Her jaws and neck were getting tired. She was fairly certain that her last drink of water had been more than five days ago. But if she stopped waving the large fan for even two seconds, her ruler would ensure that his next dark-fire related 'accident' resulted in her getting the worst of it. So her only option was to keep fanning that pony of pure hatred. She swallowed her own saliva for the tenth time that day.
Despite her efforts to appease the king, he found an excuse to make an example of her. The specifics didn't really matter. All that was on her mind was the hope that he wouldn't drop his levitation spell and let her go over the railing. Her hope was in vain. She couldn't hear herself scream against the air quickly passing her on the way to the ground.
She faintly heard two other voices shout her name. Her eyes scanned wildly. Mama was flying down to match her falling pace. Papa struggled down below, trying to concentrate his magic on both of them. Their combined efforts allowed her to land safely. But as soon as her hooves touched the ground, a new danger appeared.
"What do we have here?" growled an intimidating voice.
Mama and Papa made struggling noises, but they were futile against the black magical aura that surrounded their bodies.
"You know," the voice continued, "there are laws against leaving your post without permission and interrupting a scheduled execution."
"Our... daughter... has done... nothing... wrong." Mama coughed.
"Oh, very well," said the king, "I shall reconsider her punishment."
She could only quiver as she watched Mama and Papa being forced to float in the air while they choked.
"I will spare her life." His grin spread wider on his face. "Actually, I am feeling rather generous today. I am going to throw in a little show."
The black magic spread around wider diameters. Soon, Mama's and Papa's choking couldn't be heard at all. They were covered by thick layers of dark crystals.
"The admission fee is only two. Isn't that nice?"
The king's horn burned more fiercely before the floating rocks shattered into dust... along with their contents.
She stared at the air. Her mouth was held open as her lip quivered. Incoherent phrases were all that her voice box could put forth. A haze of water blinded her to anything else. The next thing she heard was the king's laughter at her suffering.
Opal Bloom woke up with a start. Her breaths were quick and shallow. Her grip on the sheet tightened involuntarily. It took her a moment to realize that she was safe in her own bed.
She lowered her head and sighed. She turned to the right where her plain nightstand was. Her yellow ribbon bow sat where it always did each night. She reached over and grabbed the bow before holding it in front of herself.
She whispered, "Mama... Papa..."
For a while, Opal simply held the bow against her chest. Her exhales sounded ragged. Misery in the form of salty water pooled at the edges of her eyelids.
*Cuckoo!* *Cuckoo!*
The bed-maned filly stood in front of her bathroom mirror. Though her eyes were tired, they could still see light bags and drool residue on her face. She let out a yawn before blinking a bit.
Opal Bloom closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She willed her mind to focus on things like sweet cinnamon buns and fruit cake without nuts. A familiar shimmering noise graced her ears. Upon opening her eyes, she was pleased with what she saw.
Gone was the dull-coated little girl that had just woken up. In her place, the bright and shiny Opal Bloom stood smiling with her red mane in her favored style. To add compliment to healing, her grin was full of crystal clean teeth. With that, she proceeded to scamper down the hallway to make her usual rounds.
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Glass Slipper!" Opal called. "Time to get up!"
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Come on, Hope! It's morning!"
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Chop chop, Lamb Chop!"
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Rise and shine, Phoenix Down!"
One by one, the other foals opened their doors and wandered into the hallway. They were in various stages between being asleep and awake. Nevertheless, they followed the path of the eager Opal Bloom. They filed into the dining room, but Opal was already clear on the other side.
She practically burst through the kitchen doors.
"Morning, Ms. Calcite!"
"Good morning, Opal Bloom," greeted the mare that was busy tossing a fruit salad.
Opal quickly gathered morning plates and lined them up along the counter. A little ding alerted her to the other important matter in the kitchen. She placed a mitt in her mouth before carefully pulling out the banana bread loaf out of the oven. She went about slicing pieces and distributing them to each plate.
"Goodness," said Ms. Calcite while marveling. "With how much work you put into this orphanage, I can't help but think of you as another caretaker."
Opal shrugged. "This is my home. It only makes sense that I should treat my home with tender loving care. Right?"
Ms. Calcite simply smiled and nodded in approval. After distributing the fruit salad portions, Opal balanced the plates along her head and back before heading through the doors to the dining room.
A quick belch from Glass Slipper was enough to speak the satisfaction of every crystal pony at that table. Even so, she still covered her mouth with both of her front hooves immediately after that air bubble popped.
Opal Bloom moved to stand up.
"Okay, every pony," she said, addressing all who were gathered. "Today's task of morning dish-washing goes to Phoenix Down."
"Aww," moaned the little pegasus colt.
"The rest of you go get ready for the day," Opal continued. The other three fillies nodded before scampering off.
"Does it have to be my turn?" asked Phoenix.
Opal smiled in understanding. "I'll tell you what, P.D. If you take care of the majority of the washing, I'll take care of the gist of the drying. Cool?"
"Okay, I can do that." he said before smiling slightly. "Thanks, O.B."
"Think nothing of it," responded Opal as she and Phoenix gathered the dirty dishes and headed for the kitchen.
Every pony's bags were packed up and ready to go. After pulling her strap one more time, Opal Bloom opened the front door. Every pony else left first, trotting merrily.
"See you after school, Ms. Calcite!" called Opal.
"Have a good day, children!" Ms. Calcite called back.
The sun was shining. Crystal robins were singing. Locals were busy washing the crystal buildings. The day was looking as bright as the Crystal Heart's gleam.
