//------------------------------//
// Quest for Opals 
// Story: Great 
// by Broadway 
//------------------------------//

	"Oh my gosh. . ."

A seven-year-old Vanity admired herself in the large mirror in front of her. She was wearing a lavish royal blue dress with a gold and white trim, a small golden tiara perched atop her head. She felt like a princess; never before had she seen such an exquisite dress, and she could scarcely believe she was wearing it.

"Do you like it?" 

Vanity unwillingly tore her eyes away from her own reflection to that of Bright Rose, who was beaming behind her. She laughed. "I-I love it!" she exclaimed in delight. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"What is?"

"This dress!" cried Vanity. "It's gorgeous!"

"Really?" Bright Rose took a few steps closer to her and leaned down next to Vanity. The two gazed at Vanity's reflection. "Because in my opinion, the truly beautiful thing in this room is not the dress, but rather the pony wearing the dress."

Vanity's sapphire eyes scanned her reflection, not wanting to leave. "Really? You really think so?"

"Of course! You are a truly stunning pony, Vanity," said Bright Rose, her green eyes twinkling. "You're such a blessed little filly. Talented and gorgeous. It's a shame your sister lacks both of these."

"What do you mean?" Vanity inquired. Her eyes narrowed in confusion but stayed focused on her image.

Bright Rose let out a laugh. "Oh, Vanity. There's no need to play the foal. You know what I'm referring to. Your sister has no talents whatsoever."

"I guess so. . . but that's just because she hasn't found out what her special talent is yet." Vanity finally tore her gaze away from her reflection and looked up at Bright Rose. "Right?"

Bright Rose frowned. "Vanity, there are two kinds of ponies in Equestria."

"I thought there were three? Or, four, if you count alicorns."

"No, there are only really two. Do you know what they are?"

Vanity shook her head.

"There are those who are gifted, like you, and those who aren't, like your sister." Bright Rose placed her hoof beneath Vanity's chin and redirected it back to the mirror. Her voice was silky and smooth, sweet and syrupy. "Earth ponies, pegasi, ponies like your sister - they're all the same, really. They live without the gifts that ponies like you and I possess, and that makes them jealous. Do you know what your sister would do just to have a fraction of the power and beauty you have?"

Vanity lightly shook her head. "No."

"The real question is, what wouldn't she do?"

Vanity's blue eyes widened, the oceans within them opening up. "Trixie wouldn't do anything to me. . ." 

Bright Rose smirked. "Are you so sure about that? Because you don't sound it."

Vanity's eyes narrowed, her face determined. "Well, she's not getting any of this. But. . . how do I stop her?"

"Ignore her."

"What?"

Bright Rose grinned. "Simply ignore her. No harm can come out of that, now can it? A pony who can't use magic isn't worthy of anypony's time, Vanity."

Vanity gazed at the beautiful filly looking back at her. "A pony who can't use magic isn't worthy of anypony's time. . ."




---





"Ugh, how much farther?" 

Coal looked back at Trixie, who was dragging her hooves through the leafy foliage, her eyelids droopy, her mouth panting.  He smirked. "A couple more miles or so."

Trixie's violet eyes flew open. ". . . A couple more miles?" she repeated, her mouth ajar.

"Yep."

Trixie groaned dramatically before collapsing in a heap, legs splayed every which way. "That's it. I give up. Go get your dang opals yourself."

"It was your idea," mused Coal, arms crossed.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it was a good one."

"Come on." Coal walked around to Trixie's backside and gave her rump a shove.

"No!" she cried out, digging her hooves into the dirt, trying to stay in place.

"Trix, come on," Coal grunted, struggling to get the weary pony to rise. 

Finally, he gave up, Trixie's flank smacking the ground with a loud thump. "Ow. . ." 

"You wanna stay here? Fine. Just don't come running to me whenever a hungry hydra finds you all alone out here." 

Coal began to walk away, head held high. Suddenly, he felt something fasten onto his leg, and upon inspection he found it to be both of Trixie's forelegs. She looked up at him, eyes wide. "D-. . . d-did you say. . . hydra?"

He smirked. "Come on, get up," said Coal, rolling his eyes and helping her up. "And by the way, I was only kidding. We're almost there."

Trixie just stared at him, her face aghast. "Jerk. . ."

Coal laughed. "Come on, Trix."

The two walked along for about five more minutes or so, the sounds of woodland life surrounding them. Eventually, the thick menagerie of trees began to thin out until they were no more. 

"Well, there they are," spoke Coal, extending an arm. A huge expanse of rocky mountains were spread before them, their peaks enshrouded completely by the cover of clouds. "The Applelachians."

Trixie gazed up at them in awe, her jaw slack. Never before had she seen a sight so grand, so magnificent in all her life. "They're beautiful," she murmured in amazement.

