New Endings, Old Starts

Chapters

1 - Welcome
4 - Day Complete
5 - Welcome Home
6 - Systems Online
7 - Drawn Together
8 - The Center
10 - It Slips Past
11 - I See You
12 - Generous Overview
13 - Two Horns, One Magic
14 - Night on the Town
15 - Dark Chat
16 - Tree and Me
17 - Camping?
18 - Among The Trees
19 - Under the Stars
20 - Awakening
21 - Setting Limits
22 - Hiya!
24 - Look What I Can Do
25 - Sweet Surprise
26 - The Cute-ceañera
27 - I Apologize
28 - Incoming Hug
29 - You See That?
30 - Satisfaction in Success
31 - 49 Signatures
32 - Cleaning Up Your Act
33 - Since You Asked.
34 - Rock to Cloth
35 - Shared Burdens
36 - Still!
37 - Birds of a Feather
39 - Old School
40 - A Matter of Life and Death
41 - Coming Clean
42 - Cutie Mark Crusaders, Master Wizards!
43 - A Run Too Hard
44 - Student Teacher
45 - Carrying Your Weight
46 - Circles in Circles
47 - Big Ambitions
48 - Flying High
49 - A Path Well Trodden
50 - Feeling Drained
52 - Okaerinasai
53 - Dirty Flight
54 - Fashion Trends
55 - Hey
56 - Learning on the Go
57 - Lost in Running
58 - Tit for Tat
59 - Up and Away
60 - It's What My Cutie Mark is Telling Me
61 - Full of Colors
62 - Making Better
63 - Orderly Entropy
64 - Unexpected Turn
66 - We Meet, Again
67 - New Chapter
68 - One for All, All for One
69 - Howling at the Moon
70 - New Tricks
73 - Sisters True
74 - Back to School
75 - Visiting Friends
76 - I See
77 - Generational Bias
78 - Commercial Break
79 - Even New Status Quos Can be Broken
80 - Summons
81 - Gentle Touches
82 - Life Moves
83 - Questions, Answers
84 - What You See in the Mirror
85 - Meeting Them, Again
86 - Fun and Games
88 - Spring Cleaning
89 - Study Hard
90 - Study Buddies
91 - Scoping it Out
92 - Solo Operation
93 - Magic Lost
94 - Bleed for Me
95 - Fix Me
97 - A World Away
98 - Promises Kept
99 - End EQG Arc
100 - Wolves for Dinner
101 - Double Diamond is a Different Pony
102 - A New Normal
103 - Apple for Teacher
104 - Rawr
105 - The Hunt, Part 2
106 - The Hunt, Part 3
107 - What happened?
108 - Best Laid Plans
109 - The Path Not Taken
110 - Chaotic Harmony
111 - Click
112 - On One's Own Hooves
113 - I Am Me
114 - You Are Me
115 - Being Played
116 - Not All Homes
117 - Grandparents
118 - About Time
119 - Polishing Diamonds
120 - Absurd Monday
121 - Seeing Eye to Eye
122 - Counseling
123 - Counsel for the Counselor
124 - Comforting Tricks
125 - Scheduling Conflict
126 - Mount Aris Station
127 - Sister Sister
128 - Putting Things in Order
129 - Relief
130 - Agents of Amity
131 - Childish Play
132 - Come Bearing Gifts
133 - On the Market
134 - Filly to Mayor Mare
135 - Gather the Gang
136 - What to Get a Draconeques
137 - Housewarming Song
138 - Rumble of Draconequi
140 - Fatherly Advice
141 - Submit
143 - Make Some Friends
144 - Trying New Things
145 - Fancy Seeing You Here
146 - Go Big or Go Home
147 - Big Isn't Everything
148 - Silver and Diamond
149 - Founding
150 - Sailing Fun
151 - Setting Cards Down
152 - Exploring
153 - Icescapades
154 - Curtain Raise
156 - Think Big
157 - Mother of Problems
158 - It's official
159 - Amity Ball
160 - Party Night
161 - My Turn
162 - Dark Movements
163 - Show of Arms
164 - Making Use of Agents
165 - Calling the Young Six
166 - Doggie!
167 - Easy Paths
168 - Visiting Ponies
169 - Bathing in Diamonds
170 - Rescue Operation
171 - Springing Traps
172 - May I?
174 - Paging Doctor Fauna
175 - Smithing the Blacks
176 - Stars and Wheels
177 -Did Somecreature Call for a Party?
178 - Whirling Stars
179 - Meta Fiction
180 - Diamond Quest
181 - Proper Prices
182 - Saddle Up
183 - Direct Questions
184 - Wagging Tails
185 - A Weak Swirl
186 - Talking Changes
187 - Test Grades
2 - To See and Learn
3 - Expanding Student Body
9 - Diamond on the Road
23 - First Spell
38 - My Specialty Is
51 - What's the Worst That Could Happen?
65 - Behold
71 - Showing the Class
72 - Science and Magic
87 - Mall Visit
Distraction - School Photograph
139 - Furnishings
142 - Discord Solves It
155 - To There and Back Again
173 - Distractions

1 - Welcome

It was a field of stars, stretching out towards infinity. It was a place Celestia had visited, though rarely. She walked calmly down the lit path of nothing among those stars, searching for what had drawn her there. No student of hers. Her last had ascended the throne and replaced her, head held high and ready to take on the mantle of pony leadership.

Celestia smiled in remembrance of it. That student had done well, dear Twilight. But what could have called her? There, an indistinct impression, a spirit trapped in that between place. It had no body, like Twilight, the body already destroyed.

Unlike Twilight, it had faded somewhat. Age, or acceptance of the end? Either way, she could turn right around and leave it, and it would fade in short time. But if that was what was intended, she couldn't have been called. "Hello," she bade gently instead, sitting before the flicker of life. "You look tired."

There were no words, at least not from the presence. Celestia simply began to know. A life, a full life, with struggles and victories and defeats, but one led well and fully. Laid down so others may find happiness. Celestia gently gathered up the weary bit of energy. "You have led a long and good life. I can feel you know this. I can allow it to end, and there would be no shame in that. But I was called for a reason, even if only to offer. Do you want another chance, in a gentler world? Yours seemed... so loud. So angry... You lived it well." She would have less pity to offer to a being that had simply surrendered to pitiable circumstances. "It is your choice."

"Yes, they are like me." Celestia inclined her head at the unspoken question. "Far smaller. My little ponies, they have love to share, and would extend it to you. You will join them as a young one, to grow and learn of their ways. Do you--" She didn't get to finish the question again. She could feel excitement, and a swirl of color. The thing she held may have faded, but life remained in it, and the offer was clearly accepted. "Then I will bring you."

She left that place behind. The sun shone brightly above her, the wind gently ruffling her fur, but she wasn't there to enjoy a quality day, as nice as that was. She knocked on a door lightly.

"Who is it?" A female voice, one she knew well. The door opened, a yellow snout poking out. "Yes? Oh!" She saw who it was, Celestia! No longer princess. She wore no fineries, but was just as large and intimidating. "Um... how can I help you?" Fluttershy was doing her best to not quake before the large alicorn.

"Be at ease." She reached with a wing to pat Fluttershy gently. "I'm retired. Just another pony, like you. In fact, I was hoping you could help me."

Fluttershy perked an ear curiously. "Really? Is Philomena feeling under the weather?"

"I am glad to report they are just fine." Celestia stepped aside, revealing a unicorn filly that smiled, though there was some nervousness there. "This is Comforting Shade."

"Hello," squeaked out the filly before she sat and cleared her throat, regathering herself. "Hello, Fluttershy. Celestia brought me here."

Fluttershy inclined her head at the little filly. "You know my name? Did Celestia tell you?"

Celestia extended a wing between them. "This is a special filly, just a little special. She knows Ponyville, and many of the ponies in it. What she does not have is a caretaker, a ward is what a filly needs to be, not alone."

"I'll be good," promised little Comforting. "I promise."

Fluttershy's eyes widened in surprise, gazing anew at the filly when the wing withdrew. "And you... think I could be that?"

"Please." Comforting brought her hooves together silently.

"My house is very quiet, other than the animals, but even they know I like it quiet... It may not be fun for a little foal like you."

That only made Comforting look all the more enthusiastic. "Lovely." She bounced forward a step, tail lashing fitfully. "How can I help? I won't just ask for things."

Fluttershy began to smile. The little filly was hard to argue with, and... "You like it quiet then?"

"Quiet company with good pe--ponies? That sounds good to me. Is Discord quiet when he visits?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened anew. "You... know him too, I see... He is quiet usually, but sometimes we can get a little rowdy... He gives me an excuse to let my hair down." Not that her hair was generally in any position but down. "Does that bother you?"

Celestia nodded with a content smile. "You two appear to be getting along. May I leave her in your care?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy looked to Celestia, but it was little more than a glance, returning her vision to Comforting. "I've never been a mother before." She extended her right hoof. "Are you sure you want to be here, with me?"

Comforting advanced on the offered hoof, nuzzling it and the leg just past it. "I will do my best to not get in the way. Thank you so much! I know this must be a little scary for you."

Fluttershy blinked softly. "I expected to hear that for you. You're a foal, in a new place, with a new pony... Are you really not bothered at all?"

Comforting's horn glowed softly as she smiled brightly. "It would be a pleasure and delight to be here, if you'll have me."

"Oh, um. Hm...." She tapped at her chin. "You are very clever for a foal your age." At least, the age Fluttershy would guess for Comforting. "Sending you to school... No...." She looked around, circling in place. "I should--"

"That sounds like a yes." Celestia turned to go. "Do write me if complications arise, but I imagine you two will get along quite well. Comforting, Fluttershy has accepted you, so she is your mother. Treat her with respect and listen closely to the advice she has." Her smile deepened, her pace accelerating into a walk away. "And don't tease her."

Fluttershy watched Celestia go, words failing her a few long moments. "Well... Um... Come in?" She stepped in and to the side, making room that a filly soon occupied, but only briefly, rushing past her inside. "Welcome... home? I'm Fluttershy." That last part wasn't strictly required, but she looked comfortable for saying it. "And it seems I've gained a little filly. Are there things you like to eat, or really don't like to eat?"

"That's a good question." She curled a hoof to her small chin. "I feel bad for not saying more about me. You must be so confused. Who is this little kid in my house?"

Fluttershy smiled gently. "A little."

"Sorry." Comforting lowered her head. "I like fish and salads. Salads with fish? Perfect. I'll try anything once, but I'm not a fan of very spicy things, unless I get used to them, but I'll... probably complain on the way."

Fluttershy giggled softly at that. "You're the first foal I ever met that'd admit to that. Is that permission to get you used to things?"

Comforting went quiet and still a moment. "Yes," she stated suddenly but firmly. "Push me a little. I'll complain, but thank you in advance. I... want to... see everything." She spread her hooves. "This colorful world. Its colorful pe--ponies. Even the not-ponies."

"Creatures."

"Right, those." Comforting waved a hoof at Fluttershy, grand smile on her face. "So I'll complain, but you have permission to shove me forward anyway."

"What an interesting filly... Tell me, how do you get along with other foals?" Fluttershy examined the small unicorn curiously. The little one had bright blonde fur and her mane and tail had a shimmering effect, as if they got brighter or darker depending on how the light hit them. Her eyes were a hazel shade, large as ponies tended to be, foals especially.

"I'll do my best to be good." That was not, technically, a direct answer to the question. "I should meet them."

"You should," agreed Fluttershy in an unsure tone, becoming all the more sure that the curious filly wouldn't be a good fit with Cheerilee and her foals. "Tell me, how does a school of friendship, where mature ponies go to learn about the world and how we can get along in it, and with it, and with each other sound?"

"That sounds delightful." The filly clapped her hooves together, Comforting smiling all the brighter. "And there'll be ponies to meet?"

"And other creatures." Fluttershy nodded softly at that. "I teach there, but I'm just one teacher. You'll learn from many of them. Does that sound good to you?"

"It sounds great." She rocked left and right, a little giggle escaping. "Thank you! You're so nice!" And she rushed forward into Fluttershy's surprised grip, hugging the larger pegasus and getting hugged in kind. A decision was made.

It was about an hour later, with Fluttershy tending her animals and Comforting cleaning the house. Comforting's busy work was accompanied by a song. Bidden by the song magic of the land or not, she offered no resistance.

I will sweep every floor,
and dust every thing.
Cleanings not such a chore
If as you do it you sing
I don't mind cleaning a bit
as into my new life I try to fit.

The dishes I shall clean,
And the laundry I will do.
It will all look awfully keen,
As if it was brand new.
I don't mind cleaning a bit
as into my new life I try to fit.

It was with its completion that a new knock came from the door. "Two in one day?" Fluttershy began to finish what she was doing.

"I got it." Comforting hurried over with the energy of youth. Her little glowing horn got a grip on the doorknob and pulled it wide open. "He--Discord!"

"Me!" Discord looked happy to have been named. "Do I know you?" He pulled out a magnifying glass to inspect the filly.

"Oops." Comforting had tried to not spout a pony's name before being given it, but had also failed it completely. "I'm Comforting Shade." She directed both hooves at herself. "I'm staying with Fluttershy, my mom."

His brows came down together. "Mom?" He leaned in right over Comforting, eyes meeting Fluttershy. "Did I miss something?"

"You did, but not what you're thinking." Fluttershy was glowing red. "Celestia brought her to me, to take care of. I hope you two will get along."

"That depends." Discord rubbed at his chin with two fingers. "Me and foals really only have two settings. They love me, or they hate me. Which is it, kiddo?"

"Nice to meet you, sir." Comforting dipped her entire front at the chaos noodle. "May I ask something?"

"You just did, and now you're out of questions." He crossed his arms. "You should be more careful with those things. They don't come very often."

Comforting burst into giggles. "Oh no. You got me."

Discord perked a brow. "What? That's when most ponies get grumpy with me..." But Comforting looked far more amused at his antics than upset. "Huh... Well, for that, I'll give one more question. Use it better this time."

"I will." She nodded firmly. "I would like to see some of your chaos magic, in person, so I'll ask you nicely for some. Please sir."

"Hm..." He glanced at Fluttershy and back to Comforting. "Am I allowed?"

Fluttershy inclined her head slowly. "Well, she did ask. So long as you put things back when you're done playing, I don't see the harm in that."

Discord began to clap, taking his turn to giggle. "You heard her. No getting mad at me. Now, I see something behind your ear." He reached for the filly and yanked out something vast indeed, a whole other person, a human, older, old even. "Huh, didn't expect that."

The old lady looked around in confusion before she locked eyes with the wide-eyed filly. "Oh."

"Oh," echoed Comforting, the two stuck. "It's me."

"It was you," countered the old lady. "Discord, please, put me back inside that little pony's head where I belong."

"You are taking this far too casually." Still, he did pluck up the older woman and casually stuffed her right back into Comforting's back, setting her right back in place, soul in body. "You're not at all startled? Amazed? Flabbergasted?"

"I'm all of those things." Comforting sat back, eyes still wide. "But more than that, thank you. I wasn't expecting that opportunity."

It would be far from the last of her new opportunities.

Discord went past Comforting to start his meeting with Fluttershy, both laughing and enjoying themselves. Comforting smiled at the two, but could see she was a third wheel in that, so she casually walked out of the house.

She emerged into the bright light of day and craned her head around in a slow circle, considering the lay of the land. "Wow." To one side, the Everfree forest. It didn't look nearly as scary as they had implied in the earlier seasons. Had it calmed down over time? It was just a dense forest. On the other, she could see Ponyville a short distance away, filled with colorful houses with equally colorful ponies wandering among them.

Her choice was easy, she began trotting towards town with a big smile. "Wonder if I'll see any...pony I know."

She would not be disappointed. There were so many ponies! Even background ponies she knew the name of and nothing more, living and breathing their lives. Her eyes sparkled as she looked from one little pony to the next, even if they were all larger than her.

Except one, which was coming towards her with a smirk on her lips. "Never saw you before." Diamond Tiara had found her. "You visiting, or moving in?"

Comforting squeaked, unsure a moment. Just... stay calm. She was, in the end, still just a young one. "Hello there." She had succeeded at not using her name. Score. "I'm new here and trying to learn where things are."

"Moving," concluded Diamond, tossing her mane even as she leaned to the side. "And a blank flank." Comforting cringed, worried she was about to be harassed. "But don't worry, it'll come in time. In fact, if that bothers you, I know a set of ponies who specialize in that."

Comforting blinked, but that turned into a renewed smile. Diamond was reformed, and offering her a chance to visit the CMC. That was tempting... "That can wait." She wasn't especially in a super hurry to figure that out. "I'd rather meet you. You seem nice."

Diamond blinked at that, as if surprised. "I do? I mean, yeah! What's your name? I'm Diamond Tiara."

"Comforting Shade." She dipped her head. "A friend of yours?" She had spotted Silver Spoon hurrying over to join them.

"That's Silver Spoon." Diamond put out an arm and soon had the other earth filly under it, hugging her. "We're besties. Silver, this is Comforting Shade. New in town; but she recognized a pony worth knowing."

"Wow." Silver leaned forward towards Comforting. "Heya. Like, I'm Silver Spoon." She pointed at herself. "And we were just gonna head to Sugarcube Corner and get a snack. Wanna come with?"

"That sounds great!" Except... She deflated a little. "I don't have any bits."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "My treat. My dad's super important. Bits are not a problem I have."

Silver giggled at the very notion. "Yeah, you found two ponies that aren't, like, worried about that. Let's get some lunch!"

They proceeded, three laughing fillies. "You're living with Fluttershy?" Diamond shook her head. "How can you stand it? Isn't she, basically, silent?"

"She's not like that." Comforting shook a hoof, almost toppling over in the process. Walking with three legs was something she had to practice doing more. "She just talks when she has something to say. She talks a lot." When she wanted to. "I like it. It's peaceful."

Silver shrugged softly at that. "If you're happy, like, guess that's what's important. Well, we're not quiet."

"And that's nice too." Comforting inclined her head. "In moderation." She could see Sugarcube coming up, all sweet looking. "Ooo. Um, what do you two like here?"

Diamond curled a hoof to her chin, walking along like it was just normal. "Depends on the mood. They specialize in baked stuff. I like things I can hold easy, so cookies and biscuits and things like that."

Silver bobbed her head in easy agreement. "Like, totally. Their cakes are real good too, but that's for special occasions. I'm not gonna eat a cake for lunch!"

"As if." Diamond rolled her eyes as she pressed into the sweet smells of Sugarcube. "Pinkie." There she was, smiling at them. "Hey--"

She didn't get to finish. Pinkie's eyes were locked on Comforting, shivering with excitement. "Hello, little filly! Your party will be..." Some mental math was going on. "In two days, just after school. How's that sound?"

Comforting blinked owlishly. A Pinkie party?! That sounded exciting, but also a little terrifying. "No loud music, if you can avoid that."

Pinkie saluted sharply. "No loud music, got it! Favorite cake flavor?" she asked as she leaned over the counter, fluttering her lashes. "The more I know, the better the party will be."

Comforting fidgeted from hoof to hoof. "Ger--" That was not a place that existed. And yet...

"You got it!" Pinkie was dancing. Both ponies were going from hoof to hoof, but the way they did it was quite different with Pinkie's energetic little dance. "I'll come pick you up. Now, what can I get you all today?"

Diamond was peering between the two. "Alright, so what was she saying? I don't know any ger flavors."

"I know one," sang Silver. "She's obviously a fan of Germane chocolate cake!"

Pinkie was looking to Comforting, who laughed awkwardly. "Caught me."

The party pony leaned all the more in. "You strike me as the kind of filly'd that like carrot cake too."

Comforting's eyes widened. "How did... Oh right, Pinkie."

Pinkie laughed at that, snorting midway through. "My reputation precedes me."

Diamond nudged Comforting to the side. "We'll take a cookie platter."

"Extra sugar," called Silver with a grin. "Can you toss in a few extra? We're sharing with the new filly." she angled her head at Comforting meaningfully.

With a thump of glass on the wood of the counter, Pinkie was already setting the platter, ready to go and steaming hot from an oven. "Here ya are! Enjoy." She began to clap excitedly. "Two days!"

The fillies led the way for Comforting. "This is our stall." Diamond hopped up, setting the tray down in front of her. "If there's another pony here, they usually vamoose when they see us."

Silver hopped up across from her, snapping up a cookie along the way and nibbling with a pleased expression.

"That seems a little rude." Comforting climbed up into her seat. "What if they're having a good time?"

"Then..." Her mouth worked, a frown on her face. "Then... I'd probably sit... over there." She pointed to another booth. "If both were taken, this place is too crowded."

"Like, for real." Silver nodded in agreement with that. "We'd come back later, or send Randy to get some and bring it back to us."

Diamond smiled at the idea. "He's good for that. A quality ponyservant. Now..." She fixed eyes on Comforting even as the new filly began to chew. "Are you joining us at school or not? You look the right age."

Comforting swallowed both cookie and her nervousness. "I should talk to my mother first." Not that Fluttershy was her literal mother, but her caretaker, and that was good enough! She'd decide that kind of thing. "I'll go where she tells me."

Diamond burst into giggles. "You are such a good little filly." Despite being the same size, she reached across to pat Comforting on the head. "Of course you'll do what she says."

"But what do you want to do?" Silver was grinning with import. "You have to, like, have some kinda opinion."

"Exactly." Diamond poked the new filly. "Go on, what do you want to do?"

Comforting chewed at her cookie as if it would hide the question, but the fillies were watching her, waiting for an answer. "Um... I want to learn more about the world." She curled a hoof to her chin. "I want to help and do my part, and make friends."

Diamond hiked a brow high. "Wow, yeah, you'd get along with the crusaders just fine."

"Total match." Silver nodded in complete agreement. "Not a bad thing, like, you know? It's a nice idea, being a good pony. You do that." She burst into giggles. "Diamond's better at it."

Diamond colored red swiftly. "Don't say that! Ugh, that sounds so corny!" She prodded at her friend, huffing in indignity. "I'm learning how to be in charge the right way. That's not the same thing."

"Yeah yeah." Silver was still laughing even as she got prodded at, not at all bothered. "You're doing great. Say, wasn't your dad coming home today?"

Diamond's eyes sprang wide. "Oh right! Good call. Hey, kid, the rest's yours." She hopped down, abandoning the tray. "We got places to be. See you around town." And off went the two upper crust fillies, dashing out of the bakery without further pause.

Comforting finished her cookie and looked to the rest; a whole tray of sugary brilliance. It was too much. "Do you--"

Pinkie sprang up beside her, wielding a box that she swept the cookies into and folded up closed. "Here you go!"

Comforting set down a hoof slowly. "Seeing it in person is something else... Thank you, Pinkie."

"Gotta respect our elders." She saluted and bounced away, leaving the filly blinking confusedly.

Comforting took up her folded box, the handle dangling from her little snout. Prepared, she hopped down and trotted up to the door, just to realize she had no idea how to work the knob and hold the box at the same time. If only she was... Oh, she was! She focused on the knob, willing it to turn. Her magic sparkled in fits. She had done it before without even thinking about it! Why was actually trying to do it harder?!

"Here ya go." A random stallion grabbed the knob in his mouth and opened the door for her. "Go home safely, little filly."

"Fank you," she cried around the obstruction in her mouth, hurrying past the door lest it close on her. Free of the bakery, she got to a walk back towards Fluttershy's cottage. Her first adventure in Ponyville, a success! She'd made two new friends, and experienced an Equestrian cookie. A win all around, she decided.

A pity the animal in front of her didn't seem to agree, glaring at her with dread import. "Angel Bunny, right?" The rabbit thumped a hind foot on the ground, arms folded as it stared at her. "Um... hi?"

Angel charged at her. She squeaked and practically fell over herself, trying to get away. He was on her, snatching the box away from her confused jaws and dashing away just as quickly, leaving her with no cookies.

Comforting sat up, dazed and confused. Tears began to sting at her eyes. It wasn't that big of a deal. She hadn't even paid for the cookies. And yet, the tears only grew in volume and she began to tremble. She couldn't control the young emotions bubbling up inside her. It wasn't fair! It hurt, and she lost her cookies!

Her cries brought out a confused Fluttershy. "Oh my." The pegasus hurried up to Comforting. "What happened? Everything's alright..." Her tone of voice was so gentle and soothing. Comforting didn't resist as she was led inside under the wing of her caretaker.

Author's Note

Welcome, welcome. Walk with me on a new journey with a wizened soul given a new chance in a new place.

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4 - Day Complete

The ringing of a bell was a sound of freedom for most creatures. "Yona, let's go." Gallus was headed for the door, but looking over his shoulder at his larger friend.

"Nuh uh." Yona was, instead, focused on Comforting. "Why you not going? Can be with us." She nodded confidently. "Better than alone."

Comforting smiled up at the large yak that had, so far, proven to be full of good intention. "Thanks for the invite, but Miss Sparkle said to wait for her after the last class."

Ocellus landed lightly in front of Comforting. "Headmistress Sparkle? What for? You didn't--" She swallowed heavily. "--already get in trouble, did you?"

Sandbar shook his head quickly. "I doubt that. Comforting hasn't done anything bad all day."

"I'll be at Sugarcube." Gallus was not to be denied his chance to be free, and departed, Smolder not far behind him on the path to treats and not school.

Silverstream sat next to the desk Comforting was perched at. "I bet she wants to make your first day special!" She waved both her hands excitedly. "Maybe a party? No, that's more... Oh! Maybe she has a special welcome book."

Sandbar laughed at the idea. "Yeah, that sounds more like her. I wouldn't be surprised if she had one of those."

"That is not what I came for." There was Twilight with a gentle smile. "Now, I know the rest of you are past this stage of development, but, do understand, Comforting is not." She sat in front of Comforting, a book held in her magic. One could but assume it was not a greeting book. "So I'm here to help Comforting use her horn."

"Oh!" Silverstream peered at the book curiously. "That makes sense. I never had a horn before. Is it hard to use?"

"It can be tricky." Twilight willed the book open. "But so much easier with a helping hoof, which I am ready to provide. Now, this isn't a group activity, unless one of you has a need for horn practice?" She peered from student to student, finding no unicorn horns to qualify.

Comforting giggled softly at the idea. "She could have one." She thrust a hoof at Ocellus.

Ocellus joined the giggle. "I could! But I know how to use my horn." She dipped her head at Twilight. "Thank you for offering."

"You're quite welcome. Thank you for welcoming our new student, all of you."

Yona bounced once with a heavy thump. "Welcome! See you tomorrow?" She was looking at Comforting directly.

"Sure!" Comforting began to clap excitedly. She had made friends, good friends! "Thank you all for caring so much about me, it's really nice. Now I should listen to what Twilight has to say. She's taking time out just for me. I'm... sure she has other things she could be doing."

"Right now, there is only you." Twilight casually booped her young student as the others wandered off. "Let's learn the basics of magic." A rolling green board approached, glowing with Twilight's magic. "As you already are aware..." She paused. "Actually, I'm not sure what you are aware of. You have knowledge that continues to surprise, so I'll ask."

She gestured at Comforting in a rolling wave. "What do you know about magic, and a unicorn's horn?"

"Um." Comforting considered that, looking at Twilight's horn. "Well, the magic comes out of that." She pointed at the long horn. "It glows with a special color, each unicorn having their own color."

Twilight inclined her head faintly. "Bright glows are usually a sign of strong magic being used. Or the unicorn specifically wanting to glow."

Comforting squeaked in surprise. "Really? Um... Can you do something small then?"

"Certainly." Twilight lifted a bit of chalk in her magic, glowing with her power. "See? No glow."

And yet, Comforting certainly saw it glowing. "Um..."

Twilight set the chalk down, brow slowly raising. "Do you mind if I perform a little experiment? It will be harmless."

"Sure." Comforting set her hooves together, leaning forward in her student desk. "If I can help."

"Thank you." She grabbed something. "Now, tell me what the most magic thing in the room is."

That Twilight had grabbed something, obvious to Comforting, or at least she was doing something. Twilight's horn was glowing in Comforting's eyes. But she ignored that. That wasn't part of the test, or so she figured. She instead scanned the room slowly, spotting an abandoned apple on the teacher's desk glowing the same color. She pointed at it. "That apple."

The apple jumped in time with Twilight's jerk of surprise, her magic fading from it and horn going still as she released it. "You really can see magic that faint? Remarkable. Your talent, perhaps?" She leaned to the side for a peek at Comforting's bottom, but no mark was there yet.

Comforting swirled her hooves together in a circle, hooves touching the entire time. "I'm guessing I shouldn't see that?"

"It's not..." She aborted the sentence with a frown. "One thing that makes us ponies wonderful is that many of us have talents and abilities that others do not have. This is a special talent, but it's not wrong." She set a hoof gently atop Comforting's head. "Understand?"

"Yes." She did not sound like a worried little foal being consoled. Comforting seemed more curious and amazed. "Do you want me to go ahead?"

"With? Oh! Yes, please." Twilight bobbed her head. "Tell me what you know about magic, and horns."

"Right." Comforting sat up, her swirling motion calming to a halt. "Most unicorns just glow, or grab things. Some of them can do spells, like you." She nodded at Twilight, one of the most powerful wizards around that she was aware of.

"For now, we want you to be able to do those first two things." Twilight reached up to tap at her own horn. "Those are the basics. All unicorns are expected to do at least that. Many are happy stopping there. Learning more than that is a matter of discipline and desire, not special ability, though that can help." She turned the same hoof back at her rump. "My special talent is magic! So that makes magic a much smoother process for me to learn and do than most. Special talents, a pony thing." She sounded like she was still trying to assure the un-frightened foal. "Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Comforting burst into giggles. "This is exciting. Alright, so how do I grab that?" She pointed at that abandoned apple across the way.

Twilight turned in place to face the bright red fruit. "It does look delicious, doesn't it? A pity it's so far away." She reached a hoof for it, but it was across the room, and her faked sounds of effort didn't bring her any closer to it, or it closer to her. "I can see why you'd want some magic. Now, imagine your horn. Put yourself in there. From inside the horn, reach for it. Grasp it."

Comforting slowly blinked at that idea. "Drive my horn like a mecha?"

Which got Twilight to blink. "Um. Oh, do you read comics? Yes, that analogy works." Fortunately for her, she had been exposed to some of that via Spike. "Imagine you are a pilot of the mecha that is your horn."

"Okay!" Comforting began making little mechanical noises, a silly grin on her face. "I'll form the head," she cried, mentally dropping a little imagined Comforting into her own horn. "Lights are green." She swiped at buttons that weren't there. "Target in sight. Let's move!" Her horn tingled and she squeaked, her imagined scene disrupted instantly. "I felt it!"

"Very good." Twilight nodded with a proud smile. "But you can't be distracted by your own work. That was you. Go on."

