Peach Fizz grinned as she opened the door to Opaline’s castle and walked into the throne room. A large basket was levitating beside her, full to the brim and then some.
“Oh, my darling Peach Fizz,” Opaline cooed. “You’ve returned and brought me presents. Did you get everything that was on the list?”
“Almost,” Peach Fizz replied. “The biggest one, I couldn’t get that.”
“Oh?” Opaline gasped. “Why was that my dear, what happened?”
“I only saw her once,” Peach Fizz explained. “When I tried to release the spell like you told me, nothing happened.”
Opaline frowned as she walked over to Peach Fizz. “Put the basket down dear and let me check.”
Lighting her horn, Opaline placed it on Peach Fizz’s. After a few seconds, she pulled back, a puzzled expression on her face.”
“Well from what I can tell the spell released successfully,” she replied. “Are you sure you did exactly as I told you?”
“Yes, Mistress Opaline,” Peach Fizz said sadly. “I’m sorry if I’ve failed you.”
Opaline levitated the basket up towards her before rifling through it with her hoofs. She smiled happily at the contents. “It’s okay my darling Peach Fizz. You’ve done so well bringing me everything else. It must have been very difficult. We’ll try again with the spell. I must have a new herald to enact my plans.”
“Am I not enough then?” Peach Fizz sighed.
“You’re an excellent help in your own way,” Opaline smiled. “Far better than Misty was before she left. I should have made her more loyal ages ago. My new herald needs to be powerful. They need to retrieve things that will be far too dangerous for one such as yourself.”
“Like what things?” Peach Fizz asked.
“Dragons,” Opaline smiled. “To overcome the accursed barrier that traps me here, I need the power of all the cutie marks. To get that, I need more dragon fire and to get that…”
“You need Dragons,” Peach Fizz deduced.
“Exactly,” Opaline grinned. “I’ve pretty much taken all the little dragon has. Therefore, the next place to go will be the Dragon Lands themselves. Now there are three Together Trees, the dragons will be awakening. Sunny Starscout and her friends are still providing me with everything I need.”
Suddenly, the door to the castle opened with a thud.
“I have come as requested,” a monotone voice said.
Opaline and Peach Fizz both turned to look at the owner of the voice.
“Oh, Peach Fizz, it seems you haven’t failed to find a herald after all,” Opaline grinned broadly.
“But that’s not Starlight Glimmer,” Peach Fizz gasped.
“No, it’s the next best thing,” Opaline smiled. “Sunset Shimmer.”
Sunset stood rigidly in the doorway. The whites of her eyes had turned completely purple, and she had a vacant expression on her face.
To be Continued in: Marking the Generations – Part Three.