Coal opened his mouth as though to say something, but quickly closed it and turned to face the mountains. "Yes, they are, aren't they?" he mumbled.

Trixie blinked, regaining her senses. "Well, come on then."

"Huh?" asked Coal, somewhat disoriented.

Trixie gave an impatient huff. "Let's go get those dang opals already."

Coal nodded dumbly, looking down. "Yeah, right."

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Trixie, frowning.

Coal looked up into the eyes of his companion and slapped on a grin. "Yeah, of course!"

Trixie beamed. "Well alright then! Let's go!" With that, she sped off in the direction of the nearest mountain. Coal watched her run for a moment with a frown before setting off after her.

After a moment of dashing, the two reached the base of one of the massive towers of stone. "What now?" asked Trixie, craning her head skyward.

Coal shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we climb."

Trixie cast him an exasperated look. "Climb?"

"Um. . . yeah?"

"Coal?"

"Yeah?"

"Ponies can't climb."

"Oh. Right." Coal thought for a moment before shrugging. "Well then I dunno."

Trixie pondered the situation. She tapped a hoof against her forehead repeatedly. "Think. . . think. . ." Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she began to look around frantically.

"What? What is it?" asked Coal, concerned.

Finally, Trixie found what she was searching for. "That!" she proclaimed, pointing a hoof. Coal turned to look. Before her was a small trail that led up the mountain, a rope off to the side that faced outwards. "A hiking trail!"

"Ah, good eye, Trix," praised Coal with a grin.

"I know," replied Trixie proudly as she trotted over towards the trail, her head haughtily held high. Shaking his head with a smile, Coal followed.

The two journeyed up and up the seemingly never-ending mountain, time flying by. The sun began to sink lower and lower in the sky, but they pressed on regardless. They had a mission, and they were not about to fail. Finally, after an eternity of walking, they reached the summit.

Trixie looked around. "So, where're these opals of yours, Coal?"

Coal sniffed the air. Instantly, his entire body perked up, his aquamarine eyes alight. "In there," he replied, pointing to a large cave before them.

"Huh," came Trixie, staring at the gaping entrance to the cavern. "Wonder how I missed that."

"Come on!" Coal sped off inside, any wariness or doubts he previously might've had eradicated completely.

"Hey! Wait for me!" cried Trixie as she hurried to catch up with him.

Coal scoured the cave, his snout hovering just above the ground. Abruptly, he froze in his tracks and began to dig at the rocky floor with lightning speed. Trixie blinked in surprise. This was not a Coal she had seen before. "Ha!" he cried, his head buried in a hole he had dug. A second later and it emerged, along with an overflowing armful of lovely pinkish-white gemstones.

"Ooh," admired Trixie.

Coal grinned widely. "Yeah, I know. They look tasty, don't they?"

Trixie stared at him for a moment before erupting in laughter.

Coal blinked. "What? What's so funny?" Suddenly he realized what he had just said and smirked. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Ha ha."

"How in Equestria are you going to get all of those back down the mountain?" giggled Trixie.

"Um. . ." Coal looked at the large pile before him. "I don't know. I didn't really think about that."

Trixie laughed with him, trotting over. "Here, you can use my cape," she offered, unfastening the jewel that held it in place. "Just be careful with it, okay?"

Coal smiled. "I will. Thanks." Carefully, he loaded up every last one of the opals - well, almost every last one, for he decided to eat two to celebrate - into the cape and tied it up.

"Here, let me take it," said Trixie.

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"I insist," she declared, stomping a hoof for emphasis. "You've already done plenty for me."

Coal considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Thanks."

Trixie picked the makeshift sack up in her mouth and, after swaying a bit from the weight, began to trot out of the cave, Coal right behind her.

"Well, I'd consider this a success," said Coal, grinning broadly. Trixie, unable to speak, simply nodded in agreement.

As they began to walk back over to the path that led back down the mountain, a light zephyr stirred the air. Although the two were far too heavy to be fazed, Trixie's hat, perched atop her head, was not. In a flash the breeze snatched the cap off her head. Trixie let out a mumbled cry, the cape of jewels still in her mouth, and darted blindly after it.

Coal's eyes widened. "Trixie! Wait!"

Trixie, who's violet eyes were locked on the flying hat, neglected her surroundings. As the hat flew away, Trixie found herself at the edge of the cliff. Her eyes wide, she scrambled backwards, but the heavy sack in her mouth weighed her down, causing her to slip. Desperately, her forelegs scrabbled at the rocky ground, searching for some means of leverage but finding none. A short distance away was the safety rope, but she was unable to reach it.

Suddenly, something latched onto her hooves. Trixie whipped her head up to see the strained face of Coal before her, his claws holding her forelegs in a death-grip, his tail wrapped around the safety rope. ". . . Don't worry. . . I got you," he managed, struggling. All Trixie could do was stare back at him, her eyes filled to the brim with terror.