"R-right!" Comforting blushed at such a silly mistake, trying to put her thoughts back in order. The tingle! She didn't flinch away that time, trying instead to lean into it, and it got stronger, like her horn was buzzing faintly. "I... think it's on?" She looked up at her horn awkwardly, able to see its magic sputtering and sparking a little, but it was on. "That doesn't look right?"

"Untrained unicorns often have to practice." Twilight nodded without doubt. "You have to do it many times before the magic flows smoothly. You're doing just fine. Reach for the apple when you're ready."

"Reach." Comforting extended a hoof, even if it could never make the distance. "Reach." She imagined herself as the pilot in her horn. Surely there had to be a button for that. Oh! A grappling hook fist, of course! Her imagined self smashed down on the bottom, and a strange spike ran through her. The apple Lurched an inch in the wrong direction, flaring with her magic only briefly.

"Very good!" assured Twilight despite the apple going the wrong way. Her magic appeared, setting it back where it began. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but you made a very important step. You moved it, yourself. It was a conscious decision, and it happened. It's just a matter of practice before you get better at it."

Frustration bubbled in her, only to compound. It was good news, darn it. Why was she upset? Stupid young brain and it's stupid hormones! She shook herself out vigorously. "Y-yeah! Thank you, Miss Sparkle. I just have to... practice." She resumed staring at that apple, her magic glimmering fitfully around it as she tried to get a better grip on it. It would take a lot more practice to get it right.

The apple suddenly lifted, but it had Twilight's glow around it as it came closer. "Take this, and keep practicing until you get hungry and eat it." She chuckled softly. "Which is a fine end to an apple. You can practice on just about anything, but I recommend nothing alive just yet. We don't want to hurt anything, right?"

"Right!" Comforting clapped her hooves in on either side of the apple, working it into her pocket. "Thank you again. Are we done for today?"

"I'd love to discuss more, but... There's no point without time to actually practice." She pointed at where the apple had vanished into Comforting. "You let me know when you feel comfortable moving small things around, or if you run into any troubles. I've started you on the path, but I am not abandoning you, promise. You can always come to me."

"Got it, teacher." Comforting hopped to the ground and turned back to Twilight. "For your first horn student, you're good at this."

Twilight glowed at the praise, her cheeks darkening a little. "Thank you! It's... rare to have such a young student that can appreciate teaching techniques, but you are a specific case. Not in any bad way." She tapped at her chin. "Now... You should head home. Fluttershy will be eager to see you."

Comforting clapped and hopped up to all fours, ready to go, but she stopped. "Um. Do you have a book?"

Twilight blinked at that. "I have many. What-- Oh! Do you mean a book for you? I do! Several, in fact, depending on how this goes. For now, just practice what you've learned today." She leaned in. "Unless you prefer reading?" That smile on her face implied she might have been hoping Comforting said yes.

At Comforting's nod, Twilight began to clap eagerly. Her horn glowed as she drew a book from a nearby shelf and pressed it gently against Comforting. "Then I suggest this. I read it when I was a filly about your size."

Comforting pushed the book back just enough to read the front of it. "Your Horn and You, a primer for young foals." She began to grin at it. "Perfect! I'll read this, and keep practicing, promise."

Student and teacher shared gentle waves at one another, the smaller of them dashing out of the room with clear excitement in her eyes.

"Did I look that way when I was her age?" Twilight's thoughts turned that way, but it was too far to clearly remember. "I hope I did..." She got to cleaning up for the next day of learning.

Author's Note

Twilight gives somepony a book. How out of character is that? Clearly a typo.

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5 - Welcome Home

Comforting walked home, though it was more like a spirited trot, which was more of an equine jog than a walk. Still, she felt energetic and good!

"You're not going to our school?" There was Diamond Tiara and her friend. "Aren't you a little small for the friendship college?"

Comforting slowed to a halt, considering how to explain what had happened. "Fluttershy is friends with Twilight."

Nepotism was a force the fillies understood, both giving an 'oh' as if that put it all into focus. Silver Spoon advanced on Comforting. "Lucky! I hear they give way more interesting classes over there."

"I like it so far." Comforting considered the upperclass filly. "If you want to go, why don't you go?"

Silver Spoon poked at Diamond. "She's, like, not off. Why don't we go?"

Diamond frowned at that. "We've tried before, remember? We 'already have a school.'" She made quotes in the air with each word of the smaller phrase. "Twilight sent us packing, remember?"

"Oh yeah..." Silver deflated at that. "If only our parents were good friends with Twilight. Lucky!" She threw a leg over Comforting, happy for her.

Diamond huffed softly. "Don't get a big head over it."

"I'm not," hurriedly assured Comforting. "Want me to put in a good word?"

"Would you?" Silver leaned in with a big grin.

Diamond rolled her eyes. "You're free to try, but I'm not getting my hopes up. C'mon, Silver, we got dumb homework to do."

The two fillies walked off, Silver waving goodbye at Comforting along the way.

Comforting pressed on towards her home, thinking about the fillies and their situation. Surely there was a way to reasonably make everyone involved happy. But how?

There were animals on Fluttershy's lawn. This was not unusual. Even if it was kind of odd, but neat, to have a deer just alright with her being there. Comforting dared to walk up to it and it didn't run away. "Hello there."

The deer leaned in, snuffling at her quietly. "Aw, you're so cute..." She squeaked, laughing when the deer licked her right across the face. "I love it." Having an animal friend for a caretaker came with perks! Comforting trotted on towards the house, her good mood thoroughly restored.

"Welcome home!" The door swung open a moment before Comforting reached it. "How was your first day?"

Comforting sat and offered her hooves up to Fluttershy. "Hello, Mom! It was good, real good."

Fluttershy hesitated a moment. She wasn't really that filly's mom, but... She decided not to fight it at that moment, instead accepting the filly's offer with a gentle hug, cradling the little pony. "You looked a little stressed when I saw you. Are you sure?"

"It was exciting." Comforting nestled against the big warm presence of her caretaker. "And I was a little lost, but I made some good friends and learned things." She peeked out from the floof Fluttershy provided. "How's Angel doing? Does he feel better?"

Fluttershy picked up Comforting, setting the filly on her back as she headed into the house. "He's much better now. Poor thing's belly calmed down after a good day of rest." Inside, the named rabbit was perched on the edge of the couch, watching them. "Oh, there he is." Fluttershy approached with a gentle smile. "Now, I want you two to be friends, please."

Comforting extended a hoof towards the mildly pouty rabbit. "Hello, Angel Bunny. You know, I think rabbits are very cute."

"Aren't they?" asked Fluttershy, agreeing indirectly. "Who's a cute bunny." She grabbed up Angel despite his squeaks and snuggled the bunny into submission. "Aw, so cute, yes you are. Yes you are!"

Comforting giggled from atop Fluttershy. "It's nice that you two are such good friends."

"We really are." She set Angel down carefully. "He watches out for me, and I watch out for him. We're a team."

Angel thumped down his right leg in a series of rapid taps, pointing at Comforting. He shook his head firmly.

"Are you saying I'm not part of the team?" Comforting hummed softly. "You're not wrong."

Fluttershy turned an ear back at her rider. "That's a curious thing to say." Rare would be the foal that would ever just... say that... "What makes you say that?"

"I'm not helping." Comforting crossed her arms, one hoof bobbing. "I'm just taking. Thank you, for keeping me safe, but I'm not doing enough to pay that back." She hopped down from Fluttershy. "I'd like to be part of the team."

Fluttershy watched Comforting wander in search of things to do. "You really don't have to worry. You're just a foal."

"One, not... entirely true." Her adult mind refused to accept just being a layabout. "But two, I'm your foal." she directed a hoof at Fluttershy pointedly. "And asking your kid to help you isn't that weird."

Fluttershy sat with an arm crossed under her chin. "Hm. Well, let's see... There's Sweetie Belle. She... likes helping, but Rarity doesn't always have room for that kind of help, but they're sisters... Then, hm... There's Apple Bloom, she definitely helps out around the farm."

"See?!" Comforting bounced up and down excitedly. "This is a perk of being a parent. You have a willing minion, right here." She pointed at herself with a curled hoof. "Give me a command and I'll do my best. Kids like being helpful to their parents, at least the good ones. You're good to me, let me return the favor."

"Well... Before we get into that, I want to hear more about your day. Did you find all your classes?" Fluttershy smiled gently, relaxing with less uncertain topics. "Did anycreature pick on you?"

"Nope." Comforting curled, reaching a hoof into her pocket and digging out a book. "Twilight gave me this, and showed me how to start using my horn."

Fluttershy brought her hooves together. "Oh, how wonderful! You opened the door before, didn't you?"

"I did..." Comforting started to color. "But I didn't know how, and when I tried to do it again, I messed up. Twilight's showing me how to know how to do it... so I can forget it again."

Fluttershy giggled at that. "Like learning to fly."

"Exactly." Comforting bobbed her head. "Exactly like that. But I have no wings, so no flying for me." She pouted, but only for a moment, her mood fairly good. "I can't wait to read this." She hugged the book dearly.

"Well, I wouldn't want to stop you." Fluttershy waved past her. "Go ahead."

"Nope." Comforting set the book down on the coffee table. "First, chores. Then, homework. I wasn't so good at either the first time."

"First time?" Fluttershy raised a brow at her curious foal.

"Um!" She had forgotten Fluttershy didn't know the specifics. "Never mind. I just mean I want to be a good foal. And good foals get their chores done and hop on their homework. So what are my chores?"

And it was so that Comforting was given specific things to keep clean, and even a few animals to tend. She enjoyed pouring out food for the little mice that scurried out to partake and even seemed willing to thank her in their wordless way. They would wave and chitter. The meaning seemed clear enough. She was giving them what they wanted, and they were grateful.

When the last thing was dusted and cleaned and all the animals seemed satisfied, Comforting patted her hooves against one another as if dusting them off. "And now, homework!"

"You are very excited for homework." Fluttershy smiled a bit unsurely. "Most foals are not that excited for homework."

"Most homework isn't about learning how to do magic." Comforting giggled as she scurried away, book on her back. "Which is the best kind of homework!"

Comforting crashed onto her bed, throwing the book down in front of herself. Her legs kicked as she began reading eagerly, absorbing the words. Some of it was a bit dry, going into the nitty gritties of how a unicorn horn worked, which was alright by her. She was curious! "Oh..." And she was learning.

Knowing brought other powers with it. She understood what she was actually doing up there. She could imagine it more clearly. "This mech has its own controls," she almost sang out, reflecting on the earlier lessons. "Let's try..." She fixed the door of her room as she dropped the mental-Comforting down in her place. "Power on." She knew what the tingling was, magic rushing up, filling her horn with the potential to warp the aetheric field around her, just waiting for a prompt on what to do. "Power activated."

A glance showed it was still sputtering and weak. "Only exercise will get the engine running at full speed..." Just like any other muscle, really. If somebody wanted to get good at something, they had to practice it, a lot. But unicorns managed that, even the ones that didn't care about magic, so it couldn't be that hard, right? In theory...

"Now to aim." Instead of trying to influence and reach at once, the grappling hook shot, she focused on just getting her magic over there. She was painting a dot, yeah, like a laser pointer before someone took a shot. She directed her horn-mecha forward and the knob began to glow with the same sputtering aura, her influence on it, doing nothing but being there. "Yes!" she called joyfully despite how small that achievement had been. It had been hers! She did that! She was doing magic!

"Is everything alright in there?" Fluttershy was on the other side of the door. "Just, um, making sure."

"I'm fine, mom." She giggled, imagining the worried Fluttershy. "Really, just practicing. Sorry!"

"So long as you're alright." Hoof steps receded in hint enough that Fluttershy was leaving.

Comforting refocused on her magic, getting that sputtering field steady on the knob. "And now..." She inclined her head slowly, imagining her magic turning with it. But the knob didn't turn.

She released the magic and went back to the book. She hadn't finished. It'd already helped her. Surely there was more waiting to be found that'd give her a better grip on the situation, literally. Besides, she had made progress! She had made something glow because she wanted it to glow. That had to count!

Bit by bit. She was a foal, she reminded herself. Growing didn't happen right away. And what was the rush? Do it right.

Fluttershy perked at a light knocking, lighter than usual. "Yes?"

The door swung open, glowing with Twilight's magic as she peered around. "Good, she isn't here. I wanted to talk to you, Fluttershy."

"Who isn't here?" Fluttershy came closer to the opened door. "Is everything alright?"

"Arguably better than alright." Twilight clapped her hooves together with a grin. "But I have questions, so many of them... Did Celestia tell you anything about your ward?"

"Not really... Just that I should take care of them. They didn't get into trouble, did they?"

"No! No... She was a model student." Twilight lifted an ear. "And if she wasn't, I'd direct her to Starlight, who might have reached out to you. You know how that works."

"True." Fluttershy tapped at her chin. "That is how we usually do it. So how can I help?"

"Comforting is a very curious little filly. The only filly besides, well, me, that I know of that asked to read Your Horn and You instead of having it thrust on them by well-meaning parents." She looked a bit distant. "Not that there's anything wrong with it, a fine book. Still, it's a bit... dense for many foals to appreciate without the help of their parent." She pricked up. "Oh, did she ask you for help with it?"

"I'm not sure how I could help. I'm not a unicorn." Fluttershy pointed to her complete lack of a horn. "But she sounds like she's making progress, I think?"

"Hm, only more interesting... Alright. I'll talk to her later, at school. Thank you, Fluttershy."

Author's Note

Twilight gets curious as Comforting learns how to make a doorknob glow. Equal discoveries, yes?

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6 - Systems Online

Comforting squeaked in the darkness, sitting up and looking around wildly. It wasn't as dark as it should have been, her horn sputtering to life in her surprise and casting moody wavering light across the room. Her tense worry began to fade a little. She was her own night light. That was... That was nice, really.

She looked at the dim objects in her room, staring intently to find the source of what had woken her up. Light spilled over them, still shaking and sputtering, but focusing on them. How? She looked up and saw she was putting out a weak little spotlight. "Oh!" She was getting used to her horn, step by step. She didn't have to use that mecha imagination crutch. It was her horn, part of her.

Though part of her wondered, was that light visible to most ponies? Would a normal filly her age and experience still be in pure dark? It was impossible to know when she was alone. "Thank you," she said to nothing and everything. Whatever had decided she would be able to see that light, she was grateful for. Celestia? That seemed unlikely, to her. Celestia had just gone with the flow, gathering her tired essence and bringing it to a gentler land. The body felt like it...

Like it just happened. Like a tired old human just didn't belong in Equestria, so a suitable alternative was provided. Did ponies have a god, besides maybe kneeling in worship of Celestia? Comforting made a point to ask about that as she slipped to the floor with a clop and began exploring her dark room.

Something scurried! She squeaked in surprise, whipping her light onto it. It was one of the mice she had seen before. The mouse was waving at her. It was... hard to keep being scared of any animal that gave a friendly wave. "Oh." Fluttershy had an infestation, but she had invited it in, and they were usually polite guests. "Please don't run around my room in the middle of the night," she requested, even if she wasn't at all sure the mouse could understand her. "You gave me such a scare."

The mouse squeaked in a far less scared way, scampering under the door that separated Comforting's room from the rest of the house. "Get some sleep," called Comforting quietly, lest she upset Fluttershy. Having an animal friend for a mentor also had some downsides. Life was like that, plusses and minuses. She hopped back onto her bed, the room going darker as her horn ceased its glow. "Systems offline," she yawned out, snuggling into her bedding. Sleep came for her without too much more delay, certain that there were no monsters lurking in her room, just maybe a mouse that wouldn't hurt her.

"You aren't supposed to be here." Comforting awoke, but didn't feel entirely awake. She was on a familiar bed of stars that felt soft and somehow gently warm beneath her. "What a curious thing." The voice was gentle. Curious. Despite its words, Comforting felt no malice from it. "You think our world is at peace? I would like it to be so."

Comforting hopped to all fours, clip-clopping against the lack of floor as she looked around the stars, trying to find the source of the voice. "Hello?"

"Hello." A strange version of Twilight appeared, her gaze a thousand yards past Comforting. "You were drifting past, on the way to where your kind goes, but Celestia reached out a hoof, and caught you."

"Yes..." That was... Yeah, that felt right. "I'm very grateful for her."

"Why?" The strange Twilight approached. "Is where you were going that frightening?"

"I... don't know," admitted Comforting. "That is a very heavy question."

"We are both adults," reasoned the strange not-Twilight. "Advanced in our years. We can discuss it."

"Well..." Comforting sat on her little haunches. "No person can know for sure what the end is, other than the end. Who you were is wiped off the planet, that much we can be certain of."

"It's hard to argue that," gently agreed the strange star guardian that looked like the school headmistress. "But here you are. You knew you were not erased."

"I didn't know what came next. Death delayed can still be death." Comforting raised a hoof at the figure. "So when I was offered a chance to be safe, and loved... Why would I say no?"

"Perhaps where you should have been could have been better?" The not-Twilight leaned in, nose close to Comforting, close enough to feel breath, but there was none coming. The spirit had no need to use lungs, so it just didn't. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"I am more curious who you are." She casually reached with both her fore hooves to grab the not-Twilight by the snout, rubbing through the fur and inspecting them. "You feel like a pony." But she was not a pony, was the accusation unspoken.

The strange not-Twilight smiled faintly. "Your people are curious... Now that you are here, you may become one of us. Then you will go where we go, even at the end. Not to where yours go. Are you satisfied with that?"

"I started over." Comforting brought a hoof back to rub at her own cheek. "Most don't even get asked if they want to, so I'm not mad at that. I started, I'll finish. From what you said..." she wobbled that same hoof. "I probably won't be caught again."

"Probably not," gently agreed the spirit. "Does that scare you?"

"I don't think it does..." Comforting sat back, frowning with thought. "I was ready to go the first time. This is... all bonus time, and such a wonderful extra bit it is. I have no right to complain at this point."

"How optimistic." The not-Twilight sounded genuinely pleased at that. "I am Harmony."

"Harmony..." Comforting looked over the not-Twilight intensely. "Why do you look like Twilight?"

"Because I must look like something." She leaned forward. "To look like nothing would be rude and disconcerting."

"Looking like my horn tutor is still kinda both of those," laughed Comforting. "But thanks for trying... Are you... Are you this world's God?"

"That is a heavy question." Harmony was still for a moment of utter silence. "But, it is fair. I asked one." She reached out, resting a hoof on Comforting's little nose. "I am a force, but I do not decide the flow of this world. There are other forces. I am the force that draws ponies together, even when they feel so very far apart. Eventually, they will gather again. The more strongly ponies feel that connection, the happier I am. The weaker that connection grows, the weaker and sadder I become, but I am always there, drawing them. Eventually, they come back together. I am pleased, this time."

"Why?" asked Comforting without thought. It just felt like the natural question.

"The connection has spread beyond ponies." She waved to the left where dragons, griffons, and hippogriffs emerged from nothing. She waved to the right where a massive yak and a bright changeling stepped in. "Perhaps they will become part of me, but I cannot say, only that they are touched, right now, and it is good."

Comforting curled her hooves on herself. "Well, then maybe this is natural, and good." Harmony inclined her head at Comforting. "I'm just another creature, caught in the web you made. I'm not even resisting."

Harmony's smile deepened. "A willing captive. I can only hope my people treat their captured one well." Things began to go fuzzy. "It is time for you to awaken."

Comforting almost said wait, but that never worked. That never ever worked! "Do come back, please."

Harmony's ears danced, confusion? "If you like." And the dream ended.

At least that dream did. Luna descended onto a starry forest floor, looking around. "Hm. I thought I felt a nightmare..." But everything was at peace. Even the actual dreamer was there, smiling at her. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine." Comforting inclined her head at the new alicorn. The third she'd ever seen. "Are you related to Twilight or Celestia?"

Luna blinked at that, caught by surprise. "You don't know me?" She curled a hoof at herself. "Luna? Mistress of the night and peaceful slumber?"

"Hi, Luna." Comforting waved a small paw at the so-large pony. "You keep dreams safe? That's so... pure."

"Pure?" Luna raised a brow. "I have not heard that description before."

"Pure," echoed Comforting. "And nice. Thank you. That dream was odd, but not bad. I'm alright."

Luna lifted on grand wings. "If you are certain. Sleep well then, Comforting." Not that the name had ever been given. "And I am Celestia's sister."

"Ask her about me, if you want." Comforting waved goodbye at the departing dream guardian. "Thanks!" She hadn't asked for a dream patrol, but the idea of one didn't bother her. It was someone who cared about her enough to chase away bad dreams. So pure.

"You look happy." Fluttershy was nibbling at her breakfast, looking across the table at Comforting. "Did something happen?"

"A few things." Comforting took a sip at the sweet fruit juice. Not oranges, something else... She couldn't place it, but it was good. "Thank you for breakfast. It's really tasty."

Fluttershy warmed at that. "O-oh... It's nothing special."

"Yes it is." Comforting leaned over the table towards her caretaker. "For one, you made it, which makes it pretty special. But it's also tasty and good, so thank you."

"You're very welcome," allowed Fluttershy with an unsure smile. "So what happened?"

"I had a few nice dreams." She tapped her hooves. "And, oh!" She perked up. "Can you see this?" Her horn began to sputter and glow as best she could, shining light right on Fluttershy's face, though it was a faint light in the already lit room, even in her eyes.

"See what?" Fluttershy inclined her head, eyes darting around. "What am I looking for?"

Aw. "Well, I still felt like I'm getting better at it." The light she had made was so small and tiny that only she could see it. "That book is really good! Um, oh. They didn't give me any homework yesterday. Is that normal?"

"Homework?" Fluttershy lifted her shoulders gently. "Why would that be an everyday thing?"

"School work you do at home?" suggested Comforting, cycling her hooves. "A part of every day... I thought?"

"Only for projects." Fluttershy shrugged softly. "Once you're away from school, it's your time, mostly. Why would we make our students go to school when they're not in school?" She burst into sudden giggles. "That even sounds funny. Did they do it like that where you're from?"

"Yeah..." But was it a bad thing that homework was mostly not there? "Huh. Guess I gave myself homework." But it was magic homework, so it barely even counted. "Oh! How will I get graded? I joined midway." That got another confused look from Fluttershy. "You don't grade people?"

"We grade tests?" Fluttershy shrugged softly. "To see how well a student is doing, so we can try to fix what's missing, if there is anything. Why would we grade a pony? Or any creature? That seems... mean, to give a creature a grade."

"Too bad," called Comforting with a huge grin. "I'm grading you." Fluttershy stiffened with concern. "Mmm, mmm! Yep. Your grade is A+."

Fluttershy burst into little giggles. "Yay," she called out in her soft little voice. "Well, that kind of grading I can agree with."

"Keep up the great work," spoke the little filly in serious tones. "I expect you to keep earning that grade." She waved a hoof at Fluttershy, only to start laughing herself, giggling uncontrollably. "Sorry, was just being silly."

Fluttershy reached across, gently petting the top of her filly. "That sort of silly I'm alright with. Now, we should go to school." She rose to her hooves. "Do you want to walk?"

"What's the other option?"

Fluttershy was smiling at her confused ward. "We fly." And it was then that Comforting got to ride on the back of a pegasus into town and to school, cheering most of the way.

Author's Note

Meet two local greater powers in one night? So restful!

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7 - Drawn Together

Comforting hurried towards the first class of the day with a bright smile. "You look happy." There was Gallus, looking less super happy about the entire world. He was just closing his locker. "Something happen, or just 'pony happy'?"

Comforting came to a halt at that. "Oh... no, I don't think so. She looked Gallus over curiously. "What's 'pony happy'?"

Gallus smirked at the question, reaching to casually ruffle the filly's mane. "Ponies like to wear their emotions on their sleeves. A happy pony looks really happy. If it helps, goes for a sad pony or a mad pony, or most of the other kinds. They don't hide what they're feelings is all." He shrugged at that. "Open books, all of 'em."

"Is that bad?" She looked past him to the locker. "Do I get one of those?"

"Why would you?" He shrugged all the more expansively. "You live near here anyway. What would you put in it that you couldn't just take home?"

"Huh... You have a point." Comforting set that idea aside. "But is it bad?"

"Nah." Gallus shrugged softly. "Takes a little getting used to, as a not-pony, but it's not the worst thing I've seen." He leaned in over Comforting. "For a foal, you sure don't mind hanging out with a griffon."

"Should I?" Comforting raised a brow. "You don't seem like a bad person."

"And that." Gallus tapped her little quivering nose. "Like every other pony would say 'creature' or 'pony', not 'person'. You're kinda funny."

Comforting began to flush bright red, called out on her strange behavior. "A good funny?"

"Yeah, guess so." He began to turn away. "I should get to class, and you too if you want to avoid being yelled at."

"They wouldn't!" gasped out the filly as she got to walking herself. "The teachers here are very nice."

"Yeah." Something about the way he said it caught her attention, as if being nice just... wasn't the default, by far.

Comforting scootched in a little closer. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" he snapped at her. "I'm fine." His wings snapped out and he flew away without another word.

Comforting was left behind. "Oops." She had said the wrong thing, clearly.

"Nah." A new hand descended atop her head, mussing her mane. "He's like that." Smolder was there, delivering the gentle pets. "Morning."

"Morning!" chimed Comforting with a smile. She had made friends! "Are you feeling good today?"

"We get to go outside today, so, yeah, I'm looking forward to that." She fired a thumbs up at Comforting. "You look happy too. Like getting out?"

"That can be fun." She hadn't seen too much of the outside of Equestria. The chance wasn't something to miss. "Um, do happy ponies look really happy?"

Smolder hiked a scaled brow. "What a question. But yeah, happy ponies usually look kinda really happy." She shrugged at that. "Kinda silly, but happy. Now, happy dragons. we come in more varieties." A smirk spread. "Depends why we're happy. Now, this second, we should get to class."

So school began properly. Pony school, Comforting noted to herself, was a lot more worried about broad concepts rather than specifics. Who did what exactly when was far less important than the general order of things, for example. Not that history came up all that often.

It was more about the present and the future. As promised, they went outside to do a group project. They were to build a house, a real house. "Now, y'see, we gotta make houses fer ponies." Applejack waved towards town. "We get new ponies, an' they need someplace to set down their head. The house we make today will become somepony's, or somecreature's, home. So let's do it right."

Comforting was a bit dazzled at the idea. She did her best to lend a hoof, but she was a small thing, and her horn wasn't up for grabbing big heavy things. But she could hold a nail in place! That helped! "Is this how all those houses got made?" she asked, waving at the town as a whole.

"Some of 'em were made by the ponies that are inside 'em," explained Applejack with a slow nod. "Like mine! Some of 'em paid other ponies to make 'em, but a lot of 'em were made by other ponies, like this one." She nodded to the house they were working on. "Now, it ain't a one day job gettin' a house up, so don't feel bad if we don't finish it. Ah got other ponies ready to take it from there. It's more about learnin' what goes into a house. Lotta ponies ain't got a clue what's really involved."

It was a practical lesson in what effort went into making a house. It was also a team building thing, which Applejack encouraged with calls as things got done or creatures needed to lend each other a hand. Comforting was doing her little part. "Thanks." Smolder appreciated that little help. "So much easier when you don't have to worry about hitting a finger." She could swing her hammer with all her might with only Comforting's sputtering magic to hurt, and it had no feelings to abuse.

Not to say she couldn't feel it, a little. It was an odd little thing, a pop as the field she made was collapsed on itself when the nail was shoved into the wood. It didn't hurt, it just felt odd. "Glad to help!"

"Heard you were asking about happy ponies." Sandbar sat next to her. "Do I look happy?"

Comforting considered the other pony member of their social circle. "Hm. You look happy, but not super happy? How do you feel?"

"I'm doing alright." Sandbar reached to pet her, but drew his hoof back. "You must be getting tired of that. I think everycreature here has wanted to give you a patting."

Comforting burst into giggles. "That's alright." Was it wrong that being petted felt kind of nice? A friendly ruffle from a friendly creature was just a positive note in the day, she had decided. Since arriving in Equestria, nothing had abused the sacred headpat. "You're Sandbar, right?"

"And you're Comforting." He offered a hoof instead, allowing a clop. "Nice to meet you, again."

"Right happy you two are gettin' 'long." Applejack had found them. "But chattin' won't get a house built." She tossed her head at the partially constructed building. "Yer friends are countin' on ya."

Both ponies saluted and hurried back to work, lest they get more than a gentle reminder. Sandbar was still next to her, working as he talked, "No offense or anything, but you really are kinda... young, aren't you?" He worked two pieces of wood together with a grunt of effort. "Like... you're still working on your horn, let alone... building houses."

"I can do both," insisted Comforting with a big smile. "I'm getting good practice with my horn right now." She lifted up a nail and set it before Smolder. All the cue she had to give to inspire the dragon to smash it into place. "And it's fun!"

Smolder chuckled softly. "You're getting better. Now we gotta be a little more careful." She struck the next nail in with about five firm, but not brutal, swings, knocking it into place. "Right tool for the right job."

Sandbar laughed at that. "Well, can't argue the results. Still, if you need a break, don't feel bad asking. You are a filly, even if you're, um, advanced?"

Applejack nudged Sandbar with a hoof. "Now that's thinkin'. He ain't wrong. Yer a little thin', an' ah don't mean that as no insult. Yer doin' great, but if ya feel tired or somethin', tell us."

Comforting frowned a little. She felt fine! "Alright," she said a little more testily than she planned on, going red on hearing herself. "Um! I appreciate it, really. You're all so nice... But I'm alright..."

She turned and squeaked, looking directly into... her own face. The other her inclined her head. "It's funny being so small," the other her noted with Ocellus' voice. "Um, sorry, if this is bothering."

"I look like that?" Comforting approached, the shock wearing off. "Wow." She began to poke and feel at the changeling that was assuming her form. "Wow..."

Ocellus smiled gently. "You're not upset?"

"Wow!" Comforting threw up her hooves wide. "That's so neat. I'd never get a good look at me otherwise." She dropped down, looking at her belly, as displayed by Ocellus. "Can you do anyone?"

Applejack clopped her hooves. "Yer gettin' distracted 'gain. Ocellus, cut that out."

"Yes'm!" Ocellus returned to her usual self with a rush of green flames, fluttering off to another job on the house.

Applejack nodded at Comforting. "Changelings are funny creatures, an' ah bet yer mighty curious, but save that fer after class if ya would?"

"Sorry." Comforting dipped her head. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"Ya didn't." Applejack rested a hoof on Comforting's back. "Just focus on the task at hoof, hm?"

No other significant distractions kept them from finishing up the period with teamwork to get the house not completed, but still an impressive amount of progress for a day's work. "This is what ya can get when ya put yer heads together and yer hearts on one task," called Applejack. "Right proud of all'ya."

"I was surprised." Twilight was seated there, smiling at Comforting. "Did you have questions about something in the book?"

