*knock knock knock*
I look up from my papers over to the ajar door. “Hello?”
The door opens, followed by a feminine voice. “Uh… hi.” A round, pale face with long red hair peers around the side of the door. “I signed up for your one o’clock slot?”
“Oh! Come in!” Of course I got distracted working on my dissertation. I look down at yesterday’s sign-up sheet on the right side of my desk. “You’re… Cassie?”
A clothed, bipedal girl slowly walks in, closing the door behind her. “Yeah, that’s me.” These humans just started coming to the School of Friendship this year. I read up a bit on humans so I would be prepared if any of them came to see me. While none had, I heard from Counselor Trixie that one human student was having trouble with anxiety, so I expected them to be dropping by soon. Now she has, and she’s tense, I can feel it. “Counselor Trixie told me I should come see you; you’re the… Comfort Counselor?”
I nod as I rise from my cushion and walk across the room to greet her. I have to look up to meet her eyes, but no more than I’ve done with some of the minotaur parents I’ve met over the past few years. “Mhm. My name’s Ocellus. ‘Comfort Counselor’ is the title the school gave me…” I can’t help but giggle every time I say this. “…but everycreature calls me the ‘Cuddlebug.’”
That obviously helps a bit, because not only does she giggle in return, but I feel her tension ease up just a little. “R-really?”
“Yep. Did Counselor Trixie not tell you why she thought you should come see me?”
Cassie shakes her head. “No, she just said it would do me some good if I did. Honestly, I dunno what the difference is between a Counselor and a Comfort Counselor…”
“Ah. I’ll explain.” I gesture to a couch across from the door and lead her to it, lying down beside her with a comfortable distance between us. “Why did you go to Counselor Trixie in the first place? Are you feeling anxious about something?” Asking is purely a formality; I can taste the anxiety radiating off of her like a peeled onion.
After a deep breath, Cassie nods and stares down, her shoulders sagging as she crosses her hoo—err, hands—in her lap. “Mm… Yeah, a bit.”
I nod. “Well, plenty of creatures have some level of anxiety when they’re adjusting to something or someplace new, even here at the School of Friendship. Offering some kind of comfort, however large or small, can help. And I discovered a method of easing students’ anxiety, if you’re willing to try it. It’s why everycreature calls me by that nickname.” I gently crawl forward before I sit on my haunches next to her, and put a hoof on her shoulder. When she looks up at me, I give her a smile. “I’ve found that many emotional troubles can be eased—at least temporarily—with a good cuddle.”
As a tiny smile finds its way to Cassie’s lips, I can feel the onion slowly dissipate. She puts a hand in front of her mouth and I can see her suppressing a giggle.
With her attention on me, I drop my hoof and continue, “Well, I didn’t discover it. One day when I was a second-year student, one of my friends looked a little down; I asked her if she could use a hug, and she said she could. It turned into a full-on cuddle from there. She was practically glowing for the rest of the day, and Headmare Starlight noticed. When she asked my friend why she was so happy, my friend told her what I’d done. Then Headmare Starlight asked me if I would be willing to do the same for others if they needed it; understandably, most creatures feel uncomfortable just going up to their fellow students and asking for a cuddle. I said yes, so that’s why they come to me, the ‘Cuddlebug.’” I giggle again as I say it. “You know what changelings can do, right?”
After a moment, Cassie nods. “You can transform into just about anything you want.”
“Exactly.” No need to mention the empathy part outright. “Even though I’ve never met another changeling that doesn’t enjoy a cuddle, some students say they feel weird asking their friends, so they come to me—a neutral party—and I can help them out. Within reason, of course.”
All of a sudden I sense the sweetness of hope gradually overtake the onion. “So you mean, if I asked, you could turn into… maybe, Princess Luna?”
I shake my head and my hoof. “No royalty, current or former. That’s one of the few rules Headmare Starlight gave me. Sorry.”
“…Oh. Okay.”
I can taste the raisins-not-chocolate disappointment coming from her now. But I bet I can salvage the situation. “You are allowed to ask for a current or former teacher, though. They’ve all given me the OK for that.”
There it is. The sweetness is back. “Really? What about… Fluttershy?”
I smile. “Of course. Creatures ask for her pretty frequently, actually.” My magic flames go up, and I assume the former professor’s visage. Wrapping my new wing around the girl’s shoulder, I mimic Fluttershy’s voice. “Why don’t you tell me what’s got you feeling so down?”
If Cassie’s lean into my embrace isn’t proof enough that my methods work, the chocolate taste of contentment is. I can feel the tension melting away. Unfortunately, the chocolate melts just as quickly, as her head faces down again.
“Well… It’s just that it’s been hard being one of the few humans here. I know Headmare Starlight wants us to intermingle with everyone, all the different creatures… but I’m taller than almost all of the other students here, and it’s hard making friends with others when you’re looking down on everyone. And when I’ve tried socializing with the other humans… Well, I haven’t made friends with any of them yet, either.”
Yep, it’s the classic ‘I’m having trouble making friends’ issue. Extremely common, believe it or not, even in a school whose premise revolves around friendship. I pull the girl in closer and give her a light squeeze. “It’s okay if things aren’t going perfectly right away. Sometimes it just takes time. But don’t worry, everything will be alright.”
I hear Cassie hum, then she looks back up to my disguised eyes. “Um… if this whole thing is about cuddling, how do you feel about… petting?”
“I can pet you if you like.” I start raising a yellow hoof up to her head.
