." She said to herself.

Gohan couldn't hear it.

***

The seven were walking around town again, being greeted by everyone.

"A cutie mark is a representation of a pony's unique talents and skills. How is it possible to-"

Rarity interrupted Twilight with a loud gasp. "What in the name of Equestria is that!?" She asked, pointing at ragged clothes.

"Welcome! Care to have some of our local fashion? We got cloaks this month!" The stallion earth pony running the place said.

Rarity vomited and ate her own vomit before it came out.

"Uh... Perhaps another time..." She said.

The seven were sitting at a table now. For a restaurant.

"No wonder nopony's wearing anything!" Rarity whispered.

"Major things may be differently than we're used to, but that's no reason to be rude!" Fluttershy said.

"No, the reason to be 'rude' is that they all keep staring at us!" Rainbow Dash said.

"And I have a hunch that they're trying to admit us to their society." Gohan said.

"Need something?" Double Diamond asked from afar.

"Uh, nope! We're good!" Twilight said, before turning back to the group.

"Fluttershy's right. If we're going to get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we'll need the help of these ponies!" Twilight said.

A waitress trotted up to their table, but didn't say anything because of the conversation.

"I think we ran off to the end of Equestria before we even knew what that map was!" Applejack said.

"If we were sitting on the end of Equestria, we'd be sitting on a big A! Get it!?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Gohan laughed.

"Oh, please Ms. Pie and Mr. Son! This is not the time for jokes! We've come all this way and for what!?" Rarity asked.

"Maybe you're right. But we're here now, and it sure feels like something's wrong." Twilight said.

"That I'll bet you a cup of cider." Applejack said.

"Is this a bad time?" The waitress asked.

"We shouldn't be bickering about this in front of our new friends. Really, Applejack, you're just as bad as Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said.

"Don't drag me into this!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

"Is your friendship ending?" The waitress asked.

"Are you crazy!? We'd never get a disagreement get in the way of food!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"O-Okay, well, my name is Sugar Belle, what can I bring you?" Sugar Belle asked.

"We have muffins." She said.

Everyone looked at each other.

"I guess we'll each take a single muffin." Twilight said.

"Make that two!" Pinkie Pie said.

"I'll take about 500." Gohan said.

This surprised the waitress. "A-Are you sure!?" She asked.

"Yep! It's been a while since breakfast." Gohan said so casually.

The waitress walked away.

The rest of the group looked at Pinkie Pie and Gohan.

"What? I'm hungry!" Gohan and Pinkie Pie complained.

"I'll even pay for the muffins!" Gohan said.

"Well, come on guys. We have to stick together. It doesn't matter what happened before, we're here now." Twilight said.

"I guess you're right. And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home." Applejack said.

Then a ton of plates of muffins were set on the table.

"OOH!" Gohan and Pinkie Pie said.

"Forgive me for overhearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing. And now you're agreeing." Sugar Belle said.

"Uh huh." Applejack said.

"Well, you have much differing opinions, and cutie marks. Except for... Whatever that is, I can't find the cutie mark." Sugar Belle said.

"I'm a half Saiyan, half human. I am not able to obtain a cutie mark, but I definitely have special talents." Gohan said.

"And we have differing opinions all the time, darling." Rarity said.

"But you look like you're friends!" Sugar Belle said.

"We are friends! A simple disagreement wouldn't change that." Twilight said.

Double Diamond overheard this.

"I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time understanding." Sugar Belle said before her face was suddenly serious.

"Different talents lead to different opinions which lead to bitterness and misery. So... Why aren't you bitter and-" She said before Pinkie Pie spat out a muffin at her.

Gohan actually didn't mind the muffins. "They're actually fine, Pinkie Pie." He said, eating a ton.

"It's alright, I know I'm not a very good baker... At least, I'm not better than anypony else in the village." Sugar Belle said.

She looked back to Double Diamond, who was also uncharacteristically serious.

"Well, I hope you enjoy our little village!" Sugar Belle said, getting the suspicion off her from Double Diamond.

Then she quickly changed. "Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs!" She whispered, before having the forced smile and entering her abode.

Gohan left eleven muffins for the rest of the ponies. "Ah. That was nice." He said.

"...Okay, that was weird too." Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight levitated a muffin towards herself. "Let's all eat here, and act normal. I think we're being watched." She said.

"Uh, ya think?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"To be honest, it quite obvious everyone is watching us." Gohan said.

"No, I mean, it's pretty obvious that some ponies here don't want us talking to Sugar Belle." Twilight said, referring to Double Diamond.

"I got an idea, but you gotta eat all these muffins, Pinkie." Applejack said.

"Me!? Why me!? Why not Gohan?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I like them." Gohan said.

"Yeah, let's give it to him." Applejack said.

"Oh boy!" Gohan said, wolfing them down.

"Okay, but now that filly in there's the best chance of finding out what in the hay is going on around here." Applejack said.

"We better go inside and get some more!" She said a little loudly.

Then the seven entered and went downstairs.

It was a little dark with only one light bulb.

"Hello?" Twilight called.

"Sugar Belle?" She asked.