"Yes, but also no." Comforting worried her hooves together. "I'm making good progress! I can turn it on and off whenever I want." She got her horn on, flickering and pulsing in that unsure way, but she could do it without thinking too hard about it. "But it's so weak... I can make light, but only I can see it."

"Only you can..." It clicked and she clapped her hooves. "Because you can see magic? And you can see by that light?" Comforting nodded. "Remarkable! That could be quite a useful talent, when you want to see discreetly. Say if you were sneaking around and didn't want to draw attention."

Comforting blinked at the idea, imagining herself in a ninja suit, her little horn sputtering in the darkness that only she could see through. She giggled wildly as the image sank into her. "I don't want to do that! How do I get stronger, to make real light?"

"It's probably not the answer you want." Twilight leaned closer. "But practice is really the only answer." Comforting deflated, but Twilight went on. "It's a muscle, like any other. Even if there was a spell that'd do it, the side effects would likely be terrible. Do not use spells that alter how your horn works." She pointed at her own. "I've yet to see one that wasn't tricky, at best, in regards to what it does besides what you're aiming for."

"Yes, ma'am." Don't do drugs, unicorn edition. Comforting smiled a little at that thought. "I'll keep practicing, promise. But are there really good exercises? Lots of muscles need training, but there's good training and bad training."

Twilight was still a moment. "Huh. You keep surprising me." She shook her head slowly as she turned towards her green board. "But you aren't wrong. There are proper training regimens shown to have the best results with the least chance of self harm. I just thought they were a little... Most fillies your age would lose patience, being told to..."

Comforting was giving Twilight a deadpan.

"Right." Twilight tapped at her chin. "You are not a normal filly. Very well. In the book, go to chapter 6. Routine... 4 I believe. Follow that, to the letter. Do not deviate. Do not improvise. You don't want to hurt anything up there." She thrust her hoof at Comforting's little horn. "And you're still growing, so take it easy and slowly, even if you're mature in there." She set the hoof on Comforting's head. "Your body is still growing."

A lesson. She was a filly, no matter how old her mind was. "I will, Miss Sparkle. Thank you so much." She flashed a brilliant smile. "I really appreciate your help."

But another question remained. "Why does God look like you?"

Author's Note

Children ask the damndest questions!

8 - The Center

Twilight recoiled at the question, almost tripping over herself. "W-what? It's been quite a number of years since ponies, as a whole, had anything they'd describe as a 'god', to start." She looked over towards the nearby shelf of books. "I don't remember there being any mention of them in the book I gave you. Where did you get this idea?"

Comforting swayed her tail with thought. "Wrong word," she decided quickly. Harmony had described herself as... "A force of nature, a kind one. What do you call that?"

Twilight inclined her head left and right. "I've never met a force of nature." She suddenly drew a sharp breath. "But you have?! Where? Which one?" A quill and paper appeared beside her, eager to take notes. "How did this happen?!"

Comforting could see she had triggered Twilight, though not in any particularly bad way. "In a dream, but it wasn't very dreamy. Luna visited afterwards." She felt no urge to hide it. The ponies of that world had given her none so far. "She called herself Harmony. Though I'm not sure if she is a she, come to think of it. Do forces of nature have a gender?"

Twilight's quill worked busily as she peered at the little filly that was discussing the gender of something that could be mistaken for a god. "Harmony?" When Comforting nodded, Twilight frowned with fresh thought. "Harmony, and she looked like me?" Comforting bobbed her head all the more. "I... Wait a moment." And she promptly vanished.

Only to reappear. "Right! I don't have that anymore."

"Have what?" Comforting leaned forward, but then it hit her. "Were you looking for your tiara?"

Twilight's eyes widened. "That... yes, I was... But I--" She rolled a hoof, beckoning Comforting to finish the thought.

"You gave it back to the Tree of Harmony." Which is when it clicked for Comforting. "Of Harmony!"

Twilight gently patted the top of the filly. "Exactly what I was thinking. The elements had no sentience, let alone sapience, but the tree is a living creature. It's a tree. An incredibly magical tree. That it could... be sapient is far from impossible, but also isn't something I considered seriously." She was tapping at her chin. "And it appeared to you looking like me?"

"Mostly you." Comforting pointed at her own eyes. "It wasn't that good at pretending to have these, so it just kind of let them stare off into the distance. So, do you know why?"

"I can guess." Twilight sank before her pupil. "I've interacted with it before. I've interacted with you, obviously. If it wanted to approach you in a friendly way, perhaps I was just a good pony it knew that you knew. Still... You haven't done anything... that should have drawn its attention." She leaned in, quill working beside her. "There are a thousand questions I have that only you can answer, but you are a child, and my student. I want to respect your autonomy." A sly smile appeared on her face. "But that doesn't mean I can't ask, just that you can say no. So, may I ask about who you are, Comforting?"

Comforting's ears pinned on her head. "I suppose you have the right to ask." But would she answer? "I don't want to be treated special. I'm just a filly." She worried her hooves together. "I'm having a lot of fun, learning, here."

"And I don't plan to stop you from doing that," hurriedly assured Twilight. "And what you tell me won't be shared if you prefer?"

Comforting tapped at the little student's desk she was sitting in. "I am an 'Old Soul', except more literally than usual." Twilight was leaning in, quill working busily. That she was curious was hard to miss. "I had a whole life already, the whole thing, childhood to... the end." She ran a hoof from the left of her desk to the right in a pretend timeline. "And all the mess in the middle. The whole thing. I don't regret it."

"And yet... Here you are." Twilight considered the very little filly that seemed at the start of a life. "And you seem to know so little about... When are you from?"

Comforting smiled at that question, giggling a little at it. "Good question, but the wrong one. Um... Did you ever go to Equestria High?"

Twilight fell over herself, as if Comforting had just burst into flames the way she scrambled back. "No. No no. You..." Twilight set a hoof against her head. "How can you know about that?! There just isn't a time or place that'd make..." She set her paper down. "No... No... Calm down..." She began the breathing technique given to her by Cadance. "Calm... To answer your question, yes, I have been there. Why do you ask?"

Comforting smiled brightly. "Imagine another mirror, another world. I came from that one." There, the cards were on the table. She shrank though, fear building in a monstrous wave. "Please don't be scared... Or hate me..."

"But... That only raises more questions." She scribbled her thoughts quickly, paper lifting into the air. "Comforting." The filly's ears perked. "Thank you. For trusting me." A thought hit her. "Is it alright if I discuss this with other teachers?"

Comforting deflated at the idea. "I don't want to be treated strangely... Just a filly. Nothing more or less."

But she wasn't! Twilight managed to not blurt that out. "You are still our student, a cherished student we will do our best to educate." Twilight was sitting up proudly. "But only with your permission."

"Um." Comforting wriggled left and right. "That's why I'm here."

"I mean the sharing," burst out Twilight, correcting the misunderstanding. "I'm sorry. You must understand how fascinating this all is."

Comforting smiled, barely, a tense one. "I can imagine. Miss Sparkle, I'd like to go try those horn exercises now. Thank you for telling me about them."

It was a request to flee. One Twilight looked ready to deny for a moment, but the tension in her ebbed away gently. "Of course... Comforting, you are my student first, a filly after that, and..." She trailed off. Comforting was an absurdly interesting thing third, but she hadn't said it. She didn't really have to. "Tell Fluttershy I said hi."

"Okay." Comforting slid to her hooves, her sputtering horn getting the door open almost smoothly. Practice! "Thank you."

And she was gone.

"You know a filly named Comforting?" Luna sipped from a large mug of coffee. "She said you did, and to ask you. I had thought to ignore it, the prattling of a foal, but something about it..."

"Comforting?" Celestia frowned with thought. "I... Wait... That..."

Luna raised a brow at her sister's reaction, watching the older alicorn struggle through thoughts. "She seemed harmless. Was I wrong?"

"No! No... I... Alright..." She took a slow breath. "Luna, you are experienced with dreams." Luna nodded, not even trying to argue that. "I thought I had one, but perhaps I did not. I dreamed of a ghostly shroud, in the place between. Tired and worn. I offered it kindness, and it accepted it eagerly."

Luna inclined her head slowly. "And then?"

"And then, in the way dreams are, I was in Ponyville. Instead of a shroud, a filly stood beside me." She rubbed at the side of her head. "Thinking back on it, a lot of things didn't quite make sense, but dreams can be like that, and it would be far from the first prophetic one I ever had."

Luna nodded softly at that. "Yours are the only dreams I cannot enter. I had thought... perhaps you were guarded?"

"From you?" Celestia reached across the table, patting Luna's shoulder. "I would never, sister dear. But this filly I was speaking of, she had a name. I hadn't given it to her, and it wasn't hers to start, I feel... Comforting. I gave her to Fluttershy. I thought this was a dream."

"It was not a dream," calmly stated Luna. "I saw her. Her dream felt strange to me, but I, when I arrived, could see nothing amiss in it, just a smiling filly. She called me... pure." Luna colored a little at the memory. "Not a word usually given to me."

"But an apt one." Celestia smiled gently at her less social sister. "You visit ponies at their most vulnerable, wanting nothing but to lend a gentle hoof. Guardian of slumber, a job that requires a certain level of, shall we say, purity to do well."

Luna tapped at the table they were seated at. "Returning to the topic at hoof. This filly; the one you delivered in a sleepwalking daze. Are they safe? Should we be concerned? She seemed... harmless at a glance, but so do many dangers."

"Well, if she is troublesome, she is with Fluttershy, who is with Twilight and the others." Celestia sat upright tall and confident. "I'm certain they could handle whatever comes, and Twilight is likely to keep me updated if anything remarkable comes of it. Nothing in that dream makes me especially worried."

"You know your dreams better than I." Luna slurped down her coffee in a great gulping. "I should get back to it, speaking of that. And you should get to bed. Try not to sleepwalk this time, hm?"

"I promise nothing of the sort." Celestia snapped a floating cookie from the air. One last sweet for bed. "See you in the morning light, sister."

"I will watch over you in the moon's glow." They met in a gentle nuzzle, cheek to cheek before they went their separate ways, to work or to slumber.

"I told you." Starlight had an accusing hoof directed at Twilight. "I told you! That wasn't normal. She isn't normal. Why do we even have foals in this school?!"

"You're getting off topic," calmly advised Twilight. "She has followed the rules, gets along with the other students, and is performing adequately in her classes." She brought her hooves together in a quiet clop at her front. "As students go, I have no complaints about her."

"And yet, here you are, talking about her to the school counselor." She pointed at herself. "That's me! She knows about Equestria High?"

"She's... from another world, like that." Twilight shook her head. "But she doesn't want to focus on that, at all. She just wants to be a filly, and learn filly things, and grow up to be a good pony." She smiled awkwardly. "It's all very nice, it just brings so many questions. That's why we're here, talking."

"Because... she's a great student that's also a visitor from another dimension we don't know about?" Twilight nodded at that summary. "You know, you always could send her by." Starlight reached over, her horn making up the difference as she pulled over a bag full of marshmallows. "I've really nailed my hot cocoa recipe!"

Twilight peered at the bag of fluffy sugar. "Is that a recipe you can get wrong?"

"Yes." Starlight's expression was of flat acceptance. "You can mess it up in countless ways. But you can get it so right too. Either way, send her by, let me talk with her. We can learn more about what makes her tick."

"But that isn't the purpose of this school." Twilight waved back over her shoulder at the school as a whole. "She is a student that wants to learn friendship, and seems eager in that. We should focus on that, as teachers."

"Technically." Starlight leaned in with a sly smile. "I may be on the staff, but I'm not a teacher. I'm a counselor. There is a difference."

"Technically," echoed Twilight, copying the tone. "That means I shouldn't even be talking to you about it, since I only mentioned going over this with her teachers, which you are not."

They glared at each other a moment before Starlight turned her hooves upwards. "Alright, alright. I'll only go as fast as you let me, boss mare. Send her to me when you're ready."

"When she's ready," corrected Twilight, slipping to her hooves.

Author's Note

Comforting's past comes to the foreground a bit here. How would you protect your second chance, if one were given?

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10 - It Slips Past

That pattern. Life was like that, full of stable patterns that were so comfortably easy to get lost in, and sometimes just as frustratingly easy to lose. Comforting went to school each day, to learn and play with the other school children. She shared her progress with Diamond and sometimes Silver on the way home, and she practiced her horncraft on her comfy bed. Hers was a good life, by her measure, and the cycle lived on without objection or resistance.

She was fed by her adoptive mother, who she cared for a lot in kind, eagerly assisting wherever she could. "You look bigger." But one day, things shifted. Her mouse friend. She felt confident calling them a friend. They would come over and say hello when she fed them all. Their communication was a bit one sided, with only one of them using words, but it was a welcome one despite that.

And they didn't quite just look larger all over at the same time. "Are you alright?" And it wasn't all over exactly. "Mom?"

"Hm?" She poked her head in from outside. "Are you done?"

"Mostly, but this mouse." Comforting lifted up the balancing rodent. "Do they seem larger to you?"

"Hm." Fluttershy slipped inside for a better look. "Oh. Congratulations." The little mouse blushed, clearly able to hear Fluttershy's words with complete clarity. "This little one's going to be a mother soon."

"Oh!" Comforting's eyes went wide. She knew what that meant. She just wasn't used to the process being played out in a house mouse. "Wow... Does..." She thought the mouse had been a he. She had been entirely wrong. "Does she need anything?"

"Love and care, which you are providing." She leaned in, cocking her head as the little expecting mother of a mouse whispered something to her in its little squeaks. "She says thank you for being such a lovely friend, and she's sorry she scared you before."

"I forgave that a long time ago." Comforting went in, her face close enough for the little mouse to touch whiskers to, the two affirming their friendship without words. "That other mouse must be your husband?"

Fluttershy nodded as the reply came. "Oh, yes. They are a happy couple. She came once when he hurt his leg. That's why she came back when she knew children were coming." She began to blush softly. "She was sure I'd help if anything went wrong."

"You're an animal doctor and birth attendant? My mom's amazing!" Comforting threw up the hoof that didn't have a mouse on it.

Fluttershy giggled at the praise. "And you are my assistant. Thank you for that. An extra set of hooves is quite handy."

Comforting set the expecting mouse down carefully. "You take care of yourself." Though, she supposed, that was already happening. That was why she had come to Fluttershy.

"How are you going, with your magic?" Fluttershy was gently nudging the mother mouse towards her home, the hole in the wall she and her family were living in.

"Better!" Comforting bounced with a great smile. "Look." She glanced around before, yep, that'd do. She grabbed a stool, her horn glowing, and not flickering wildly. She brought the hovering stool over for Fluttershy. "See?"

"Oh my, very good." She reached out, setting a hoof on the stool, resting at first, but then trying to nudge it, testing Comforting's strength. "You've come a long way."

Comforting's strength had limits, and she didn't try to press that hard in reply before the stool was knocked back to the ground. "Practice pr--Oh no!" The stool didn't like being knocked out of the air. One of its legs was at a different angle than it had been. She reached for it, trying her best to get it back in place, but something had broke.

"Oh dear..." Fluttershy gently hefted it up and turned it slowly. "That was my fault. I'll get it fixed." She sighed gently. "What I get for playing with something that can break like that."

"I'm the one that picked it up," defended Comforting. "Don't beat yourself up, Mom." The idea of making her loving pegasus mom sad did not sit well with Comforting. "I'll get it fixed."

Fluttershy shook her head slowly. "That needs bits, Comforting. I don't think you have any of those. Leave it to me." She began walking away, the stool balanced on her back. "I'll take care of it."

But there was someone Comforting knew that did have bits! The next day she kept her eyes open and homed in on her target. "Hello, Diamond!"

"Hey." There was Diamond, with Silver. "How are things going? You floating things around yet?"

"Ooo, show us!" encouraged Silver, clopping her hooves.

"I lifted something I shouldn't have, and it got... broke." Comforting pointed out of town towards Fluttershy's cottage. "A stool. Fluttershy is sad about it. Can you help me fix it?"

Diamond hiked a brow. "What was it, a family heirloom or something?"

"It must have been, like, really expensive." Silver nodded along with her own thoughts.

"Just a stool..." It wasn't a special stool, so far Comforting knew. "But it was hers, and I broke it, and I feel... just bad about it."

Diamond set a hoof on Comforting's shoulder. "Alright alright. Let's go get this stool, then we can go get it fixed." She led the way of the three filly band towards Comforting's home. "So how strong are you now?"

Comforting considered that as they went. "Um..." There, a rock. She reached for it with her mind and hefted it into the air, the rock and her horn glowing, even if she was pretty sure only she could see that glow. "There." She brought the moderate-sized rock over for Diamond to see, confident she couldn't hurt... a rock.

Diamond prodded at the rock from one side. Silver was doing much the same from the other, both earth foals a little bedazzled at unicorn magic, but that faded quickly. "Not bad," judged Diamond. "So, gonna do magic?" Her eyebrows waggled with a smile.

"Maybe," squeaked out Comforting. "Let's fix the stool."

They arrived to find Fluttershy talking amiably with her bear friend. Diamond advanced forward without fear. "Hey, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy blinked, looking around until Diamond came into view. "Hello there. How can I help you?" Confusion was clear, but that vanished on seeing Comforting. "Are you two friends? How lovely."

"Us three," noted Silver with a giggle.

Diamond tossed her head towards the house. "Still got that broken stool? We're gonna get it fixed."

Fluttershy blinked softly. "Oh. But... I said I'd handle it." She curled a hoof back on herself. "Comforting doesn't have bits."

"But I do," noted Diamond oh so confidently. "And I'm her friend, so I'm helping out." She flashed a great big smile. "Because that's what friends do."

Silver threw a hoof over Diamond. "See, she's learning!"

Fluttershy giggled softly, but looked pleased. "I'm glad to hear that. Well... if you insist." She trotted off into the house, coming back out with that stool carried in her wings. "Here you are. I'd like it to be repaired only, not improved. It's fine just the way it is... just not broken."

Comforting's horn began to glow as she carefully lifted the stool once more. "I'll be super careful!"

"I trust you will be." Fluttershy patted her eager daughter gently. "Now go ahead."

And so it was that the fillies proceeded to Quills and Sofas, the local furniture but also stationary store! He whistled at seeing the stool. "That is busted. You want a new one?"

Diamond and Silver looked ready to agree to that, but comforting waggled the broken stool. "I want this fixed. Mom wants this fixed. Can you fix it?"

"Hm." He circled the hovering stool. "It shouldn't be too hard. Just one leg came loose." Davenport, the merchant of the place, took the largest part of the stool in his mouth and carried it away. "That'll be eight bits."

Diamond counted out the coins and left it on the main counter. "It wouldn't be much more to just get a whole new stool."

Comforting set her hooves together. "But that wouldn't be the same stool. That is a part of her home, and I broke it. I want to fix it, and her home, not change it." She did not sound much like a filly at that point.

A point noticed by the two others with some confusion. Silver inclined her head. "A stool's a stool. It'd look the same. Most of them, like, look the same." She waved at the great big stack of wood-grained stools available. "How would she even know?"

Diamond shrugged. "Maybe it was a gift or something. Either way, we're getting it fixed." She had a bit more of a clue, but the empathy was clearly not entirely there. "Hey, how long will it take?"

"Shouldn't..." There were a few strikes, a hammer on wood? "Take too long. A few minutes?"

Diamond nodded towards Comforting. "See? Handled. We'll make Fluttershy happy."

From Comforting's smile, that made her happy too. "Good. I'm sorry I damaged her things, even by accident." A quiet settled for a moment. "Do you want to hear about magic?"

Diamond leaned in. "I would."

Comforting quirked an unsure smile. "I feel odd, talking to you about it. Isn't it a little showing off, talking about magic? You don't do magic."

Silver poked at Diamond a little. "She's not, like, all wrong. Why do you want to hear about her magic?"

Diamond warded off the poking hoof. "Because she's a friend and friends support friends. Besides, I want to see what magic she learns."

Comforting suddenly grabbed Diamond, hugging the older filly tight. "You're such a good friend! I read about it." She released the surprised rich filly. "I read a lot. I'm going to start actually practicing it, now that... Oh!"

"Oh?" Diamond raised a brow. "Thought of something?"

"Can you see this?!" She willed her horn to glow as brightly as it could, becoming warm with the rush of her magic.

Both fillies were looking up at her horn, an answer before any words were said. Comfort began to giggle with building joy. She had done it! She was glowing!

Silver joined the laugh. "Your magic's the same color as your eyes." A soft brown shade wafting from the working horn.

"That's pretty normal." Diamond nodded slowly. "Which means mine, if I were a unicorn, would probably be blue." She pointed to her bright blue eyes for emphasis. "Can you change the color?"

That was a fine question! Comforting looked up at the brown glow and wriggled in place, grunting as she tried to flex things inside to achieve a-- "Ooo!" She had gone a bright cherry red. That wasn't what she was aiming for, but it was another color. "Look!"

Diamond clopped in a slow gold clap. "There you go. I knew you could do it. Will it be that color from now on?"

That was a surprising question. Surprising enough that her glow cut out abruptly. "I don't... think so?" She looked up at her own horn, willing the glow back. Soft brown, as it had started. "Nope! Brown is my color."

Silver leaned forward, eyes up on the horn. "That's kind of neat, having a color. Like, unfair. I want a color!"

Comforting got an idea. She wrapped her telekinetic gripper around Silver, but without much force. Than... She flexed... that way... Then.... Mmm... Just....

"Ooo!" Silver began to dance in place. "I have a color!" She was glowing a bright blue shade. Comforting had meant for red again. That would take practice. "Are you doing this?" She couldn't see Comforting's horn glowing with magic, only the light she specifically set out to make. To her, it was not at all obvious what unicorn was doing the trick, other than a good educated guess.

"Duh." Diamond poked at Comforting, laughing. "Nice trick. Blue is one of her favorite colors."

Silver began to blush vividly. "Hey!" But they laughed, all three of them. The stool soon came back out, mission accomplished. They would be able to return a repaired stool to Fluttershy.

Author's Note

There, I did it. One chapter with very little scene jumping. Better?

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11 - I See You

"Others were more bothered." It was Harmony, calmly standing there. She didn't breathe. She didn't blink. She was still. Well, she was a tree? If a tree pretended to be a pony, that was a pretty good description of what Comforting was seeing. Grasping that idea made it more comfortable in a way. Harmony was trying their best, likely. It would be rude to berate them on doing a surprisingly good job, for a tree. "None of them asked me to come back."

"Hello," chimed Comforting, smiling at her odd friend that only visited in dreams. "Can you come when I'm awake or is that not a thing?"

"If you are in the right place," advised Harmony. "It is easier when you are dreaming. Are you being polite?"

"I hope I am!" Comforting dashed around Harmony, looking her over. "You do a really good Twilight impersonation, like Ocellus."

"Some say changelings came from a tree." Harmony did not turn to face her as Comforting dashed about her, happy enough to remain still and wait for the filly to run back into view. "There could be truth to it. You feel more like one of mine than last time. Is this a life you enjoy?"

"Yes," cried Comforting without doubt in her voice. "I have a mother that loves me, and friends that care about me, and there's so much to learn, but no pressure. I'm learning because I want to learn." Her little horn began to glow its soft brown shade. "I'm a child again, and I'm enjoying it."

"And the company? You do not mind that you are the only of your kind?" Harmony inclined her head, but her eyes didn't waver, staring out into the distance. "That doesn't bother you?"

"I'm not that anymore." Comforting waved that away. "I had a whole life of being human, a long one... A good one, I say... No regrets, but it's done. Now I'm a little pony." She lowered her front, tail wagging as if she were about to pounce something. "I will make the best of this one."

"A good attitude." A faint smile touched her lips. "But it is not perfect, this life. No life can be."

"A perfect life sounds incredibly boring." Comforting pounced forward, getting closer to Harmony, not that the tree spirit seemed bothered by the motion. "Perfectly boring. I don't need a lot of excitement, but I also don't need that. This, right now, is a good balance." She nodded as she thought of it. Her new life was sedate and calm, but had new things and experiences. It was a fine ratio.

"Your past means nothing to you?" There was a question in the voice, but little emotion.

"Not nothing..." Comforting rubbed at one of her little cheeks before grinning at the tree that was a pony. "But I can't go back, right? So what would... What else can I do? Thank you for coming back!" She suddenly clapped her hooves. "I'm happy you did. You can visit again. I go to the school of friendship, have you heard of it?"

"I have. It is a place of me. A place that draws creatures together." Harmony leaned forward. "I had not planned, or saw, a human being one of those creatures, but you are a happy student there. A willing captive, as you said."

"Not a bit of resistance," half-sang Comforting, wiggling her hooves as if she were caught in a net. "Just waiting for the friendship spider to notice I was there and pump me full of its terrible poisons."

"I would never." Not that Harmony sounded very offended. Emotions were not a thing they were very good at.

"Yes you would," argued Comforting with a great smile, clearly not having much fear of those venoms. "Question! Are you a girl? Do you have a gender?"

It grew quiet. Too quiet. Harmony was looking off the distance, as she tended to do, unmoving, unspeaking.

"Was that a rude question? Sorry..." Comforting shrank a bit in fear she had offended her god-like friend. "I was just curious."

"To have a gender," spoke Harmony, suddenly resuming life. "I have to seek a partner to create life with. I do not do this."

"That's still a gender," giggled Comforting. "You're asexual, and that's alright, well, part of it. It doesn't tell me if you identify as a girl, boy, neither, something else?"

Harmony leaned forward, nose twitching faintly as if trying to discern some scent. "No pony has ever asked this of me. One moment." And Harmony vanished entirely. Comforting's dreams just resumed as if nothing had happened. Imagine her surprise when her swim through whip cream to negotiate a peace treaty with the devils was interrupted by Harmony returning. "I am both."

"Oh!" Harmony wetly splat to the ground, shaking off the whipped cream from her aborted dream. "Hello. It's nice to know, just to know. I don't know good pronouns for that though, hm... Do you prefer he, she, they? It?" She curled a hoof to her chin. "I sound very silly right now, but I want to address you respectfully."

"You are very thoughtful for a filly. Those titles are all fine." Clearly Harmony did not have a very strong attachment to their gender. "I will not be offended with any of them. I should go, and you should finish your sleep."

"See you next time!" Comforting got out a spirited wave before she was distracted. Her dreams had returned, and she had to make sure the house was cleaned or the bees would become agitated. It made perfect sense, in the dream.

Comforting was sitting at a school desk, but it wasn't a class, at least, not a class filled with students. It was just her and her teacher. She was smiling brightly with her book spread open before her, hoof on the page. "I have most of the letters down."

Twilight looked surprised. "I... what? I expected you to come to me after you got glowing and telekinesis under control."

Comforting tapped at the book with increasing excitement. "I'm doing that now. I can glow." Her horn began to glow a soft brown over the area. "And I can lift." She plucked up an apple from the desk behind Twilight, bringing it closer. It glowed brown too, though Comforting was starting to see the difference in glows she could see and glows everypony could see. "Ta da?"

"Very good!" Twilight applauded the mastery of young unicorn skills. "Can you keep it steady?" She angled her horn at the apple. "Perfectly still, to the count of ten."

"I'll try." Comforting stared at the apple, willing it to stay perfectly in place. Twilight was counting out loud. 1, 2... 3... She made it to six before the apple wavered, a little bob. "Aw."

"No, very good." Twilight resumed her applause. "Six seconds, not bad at all. Only time and practice can extend that. For your age and time spent learning, you're doing quite well." The apple's glow changed colors as Twilight easily replaced Comforting's will with her own. It was an odd sensation, as if someone had slipped their hand under hers and nudged her away. She had no grip on the apple anymore. Twilight set it down on Comforting's desk. "And you already want to learn your first spell?"

Comforting joined in the clapping, pleased at the praise. "If I may?" She tapped at the open book, set to the page that started the instructions on the first spell. "I was thinking of trying it myself... but thought better of it. Magic's... a big deal, and having a skilled user around in case I make a mistake, or even better to stop me from that, sounds good."

"A mature outlook." Twilight hiked a brow at her responsible student. Still, a good thing by most measures. "You said you learned most of the letters, so show me a Ghu." Comforting's glow shifted subtly. "And a Reh?" A new faint variation.

Comforting raised a hoof. "How can you see what I'm doing? I'm not glowing."

"Hm?" Twilight perked up, ears going up. "Oh. I can feel the magic you're... It comes naturally in time, but I don't see anything. Do you? That remains an interesting ability. But back to the task at hoof." She set her hoof on Comforting's little horn. "Do you know how to go from one letter to the next?"

"No." Comforting was not at all hesitant to admit what she didn't know. "Can you show me?"

"I think I can, especially since you can see magic." Her horn began to glow the dim color only Comforting could see. "Ghu." And it shifted instead of stopping and starting. "Reh. Ghu-Reh." She demonstrated how one flowed to the next. "This is a standard transition, used most often, but there are others."

"Ghu-Reh." Comforting stuck out her tongue a little, snout scrunching with concentration as she performed her best Ghu and tried to smoothly slip over to a Reh.

"Not quite. Now... I know you are very eager to try this spell, and I can't blame you." She giggled suddenly. "I remember learning my first spells. I was so excited." She clasped her hooves together. "I couldn't control myself, but I ask you to do exactly that. Practice transitioning from letter to letter instead. I know that's not nearly as fun, but..."

"Okay." Comforting deflated a little, given more homework before the fun could really begin. "Thank you. At least I know I'm getting closer."

Twilight demonstrated a Ghu-Reh with her horn. "Since you've seen what it 'looks' like, you know what yours should look like. When it looks more like mine, we can proceed." She waggled a hoof at Comforting. "That's quite an advantage. Maybe your cutie mark will be magic related." She leaned to peer at Comforting's blank flank. It could become anything...

"Maybe." Comforting was far from convinced, even if eager to learn more. "I will practice, promise. Oh! I did learn a little spell."

"You did?!" blurted Twilight in disbelief. "Please, demonstrate," she hastily said, trying to calm herself. She pointed at the apple right there in front of Comforting. "On that, if it's a valid target?"

Comforting bid the apple glow, and it did. "Very nice, but that's not a spell," noted Twilight. "Still, very nice. Good work." Even as her teacher applauded gently, Comforting was focusing on twisting things just right. Much like her eyes seemed to change colors depending on the angle they were viewed, the glow shifted suddenly, becoming a deep purple. "Oh! Oh? Oh..." Twilight leaned in at the new color. "That... How did you do that?"

Her confusion was enough to distract Comforting, the glow stopping. "Did I do it wrong?"

"N-no... If you meant to change the color." Twilight pawed at the ground with obvious thought. "Can you change it again?" Which Comforting obediently did, shifting the apple from brown to yellow to a pale pink. "Remarkable... That should be a spell, but you're not..." Twilight sat back, crossing her arms, one hoof bobbling. "A talent. You didn't use any letters, right?"

"Nope." Comforting let the glow fade. "Talents are normal, right?"

