Royal destiny

Ruki dashed through the door of the throne room.
“Mom, the star!” She yelled as Yuuro trotted in behind her, completely out of breath.
“We know.” Taira sighed.
She had felt it the moment it had appeared. She had become so warm inside, so content... but the feeling was so alien she knew it could only mean one thing. Ruki's birthday was the day of the daylight star.

Strangely enough, her mother and Hikary hadn't felt a thing. When she had come bursting into the throne room, her mother and sister had simply been reading.
“Can't you feel it?” She had asked, but they had just stared at her as if she was slowly going insane. She had taken them outside then, and of course once they saw the star they both understood all to well.
“So here it is again...” Regina had said. “The last time I saw this star, I was too busy giving birth to Twinkle Star.”

Taira didn't doubt Ruki could feel it too. They both could see Twinkle Star's wings, after all. Surely this wasn't any different.
"So, it is time, then.” Regina said. No one spoke. The day was here. They had come from so far, and now finally they would see if their efforts would be enough to summon the guardians back to the earth. They had the five stones, and they had found Twinkle Star. Only the Goddess herself could judge them now.

“We should prepare.” Hikary said.
“Prepare? Now? It's past midnight!” Regina objected.
“That it is, mother, but I agree with Hikary.” Taira said. “We should not wait any longer. We don't know how long this star will keep shining. We can't miss it. We should act now.” Taira hoped her mother would agree. What good would it do if they lingered, only to see the star fade again?

“Right. Okay. Of course, you're right Taira... we have no time to lose.” Regina agreed, a little shaken.
She's scared, Taira realized. Her mother was scared of what was to come. Scared of the unknown future she could not control. Who could know what the guardians were like? Would the world change if the heavens were restored?

“Good. We will have to move in teams. Hikary, you and I will take the stones outside. I'll ask Fjaril to help as well. Mother, I want you to wake the other ponies and make sure they get outside in the valley. This is something we've been working for together, so I don't want anyone to miss it. Ruki and Yuuro, find Twinkle Star.” Taira said.
Ruki and Yuuro nodded and instantly dashed off again, looking for her sister.

Fleur and Ivy were already asleep. They had come here two weeks ago after they had learned the daylight star might come any day, and there were some other nobles. The only one missing was Aline. They had invited her, but she had politely inclined, saying there was no place for her in these events. A poor excuse, for even Yuuro had guessed she hadn't dared to face Twinkle Star.

“All right.” Regina agreed as she walked out of the throne room. Only Hikary and she were left now.
“Let's do this, sister.” Taira encouraged Hikary, who looked positively frightened.
“Yes. Let's do this. It's finally time.” Hikary agreed as she walked towards the door. Yes... it was finally time.

The light was still on. She was still awake. Twinkle Star knew she had to go. She knew she had to move to the castle at rapid speed. The daylight star... the star that had given her name was finally here again. She had to go to the castle and summon the guardians for her family... for the sake of the entire planet.

But she didn't move. Sitting in the cover of the trees, not bothering to hide her wings, Twinkle Star kept staring at the light behind the window. She was there... She had declined the invitation. She hadn't gone anywhere. The girl who had once been her best friend but who had utterly betrayed her in the end was there.

For days, Twinkle Star had tried not to think of Aline. She had tried not to think of everything she had done and all the horrible things she had gone through. She had tried not to wonder how she was doing now. But she couldn't keep it up. Aline had been her first and only good friend. How was she doing now? Was she still mourning those she had lost? Was she still sad and despairing, or had she found a reason to live?

So tonight, finally, Twinkle Star had decided to come here. She wanted to see her friend, even if it was the last time. When the sun had begun to set, she had flown here, to the mansion build for Aline, from where she ruled as a steward. She hadn't seen her friend, but she had seen lights go on and off, so she was positive Aline was at home.

Why she was here, Twinkle Star still didn't completely understand. After all... What had she set out to do? She wouldn't forgive Aline. She just couldn't. Just as she knew Aline would never forgive her for sticking with the one she had held responsible for the death of her husband and child. Junai, Kiyoi's younger brother... He would have been Meran's uncle.

And then midnight had come, and her wings had started to burn. She had known it was time the moment she had felt but the slightest tingle. And then it had appeared; the brightest star in the sky that soon was shining brighter than the moon. The time was here... but still Twinkle Star wasn't moving back to the castle. Her wings begun to burn hotter every minute and her soul was aching to go to the stones, but she couldn't move.

“So it was you.”
The girl's voice had matured so much Twinkle Star could barely recognize it. The soft, teasing voice she had heard before so often had all but faded into the voice of a woman Twinkle Star didn't know. She turned around, and behind her stood a woman wearing a black cloak with a hood that covered her ears. The woman's eyes were dark, but her skin was still the same color Twinkle Star remembered it.

“Aline...” She whispered as she got up.
“Twinkle Star.” Aline stated.
“So it is true. You came back here to save us all.” the hostility in her voice scared Twinkle Star. She couldn't remember Aline like this...
“I came back because Taira asked me a favour.” Twinkle Star replied, not really liking the tone of voice her former friend used.

