She Who Treads Amongst the Stars

Chapter 7: The Telescope

Rosalina named every Luma to the best of her ability, trying to be creative without dishing out ridiculous monikers. There turned out to be around fifty Lumas in all. After moving everyone in, Luma, Polaris, and herself planned out how to take care of them. Referring to previously traveled territory, Rosalina charted an orbit they could travel to collect Star Bits, pick up other wayward Lumas, and visit galaxies as needed. She did feel a sort of need to resurvey previously visited galaxies as Luma had mentioned. It hit her, then, that her entire journey unwittingly prepared her to fill the shoes of the previous mother, whatever happened to her. Rosalina felt oddly humbled by this thought.

After making the necessary preparations and ensuring her Lumas were safe inside the domes, she stepped outside the apex of the comet- the garden- and inhaled slowly. Many years of using the celestial magic had honed her abilities for this moment. Closing her eyes, she dramatically thrust the wand upward to surround the comet in a magical aura. Then, directing all her might, she pushed the comet onto their predetermined path. The feat took quite a bit of energy and created a fantastical display of light and motion. Once she finished and freed her children again, the Lumas darted about excitedly and cheered on her success. Her cheeks dusted in pride and adoration – never had she felt more important.

Rosalina fell into a routine that lasted many more years. Her Luma stuck by her side unflinchingly, and though she loved all her children, Rosalina felt she loved him most of all. Polaris (eventually, his name became shortened to "Polari") served as her more official advisor and confidant. She took care of the Lumas: feeding them, teaching them, telling them stories from her time on her home planet, and picking up the lonesome ones that they found drifting in space. She nurtured every one of them to the best of her ability, becoming absorbed in her new caregiver role. And she loved it; Rosalina had never felt more at home. Traveling through the cosmos, viewing a vast array of idyllic wonders that never ceased to amaze her... It was a dream from her childhood come true.

At some point, time ceased to exist for her. Even still, Rosalina noticed that she was slowly growing up. She no longer appeared seven, her body developing to what she could have been at age fourteen. How long this process took, she did not know. Though every moment was precious, events began to bleed and ebb into each other with retrospect. This realization prompted her to keep a log of significant happenings on the comet: when new Lumas arrived, when older ones transformed and left the nest, when they explored a new section of space, and so on.

Surprisingly, though, comets proved a rare find in her travels. Still primed by the long-gone search for Luma's mother, Rosalina marked down the comet's characteristics and direction every time they saw one. When she caught sight of a shining blue comet not unlike their own, she went through her records and realized it was their one hundredth comet sighting. Then a sudden thought appeared in her head.

I wonder if my home planet is still as blue as it was.

Jarred by the sheer innocence of her thought, Rosalina dropped her writing utensil onto the paper. She... had made a not-so-unconscious effort to delegate her old life to the background, becoming wholly invested in her guardian role. Why now?

Well, why shouldn't the planet still be blue? she thought with a sense of unease. And yet, her curiosity compelled her. Rosalina felt she had been away for so long that her former planet could now be purple and orange, for all she knew. She just needed a small look at it – for her own reassurance. Candidly, she didn't know why she hadn't thought of doing so sooner.

Although... we've explored every corner of the universe at this point, except my own. Maybe we finally have enough information to chart a path back to my planet? A burst of emotions spread through her, but she quickly steadied herself. They had to remain on their current trajectory – it was vital for the Lumas' survival. First, she'd need to determine which part of their route is closest to the planet. Then she'd be able to scope it out with the telescope herself. (Sure, she could just use the projection system, but she felt a fervent need to see it with her own two eyes.)