"Thank you for coming!" Sugar Belle said, emerging from the dark with a forced smile.

"Why did you want us to come down here?" Twilight asked.

"So nopony could see what's about to happen." Sugar Belle said.

Then, two more ponies showed up.

A pegasus and a unicorn.

Twilight, thinking the worst, began to charge some magic before...

"Are you really the Princess of Friendship?" "Do you know Princess Celestia?"

Then Sugar Belle went to Pinkie Pie. "I love your cutie mark!"

Then the pegasus went to Rarity and Fluttershy. "How can you be friends with different cutie marks? Don't you end up hating each other?" She asked.

Then Sugar Belle went to Fluttershy.

"Oh, look at this one! This one's great too! I'd love to have my special talent back even just for a day! Make something besides those disgusting muffins." Sugar Belle said, suddenly having a change of tone.

"So what's stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back." Rainbow Dash said.

"Daydreaming is one thing, but having them actually put back on? That seems extreme." The earth pony said.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sure Starlight would like that... She wants us all to be happy and our sameness." Sugar Belle said.

"How do you take somepony's cutie mark anyway?" Twilight asked.

"The cutie unmarking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness to magically take them away and replace them with these." The pegasus said, showing off her equal sign.

"Nobody should keep you from having your own cutie mark." Gohan said.

"Yeah, it represents such an important part of who you are." Twilight said.

"Well, we're not kept from them. They're in the vault, up in the caves! We can visit them anytime we like to visit the heartache of a life with special talent." The pegasus said.

"That sounds incredibly sad." Gohan said.

"Can we visit this cave?" Twilight asked.

***

Starlight Glimmer was escorting the seven to this vault.

Double Diamond was behind the group.

"I'm delighted you're interested in our cutie mark vault! We hope someday, everypony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village, and to have theirs removed too! And our perfect message of-" Starlight rambled on.

"This must be the reason we're here." Twilight whispered.

"Pilgrimaging?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"No, she might've took their cutie marks against their wills. We should get those ponies their cutie marks back." Gohan said.

"Oh, are you sure Twilight? Maybe they miss them a little bit, but even they didn't seem all that unhappy." Fluttershy said.

"But their happiness seems to be forced, or faked." Gohan said.

"Yes, and why did they want to meet us in secret? Why did they ask us not to tell Starlight about who told us about the vault?" Twilight asked.

"Something is not right." Twilight said.

Then, they arrived at a cave.

"Just through here!" Starlight Glimmer said, walking in.

Everyone followed.

"Behold!" Starlight Glimmer said.

Everyone was in awe at the screen of cutie marks!

There was also a table with some sort of staff.

"Our cutie mark vault!" Starlight said.

All sorts of cutie marks were there, such as instruments, foods, science, sports, flying, etc.

"I've never seen anything like it!" Twilight said.

"And here is the Staff of Sameness! It was one of the great Mage Meadowbrooks Nine Items! We are incredibly fortunate to have it here!" Starlight said.

"This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" She said, before looking a little too weird.

She quickly composed herself.

"I'm curious, how did the subject of the vault come up?" Starlight asked.

"Oh, some ponies were telling us how much they miss their cutie marks and-" "Pinkie!" Twilight interrupted.

"Oops! Sorry!" Pinkie Pie said, covering her mouth.

Starlight gasped. "Were they? Well, it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking!" She said, approaching the Mane 6 with the staff.

"Don't you." She said seriously, having a change in tone.

Gohan stepped forward. "You aren't taking any more ponies' cutie marks." He said.

"Oh really? Let's put that theory to the test, shall we?" Starlight asked.

Suddenly, more ponies appeared!

"It's a trap!" Twilight said.

Gohan shot many ki blasts from his palm to only hurt, not kill them.

Twilight teleported to the top of the cave to fire her magic.

But, Starlight used the staff on her!

She instantly took Twilight's cutie mark...

Starlight looked at the mark in fascination.

"No!" Gohan yelled.

She put it in the vault before using it on the Mane 6.

"Give them their cutie marks back!" Gohan shouted.

"Why don't you also give up YOURS!?" Starlight asked, using the staff on him.

Nothing had happened.

"H-Huh?" Starlight asked.

"I have no cutie mark, but I have a personal grudge against those who hurt my friends." Gohan said, walking up slowly to Starlight.

"If you give them their cutie marks back, I won't blast you towards the sun." He said.

"That won't happen!" Starlight yelled.

The other ponies charged at Gohan.

Gohan's ki flared and knocked them each to the wall.

The Mane 6 were barely managing to get up.

"Are you alright?" Gohan asked.

They could barely talk.

"They will know... YOU will know!" Starlight yelled, using the staff again to no avail.

Gohan kicked her into the wall.

He kicked her flank, and...

The equal sign... Disappeared.

In its place was a cutie mark.

"You had your cutie mark this whole time, Starlight!" Gohan yelled, pointing at finger at Starlight.

Gohan's yell could be heard from the village, prompting everyone to rush to the cave.

Starlight glared at Gohan in anger and shock.

The other ponies looked in shock.

"How... Could you!?" Party Favor asked.

