The train pulled into the Canterlot station. Opaline double checked that her saddle bag was buckled closed before stepping onto the platform. She looked around. There was a winding path that led down into the valley. One led into the city gates with the curving steeples and brass onion domes. Opaline grinned and headed for the castle.
There was a table in front of the wing of the castle which acted as the grounds for the School for gifted unicorns. Opaline trotted up to the table. She waved to get the attention of the older blue mare.
“Do I check in here?” Opaline said.
The wrinkled blue mare adjusted her glasses. “Where are your parents, little pony?”
“They’re working. Is this the place for the entrance test?”
The blue unicorn smirked. She placed her hooves together. “Intrepid aren’t we. What is your name, little pony?”
“Opaline.”
“And your special talent?”
Opaline’s cheeks heated. “I don’t have my cutie mark yet.”
The blue mare raised an eyebrow. “You’re a little old for that.”
“The best one is just waiting for me to find it.”
The old blue mare picked up a little name plate on a bracelet. “Opaline, here we are. Lift your hoof.”
The older mare clicked the bracelet around Opaline’s wrist.
“It’s a little tight.”
“You’ll be alright, you only need it for your test order. Just remember not to take it off.” The blue mare pointed into the building.
Opaline nodded. She pulled a chocolate bar from her backpack.
“For you’re trouble,” she said.
The older mare chuckled. She waved the little unicorn toward a door into the palace wing.
The little refracting purple unicorn flicked her pale hair over her shoulder. She trotted inside of a tiled hall with large windows. She went down the hall until she found a line of fillies and colts waiting in chairs. Opaline was half again the height of the tallest colt. She looked around, her eyebrows lowering.
“Why are you all baby ponies?”
Some of the nearby unicorns looked at her. A few chairs had parents hovering about their little ponies. Opaline’s heart sank in her chest. Was she the oldest pony taking the test?
She looked side to side. Tiny ponies met her eyes on every side. Some of them already had their cutie mark.
Opaline’s head reeled.
“How do you get the best unicorns with babies?” she panted. The world was caving in. Shouldn’t she have known the age of most applicants? Did Papa know?
She took a deep breath. “No matter, all the easier to win a spot. Like taking jewels from babies.” Opaline strutted to the front of the line. She stared at a set of blue twins sitting on a bench.
“Move, I need to sit down,” She said.
The colts scoffed. The one on the right rolled his eyes. “You don’t get to cut the line. We go in alphabetically.”
“Well what are your names?”
The one on the right shook his head. “I’m Alfalfa and this is Amaranth.”
“Well I’m Opaline. I don’t feel like sitting in the middle with the babies. You seem more cognisant. I’ll bet you could even hold a conversation.”
She shoved her way between the brothers. The one on the left lowered his head. Alfalfa on her right shoved back but she refused to move.
“Hey, I’m supposed to stay by my brother. Your big butt is in the way.”
“What are you gonna do about it? Magic me away?”
“I could!”
“Try it!” She shoved her muzzle close to his and glared. “See what happens.”
“I-its ok Alfalfa,” Amaranth said.
Opaline was surprised at how soft the colt’s voice was. She glanced at the other twin.
“We have room for her, ju-just don’t fight. I don’t want you to get kicked out before we even get into the exam.”
Alfalfa bared his teeth at Opaline. He took a deep breath and looked away. “Fine.”
Opaline smiled, eyelids thin. She sat back. Maybe being taller than the others wasn’t so bad.
Alfalfa and Amaranth were third and forth to be called into the exam room. Occasionally little ponies would be accompanied by adults, parents, grandparents, one brought her big sister. Opaline scoffed. Her parents trusted her to be a big pony. She stared out the window.
“What if Papa had made it?” She shook her head. She wiped her foreleg across her eyes. She would not cry. She had thought Papa would at least have waved at the train station.