Canterlot was completely still at the precise moment in time. Despite it being more crowded than ever, even surpassing that of the Grand Galloping Gala, everything was completely sitting still. Only the wind softly hissing in the air made any notion of movement.
For the first few moments since his arrival Princess Celestia could barely utter any words. Princess Luna was slightly hiding behind her elder sister at the sight of their father. The other ponies of the land leaned in and pushed to get a better look at their king.
King Helios was gigantic. If Princess Celestia was twice as tall as Twilight then Helios would be at least quadruple the amount. His golden yellow fur was contrasted with a long flowing sky blue mane much like his daughters. His wings we're also giant, large enough to cover both himself and another pony if he wanted. He was adorned with a crown of silver, lined with multi colored gems and each gem projected a small orb of colorful light that revolved around his head and long unicorn horn like a halo. At the flank was his own cutie mark: a sharp pointed sun which looked very similar to Celestia's cutie mark. But the most amazing thing was that the King was radiating light! Even in the dark of the night he radiated a warmth giving light to those around him like a miniature sun. If you looked closely in his brilliant blue eyes you could see a small twinkle in them.
Still unable to find the right words Princess Celestia finally said "Welcome home father." slightly shaking when she looked up into his eyes.
"My beloved daughters…" King Helios started softly smiling at them "It's been a very long time…"
Luna at the sound of his voice started to hide herself further behind her sister completely terrified at showing herself.
"Luna sister." Princess Celestia said turning her head to nudging her a bit. "Say hello to father."
"Uhh…" Princess Luna began lowly walking out from behind her elder sister with her head down not really wanting to be in full sight. "Hi. Dad…?" She said weakly
King Helios only chuckled still smiling at both of them; Luna however whimpered a bit and started to slowly move a bit backwards obviously embarrassed with her head down even lower. King Helios however took a few steps towards Princess Luna and leaned his own head down so he could see her face.
"It's alright Luna…" he said in a comforting tone causing Luna to start welling up with water in her eyes. All of the sudden Princess Luna lifted her head and proceed to cuddle her father crying much like when she was first reunited with her sister. "I missed you dad…" Luna said between her tears
"I missed you too 'Little' Luna" King Helios said letting his daughter lean on his fur still crying.
"Aww…" Twilight and other said looking at Princess Luna greeting her father in a long time. Spike however rolled his eyes back a bit *He's a boy after all*
Princess Celestia starting a line of her own tears proceeded to go over and also cuddle her father and her sister. After a tearful *and rather awkward* moment Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stopped their crying and proceeded to bow at their father's hooves.
"Father" Princess Celestia said with more confidence than before "You we're the founder of Equestria and are still King and rightful ruler of Canterlot. It is your right to lead all ponies again."
"What!" Twilight Sparkle said dropping her mouth wide open. "But Princess Celestia…!" Twilight cried hopping out of line and causing Spike to fall off her back. "If you give up your place as ruler you…" Twilight couldn't find the words to explain the rest of her sentence. She knew that the King had all the right to rule Equestria but deep inside Twilight Sparkle worried what would become of Princess Celestia, her mentor if she abdicated the throne.
"Twilight, my faithful student" Princess Celestia said turning around to face her "I know what it means to leave the throne, but here is my father and teacher and I have much to learn before I believe I can take rule of Equestria like father will."
Twilight Sparkle understood what the Princess had said but in the deep recesses of her heart, still had her doubts and nodded.
"Do not worry Twilight. You're still my faithful student and I will still be your mentor."
Twilight straightened up and smiled at Princess Celestia at those words.
"I can no longer take the throne my daughter." King Helios said causing the ponies all around them to look at him in surprise and slight shock
"But you must father…!" Princess Luna said insistently "You are the founder of Equestria!"
"And for over a thousand years I've not stepped foot in it till today. I am not the same pony that first created this land." King Helios reasoned with a voice ringing with confidence in his decision.
"Father please? There is much for Luna and I to learn before…" Princess Celestia said trying to reason that he was the best choice as ruler of Equestria
"We all have something to learn…" King Helios said putting his horn on Princess Celestia's brow.
"I no longer know Equestria as I should if I was its ruler. My daughters I am no longer your teacher. You both are now mine."
