Crystals Grow on Rainbows

"Surprise!" For once, just about everypony in the main room of Sugar Cube Corner got it at the same time as Pinkie Pie. Icing and Cherry took a bit longer to sound out the word. The effect was as expected anyway, Opal nearly hit the roof as the party cannon went off just mere centimetres from her face. The jump take-off that Dash had taught her contributed to the effect, and the laughter that followed.

"Told ya that you'd be flying by your birthday." Rainbow Dash appropriately ruffled Opal's mane in the way she usually did before joining the group. Four years until her coronation, and Ponyville planned to make each consecutive birthday a great celebration. And Rarity had finally given into not expecting her daughter to wear a special dress each time, though she wasn't too impressed by Dash ruining her recently stylized mane.

"Rainbow Dash, could you have at least kept her mane in order? Lotus Blossom put a lot of time and effort into cleaning it up without altering her, unique style." Their filly was soon lost in the wonder of party guests presenting gifts, it was really pleasing to see her happy again. The past year almost hadn't been good for her at all. Now they had a chance to talk in a comfortable setting.

"She's fine, it looks better when it's a bit wild anyway, like you." Rarity felt herself blush uncontrollably, turning to get one of the cupcakes. Her gaze moved across each of her friends as she did so, reminding her of how much, and how little they had changed. Applejack still wore her prized hat, although the ponytail had been switched to pigtails since Granny Smith's passing. Pinkie had her twins; Fluttershy had taken to a soft pink woollen jumper as a regular piece of attire, as well as being a bit more confident with how her mane flowed.

Twilight seemed to be the odd case; no-pony who had just come to town would realize that she was a unicorn mentor, and no longer a student. She put it down to the lack of need for glasses, and a somewhat basic maternal personality. Rainbow Dash in comparison had lost maturity, becoming more like Opal as she tried to become more like Dash. As for herself, Rarity had tried her best to keep away from both over-protectiveness and uncaring for their filly.

Seeing that the cupcakes had all vanished, into the Pie twins, came as rather a disappointment to Rarity. "Whoops, pardon me Rarity, I'll have a new lot out in just a second." Applejack carefully nudged the twins off the tray when a better idea came to mind. "Pinkie Pie! Could you keep an eye on your kids while they're near the food?" Pinkie had her head buried into a sponge cake, and thus didn't hear. Eyes rolled before Applejack made her way back to the kitchen. The birthday cake itself was safely kept there, appropriately cloud themed.

The return of the remote controlled parasprite became the crowd pleaser, as Opal sent the infamous insect on a low fly-by of the table. Flying a little too close to Rarity caused quite a startle. It was her birthday sure, but there was still the temptation to give her a stern warning about where she flew her toys. Rainbow Dash intervened rather quickly anyway, sliding up beside Rarity in a discreetly suggestive manner.

"Take it easy, she just turned twelve okay? Besides she'll leave us alone any time now." That prediction was spot on, as the filly quickly recoiled from the sight of her parents 'getting close' as friends called it. The new parasprite was very entertaining anyway, especially when the three pink ponies who now occupied Sugarcube Corner became fixated on it in union. Soon, presents were opened, songs were sung, notably by Sweetie Belle, and Opal finally found herself admitting that she was having one of the best days of her life yet.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack carried the birthday cake platter out between them, being very careful about each step. Opal quickly jumped up onto the stool set for her to reach. There was still no growth in her body yet, something that would hopefully change at any time. Watching the cake set down left her appropriately awestruck. The candles glowed in different colours, two of each to make twelve total, and were arranged to make the similar number.

"When you're ready dear." The filly gleefully tapped on the table for a moment as she pondered on the wish. Most in the past had been for flight, but that was becoming a reality now. She needed something new to aspire to. Glancing back gave her the perfect answer to base her wish on. I wish for my cutie mark to appear. Closing her eyes tightly for a moment in intense concentration on that thought, she opened them again to blow out the candles.

They blew out for a moment, before relighting again. Opal was about to try again when the light from all condensed into a flaming ball of light. Everypony's attention was drawn immediately to the array of colours that came from it. Twilight was about to step in and prevent it from doing damage to the place itself when Rarity stopped her. It was in that moment that the fire transformed into what looked identical to crystal. Opal's eyes were practically glued to it, head turning as it moved over her towards the centre of the crowd, a space for it forming appropriately.

Much to everypony's surprise, the crystal ball transformed into Princess Celestia right before them. Once again, she knew exactly how to make an entrance. Even Rainbow Dash found herself gasping, before shaking it off and nudging Rarity of course. Opal was still transfixed by the sight, barely noticing as Celestia turned to her with a benevolent smile.

"My dear Opal, I do apologize for not coming to your birthday party sooner. But ponies do tend to make a fuss over princesses, I'm sure I don't need to explain that to you of course." Opal giggled nervously, despite the times she didn't like the magic lessons, her aunt always knew what would make her laugh. And of course, they had that one thing in common. "I do hope that you are pleased with my gift to you, and that you will fulfil the responsibility that goes with it."

Opal's attention was returned to the crowd as she began looking for the gift. Rarity and Rainbow Dash approached, the looks between them were accompanied by smiles, directed at her. "What, what's the... gift?" Turning her head fully, she almost fell over in surprise at the speed her wish was granted. A perfectly spherical crystal opal, with the six Elements of Harmony positioned around it. Six points of a snowflake, just like the Crystal Empire's emblem.

"Looks pretty great if you ask me, though it could do with a bit more coolness." Opal nudged Rainbow Dash in their teasing way before hugging both of her parents as best she could, given her small hoof span. Definitely the best birthday to date, probably ever. The nuzzling completed it, nothing felt more comforting than being nuzzled by her mothers.

"Let's party everypony!" Pinkie Pie set the mood going again, now with new motivation and life thanks to Celestia's arrival. The Princess herself stole away from the crowd briefly to speak with the young family. Opal in particular still had one more thing to learn before she departed.

"Just remember, the Elements of Harmony are here to support you, and they always will be. Oh, and try not to be late for studies next year, I imagine you'll be quite busy with flying lessons to begin with already." Opal moved to hug Celestia too, locks of pink and aquamarine hair flowing around her. Busy with flying lessons? Surely, that could only mean... She would be attending the Cloudsdale School for Young Flyers at last!

"Oh Celestia, has Princess Luna mentioned anything about a certain dress design that I prepared for her?" Dash nudged Rarity hard at her unaware attempt to take some of the attention from their filly. She herself had become lost in the room again, showing off her new cutie mark to the other foals. Icing by that point already managed to get a hoof print of green icing all over it in a smear. But Opal didn't care too much, today was a huge turnaround from her years of growing tired of magic and missing flying. Nothing could ruin it for her.