Opaline

by WhiteSails

Opaline Chapter 7

Opaline’s hooves slowly dragged along the gravel path. Her head hung low, her mane a messy heap of loose locks and greasy knots. Her eyes stung from dryness; her throat burned from dehydration, and her legs ached and wobbled. She had no idea how long she had been walking or where she was even going all she knew for certain was that she must be extremely far from Canterlot. Opaline then fell to the ground from exhaustion. She felt all the sharp little rocks on the path poke into her body. She looked up at the sky, at the fluffy white clouds reflecting the sun's golden rays down to earth. The only other thought occupying her mind more than exhaustion was what had happened the night before. She had abandoned the only pony she had ever admired. She had been with her teacher since filly hood and now she was on her own.

She continued to lie on the gravel path. The sharp pain of the small rocks stabbing into her back was only countered by the sadness and fear she felt about her uncertain future. She didn't feel like she had enough energy to keep going. It was as though the only thing she had ever looked up to turned out to be a fraud. As she lay there, still uncertain of what to do next, a lone Pegasus suddenly flew over her. She then shot up at the sudden appearance of another equine and looked in the direction where the winged pony was flying. The paths she had been walking had seemed either abandoned or isolated from other ponies. Off in the distance, she could see what appeared to be rooftops rising ever so slightly above the tops of trees. She stood up quickly but then paused in hesitation.

She was unsure of exactly where she was, and she knew that Twilight would still be looking for her now-missing student after the previous night's events. Opaline had no intent on returning to Canterlot. The anger that was currently burned inside her toward her now-ex-teacher was only countered by the intense exhaustion she had been feeling. She was on the verge of dehydration after walking for almost an entire day. It might just be smart to take her chances and find somewhere to quench her thirst and a place to rest her aching body in that small town off in the distance.

As she walked along the path into the small town, she would notice the looks she would get. It was not every day that the ponies of the town would receive a newcomer with such a ragged appearance. Opaline gazed around the street corners before settling on a small café tucked away in the local marketplace. Opaline walked to the café and then pushed open its doors a little ring sounded from a small bell hung above the doorframe.

"I'll be with you in just a minute!" a voice yelled out from behind the store counter, just out of sight.

Opaline Found a seat and sat down. As soon as her body stopped moving, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She lifted both hooves and cradled her head in them. She felt that if she closed her eyes, she'd fall asleep. A pony then came over to the table Opaline was sitting at. The barista was caught rather off guard at the sight of the disheveled unicorn sitting in her shop but then continued by asking Opaline what she would like.

"Hello, miss, is there anything I can get for you?" said the barista, her voice warm and welcoming. Opaline didn't budge, evidently too lost in her thoughts to respond.

"Miss?" the mare said again.

Opaline noticed the voice talking to her and fixed her gaze on the café employee. She took a moment and looked at the pony's appearance. The mare wore a green apron and had some of the brightest orange eyes she had ever seen. She had a golden wheat-colored coat matched with blonde hair done in a bun behind her ears. Opaline then fixed her attention from the pony’s eyes and to her forehead, looking at the pony's horn. The pony that was trying to talk to her was another unicorn. Opaline felt a bit puzzled about why her mind had cared about the pony's appearance.

"Are you getting anything, miss?" The unicorn barista said now slightly annoyed at the lack of response from the strange, raggedy unicorn.

"Tea is fine, thank you," Opaline replied, her voice a bit Shakey and raspy as her mouth was dry due to dehydration.

She watched as the unicorn nodded her head before returning behind the counter and out of sight to prepare the drink. Opaline then placed her head back down on the table, continuing her train of thought. As she sat, she noticed a lone Earth pony inside the café sitting in a seat adjacent to her taking a sip of his drink before making a face of disgust. Opaline then focused her attention back on herself, deeming her ideas more important than that of the lone pony's small issue. But just out of the corner of her eye, she saw the earth pony get up from his spot and walk past her. This Aswell she didn't fully pay attention to still too preoccupied with her thoughts. But it's soon what she heard that piqued her interest.

"This is one of the worst drinks I've ever had!" screamed the earth pony, who slammed a cup onto the front counter of the café.