"You said cutie marks were evil! You said they lead to heartache and pain!" Double Diamond said.

"T-They do! D-Don't you see, look that them!" Starlight said, pointing at the weak Mane 6.

The rest of the town showed up.

"Y-You had your cutie mark!?" Everyone asked.

"This is the horrific truth of Starlight Glimmer's idea of 'friendship!' So that she would be on top, and the rest of us would all unknowingly fall under her command." Gohan called.

"W-Why? Why did you give up theirs and not your own?" Sugar Belle asked.

"I... I-I HAD TO YOU FOOLS!" Starlight screamed. "How could I collect any of your cutie marks without MY magic!?" She yelled.

"But the staff has all the magic we need!" The pegasus from earlier shouted.

"The STAFF is a piece of wood I made in the desert! It's MY magic that makes this all possible. You'd all be living your miserable lives thinking your better than anypony else if it weren't for MY magical ability! I brought you all Friendship, I brought you all equality, I CREATED HARMONY!" Starlight screamed.

The Mane 6 stood tall.

"You LIED to us!" Double Diamond shouted.

"So what? Everything else I said is true! The only way to be happy is if we're all equal!" Starlight said.

"Except for YOU!" Party Favor said.

Starlight was ready to fire her magic, and Gohan stepped in front of the fooled ponies.

"Everypony has their own talents and gifts!" Twilight shouted. "And when we share with each other, that's how we-" "QUIET!" Starlight screamed at the top of her lungs.

Veins were popping out of her neck.

"You can't have that cutie mark, Starlight! Either we're all equal or NONE of us are!" Sugar Belle shouted.

The townsfolk began to gang up on her.

The cave was blocked, and the Mane 6 blocked any way behind her.

But, Starlight used magic to pushed everyone away.

She instantly dashed towards the town!

...Only to be stopped by a Gohan who grabbed her.

"Now, give them all back their cutie marks! They want it back!" Gohan shouted.

"N-Never!" Starlight screamed.

"Do you want to be thrown into the sun, you fool!?" Gohan asked, starting to aim.

Starlight was scared for her life.

"F-Fine! FINE! I surrender!" She yelled.

Gohan flew up and blasted the vault open.

Everyone's cutie mark returned to their rightful owners!

Not only that, but their manes and tails were back to normal as well!

"Are you all willing to give up everything for these strangers!?" Starlight yelled in desperation.

"We gave everything up to you because we thought you were our friend!" A pony yelled.

Starlight Glimmer blasted the ponies in a last attempt.

Twilight jumped in front and blocked it with her magic!

"W-Wha!? I studied that spell for years! How can you-" "I studied magic for years too. But what I didn't know then was that studying could only take me so far!" Twilight interrupted.

"Each of my friends have taught me something different about myself! It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped me bring out the magic inside of me. I would have never known that I represent the Element of Magic without these six! And I certainly wouldn't be able to stop you now!" Twilight said.

"Spare me your sentimental nonsense! I gave these ponies friendships they never could have had otherwise!" Starlight retorted.

"How do you know that!? You never even gave us a chance!" Double Diamond yelled.

Starlight teleported away in anger, not taking Gohan with her.

"S-She got away!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"Don't worry. She'll come back when she realizes that she was wrong, and that you all taught her something." Twilight said.

Then, Party Favor came up to Twilight. "It was you who have taught us something! We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us, but now, now it seems like it was in front of us all along. It's us!" He said.

Every one of the townsfolk hugged each other in joy.

"Does that mean you'll stay in the village?" Twilight asked.

"It's our home, I'm not going anywhere." The blue pegasus said.

"This is a chance for us all to get to know each other again for the very first time!" Double Diamond said.

"And I have a chance to bake something other than terrible muffins!" Sugar Belle said.

Then everyone was back in the village.

A huge celebration was being held.

Gohan happened to be wolfing down the near endless sweets Sugar Belle made.

The Mane 6 looked from afar.

"Now THOSE are real smiles!" Pinkie Pie said.

Applejack could feel her cutie mark suddenly glowing.

The six each had a glowing cutie mark.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Applejack said.

"I think it's simply divine." Rarity said.

Gohan happened to be glowing yellow.

"Does this mean the map is calling us somewhere else?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think it means our work here is done!" Twilight said.

"GOHAN! GET UP HERE!" Rainbow Dash screamed.

"GOHAN! GET UP HERE!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Gohan took one more cupcake before leaving. "I'll be right back!" He yelled.

Sugar Belle waved.

"Looks like you were right, Twilight. The map did send us for a reason! We brought real friendship to these here ponies. Guess that's why your the Princess of Friendship." Applejack said with a wink.

"But the map didn't send me, it sent us! You're a part of me, all of you! And there's no doubt each of you are here to help me in my mission to spread friendship too." Twilight said.

Then everyone got into a group hug.

"This feels like an ending! It doesn't have to be an ending yet, right? 'Cause that Sugar Belle can BAKE!" Pinkie Pie said.

"You're telling me." Gohan said.

"Maybe we could stay a LITTLE while longer. Come on!" Twilight said, trotting towards the village with her friends.