Coal did his best to pull her up, but for some reason he couldn't. Finally he realized what the problem was. "Trix. . . you have to let go of the cape."

Trixie's head began to shake, her eyes pleading with him.

"Don't worry. . . I know that those opals are the whole reason we're here. . . but that's okay."

Trixie let out a whimper, her back legs dangling in the open air. 

Coal looked at her eyes and saw the begging in them, realization hitting him. ". . . It's the cape, isn't it?"

Trixie nodded.

"Trixie. . . I know that that's all you have left of your mother. . . but you need to let go," Coal struggled. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on. 

Tears began to well up in Trixie's eyes.

"Trixie. . . please. . ." 

Trixie blinked back the tears to look at him. His face was desperate, pleading with her.

"If you don't let go. . . you will die. . ." His grip was slipping. Coal tightened his failing grip on her, though he knew it wouldn't do much good. Every muscle in his body was being pushed to the limit. His arm were screaming, but he ignored the pain. He would not let go. "Please, Trix. . ."

Trixie gazed into his eyes for what felt like an eternity before closing hers, tears threatening to burst forth. Slowly, unwillingly, she opened her mouth, releasing her precious cargo. The cape and opals plummeted through the air, rapidly shrinking in size until it was no longer visible. She let out a cry as she felt herself be flung upwards through the air before crashing to the ground, the wind being knocked out of her lungs upon contact. 

After lying there for a moment to recover herself, Trixie looked over at the dark lump of mass on the ground, the safety rope swaying above him. "Coal!" she cried out, scrambling over to him. She bent down, her eyes wide with fright. Coal lay in a collapsed heap, his eyes closed. "Coal?"

Weakly, Coal's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, they just stared blankly ahead, but they turned over to look at Trixie.

"Coal, are you okay?" asked Trixie, worried out of her mind.

"I'm. . . fine," Coal managed. ". . . You?"

"I'm fine," replied Trixie, breathing a sigh of relief, tears once more coming to her eyes. "Thanks to you."

Coal limply raised a claw and pointed at her. "Don't you. . . ever. . . do that again. . ."

Trixie laughed. "I won't, don't worry," she assured him. Gently, she took his tail in her mouth and began to pull him away from the edge of the treacherous cliff. He didn't argue.

Only once Coal was a safe distance away from the edge did Trixie let go. "Thanks," he said quietly. When there was no response, he looked up. "Trix?"

Trixie sat, her head hanging low. Faintly, Coal could hear sniffling. His gaze softened. Unable to stand just yet, Coal scootched over and hugged her. Trixie let it out, weeping openly, wrapping her forelegs around him. Coal said nothing the entire time; all he did was return the embrace, stroking her mane soothingly as she sobbed.

Eventually, Trixie finished her crying, but remained in Coal's embrace. "Thank you," she whispered softly.

Coal pulled back. The sun had nearly vanished beneath the horizon. "Come on," he said. "Let's go."

Slowly, the two made their way back down the mountainside, each staying close to the other.




---





"Wow, Vanity! That dress looks amazing on you!"

Vanity smiled her charming smile as she admired herself in the mirror. Bright Rose had sent her another one of her fabulous creations for an upcoming dance at the academy. "It does, doesn't it?" she mused, turning so she could see herself from multiple angles.

"Oh yes," agreed her new roommate, a younger lavender unicorn. "I'm sure all the colts will want to dance with you."

Vanity smirked. "Yes, I'm sure they will."

"So, where did you say you were from?"

"Huh?" Vanity turned to look at the pony. . . . What was her name again? Midnight, or Sprinkles, or something like that? Vanity shook her head, regaining her composure. "I grew up in Maredrid, but in recent years I've been staying in Tallahayseed."

"Really? Wow, that's weird."

"What is?"

"It's just that, I've just recently met somepony from Tallahayseed. Perhaps you know her."

Vanity perked up at this. "Really now? What was her name?"

"Trixie."

Vanity's mouth went dry. "Wh-what?"

"Trixie," repeated the lavender pony. "Do you know her?"

Vanity turned back to her reflection in the mirror, her eyes distant. "No. No, I don't know anypony by that name."

"Oh, well that's a shame. . . . Huh? Wha- Spike! No no no! I told you, no chewing on the furniture! Spike!"

While the unicorn ran off to save the nightstand from the baby dragon, Vanity gazed at her reflection. She was so beautiful. Nopony else would ever be able to match her beauty, especially not Trixie.

"Vanity! Vanity, look!"

Snapping out of her trance, Vanity looked down to see that her flank was glowing. Her eyes widened. Adorning her white fur was her cutie mark, a golden mirror in the shape of a heart.