Reunited

The sun was slowly setting in the west, when Twinkle Star walked up the stairs of the castle walls. She saw Aline and Crystal sitting a little further away, looking at the setting sun and talking. Twinkle Star was happy Aline and Crystal got along so well. During lunch, Aline had told Crystal and Regala that she wanted to work at the castle as a beauty specialist, and both of them had been very positive about it. Even Tsuyo had been quite happy, as with all the new family members it had become harder and harder for her to do her job right. Of course only Regina could appoint Aline, but Twinkle Star didn’t really think it would be a real problem.

During the day Twinkle Star had thought a lot about what Stelline had said, and the more she had been thinking about it the more she looked up to the conversation. But she would be there for her sister, she promised and it didn’t feel right not to do it.

“Hey you two.” She said while she sat down next to Crystal.
“Hi Twinkle. Everything worked out with the stone?” Crystal asked.
“Yeah, it did. We gave it a nice place for now in the treasure room. It’ll be just fine for now. Damina stayed there though. Turns out Regina actually had collected a few magical stones and Damina wanted to see them, Regala said it was okay. What were you two talking about?”

“Oh, nothing really,” Aline answered, “Just about the country and how many ponies there are and how many live in villages and all that.”
“How many hairdressers are there Aline?” Twinkle Star asked and Crystal began to laugh.
“I didn’t ask that.” She mumbled and Crystal began to laugh even harder.
“Oh come on Aline. It’s the first thing you asked, I know it. Don’t lie to me.”
“Okay okay, three, two are located in a village and one is working from her husband’s farm. The farm one is the closest and…”
“Yeah yeah I believe you. I was just teasing you, you know.”
“I knew that.” Aline mumbled again. “Sure you did.” Twinkle Star said.

Twinkle Star looked at the sunset and sighed. It was quite a pretty view. You could look far into the west from this place as the castle was on top of the hill and the further west you went, the lower the ground became. She looked to the northwest and she saw the two trees that looked like a gate where they had been standing that afternoon. Back then, it still all felt so distant, even though the castle was in front of her. But now she was here, sitting next to her sister Crystal, watching the sun set from the castle walls. It was getting late now, she noticed, and she knew her mother would be home soon.

“Where is Stelline?” Crystal asked.
“Inside somewhere. Don’t know for sure. She wanted to be alone a bit. She’ll be fine.”
“what happened to her, Twinkle Star? She changed so much. She didn’t used to be shy.”
“I can’t tell you, Crystal. It’s her story and she will tell all of you soon. But it’s her story and it’s not up to me to tell it.” Crystal began to laugh.
“What?” Twinkle Star asked, looking confused at her sister.
“You’ve changed too, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
 “Let’s just say you got your hoofs back on the ground. I don’t know what happened to you on your journey, but I finally am able to talk with you normally without thinking you’re completely peanuts. I guess I’ll have to thank Aline here for that, don’t I?” But before Aline or Twinkle Star could reply, they heard voices coming from behind them. Crystal sighed, as she recognised the voices.
“They’re home.”

Twinkle Star’s heart skipped a beat. While she too began to recognise the voices, she slowly got on her feet and she noticed her knees had become extraordinary weak. She slowly walked along the walls to the stairs, while Crystal and Aline followed her silently. While she walked of the stairs she realised her mother and her younger sisters hadn’t entered the castle garden yet. They were still somewhere outside, but Ivy and Fleur were talking extremely loud. Slowly she opened the doors of the castle walls and she noticed Fleur and Ivy were yelling at their mother who was shaking her head. They were trying to convince her of something, without much success. But the yelling stopped when they noticed Twinkle Star as she walked through the doorway. They all stopped walking and Fleur’s mouth literally fell open. Twinkle Star didn’t know anything to say first. She just looked at her mother, who obviously had the same problem. Slowly Regina walked towards Twinkle Star, who’s heart was beating faster with the second.
“Hi, mother…” She said softly when Regina had stopped walking and was standing in front of her.
“Twinkle Star…” Regina said, while she looked at her daughter.
“I… I am so sorry for what I did to you… I never meant to do that, I… really, I…”
“It… it’s okay mother, really… I have forgiven you about that long ago. I’m here now, and I won’t leave again like that.” Twinkle Star said, while she gave up fighting her tears.
 “Sweetie...” Regina said softly when she saw Twinkle Star’s tears, “I promise I will never force you into anything ever again.” Regina walked up to her daughter and she hugged her, and Twinkle Star had never felt this relieved in her entire life. For the first time in sixteen years, she felt as if she was home.

 “Mom,” Twinkle Star said while she continued to hug her mother, “I want you to meet Aline. I met her on my journey and she’s my best friend.”
Regina let go of her daughter to look at the pink pony that was standing next to Crystal.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” Aline said politely.
“It’s my pleasure.” Regina said with a smile. “Aline, these are my sisters, Ivy and Fleur.” Twinkle Star said, when she noticed Ivy and Fleur were looking at her curiously.
“Ivy, Fleur, this is my best friend Aline.”

