//------------------------------// // 5 Look Mama, a Cutie Mark! // Story: Rise of Opaline // by WhisperFace //------------------------------// Opaline found the skirt that matched her mane. She had begged Papa to buy it weeks ago just in case she found her talent at school.  She slipped it on and added a white puff-sleeved front with a puffy collar. She looked at herself in the mirror.  “Perfect.”  She ran out of her room to show her parents. But she skidded to a stop at the top of the stairs.  “Dragonfire? How did they think that was safe? And she just broke it open? “The Princess said she had never seen a pony with the talent before.” “But Ponyville? That backward little town is full of miscreants from all over! Dragons are one thing. There are Yaks, Cows, and Changelings! We can’t expose our little girl to changelings!”  Opaline could hear her mother pacing. The swift click-clack on the tiles was more nervous than contemplative. Mama never got nervous! “That’s why I should go,” Papa said. “For how long? Are you going to get a residence out there? Celestia knows my parents will find you. You cannot let them get to my little girl.” “I won’t. And they won’t. I’ll explain the predicament to the movers.” Opaline slowly went down the stairs.  “I can’t just do this alone. Your help finding gems is invaluable. What will you do in Ponyville?” “The lead of the geology department out there is a talented mare. I’m sure she’ll have something for me to do.” Mama was hyperventilating. “Can we do this? I know our little girl deserves the best, but it's so dangerous. Ponyville is right next to that cursed forest!”  Opaline peeked around the corner. Her mother had her hooves on her head. Papa sat next to Mama. He pulled Pinfire into his arms.  “Hey, I love you.” Pinfire laughed. She buried her face in her husband's chest. “You two will have to come back on weekends, hear?” “Of course, Opal.” Opaline walked into the room with her head down.  “Mama, why are you crying?” Pinfire wiped at her eyes with her foreleg. “I’m just so proud of you. Fire is a lovely talent.” Opaline looked back and forth at her parents. “But you don’t want me to go to the school with dragons?” Mama shook her head. “Dragons are fine. A little rough and tumble but not dangerous.”  Opaline straightened. “So I can go to the School of Friendship?” Mama smiled. She held out her hood and pulled Opaline into the floor hug.  “Of course you can. And your Papa will keep you safe.” “That’s right,” he said. “Ok, then let's go sign up.”  Plasma Blast ruffled his daughter's hair. “In the morning. We have a Cutseñera to throw!” ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Opaline’s father threw the best Cutseñera ever according to Opaline. All the kids from her class came. It didn’t matter that she didn’t remember any of their names. They brought her gifts and she got to wear her cutest dress. Mama even let her wear the sapphire necklace for the party.  “So you can breath fire like a dragon?” one colt asked. “No,” Opaline said, ”I can control dragon fire. That's why there’s fire by a horn not by a mouth in my cutie mark.” “Are you sure it’s fire? That looks more like wings!” Opaline stared at her cutie mark. “Wings?” The image of Princess Twilight’s wings flashed through her mind. “Now that would be the best. A fire Alicorn…” She sighed. “No, it's dragon fire.” “If it is wings does that mean you're gonna be the Princess of fire?” the colt asked. Opaline put her hoof in the colt’s face. “No, go get your party favor. You need to leave.” He laughed. “If you say so, Princess!”   She stuck her tongue out.  Princess huh? No, she was gonna be the best, a unicorn who could control dragon fire. Still. She wiggled her shoulders imagining wings stretching out.  She shook her head. She walked up to Papa. “Papa, I’m going to bed.” “Oh? Why so early?” “The sooner I sleep the sooner I wake up. I want to go see real dragons at the school tomorrow like you promised.” “Oh, did I promise that?” “You said we’d go sign me up at the School of Friendship in the morning.” “So I did.” Papa kissed the top of her head. “See you in the morning, jewel.”