Just a heads-up, what you are about to read is a parody, so i don't own anything. Enjoy.

Ch.20: The Secret of the Gem-Bands

Some time later, the citizens of Prime Color City were gathered around the large red hot-air balloon in the town square, ready to see Professor Layton, Spike, and the CMCs off as they stood inside of the balloon. Also with them next to the balloon are Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon. Everyone then quieted down as Layton began his speech:

"To my devoted citizens of Prime Color City: I wish to announce to you all that I must leave you all for an important matter: to speak with my brethren with my brother wizards waiting for me via stratosphere. But do no fear, for I have chosen three others to rule in my stead." He then turned to Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon, who then stepped forward, and held out his hand to them. "I have chosen the wise Pumpkinhead for his wise brains to rule in my stead, and at his side as his council and aide as well are the passionate Chopper for his loving heart and the brave Gryphon for his heroic courage. Follow their rule as you have followed mine."

"Thank you, Great Wizard," Pumpkinhead said to him with a bow from him and the others and finding the right words. "We vow to watch over your prosperous utopia with…the purest of virtue." The crowds cheered for their new ruler who blushed in reply.

"Well said there, dude," Chopper murmured to him, elbowing him gently with a smirk.

"Indeed," Gryphon concurred with a smile of pride. As this was going on, Spike stood on the edge of the basket to wave to the cheering crowds when he lost his balance and fell out with a cry and rolled down the stairs of the stand the balloon's on.

"Spike!" the girls cried, jumping out of the basket to catch up to him and get him back inside.

"I'll get him!" Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon cried simultaneously. Layton paled at what they plan to do.

"No! The ropes!" But it was too late; they let go of the ropes holding the balloon, letting them unravel from around the posts as they rushed down the steps to help Spike. Layton then called out to them as the balloon slowly rose from the stand. They immediately looked up to see the balloon floating away but were too late to stop it.

"No!" Sweetie Belle called, running up to the balloon that's now out of her reach. "Don't go! Please come back!"

"I can't!" he called back. "I don't remember how this thing even works!" He reluctantly waved goodbye to the citizens cheering for him from below before turning to our heroes with a sad glance that's saying for him how sorry he is that he failed to keep his promise to Spike and the girls.

Back with them and the others, they were devastated over their loss. Spike and the girls were going home, and the opportunity slipped right though their hooves and claws.

"Oh, what are we going to do now?" Sweetie Belle whimpered, sobbing into Chopper's handlebars.

"Stay with us, girls," Gryphon then answered, holding back his tears as he nuzzled Scootaloo. "We don't want you to go."

"We know," Apple Bloom replied sadly, "but this could never be like Ponyville." She then turned to Pumpkinhead. "Oh, Pumpkinhead, what are we going to do?" The scarecrow then thought a bit before something in the sky caught his eye and he pointed up at it.

"Look, there's someone who can help." Everyone looked up to see a sphere floating towards the stand. It looks as though it's made of ribbons of sapphire blue water.

"Misty?" When the orb landed, the ribbons vanish to reveal Misty, the Mermaid Witch of the North whom they've not seen since their adventure began. She then smiled at Spike and the CMCs as she floated up to them.

"Misty," Scootaloo begged. "Can you help us?" She only smiled as she knelt down to them.

"You don't have to be helped anymore," she explained, tapping Apple Bloom's Gem-Band. "Now those Gem-Bands can take you all back home in two shakes of a pony's tail." Their faces lit up with surprise.

"Really?"

"Then…why didn't you tell them before?" asked Pumpkinhead.

"I was gonna ask the same thing," Gryphon added.

"Because they must learn something important but special as well," Misty answered.

"Well, what did you learn girls?" Chopper asked.

"Well," Sweetie Belle answered after thinking about it. "I think…it wasn't enough to just want to see our sisters and friends. If we ever look for our heart's desire again, we won't need to look any further than Ponyville, our home. Because…if it's not there to begin with, we've never lost it in the first place." She then turned to Misty. "Right?"

"Indeed it is," she answered with a smile.

"It's so simple," Pumpkinhead replied with a smile. "I would've thought of that for you."

"I would've been brave enough to tell you," Gryphon stated.

"I would've felt it in my heart," Chopper added.

"You wouldn't need to as long as long as they thought of it themselves," Misty stated before turning to the girls again. "And now the Gem-Bands will take you girls home in no time at all."

"Me too?" asked Spike.

"Yes," she laughed. "You too, Spike."

"Yes!" he jumped with delight. But then he and the girls frowned before turning to Pumpkinhead, Chopper, and Gryphon who frowned sadly.

"It's gonna be really hard to say goodbye," Sweetie Belle replied before wrapping her front legs around Chopper's "neck" tearfully. He only hugged her tightly in reply, tears freely flowing down his face.

"Goodbye, Chopper," she whimpered before noticing the tears staining his face. "Oh, don't you start crying; you'll rust yourself again. You might need your oilcan with you." She then dried out his tears with a handkerchief before handing him the oilcan and kissing him on the cheek.

"Now I know I've a heart," he stated, wiping his eye with a sniff. "I can feel it breaking." Scootaloo meanwhile gave a tearful hug to the tearful gryphon.

"Bye, Gryphon," she said, tapping his medal with a giggle. "Ya know, with that medal on ya, I'm sure gonna miss your freaking out at everything that moves." Gryphon laughed also through his tears.

"I never would've found my courage if it weren't for you." Apple Bloom meanwhile hugged Pumpkinhead tearfully.

"Out of the three of us," he whimpered, "I think I'll miss you four most of all."

"I'll miss you too," she replied. "Take care, Pumpkinhead." Spike then hugged each of the guys also as they said goodbye. Then the four friends turned to Misty.

"We're ready," Sweetie Belle said, wiping away a stray tear. Spike then placed a hand on her shoulder to show he's ready also, and Misty nodded.

"Just close your eyes," she instructed, "and tap your Gem-Bands three times." The girls close their eyes and tapped their Gem-Bands as instructed. Tink. Tink. Tink.

"And think to yourselves: 'There's no place like home'…'There's no place like home'…"

"There's no place like home," Spike and the girls chanted together. "There's no place like home…There's no place like home…"

They then started to feel like the world is spinning around them, despite their closed eyes. Their bodies became warmer but pleasant…they felt like they're floating. And then…everything went black.