"Oh, look. It's the stuck stamps."
Then these two feathers had to show up. Most crystal ponies found joy in the happiness of another's pleasant company. Yet for whatever reason, these two crystal unicorns found it more appealing to demean everypony else around them. They were the fillies that felt so privileged and so well off that they didn't need cutie marks to tell them how great they were. Enter, Gold Crown and Platinum Chip.
Despite the name-calling, Opal Bloom tried to remain in good spirits. "Morning, girls."
"Did that stamp just talk to us?" asked Crown.
"I think so," said Chip, "but I don't speak stuck-a-nese."
The duo laughed at their own joke, especially because it was in poor taste. The five orphans stood in place as they watched the rich duo trot away proudly until they were out of earshot.
Hope clenched her teeth. "I feel like I want to punch them."
"Violence isn't the answer," reminded Glass Slipper.
"And letting them get away with bad-mouthing us is?" asked Hope exasperatedly.
"Girls!"
Everyone turned to Opal Bloom suddenly.
"Remember what Ms. Calcite said?" she asked. "We don't have to live up to our hecklers standards. All we have to do is be the best we can be." She patted her chest. "So smile, laugh, and take pride in your talents because we worked our sweat and tears to discover what we loved to do the most." She nodded with emphasis.
An extra glimmer ran across Hope's body. "Y-Yeah! You're right. Thanks, Opal."
"Ah, you don't have to thank me," said Opal. "Shucks, I like seeing you smile." She looked around at her group. "All of you."
"Mm-hm!" Phoenix Down nodded.
"Yeah," said Glass Slipper.
"Together, we can be a cut above the rest," commented Lamb Chop before they all continued the walk to school.
After school, the fillies began the trot home. There was still news coming in from the outside world, and the fillies' excitement just couldn't contain it all.
"The honorable and glorious Spike sounds dreamy," said Glass.
"Dragons sound really cool," said Lamb.
"We can even send letters to him," added Hope while holding out a flier that they all received in class.
"I'd like to meet him someday." Phoenix smiled.
"Well, that isn't happening."
Opal inhaled sharply at Chip's voice. The five turned to the quickly approaching duo with tension.
"Celebrities live up in their pedestal worlds," added Crown. "Why would the Crystal Empire's savior want to waste time on a bunch of orphans like you?"
Hope stomped her hoof. Glass grabbed Hope's shoulder before shaking her own head. Hope responded by holding her position while biting her cheek. Opal stood in front of Lamb and Phoenix, as if to defend them.
"I mean seriously," Crown continued, "He has a princess to talk to. All of you were just dumped by parents that don't even care about you."
"Opal Bloom!" yelled Mama.
"Opal Bloom, hang on! I've got you!" shouted Papa as he strained his magic.
"Our daughter... has done... nothing wrong."
The floating rocks shattered to dust... along with their contents.
A strange shimmer of red light surrounded Opal right then. Her eyebrows lowered. Her bright smile was sheathed behind a single downward curve. Unable to recover from one shocker to the next, her friends stood back and stared wide-eyed. She trotted right into the faces of the bullies. The duo was literally sweating in her presence.
"I must be deaf in one ear," stated Opal flatly. "What did you say?"
Gold Crown glanced at Platinum Chip. Platinum Chip glanced at Gold Crown. Both returned their nervous stares to the red tinted crystal filly. They could have sworn that she was towering over them at the time.
"W-Well," stammered Chip. "Orphans are abandoned by unloving parents, right?"
In the duo's eyes, all they could see was a blazing inferno threatening to eat the atmosphere around this stuck stamp. But she didn't even flinch.
"I see," said Opal, "So if your parents decided to perform some life-threatening task to save your sorry lives, you're saying that they must not care about you."
Just like that, the fire sizzled. Opal's refractive colors returned. She turned around so that the duo only saw her tail.
"May Cadenza have mercy on your ignorant souls," muttered Opal. Her mane somehow covered her eyes from view as she trotted away.
All fillies (and colt) in the vicinity stared aghast at the ribboned filly trotting away. Phoenix Down was the first to shake himself out of his stupor.
"O.B.! Wait up!" he called as he scampered after her.
The other three woke up from their trance and followed his steps. Meanwhile, the shivering duo blinked in confusion.
"Platty?" asked Crown. "What just happened?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Chip, "I think we've been... smelted."
The door slammed open and Calcite saw a small blur of red rush down the hallway.
"Opal Bloom?" she called, but she received no response.
The filly barely remembered anything else. The next thing she knew, she was lifting her head off of her desk and her front hooves. She quickly rubbed her eyes before she turned to whoever had come in.
"Hey, Opal Bloom," said Phoenix Down, "Ms. Calcite churned some ice cream. Do you want to come have some with us?"
Opal put on a bright smile. "Maybe later. You go on ahead, P.D."
The crystal pegasus hesitated, but relented within the minute. "Well, okay, if you're sure."
Once the colt was out of earshot, Opal let out a sigh. She turned toward her humble saddlebags. Maybe some homework that was due after the weekend would help take her mind off of things. As she shuffled around, a loose piece of paper fluttered out. When she took a closer look, she blinked as she realized it was the flier with the honorable Spike's mailing address.
After staring at the page and its details for some time, she pulled out a blank sheet of paper and a pen. She clicked on her desk lamp and went about moving the pen around.
Dear Honorable Spike,
How does one go about living without parents?
Author's Note
Technically, I now have enough fillies to make that "bizarre" CMC story. However, I'm not sure how well that would work with long-distance relations.