She giggles and gently pushes my hoof away. “N-no, I meant if I pet you.”
“Oh! Right…” I put the same hoof to my muzzle and blush as I giggle along with her. Then I nod and lay my head on her thigh, similarly to how I’ve seen the Apple Family’s dog do it. “Sure, go ahead.”
“Thanks.” A moment later, I feel Cassie’s hand run through my knotless mane. Then, several times, it slowly goes down my neck and back, as she’s wary of the wing joints.
It feels wonderful. Not only do I get a backrub, but I also get a little snack from her affection. On top of that, I can sense that her anxiety is lessening even further.
Just as my eyes start fluttering shut—
“Um…”
They jump back open as I lift my head up. “Is everything alright?”
“Uh, could you… could you do Rarity?”
My eyebrows rise at that. It’s been a while since anycreature has asked for her, but I’m pretty sure I still remember her mannerisms. My flames go up again, and this time I’ve taken the form of Ponyville’s favorite fashionista. With a flourish of my head and a change of voice, I answer, “If you like, darling. But do be careful of the mane.”
The two of us smile at each other
As I rest my head on her thigh again, she rubs down my neck and back like before. Without the wings this time, it’s much easier for her, and she has no reservations about the strokes. On one particularly firm rub I stretch out my back like Rarity’s cat, and I hear Cassie’s voice: “Does that feel good?”
Managing to keep character, I reply, “Oh, darling, it feels simply divine.”
She giggles again; the sweetness I taste is a good sign. “You’re really good at that. Is there any chance that I could, uh, get a hug from Pinkie Pie?”
I internally laugh at that; like Professor Pinkie would ever turn down a hug. Keeping it to a smirk, I step back briefly. Then my flames go up, and a broad smile crosses the party pony’s face as I fling my arms open. “Of course! This is where the fun begins!” I jump at Cassie, wrapping my hooves around her neck and nuzzling into her cheek. Her vocal laughter and grip around my back are like cotton candy.
“Your mane is so poofy,” she giggles, running her hand through it. I’ve always been disappointed that I could never figure out how to copy Pinkie’s endless mane space, but this works for now.
With her one hand almost stuck in my mane, and the other resting on my back, she just silently holds me for a minute, her remaining anxiety fading more and more until it’s way in the back of her mind. At some point, while my hooves are still wrapped around her neck, her chin drops onto my shoulder, and I can feel her smile. Then I can feel us slowly slide down the couch back. Fortunately, Cassie reacts in time to catch herself on the couch’s arm. Good thing that wasn’t the hand stuck in my mane.
As she lifts herself up, I find myself lying across Cassie’s legs, with her untangling her opposite hand from my mane. Then she lets out a deep sigh as she smiles down at me.
“Thank you. I… I really needed that.”
I smile back up at her, and Pinkie Pie’s baby blue eyes meet hers. “You’re welcome. That’s why I’m here. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
She lets out another brief sigh. “…Yeah. Could you… could you just do you?”
…Wait, what? “I’m sorry?”
“Could you go back to being you like you normally are? And, y’know, cuddle like that for a minute?”
…Huh. Nocreature other than another changeling has ever asked me to do that. “Really?”
“Yeah. I bet you spend so much time changing into a bunch of other creatures that you don’t do this as yourself that much, do you?”
I just stare at her for a moment, then shake my head. “No. I don’t.”
Cassie smiles down at me. “…Well?”
…Huh. Okay, then.
“Well, if you’re sure.” I don’t bother getting off her legs. My ‘flames’ don’t actually hurt anything. When they go up this time, I return to my normal shape and sound, red polka-dot carapace and all. “You know I don’t have any fur or anything.”
She nods as she rests a hand on my head and rubs down my fin. Ah, that feels good… “Yeah. But if I want to know somebody, I want to know the real them.”
Cassie’s rubbing down my fin tilts my head back further, making it easier to keep eye contact. “That isn’t all that dissimilar to one of the friendship lessons they teach here, you know.”
She giggles. “I know. I just had that class a few days ago.”
Heh, no wonder. “You’re a good student,” I tell her, smiling as my eyes close, her hand still stroking my headfin.
“Thanks. Now I just need to actually apply what I’m learning.”
“Well, you’re doing a good job of it right now.” I can’t help but chuckle. My eyes haven’t opened for the past thirty seconds. It doesn’t help that her hand hasn’t stopped rubbing. She giggles again along with me.
She seems content now; her anxiety is way in the back of her mind. I really should send her off— I have a dissertation to keep working on…
“Wow, you really are a cuddlebug, aren’t you?”
Mmmm… But that affection tastes so sweet. “…That’s what they call me.” I don’t need to open my eyes to tell that she’s smiling.
“…Y’know, my next class isn’t for another hour. Is there anyone in your next slot?”
There isn’t. I manage to shake my head as she keeps rubbing my headfin. “Mm-mm.”
Her smile is still there. “I can stay for a while longer if you want.”
…Eh, the paper can wait.
Author's Note
For anyone that may be familiar with her, yes, Cassie is indeed based on Cassie Campbell from Topaz Moon's Protocol D (I know I'm editing it, but don't ask me when it's going to continue, I have no clue), just without the prosthetic.
This story was a lot of firsts for me—my first HiE, my first time writing Ocellus, and my first straight cuddlefic (though I have written a few cuddle scenes in the past)—so I hope you enjoyed it. It was certainly interesting writing it. 
