Twinkle Stars true powers

The wet ground softened Twinkle Star’s landing. She was so close now, she had to get on the ground. The light made by the strange beam would definitely reveal her wings and she did not want that. She forced her legs to gallop towards the strange beam of light. What it was, she did not know, but she had a feeling it could not be anything good.

As she got closer, she felt it. Lost within the flow of royal powers expressed by ponies she could not identify, she felt Câlins strength floating. Her girl… Her feeling had been correct. Câlin was indeed here! She began to gallop even faster and she wanted to yell Câlin’s name when she stopped at once.

Câlins’ powers were not the only ones she detected. There was something there that she had felt before, and it warned her. These strong powers… this strange mix of loyalty and powers that had no meaning, no intention to help anyone. In the mountains… it felt like an age ago, but when she had been at the mountains of the old Friendship Lands… when she had fallen in the hole, and later in the field where they had found Stelline, those powers had been there too.
“We shall meet again…” Is what the pony had said. Well, they were going to now.

Twinkle Star no longer galloped. She did not want the other pony to detect her. She wanted to see what was going on first. As she got closer, she got a better view of the scene. Some ponies were lying on the ground… it looked as if they were unconscious. The beam of light… It came from a yellow pony and a black pony with wings that were both wearing a black crown. Twinkle Star could hardly believe her eyes, and yet she was somehow not surprised.

Yet, who was that black pony? She did not remember ever seeing anyone like him. It was clearly a male… but a male with strong powers? A pony with wings? But those wings… they were not like hers, or Câlins, or even Illuvia’s. He was different from all of them. But he was strong, there was no doubt about that.

The yellow pony… was where the powers from the mountains came from. So this was the pony she had seen back then… The pony was magnificently golden, surrounded by an black aura created of those uncontrollable powers. She was strong, Twinkle Star felt it, knew it, much stronger than the pony was showing now…

She almost jumped up when she heard a scream coming from her left. A dark blue pony ran towards the black and yellow ponies and Twinkle Star was almost thrown off her hoofs when she felt the pony’s powers hitting the beam of light. In a second the beam was gone and everything had gone dark once again. Yet in that single moment she had recognized the blue pony as the one that had killed Illuvia. Why was she here?

“Twinkle Star…” Câlin’s voice entered her head.
Twinkle Star looked to her left and she saw the girl standing in the shadows. Her heart leaped; Câlin was here, she was safe.
“Câlin… I have been looking all over for you. Where have you been?” She whispered, making sure the other ponies could not hear her. Of course, Câlin could, as Câlin could hear her voice inside her head.
“I had to go. That black pony… He is my father. But now… Please, stop him, Twinkle Star. He will hurt us all.”

Câlin’s pledge was not something Twinkle Star could ignore. She knew the girl was speaking the truth. Her entire body longed to hold the girl, to make sure she was all right, to bring her into safety… But her mind knew there was no safe place for the girl if things continued to be this way. Her gaze returned to the three ponies. The blue pony lay on the ground now, obvious under the control of one of the other two.
“Save her. She is on our side… as soon as she remembers.” Câlin said.

“Right…” Twinkle Star whispered and she began to trot towards the pony. She knew the only way she could free the blue pony was with a surprise attack so she summoned all her powers. The yellow and black pony had not yet seen her. She did not doubt Câlin’s words. If Câlin thought the blue pony, the one that had killed Illuvia, should be saved, she should be saved. But there was no time to lose.

Twinkle Star could feel it, the link between the black pony and the blue one. He did not even try to hide it. She released her powers at once, and she was almost flung backwards herself by the impact of her own powers. The link between the two was broken at once, though Twinkle Star thought this was more because of the black pony’s surprise than because she had actually defeated him. The blue pony began to cough and she tried to get on her feet at once.

“Well well, Twinkle Star…” The black pony whispered. From the tone of his voice, it was obvious he was not happy to see her.
“Who are you, and what is your business here?” Twinkle Star snapped. She was in no mood for pretty talk now. This pony… he was trying to hurt her family.
“Ah, but Twinkle Star, I had hoped you would at least feel like you know me… But alas, it is not so. My name… is Aras. I am here to restore the link with the gates of the Heavens so I can have my revenge on the Supreme Goddess Vitalia. I had almost succeeded, but she…” He pointed at the blue pony that was on her feet now, “She thought it was necessary to interrupt.”

The black pony was oddly calm, even though he had just tried to kill the pony that had tried to disrupt his attempt. But it was only a façade. Twinkle Star did not completely understand his words. The Supreme Goddes Vitalia?
 “You… must not do this… It is not right… Illuvia…” The blue pony could not finish her sentence. With a blast that also knocked Twinkle Star off her feet the pony was flung into the air and landed a little further, close to Câlin.

