Confusion reigned supreme at Canterlot upon the return of Celestia and the others.
Celestia had dozens of questions that she had wanted to ask Sol, but given the state of Absol and the others, she figured that returning to Canterlot would be the best option. She had searched the room that Spiral had been guarding and discovered that the entire Pie family had been resting within, trapped within a sphere of underworldy power. She had been unable to crack it open, leaving her no other option but to teleport it and the others back to Canterlot.
Absol was taken by Limestone and Marble to the medical wing, where his broken leg was treated with the most powerful healing magics. Which didn't work on him. After their magic had failed, the doctors used an older method of healing patients, which involved numerous terrible tasting herbs and a cast that he would only have to wear for a week. After making sure that he was okay, Absol, Limestone and Marble left to join back up with Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Prince Sol. The three of them found the princesses in the throne room, working with the prince returned to break the sphere.
"None of our magical abilities can get through it," Celestia said at last, her horn losing its glow when her powers failed to so much as scratch the surface of the sphere. "Spiral might have been a lunatic, but his powers were serious. This will take a considerable amount of time to break through."
"Spiral always did have a knack for being far more trouble than he was worth," Sol admitted with a sigh, one that was ancient and filled with pain. But then he glanced back to see Absol and the mares approaching and a smile crossed his face. "However, despite the strength of Spiral's last spell, perhaps there is one here who possesses the power to break through this sphere. Absol, was it? Forgive me, all I know about you comes from what Spiral spoke aloud."
"If the sphere is based off either ghost or unicorn power, then my darkness should be able to cleave through it," Absol nodded, feeling lightheaded thanks to the pain numbing herbs he had taken. He took aim at the sphere, filled his horn with a dark power and unleashed a slash powerful enough to cleave through a building. The blade of darkness shattered against the sphere. "Well, that's new."
"It is as I feared. Not even dark powers will work on this one," Luna said with a shake of her head. "I tried my own dark powers earlier and even they failed to make a dent. Seems that this will take time."
"Is our family alright?" Marble finally asked, walking to the sphere and peering inside to see her family trapped in a limbo state. She reached up to place her hoof against the sphere, but Twilight used her magic to stop her from touching it.
"At the moment they seem to be fine. The sphere is not harming them. It only seems to be keeping them in this...trance," Twilight said. "We've done all we can for the moment to break it, but once the other Ambassadors reunite, I promise that we will find a way to break it apart. The Elements of Harmony were used to beat Spiral and the Rainbow Power is three times the strength of magic that the Elements were. Just give us a little time."
"We should be able to recall them now, right?" Limestone asked, while helping to keep Absol standing. "I mean, the king of the ghosts is dead. Shouldn't the world be at peace once again?"
"If only it were that easy," Sol said with a shake of his head. "Spiral was the force controlling the ghosts, leading their actions and giving them instructions on how to attack. He took a multitude of specters and turned them into an army. Without his leadership, they will be wild and reckless. No longer organized, but a threat regardless. We should be ready."
"And why are we listening to you?" Absol asked. "Last time I checked, you were dead, betrayed by Spiral and used to turn him into the being that we faced. How are you back? Did you find a way back on your own or did Spiral revive you? And if it is the latter, I want to know why."
Absol spoke for all of the ponies there, who hadn't asked the same questions based on their respect for the formerly fallen prince. Sol looked around at all of their faces to see that they were all waiting for an answer, so with a wry smile he constructed himself a chair from the very light of the sun and sat down.
"Very well, you are all owed explanations, especially the two of you who are long descended from my brother," Sol admitted, before taking in a breath that he seemed to relish. "Forgive me, it is just nice to take in air once more, to feel the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair. After what Spiral did to me, I wasn't exactly in the best part of the afterlife."
"I did not ask to hear how you felt. Tell me how you returned or I will turn my power onto you," Absol threatened. The moment he did so, Celestia and Luna stood between the Pokemon and Sol, eyes glowing with power as they prepared to fight him. "Of course you would pick his side. How do you know he was not brought back as some plan Spiral had? You could be turning your backs on the most dangerous threat in the room."
"Absol, come on, you saw Prince Sol take down Spiral. Why would he do that if he wasn't on our side?" Twilight asked.
"Easiest way to gain someone's trust. Strike down their foe and suddenly we're all best friends," Absol snarled, before latching his eyes onto Sol once more. "I believe I asked you a question, your highness."