"They are," quickly got out Twilight. "Don't feel bad, just know that most unicorns don't change their colors on their own. It may shift with their mood, or over time, but their color is their color, minus using a spell, which you aren't." Her horn glowed with its raspberry shade. "My magic used to be lighter, but became darker over time. It was a natural shift, not forced or caused by me, though I could..." Her glow shifted subtly, a spell being cast, and her horn became lime green colored in its glow. "Ta da! There is a spell for that."

Comforting giggled, clopping her hooves in applause for the trick, even if it was one she knew how to do. "How do you control which color?"

Twilight's brows went up. "The answer I use wouldn't work for you. I'm casting a spell, you are not. You'll have to explore your talent. Sorry to say, but practice practice--"

"--practice," finished Comforting with a wry smile. Some things were universal, even in a new universe.

"I know what's going on." Rarity looked quite smug. "I'll talk with her tomorrow and clear this entire thing up, dears."

Author's Note

Rarity, you can't end a chapter like that! Sheesh...

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12 - Generous Overview

"So glad you could make it, darling." Rarity fluttered her lashes at the small filly in her classroom. "I know this is extra. We already had class today." She leaned in a little, looking over Comforting. "And you are quite the studious little thing, especially for your age. And while I have no objection to an attentive student, really dear, it does make me wonder." She raised a hoof to her chin. "I know Fluttershy, precious thing, wouldn't press very hard, but before her?"

"Before her?" Comforting inclined her little head. Technically, there was no before her, at least in her little pony life. "Nobody was mean to me. I just want to learn." The first time she had gone to school was so different, and with very different motivations. "Did you want to ask about that?"

"Oh, no darling, sorry. I'm getting off topic and we've scarcely begun." She laughed at herself, but also was coming in closer. "Turn your head a little, kindly."

Comforting obediently did just that, even if she was a little unsure why.

"What I thought!" Rarity looked like she had been proven right about something.

"What did you think? Oh!" She perked up, bringing her hooves together. "Did you want to see the color changing?"

"I did, actually. What a perceptive little filly." She patted Comforting gently as a bit of chalk floated over to land on Comforting's desk. "You can use that."

Comforting tried to take the chalk from Rarity, but found that the ease that Twilight had done it was a ruse. Twilight was a very advanced unicorn. Comforting was not. Her magic tried to slip in as it felt like had been done to her, but Rarity's grip was sure.

It was only after Rarity noticed that she allowed Comforting to supplant her arcane grip, the color that only Comforting could see shifting from Rarity to Comforting colors. "Sorry, didn't know you needed to hold it, dear."

"It helps." She hadn't learned enough magic usage to really project herself outside of holding things. With that connection, she could... The chalk began to glow a soft blue, visible to all.

"Lovely, but not your usual color, I'm told?" Rarity examined the blue-glowing chalk, which became a brown-glowing chalk in short order. "Ah, there. It all makes perfect sense, dear, and nothing to be surprised at, I dare say."

She sat back, directing a hoof at Comforting's eyes as a mirror floated into view. "It's all in the eyes. Many unicorns have a color related to their eyes, though it isn't a guaranteed thing."

Comforting gazed into her own eyes, thanks to the power of that hand mirror, floating in its Rarity magical glow. Rarity was angling it around, and Comfort caught it, her hazel eye's colors shifting with those varied angles. "See?" Rarity leaned in close enough to be next to the mirror instead of behind it.

"Eee!" Comforting backed away from the suddenly close to her Rarity. Rarity did that, invading personal space at times. Comforting burst into laughter, just as quickly getting over it. "You surprised me."

"Sorry dear." She sat up properly, drawing herself and the mirror away. "Your magic is tied to your eyes, like most unicorns, and your eyes change colors. Why, I bet if you tried with a mirror in hoof, you could make your eyes change colors about as easily as you make your magic change color. It's all perfectly logical, the way I see it."

Comforting set down her chalk and reached instead for the mirror. When Rarity released it, Comforting brought it closer to study herself as she turned in place, examining the way the colors shifted. "Do you think?"

"Only one way to be certain, dear." Rarity beckoned gently. "Go ahead. I promise I won't tell if it goes wrong."

"Yes you will," corrected Comforting, but she tried anyway. With no glow at all, she just focused on her eyes, trying to twist things the--She gasped with amazement. Her eyes had gone blue, but that faded back to brownish the moment she was surprised and stopped concentrating on it.

"And proven." Rarity looked quite pleased with her deductive reasoning. "Both of your talents may be related, they often are."

"Both?" Comforting rubbed at the side of her head, close to her eye, but not pressing the hoof against the sensitive orb.

"I was told you can see magic. It's all eye related, dear." Rarity pointed at those hazel peepers. "Your eyes are the center part of your talents. You don't have two talents, not exactly. You have one, very special eyes, and it's a delightful talent to have, and far less rare than having two separate talents."

Comforting half-fell and half-slid to the floor. "Thank you, Miss Rarity." She offered a little hoof at the larger teacher. "That's actually a relief. I was worried I was... a bit odd."

"Only in good ways," assured Rarity. "Every pony is special in their own way." She met the small hoof with her own in a clop of solidarity. "Yours just happens to involve an enchanting set of eyes. I can respect that. My eyes are central to what I do, but they aren't, themselves, special." She leaned in, but to display her eyes instead of shoving into Comforting's field of view.

"They are a lovely blue." Not the same shade Comforting had given to herself, which had been more of a dark satin blue. She tried to focus on Rarity's blue, staring into them, getting lost in them.

Rarity recoiled with a squeak. "Oh my, dear! That is quite uncanny." Comforting had matched Rarity's blue fairly well. "Not to offend, dear. I'd be just as surprised if a changeling went and turned into me suddenly."

Which only got Comforting thinking. "I should talk to Ocellus. We have something in common!"

Rarity raised a hoof, only for it to lower again. "Huh. You may not be wrong, dear. You can only change one of your various parts, but it's still a change. Perhaps you and Ocellus do have notes to compare." A kind smile spread on her lips. "If it works the same way, she may even have some tips for you. That would be delightful."

With one mystery set behind them, Comforting scampered off with a parting wave, happier for the gained knowledge of herself. Rarity let out a hmm as she got to cleaning up with bits of her magic, grabbing things and setting them in order. She set the last ponyquin in place, the room clean and sorted. "Let's chat." And off she went to have a faculty meeting.

"Wow!" Ocellus was watching her friend change the colors of their eyes, only the ring of the iris, sure, but it was more than most ponies could manage at all. Her eyes began to change with them, Ocellus matching Comforting shift to shift and the two giggling cheerfully at one another. "I never met a pony that changed like a, well, me."

"It's a little change," admitted Comforting. "But I thought of you." She sat back, eyes back to the default brownish. "I'm still trying to get specific colors down right."

"That's so hard!" Ocellus threw up her hooves with a shared pain. "It took me forever to get that right!"

"It's not just me?" Comforting leaned in at that shared fact. "I thought a changeling would get it so easy."

"Nuh huh." Ocellus shook her head quickly. "We make it look easy, but it takes a lot of practice."

That dread word... It came up so often. "Any tips?"

"Well..." With a rush of flames, Ocellus became a second Comforting, smiling at the original. "Let me be you first and..." Being her, she could change the colors of her eyes without the little flames coming with them. "Cool! I like it." She burst into giggles, pleased at Comforting's body. "You have neat eyes! I didn't even think of trying this. Who would?"

"I didn't! It was Rarity's idea," gushed Comforting with a huge smile, clearly more happy with her doppelganger than offended or upset by it. "So... You're doing it, does that mean it's similar?"

"It is!" Ocellus leaned in, touching noses and gazing, hazel to hazel eyes. "Similar. Not exactly the same, but close enough. I will take you under a wing... which I don't have right now, and show you the ropes, which I also don't have."

Changelings, were, perhaps, not the best at that kind of language, and it drove Comforting to louder bits of giggles. "You're great!" She grabbed her twin, hugging her firmly and getting a hug in kind. "After school?"

"After school." Ocellus became her usual self with a rush of flames. Despite hugging, the flames didn't burn, or even feel very hot, a little warm? "Aren't you still learning how to use your horn? That's a lot of things to learn at once. You sure you can keep up?"

Comforting bobbed her head. "I can handle it." Only for a talon to close around her snout. "Mm?"

"Nuh uh." There was Gallus, casually pinching her snout closed. "You're about to pull a Twilight on us, and we already have one of those, so I'm returning the extra." He released Comforting. "Pick one thing to do, the others can wait their turns."

Comforting backed quickly from Gallus with a scowl, rubbing her formerly grabbed snoot. "Don't do that," she muttered perhaps a bit more darkly than her little frame would imply.

Ocellus nodded at Gallus quickly. "He's not wrong. You're doing a lot. We don't want you to get all stressed out." She flashed a fanged changeling smile. "I'll be here, promise, whenever you want to go over colors. But don't rush it."

"Only yaks can do so much." Yona nodded sagaciously. "You good pony, but not yak. Slow down."

So it was that Comforting was pinned down under the words of her friends and began to giggle. "Alright alright!" Her friends would not allow her to take on more than she should, and she only felt happier, knowing that. "You're all the best." She spread her small arms and soon was in the center of a great big group hug. "I wanna learn spells, so that first, at least my first one. Eyes after that."

"Alright." Ocellus turned away. "We should get to class then. Good luck with... Oh hey! I know spells." She tapped at her horn rapidly. "I could help with that."

Comforting's eyes widened. What an amazing friend Ocellus was turning out to be. "Thank you! Let's do some magic!" They met, hoof to hoof, and trotted off to do some learning at school.

Gallus hiked a thumb at where the two wandered off chatting animatedly. "Two bits on her burning out."

"Deal." Smolder took up that bet. "She's manic, but she's tough too! She'll make it."

Yak frowned at the two. "We should help, not bet on her needing help."

Smolder raised her hands. "Hey, I'll lend a hand, but I'm not turning down two easy bits on her not needing our help."

"And I'm not turning down two easy bits on her crying her little foal eyes out, sparkly or whatever." Gallus shrugged softly at the idea. "We'll be here either way, not throwing her out."

Sandbar rubbed at the side of his face. "Not fair."

Yona looked back to him quickly. "What not fair?"

"She gets two talents and I don't even have one." He pawed at the ground in clear agitation.

Silverstream set a hand on his withers. "Aw, don't be like that. You're super talented!"

Yona bounced in place, making the ground rumble in the motion. "Agree with Silverstream, Sandbar very talented! One of best ponies Yona knows." The two females nodded in unison, agreeing that Sandbar was a very good pony.

Silverstream stroked at her beak. "Besides, you're normal, a good kinda normal. You're the only normal pony in our whole group."

Gallus shrugged at that with a little laugh. "Somepony has to be the straight creature, right? Guess that's you, Sandy."

Sandy grunted softly at being named the straight creature, but they went off. There was class to get to.

Author's Note

Rarity is awful pleased with herself, but so is Comforting.

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13 - Two Horns, One Magic

"You have an advantage." Ocellus was smiling, she often did when she wasn't nervous about something.

Comforting inclined her head. "What advantage? The eye thing?"

"The eye thing!" cried Ocellus in agreement. "The flex you have to do to change colors there is close to the right one you need to do magic."

Comforting clopped her little hooves on either side of her head. "Why is everything related to my eyes?"

"Luck?" Ocellus shrugged softly. "But it means you just have to work on going from one color to the next, smoothly." She coiled on herself and drew out a rainbow, a drawing of one. "When you can go all the way from here." She pointed at the purple part. "To here." She pointed to the red side. "No skips, no jumps, nice and smooth, you'll be taking care of two things at the same time."

Comforting began to clap with obvious excitement. "If they're similar, then we should go over the eye tricks. The things I learn there, I can use up here." She pointed up to her horn.

"Most ponies can't do that." Ocellus wobbled from left to right. "They don't shapeshift, at all, even their eyes, so how much those line up doesn't help them much." She considered visibly a moment. "Are you really alright?"

"Why would I not be alright?"

"I mean... with me? I've turned into you, twice now! Doesn't that... bother you? It bothers most others..." Ocellus worked her hooves together, nervousness building rapidly. "I don't mean to bother you."

They reminded Comforting of Rarity jumping back with surprise when she managed her eye color. "I... know how you feel. Besides, seeing me is... not new." She could remember when she was in two places, one an old lady, one a filly. She could see both sides, looking at one another. They were both her, though each was their own person, in that instant. She shuddered softly, unsure how to feel about that. "I know what it's like, to scare someone like that."

"How?" Ocellus was leaning very close, but she wasn't a scary thing. It was hard to be scared of the little changebug, even when she was invading Comforting's personal space, while Ocellus was so busy being scared of Comforting. "How can you know?"

Comforting tapped at one of her eyes as it changed colors with each tap. "I matched Rarity's eyes, and it scared her. She recovered... but it scared her... It wasn't good, knowing I made her flinch like that."

"You do know," admitted Ocellus in a weary sigh. "I really don't like that, when somecreature gets scared of me. I don't want to scare anycreature."

Comforting offered a hoof and soon had an Ocellus to hug gently. "Well, you can thank Discord."

"Discord?!" Ocellus danced away. "How did he help? Helping is not a thing he does a lot unless your name is Fluttershy."

"Who is my mom." Comforting nodded with the confidence that it all made sense.

Which spread to Ocellus. "Wow, neat. So he's nice to you?"

"I've only seen him a few times." She put her hooves close together. "But he seems nice." Not even the only force of nature she met, as she thought about it. "But he let me see me before I met you, so seeing me again wasn't a first thing."

"I've seen me!" Ocellus clapped softly. "You just can't grow up a changeling and not see yourself at least once, and probably a few times." She leaned in close at Comforting, sending her scrambling back a few steps. "You have more in common with a changeling than I first guessed."

Comforting recovered quickly, even bursting into a little giggle, imagining a bunch of little changelings becoming one of their number just for fun. "That must get very confusing."

"A little." Ocellus bobbed her head. "But it's good practice. Just like you're going to get." She tapped at her own head. "Get those eyes the right color, no magic."

"Aw." That was literally the opposite of her original plan! "Why does it all take so much practice?" she grumbled as she sat down, drawing out a hand mirror in her magic.

"Not sure." Ocellus shrugged at the philosophical question. "But it does. Let's go over some stuff." And she did her best to tutor Comforting on how to change, like a changeling, even if she could only do so with one specific bodypart.

"Snack time!" A time later, Fluttershy nudged open the door with her snout. "Something for the both of you." She came in, a platter held above her head on her wings. "You two are working so very hard."

Ocellus hopped up to an upright and proper position as Fluttershy came in. "Ma'am!"

Fluttershy blinked. "We're not in school. I'm just Fluttershy right now."

"Oh..." Ocellus crashed to her haunches.

Comforting giggled softly. "What'd you bring, mom?"

"Just some snacks." And down came the tray, revealing a variety of cookies and granola type offerings. "Don't want to ruin your appetite for a proper dinner. How are things going in here?"

Both young creatures grabbed a cookie in their magic, chomping with pleased looks on their face. "Thank you." Comforting nodded at her caretaker. "Ocellus has been showing me tricks, to change better."

"Oh, yes." As if Fluttershy had just been reminded. "So it is like a changeling?"

Ocellus raised a hoof. "Exactly the same! Except one teeny part." She pointed to her own eye. With a rush of flames, the eye became feline, long and pointed, then a wide bar like a goat, and back to a nice normal round thing. "And just colors... I think?"

That was a new idea entirely. Comforting brought her mirror over and tried to imagine having those odd eyes, like a cat or a goat, but her eyes refused to be anything other than round, though the colors shifted with her attempts, varying a bit wildly in her flailing.

"Oh, my." Fluttershy could see the wild colorations going on. "How interesting! Does that hurt?"

"Nope!" Comforting reached out a hoof just to do a slow circle over her own head. "Like stretching in new ways, but it doesn't hurt. Well maybe a little... like stretching in new ways!"

Ocellus nibbled away at the cookie held in both of her hooves. "I remember that, but it goes away with practice... like stretching in a new way!" They both giggled at the shared joke.

"Well, I'm glad you have a friend to help you with this." Fluttershy nodded at Ocellus. "And thank you for taking your time with this. I'm sure you have other things you could be doing."

"She's a friend." Ocellus offered a hoof instead of going for a hug. That worked better to secure said hug, squeezing Comforting close. "I like helping friends, and it's really nice to have a pony that understands what it's like to be a changeling, even a little."

Which only inspired questions in Comforting. "How little can you get?"

Ocellus hummed softly. "I never tried that, specifically, um, how about..." A rush of flames and Rarity's cat was there instead. "That?" Rarity's cat couldn't talk, but Ocellus still could.

"Kitty!" Comforting gently patted the changeling-turned-cat. "That's so cool."

Fluttershy giggled at the demonstration. "Don't show that one to Rarity."

"I won't!" With a rush of flames, Ocellus returned to her usual self, still being patted but not really seeming to mind it much. "Show Fluttershy how you're doing."

"Oh, right!" Comforting looked to Fluttershy, meeting eye to eye. Not in a challenging way, but how else did one show off their colors? She bounced from Red to Green to Blue. "Ocellus taught me to start with the primaries. They really are easier."

Fluttershy applauded the progress. "Very good, Comforting. I like your natural color the best. You're delightful just as you are."

"Aw." Comforting burst into fresh giggles. "Thanks, but I do want to learn that. Um, apparently magic isn't that different, so figuring this out will make magic easier."

Fluttershy was looking to Ocellus. "That goes for you too."

Ocellus blinked widely, a trick changelings were good at. "What goes for me?"

"You are perfect just the way you are." She brought a hoof down to pat Ocellus as Comforting had a moment before. "While you both can change, you're also great at the start."

Ocellus took her turn to giggle much as Comforting had. "Thanks!" She hopped once towards the door. "I should get going though."

"You are welcome to have dinner here." Fluttershy extended a hoof. "It's the least I can offer for helping Comforting."

"Are you sure?" Ocellus glanced at Comforting, who was busy bobbing her head. Fluttershy was just smiling. "Well... alright..."

So a proper dinner was had with company. Fluttershy chewed softly on her food at the front table. "Ocellus, you said Comforting's changes were like yours?"

"Yep!" Ocellus cried out. "Exactly the same. If she were a changeling, she'd already know how to do it, some of it. A little bit of it." She held up two hooves together.

Fluttershy considered Comforting as if from a new angle. "Do you think you have some changeling in you?"

Comforting blinked at the idea. "I don't know. Would that be bad?" She waved at Ocellus. "The changelings I know seem pretty nice."

That got a happy smile out of Ocellus. "We try to be!"

"And most of you do a very good job." Fluttershy took a little drink from a cup. "It's so nice, that we can have all these creatures, together." She smiled warmly at the two of them. "And that my foal would become friends with them all so quickly! I didn't expect that."

"They're fun," argued Comforting a bit defensively. "I like them all, in different ways. I'm still not sure how to get through to Gallus and Smolder... They have a tough outer shell."

"Scales," advised Ocellus in one pointed word. "She is covered in scales, and they're very tough."

Comforting burst into new giggles. "Not like that! I mean getting to know them. You, I understand."

Ocellus blossomed into a bright shade of red. "You do?"

"Not entirely," admitted Comforting with a shrug. "I never met your family, or know what your favorite color is, but us..." She waved a hoof between herself and Ocellus. "I feel like we see eye to eye. I like you."

"I like you too." Ocellus snapped up some of her food. "And this is really good. Thanks!"

"You're quite welcome." Fluttershy ate slowly, the most mature in the room when it came to how she ate. "Do you want a walk home afterwards? It's a little distance away."

Comforting waggled a hoof excitedly. "Let me! I'd love to see Ponyville at night, or evening." It wasn't quite night yet.

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy raised a brow at her eager foal. "You want to walk alone, back from the dorms?"

But Comforting was waving that off with a pfft. "It's through Ponyville. Ponyville isn't scary." That she was not Fluttershy was clear. "I'll be careful, promise." She hopped down to all fours. "Let's go, Ocellus!"

"Oh, okay!" She slid down to join Comforting. "Thank you, um, miss Fluttershy." Calling her just Fluttershy was a thing Ocellus couldn't do without thought.

"You're quite welcome. Be safe, both of you." She watched as the two fillies vanished out the door. "I hope this goes well..." She stepped to the window to see Comforting trotting towards the town next to Ocellus. It looked like the two were talking, but the words were quite lost through the window and the distance involved. "You do look happy." Fluttershy smiled, seeing how much joy her child had in walking alongside Ocellus. "I should... relax... It is just Ponyville." She turned away from the window. "They'll be back before I even know it."

She got to cleaning up the table from what the foals had left behind. They were dear and darling things, but they had rushed out so quickly that there was quite a mess for her to handle. Such was the fate of being a caretaker. "Just come back safe... Maybe I should have gone with them."

Author's Note

A refreshing evening stroll!

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14 - Night on the Town

Comforting walked alongside Ocellus with a big smile. "I don't think I've seen your house."

"The dorms?" Ocellus seemed to consider that. "I don't think you have. You don't live at the school like we do." She leaned in. "It's alright, none of the ponies do."

"Even Sandbar?" Comforting hopped up on a small stone and started following the column alongside the road.

"He doesn't have to... But he does. I think he just enjoys being with us." Ocellus burst into giggles at the idea. "It's nice, really."

On one hoof, Comforting considered the idea. She could be with the other students all the time! But, on the other hoof, she would be far away from Fluttershy... No. No, that wouldn't do at all. "Are you mad I don't live there?"

"Of course not! You're happy where you are, and we get to see you every day already." Ocellus nodded with confidence in the opinion. "Whenever I want to get my taste of Comforting goodness, I just have to go to class, and there you are."

"There I am!" Comforting did a little cycle in the air, hooves flailing before she hit the ground at a scamper, giggling all the while. Ocellus caught up with her easily, the two hastening to a rapid trot through the town. "Well, I'll get to visit it today, right?"

"I don't see why not." Ocellus pointed ahead to the distant form of the school. "There it is."

"Hey." There was Diamond Tiara perched on a seat right next to Silver Spoon. The two had a dinner set before them on fine china with forks looking used already. The forks had clips on them to attach to earth pony hooves, but were not in use at that moment. "Hey, Comforting!" She was waving for Comforting's attention with a little smile. "Where are you going so late in the day?"

"We're, like, eating." Silver pointed between her and Diamond's portions before them. "It's really tasty."

Ocellus slowed to a stop along with Comforting. "Hello!" She waved at the two earth pony fillies, even if she was a little confused. "Are you friends with Comforting?"

"They are." Comforting returned the wave with a smile. "I was walking Ocellus back to her dormitory."

Diamond leaned over the rope barrier between her and the new foals. "Well, when you're done with that, come back and try some." She clipped a hoof into the waiting fork and got some of the pasta-like stuff into her waiting mouth. "Mmm, it really is good. I wouldn't mind sharing."

Ocellus quickly pointed back to where they had just come from. "Fluttershy just fed us, so we're both pretty full."

Comforting nodded rapidly. "Yeah, pretty full here." She set a hoof at her belly, rubbing the full little thing. "Oh! I learned a new trick, wanna see?"

"Magic?" Diamond took a fresh bite of her clearly pleasing food. "Please do."

Ocellus danced away with a snicker, a hoof raised to hide her little giggles. "You're going to like this."

"Red, green, and blue!" sang out Comforting as her eyes shifted to match right alongside each spoken word. "And some others too!" Her eyes swirled to other colors, her iris' unshackled by the usual limitations most had. "Ta Da!"

Silver blinked with obvious confusion. "Is that a unicorn trick?"

"Duh, of course it has to be. What other kind of trick could it be?" Diamond waved a hoof as if to dismiss such silly ideas.

Comforting giggled at their confusion. "No unicorn magic used here, promise!"

"It's closer to this." With a rush of flames, Ocellus became an unremarkable pony, then a donkey, a cow, and lastly back to herself. "Ta Dah!" That she used Comforting's words was likely entirely intentional on her part.

Diamond hiked a brow at the two. "Are you...--"

"--part changeling?" finished Silver Spoon. "Cool, but weird. Like, I'd be alright with being able to change my eyes whenever I wanted." She placed her hooves next to her eyes and sighed with thoughts of such color changing powers.

Comforting was all smiles. "It's how I changed the color of my magic and made you glow the right shade. It just took me a while to figure out." She pointed to Ocellus. "She's helping me!"

"Just lending a hoof. We should get going." She pointed the way forward and took a step.

Comforting waved to the two. "I'll stop by on the way back!" She hurried after Ocellus, the two scampering to the school with nothing else standing in their way.

"This way." Ocellus pointed the way as she turned off the main hallway of the school and started down a smaller hallway. "This is where all the dorms are, including ours." One more door and the rest of the Young Six came into view.

Yona was the first to wave. "Welcome back! Knew you'd be safe. But where go?"

Gallus nudged against Yona with a derisive snort. "She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to. Not like it's our business where she spends a few hours." He hiked a thumb at Comforting. "Besides, she's here. I doubt they got into any serious trouble."

Smolder considered the two of them. "Yeah... Odds are low on that. What do you think they did, have snacks before bedtime?" She noticed Comforting blushing brightly. "Wow... they did that."

Ocellus quickly hopped onto her bed and curled on her comforter with her eyes on Comforting. "I was helping her get better at her eyes."

"I can change them now!" Comforting was quick to show off with bright red and greens and blues in the primaries. "See? Ocellus said magic will be easier with this, so I did this first."

Yona nodded at the pleased filly. "Good work. Can do yak brown?" She pointed to the center of her snout.

Comforting considered Yona's pelt. "I can try. It's not that far from my usual color." She willed her eyes to turn a softer, brighter yellow, then a deep earthen brown in both directions from her normal. It was only with measured steps she ratcheted it up to a yak brown. "How is that? I can't check without a mirror!"

Yona applauded in a loud stomp as she came down. "Very good! Ocellus, become all yak, you match yak colors. Very good." She looked quite pleased with how things had gone. "Not as good as whole yak, but close." High praise, coming from Yona.

Ocellus stood up as she became a small female yak to join the fun. "Yak is very strong!" They still had their voice, if trying to duplicate Yona's speech pattern.

Yona peered at the changed Ocellus. "You stop that now." Ocellus sheepishly returned to normal as Yona turned to Comforting. "Have a question. Small." She put two hooves close together. "Have lots to learn, about ponies, about unicorn. Why do that here? School for past that. School to learn about outside self."

Sandbar nodded quickly. "That's what I was thinking. You're just a little filly." He put two hooves close together. "No offense or anything, but shouldn't you focus on learning how to be a filly before you rush off on how to adult?"

Comforting shrank back a step. "I... I'm a little greedy... I want to know both things." She cocked her head faintly to the side. "Besides, I know a lot of adult stuff."

Smolder rolled a hand. "This I got to see. What 'adult' stuff do you know, little filly?"

"Yak have more want than be strong." Yona approached Comforting, looming easily with her size. "What you think yaks want?"

Comforting blinked in thought. "To be honest, I know little about yaks. Would you like to show me?"

"No." To Comforting's obvious surprise. "Not until you finish learning how to be a unicorn." She pointed at the small horn protruding up from Comforting's head. "Why learn another creature if not know self? Learn that, then Yona tells you all about yaks, not before."

Smolder rolled a scaled hand. "So about that adult stuff, you know?"

"Right!" Comforting eyed the gathering of... teens? Unquestionably teens. What could she say? Most of the immediately obvious things made her blush at the thought of, and maybe they were wrong in that magical world, anyway. Surely she had something. "I know... in order to get things done, sometimes you have to do a lot of boring things that feel unrelated, but you have to! Only after you do them can you seriously start on what you wanted. You may want to open a pizzeria, but before you do that, you need a building. To have a building, you probably need permission to have a pizzeria there, and then you need supplies." She counted the steps with steps of her hooves. "And you probably want help, but you have no bits, so you'll probably have to work alone to start, so you'll be working really hard and long to make that dream come true--"

Gallus raised a hand. "Cutting you off there. Alright, you got that part of adulting down at least." He snorted in an aborted chuckle of sorts.

Smolder crossed her arms. "I'm kind of impressed. Most fillies your age aren't thinking about things that many steps out. How do you even start anything if you're always worried about the next five steps, anyway?"

"I'm not." Comforting shrank on herself in an awkward shuffle. "I just know that extensive projects have a lot of steps in them, so you shouldn't... get surprised if that happens." She pointed at her horn upwards in a wave of her hoof. "I wanted to learn magic! I thought it would be easy, but steps, more steps... Like a million steps." She sighed at the thought of all the steps that hopped in front of her. "But that's life."

Sandbar gave a soft huh of a sound. "That, right there? That was pretty adult." He nodded as he sat up on his bed. "I don't think she's lying."

"Not lie." Yona nodded at the little filly. "Not seem like lying pony. Very honest, just confused." She leaned in and down, face close to Comforting. "Find good friends?"

"Found best friends." Comforting offered a hoof and soon got an entire yak's face. She hugged to Yona as best she could, giggling as they easily lifted her right off the ground and made to use Yona as a riding mount, if one rid things by straddling their face.

Fortunately, Yona set Comforting down near the door. "Good to see, but should sleep."

Smolder nodded as she flopped onto her back. "Yeah, sleep is good. See you tomorrow?"

Sandbar blew out the candle near to his resting place. "Tomorrow! Sleep well."

Comforting had a chance to see everyone, and Ocellus was home safely. She had no good reason to stay. "Sleep well." She trotted out into the quiet hallway towards the exit with a smile. "That went well." There was only herself to hear, and that was plenty.

"What did?" Oops. Another pony stepped out, watching Comforting intently. "Isn't it late for you to be here?"

Who was that pony? She tickled at Comforting's memory... Somewhere... "Even?"

Starlight's snout went pale at the word chosen. "Not a word I'd use! Hello, I'm Starlight Glimmer. You are Comforting... Shade was it?"

"That is it." She sat to look at the large adult pony. Large compared to her, at least. "How can I help you?"

"Such a mature answer." Starlight inclined her head down the main hallway. "I was hoping to ask you a question or two, and you happen to be here... Let's talk."

Comforting waved a hoof through the dim light. "It's late and dark."

"My office has plenty of light." Starlight was circling Comforting. "And I have some nice warm cocoa to go with a little chat. I work for Twilight, you know."

"You do?" Some of her guarded nature ebbed a little. "What did she say?"

"She goes on and on about this magic student she has." Starlight led the way. "I'll tell you all about it."

Author's Note

A new combatant approaches!

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15 - Dark Chat

With the gentle sound of ceramic on wood, Starlight pushed forward a cup of steaming cocoa in her magic. She was sitting in her chair with a big smile. "You bring a thousand questions to my mind, if you don't mind my admitting."

"A little." Comforting lifted the mug in her magic. It wobbled a little, but she was getting better at that and could sip without difficulty. "Um, I didn't mean to scare you, Miss Starlight."