The barista poked her head out from behind the counter, watching as the pony slammed his fist down, spilling the drink over the unicorn's workspace.

"I'm so sorry. I will make you a new one right away." The barista said her voice Shakey from suddenly being startled by the angry pony.

"A new one won't cut it!" the Earth pony growled. "You uptight unicorns think you can do so much just because you have magic!" He then slammed both hooves on the counter, saying, "And the fact that you think you can make a traditional earth pony drink is despicable!"

Opaline watched as the Earth pony bickered to the mare behind the counter. He was seemingly angry for no other apparent reason other than a minor mishap with the result of his beverage. As she continued watching, she felt rage begin to build, as it had done many times before. She began to get angry at the earth pony and the way he was acting toward a fellow member of her race. She then, without any hesitation, got up and walked toward the earth pony. Ready to give him a piece of her mind. Opaline tapped on the shoulder of the angry pony. The Earth pony turned around before showing a perplexed face at the sight of the smaller scruffy unicorn

"Why are you so upset?" Opaline spoke in an aggressive yet curious tone toward the earth pony.

"What business do you have in the matter?" The pony responded, clearly annoyed that his argument had attracted someone else's attention.

"Why are you giving this mare such a hard time?" Opaline then questioned her anger beginning to slip from her control.

"Get lost; this doesn't concern you!" the Earth pony said, showing his frustration at Opaline's butting in.

"Oh, but it does!" said Opaline. "If it's a unicorn problem, it's my problem!" she exclaimed, motioning to her horn.

"Who are you, the Official Unicorn Diplomat of Equestrian?" the Earth pony said back sarcastically before chuckling to himself. "Get lost, kid," he said once more before poking Opaline in a joking manner with his hoof.
That was it! Opaline thought now the earth pony had officially gone too far for her liking.

"DONT, YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" Opaline screamed she then with all the remaining strength in her body placed both her hooves on the Earth pony's chest and pushed him to the ground in a similar manner to what she had done to her mentor the night before.

"You stupid Earth ponies think you're all that! "Well, let me tell you something, bud!" Opaline lowered her head to meet the height of the earth pony, who was now lying on the floor. "Maybe we’d be better off without your kind!" she shouted.
Opaline looked into the face of the earth pony his cocky and arrogant expression quickly turned into one of fear.

He darted his eyes around before quickly getting up and sprinting out the door. Opaline chuckled to herself. "Yeah run away you coward!" She yelled. Opaline then turned around behind her to see the shocked expression of the barista pony.

"You..." The barista pony was too stunned to speak. "Why did you do that to him?" she then questioned.

"Do what?" Opaline Questioned back.

"You pushed him, you pushed another customer!" The barista said loudly.

"Did I now?" Opaline said back. "Tell me what was that customer?"

"A pony! you hurt another pony!" the barista shouted now noticeably irritated at Opaline's treatment of another customer.

"But what kind of Pony Specifically?" Opaline then said her tone shifting to one of confidence.

"He was an earth pony! But what does that have to do with what I'm asking you?" The barista yelled.

Opaline walked closer to the pony. "Tell me miss what is something you associate with an Earth pony?" She then asked.

The barista gave Opaline a confused look unsure of where the unicorn was going with her point. "Um, dirt I guess?" she said.

"Ah yes, something like dirt and what does dirt do?" Opaline then Questioned.

"Um, it gets things dirty I guess?" Said the barista now confused.

"You see miss That pony was trying to give you a hard time over what a tea?" Opaline then possed both her hooves in front of her body. " you see I simply ended the argument before It could devolve into anything more."

"YOU HURT A CUSTOMER!" The barista shouted at Opaline.

"I understand what you are trying to say but I'm merely trying to tell you that maybe he hurt you first," Opaline stated. "You are most definitely a skilled unicorn. One who's been able to successfully run a business and Perfect the art of drink making. and here comes along a dirty Earth pony who is unappreciative of the excellent craftsmanship you a pristine unicorn put into your beverages."

The Unicorn Barista Puased Trying to understand Opaline's point.

