The morning sun shone right into Opaline’s eyes. She groaned and rolled out of bed. She rubbed her eyes and went downstairs. Papa had something sizzling in the pan. Opaline hopped up on a stool.
“Are those hashbrowns?” she asked.
“Nothing like potatoes to start the day.”
Opaline stuck her tongue out. She tried to open the cupboard with her magic. Her clear magic shuddered the door. She slowly opened the door.
It wasn’t the same. She closed her eyes and imagined the fire whisping through her fur.
She shook her head. “I’ll see dragons soon.”
“What was that jewel?” Papa said. He turned with a pan of perfectly crisped hash browns. Opaline focused harder. Two plates sparked and wobbled as she levitated them out of the cupboard.
Papa chuckled as the plates settled to the counter with a clacking sound. He served up two servings of potato.
Pinfire walked down the stairs. “What, no breakfast for me?”
Papa laughed. He easily levitated a plate from the cupboard and slid the rest of the hashbrowns onto his wife’s plate. He kissed her head and placed the plate in front of her.
“We have a big day ahead of us. Will you be joining us?” Papa asked.
Opaline widened her eyes and put her hooves together under her chin. “Please Mama?”
Pinfire took a bite and shook her head. “I can’t darling.” She patted her daughter’s head.
“Aww, but we get to go see my new school, the one that’s best for me.”
Pinfire shook her head again. “I have an important commission to deliver.” She paused. “But perhaps I can ride with you, at least until Canterlot.”
“Yay!” Opaline threw her hoofs up in the air, “Canterlot visit!”
Papa snorted. “We were just there yesterday, jewel.”
“And you aren’t coming in with me,” Mama said, “You have a school to enroll in, remember?” She booped Opaline’s nose.
Opaline nodded seriously.
“Let’s go,” Papa said.
The train to Canterlot was crowded. Pinfire held the shallow square box, with the sapphire necklace inside it, close to her chest. Plasma pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.
“Don’t worry so much, Pinfire.”
“Just keep her close, you hear me?”
“With clarity, my gem.”
Pinfire’s coat flared bright as she blushed. “You better.”
“Opaline and I are just going to look at the school.”
“What?” Opaline gasped. “No, we are going to sign up! What if I get behind!”
Pinfire shook her head. “You won’t get behind, the school season is isn't officially started. Everyone could be moving into dorms for all I know.”
“Dorms? But Papa’s getting a house, right Papa?”
“We’ll see, jewel. I haven’t talked to Princess Twilight’s staff yet. Let’s see the school before we decide.”
At the Canterlot station, Pinfire Opal stepped out of the train.
Papa waved off Mama. Mama gave a small wave. She turned and wove into the crowd entering the capital city.
Opaline bounced on her seat. “Now we get to go talk to dragons!”
“Of course, jewel,” Papa said. He booped her nose. But he stared after his wife, well after the train had left the station.
Opaline started kneading the train cushion with her hooves.
“We’ve been in here for hours!”
“Just you wait. We’re almost there Opaline.”
“Papa I need to use the bathroom.” She whispered.
The train crested a hill. A small city with cloud apartments floating above and a spire topped city hall came into view. Staring out the window Opaline gasped. A crystalline tree with windows and a door was set next to a building set within a waterfall.
“Papa, what are those?”
Papa glanced out the window. A soft smile crossed his face. “That is the school of friendship, jewel.”
Her eyes widened. She looked at the huge tree. And the waterfall. A creature leaped from the lake. They glowed and landed with new wings and claws.
She gasped. “Papa look a dragon!”
Papa chuckled. “Not quite. They walk on their hind legs most of the time.”
“Oh right.” Opaline pressed her nose to the window, ”Wow, there are Yaks over there. I’ve met Yaks. Are you sure that one by the waterfalls isn’t a dragon? The face is long and kind of beaky.”
“That is a hippogriff, jewel. They live down south.
Opaline was practically vibrating by the time the train doors opened. She shot out onto the platform.
“Hey, slow down jewel!” Papa called. But she was finally here. Opaline shot off for the tree castle.
“Opaline wait!”
But Opaline was too focused. She went for the bathroom in the station and disappeared.