Without a sound, Starlight brought her hooves together to rest on one another. "I'm not scared, just curious. You obviously know my past."

Comforting's ears pinned back. "Was that a secret?"

"I can't say no in any honest way." Drawing from her steaming mug with two marshmallows vanishing into her mouth, Starlight sipped without thought as she talked. "But you have done nothing, besides know it. So the question is just how you learned it."

"So you're not mad?" Comforting leaned forward a little with growing hope.

"I'm not." Starlight sipped from her cup. "I just want to learn more about you. You know about more than me, I hear."

Comforting considered the older pony before her. That Starlight was nicer than the one she knew. She worked with Twilight, for one! She was a counselor in the school. The cocoa Comforting was sipping was delightfully delicious against her tongue and the marshmallows were just the right consistency, as a bonus. "I am not trying to make a big deal about what I know."

"And it won't be!" Starlight got that out perhaps hastily. "But I'm still curious. Where did it come from?"

But how did one explain that? "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

With a few plops, Starlight dropped a few small marshmallows in her cup. "That isn't a concept I expect a foal to worry about. The idea of a pony becoming... not a pony after they're done." She rolled both hooves, neither tied up with her mug. "Spiritual perfection, etcetera. I don't know the specifics. Why?"

Comforting tapped her small hooves together slowly. "That's enough, I think. I lived, and I died."

"Heavy." There was no shock there, showing she didn't seem as surprised as she should have been. "But there is no pony you could have been that'd know what you know. So how did you know about that? I was... between worlds with only two creatures that could have seen me. I have accounted for both of them, and they are alive."

Comforting could see she wasn't getting away with it. "You're not even a little shocked to have a re-birthed student?"

"I don't put a lot of stock into the idea." Her glowing horn flared briefly as Starlight's mug came down with a light thunk. "But it's hard to argue the logic. You don't act like a filly your age. In some ways, sure. In a lot of ways, no. Fillies your age aren't rushing to be in this kind of school and doing alright at it when they're there. Before we get distracted, let's stay focused. Where did you learn about me?"

Comforting felt something splash down on her hoof. Oh, she was crying. Filly emotions, darn it! "Um..."

"Hey hey." Starlight reached across and patted Comforting on the head. "No pressure."

"I-I know..." But the tears wouldn't stop. There was a lot of pressure! Starlight wanted to know all about it and Comforting knew. She didn't want to say, and that just made the pressure escalate. "Sorry!"

"This is obviously something you don't want to talk about right now." Starlight picked up her mug between her hooves. "So let's talk about something you do. Tell me about how things are going, the good parts."

Comforting gulped down a mouth full of the sweet brew. Her nerves felt like they were evening out a little. "I really like this school. The students are nice. I like the teachers. I enjoy learning... Please don't make me go away." Oh no, the tears had returned unasked for. "I really like it here." The tears wouldn't stop. "I've made great friends... I'm learning nice things... Please..."

"I'm not sending you away." Starlight was watching her cry. Something brushed Comforting gently, oh a napkin. Starlight was working it with her glowing horn to clear away the tears. "Let's be honest, I don't have that authority. The other teachers would kill me if I tried."

Comforting giggled softly. "They don't like me that much."

"Are you kidding?" Starlight was smiling gently. "I wasn't joking around before. You've made Twilight a happy mare being her horn student. She never got to teach a unicorn how to use their magic." She tapped at her own head next to her horn. "And you're attentive and ask good questions. All the teachers are happy having you around. If I did try kicking you out, which I wouldn't, they would shout me out, and maybe toss me off a tall building."

"They wouldn't!" Comforting was laughing despite her scandalized accusation as her tears dried up in favor of laughing.

"They might." Starlight leaned forward towards the little filly in her office with a bit of her trademark smirk on her face. "Especially if they heard I was being mean to you, which I'm not trying to be, honest. So relax. I may ask questions, but I have no teeth." She flashed the teeth she had despite that in proof that she had perfectly normal chomping teeth if any such reason to use them came up. "You can always say no."

"Say no, right, yeah." It sounded like Comforting was trying to convince herself as much as anything else as she restrained her breathing to a calming pace. "I know things, but how I know them comes with a lot... of questions. Do you... know the mirror portal?"

Her brows went up together sharply. "I've been through the mirror portal. Are you from Equestria High?" She offered a hoof towards Comforting. "If so, welcome."

Giggles escaped Comforting at the idea. "Sort of, but no!" She waved a hoof wildly to dismiss that idea. "What would I be, some little child of a student, their little sister brought in for a day that wandered into the portal? That would be quite a tale to tell the parents when they got home, and I wouldn't be so calm."

"So not that, alright." Starlight nudged her mug aside for the moment with her eyes set on Comforting squarely. "Another portal?"

"Another portal." Comforting inclined her head faintly. "And I was already dead, or dying. I suppose dead... My body had stopped breathing and my heart stopped and there are not a lot of ways to count that other than as dead..." She lifted a hoof to her chest to feel where her little new heart was thumping away. Life coursed through her despite any amount of lack of living she may have experienced.

Starlight sat up straight, her entire posture becoming entirely stiff. "That is quite the tale and difficult to... I don't mean to disparage, but do you have any proof to show that you've died before? Few ponies claim to know about that, of all things."

"How do you even try to prove that?" Comforting rubbed behind her head with some thought. "Nothing comes to my mind other than telling you what it felt like in those last moments. That sounds extremely uncomfortable for me and unhelpful for you as any filly could make up stuff about what they thought it felt like to die and how would you know if they were right or not?"

"Then let's skip that." Starlight willed her mug up to take a light drink from. "After that uncomf—pain—that thing, that bad thing. You are still here, clearly, so tell me what happened after that."

"Princess Celestia came and gathered me up and took me to Fluttershy's house, where Fluttershy welcomed me in with open hooves and a big bright smile, and I love her very much." So, yes, it was a big run-on sentence that Comforting got out in a big spill of words. "And that's where I am, now I mean, there, with Fluttershy."

"You're skipping a step." Starlight nudged at Comforting's mug with her own. "Don't let it get cold."

"Oh, right, yes, of course." Comforting cupped her mug as her magic helped tilt it with a proper drink. "You make good cocoa."

"Thank you for noticing that, but I'm still curious to hear about how you arrived."

The door swung open suddenly. "There you are!" And there was Fluttershy, her eyes wide and body tensed. "I was too worried to wait a moment longer."

Comforting jumped down to the floor, the mug clanking to the table and not falling over by the grace of the gods. "Mom!" She was soon hugging her caretaker gratefully.

Fluttershy had her arms and wings around her child, rocking them gently. "When you didn't come back right away, I got so worried! Are you alright? Did Starlight have to rescue you? I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help."

Comforting curled in the comforting grasp and forgot all about the questions and the answers. Why worry about either when she could be safe and warm in the grip of her mother? "I'm alright. Starlight was just giving me cocoa."

"Just cocoa and nothing else going on here." Starlight smiled nervously, not that anyone seemed to notice that. "You have a special little filly."

"Thank you." Fluttershy gently released Comforting and soon both were standing face to face. "And I should get her home so she can get some sleep. We both have classes tomorrow."

"Of course." Starlight leaned forward on her desk. "But, if I may, I'd really like to talk to her later. She's under a lot of stress and a counselor to chat with could be just the ticket."

Fluttershy gathered up Comforting onto her back. "If she'd like that. For now, we should rest." She strode out with her ward and a little smile. "Goodnight, Starlight. Be sure to clean up before you go."

"Yes, right..." She was the only pony left in the office with her own mug and the other, abandoned.

A quick flight home later, Fluttershy was still long enough to Comforting to slide off to her hooves. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thank you for coming for me." They met in a gentle embrace and rubbed snouts. "I got to meet all my friends, together. They have a room at the dorms." Comforting pointed in the direction they had just fled. "They're all special, each in their own specific way."

"That is very true." Fluttershy closed the door once both were inside. "But, for now, get some sleep."

"I didn't see Diamond!" Comforting clapped her hooves on her cheeks. "She's going to be very upset with me."

"I saw her." Fluttershy gently nuzzled her ward's closer ear. "She told me where she saw you headed, and that you were safe, at least when she last saw you. I told her I'd bring you straight home, so that shouldn't surprise her too badly."

"Oh... Okay." Comforting accepted the assurance and soon was curled up on her bed, the covers over her and the light blown out. She just had to sleep, but that was easier said than done. She felt tense and worried. Starlight had gotten so close to the truth of things and there was little Comforting could do to keep her away.

"Why does that scare you?" At some point, Comforting had fallen asleep. A familiar voice with distant eyes was before her, but they had the image of Comforting instead of Twilight. "Are you ashamed of your past?"

"No!" Comforting sat up, no blankets to be seen. She was not in bed. It was dark, all dark. They were in a field of nothing. As if noticing her discomfort, the darkness went away, replaced with some forest. "Um, I mean, I'm not scared of it. I'm just worried about how they will react, if they knew exactly how much I knew."

Author's Note

Time for a chat.

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16 - Tree and Me

"Do you think they would reject you?" Standing perfectly still, Harmony appeared as Comforting there. "Would your friendship be invalid?"

"No! I hope not?" She rubbed at her cheeks softly for a moment. "It's a lot to know."

"It is a lot." Harmony smiled gently. "But you know it. I learned it too."

"You do?!" Comforting bounced to her hooves excitedly. "All of it?"

"There are some I do not learn, and much I realize you do not." Harmony inclined her head in a slow but smooth motion. "I could watch them after they awakened me, and can still see them today."

Comforting worked that out as if counting on her hooves and her mouth moving with figures. "So episode two to... forever past that, wow."

"I speak it to make it less impressive." Harmony as Comforting leaned in, nose twitching, but eyes distant. "We are similar this way. They have not forsaken me."

Comforting quirked a brow at her twin. "Oh! Why are you my double? I don't mind, but you were Twilight before."

"Because you don't mind." Harmony sat next to her double. "Most others would be upset to see themselves."

"Third time." Comforting tapped at her chin. "If you just wanted to be a tree, that'd be alright too."

"Trees do not talk." There was a tree there, but it did not speak. It was just a crystal tree of harmony, standing tall over Comforting. It offered no words but its presence.

"Oh..." Comforting curled on her friend that was a tree. "So you have to be something that has a mouth, to use it. That makes sense. Is it comfortable? Are you happier without a mouth?"

There was a second Comforting, and no tree. The second Comforting, likely Harmony, had her forehooves pinned by the original just the same way as she had flopped Harmony's roots. "It is not uncomfortable to have a mouth. It is a different way of being, but it is a way of being. Are you uncomfortable having a mouth?"

"I enjoy being this way." The original pawed up at the clone with a little smile. "But I never didn't have one, so I'm a little biased. So what you're trying to tell me is that I should just stop being worried about it and tell them because at worst I'll be as bad as an all-seeing tree of wonders that not all of them have met."

Harmony became still and quiet for a moment. "You have a point." She freed a hoof and set it on Comforting's nose. "Are you used to arguing with creatures like me?"

"No." Which didn't stop Comforting from capturing the hoof with a goofy smile. "But I trust you."

"You seem that way." Harmony leaned in over Comforting, looking through her casually. "What would you do if I visited while you were awake?"

"Introduce you to all my other friends?" Comforting inclined her head up at the god that was currently another copy of herself. "Hope you like them, and that they like you. I'd take you around town and we'd play."

That only made Harmony smile. "I think I would enjoy that, but most others would not. I do not know why my appearance does not bother you, but many others would be. You are not normal, but neither am I." Quiet descended upon them, with Harmony staring through Comforting. There were no background sounds to fill the silence with, companionable or not. It was a forest, but there was nothing in it.

"I spoke too soon and gave poor advice." Harmony drew herself entirely free to stand before Comforting. "It is up to you how you will approach this problem."

Comforting raised a hoof to object, but the dream was over.

"I'm so glad you could make time for me." Starlight was smiling brightly, perhaps forced a little. "After our last conversation, I'll admit I wasn't sure if you'd want to come back."

Comforting closed the door with a glowing horn. She was getting better at moving things around, day by day. "I can't keep running away from you."

Starlight inclined her head at that. "I don't want to be some fierce monster you run away from, Comforting."

"But you are, whether you try to be." Comforting hopped up onto the chair across from Starlight and crossed her arms as she settled back. "That's what I am here to fix, or try at least. I'm not entirely sure I'll get it right, but if you're willing to work with me, then I can try."

Starlight considered the little filly in her office. "Comforting Shade." That made the filly perk up on her. "I don't understand you." Starlight leaned in with a quirk of a smile on her lips. "But I want to. Will you help me understand?"

Comforting quickly bobbed her head. "That is exactly what I am here to do, counselor Starlight." She was soon sitting entirely on the seat with her haunches planted on its cushioned surface. "Let’s, I mean, I think I need to start with that. Before you is, really, a filly." She thumped herself with her little hooves, both of them against her chest. "So sometimes I don't understand everything about how the world works, and I don't think I do. I will get confused a lot, and that's alright. One can only hope older ponies around me will help me understand, and then I'll know."

"I am ready to try." Starlight nudged a plant closer. "Have I introduced you to Phillis? He's my assistant."

Comforting burst into giggles at introducing the plant. "Hello, Phillis. Would you believe you're not even the first plant I've had a chat with recently? You seem like a lovely house plant." She leaned up to nuzzle the plant gently and got a whiff. Horse noses informed her that chewing the plant would be tasty, but she knew it would also be rude. Phillis was not a random wild plant waiting to be nibbled at.

Starlight patted her pet plant gently. "Do you have a plant you take care of too? It's nice to meet another plant mother that isn't a farmer."

"I wouldn't dream of eating them." Comforting worried her hooves together. "May I tell you things that you keep quiet and to yourself?"

Starlight raised a brow at that. "Of course you can. As your counselor, I am expected to keep certain things quiet." She raised a hoof. "I should warn though that if it sounds like something that could hurt you or ponies around you, I may speak up about that to keep you and everycreature safe. I don't want anycreature being hurt and will protect you all."

"I am quiet to protect you and me." She wobbled the hoof between Starlight and herself. "But what I know is the past. Not the present, or the future."

Starlight lifted an ear. "So you know all my dirty secrets, from the past, but none of what I am up to these days?"

"Unless I see you do it." Comforting smiled brightly at that. "I doubt you'd do anything too strange while you were working."

"I'd hope not!" Starlight drew her plant away from Comforting and set it aside. "Alright. A test, if I may. Where am I from?"

Comforting scowled at that. "You were from a small town with a unicorn friend, I think? You made a small town that you ruled over until Twilight came along and--"

"--Enough! Thank you." Starlight's smile had become quite strained. "I prefer not to think about that time, but you clearly know about it. But you also seem to not know all the details."

"I don't know everything." Comforting rubbed at her right ear, forcing it to wriggle about. "Is that enough?"

"Actually, yes. I think that covers it all." Starlight spread her hooves across the table. "You are from another world where, for some reason, knowing about our past was a thing. You learned there, then died. Instead of doing whatever the normal thing is, you came here, to Equestria." She tapped at the desktop firmly. "And now Fluttershy is your mother and I'm your counselor. Do I have any part of that wrong?"

Comforting considered that with a frown, but that seemed to be most of it. "You have the idea. I am not some strange god or something. I'm just a normal person who knows a little more than she should for her age."

"An old soul," giggled Starlight. "Made literal in this case. I can work with that. So, Comforting, this is something that you are likely not getting help with in class, but you still have no cutie mark. Ponies usually have that settled by the time they come here, but you're a special case." She waggled a hoof at Comforting. "I want to help. Now, I could send you off to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They are experts at this sort of thing... But their methods specialize on little ponies."

"I am a little pony!" The smallest and youngest that Comforting had made friends.

"You are, but not up here." She tapped at her forehead softly. "And that makes a difference, I say. You are not unsure of who you are. This means that you are not unsure of what you want. You are a loving adult in the form of a little filly." Starlight set a hoof on Comforting's head. "May I note you are adorable?"

From adults she had already accepted, the unannounced touch was easier to accept. She even smiled at Starlight at the compliment. "Thank you." Though it inspired a question. "Am I that cute, really, compared to any other filly?"

"Woah, tough question." Starlight reclaimed her hoof to rest against her head. "All fillies are pretty cute, it's their thing. Comparing your cute to theirs is hard, but most of them get upset when an adult notes it. Foals don't want to be cute unless it's getting them something. You just happen to be somepony I'm fairly sure would enjoy being called cute. So I'm saying exactly that because you are pretty cute."

Comforting giggled at the adult that was judging her. "You aren't as scary as I thought you would be, or could be." She offered a hoof towards Starlight. "I will come here to talk about things with you, if that's alright?"

She met the hoof with another as Starlight returned the favor. "That sounds like a deal, then. Let's discover what your mark should be and learn more about what makes you tick, Comforting. I am your friend. Even if I ask a few questions, that might make you nervous. Saying no is still an option, but I only ask for your benefit."

"You will scare me." Comforting's horn glowed to tug at Starlight's suddenly not glowing horn. "What spell were you casting?"

Starlight's eyes widened in surprise. "You will scare me! Twilight mentioned you could see magic." Her horn glowed. "I didn't real--" She started as Comforting tugged her horn, interrupting whatever spell she was doing. "Hey!"

"I can see you doing something." Comforting was smiling at Starlight. "I can't tell what spell, but you are doing something and not knowing makes me nervous."

"I was recording." Starlight gestured past Comforting. "I was going to share some of it with Twilight, your magic teacher. I think she, and you, will benefit from that being shared. Besides, she is the headmare of the school, so that's two reasons she may want to know."

Comforting threatened with a hoof off the chair. "I don't want to have my teaching be even a little different. I am happy as a student as I am right now without being treated special."

"Except you are." Starlight pointed to the compact form of Comforting. "You are the smallest and youngest student. That gets special treatment. You aren't complaining about that, are you?"

"No..." Comforting sagged, defeated by a logical thrust. "You know what I mean!"

"I think I do." She offered a hoof towards Comforting. "And I will do my best to not mess that up."

Author's Note

Starlight time, take 2. Now with 60% less unicorn tears!

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17 - Camping?

"Camping?" Comforting tilted her head at the grinning dragon that was one of her friends. "Where?"

Smolder threw out a hand as if to the wide stretches of the unknown beyond the school and everything. "Not that far, just out in the woods. We'll all be there, so you won't be alone, promise. Sound fun?"

Comforting considered that with a little dance of her hooves. She'd never slept outside of a house as a pony before, but... "Alright! Will there be any other ponies as small as me?"

Smolder snorted an aborted laugh. "You're the only little pony in our friendship brigade. That's a compliment, by the way." She flashed a toothy smile at Comforting, fangs displayed in a show of sharpness. "It'll be me, the other five, and you." She pointed to each mentioned, though 'the other five' was more of a vague sweep. "It'll be fun. We're bringing s'mores and other snacks with us, and we plan to have a grand time."

Comforting clapped with sparkling eyes. "Ooo! I will be there. Tell me where to be and I will be there, promise!"

"Ah ha, so talk of melted treats is what gets you going, huh?" Smolder was grinning with perhaps too much confidence. "I'll keep that in mind in case I need it for later." She shared a date and a place with a hike of her thumb. "Be there."

"Um..." Comforting shrank back a little. "That's far out in the forest for me to wander in the dark."

"You are such a goody little pony." Smolder smirked at her good-natured friend. "I'll have Sandbar come pick you up from Fluttershy's. How's that?"

"Thank you!" Comforting raced off to class. Camping trips didn't get her out of those, but the thought of that coming up put a great big smile on her face.

"Camping trip?" She had informed Fluttershy of the social event. "I... Sandbar will be there?"

"He's picking me up." Comforting bobbed her head strongly with a clap to go with it. "Then we're going camping. We'll have treats and probably share scary stories and watch the stars." She spread her hooves in a circle above at the mention of stars. "It'll be fun!"

Fluttershy smiled a little. "That sounds fun, but let me speak to Sandbar before you go racing off." She leaned in on her little ward. "I know you're a clever little pony, but there are dangers out there. I don't want you getting mixed up in them."

Comforting suddenly sank to her haunches. "Is this a bad idea? I won't go if you think it's a bad idea."

Fluttershy blinked softly at the abrupt about-face of excitement. "It... could be a bad idea, if you approach it badly... You'll have friends there, that can protect you." A little smile returned. "I doubt they would let anything bad happen to you. I just want to talk to Sandbar, so he understands the responsibility I expect." She booped her little child casually. "I just want you to be safe. You should have a good time, too."

Comforting bounced back up to her hooves. "I'll listen to them. They have a lot more experience with this kind of thing than I do." Her experience with Equestrian camping being about zero. "But it does sound fun. Do I need a sleeping bag?"

"Oh, yes. Good idea." She walked past Comforting, towards the door. "Want to shop for supplies? You have no camping supplies."

"Good idea!" Comforting raced after Fluttershy as they emerged from her cottage and headed towards town. "Thanks, mom. I know this is kind of sudden."

Fluttershy reached out a wing to ensnare her filly and bring her closer. "It's no trouble. I want you to be safe and comfortable while you explore the outdoors." She quirked an ear at Comforting with a curious look. "Do you like the outdoors?"

"I don't know." Comforting leaned against the wing-snug for as brief as it lasted. "This is the first time I'll go camping." At least as a pony. "Maybe I'll hate it, but I hope not. With good company, I should have fun." She could imagine the creatures she'd be spending time with. "They're fun. I wonder if Gallus will brighten up when we camp though..."

Fluttershy led the way into a store where a pony she knew was. "Sandbar, what luck."

Sandbar turned in place to see Comforting and Fluttershy. "Hey! I was just picking up a few things. You heard about the trip?"

Comforting waved at Fluttershy and scooted out of the way. Fluttershy smiled as she advanced. "That was exactly what I wanted to talk about. This is going to be Comforting's first time out camping. I just want her to be to be safe and happy with you all. She'll be on her best behavior."

"Promise," added Comforting with a big smile and a swishing tail.

Sandbar laughed at the idea. "I don't think Comforting is very good at being a bad pony. I'll pick her up and drop her off. Shouldn't be any problems at all. Hay, so, what brings you here? You didn't come looking for me, right?"

Fluttershy pointed past Sandbar. "I was here to get a sleeping bag, for one."

"Oh, good idea." Sandbar turned back towards the supplies behind the counter. "If she doesn't have a tent, one of those would be good, too."

"What a lovely idea." Fluttershy went up to the counter where an older stallion was happy to lend a helping hoof to decide on things.

Sandbar wandered over towards Comforting and sat beside her. "You realize she's going to give you a problem?"

"She is?" Comforting peered at Fluttershy with doubt. "Mom would never hurt me."

"On purpose." Sandbar chuckled softly. "She's already buying too much. You're going to have all the supplies you can't carry. Especially a filly your size." He leaned in closer. "Don't worry about it. I'll help carry some of that."

Comforting clapped with a big smile. "You're the best. Mom's doing her best to give me a good camping time."

"You don't technically need a lantern." He was watching things get stacked in the purchase pile. "Or a blanket to go with the sleeping bag. Or a folding chair... Or..."

Comforting began to sweat at the number of things making the list. "Mom, I think that's enough! I'll be alright."

Fluttershy peeked over her shoulder. "Are you sure?" The helping stallion didn't dare to push too hard and Fluttershy slowed in pointing at things. "I'll take this then." She fished out her bit purse and completed the transaction. "Thank you."

Comforting dashed up to the pile of stuff. "How good are pony pockets?"

Sandbar raised a brow at the question. "Sometimes I forget how... new you are at things." That just wasn't a question a foal asked by the time they were toddlers. That Comforting had asked it tickled as just straight up strange, but that was part of what made Comforting odd. "You don't want to stuff things in there bigger than you are... Unless you are Pinkie Pie. She's special. Don't imitate her, if you want to avoid getting hurt."

"No imitating Pinkie Pie." That seemed like solid advice to Comforting. She knew of the pink wonder and her earth pony magic. "So this." She willed a sleeping bag that was sized for her to lift from the pile. "This should fit." And in it went. It was a little tight, but she got it worked into that strange internal space with a pop, right out of sight. "Yay!"

Sandbar smiled a bit awkwardly. "You are like a kid who is also a baby, and it's cute." With the keyword spoken in kindness, she allowed him to ruffle the top of her mane gently. "I love it." He got to gathering up some things himself. "I'll bring it with me when we go, promise."

Fluttershy patted Sandbar on the back. "Thank you for lending a hoof. It sounds like you'll have a great time with your friends."

Sandbar saluted at his teacher, that wasn't teaching at the moment. "If I have any say in the matter. Oh, Comforting." He turned to face her. "How are you with scary stories?"

Comforting considered the eager pony and the others. What scary story could the young creatures of that world pose that's threaten her? "I'm ready for your worst." She flashed a bright smile. "But I'm not the best at them, telling them I mean." Would human scary stories even translate over? Maybe some of them.

Fluttershy's wings spread for a moment. "Oh dear. I don't like scary stories much... But this is your party, not mine." She turned to go and began walking. "Let's go, Comforting. We should head back."

Comforting grabbed a little lighter with her magic and stuffed it away far more easily than the sleeping bag. Trusting that Sandbar would grab the rest, she raced after Fluttershy. "Thanks for helping!" She waved eagerly at Sandbar, even as he and the pile of stuff left her sight.

"One thing." Comforting was looking up at her mother as they walked side by side. "Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara both want to go to the school." Comforting pointed the way. "Any way they could join us?"

Fluttershy hummed softly at the idea. "They are not as... mature as you are, Comforting. They still need to learn how to be foals before they..." She slowed in her talking. "Hm..." She was looking over Comforting a moment. "This is harder to argue with you being so foal-like in ways. On one hoof, you have a point. But on the other, that point is mostly that you shouldn't be there either."

"But I manage," sang out Comforting with a grin. "Why not give them a chance?"

"You are very good for standing up for your friends." Fluttershy smiled as they wove through town. "But you are a bit of an exception..."

"An exception that proves it can work." Comforting's smile was too large for her own good. "Don't they deserve at least a chance?"

"Well... for one, it would depend on their parents." Fluttershy nodded with confidence in that. "They are not adults, so what they want takes priority with their schooling. Even Twilight wouldn't try to supersede that unless it was an emergency, which this isn't."

But instead of cooling down her ambitions, it just colored them. "So we have to talk to their parents first, alright." Comforting nodded, accepting the mission given to her. "Once I get them to agree, then I will talk to you again."

Fluttershy shrank back a step. "That's not..." But the joyful look of determination was hard to argue with directly. "They... probably don't want their daughters going to a strange school for adult ponies."

"The others aren't adults." Comforting lifted an ear. "Are they? Sandbar is... Am I being rude? He is smaller than you." She scowled with thoughts on the ages of the other characters she planned to camp with. "I never met many other griffons or stuff."

"They are in the middle." Flutter lifted on wings to let her bring her forehooves close together in demonstration. "Becoming adults, but not adults yet. We had to get permission from their parents, and we did. Without that, they wouldn't be here. They're still much closer to being adults than Diamond or Silver, or you, for that matter."

"But not adults." As if that was the only part of that with any gravity at all. "I'll talk to them and get their permission. They'll want their girls to get the best possible education, and your school has that. I'm sure their school is very nice, but also doubt it has all... No, Miss Cheerilee couldn't do all that."

"You've met her?" Fluttershy raised a brow at her curious child. "Oh, you know them like the others, don't you?"

Comforting blushed a dark color through her fur when she was called out. "I know how she works. She's very dedicated to her, um, craft."

"Then maybe we should let her do what she does best." Fluttershy hurried towards her house. "I'll get dinner ready."

Author's Note

And suddenly a new thread appears while an old one returns, oh no!

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18 - Among The Trees

"This feels odd." Comforting cracked open an eye to see a copy of herself standing there gazing out into the middle distance. "You have changed things."

She was dreaming. That her bed was soaring through the sky was a hint. Harmony stood in the air calmly, as if that was just a thing one did. In a dream, perhaps it was. Comforting sat up on her bed. "What changed?"

"The world." A pause came then. "You. Them. Everything around you. I can't see as clearly, and it worries me. I am used to seeing through untainted glass." Harmony worried her hooves together. "Is this how you feel normally?"

Comforting considered her godling of a friend. "I'd like to help, but you need to say what you see normally, and now don't."

"There was trouble coming. I think it is still there. I can't be sure." Harmony bounded up atop the bed in one powerful leap. "One small pony turned to mal... I should not say. Maybe I should? You have no part, but you must. Are you here? You can't not interfere." Harmony scowled as she shrank in herself with clear indecision. "I don't like it."

Comforting could hear the worry in Harmony's voice. "Can I help?"

"I think you can." Harmony focused on Comforting for a change, looking directly at her. "But I don't know how." The dream ended casually .

"Ready?" Sandbar was at their door with a big smile. "They're waiting for us."

Fluttershy saw Comforting to the door. "Now, be safe, and look out for predators. They're hungry too, but that doesn't mean I want you taking care of that for them."

"I won't." She hoped! Becoming a snack was not what she had in mind. She scampered out to join Sandbar, and they set off on their journey. "Have you gone this way before?"

"Me?" Sandbar had a big backpack on that jingled with each step. "Sure. Oh, right, first time camping?" When Comforting bobbed her head, he swerved a little closer. "Don't worry, we have your back. Got to admit, a little surprised. A little filly like you wouldn't normally dare unless they were with, say, a parent or something."

Comforting raised an ear at the older pony. "I'm not that scared." She came in closer to him. "I have friends who are all kinds of creatures." She imagined them with a silly smile. "And they're pretty tough and they like me and I like them, so it'll be alright."

"Good attitude." Sandbar inclined his head as he went. "But what about me? I'm not a creature, or tough."

"You're a pony, like me." She dashed between his legs to the other side of him. "And that's nice too." A thought wouldn't leave her. "Say... Have you seen a pony that might seem like somepony you know, but looks out?" She put out a hoof. "Like they did not focus them on you at all?"

Sandbar looked ready to deny that, but the words didn't quite make it out. "Um... why?"

"I've seen her." Comforting came in closer to Sandbar. "She's nice."

"She... is." Sandbar flicked one ear back, but it recovered quickly. "Are we talking about the same creature?"

"She's hard to miss. Distant stare seems nice, a little detached, but not in the bad way?" Local god, but Comforting kept that to herself. Equestrians didn't seem to do the god thing, except for Discord, the spirit of chaos. He got a pass, for some reason. "Not technically a she."

Sandbar leaned in at that. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, she's more of a... concept. A lovely one." Comforting skipped alongside Sandbar. "I like her, but she's more of a tree, I suppose, and those don't come in guy and girls."

"Huh..." He squinted a moment. "Tree?"

Comforting realized at that moment she had, perhaps, said too much. "Like a tree!"

"Like a tree." He set a hoof on her bouncing head. "You are crazy. But really, you saw her?"