"He came into your Place of sanctuary, a place where you take your time to make these excellent crafts and show your skills. Only for him to belittle you and make a mess of your establishment. Now comparing my actions to his whom do you think was more in the wrong?"

The barista went to reply but then hesitated. as much as she was angry at Opaline's treatment of a paying customer. She did feel that the Earth pony had overreacted. She was just trying to do her job and just trying to make sure her customers were happy. And Opaline saying that she was a hard-working pony that did love her craft made her feel somewhat good.

"That dirty earth pony was no good to you. He was unappreciative of your craft. You tried to make it the way an Earth pony would enjoy it but of course, it wasn't to his liking and why is that, ma'am?" Opaline pressed the barista for a response.

"Because I'm not an earth pony?" The barista muttered back.

"Exactly your not an Earth pony You are a unicorn! You make things the way a unicorn would. don't try to bow down to the traditions of another tribe Embrace and preserve your heritage!" Opaline then came closer to the barista. "We unicorns gotta stick together. you know just as much as I do how much we are pushed aside by the other tribes. but you know how much better we are than them."

"your right!" the Unicorn Barista said. " I wanna make my things the way I want to make them! The unicorn way!"

Opaline Grinned at the pony's response. There had been very much a large enthesis of unity between all kinds under Twilight’s rule. The Princess had encouraged the intermingling of different traditions and aspects of life between not just pony tribes but all creatures. and that was always something that made Opaline uncertain about her teacher. Twilight began prioritizing all creatures and no longer the ones who she believed displayed real talent. It was always about the "magic of friendship," but never any other magic than that. Sure, Twilight still ran magic schools, but these always seemed to fall behind her school of friendship, which she seemingly put more emphasis on. It was somewhat ironic, at least to her, that a pony who claimed to be the embodiment of all magic only ever focused on this one small aspect of it and not the entirety of magic as a whole. When Twilight found out that Opaline had no magic, it seemed like she never really seemed to try to teach her anything magical, only ever trying to fill her head with ideas of friendship magic and claiming that was all Opaline needed to learn. She never sent her to a magic school. She never had one-on-one magic lessons with her. When she tried to make friends and would fail, Twilight simply made her go out and do it over again. When Opaline just the other night finally figured out how to obtain her much-desired magic, Twilight didn't focus on her achievement, but rather on what she did beforehand to obtain that brief moment of magical power. It was as though she didn't even care about what her student had accomplished.

Sure, maybe she went a bit overboard on the method of how she did it, but she would think that out of all ponies, Twilight would understand the magical success her student had found and that magic may take different complicated ways to be obtained. But no, she was angry at Opaline, not happy for her. Twilight Sparkle was known as the biggest bookworm in Equestria. Yet how come a method her very own student discovered in a book never even crossed her mind when it came to the pony that begged her to be just like every other unicorn? Twilight, who was once herself a unicorn, seemingly took her magic for granted and had become far disconnected from the problems faced by any unicorn. only interested in the sake of other creatures and no longer the tribe that she was praised to be a proud member of. Twilight wasn't just a stuck-up fool or a liar but now also a traitor to her very own species. An incompetent ruler of a nation, she shouldn’t be in charge of leading. Just because Twilight had wings and a crown didn't automatically mean she was fit to be a ruler.

Opaline thought that now, more than ever was the perfect time for a change. Now it was time for a new pony to be put in charge, one who understood the difficulties of magic and her kind and one who wasn't just simply given power from seemingly nowhere. And Opaline felt that she was just the pony to do it; she felt she could make things right once again. Ponies needed to know that unicorns were the most important key to restoring Equestria by any means possible. And why those who wielded magic should be seen as superior to others. Maybe that Earth pony had been somewhat right. Maybe Opaline wasn't born to look up to what she now sees as a false icon but rather to be a messenger, or ambassador, if you will, of her kind. Ponies will no longer see her as just a filly at the side of a powerful alicorn. She could now understand something. That maybe words could be more powerful than magic.

Author's Note:

The end of this chapter is meant to lead up to the small tidbit of story learned about in the second g5 Mlp comic.