Of Comforting Words and Lavender Wings
Author's Note
Hey all!!
I was assisted in writing this by the wonderful Jenna Starbright, and I really cannot thank them enough for the help they lent, and for the encouragement they gave. Here's to you, Jenna--thank you.
Well, without further adieu... I hope you enjoy!!
Of Comforting Words and Lavender Wings
“How are you?”
Twilight’s voice was like the fabled pin dropping in the most silent of rooms, breaking the silence in such a particular, noticeable way. You instinctively take in a deep breath, for you know that your answer is not one of joy or bliss… and so you thus elect to remain silent, staring off into the evening sky as you exhale slowly.
“Not well, hmm?” she speaks again after a few moments, giving you a concerned smile.
There are a thousand different things you know you can tell her. Your mind runs from one thought to another as though it is flipping quickly through the pages of a long book, seeing endless seas of words printed on every page, but being able to comprehend so few of them that it hardly makes any sense at all. You clear your throat as if to speak, but the words do not come forth, instead lodging themselves in place such that no sound at all leaves your lips until you exhale again in defeat, your eyes staying firmly in place as they fixate on one singular, meaningless point.
A part of you expects Twilight to huff in frustration, but the alicorn only rises from her lying position, silently trotting over to your side. When you first met her, the lavender alicorn maybe stood as high as your stomach--now, she stands eye to eye with you, the change in her form being so vast that you regularly mistook her silhouette for that of her predecessor. She gives you a gentle smile, nuzzling you affectionately as she settles in beside you, unfurling a wing around your form with a certain delicate tenderness that makes your muscles relax in an instant. “I understand. Sometimes, our minds have trouble picking any one thing to be upset about, because there are too many issues to truly comprehend. We sort of… shut down, as it were, just focusing on this idea that we want to feel better. You need not say anything, but… if it’s alright, I’d like to spend some time just sitting here with you.”
“What do you do… when you are unable to see what action is best to take? When there are two or more paths that feel right, but deep down, you know that if you pick one or the other, it will have far reaching consequences that you cannot possibly look ahead to see?” You say finally, turning your head to make eye contact with the alicorn who now stands beside you.
“Hmm… a very good question…” Twilight replies, her voice barely above a whisper. She turns her head gently, casting a benign, wisdom-filled gaze over the metropolis below as she gives a near-silent, thoughtful hum. At this height, the ponies are dots—jetting, drifting, crawling like ants through the streets.
After a moment of silence, you let yourself relax into Twilight’s embrace, squirming cautiously next to her in an attempt to find the most comfortable position without getting overly close. Her eyes silently regard you with the type of knowledge and wisdom that you have seen only in those of Princess Celestia’s. You spy her moving a hoof closer and closer to your side, and you let your hand drift out to accept that touch, allowing the mysterious warmth that then fills your body and soul to linger.
“Follow what you know to be true,” she responds finally, turning her head back to yours. “Crossroads are common parts of this journey we call life. We are oftentimes faced with choices that are not easy to make, or the consequences of which are not easy to foresee. When we have situations where we must make a choice, the best thing we can do is to go off of what we know in our hearts to be true. Search your feelings, but also do not neglect to search through what you have been taught. Operating off of emotion alone will lead to many rash and poorly thought-out decisions, while operating solely on logic and calculation scarcely leads to any enjoyment of the moment you are presently in. There’s a healthy balance that must be struck, where heart and mind work together to guide us along the paths we walk. But even then… no matter what decisions we make, we will never walk alone. I will trot beside you no matter what happens… just as you have done for me.”
When she finishes, all you can truly do is continue to look into her amethyst eyes, the tender care behind them being enough to curl your lips up into a smile. You turn away briefly, looking out at the landscape below as you take in another deep breath. This one, however, is not filled with the same contemplative pain as before… more so is it one of resolution. Calmness. A stoic steadfastness anchoring your thoughts and emotions into reality, only amplified by the soothing presence of the pony by your side.
“Thank you,” you say simply, wrapping an arm around her. It was true that she would stand beside you no matter where you went, and no matter which path you chose to walk. She will always be here for you, and you will always be here for her; there is a soothing comfort in that fact… one that eases the aches of indecision, and even brings a certain… happiness, along with it. “Thank you for being my friend… for supporting me even through my silly issues that don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things…”
“Anon…” Twilight croons, squeezing you flush against her body as she rests her head on top of yours. “Your problems matter. They’re just as important as anypony else’s. I’m sorry that your world has taught you otherwise.”
“I…”
Twilight shushes you, moving her head down beside yours to give you another firm, affectionate nuzzle. “Don’t try to tell me otherwise, Anon. I will fight you on that forever, and I don’t think I need to remind you that…” she clears her throat with a soft ‘ahem.’ “...I don’t like losing arguments.”
“No… no you don’t,” you chuckle, settling into her embrace a bit more comfortably. You could not help but humorously remember the argument you had had with her about geocentrism versus heliocentrism, and the fireworks that had ensued after that one. Puzzled though she was about the idea of your world having revolved around the sun with no alicorn to guide it, the fact that she had quite literally taken the sun and moved it before your very eyes had been enough to silence you.
“Well… how long are you going to let me swaddle you up in a cocoon like this?” Twilight says with a bemused smile as she gives you another tight squeeze.
“This time… for as long as you would like…” you whisper in reply, snuggling into her ever more tightly as she begins to rock back and forth with you.
As your mind drifts back to the troubles that have been plaguing you, you cannot help softly sigh. The pages your mind flips through, although all still there, are this time much more comprehensible, and as you stop to steady yourself once again… you take hold, and smile. You would deal with them all one at a time, you resolved… and not matter what you do, you smiled ever more broadly at the fact that you would have a friend by your side all the way.