“Why don’t we all go inside now? I will ask Tsuyo to prepare dinner, or have you had…” But Regina couldn’t finish her sentence. She simply stared at a point behind Aline and Crystal. Twinkle Star looked behind her and she saw Damina standing in the doorway.
“Mom, I’m sure you recognise Damina, right?” She said, “We found her on our way home, and she decided to come with us for a while to meet you and Regala and the others.”
 Twinkle Star explained, though she doubted if her mother had gotten anything of what she just had said.
“Hi there Regina.” Damina said while she walked down to her older sister. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
It was obvious Damina was much more relaxed than Regina, but of course Damina had been preparing this for three weeks, and Regina was feeling like she was seeing a ghost.
“D… Damina…” was the only thing she could say.
“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me.” Damina answered and she gave her sister a hug, which made Regina realise this was in fact real, and she finally was able to move again.
“You… you’re alive… what happened, where did you… why didn’t you… I…” Regina stammered, but Damina simply hugged her sister.
“I’ll tell you later when you have calmed down, sis. Why don’t you come inside with me for now? I’ll have Tsuyo make you something to drink.” Regina nodded and she walked next to Damina into the castle wall doors, while the others remained behind, saying nothing.

Ivy finally broke the ice with saying: “What the hell?”.
“That’s your aunt Damina, Ivy. She’s your mothers younger sister.”
“Aren’t they all?” Fleur asked sarcastically and Ivy laughed.
“I assume you all have met Regala? She’s a bit weird, you know.” Ivy said and Twinkle Star nodded.
“We know.”
“Why don’t we go inside as well?” Crystal proposed to her sisters and Aline, and she had already turned around when Twinkle Star asked her to stop.
“What?” Crystal asked, but Twinkle Star turned back to Ivy and Fleur. “I am going to tell you two this now, so you won’t be shocked when you see her, so you two can support your mother. She’s going to need you two and I am pretty sure you two know her better than any of us, am I right?”
“I guess so… What do you want to tell us, you’re freaking me out Twinkle Star.” Fleur said.

“I don’t know if Regala told you so, but when I left her all those months ago I set out to find someone, and I found her, and she’s here now.”
“You found her? You mean, Stelline is here?” Ivy gasped.
Twinkle Star nodded. “So she told you. Yes, I found her, and I brought her here. But she has been through a lot, and she has changed. I don’t know how Regina will respond to her, and her story. So I want you two to do all you can to support her.”
“Yeah… yeah, of course, we will. She’s our mom, and we’ll support her. But how is getting your daughter back gonna hurt her?” Ivy asked. Twinkle Star smiled, and turned around.
“You’ll find out, Ivy. Just… be there for her, okay.”
Slowly she walked towards the castle, which to her eyes was nothing but a dark shape against the red light of the setting sun.

When they entered the kitchen, Regina was sitting there, with her sisters across the table. They were all smiling, of course. Regina had finally calmed down a bit and Damina was telling the short version of her story of how she had survived and what she had been doing all this time, and about her twin daughters Testi and Vesti. Regina was sad to hear that all of Damina’s other children had died, but she was of course glad to hear she had two healthy girls. When they entered, Regina introduced Fleur and Ivy to her aunt and they happily introduced. They didn’t notice the small nod Damina gave to Twinkel Star however, and they didn’t notice Twinkle Star sneaking out of the kitchen.

She ran as fast as she could through the hallway, up the stairs, and to their room. Out of breath she opened the door and she saw Stelline laying on her bed.
“Are you… asleep?” She asked, while she was still gasping for breath.
“No, I’m not.” Stelline said without looking up.
“Okay, good. Eh… Stelline, mother and Ivy and Fleur are home, I don’t know if…”
“I saw them entering the garden, Twinkle Star. I know they’re here.” Stelline said, still not moving.
 “Okay… so, are you coming with me?” Twinkle Star asked. “
Does she know about me yet?”
Twinkle Star shook her head. “No. She was too shocked over Damina back there.”
Stelline slowly got up. “She’ll have a heart attack when she sees me, you know.”
Twinkle Star smiled. “I know. It’ll be okay. Regala told me she had already told her I set out to find you. She’s probably well aware that you are alive. Will you come with me?”
Slowly Stelline nodded. “Yeah… yeah, I’ll come with you. You’ll be there with me, right, Twinkle Star?” “
Of course.” Twinkle Star walked back into the hallway and she was followed by her sister. Slowly they walked down the stairs and to the kitchen door. When Twinkle Star opened, all were sitting at the table, which was quite crowded.

“Mom?” Twinkle star asked, and all went quiet. Regina probably was the only one who didn’t know what was coming.
“Yes?” Regina asked, and she looked at her daughter as if she only now had noticed that she had left the kitchen.
“I know Regala told you about what I set out to do, right? Well… I want you to know… I succeeded.”
When Twinkle Star said he last few words, Stelline walked into the kitchen and for the first time in sixteen years, Regina looked into the eyes of who she thought was the true heir to her throne.