Princess Celestia could not say anything staring back at her father. Princess Luna however turned to her sister as if longing to hear her answer. Taking a deep breath, Princess Celestia stood straight up again.
"Alright then father," Princess Celestia said nodding her head
"I'm proud of both of you." King Helios said looking back and forth between his two daughters with a big smile. "Your mother would have also been very proud…"
King Helios walked passed both his teary eyed daughters and walked straight towards Twilight. Such was his size that Twilight felt tiny in comparison to him, something she never felt as much even with Princess Celestia. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy walked behind Twilight to give her comfort but even so his giant stature stood. Spike tried sitting on top of Applejack to see but even he had to look up at the golden stallion, nearly losing balance looking up too high.
"And who might you be little one?" he asked
"My name is Twilight Sparkle sir…" Twilight said very nervous at this enormous pony looking at her. "I'm Princess Celestia's student at the School for Gifted Unicorns and these are my best friends."
"Your personal protégé Celestia?" King Helios asked turning his head. Princess Celestia nodded.
"Very well then" King Helios took a quick look around with still most of the ponies staring at him. "Ok… you can stop staring before you guys get an eyesight problem." Referring to his natural illumination of light. Walking further past Twilight and her friends, King Helios gestured towards Canterlot Castle.
"Come along now…" he said to both his daughters and Twilight's group.
Few minutes later, Castle Interior
Fortunately Princess Celestia had decided to close the castle to have a private conversation with her father for his first day back. She had only allowed Twilight and her friends to attend and most of the guards we're positioned outside to prevent anyone from sneaking in. Despite the room being completely empty, the room looked gorgeous. Thanks to Rarity the place looked even sweeter than during the Grand Galloping Gala.
"So peaceful it is in here…" King Helios said slowly striding into the room followed closely by his daughters and then Twilight and the others.
"Sorry uh sir…!" Rainbow said quickly jumping over the others and landing in front of the King overeager to say something. "But I heard that you can teach us ponies how to use magic!"
King Helios looked at Rainbow Dash for a moment and then looked at the other ponies before turning to both Princess Celestia and Luna with a grin on his face. "I'm guessing you told them mother's story?"
Princess Luna blushed bright red making her blue fur seem pink. Princess Celestia assured Luna with a small tap on the head with her horn.
"They wanted to know how both pegasus and earth ponies could use magic like unicorn ponies." Princess Celestia said
"I didn't tell you how I did it with mother?" King Helios said both puzzled and amused.
"No Father. We we're to young at the time."
Without saying anymore, King Helios leaned his head down placing his long unicorn horn on Rainbow Dash's head.
"Hey what are you…!" Rainbow Dash said a bit scared at what he was doing and started to shake a bit.
"Relax" King Helios said to her, his horn starting to glow brighter "This will take but a moment."
Rainbow Dash's eyes flashed white and images of past events soared through eyes as if she was reliving the days before. Events included when Twilight first came to Ponyville, Luna's return as Nightmare Moon, the Grand Galloping Gala and the events with Discord. A few moments later, King Helios lifted his horn off Rainbow Dash's brow causing the images to fade away from her eyes.
"Hmm… I see…" King Helios said beginning to think to himself. Rainbow Dash however was a bit woozy from the experience and her head was dangling around slowly.
"Rainbow Dash darling you alright?" Rarity said using herself as a cushion for Rainbow Dash's tipsy head.
"Woah what a wild ride…!" Rainbow Dash said shaking her head out of the magical confusion. It took her a couple blinks to regain her posture as if she momentarily blinded.
"Was it fun!" Pinkie Pie said putting her face in front of Rainbow Dash staring right at her.
"Not really…!" Rainbow Dash said pulling her face away from being so close to Pinkie Pie's. "It went like a dream except faster…"
"That doesn't sound that bad." Fluttershy said thinking about it, but then again Fluttershy's dreams are rather peaceful. *I think…*
"You don't look good girl." Applejack said looking as Rainbow Dash still swaging back and forth a bit.
"Oh a side-effect on one whose had a particularly large amount of events happening in her life." King Helios said "This one in particular was quite the action packed pony." King Helios however on that note lost his smile and turned his head towards his two daughters.