“I will deal with you later.” He said to the blue pony, who was no longer moving. She was still alive, Twinkle Star could feel her powers still flowing, but barely so. She got back on her hoofs and stared at the black pony. Anger was boiling inside of her. What had happened here? How long had things been like this, how long had this pony been here? She had not been away for more than seven days, but she sensed a lot more had happened in those days than she knew. She looked at the ponies that were lying unconscious on the ground, and she recognized Stelline. The others…
“No… Mother!” Twinkle Star yelled and she ran towards her mother’s body.

She soon realized her mother was still alive. A small spark of royal powers was still leaving her body, but she should not lay in the wet grass like this. She would get sick… But Twinkle Star could not help her mother now. She looked at the other pony and she realized it was her younger sister Ivy. But no powers came from her. Was she…? Twinkle Star slowly walked to her younger sister, and she sighed with relief when she saw Ivy wasn’t dead, or unconscious.
“Ivy? What happened here?” She whispered.

“That black pony… He is… a guardian. He murdered… and now he will destroy us all… Do not let him get his way…” Her sister said with a lot of difficulty, and Twinkle Star motioned her to stay silent.
She was obviously hurt, and not only in her body. She suspected her sisters and her mother had been hit by a same sort of blast as the blue pony, and that was bound to leave damage on their soul. Her sister said no more. Twinkle Star wondered why there were no royal powers coming from Ivy, but it was not the most important thing right now. They were all alive, but she had to face the black pony. If he hurt any of her family members…

“What did you do!” She screamed as she ran up to him.
“What I did… only what was necessary to achieve my goals. Do not disturb them, Twinkle Star, or you will await the same fate.”
“I will never let you do this!” She screamed.
“Yes, you will.” He commanded, but he did not enforce his command with even the slightest touch of his powers.
Why did he not touch her? She was sure he was able to defeat her, to kill her even, if he wanted to. But he did not. He did not even try to hit her with his blast.

“You will not go through with this!” She yelled.
“Yes, Twinkle Star, I will. You will not stop me.” “Watch me!” She screamed as she continued to run up to him.

“I am watching you. But if you do not stop… You will lose the one most precious to you.” Immediately, Twinkle Star heard Câlin scream. She stopped running and stared at Câlin, who was not even able to keep standing. He was hurting her.
“You see, Twinkle Star… Do not try to stop me, or Câlin dies.” Câlin’s screams faded as the black pony released his hold over her.

“You foul creature of the night…” Twinkle Star hissed. She could not do anything now. She could not even for a moment risk Câlin’s life.
“Do not flatter me, Twinkle Star. Now, stand back, or see your beloved Câlin die.” He once again turned towards the yellow pony that had not even moved. Twinkle Star watched Câlin and she decided she should be with the girl now. She had to find a way… To stop this black pony. But a direct attack was useless. He would be able to defend himself, and she would only risk Câlin’s life.

“Câlin… Are you all right?” She whispered. The girl nodded slowly. A beam of light appeared behind them once again.
“He must not succeed, Twinkle Star. Please. Stop him.” Câlin begged while she curled up against Twinkle Star. For a moment Twinkle Star forgot about everything else, and was only relieved to hold her girl again. She was safe now, with her, and she would protect her to the bitter end.

But reality soon awoke her again when she heard the blue pony groan.
“Who is she, Câlin?” Twinkle Star asked, knowing the girl knew more.
“She is… important. She can help us stop him. But he sealed her mind, long ago, so she cannot remember why she has certain feelings, and she cannot explain some of her thoughts.”  
“He sealed her mind?”
Several thoughts flew though Twinkle Star’ s mind. A mind seal… could it be that this pony was responsible for the mind seal once placed on Togli? He definitely seemed capable of doing so.

“Twinkle Star… break the seal.” Câlin whispered out loud this time.
“What? I cannot do that!” Twinkle Star exclaimed, almost too loud.
“You must. She has been good to me. Release her. He must be stopped.” She glanced around at the black pony. The beam of light had once again broken the clouds. He would soon do it… he would soon break the gate of the Heavens. But he must not do so. A strong sense of determination arose inside Twinkle Star. It was wrong what he did. The gate was closed, and he should not open it. He had harmed them. He had harmed her mother, her sisters…

Twinkle Star released Câlin. The blue pony was breathing heavily. What was it that she knew that she was not allowed to remember? They had to know. To save her family, no, to save everyone in the country and beyond, the blue pony had to remember. A pink glow began to surround her. The actions of the black pony had to be undone.

“You must remember…” Twinkle Star whispered, and the pink glow began to expand. She was not aware of the beam of light disappearing once again when his concentration was broken by her glow. She did not hear him yell.
“You must remember…”
The pink glow broke free of her body and transferred itself onto the blue pony. It became blue for a split second, flashed and disappeared. The blue pony opened her eyes and slowly got on her feet, with support for Câlin. She stared at Twinkle Star.

 She remembered.