Opals form from layer upon layer of microscopic silica spheres, the countless reflections brought on from eons of accretion giving impressions of nigh-infinite depth. Because there isn't a single crystal structure, they are more fragile than other gemstones, and can crack due to sudden changes in pressure or temperature.
Opaline Arcana is formed from layer upon layer of mental instabilities, the countless delusions brought on by eons of isolation giving impressions of nigh-infinite evil. And she already cracked a long time ago.
Now that Misty feels comfortable enough to discuss the topic, her new friends will find out just how deep the damage goes.
An ineligible entry for Imposing Sovereigns IV, using the prompt Opaline/Loyalty, set around Chapter 5 of Make Your Mark.
Honestly? This bloody makes more sense than the canon! And manages to make Opaline more interesting than her painfully dull 1-D villainy.
About as probable as anything else that could be thought up. And it looks like Opaline thought up quite a few in the years leading up to this.
Your back and forth dialogue with the characters is always a treat to read. There's usually a few chuckle worthy exchanges in every scene.
But damn, Starlight, way to condemn Trixie to a life of fractured existence. That's pretty messed up, even for you.
Heh, also nice little blink and you miss it clues as to Opaline's true identity. Also a nice theory on how smartphones came into existence in Gen 5.
An intriguing concept! Even if the new show is a letdown it still produces inspiration like this.
Well done. I like that it's equally disturbing if the final sequence is true or just another false memory created by Opaline's madness.
I am fascinated by any effort to give Opaline good character and am moving this onto my short list.
That ending. Damn it GlimGlam.
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You mean character period.
Supposedly, but in reviewing everything, I've actually found that G4 never did actually definitely confirm that. I mean, yes, Celestia and Luna, but it was never clear if they were just the exception to the rule or not (they were unique even for alicorns after all), and further, all we have is proof Celestia and Luna are long-lived...but that's not necessarily proof that they're truly immortal.
No, that was just a misunderstanding Luna couldn't ever quite manage to clear up (despite trying).
Yeah, EqG always did have this somewhat nebulous feel at times on just how, exactly, they were supposed to fit with G4. Most of the time it was really more just its own thing, and I sometimes think it might have been better off altogether being just that. But I digress.
Anyway...at this point I personally don't really need to have a settled backstory for Opaline. It'd be nice, but not really necessary, because what I was ultimately wanted was more just a clear account on what happened between G4 and G5, and MYM chapter 6 has provided that nicely now (thank you, Spike!). So at this point, really any backstory will work for Opaline, and all of these options could work well enough if one wanted. So I guess pick one, everybody--it'll do as well as just about anything else.
As obviously nonsense as it is, I actually did kinda like the dragon lord one, personally.
I want a sequel of this where Trixie is set free of Opaline.
Great...
If any of the 5 alicorns before her saw her now, they'd be disappointed. Very disappointed.
This is something I really wish happened in MYM as there are huge gaps if history and backlore missing that would've made things better.
Gulp.
Which is just lies and flat out ridiculous.
Wait, she knew about the portal to the human realm!!!
conversation piece."*
Is that another way of saying 'grain of salt'?
Ngl, I kinda like this. Sure it's not canon or official, it still unique and interesting.
Damn, I sure wasn't expecting to like this story, but I did! And like I said above this is something I wish could've happened in G5. And while I am enjoying it, there are many things I dislike about it currently, which includes chapter 6, which I won't say why if anyone hasn't seen it. Still, while G5 has been having many issues I'm glad stuff like this exist and makes up for what we've gotten for G5. And honestly, I'm a ok with it!
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Considering the unlikeness of Opaline knowing anything about Trixie otherwise?
Chapter 6 doesn't explain much but is does say what a fire Alicorn actually is. I doubt the last part is true given how insane Opaline is I doubt she actually cares about anything that doesn't increase her power.
I love the idea that Opaline is just so old and lonely that she’s just gone completely mad and has not idea what’s going on.
Not so much a fan of it actually being Trixie forced by Starlight but that’s still a funny idea
Well, at least she didn't accuse Twilight of killing Captain Clown.
This is really good and captivating! Had me full of pity because it alludes around dementia, but double pity at the unforeseen ending!
Nice writing, Wordsmith!
