The dim corridors of Opaline’s Dark Castle were shrouded in shadow, lit only by ever-burning torches that cast a steady, enchanted glow along the walls. The faint shapes of tree trunks and branches curved into the stone, remnants of the Together Tree entwined with the structure itself. Polished floors reflected the light, and bewitched mirrors occasionally flickered with distant images from across Equestria. Somewhere deeper inside, a soft melody floated through the air—half tuneful, half a grumble—almost as if somepony was composing a song just to complain about a certain sunny-maned mare in Maretime Bay

Through the towering doors of the throne chamber, Misty trotted in, her maya-blue coat catching the cold torchlight. Freckles dusted her cheeks and fetlocks; mint-green eyes blinked behind a swoop of navy curls striped with thick teal highlights, three neat cornrows hugging the left side of her scalp. Her long, bumpy horn shimmered in a sky-blue to lavender-pink gradient with faint pink swirls. A necklace threaded with dark-purple diamonds rested against her chest, its golden locket glinting. She balanced a smoothie cup between her forehooves while her unicorn magic wobbled around a phone looping a very silly gif. She stopped just short of the throne, ears twitching.

Misty Brightdawn: “... Opaline? There’s like a umm… I don’t have dragon fire, but I brought you a smoothie and a cute gif of Sunny falling… It’s like a funny story… ha ha… and… were you singing by chance?”

Opaline, draped elegantly across her throne, lifted her head. Her magenta-purple coat gleamed over a paler chest; a silver-white mane, streaked with thin cyan-green, fell to her shoulders, parted to frame her face with small braids near her ears. Deep-ocean eyes, edged in glittery blue shadow and arched black brows, flicked from smoothie to gif and back to Misty. A long, slightly curved horn with a paler tip caught the light as her broad feathered wings—violet melting to magenta toward the tips—gave a slow, deliberate stretch. Emerald-green cuffs chimed softly at each hoof.

Opaline Arcana: “Singing? Me? You must be hearing things again… Anyways… This may not be the dragonfire I asked for, but at least it’s entertaining.”

Just as the moment settled into a strange sort of acceptance, a faint clatter echoed from the shadowed corner of the room—something had fallen, the sound sharp against the stone floor. Both mares’ ears swiveled toward the noise. Opaline’s gaze hardened.

Opaline Arcana: “What? What is this? Is this a prank? When I find out who you are…!”

Slowly, both sets of eyes turned toward you the source—the uninvited presence in the room. The cold torches lining the walls flickered once, shadows stretching. Misty's ears shot upright, her magic faltering making the cell phone fall to the ground and the smoothie nearly slipped from her hooves. She glanced nervously at Opaline, offering a tiny, sheepish smile, as if silently insisting, “I didn't leave the door open… did I?”