"I think I did, yes, a few times."

"Few times!" Sandbar pointed ahead. "We're almost there." He glanced around the darkening woods. "Don't wander away, okay? We want you to be safe."

"And have fun." She paused just long enough for a spirited clap and easily dashed back to Sandbar's side. "You have my stuff in your bag?"

"All of it." He jiggled his bag with the various stuff in the bag. "Hey guys." He was getting close enough to address the others.

Gallus fired a thumbs up. "Hey. You have something stuck to your hoof." He was watching Comforting with a smirk. "Just kidding. Welcome aboard. We won't make the stories less horrifying just because you're here, warning."

Comforting waved at Gallus, but was turning to Silverstream. "Hey, we barely got to talk."

"Hi!" She grabbed Comforting suddenly, to the little filly's tense displeasure. "You are the cutest little thing." That helped calm her a little. "I wasn't sure how to say hi, but I meant it. Does that count? Are you ready to camp?" She threw one hand wide. "We're gonna tell stories and eat snacks and have fun!"

Comforting giggled as she stepped away from the clingy hippogriff. "That's all I've been told. Snacks, stories. Is there another part?"

Yona inclined her gigantic head. "We here, under stars." She leaned off against her tent, the largest of the bunch. “Also talk lots. Share.” She wobbled a hoof between herself and the other students. "You smallest, but welcome. " Yona leaned in on Comforting. “Not small where count.”

Comforting perked an ear at that. "What counts?"

"Everycreature's here!" Smolder clapped loudly. "Only two of you are missing tents. Let's get those up right quick so we can forget about them until we pass out." The others cheered at her idea and practically attacked Sandbar to get the other tents free and set up in a whirlwind of youthful action.

Comforting slipped next to Yona as they worked. "What do you mean 'what counts?'"

Yona inclined her head. "Old soul, new body. Yona hear of it. Never see it. Now see it." She nodded with the confidence they knew from her people. "You strong, um..." She fished for the word. "Case. Ex... Exam..."

"--ple," added Sandbar. "Example?"

"Yes, example." She bobbed her head at Comforting. "You powerful example. Young in body, old in eyes." She leaned in almost nose to nose. "Makes Yona curious. Welcome."

Comforting considered the sizable yak. "I'm just a filly."

"Yes, filly." Yona reached and soon knocked Comforting over to rub her belly and extract giggles from the filly with that moment's permission. "Young in body, old in eyes."

Yona bounced to her hooves. "Sometimes Yona wish she were old in eyes. Lots Yona not know, but learn." She tapped at her enormous head. "Why at school, to learn more? Why you go school?"

Gallus snorted softly. "That's a brilliant question." He pointed at the small filly that was Comforting. "Why do you go to school? You seem to know most of what they teach. You're not always great at it... but you know."

Smolder waved it away. "She knows some stuff, but she wouldn't even get a passing grade at dragon school." There was no dragon school, not that this bothered Smolder.

Ocellus raised a hoof to her chin. "You don't seem to look at things sideways like us."

"That's not true." Comforting clopped down a hoof. "I get confused all the time." Human ways were not pony ways. "I just... don't get upset?"

Ocellus grinned at that. "I don't get mad either."

Yona bobbed her head. "Not angry, curious." She offered a big hoof. Ocellus joined it, looking at Comforting.

She offered her own to join with a smile. "Curious club?"

Ocellus bobbed her head. "Curious club!"

Smolder threw up her hands. "I get pretty angry sometimes. Ponies are weird." She sank to her butt near the crackling fire. "But I still want to figure them out, which includes the rest of you."

Gallus snickered, seated across from Smolder. "As if dragons aren't pretty weird on their own."

"You take that back!" But Gallus would not. Unfortunately for him, dragons could pounce straight through fire, which is exactly what Smolder did. The two wrestled for dominance after a surprised squawk at her motion.

Sandbar settled where Smolder had been. "Let's get cooking!" That got a fresh cheer as he got out the supplies and everycreature gathered closer to help roast things, sweet things, to perfection.

"I'm pretty curious too." Silverstream was sitting next to their smallest guest. "I don't get mad often, just a little overwhelmed. There's so much new stuff! I just want to grab it all!" She reached for the air, but the wind was just as resistant to being yanked up so easily. "But I can't, so I learn a little at a time." She leaned in at the small pony. "What are you learning? I hear you're going over magic. You a great wizard now?!"

A great wizard was quite an overestimation. Comforting shook her head quickly. "I have the eye changing down... Wanna see?"

Ocellus raised a hoof quickly. "She's great at that!"

"Red, Blue, and Yellow!" Comforting's eyes went along with the declared colors. "And some colors in between." She flowed more smoothly to green and brown and purplish hues as she went one way and the other. "Ta dah!"

Ocellus sat up. "Hey, you got better at that."

"Practice." Comforting tapped at the side of her head even as her horn glowed to turn around her skewer. "Is it that better?"

"Good enough to try some magic." Ocellus was clapping with undisguised joy. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know." Comforting stuck out her tongue at Ocellus. "Hey, any of—"

"Ready!" Gallus cared little for the ongoing conversation, instead plucking free his skewer. "Be sure you get the right one. We don't all eat the same thing."

Smolder grabbed hers. "We do." She tapped her skewer to Gallus'. "Not that a little veggie would kill me."

Comforting eyed their skewers with less revulsion than a pony that they clarified they were chomping on meat. It had been quite a while since she had any of that...

Sandbar noticed with a tilt of his head. "Uh... Comforting, why are you eyeing their food?" He grabbed two skewers of pony safe meat free and offered one to Comforting. "This is yours. Nice and tasty."

Comforting grasped her skewer with her magic. "Thanks." She tried to find the words, but was coming up empty. A new skewer poked her lightly. She jumped with surprise to see it was Smolder offering her a little of what she had left on the stick. "What?"

"You looked hungry." Smolder wagged the skewer in front of Comforting. "Never saw a pony look like that, so I wanna see you finish what you started. Go ahead." It wasn't a lot left. Smolder had a good appetite. It was still a good mouthful. "Chomp it."

Sandbar flicked his ears back. "You don't have to."

Gallus snorted at Sandbar's defense. "Not like ponies can't eat it, they just don't usually."

Yona and Silverstream were watching closely, but not interfering. On Silverstream's skewer was a whole fish, well, half a fish. She had hungers!

Comforting took a bite of her own skewer. It tasted of seasoned potatoes with a good amount of veggies mixed in. Good, but there was the meaty one hovering in reach. She leaned up and snapped it off the skewer. With a wrench of her head, she ripped it free of the stick and got to chewing. She expected more problems, but ponies had all the teeth required.

She could chew sedately on the new, old flavor. "Mmm..." Whatever meat they had used, it was a good one and seasoned just right. Was it better than the pony one? She decided not. They were equally good in different ways.

"Wow." Sandbar inclined his head slowly. "I heard of fish, but that?"

Author's Note

Let's go camping! The others learn a bit how she is not a typical pony.

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19 - Under the Stars

Smolder swatted Comforting on the back. "Look at you!" The group was agog at what she had just done, Smolder positively. "Avoid the hay burgers. 100% not meat."

Gallus tossed his finished skewer onto a small pile of garbage. "Didn't think you had it in you. You aren't getting sick or anything, I hope?"

Comforting shrank a little at the attention. "About those stories?"

Yona clapped her hooves loudly. "Yes, stories. Yona prepare scary stories. Hope you are ready." She sat up and finished the rest of her skewer in an unstoppable bite. "Time for tale of yak that not perfect. Very not perfect. Yak that lose himself, but maybe find himself?" She began her tale eagerly of the troubled yak and their trials.

Comforting listened with a wagging tail and a smile. She wondered if Yona had pushed ahead so eagerly to draw attention away from Comforting's snack. If so, that was pretty nice. She made a note to thank her large senior later. "My turn." Gallus pointed at himself with both thumbs, ruining Smolder's inner thoughts for a moment. "My story comes from Griffonstone and a griffon that wandered out too late at night and the horrors that befell her. Listen, if you dare."

Gallus' story had a lot more blood in it than Yona's tale of growth and maturity. Comforting decided she'd rather hear about the Yak that could than the... not mare. Hen? The she-griffon that had all the bad luck and kept getting into more trouble that resulted in things getting hurt herself half the time.

Sandbar waved a hoof at Comforting. "I see you listening, but I'm really curious now. Do you have any stories to share?"

Silverstream inclined her head left and right in a sharp turn. "She's just a little filly. She'll find some scary stories, eventually."

Comforting felt a little called out. "My stories are all a bit odd."

Yona perked. "But you have them."

Ocellus burst into giggles. "Old in eyes." She was clearly imitating Yona's words. "Young in body. Of course she has stories."

Smolder crossed her arms. "And I want to hear them. Lay out your old eye stories." Her smirk implied she thought little of Comforting's theoretical stories.

Gallus shrugged. "Hey, you all need a break from griffon stories, so go ahead. Wow us." He raised his brows at Comforting. "Hit us with your worst."

Comforting took a long breath and began her tale. It was a human story, sure, but she didn't have to mention species. Human stories often didn't, unless it was important, which was usually not the case unless it was the antagonist.

Sandbar waved a hoof. "I would have tried saying hi." Yona, Ocellus, and Silverstream nodded in agreement with the idea. "Maybe it just needed a friend?"

Comforting smiled at her friends. Friendship school had taught them well. "Maybe." She would not argue against the idea of trying to be friends first. "But there are ponies that don't think of that first."

Smolder shrugged with palms up. "If I saw something like that, acting like that? Not sure 'hey how ya doing' would be the first thing coming out of my lips. Her mistake was running." She punched her fist against the other palm. "She should have fought!"

"And lost," laughed Gallus. "I know how those stories go, though hearing how she bought it instead of that mystery ending would have been nice. Ocellus, you're up!"

Ocellus pricked up, surprised at being called. "Oh! Um. I will play the parts." She hopped to her hooves and casually became a young mare. "I was walking through the woods..." Ocellus played each and every part. She became ominous trees and scary monsters. She was the frightened mare running away, but she was also the parents of that mare, offering succor after a rough time out. The changeling story had a happy ending.

Silverstream clapped merrily. "That was a great story! My turn!" Her tale was a little disjointed. She kept getting distracted by herself and her ideas. Silverstream had so many it was hard to keep her hands on one thread despite her best efforts. She clearly was trying, but she kept dashing right off her path with fresh stories, intruding with no warning. "And that's how he learned not to cross busy streets." The story had not started with any streets, but it had ended with one and that was good enough for Silverstream.

Sandbar let out a mighty eh. "That sure... was a story."

"A good one." Silverstream nodded with confidence. "Smolder, you want to go next?"

Comforting wagged a hoof wildly. "Wait, but what happened with the green duck?"

Smolder clapped her hands firmly, ignoring the plea for continued story time from the hippogriff. "Alright. Warning: dragon stories are direct." And she was not lying. Her tale covered the ascension of a new dragon lord in a few paragraphs. "But that's where the traditional story ends." She snapped her fingers, pointing at the group of them. "I wouldn't stop there. If I was the dragon lord, I'd have so much to fix up." She clapped her hands together firmly. "First, I'd hire the old lord to take care of the day to day so I could focus on the big stuff." And she merrily went on about how she would reshape dragon culture into a new thing.

Yona inclined her head slowly. "Wow. You think lots about this."

"Sure have." Smolder hiked a thumb. "Not that I think our current dragon lord is bad or anything. She's alright. But we could do more!" She threw a hand up. "We're dragons! Being epically cool is basically our thing."

They laughed, the conversation carrying onwards around Comforting. They talked about their future wants, which left Comforting in the dust. What was her future desire? She wanted to be a good little pony, certainly, but there had to be more than that. At least she figured there had to be.

An arm came down next to her. It belonged to a large yak. "Hey." With permission given with acknowledgment, Yona scooped Comforting closer. "You know, your eyes are pretty old."

Yona snickered at that. "Your eyes look young right now." She leaned in, large nose snuffling at Comforting. "Not know what want? Know so much, how not know that?" She saw Comforting shrinking and patted her gently. "Not ask to be rude, curious. Is alright if not have an answer."

Comforting sat up with tapping hooves. "I want to be the best little pony I can. I want to help others be their best." She smiled with uncertainty. "I'd help you, but you seem to have all of you handled."

Yona nodded at that. "Yona is proud and able." She thumped herself on the chest. "Which means Yona has time to listen. Young body, old eyes. Young body needs direction, but not sure? You will do what feels right. Yona is sure."

Ocellus crashed down on the other side of Comforting. "I don't know what I want to be either." She spread her hooves suddenly. “I'm a changeling! I have so many options!” Her hooves hit the ground. "Which feels like no options at all."

Comforting leaned towards her changeling friend. "I didn't know you felt as lost as me." She offered a hoof and a smile. "How about we explore together?"

Ocellus peered at the offered hoof a moment before she offered her hoof in return. "Alright, together. Curious club!"

"Curious club!" shouted out the other members of the curious club with other hooves and hands touching in contact with the point that they came together.

Smolder, who was not a member of that club, snorted a small puff of smoke upwards. "It seems to me that Comforting is pretty comfortable where they are." She shrugged in a brief gesture. "So why mess with that?"

Gallus patted the dragon on the shoulder. "You have a point there. She's pretty happy Comforting it up, whatever that is."

Comforting beamed with pride. "I'm trying! I just got worried a moment. What is good for a foal may not be good for an adult."

Sandbar snorted softly at that. "You say that." He kicked a little of dirt into the fire with no effect. "Nice adults that just care about you sound pretty nice to me."

Comforting scrambled to her hooves. "You take that back." All eyes turned on her and she tensed at all the attention, but stepped forward anyway. "I-I mean it." Why did all the other kids have to be so much larger than her? "You're full of good things, Sandbar. That's why you're here. That's why I'm here, because you brought me. Because you brought all my stuff... Because you cared, and I appreciate that."

Sandbar reached for Comforting. Despite her wince, he ruffled the top of her mane. "I would not leave you hanging. The others would have killed me."

Smolder shrugged at that. "Your time, your call. I wouldn't have."

Yona stuck out her tongue. "Yona very disappointed if Comforting not come if she wants to."

Ocellus bobbed her head. "I would have helped, but Sandbar actually did it." She clapped in front of herself. "Hurrah for Sandbar." That was enough to prompt to get most of them applauding with her for Sandbar's work to help the evening go well.

Silverstream grinned at their smallest. "You heard us talk about our wants. What are you working towards? I wanna hear!" Eyes turned on Comforting curiously. "Share!" She clapped as if she couldn't hide that excitement. "What you say next to the fire stays next to the fire, so we won't tell."

Was that a rule?! Comforting decided that it was silver the hippogriff made up quickly, but it was a nice thought. It helped that none of the others were arguing with the idea. "I'm helping Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They want to go to our school."

Smolder hiked a brow. "Who and who? Do I know them?"

Ocellus waved frantically. "I met them! They're the fillies a little older than you, right?"

Comforting laughed nervously. It was odd to think that the two were older than her if one looked the right way. "Them! They're a little bossy, but nice. They learned friendship lessons, and they want to learn more! I want to help them." She danced her hooves against one another. "So I'm gonna talk to Twilight and... hopefully..."

Yona rubbed behind her head. "They young filly from sound. Be careful. Twilight might make little filly class and put you there." She pointed at Comforting with the same hoof. "Then we not be in the same class."

Comforting paled at the idea of being separated from her friends. "She wouldn't! Um..." She danced in place. "But I want to help..."

Sandbar snorted softly. "Just means we have to make sure they're ready."

Gallus snapped his fingers. "Good idea. We'll hit them with a big test and see how well they do." He wagged a finger at Comforting. "You're already an exception. I mean, really, a foal still learning foal stuff while learning adult stuff? We don't need two of that."

Yona rose to her full height and started for her tent. "We do that. Now, sleep." She had clearly decided as she headed inside for a nap. Her motion was enough to get others considering the same idea. With goodnights and waves, Ocellus, Sandbar, and Silverstream were quick to enter the tents with the sound of zippers.

That left Gallus and Smolder with Comforting. Smolder was picking up what they left behind and making a bag of trash out of it. "Somecreature has to clean up."

Comforting bobbed her head as her horn snatched things to add to the bag. "Good idea. Let me help!"

Gallus watched the two work. "You got this." Maybe they did. Two creatures were enough to get it done, but he was not rushing to help. "Tomorrow we head back, alright? You stick with Sandbar since he's your foalsitter."

Author's Note

Camping! Plans are revealed and truths come out.

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20 - Awakening

Comforting stretched on her temporary sleeping bed. Sun was coming in from above, but various barriers muted the light. The covering of the trees and the tent she was in did a good job of preventing a bright spilling. Despite that, Comforting reached for the zipper and pulled it down to see a bear. Fortunately, she knew that bear. "Harry?"

Harry grunted in an animal grumble, looking at her evenly for a moment before wandering off. Comforting could see the campsite was mostly just as they had left it. "Nice to see you?" Harry didn't pay as much attention to her as he did to Fluttershy. She emerged out and shook off to hear a whisper coming from another tent.

"Is it gone?" The voice was male. Pony? No, wait, Comforting knew that voice. It was Sandbar.

"That was mom's pet bear. He's really nice." Several zippers sounded at once as the other campers peeked out. "I mean it! He's harmless."

Silverstream poked her head out, the rest of her following. "Are you sure about that? We woke up to the sound of some gigantic animal sniffing around and we mighta freaked out a bit."

Comforting spread her hooves at the rattled teens. "I promise, Harry is a friend of Fluttershy's and wouldn't hurt anyone, um, any creature that didn't hurt him first. I think mom feeds him." How a bear ate while bothering no one was beyond Comforting, but they had clearly worked something out. "You're safe, I promise."

Sandbar folded up his tent and got it packed quickly. He went for Comforting's without delay. "Well, since we're not being chomped, we should get back."

Comforting waved her hooves wildly at the fleeing creatures. "Wait! I wanted to ask you about your times with Harmony. You met her, right? I know at least one of you has." They were peering at her with confusion. "She looked like Twilight? 1000 yard stare?"

Gallus nodded. "Oh, yeah, met her. Perfectly happy not doing it again." Noises rose in general agreement.

Yona poked the little inquiring pony. "How know? We promise not to tell anycreature. You told?"

Comforting squeaked in dismay as she backed away quickly. "I didn't tell anyone!"

Smolder was there for Comforting to bump into. "She meant, did anycreature tell you?"

Comforting wheeled to face Smolder, though the multitude still trapped her securely between the students, closing in on her from all directions. "I wasn't told! I ran into her myself."

Gallus snorted at that. "Yeah? Did she give you a test then? You musta passed, you're here. What was it like?" The others agreed with the question in a rising chorus of questions.

But Comforting didn't have that answer exactly... "She still visits me sometimes, and asks things."

Yona blinked slowly. "They ask you?"

"They seem curious?" Comforting smiled awkwardly as she tried to back away, but there were no directions to go. "It's complicated, but I like them. They're nice."

"Dangerous." Yona sank to her rump. "Give excellent lesson, but difficult. Like a strict teacher!" Yona waved a thick hoof at Comforting. "Why so comfy?"

"That's what I was asking." Smolder shrugged, despite never actually asking that. "She was testing us, not even hiding it. What'd she do to you?"

Gallus crossed his arms with an impatient tapping of a foot. "Yeah, was she making you face things?"

"No?" Comforting wondered what sort of things the others had seen, but struggled with how to share without exploding her source. "Harmony was... She had questions." They didn't look satisfied. "Because I know some things?"

Ocellus perked with new curiosity. "What do you know? It must be something amazing."

Silverstream bobbed her head. "Wow! Are you going to share? Blow our minds!" She made an explosive gesture with her hands with a faked kchoom of a noise.

Sandbar suddenly stepped over Comforting. "That's enough." He was staring down at the others. "You're scaring her. She's a friend, so let's not get all weird about it."

Yona waved her hooves negatively. "Just curious."

Smolder waggled her brows. "Yeah, curious. She's obviously special, somehow. I want to know more."

Sandbar wasn't moving, serving as a living barrier. "So ask her later, when she's not on the spot like this." He looked down under himself at Comforting with a smile. "You don't have to tell me. Want to head back?"

Comforting scurried out from under the earth pony. "Yes, please." She dipped her head towards the others. "It was nice camping with you all." She rubbed her forehooves against each other for a moment. "It was fun." Even with that last part. She went off with Sandbar, back towards civilization.

Gallus threw up his hands. "Guess we'll never know what was up with that."

Smolder ribbed the irate griffon. "Think of the long game." She flashed a dangerous smile. "Comforting wants to be here. We'll get more chances to ask when she's less worked up."

Yona frowned at the two of them. "Or just not ask!"

Ocellus rubbed one leg with the other hoof. "I don't want her being upset. If she doesn't want to talk about it, that's fine. We didn't want to talk about our time, right?"

Silverstream shrugged at that. "Wasn't that mostly because of the other little pony?"

Gallus huffed at the memory. "At least she did something for us in return. This one's just holding her secret. What is it with little ponies and big secrets?"

Yona began lumbering towards town. "Not make trouble. She good little pony."

"I agree with her." Ocellus was at Yona's side as they headed away, back to town.

Silverstream considered the other two members of their clique with hands. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

Smolder raised her hands. "Who, me? As if!"

Gallus chuckled softly and slipped Smolder a high five on their way out of the camp when Silverstream wasn't looking.

"Welcome back!" Fluttershy gently hugged her little filly. "Oh, are her things in there?" Her eyes had gone to Sandbar's backpack and its jingling contents. "I'll take those."

"Yep." Sandbar went to unload everything that wasn't his onto the ground in front of himself. "She did great."

"That's wonderful to hear." Fluttershy ferried the goods into the house, but was out in a flash to rejoin Sandbar and... "Where did Comforting go?"

Sandbar pointed into the same house. "She went inside. She seemed a little... sensitive about something, so I let her go." He considered for a moment. "Do you know anything about a sparkly Twilight?" But Fluttershy looked quite clueless. "Nevermind." He wagged a hoof quickly. "She did great, though! She even told a great story."

"I'm glad to hear that." Fluttershy considered the earth pony in front of her. "They didn't pick on her, I hope? She's a dear, but she is a little... odd for a pony."

"Yeah..." Sandbar stepped in place for a nervous moment. "But she got along with everycreature. I think she likes us." He smiled at the thought. "It's nice."

"Having the attention of a little foal can be nice." Fluttershy nodded slowly. "But also taxing. They trust us to take care of things and sometimes get themselves into trouble. Are you alright with that?"

Sandbar thumped himself on the chest with a sure smile. "It isn't even the first time I helped with a foal, um, not that she is that... all the way..." He sank to his haunches. "As Yona said, she has old eyes. But I like her, old eyes or not." He tapped near where his eyes rested, even if they weren't ancient."Oh, did you know she's friends with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?"

"I ran into them." Fluttershy was smiling with joy. "They seemed to be good friends. Why do you ask?"

"I think she wants to help them get into the school." Sandbar leaned in. "So we're going to test them to see if they're ready for it before she asks Twilight about it."

Fluttershy's smile was broken into blinks. "Oh, that's a good idea. If I can help? Do they really want to go to our school?"

"Apparently. I'm going to check on that too." Sandbar turned in place with his less-burdened backpack. "But, for now, camping success! Thanks for letting her go."

"Have a safe trip back." She waved as he headed off. Not that there was much left to go between her little cottage and the rest of Ponyville. "Thank you!" With that handled, she turned back to the house and plodded inside to see where Comforting had gone.

There was no little pony in the living room, nor in the kitchen that she could see. There was only one other place that her ward could be hiding, though Fluttershy hesitated in front of that door. She knocked gently in barely a tapping on the wood. "Comforting, are you in there? I mean, it's alright if not, I was just checking..." The doorknob turned, its glow entirely unseen by Fluttershy, but it was hint enough that she could press past it.

Comforting perched on her haunches on the bed that made her look somehow even smaller than she was. "Hello, mom. I'm not trying to hide, promise!"

"I wasn't worried that you were hurting me, Comforting." She closed the door behind her and tread gently into the room. "I hear you had quite the evening with the others, so I thought, maybe, if you wanted, you could share about it?"

Comforting considered the large pegasus that was her adoptive mother and caretaker. "You're friends with a force of nature, mom, so you know what that's like, right?"

That caught Fluttershy off guard. "Force of nature? You mean Discord? I suppose you could call him that, if you wanted, and it might make him happy to hear that..." She tapped at her chin with an obvious reflection on the moment. "Oh, um, but if that's what you mean, then, yes, I have some experience with being a friend with a force of nature. I prefer to think of him as a loving creature, even when he loses his way sometimes."

Comforting clapped in applause that translated to clambering to her hooves and stomping on the springy mattress in a pony sort of applause for her. "I knew you'd understand, but I have a friend of my own and she is very nice for a force of nature." She tapped in place. "But she is still a force of nature and I understand that and... This is harder to explain than I thought."

Fluttershy sank to the side of the bed with a gentle and caring smile on her face. There was no tension in her at all in addressing Comforting about dealing with a force of nature. "Are they nice to other creatures and yourself?"

"They are quite nice to me and I'm always happy when they visit me." Comforting took a slow breath as she flopped down to her haunches and then to her side in a boneless gesture. "I'm not sure how they do with others when I asked about it and the way they responded made me really nervous!"

Fluttershy raised a hoof and set it on Comforting in slow pets from the top of her head down to her tail in slow strokes that came at first with no words to accompany them. It was a quiet time between mother and daughter and neither seemed upset to just spend the time in each other's company. Only when things were sufficiently calm, did she speak up, "Sometimes, Discord will do naughty things, or even just plain mean things! I have to chastise him and explain why he's doing something that can hurt a pony's feelings, but he listens... in his own way... and we fix it for the next time."

Comforting perked up as an idea came to her that brought a big smile to her face, and she sat up with the energy of it. "So I just need to talk to her and tell her why she might have scared the others!"

Author's Note

Welcome home! Comforting is not done yet though.

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21 - Setting Limits

"I am glad you came." Comforting was facing the other her, the one with the distant look as if all the action were behind her. "Though I am surprised and delighted that you arrived so quickly."

"You desired to speak to me." Harmony leaned forward slightly. "You are somewhat agitated. I have learned from watching you."

Comforting considered those words for a moment. "Not untrue. I wanted to talk to you, but was I really agitated?" She waved it away. "Nevermind, sorry. This is about you, not me."

"What about me?" Harmony smiled, imitating Comforting's smile exactly. "Did you have a question?"

"Countless!" Comforting threw her hooves up. "But that isn't what I wanted you here for. Harmony, you scared those creatures. You're interested in them, obviously, and they'll be harder to talk to if they're scared of you."

"Creatures? These?" Without moving, the images of the young six appeared around Harmony. Each was smiling and playing in their own way. "They are well on the way. They will serve as fine agents in time."

Comforting slapped a hoof on her face. "They are more than agents. They have wishes and needs and can be scared, which is what you did. I'm not an agent, right?"

"Of course you are." Harmony sounded mildly confused at the very idea. "You said you were a willing captive. You will help me keep things harmonious and avoid unharmonious things. Your body is immature, so I have not sent you on any—"

"Stop!" Comforting waved her hooves wildly. "Stop! If I can help, I will. You just have to ask me, like a friend, which I am." She smiled at the neighborhood god. "We've had delightful conversations, so why wouldn't you talk to me? You sound like you'd just... order me."

Harmony sank to her little haunches, still borrowing Comforting's form. "But you might say no."

"I might... But friends, A, usually don't, and B, you respect they might say no. As your friend, I would give an appropriate answer why I would say no." Comforting dared more of a smile at how the conversation was going. "I like you, so I probably wouldn't say no unless there was a substantial reason."

Harmony considered Comforting quietly a moment. "But you might say no."

Comforting's brows came down in a flat look at Harmony. "Would that be the end of the world?"

"It might." Harmony rose and circled around Comforting. "I ask because there is a great need. Sometimes the need is greater, or lesser, but always a need. If there is no need, I do not act. Twilight understands this. She would not even consider saying no. Why do you? I thought you liked me."

"I do!" Comforting went to grab Harmony, only to end up on the other side as if space just worked that way. In a dream, perhaps that was the case. "Really. But being friends means accepting a no. It doesn't mean you can't explain your case. If it's that important, I'd probably say yes! But friends accept a no. That goes both ways." She gestured between herself and Harmony in a frantic flail of sorts.

Harmony turned towards Comforting's new direction. "But you might say no."

Comforting set a hoof against the side of her head at the simple stubbornness being given. "I might."

"Then what do I do?" Harmony worked her hooves slowly. "I pick a specific creature able to resolve a problem. None other is equally suited to the problem. They can fix it. Others may not."

"Others didn't say no." Comforting nodded with confidence at that. "Which makes them more suitable than the first, even if the first is the best match. As your friend, I want to be asked, not told. Then when I say yes, I do it because I want to say yes and because I like you and what you're doing enough to say yes, even if I'd rather not."

"This is frightening." Harmony had little reason to hide that. "You are asking that I accept the possibility of outright failure? How can I manage a world that is so uncertain?"

Comforting went in slowly for a nose touch with her double. "The world is always uncertain. We do our part to make it better."

Harmony smiled gently against the contact. "I will consider this. You should awaken."

"I shou—" She woke up without finishing the thought.

Comforting fell from her bed with a thump, a strange tickling itch overtaking her rump from both sides. She squeaked and reached for it, but rubbing would not calm it down.

"Are you alright?" The door swung open in the darkness, admitting Fluttershy with a worried look in her eyes.

"There." Comforting pointing at her back end as it began to glow brightly, spilling an almost magical glow over the area. "I don't cast spells with my butt." Oh, wait. The reason for that came to Comforting, or at least one of the possible reasons.

As if her realization were enough, the glow faded away, leaving her sitting there with her new cutie mark for all to see. It was a heart with a set of hooves wrapped around the center. "Huh..." Comforting was squinting at it curiously. "What does it... mean?"

Fluttershy sat beside her ward. "Congratulations. Getting your cutie mark means that you've made some realization as to what you like to do, or are good at doing. Hopefully, that's the same thing." She pointed to her own rump and its butterflies. "I'm gentle, like a butterfly, and enjoy the presence of animals... like butterflies." She giggled at her own joke. "What were you doing or thinking when it happened?"

Comforting considered with a hoof to her chin. "I was talking to Harmony, that force of nature. I'm not sure she understood what I was saying, but she promised to at least think about it."

Fluttershy reached out a wing to hold Comforting gently. "My first talks with Discord were much like that. That he may not always get his way was very confusing to him... I suppose that's something that all forces of nature are not very used to. But they understood, at least a little? Good. You may have to repeat that a few times." A wry smile spread on her face. "Forces of nature are not always the fastest learners."

Comforting burst into giggles. "Not the fastest, but worth talking to." She rose and pointed back at her rump. "But what about that?"