"So I saw that a lot 'happened' in a thousand years…" he grimly stated.
Luna, absolutely terrified at what her father was going to say about the events of Nightmare Moon was shaking so much that the small crown on her head made rattling noises.
"Celestia…!" King Helios said loudly
"Yes father?" Princess Celestia said with head a bit down clearly expecting this,
"You 'grounded' your little sister for a millennia?"
"Yes…" Celestia said lowering her head "I had no other option…"
King Helios just stared at Princess Celestia for a moment as if waiting for her to say something more. Celestia at loss could only look at Twilight Sparkle and her friends who we're equally at loss. A few moments after, Princess Celestia turned to look at her little sister who now at the sight of her elder sister started to cry again while still shaking.
"Luna…!" Princess Celestia cried cuddling her little sister and wiping her tears
"Bitterness and sadness are fickle my daughters…" King Helios said still directing his gaze mostly at Princess Celestia. "I want you to remember, that no matter what happens you are both sisters. Mother would not want you to be apart."
"Yes *sniff* father…" Princess Luna softly said wiping her eyes with her mane.
"And on that note…" He said turning his sight on Twilight and her friends. "I believe that you six are now the individual wielders or the Elements of Harmony?
"Yes indeed sir." Applejack said saluting with her hoof.
"And did my daughter Celestia allow you to safe keep them? Or did she put it in Canterlot tower?"
Princess Celestia blushed for a short moment a bit embarrassed at how coy her father was being
"If you recall, Twilight stated the Elements cannot be simply destroyed. They aren't material things." King Helios said relating to when Twilight Sparkle discovered the 6th element magic
"The Element of Honesty, wielded by Applejack of the Apple Family. Without honesty friends and family would not be able to trust each other and would turn on each other's backs. It is the element that allows everyone to know that you can trust on your friends to truly be there for you."
Soon after speaking, Applejack's gold necklace with a citrine shaped like her cutie mark: her Element of Harmony appeared around her neck.
"The Element of Kindness, held by the sweet pegasus Fluttershy. Kindness is the ability to show that you care for others and the power to show someone that despite the differences that you will offer them a chance to see things as they should be instead of what it shouldn't."
Like Applejack's; Fluttershy's Element appeared on her neck as the golden necklace with a pink opal like her own cutie mark.
"The Element of Laughter, represented by the happy pony Pinkie Pie. Laughter is a source of joy and relief. It allows everyone to relate to each other and its purpose is to bring everyone closer together, even in the darkest of times."
Pinkie Pie's Blue colored Topaz Balloon necklace appeared on her next.
"The Element of Generosity, shown by your lovely lady unicorn Rarity. Generosity is the gift of being able to give. 'What one has, one doesn't want, what one wants, one doesn't have.' It is a remarkable element in that any gift small or large can change the direction of anything and anybody."
Rarity's regal necklace with the purple diamond shaped amethyst appeared around her neck.
"The Element of Loyalty, displayed by your flier Rainbow Dash. The will to stand your ground no matter what reason, all for the sake of those you seek to help and protect. It is the driving force of true champions for the greatest trophy and achievement is having friends to share your victory with."
Rainbow Dash's red ruby lightning necklace appeared around her neck.
"Last but certainly not least, The Element of Magic, performed by my daughter's faithful student: Twilight Sparkle. The ability to show that anything is possible, that no obstacle is too high or too deep. The real magic happens every day without you knowing. And if you search deep enough you will find that magic is everywhere."
Finally, Twilight Sparkle's tiara encrusted with magenta tourmaline shaped like the six stared magic star that matcher her cutie mark.
"How did you…?" Twilight began looking at the tiara that suddenly appeared on her head only to be stopped by King Helios raising his hoof. "I told you, they aren't material things. The Elements of Harmony are representations of what you six ponies do every single day."
King Helios walked closer to Twilight "The elements are from here" He said putting his hoof directly on top of Twilight's chest where her heart would be.
"No other place holds as much magic…" King Helios smiled lifting his hoof off Twilight's chest. Soon after the Elements of Harmony faded away as soon as they appeared.