I hope you do write a sequel since chapter 6 is done. Opaline subconsciously revealed something important regarding her past life, almost as if she had the same predicament just like old Discord. Enough to get me to root for her for a moment.
Well that was not the ending identity I'd expected.
That is one reason that I tend to dismiss the whole Gen 5 thing, as Opaline's timeline is just to creaky, as if prepared to collapse under its own weight. A major plot hole, if you ask me.
Alicorns truly are not immortal, although the canon does not specifically state either way. This is proven by the fact that both Celestia and Luna both pass away at the end of the Gen 4 series, even if only related offstage. Alicorns may have longer lives, being far more magical in nature, but surely not immortal. That would be an abomination, a parody of sorts against the nature of magic.
As far as Celestia having a life span of over a thousand years, well, I have my theory, and it involves her sister Luna as Night Mare Moon...
But Glim Glam? Sorry, I don't buy into that theory. She was reformed, am I not correct?
I very much enjoy the idea of Opalina Arcana being as dramatic as possible, you basically nailed her to a Tee. I could buy this as a backstory (though personally I wish the show would just expand more on the whole "Hey, did you know there's a land where alicorns live, and Opaline came from there, and she knew Celestia and Luna when they were all foals?" thing. I say "wish", of course, because T H E R O O T S have her now).
Oh, Misty... oh, Opaline... oh, everypony. That was a vivid and colorful tragedy.
While humorous, any of these "stories" would of been better then the non answers the show has given us.
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HERE HERE!
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Yes, Starlight was reformed ... from a certain point of view.
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Canon Opaline is a fun villain—certainly in Tell Your Tale—but she has all the depth of a roadside puddle. Fortunately, I specialize in barely characterized characters.
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In her defense, Starlight certainly didn't mean to cause this. Of course, she didn't mean to cause many problems she was still responsible for...
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The "banana-shaped" bit was based on my own grandmother. No one had any idea what she meant by that, and we were all at least a little afraid to ask...
As Pipp noted, a salt lick is much more salt than a single grain.
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Citation needed. Seriously, show me your work on that one.
Yes, and how many times after her reformation did she cause untold havoc by not thinking something through? (Good intentions optional but frequently present.)
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Silly billy, NOBODY every dies in MLP, even Starscout's father is gonna turn out to be alive somehow if the series runs long enough.
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Counterpoint: Applejack’s parents
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I still don't believe they're really did. After they revealed Starswirl the Bearded was alive, they broke my trust.
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Ah, thx.
I'm a little surprised Opaline never claimed to be cursed by Discord.
So Opaline is Senile?
O.k. she is Trixie same difference.
Sometimes she remembers it one way, sometimes another. If she's going to have a past, she'd prefer it to be multiple choice.
Incredible - you have written the most in-character Starlight Glimmer story I could ever imagine, and the twist makes Opaline's inconsistencies make remarkable sense.
A comedy - a tragedy - a comedy. Great read.
Huh... yeah, I can see it. Both as a good explanation for Opaline's whole deal (not to mention better than anything the show gave us for her, as low a bar as that it) and as exactly the kind of literally-cataclysmic f......-up I'd expect from a certain character.
That said, while in the story, it's clearly just Opaline making up stories, intentionally or otherwise... I would sit down and watch all of G5 tomorrow if this all happened, but it turned out they were all true when she said them and she was basically the pony equivalent of the Time Trapper.
...
Yeah, okay, even by my standards that's an obscure reference. Long story short: powerful, evil cosmic entity from DC comics who, among many other temporal powers, can rewrite their own history on a whim and give themselves whatever origin suits them at any given moment. I love comics!
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The only proof I've ever seen of this idea is that Celestia and Luna weren't shown in the future segment of The Last Problem. But so were a few other characters, and nobody was acting like major characters were dead.
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Depends on whether you consider Granny Smith to be a major character.
Starlight glimmer is awful, is monstrous. Poor poor Trixie. I hope you write a sequel where she's healed. Starlight is a monster. Good intentions mean Jack shit. You should really add a horror tag
Finally got around to reading this one. I'll admit it took me a reread to fully figure out the ending, as initially i was under the impression the Amulet had physically fused Starlight and Trixie into one being, which might make sense as a way to explain Opaline's exceptional power even compared to Amuletified Trixie.