"Well..." Fluttershy considered the hugged heart. "Maybe being in that situation is where you fit in?" She leaned off as if to consider the mark from a new angle. "You like getting involved whenever you think it can ease the hurting of somecreature else."

Comforting recoiled with a gasp. "Wow... Um, yeah..." She felt so very seen in that moment. "I really kinda do..." Her plans to help Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came to mind, even putting Harmony aside. "That is something I enjoy doing. Sorry, if I scared you. I was scared too, waking up like that."

Fluttershy set a hoof on Comforting's head. "Waking me up for that is entirely understandable. Now, you could save yourself a lot of trouble and just tell Pinkie what happened..."

Comforting looked confused at first, but it came to her. "Oh! She's going to want to throw a party, isn't she? Is there a normal thing for this?" She pointed at her adorned rump. "What do ponies usually do when it happens?"

Fluttershy inclined her head in the dark. "That's a good question. Some don't do anything. They're just happier and show off what mark they got to those around them and go on with things... But you know Pinkie Pie and she knows you and that isn't likely to be the answer she'll be happy with." The two giggled in agreement with that.

"Some ponies have a Cute-ceañera, which is basically a party about it." Fluttershy smirked softly. "This is likely to be Pinkie's pick, if you let her. Candy, games, and all that." She cycled her hooves with each thing that could appear. "It's very nice, but also loud. It's a good chance to meet other foals your age... but I'm not sure if you want that."

Comforting clopped her hooves. "Ah ha! I should ask them! I bet Diamond and Silver know about it, and would know exactly what to do. Besides, I'd want them to be involved. This is probably their kind of thing."

Fluttershy's smirk turned into a gentle smile. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. Now, it's still late. Are you feeling calm enough to go back to bed?"

So it was that they sent Comforting to bed, and the house calmed gently with all the creatures in it quietening down.

"Look." Comforting turned to display her new cutie mark. "That feels weird." There she was, showing off her butt. But that was the pony way. "Isn't it neat?"

Diamond considered the heart. "What does it mean?"

Silver burst into giggles. "Well, it's, like, a heart. So it has to be nice. You're nice, so that makes sense." Life made sense in Silver's head, clearly. "Congrats!" she practically sang out.

"Yeah, congratulations." Diamond nodded appraisingly. "But you look like you want something. What's up?"

"Is it that obvious?" Comforting had been trying to be subtle, to no avail. "I was told there's a party for this." She pointed at her mark. "So I thought I'd talk to two of my most with-it friends about it. They'd know all about it, and I want them there too."

Diamond's guard fell into a big smile. "Aw! I've never been invited to plan a little pony's cute-ceañera before. This is exciting." She clapped a bit more excitedly than she usually showed. "Silver, let's make this the best."

Silver joined in the clapping. "Yes! We will make it great! Oh, um, do you... Do you want the entire town invited?"

Diamond hiked a brow. "They invited the entire town when I had mine, remember? We had ours together." She and Silver thumped their rumps together in solidarity. Or was that in memory?

Just because that was how it happened for them didn't mean Comforting wanted that. She appreciated that Silver was looking to her for that answer. "Can we invite mostly school kids?" She pointed to the School of Friendship. "And you, of course."

Diamond snorted softly. "Of course! We're the ones putting this together." Her brows went up suddenly. "Wait a second. Is this a plan? I like it! Get us to do this to show how mature we are and how ready we are to hang out with them." She rubbed her hooves together with an almost malign grin. "That'll show them."

Silver curled on herself and drew out a pad. "I'm going to need a list of, like, all your faves!" She began eagerly collecting all of Comforting's wants and desires for the perfect party. "Now, you know, we are going to have to talk to Pinkie."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Ugh, yes. You ever trying to throw a party with her not involved? It's impossible, and even if you managed it, you'd end up with a really annoyed Pinkie and nopony wants that!" She threw a hoof wide. "So we're going to tell her."

"And use her." Silver flashed a big smile. "She knows where to get party supplies, so we'll send her after the harder stuff for us. That's, like, using your head!" The two fillies giggled together.

Comforting smiled at the two of them. "Sounds like you two have it ready, then. Do you need anything else from me besides being there?"

Diamond patted the smaller filly gently. "Just be there and put on something fancy." She could see Comforting's blank look. "Alright, so... we're getting you a nice dress to wear to this party."

Silver burst into giggles. "This is going to be so much fun! Prepare to be bedazzled in a whole new way. Just leave it to us."

Author's Note

Congrats! PS: You did look at the cover art, right?

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22 - Hiya!

Scootaloo came in at a screeching halt on her scooter. "You have your mark?"

Sweetie Belle popped out of the bushes less quickly. "Wow, there it is!" She was pointing at Comforting's mark. "Nice!"

"Won't be needing our help any." Apple Bloom nodded sagely at the discovery. "Congratulations though." She raised a brow at the little filly. "Ya know what it means, right?"

Comforting rubbed behind her head. "Do you mean what getting one means, or what this specific one means?" The two things were very different!

Sweetie spread her hooves wide. "Both are valid. You're one of us now. Not a crusader, obviously, but welcome to older foal." All three of them nodded in agreement.

Scootaloo wagged a hoof at Comforting. "Not that there was a thing wrong with you before. You're actually a bit young to get your mark."

"But ya did." Apple Bloom inclined her head. "Now tell us what it means, the specific mark ah mean."

Comforting turned to present her mark most easily. "I think it means I enjoy comforting ponies so they don't have a bruised heart. Sorry I never talked to you, but — "

"But nuthin'!" Apple Bloom waved it away. "You weren't confused, an' ya went and got yer mark without us. Sounds like ya didn't need no Crusadin' in your life to start."

Sweetie bobbed her head. "Still wanted to greet the newest pony with a mark." All three applauded the accomplishment with complete sync in their clops. "Is Fluttershy throwing a party?"

Scootaloo raised a brow. "I know she's your step mom or whatever, but I can't imagine any party by Fluttershy is going to be that great."

Comforting backed a step away. "Actually, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are doing most of the planning?"

All three gasped, but it was Apple Bloom that spoke first. "That's great!" A brief pause. "Yer not givin' them anythin', are ya?"

Comforting scowled at that. "No! They're just being nice to a friend."

Sweetie bobbed her head. "Good! Excellent! Then I look forward to seeing your party."

Comforting froze. The Crusaders didn't match who to invite. "Um..."

Scootaloo snorted softly. "I know that look. So why aren't we invited?"

Comforting shrank. Even considering inviting the Crusaders hadn't occurred to her. "I'm sure you're super amazing ponies. I just hadn't met you." Technically, she had met them, but not met them met them. Like... in person. She knew them from the show. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, promise! I told them to keep it to school people."

All three smiled with three squeaks. Apple Bloom grabbed either Crusader beside her. "Lucky you, we're on the school staff! We'll get invited." Without another word, all three vanished in scrambles in their various directions. The last visible was Scootaloo powering away on her scooter into the distance.

"Huh..." Comforting considered where the Crusaders had been. "Maybe I should have met them earlier."

"Probably." Pinkie was next to Comforting without warning, which got a yelp and a hop away from the filly. "Hi there! I'm Pinkie, but you know that." She leaned in towards Comforting. "I hear you know a lot of things, which are great! I know a lot of things too. But I’m gonna bet I know more flavors of ice cream than you."

Comforting let out a mildly distressed laugh. Pinkie's ability to appear anywhere was only more uncanny when it was happening right next to a person. "Hey! You also know how to just... appear out of nowhere."

"I do that." She didn't even fight it. "We're planning your big party! I'm so excited." She clopped her hooves with a big grin. "One thing, though. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon took over most of it! Boo... They won't even tell me where it'll be until closer to the big date. Do you know about that?"

Oh, right... "I asked them to plan the party. Past that, I don't know much. Does that bother you?"

"You could have asked me." She was smiling despite the words. "But it's kind of nice to see a foal asking a foal for help. I'm not one of those anymore." She inclined her head. "But something about you..."

Comforting tensed with fresh worries. "Sorry for not saying hi earlier."

"That's no big deal." Pinkie leaned in a little too close. "You were new at the school and the newest, youngest student." She tilted her head. "The only one without a mark, but you fixed that! And without the Crusaders helping you, so congrats on that." The clapping resumed. "Nice mark, by the way."

Comforting's worry eased into a little smile. Being complimented instead of questioned was much easier. "I like yours too. Will there be balloons at the party?"

"If I have any say in it." Pinkie crossed her arms with a huff. "I'll bring so many! You just wait right here and... Actually, you don't have to wait right there. You keep doing what you do. We've got this handled." She thumped her chest and hopped up to all fours. "This is gonna be good." With a giddy energy, she began bouncing off.

Comforting was free to wander down the street. Having survived the various challenges, she felt happy. Happy enough for a song? Yes, a song felt right, and ponies loved belting out a beat as much as she did, anyway.

"The sun is up, and the sky is clear. It's a warm day, and birds sing near." As if in response to her words, birds sang and chirped nearby, some even swirling around her briefly on their way to wherever birds needed to be.

"It's gonna be a nice day. I'm so happy I feel this way." She was already doing her part with a big smile. The sun was glowing, and she was dancing on her steps to the tune of the beat that only mattered to her.

"Not gonna fret, not gonna worry, Even though the future is blurry." The world in front of her became hazy, but she danced right into it, dragging the line of haze with her. It was the future that was blurry, not the present or the past, and she wasn't worried about it.

"It's gonna be a nice day. I'm so happy I feel this way." She could feel the lightness in her heart, as if her entire body was buoyant in its bounces as she trotted forward in a light jog.

"I offer a friendly hug to you, to help you feel this way, too." And suddenly a pony was in front of her, looking in need of a hug. She pounced on the random stallion and hugged them tightly and chasing that frown away. She left him with a smile like hers, his day restored.

"It's gonna be a nice day. I'm so happy I feel this way." With a dancing tail, she advanced with a clear heart and a smile she was happy to share with the town. With a final twirl, she landed at school and cantered inside.

Gallus shot her a finger gun. "Hey, kiddo."

"Good day to you!" She was fairly sure even Gallus couldn't dampen her good mood. "How are you doing?"

"Wow... you have that 'happy pony' vibe down super pat." Down came his hand to ruffle the top of her head. "What has you in such a good mood?"

She danced away from his petting hand. Teens! "Gallus, I have a question for you."

"Shoot." He fell to all fours, still looming over her easily.

"What are your dreams?" She flashed a big smile and clapped her hooves together. "If you had everything you wanted, what would that look like?"

"Everything I wanted, huh?" He raised a hand to rub at his beak. "Everything? I'd be rich, for one." He turned the same hand into a rubbing motion on some imagined bits. "I'd get whatever me and my friends wanted to have."

"That's not a bad dream." Perhaps a bit pedestrian, but not awful that Comforting could see. "What would you buy first, then?"

"You're full of questions." Gallus went right past her. "Gotta get rich first, which means learning my stuff here." He looked over his shoulder. "What about you? You got some little pony dream?"

Well... "Actually." She trailed after him down the hallway. "Kinda yes. I want to be a good pony to know and be around. I want to help people, all kinds of people. Even people I don't get all the way." Like Gallus? She left that part unsaid.

"Heh, well, you're closer than me." He peered sideways at the little filly following him. "Is that why you're askin' these questions? See if you can't cheer me up?"

"It'd be nice." Comforting hurried to match his pace. "And to be your friend. We haven't been much friends. I mean, I know you. You know me... But barely either way. I want to make that better."

A hand barred her way as he turned to make that act easier. "You aren't ready."

She blinked at his attempt to shut her down. "I am!"

"You're a pony." He cocked a brow. "A little one. Even with some of your... leanings... You're still that."

She crossed her arms. "Try me before saying I can't handle it."

He thrust a finger out, but didn't poke her with it. "Sometimes, when I got really hungry, I had to eat whatever, and 'whatever' takes on a whole new meaning when you're that hungry. You want to hear what I ate sometimes?"

But instead of disgust, she looked arguably worse. Comforting looked sad. She looked pitying. "That's awful! Where were your parents?"

He covered his face with a hand. "That's a brilliant question. Got any more wounds you want to dig into?"

She squeaked and drew back half a step. "I'm so sorry! That had to be rough... But you did make it. I can't say I've been through that." Before or after becoming a pony, really. "But it's not right and I'm sorry."

"Your sorries don't magically fix things." He wriggled his fingers in the air as if pantomiming a rainbow half-heartedly. "You ponies got it way easier."

She wasn't always a pony. She was an American! Wait... They had it easier than griffons, at least a good chunk of them, sort of. It was complicated.

Gallus squinted at her. "You have a funny look, like you're not thinking about how to make me smile or something. What's on your mind?"

Comforting stomped in place. What she was thinking was hard to translate. "I've... seen... creatures like that, even if I wasn't one. I'm sorry I didn't do more, but big things are hard to fix with just little me." She spread her hooves wide to encompass the enormity of the issue. "Which isn't helping them either. I can't help them... But I'd like to help you. Can I help you?"

"Good on you." He turned back to walking. "Some things are a bit large for any one creature to fix." He hiked a brow. "And for saying creature. Props on you."

Comforting was quiet in her steps. A door was coming closer. "Is this your class?"

"Sure is. So I'll see you later?"

Comforting offered a hoof to the larger griffon. "I'd like that, and to talk more, if you let me."

"Ponies." He rolled his eyes as he made good his escape into the classroom she didn't belong in.

"Griffons." But she was smiling at his escaped form. "I'll figure it out..." She turned towards her own class and got to walking towards it. "But not today, probably." Comforting floated her pad out, clasping it firmly in her grasp. Her innate magic was coming to her better by the day! "I need to learn some magic. Real magic!"

"First you'll learn today's lesson." There was Twilight with a smile. "But if you want to meet up after school?"

"Please!" Comforting bounced in place, forgetting to be surprised at Twilight's approach. "Ocellus taught me to be better, but I need to apply that to my horn."

Author's Note

This chapter got a little out of my control, in good ways.

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24 - Look What I Can Do

"And... pop!" She waved at Diamond Tiara dramatically as Comforting's spell covered Diamond's mane in soft flowers. There were no stems, just whole petals spreading out in a plentiful offering. "Ta dah!"

Silver clapped with joy at the display. "Nice. Why do some unicorns get all the good stuff?"

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Only some of them, though." She leveled a hoof at Comforting. "Most of them just use their horns as decorations."

Comforting knew little about that, on a societal level... "Earth ponies have talents too?" It came out as a question despite her intentions.

Diamond prodded at Comforting. "We have the 'talent' of knowing we don't have a talent. We're tougher and stronger, but does that matter? Seriously, think about it. What does being either of those thing do for me." She curled both hooves at herself. "You can't be extra fancy with that. You can't talk to ponies better that way. Closer to nature, some say, also useless!"

Both of the fillies were looking at her like she had all the answers. "You are two amazing earth ponies, and ponies period." Comforting sank to her haunches. "I couldn't be either of you, and even trying would make me look really stupid. You have talents and skills and you make them work." She offered a hoof towards Diamond. "I didn't mean to show off."

"Yes, you did." Diamond was smirking at that. "I know I would have if I could. I'm not mad that you're a unicorn. Good for you!"

Comforting put the puzzle bits together that Diamond was more annoyed at herself not being a 'special' pony. "Diamond, you're you, and you happen to be an amazing pony. I want to be your friend. Don't you?" She was looking at Silver.

Silver Spoon jumped as the focus shifted to her. "Oh! Yes! Duh. Like, she's my bestest friend." She threw a hoof over Diamond's back. "And that'll never change!" The two snugged close with a rebounding attitude. "It doesn't even matter. We know we're better."

"Yeah." Diamond stood up with a soft huff. "So, you learned your first spell. Good job. You going to rush out and learn another?"

"No!" Comforting inclined her head. "Memorizing one is a lot of work. But learning how is good. I'll probably only memorize a few and carry the rest with me." Visions of her walking about with an actual spellbook drove Comforting to a giggling fit. "Nothing wrong with that. I can learn the ones I use often enough it sticks."

Silver inclined her head with a new thought. "Well, since we're friends, we can ask you to do spells if we want, right?"

Diamond smirked with extra energy. "You just said the quiet part out loud. Oh, your party is on track. Hope you're ready to ring in that cutie mark." She waved grandly at Comforting's new mark. "Hey, how long do those flowers last? Is that a forever thing?" She glanced up at the flowers in her mane, still there for the time. "Or what?"

"A few minutes." Her horn glowed, not that either of the fillies could see it. "If I put in a lot more power, they could last longer, but that's tiring." Effort in equalled effort out, like most of life. "Thank you. I couldn't plan a party like that." Especially not in pony land, with the ponies. "The crusaders said they were staff and they'd get in?"

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Ha, yeah, technically... Which means they got invited with the rest of staff. You did say staff was invited."

"You make any foal friends?" Silver leaned in closer. "Besides us, I mean. Just need to be sure we invited everypony we're supposed to."

"You're my only foal friends." They were her peers, physical age wise. Which just made her mental age more awkward. "Is it a fun kind of party?"

Silver hiked a brow. "Most parties are. This one's deffos the fun kind. We'll be making it extra fun and making sure everypony there knows you're the star of the show."

"And they should be paying attention to you." Diamond touched rumps with Silver without a prompt. "That's what this is all about, so everyone knows what mark you got and what it means. Speaking of that." Silver sat up tall. "Get your speech ready. Ponies are going to expect you to give one saying what your mark means to you."

Oh no! That hadn't been explained to her before. "Oh... What did you two say?" Her eyes darted between their rumps and the marks emblazoned on them.

Silver turned to display her mark. "My mark, like, talks about my background, but not just, like, that. I was born with a silver spoon right in my mouth." She made a motion of stuffing silverware into her snout. "But it's up to, you know, me, what I do with it. I'm going to be the best pony I can be!"

Diamond waved that away. "Your mark is so indecisive! 'Be the best pony?' Pfft, anypony can and should be trying to do that. Now my mark!" She turned to display her tiara of a mark, then pointed up to her head where an identical tiara rested. "I knew what my destiny was way before I got this. I'm a bossy pony." She crossed her arms. "Now, sure, I had to learn what that meant and I'm still... learning how to be good at it, but I know exactly what I need to do."

Silver rolled her eyes slowly. "And you have friends who are ready to push you back onto better paths when you wander off."

"I do not wander off!" Diamond glared at her friend a moment, but it eased gently away. "I do have friends, though. One who's getting a party!" The two fillies clapped in mutual joy at Comforting's upcoming celebration. "So get to thinking about what that mark means to you. Seriously, you're not escaping without telling them all about it. That's--"

"Like, the point." Silver nodded quickly. "It's all about meeting the new and more mature, you. And we can't do that without knowing who the mature you is."

Comforting nodded at the two of them. "I'll get to thinking about that." She hadn't been planning on a speech, but that was expected, apparently... She wandered away with thoughtful hums and almost ran into another filly not far from her size. "Sorry! I was distracted."

"Golly." Cozy was smiling at her widely. "You look really really distracted." She clapped her hooves together as she reared up, wings carrying her up a few inches. "Can I help?"

Comforting sifted through her memories a moment. Right! She had run into Cozy before. That had not gone especially well... Still... "Hey again. Sorry about last time." She offered a hoof towards the smiling filly. "I was still learning my way around."

"It's no big deal." She met the offered hoof with her own, the two clopping firmly. "I was new once too! I had a freak out and everything." Cozy came back to the ground, both hooves at her cheeks. "I went to the crusaders for help. Have you met them?"

"I did!" Comforting grinned at the thought. "Just recently. I think I'll get to talk to them more soon. Are they nice?" She was pretty sure, but...

"To a fault, gosh!" Cozy waved a hoof wide. "Now, why is it you have good friends, like those two--" She inclined her head back at where Silver and Diamond had been left. "But you also have... questionable friends, like that, yuck, griffon. You know he's planning to take your stuff, right?"

Comforting gasped at the idea. "He wouldn't! If he wanted something I had, he'd just ask." And she'd probably give it up, if it wasn't important, but she didn't say that part out loud. "Have you even met them?"

"Met them long enough to know their group is trouble." Cozy tossed her curled mane. "They get into all kinds of trouble at school. Didn't you notice? Yona's always, gosh, talking about how proud she is of yak this, and yak that, instead of listening to the lessons."

Comforting opened her mouth just for no words to come out. Yeah, that sounded like Yona... "She is a lot smarter than she seems at first glance."

"What's the point if she's not paying attention?" Cozy clapped her hooves as she talked. "And don't even get started about that dragon. She's looking out for herself, and she knows how to be, gosh, violent. That's not the pony way."

"No..." Most ponies she had met were pretty not-violent. "But she's not a pony."

"Which is the problem, right?" Cozy grinned at her fellow equine. "I get you. We're both ponies, and see things the pony way." She patted Comforting on the shoulder. "So stop being a stranger, K?" She danced off without another word, as if completely confident she had gotten her point across.

Comforting was far less certain with a slow tilt. What was up with that pegasus? A bit confused and irritated, she turned to the bridge in the middle of town. It was a nice bridge, ornate and functional. It was just missing one thing she could fix. Comforting glared at the bridge as if it had done something wrong. "Pow!" Saying that was not required. With a glowing horn, she enacted the spell. One thing she was learning was that casting a spell didn't actually have a cap on how fast one went, other than increasing the odds one tripped over themselves and messed it up.

She was annoyed, so it came quickly. The bridge sprouted daisies and lilies, but they were kind of spiky and angry shades instead of natural colors. "Oh..." The flowers were a mirror into her own mental state, in a way. "Calm down..." She trotted up to the bridge and began brushing the angry flowers off of it. "It's not a big deal..." Making the flowers and seeing them was... kind of calming, really. Like holding up a mirror so she could straighten her mane.

"Nice." A unicorn was walking towards her with an easy smile. "Was that your first? I remember my first!" She laughed with a snort. "Wow, I had to shampoo for about a week."

That was Lyra. Comforting knew that pony from memory. "Hey." Wait, Lyra did know magic... "I meant to do flowers, just don't like these flowers." The flowers were already fading, deprived of a root and not given much magic to live on. "Twilight taught me."

"Twilight is the best." Lyra sat in front of the little filly. "Is she teaching you magic? Awesome! I was with her when we learned magic. Ohhhh, we were so cute and dumb." She leaned in at Comforting. "You got the cute part down. Are you just as dumb as we were? No shame! I'm still kinda dumb sometimes. Welcome to life!"

Comforting forgot all about trying ponies. Lyra was a good pony, and she could feel her mood lifting in the short chat. "Sometimes, I think. I've been dumb before!" She had a whole life to be dumb, often. "Nice to meet you, Lyra!" She offered a hoof.

Lyra met it, though an ear was off to the side. "Nice to meet you too, pony I don't know the name of!"

Crap. They hadn't exchanged names. "Dumb!"

"Toldja." Lyra burst into giggles. "Seriously, what's your name?"

"I'm Comforting Shade, or just Comforting, either way." She pointed the way. "I live with Fluttershy, my mom."

Lyra spit-take despite not drinking anything. "Woah! When did she get a special somepony, let alone..." She was eyeing Comforting in a whole new light.

"Not like that!" Comforting giggled at the confusion. "She adopted me. It was very nice of her."

"Now that sounds a bit more Fluttershy to me." Lyra's confusion faded away with a gentle smile. "Hey, kid, you like sweets?" She pointed the way. "My friend, Bon Bon, makes the best sweets. Tell her I said to give you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' bag!"

Author's Note

Lyra is a good pony, just saying.

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25 - Sweet Surprise

"That's a new face." An earth pony was looking at her from behind a counter. "Come on in."

It was Bon Bon, in the flesh, and fur. "Hello." Comforting stepped inside properly, willing the door shut behind her. "I met your girlfriend outside and--"

Bon Bon colored swiftly. "Hey!" Suddenly, the door clicked locked. Blinds folded tightly on the windows and the room was plunged into gloom. "Did she tell you that or did somepony else blab?" She was approaching Comforting with a calculating scowl.

Comforting flipped her little ears back. She had said something wrong! What was it... Oh! Right, she had never been told those two were, at all, in a relationship. That wasn't even confirmed! Comforting has just blabbed fan canon at a pony and they were upset. She might have been wrong entirely! Or maybe she had been right? Either way was bad! "Um!"

Bon Bon circled the nervous filly. "You're hiding something, I can tell." Bon Bon leaned in but didn't make contact. "Confessing will make this a lot easier. Who told you that?!"

"My name is Comforting!" It came out in more of a squeak than a calm statement. "Lyra said to ask you about a 'welcome to Ponyville' bag?"

Bon Bon hiked a brow. "She would do that, but did she tell you about the other thing or not? Who talked?" It went from dim light to blinding light as Bon Bon slid in an interrogating lamp over Comforting, shining on her in a harsh glare. "Fess up, Comforting. If that even is your real name!"

"It is!" Comforting waved at the lamp in a feeble attempt to block the harsh light. "I'm sorry!" Did she miss a part of Bon Bon's backstory? Why was the candy maker being so aggressive? "I didn't mean to hurt anyone, really."

"Right." Bon Bon leaned past the bright lamp. "Let's start from the top. Who are you?"

"Comforting Shade!" She was getting very little shade, and none of it was comforting...

"And where are you from?" Bon Bon's eyes were set on Comforting, unwavering in its intensity.

"Celestia brought me." She threw out her magic and the light dimmed, but only for a moment. The flowers she had made burst into flames. Made of magic, the fire was short-lived, allowing the light to glare upon her.

Bon Bon squinted. "That did not match your cutie mark." She brought the lamp closer, its heat spilling over the filly. "Are you a wizard? Who taught you?!"

"I'm learning!" Big tears stung at her eyes as her nose began to run. It was too much happening all at once. "I'm sorry!" she got out in a choked sob. "Please stop being angry at me!"

Bon Bon let out a slow sigh as she pushed the lamp aside, returning the room to cool shade. A comforting shade, if one dared to think about it. "Sorry. You really are scared, aren't you?" Comforting nodded without words. "Sorry... Look... When somepony comes rushing in here with information they shouldn't have had, I get a little on edge... A lot on edge..." She nudged the lamp further away. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

Comforting flopped forward, catching her breath. To Bon Bon's credit, she was allowed to just catch herself in a long moment of just existing. "That was... partly my bad... Um... I'm not here to hurt anyone, I swear. I heard you were giving out tasty candy?"

"That I am." Bon Bon returned to the counter. She must have pressed some button back there, considering the door unlocked and the windows flipped open. Natural light spilled into the candy store as she waved at her many jars of candy. "More than you could even imagine! Now, come on and I'll get you the bag Lyra promised. I still want to know how you knew that though. Did she tell? Be honest."

Comforting smiled, even if her nose was still running and she felt like a mess. The shop looked lovely when she wasn't being interrogated in it. "One, hm, 'Welcome to Ponyville' bag, please?" She worked her hooves together. "And I just heard, since you two were... together a lot."

Bon Bon darkened, but she was gathering things in a paper bag despite that. Professionalism. "Oh, Celestia! Were we that obvious?" She peeked over her shoulder. "They're talking about us?" A new thought came and her eyes widened. "And I... I'm so sorry! I was a real heel." She clopped a hoof to her face. "You get one more bag, on me. That was all my mistake." She placed the welcome bag on the counter. "What's your favorite kind of candy? I got sweet, sour, chocolate? Extreme and mild! Mix them together for fun. Trust me, sour chocolate is more tasty than you'd think."

Comforting couldn't help the giggle that bubbled from her. She wiped her runny snout on her arm, but paused halfway. "This..." She was just spreading the mess. "Do you have a tissue."

"Sure thing." Bon Bon set a napkin beside the bag she had made. "Like fruit? We got fruit candy in all the above varieties. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry? Lot of berries, come to think... Lemon, watermelon!" She was counting sweets as if nothing had happened, putting that awkward situation right behind her.

Comforting came closer and cleaned herself with the given napkin and a few snotty sniffles. "Thank you... Sorry for scaring you." She had almost said Bon Bon's other name, but cut herself short of that. Who knew how Bon Bon would react?! That was a safe name, seeing as Lyra had used it. "Why do you have an interrogating lamp?"

Bon Bon glanced past Comforting at the abandoned lamp. "What, that? That just helps me make candy! Some candy really needs a precise hoof. Like jewelry making, but a lot sweeter... or sourer... depends." She shrugged with a smile. "Now, Comforting, that's your name right? What am I getting you?"

Comforting willed the welcome bag to float beside her. "Um..." There were so many jars to choose from. Picking one from the many was not an easy task. "You make so many..."

"Sure do." Bon Bon tapped the wall and a jar fell right off. Fortunately, it went right into her waiting other hoof. "If you're really not sure, why not a Bon Bon? Just like me." She set the jar of bon bons right in front of Comforting. "A nice variety pack here. Chocolate with a surprise in each one."

That surprise was usually liquor, in the other world. Comforting doubted ponies would use that as their surprise, and especially not to give it to a little child. "I never had that." There was a lot she didn't taste yet with her new pony tongue. "But now is a good time."

"Daring! I like it." Bon Bon got to filling a second bag with bon bons. "Try them out. If you don't like them, tell me. If you do like them... tell me anyway." She set the bag in easy grabbing range. "Sorry again. Let's just forget all about that."

Comforting took the second bag with her magic, floating both nearby. "Thank you, for the candy. I'm sure it'll all be good. I stay with Fluttershy." She pointed the way. "She adopted me."

"Aw!" Bon Bon smiled with a warmth that was hard to compare to her suspicious glare. "That's really nice of her. But, then, being nice is her specialty. Welcome to Ponyville! You came from Canterlot?"

Canterlot was where Celestia stayed, and home to a lot of unicorns... "Um..." It was a decent excuse, but it was also a fib.

"Is it a secret?" Bon Bon inclined her head. "I've grilled you enough for one day." She made a shooing motion with her hooves. "So you get on and enjoy that candy. If you want to tell me, I'm right here, being curious." But she didn't chase or demand answers as Comforting departed.

Comforting fled the store and sank against a building. She drew the second bag up and poked her snout inside, sniffing. Chocolate. Mmmm. "She picked a good kind." She smiled with growing joy. "I'll enjoy these... But I could enjoy them more." She trotted off in search of something. Or somepony, if one wanted to be specific.

She did not find the ponies she was aiming for, instead coming upon the Cutie Mark Crusaders giving some kind of sermon to a crowd. They were talking about destinies and the finding thereof. Many of the ponies in that crowd didn't have a cutie mark, watching with fascination as if the speech might help them fix that condition.

Comforting waited until it was all done and tried to pay attention, but she already had a mark. Her destiny was shaping up! She was a helpful little filly with a destiny of being a helpful pony, like her mom was to be nice, especially to animals. It ran in the family! Even if they weren't tied by blood.

"Hiya!" Comforting approached the fillies with a grin. "Inspiring speech." She had heard maybe half of it, being generous. "They were really paying attention."