"Now using magic…" King Helios began with the six ponies looking wide eyed with excitement
"It's simply finding your focus point." He said calmly making all but the unicorn ponies look in mystery of what he meant
"A what?" Applejack asked for a refresher.
"A focus point" King Helios said "A spot where you concentrate and control the magic around you. The natural focus point is the unicorn's horn."
"So we just have find out where we have to focus our magic?" Rainbow Dash said suddenly starting to look all over her body for a suitable body part.
"Just about… the Queen's focus of magic was in her voice…"
"It doesn't have to be a body part?" Fluttershy asked hearing the Queen's own way of using magic.
"Magic I said is everywhere." King Helios said "All you need to do is to figure out how to use it yourself. Queen Gaia was…" he stopped for a moment looking stricken with grief but right after he resumed his lecture.
"She just had this voice that moved me more than any magical spell could ever do. Through her voice and some incantations she found her way of using magic."
"So how does one find their special magic part?" Pinkie asked standing upside down trying to also figure what her focus of magic was.
"That is dependent on the pony, finding your focus point is much like when your cutie mark appears. The only difference is that it's not always closely related to your cutie mark and in fact can be another talent that you use just as often."
"So can you teach them?" Twilight asked looked at the excited look of her friends faces. All of whom we're thinking and checking their actions to see if they can find their focus. Rarity however was busy giggling at some of their antics at trying to discover their focus, not unlike the quirks of the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'. Spike however was not that interested, since being a dragon his power came from his breath.
"It's possible… I" *BAM!*
The front doors of the castle was knocked open as Atom the mysterious stallion walked in apparently a bit agitated from the uncouth look on his face. His anger however was more noticeable from the fact that items like plant vases and tables shook and cracked as he walked by. Walking pass Twilight, she felt a giant surge of cold coursing in her body, but there was no wind or slight breeze in the castle despite the openings of the door. Almost suddenly after walker past her, a seismic wave barely visible in the air emanated from Atom, slightly cracking the castle pillars and causing dust to fall from the high ceilings with the low chime of shaking chandeliers.
"Control your temper…Master Starwalker" King Helios said giving Atom a stern look "Your damaging the castle…!"
"Sorry… sir…" Atom grumbled not turning around to even look and simple trotted away as angry as when he entered. However the strange events and actions stopped.
"I apologize ladies…" King Helios said bowing his head a bit "He's normally not that grumpy."
"Is he your student?" Princess Celestia asked
"Yes, in a sense…" King Helios said "We found each other on the road and since then we have had many adventures together. I taught him magic but his innate talent and latent skill was already evident."
"How did he shake the room up all of the sudden?" Twilight asked still recovering from her experience.
"That was just his anger seeping out his magic…" King Helios said grimly "His spirit is strong enough to knock half prepared ponies out cold…"
"Out cold!" Twilight said bewildered and amazed at the same time
"It's something he learned. He is able to use the magic around him to project a sense of how powerful he is. This is normally to give warning to not provoke a fight. While normally intended for use against wildlife, those with great mastery and control over large amounts of magic can affect the area around them. However wielding that much magical ability is prone to emotion."
Twilight understood perfectly. After all when she panicked at her entrance exam she lost all control. Only Princess Celestia reversed her crazy spell, but if this pony could generate magic strong enough to affect his surrounding, there must be more to magic than she ever realized. However that was as the King said, just seeping magic from his anger. If that was only a small amount… what could that pony do when he really concentrated?
"Now my dears I think it's time I retire… I've had a very long journey and I hope to see you all again…"
"Father, your old room has been prepared." Princess Celestia said guiding him in the right direction.
"But will he teach us?" Rainbow Dash said following him
"Find your focus point and then I'll teach you." King Helios said making Rainbow Dash do a loop-de-loop. ("SWEET")
"Twilight Sparkle" Princess Celestia said to her faithful student "I think you have a lot to write about."
Twilight simply smiled at the thought of putting down the amazing things she learned today.
Wow this part ended up longer than the others. I got to put a word limit on each part.
Read and Review and Enjoy *Dang not another 'R'*
PS. I know without a doubt that I missed/messed up something when writing this up. Sorry and also this ISN'T the END.
Ultima75000