“I guess it is about time, then. The daylight star is what they call it, right? There it is.” Aline pointed at the only star in the sky.
“I know. I should go back soon.” Twinkle Star agreed.
“Then why are you still here, Twinkle Star? Why are you here in the first place?” Aline asked. Twinkle Star was at a loss for words for a few moments, realizing that whatever she said would sound bad.

“I just... wanted to make sure you were okay.” She said in the end. Aline started laughing, but not because she thought Twinkle Star's comment was funny.
“Okay? You're asking me if I am okay? I stopped being okay the moment Câlin murdered my husband and my child! And you gave up your right to ask that question the moment decided to stick with the wench!”

“She is my daughter!” Twinkle Star screamed.
“No she's not! Illuvia is her mother!”
“That doesn't mean she's not my daughter.”
Câlin was her daughter, and she would always stick with her. No matter what and no matter why. “You shouldn't have come here, Twinkle Star. There is nothing left for us to talk about.”

She hated to admit it, but Aline was right. There was nothing left of the friendship they had once shared. She had come here hoping that maybe a small trace of that had still remained, but they would never agree. Aline would never find it in her heart to forgive, and Twinkle Star would never blame her child for making a mistake.

“You're right. I shouldn't have. Goodbye, Aline.”
Without looking back, Twinkle Star flew towards the daylight star. She didn't know what she had hoped for, but whatever it was, it was now forever out of her reach. She had to go back to the castle. She wanted to leave this country and never return. She wanted to hold her daughters and embrace Kiyoi.

But first, she had something to do. She promised Taira she would. And even if she hadn't, Twinkle Star would still do it. With every moment, her wings became a little bit hotter, her soul a little more desperate. Her heart was longing for that star in the sky, her body was aching for the five stones waiting for her. And they were calling her. “Liuven....”

“There she is!” Yuuro yelled as they ran across the meadow. Looking up at the daylight star in the night sky, Ruki saw it too- her aunt flying through the skies, on her way to the castle.
“I think she already knows.” Yuuro said.
“Probably.” Ruki agreed. She tried calling her aunt's name, but Twinkle Star was simply too high in the sky to hear her.

“We should be heading back, then. They won't wait for us.” Yuuro said as he turned around.
“Yea.”
Ruki turned back to the castle. There were lights burning in many rooms now. Everyone was awake, getting ready for the ceremony, or whatever she had to call it. Would they be carrying the stones outside already?

They had long ago agreed that they would do it in the meadows in front of he castle. There, at least, there was enough space for everyone to watch, and besides, who knows how much space the guardians needed. It did mean her family would have to haul the stones outside, but at least they weren't very heavy.

When they got closer, Ruki saw the ponies gathered in front of the gates. A strange glow illuminated the grass, and Ruki knew the stones were outside- at least a few of them were. Her mother and Hikary weren't around, but her grandmother was, and so were her aunts Ivy and Fleur, and a few servants and a few ponies she knew as officials from the country.

“Grandma!” Ruki exclaimed.
“Did you find her?” Regina asked.
Ruki saw there were three stones outside already, lying in half a circle. Ruki pointed at the sky, and but a few moments later Twinkle Star landed right outside the circle. Her aunt looked upset somehow, Ruki thought, but she didn't think now was the right time to ask.

“Mother.” Twinkle Star nodded. Regina wanted to say something but was interrupted by two ponies coming out of the castle gardens. Her mother was carrying the golden stone while her aunt carried the copper one. They silently put them in place, which made the stones shine a little bit brighter.
“That's all of them.” Taira said before she turned to Twinkle Star. “Are you ready?” her mother asked.

“As much as I will ever be. I still don't know what exactly I need to do.” Twinkle Star admitted.
“It will come to you, I'm sure.” Hikary assured her.
“Let's hope it does. Here goes nothing.”
Twinkle Star took a deep breath as everyone cleared the circle. Her aunt stepped forwards, her physical wings still out.

Twinkle Star stopped in the middle of the circle, and closed her eyes. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, one by one, the stones began to light up. Softly at first, but slowly they began to shine brighter and brighter until each of them shone with the strength of a thousand stars, lighting up the entire valley.

Once Ruki's eyes had adjusted, she saw the light of the five separate stones began to connect, creating a circle of light with Twinkle Star locked up inside it. Her aunt's eyes were still closed, but her wings began to light up now too. As the light of the stones began to swirl around, Twinkle Star's wings seemed to grow until they reached the size Ruki was so familiar with- the large bright wings she had seen on her aunt's back so often while no one else could.

The circle of light seemed to detach itself from the stones now, closing in on Twinkle Star. Her wings began to move with the force of the light, carrying her up in the sky. Her body turned slightly so that she faced the light of the daylight star, and suddenly everything seemed so connected. Twinkle Star's wings, no- her entire body, the five stones, the star, the beam of light... it was all one, all one single source of light. Her wings were so magnificent, almost twice as large as her body now. Ruki wasn't sure of she heard Twinkle Star's voice when it happened. The light flashed so bright, so strong, Ruki had to close her eyes tightly in order not to get blinded.

When it was over, The five stones shone as bright as the daylight star. When she looked up at the star, she was sure that if she tried hard enough she could see through the gates of the heavens. It was done. The doors were open. The guardians could return. But Ruki didn't look hard enough, because something else caught her eye that made her scream so loud. While her soul flew on towards the gates, Twinkle Star's lifeless body was falling down towards the earth.