"Heh, you are not a very trusting being, are you?" Sol asked with a chuckle. "You are not far from the truth, my dear Absol. Spiral did indeed intend to use me in striking all of you down and claiming the world for himself. He brought me back from the underworld, using his dark powers to control my mind and force me to slay my own family. But, as you clearly saw, it did not work."
"And why is that? I thought that Spiral could control others if they gave their names to him willingly," Twilight asked. "And according to myth you did give yours to him."
"True, I did. But Spiral didn't know that his powers cannot control anypony that has been touched by the Elements of Harmony," Sol revealed, getting all eyes to widen in shock. "My brother was touched by them and so was I. Of course, I didn't wield them like he did, but they did choose me at one point. Yes, even if their power or the one they touched was to fade from this world, their protection persists. That is how powerful Harmony is."
"I didn't know that," Celestia muttered.
"Really? Didn't you find it odd that Spiral never tried to control any of you?" Sol asked. "The reason is that he couldn't. My dear Celestia and Luna, both of you were immune due to the Elements you once wielded. Twilight, the same goes for you and your friends. Your Elements and now the Rainbow power grant you protection against his mind control. As for you...Marble and Limestone, was it? Being the sisters of both an Element and Rainbow power wielder, you were safe thanks to your sister."
"Spiral had no idea why his mind powers wouldn't work against any of you. So he brought me back in hopes that I would be able to offer some insight into what was going on. I told him that the reason that his powers didn't work was because of your will or something like that. He believed me, though, as he also believed that I was under his control when I told him that."
"So then he asked you how to get us under his control?" Luna asked with an impressed smile.
"That he did. And I told him that he would have to confront and overpower you in pony if he wanted to claim you all as his own," Sol smiled back. "It is amazing how quick he was to believe my suggestion when he thought I was working for him. So he showed up to battle you and I struck him down the moment he focused all of his power into fighting Absol. And that is how I returned to the land of the living. Does that satisfy your request?"
Absol's response was to narrow his eyes, but before he could say anything Celestia and Luna stepped forward, smiles on their faces as they gazed at their ancient relative. "Your story is truly impressive, Prince Sol. To not only resist the powers of a being that nearly defeated your brother, but to also trick him into believing your words...you were always said to be one of the smartest royals in the history of Equestria. We are glad to have you back."
"Indeed. We could use some of those smarts to help us clean up Equestria of the rest of the spirits that still roam it," Luna agreed.
"I can't wait to learn all that you know! I'm sure there are hundreds of spells that the world never knew that you managed to discover!" Twilight exclaimed with glee.
"So that's it? You just trust him?" Absol asked. The three princesses turned to look back at the Pokemon, who was looking at Sol with an expression none of them could place.
"Of course we are. He not only helped us be rid of Spiral once and for all, but he is family. And family trusts one another," Celestia said in a tone that told Absol that the conversation was closed. Absol narrowed his eyes for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders and motioning for Limestone to help him out of the room.
"Absol, I understand that you do not trust me. I cannot say that I blame you. Even back in my day, when I was the most loved prince in all of the world, there were always a few that did not trust me. But I know that trust is earned, not given. So I promise that I will will earn yours. Just as you seem to have earned theirs."
"We'll see," Absol replied.
Limestone helped Absol limp out of the throne room and into the main hallway, where they found the guards all trying to sneak a peek at the returned prince. Absol walked by them without a glance and the three soon found themselves outside in the garden that Celestia kept close to her castle. Absol snarled once they reached the garden, his horn crackling with a dark power as he shook his head.
"Something the matter? You've been awfully upset since we got back," Limestone noticed.
"I am not being testy. There is...something wrong," Absol snarled in reply.
"Okay, I've got to agree with Limestone about that testy comment, you never act like this," Marble added on. "Care to tell us what is the matter?"
"There has been something different...something wrong since we returned from the place where we found your family," Absol snarled, shaking his head like he was trying to clear out spiderwebs out of his head. "I don't think it's coming from Sol, but at the same time it...is? I think those herbs that the doctors gave me are messing with my senses, but there is one sense that remains as clear as day, even now. And that is what frightens me."
"Absol, you're scaring me. What sense are you talking about?" Limestone asked as she placed a hoof on Absol's shoulder. "What is frightening you?"
"What scares me is that even with all the families found, with the ghosts pushed back and even Spiral gone, my instincts scream out in danger," Absol muttered, before looking eyes with Limestone. "Because even with Spiral gone, I sense disaster on its way. The likes of which this world has never known."