Apple Bloom pumped a hoof. "Ah knew it! We're really reachin' them. You don't need that kinda help though, mostly. Only mostly though."

Scootaloo leaned forward. "There are ponies with a mark that still aren't sure they are where they need to be. We're here to help!"

"No mark, confused mark, wrong mark? We will lend a hoof." Sweetie nodded with assurance. "That's what we do. Consider us the cutie mark counselors, unlike Starlight."

Apple Bloom shrugged. "She's a general kinda counselor. Good at her job, but we specialize." She offered a hoof, and all three met in a loud clop. "Now what's up? Ya got two somethin's right there."

All three looked at the floating bags curiously, ears trained on them as if they would whisper their secrets if one listened hard enough.

Comforting brought her hooves together in a loud clop. "I was hoping to find a friend. Bon Bon gave me a bunch of candies and I'd rather share them rather than gobbling them all up by myself."

Sweetie giggled loudly. "Aw! That's nice of you. I will gratefully accept your offer."

"Count me in!" Scootaloo pumped a hoof, tail wagging energetically. "Just the thing to get our energy back after that work."

"Sounds good." Apple Bloom reached up to poke a bag. "What are they? Reckon they're good if they came from Bon Bon."

"Ta da!" Comforting set down the bag of bon bons and pulled it open so they could all see the chocolate bounty. "Way too much for me to eat all at once."

"Ooo." Sweetie willed three out of the bag and shared with her friends. Soon all three were chewing with pleased expressions on their faces.

Comforting floated one up into reach and snapped at it. An explosion of raspberry filled her mouth. Raspberry liquid of some kind that had its own sharp taste. "Ooo!" It wasn't a bad taste, she quickly decided as she snapped anew at the floating candy, making short work of it. "Bon Bon is good at these. Does she make them herself?"

Scootaloo talked with her mouth full, giving a peek of the chocolate she was destroying in the process, "Pretty sure! Where else would she get them? Ugh, no way mail order candy would taste as good."

Things grew quieter for a time as the fillies enjoyed their candies. There was no time to talk when there was quality candy waiting to be chomped on.

"Comforting?" Fluttershy was coming closer. "Ah, hello." She nodded at the CMC with a gentle smile. "Are you all getting along?"

Apple Bloom snapped a salute. "Comforting is sharing her candy with us. It's right neighborly of her, ah reckon. Good candy too." She bit her next captive bon bon right in half. "Ya raised a good filly right here."

Fluttershy giggled at the praise. "Oh my. I can't really take credit. She came as she is. I'm just lending a hoof."

Comforting dashed under a hoof in its motion. "A good hoof!" She nestled with her adoptive mother. "The best!"

Author's Note

This is not what I planned this chapter being! They ran away from me, pesky fillies, and left chocolate wrappers behind.

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26 - The Cute-ceañera

The music was bouncing and so were some of the ponies. They had filled up a larger room in the school with staff and a few smaller ponies. Diamond Tiara was there, patting Comforting lightly. "Behold, a party!" And it was hard to argue with that fact. She had arranged quite the bash, but without inviting the entire town.

Instead, the school staff. It seemed like the entire school staff. Even a janitor or two had managed to get in and enjoy a snack when they weren't helping clean up. It was very efficient, come to think... "Darling." Rarity had found her. "There you are. Congratulations, and what a mark." She clasped her hooves firmly. "I saw it in class, but that was hardly the place to speak on it. Very bold, I love it."

Comforting smiled up at the adult pony. "Thank you! Oh, um, when should I give that speech?"

"Speech?"

Comforting looked at Diamond sharply.

Diamond warded off the hostile look with her hooves. "Calm down. I gave a speech at mine. It's not technically required, but it looks good. You want to look good, right?"

Rarity inclined her head. "What speech? Did I miss a chance to give a speech?!"

Diamond fixed the larger pony with a smarmy grin, her tail wagging slowly. "You sure did. You didn't give one at your party? It's a time to tell the world what your mark means to you."

Rarity clopped her hooves to her cheeks. "And I missed it?! Nopony told me of this." She huffed as she stomped in place, clearly put out at this news. "Too late to do much about that now... Unless you want to hear how I got my mark?" She flashed a smile at the foals hopefully.

"I've heard the story." Wait, she wasn't supposed to say that!

"Did the Crusaders mention it?" Rarity nodded softly. "Good that they were paying attention. Alright, you have fun at your party." She patted Comforting gently and wandered off.

Diamond nudged against Comforting. "Told you. You don't want to be like that." She tossed her head in the direction Rarity had fled. "So let's do a little speech. They really are here for you, promise, so..."

"So when?" Comforting turned to Diamond fully. "I don't want to be rude." She could see a stage she'd probably want to use. "They look like they're having fun."

"They are here for you." Diamond leveled a hoof at Comforting, even with her nose. "You are the point of this party. You march up there and start talking. They'll listen, promise."

Comforting slowly exhaled. Right. She was the point of the party, so... It was natural... right? She trotted past Diamond and up the small collection of stairs up onto the stage. Ponies began to look at her curiously without her saying anything. Maybe her friend had been right? "Hello, everyone! Thank you for coming." She sank to her haunches with a big nervous smile. "I'm very happy to see all of you." She recognized most of them and gave a nod at the ones she knew well, like the teachers and the misfits she had become good friends with.

"This is... happening because I got my mark." She half turned to display that mark, the heart with the hooves wrapped around it. "It's a mark, like a lot of others, but it means a lot, to me. It means I should always look for how I can understand people, and offer my hooves to hold them when things get tough. Being nice and supporting is what it means. It means..." She inhaled instead of talking.

"It means a lot of things. I bet you all had thoughts like this with your marks." She looked at Twilight. "How heavy it must have felt, Magic? That's a big concept! How do you get your hooves around all of that? Were you nervous? I am... A heart isn't as large as 'all of magic', but it can feel like it... And it's just as important..." She set a hoof on her chest. "We all have one, but the one we have is the most important thing in the world, and when it gets hurt, it's like that world is crumbling around us..."

A wing settled over her. Fluttershy had snuck up onto the stage next to her and was sitting next to her ward, offering silent, but tactile, support. Comforting smiled at the backup. "I will probably not save the world, like some ponies, but maybe I'll help one of those day-saving ponies pull it together, so they can be brave." She reared up and put out her hooves in an offer of a hug to no pony in particular. "I'd be happy with that, knowing I did my part. I... hope you're happy with that too, what I am, big or small. I won't always... Won't always succeed, but I will reach and hug and hopefully things will be better than where they started."

The room erupted into clops and stomps. Three ponies were roaring at her, the crusaders showing their support a bit more loudly than the rest of them. She had given her speech and not made a fool of herself. Success! Comforting moved to descend the stairs, but Fluttershy grabbed her instead.

Fluttershy gently picked up Comforting onto her back and carried her down. "Today is a big day, um, for you. You were very brave, giving those words. I'm not sure I could have managed it."

Comforting hugged her mother from above. "You've been that brave before, and probably will again. You're super brave, you just need things worth being brave for."

"Hm." Fluttershy thought back on her braver moments. "There is something to that." She grabbed a cupcake and passed it up to her foal. "But that wasn't nearly as pressing. Nopony was relying on you. You could have just... not done that, and nopony would have been hurt. So what was your reason?"

Comforting held the muffin in both hooves, chomping at the sweetness. "Carrot!" It was that, at least. She was erasing it from the world. "You can partially blame Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They made it sound like it was just normal for a pony to give a speech, so I thought of one..."

Fluttershy turned her left ear up at Comforting. "But you learned better, it sounds like."

"Right at the last second!" Comforting flumped into Fluttershy's mane. "I already had the speech thought out... so..."

"So I'm glad you shared it." She curled on herself, pulling Comforting into her grasp for hugs and nuzzles. "It was lovely, and I think everypony else agrees. Is that how you really feel?"

"Of course." Comforting sat up in her mother's loving grip. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

"Ponies say a lot of things because they think they have to..." Fluttershy inclined her head. "That entire speech was written because you felt you had to. I've done a lot because I thought I... just had to..."

"Huh..." Comforting rocked left and right as she considered that. "Wow... You may have a point there... Still, yeah, that is how I feel."

"Good." Fluttershy gently set Comforting to the ground. "Enjoy the party. It's for you, after all."

Comforting rubbed nose to nose with her mother. "I will! Thanks for being here."

"As if I'd miss it." Fluttershy gently shooed Comforting off to do her own thing.

Comforting scampered off into the crowd, spotting someone she knew and veering to the large form. "Yona! Having fun?"

"Not a yak party." She shrugged softly. "But pretty good." She leaned to the side for a better look at Comforting's mark, the star of the show. "Must be strange, having that."

Comforting slid to a stop. "Oh, Yaks don't get cutiemarks, right?"

"We decide for self what purpose is." She thumped her chest and looked proud of that fact. "If change mind, change mind. Not know pony who's mark changes. How that work?"

Comforting glanced back at her new cutie mark. "Huh... I don't think I'll stop wanting to help people." She hopped forward and offered an arm towards Yona. "I may change how I do it, but... The mark would still work."

Yona brought down a hoof on Comforting's far aside and pulled her closer. "Glad you're happy. All that matters in end. Good words." She nodded up at the stage Comforting had been on. "I give words before." She leaned in, face dominating Comforting's view. "In Yak, not Ponish. Other Yaks listen and judge." She burst into deep giggles. "Nervous, but made it! Yaks are best at judging. I felt very judged... But made it!" She offered a hoof.

Comforting met it with one of her own. They had both survived public speaking. "Were you also talking about yourself?"

"Yes." Yona nodded and waved her other hoof in a slow circle. "Explain why I want come here. Glad it went well. I am learning. I am having fun too. Good choice!"

"Good choice!" Comforting clopped in applause and hopped up. "I should say hi to others too. Have fun!" With a parting wave, she got to walking.

"There she is." Silver Spoon had spotted her before the other way around. "Like, having fun?" She went up to the party filly with a grin. "Nice speech. Did you write it yourself?"

Comforting inclined her head left and right. "Who else would write it for me? It was... about me."

"Sure it was." Silver pointed to where Fluttershy was chatting with other teachers. "She knows you. She's, like, your mom. I bet she coulda come up with something nice."

"Probably..." Comforting recoiled a step. "But she didn't. I wrote it."

"Good for you!" Silver spun on a bit easily. "You did a good job then. Like, I couldn't do that for mine." She raised a hoof to her chin. "I got a writer to help me out and get it right. No shame in that either! I worked really hard with them to get it perfect." She pulled down the bonnet she was wearing. "But I'm not really, you know, a writer. You're a natural! You sure that isn't gonna be your talent?"

Comforting smiled a little awkwardly at that. "If I'm writing to help someone, maybe? Glad you liked it." She glanced about. "Did Diamond also like it?"

Silver waved off at a crowd. "She won't admit it, but I think she really really did." She leaned forward with a giggle. "Part of why I said you did a good job! Now you're past the hard part, so all you have to do is, like, have a good time with ponies you know." She pointed at herself. "Like me! Pinkie did the cakes and stuff, of course. She did a good job."

"Glad to hear it!" Pinkie descended from above as if that was a normal thing to do. "Saved your favorite flavor." She pointed off to a covered lump on a table. "Nopony gets a taste until you get yours." She crossed her arms with resolution. "So let's get to it!" She grabbed at Comforting with a grin and shuffled her towards the waiting dessert.

Unsurprisingly for a Pinkie creation, the cake was great when Comforting got to take her first bite. "You make it so well."

"I can't take credit for that one." Pinkie tossed aside the guarding cloth for others to approach. "Misses Cake was the one that made that one. She's the one I learned from in the first place, so as good as I can be, she's... ten times as good!" She threw her hooves up in the air. "You should see her when she gets serious!"

That didn't stop Pinkie from stuffing a cupcake against Comforting. "Now this I made, enjoy!" And off she bounced.

Comforting flopped to her bottom as ponies moved to get their share of the cake. The party was a bit overwhelming, but not in a bad way, she decided. It was the loud welcome to making it past another step of being a pony, which she was, and she was alright with that.

Author's Note

Congratulations!

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27 - I Apologize

Comforting had gone out like a light when she was settled in bed. With Fluttershy singing her a soft song and the bed cradling her from below, who could blame her that she fell away from the waking world so quickly? It had been a trying day with the party and speech, though both had gone well. She didn't resist and was soon a world away.

She dreamed of saving creatures. They were sad for many reasons, but she would appear, descending from the sky or popping free of the ground with her cutie mark as a big shield that warded away the bad feelings with a great clang of something impacting on metal as if the mark actually were that shield.

She was a warrior, a kind warrior. "I apologize."

She was conscious, but still asleep. She looked around with confusion in the familiar forest clearing. "Harmony?"

"I am here." Far-sighted Twilight stepped from the trees. "I apologize."

"Not looking like me today?" Comforting peered at her not-twin. "That's alright. You could be yourself if you wanted."

"I am a tree." Harmony approached slowly. "Trees do not speak."

"Right..." They had discussed that. "I more meant you could make up your own creature to be, even a tree that did talk! Why can't there be a tree that talks?"

"Trees do not talk." This was a simple fact, and one Harmony seemed unable to move past. "You are trying to be kind. I appreciate that." They met, the two sitting in front of each other. "I am not good at imagining new things."

Comforting frowned at that, but she was friends with a god of order. Maybe coming up with new things was a weakness. She envisioned things as they were, and how they could be improved, not whole new things. That was more Discord's speed, as far as eternal avatars went. "Oh... What if I made up a creature for you?" She, a mere mortal, was free of those limitations! "I'm not a very good artist... I could describe them?"

"Then it would be your creature, not mine." Harmony as Twilight leaned forward. "I would treasure it as a gift, but it would not be me."

"You're not you right now." Harmony waved over the Twilight that was not Twilight. "What would the difference be, except it'd be a form given to you by someone that likes you?"

"You are kind. But I have played a part in that. I apologize."

Comforting considered Harmony, who had not emoted her words, just spoke them, but they felt real despite that. "What are you sorry for? You didn't decide I was nice."

"I decided it was your fate. Maybe I noticed? It's difficult to tell the difference for me. They made your fate clear today, your purpose laid bare." She pointed at Comforting's bottom. "You are now shackled to the pony's curse, but you remain a willing captive, celebrating every new rope that ties around you. You cry with joy at each step, and I am unsure. This is not what you were. I apologize."

"No... It's not." She was an older human. Humans rarely worked that way. She was not older or human. Things had changed a lot. "I'm still not sad. You told me what was happening. You and Celestia pointed to the exit. I just had to step through it." Comforting smiled even as an imagined tear ran down her cheek. "Maybe it wouldn't have been bad. Maybe it would have been great, but I didn't know and I still don't."

Harmony inclined her head. "It is where you were meant to be. Why is that not enough?"

Comforting considered her god of a friend. That was a very Harmony way of thinking, she decided. "Because, for living things, just not knowing can be enough to scare us onto other paths. I'd rather try something new than face what might be the end... Besides, I like this." She spread her hooves slowly. "I like my friends, and my mother, and even school a lot more than I thought I would."

"You are something different."

"I am something wonderful." She put her hooves on her own chest. "With a life ahead of her. It won't always be easy, but I'm ready to face that."

"Brave... But not brave... Contradictions." She smiled gently. "This is a curse shared by all creatures." She set a hoof on Comforting's nose. "You forgive me so easily?"

"Nope!" Comforting nuzzled that glimmering hoof. "Can't forgive what wasn't bad in the first place. I want to visit you, by the way. The real you, I mean. I bet you're amazing in the real world."

"I am not." A simple statement of fact. "I am a tree. What would you do?"

"Talk to you." But Trees didn't talk back. "Sit on your roots and snuggle close." Comforting worked her hooves in slow circles over one another. "Give you a big hug you deserve."

"You can do that here." Harmony as Twilight spread her hooves.

A clearer invitation, Comforting didn't know. She pounced into those open hooves and hugged Harmony tightly. "Silly tree! I like you a lot. Stop acting like I don't."

"I don't understand why." Harmony returned the embrace as if she wasn't entirely sure how firmly to squeeze to send the proper signal. "I am an overlord. I will boss you around."

"To fix things, and we talked about this." Comforting waggled a hoof up at Harmony from the god's grip. "You'll ask first, knowing I could say no, but probably won't, but could."

"But could..." That was still a scary idea to Harmony, but not one she shoved away. She was still digesting that thought. "You have a mark now. I can call you. Will you be upset if I call you?"

Comforting squinted suddenly. "I... could be misremembering, but didn't you call Spike before? He has no mark. What's up with that?"

"I... improvised." That word. It was like a dirty thought. "I had no bind over him. He could have declined... He could have ignored me. I hoped he would not. He was raised by ponies and is similar, in here." Harmony tapped at Comforting's chest. "So I hoped."

"So you can do it!" Comforting nodded quickly. "It would be the same way, with me. You'd tell me what's wrong and I could say no, but... Probably I'm already on the case." She saluted even as she fell from Harmony's slack grip to the floor. "You can command ponies?"

"If it involves their mark, my power is much greater. Their purpose is close to me, and I can use that." Harmony as Twilight slowly tilted to the left. "They are far less likely to refuse with their mark being used. This is why I use them. I call ponies with the right mark, and things are addressed."

Comforting looked back at her heart of a mark. "So you'd call me if someone needed a bit of my kind of kindness?"

"You know, kindness is in my branches." The Twilight clone became a small tree. Trees did not talk, but they could show their Elements of Harmony easily enough.

It took Comforting a moment to click that together, but it came. "Oh! Right... yeah. I forgot." She set a hoof on Harmony's jewel-form cutie mark. "Was it always this?"

Twilight was back, the tree gone. "No. I have existed as and within many traits as ponies decided which was important to them. I am the force that binds them, and what binds them changes as they do. Your caretaker was very close to me. It is easy to call her and the other guardians of the elements. Very easy... So I did it. They would not say no. They barely considered the alternative."

Comforting tensed a little. "Make the rope around me friendship. I'll do it because it's right and I like you, and that's reason enough. I don't like the idea of 'I did it because I had to because of that mark or you put a spell on me.'"

"It is not a spell." Harmony touched noses with Comforting. "It is the way things are. So long as I exist, those chains remain. I warned you of this. Are you not a willing captive?"

Comforting frowned with new thoughts in her little head. "That's heavy... You can ask though. You've done it with me and Spike. That's all I'm asking."

"You have a mark." Harmony smiled, but it lacked the proper emotion behind it. "Things have changed. I apologize."

"Only if you let them," huffed out Comforting. "Go on, ask me something."

Harmony was still, strange scenes flashing in her eyes like a broken television set. "Comforting, there is a confused pony that requires your help. They are considering the School of Friendship. You with your adult perspective can assist them in this. Will you give them the hug they need?"

Comforting's rump tingled warmly without warning. Yes, she could hug someone! She could hug them until the problem was taken care of! That was... "No!" She glared at her cutie mark as if it had done something to her. "Stop that! Harmony, can you tell me which pony this is?"

"No." Harmony as Twilight raised a hoof. "My visions are limited, but accurate. What I have told you is enough to encounter them. Will you help them?"

"Huh..." That matched other cutie map quests. "So do my thing, but keep my eyes open for an adult in or near the school? Alright! I'll talk to them and we'll figure this out."

Harmony inclined her head. "You said no."

"I said no to being forced." She pointed back at her mark. "I will do this because I want to, and I want to help you, and help this pony. Are they nice?"

"They are within your ability to assist." Harmony did not have fine details to offer. "I can offer no rewards."

"You already did that." Comforting flopped against Harmony as Twilight. "I get to have you as a friend, and that counts for a lot. I'll look for this pony."

"Thank you." Harmony gathered up Comforting in a gentle hug. "I have much to consider."

The dream ended without further preamble.

"I have my first cutie task!" Comforting was sitting up at the breakfast table with a big proud grin.

"You do?" Fluttershy looked at Comforting's mark which was not glowing or showing any hint of being called. "Did you already visit the map? It didn't ask you to go far away... I hope? You're still very young." Fluttershy quivered with fear, her hooves working against one another. "Would you mind if I came with you?"

"You're the best." Despite that, Comforting waved her away. "I won't be going anywhere, promise. The problem is somewhere around the school, and you let me walk there already." It wasn't an always thing. Sometimes, she got a fun pegasus ride out of it! "I got more of a hint than you usually did."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh! You know about them? Um, if I can ask... what do you know, then?"

"About the mission I have or the mission you had?" Comforting chomped at the fried goodness that had been made for her. "Mmm!" She had such a wonderful mother. "It's good!"

"I'm glad to hear that." Fluttershy relaxed at seeing Comforting enjoying breakfast. "I'm more curious about your mission right now. Is it dangerous?"

"I don't think so? There'll be an adult somewhere around the school." Comforting made a circular gesture. "They'll be thinking about joining, but unsure. My job is to cheer them up and help them get past that."

"How wonderful!" Fluttershy clapped with a joyful giggle. "That sounds like a perfect job for you. An older pony? We wouldn't turn away a grown pony that wanted to learn about friendship. I confess that isn't what we go for primarily."

"Which is probably why they're scared." Comforting wrapped her hooves around herself. "They need a hug, and I'll give it!"

It was unlikely to be that straightforward.

28 - Incoming Hug

Comforting made her way through the city in a hurry. She was early. There was about no chance of her being late, but she couldn't help but propel herself in a spirited trot. Maybe she'd see the pony?!

The bridge leading to the school was quiet. It was quite early, and no students were on it. The ground was cool beneath her and the air thick with the gentle humidity of the starting day. "Hello?" There was no reason for them, whoever they were, to answer her. She saw nothing and heard maybe a little more in the form of early morning birds chirping their songs.

"Not that fast..." It was perhaps a bit overmuch to imagine it would come on her that quickly. She trotted out onto the bridge that separated the school from the rest of the town. The water flowed gently under it and she looked into it, smiling at the gentle lapping sound of the flowing water. "Hm..." She never took time to just enjoy it. Comforting settled down and decided that relaxing and doing just that was the course of action.

School wouldn't open for some time, and that was a lovely spot. She reached down and tried to bat at the water, but it was too far. She gave up and sat up properly, just listening to it instead. "This really is built nicely..." It was all so pleasant to be around. Ponies did things so nicely! She took a moment to be thankful for exactly where she was.

Something was coming closer on clopping hooves. Comforting looked up to see a middle-aged pony walking along at a sedate pace. He wore overalls that looked suited for heavy work. "Mornin'." And he had seen her. "Just gonna clean up." He was walking right onto the bridge as if she wasn't there, just straight across. "Somepony's gotta do it."

Comforting rose and turned towards the pony. "Are you... a custodian?"

"That's a fancier word than most ponies in this town use." He smiled a bit lopsidedly at her. "Most call me a janitor, if they call me anything'. You need somethin'?"

Comforting tapped her hooves together gently. "You come to this school a lot?"

"Every day." The earth pony nodded at her, his pale blue mane ruffling in the motion. "And I should get on with it." He began moving past her.

Comforting hopped to her hooves and started following him without being asked. He went right up to the gate of the school and casually slid a big key into place as he whistled. It was as it clunked into place that he noticed. "School ain't opened yet." He was looking at her. "Go on. Still got 'bout an hour before then."

She grinned large enough to squeak in the effort. "It's a great school, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." He glanced away and back. "Which is why I gotta keep it clean, little filly, so the students can use it."

"Students come in a lot of sizes." She tapped herself gently. "I'm a student."

"Huh." He turned back to the gate, pushing it open with his snout. "Look, if you wanna see me clean things, no rule against it. It ain't all that interestin', promise." And in he went at his casual pace.

"I'm already interested." Comforting danced past the gate and turned around, closing it with a clang of metal on metal. "Don't want anyone else wandering in."

"That'd be terrible." He eyed the filly that had already wandered in ahead of time. "You never cleaned before or somethin'?" He made his way slowly down the hallway towards a closet. "Yer parents asked once or twice, didn't they?"

"They sure did!" Comforting could remember cleaning up for Fluttershy and doing her part to help. "They gave me a hug instead of money though... That's... adulting."

"Yeah." He brought his head out of the closet with a mop in his teeth. "You know more about adulting than most foals your size." He wetly splatted the mop down and began cleaning diligently. "Full of surprises."

"Adulting is a lot of work." Comforting sighed gently, but she was smiling. "But making friends is still a part of adulting."

"Says who?" He hiked a brow as he worked. "I come in, do my work, get paid... Nopony wants to hear 'bout an adult learnin' how to make friends."

"It's never too late." She found a spot to sit near him as he worked. "You seem like a nice person already."

"Then you ain't looked close enough yet." He dunked the mop into a bucket and wished it around before resuming his pushes. "Ponies confuse me! Don't get them, not even a little bit..."

Comforting considered in a silent angling of her head. "They sure do a lot of things, and never explain why."

"'xactly." He grumped as he worked down the hallway in his cleaning. "And they always expect you to know! They get angry when you don't!"

"If only there was a place that taught these things." Her eyes wandered over the school that was exactly made for that. "Where they teach how to get along and understand things."

"That's for foals!" He said that a bit loudly and colored. "Sorry... Nothin' wrong with bein' a foal." He reached for her and patted her on the head gently. "Bet yer gettin' good grades too."

She was! She saw no reason to rub that in. "It isn't just for foals. There are adults here too." She began following him as he resumed his cleaning trek. "What about them?"

"They're younger, way younger." He grunted as he looked at a locker. "Figures." He got to cleaning a big mess someone had splattered on a few lockers together. "The oldest pony ah ever saw was at least half my age. The teachers would laugh, the students would laugh, and everycreature would think anypony my age is just... No. Ain't doin' it." He dipped his mop in his bucket, freshening it up for another salvo of cleaning. "This place isn't built for me, other than cleanin' it up. That's my part, and I'm proud of it."

"You're doing a great job." She remained on him, watching. "But it doesn't have to be that."

"Look... thanks, but shoo." He pushed her, heavy hoof easily making her slide on the smooth floor of the hallway. "They'd never let me join anywho, so get on and do somethin' more productive than talkin' with some old cleaner like he means somethin' at all."

She let him get along with his business instead of chasing him further. She was an adult, at least on the inside. That she had reached the end of where she could reach in that moment felt self-evident. Still, she had met a pony that needed her, and learned things and chatted. A success!

"Pardon?" Twilight hiked a brow. "I expected a more... magic-related question, if we're being honest."

"I hope we are." Comforting clopped her hooves smartly. "What is the top age a pony can be and still get in the school?"

Twilight shook her head. "I never even considered that... The highest age we have currently is about twenty four. What brings this up? Are you considering an age-advancing spell? That is far beyond you! Do not attempt that!"

"No!" she giggled out. "I'll age at one second every single second, and that's fast enough." She inclined her head. "What if an older pony wanted to join?"

Twilight rolled a hoof. "They'd need to apply, like anycreature else. Most foals have their forms filled for them by their caretakers, but an adult pony would do it themselves, obviously. There would be... challenges. They'd be in classes filled with creatures far younger than they are." Twilight began to dance from hoof to hoof. "It could prove difficult without a peer network to--"

"--I'm managing." Comforting pointed at herself. "I'm the youngest filly here, and I'm friends with a bunch of teenagers."

"You are." Twilight smiled at her student. "You are a special case. You'll admit that, won't you?"

"Yeah..." Not every student had her perspective, or could be expected to... "But..."

"But... If an older student wanted to join and passed the test..." She shrugged gently. "I would have no reason to deny them so long as they followed the rules." She suddenly smiled. "I doubt Grandma Smith wants to join the school, however."

Comforting burst into light giggles at the image conjured. "She has plenty to learn."

"Perhaps, but she wouldn't want to." Twilight leaned in at Comforting. "She is very happy just where she is, and having us telling her to change would only make her upset. She'd need to come to us, ready to learn, not the other way around." She inclined her head the other way. "Now... with a foal, if the parent sends them, we have dealt with bad matches before. I would not do that for an adult. They're grown enough to make their own decisions."

"Sure, yes... But if a grown pony wanted to be here, you'd let them in?" Comforting leaned forward with her biggest smile. "Right?"

"Theoretically..." Twilight didn't sound as sure about that as Comforting would have liked. "Now about your magic! How is your spell coming along?"

Comforting covered Twilight in a dazzling collection of every flower that her imagination could come with, not focusing on any particular type of flower. "Very good." Twilight pointed to the desk Comforting was seated in. "Now cover that in nothing but orange daisies."

Even as the glow started, Twilight cut in suddenly. "And no purple ones!" That most of them were purple had her smiling. "It is very easy to be distracted. Learning how to avoid that is a key part of using magic outside of very controlled environments, which are hard to find and not practical to depend on."

"Unfair..." Comforting crossed her arms. "I'll get better!" Learning magic had more steps to it than she'd have liked, but she was far from prepared to give up on it. "How do I practice that?"

"With a friend." Twilight turned away from Comforting. "I know you have some. Ask them to surprise you when you least expect it. Only practice can improve this." She turned back about and set a hoof on Comforting's desk. "You are doing great! Don't misunderstand me. Especially for your age and time spent learning. You are doing quite well, but you're not there yet. When you can reliably work through distractions, we can start on your next spell."

Comforting's eyes widened with a loud gasp. "I'm ready!"

"I had a feeling you would be." She got some chalk in her magic and began drawing diagrams of startled unicorns. "If it helps, I can still be surprised. We are alive in the end, so that comes with the territory. The goal is the minimize the effect, not to stop it entirely."

"Let's see you do the flower spell." Comforting looked a little too impish.

"Very well..." A little smile came. "Any particular kind of flower?"

Comforting brushed the blue daisies off her desk. "How about some big yellow ones? You know the kind."

"I do know the kind." Her horn's glow changed subtly with the work of magic. Comforting felt proud for spotting the difference.

She hadn't figured out exactly which letters looked like what yet, but progress! "Spike flower."

The flowers came out looking mostly right, except one that had the head of her assistant giving a wink. "I saw that coming." She patted the one unusual flower. "Behold."

"Did you do that on purpose?" Comforting peered at the unusual specimen. "Or just keep the surprise to a minimum."

"A great question!" Twilight sprang up to two hooves with a grand circle of one of her forehooves. "Being a trained wizard means a little of both. This becomes all the more important in situations where a pony could get hurt." She waved at the flowers. "Nothing will be lost if all the flowers ended up like our Spike flower, but if I'm in the middle of teleporting somepony..."

Comforting cringed at the possibilities. "Yeah..."

"Exactly." Twilight came down to all fours with a clop. "Work on it, and take your time. You are far ahead of schedule already, so there's no shame in that."

Author's Note

Comforting is still learning magic even as she grapples with her first cutie quest. Is she on the right track?

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29 - You See That?

"It must be different."

Comforting looked around from on the large couch she sat on. The couch was in a room, but she couldn't focus on the room. It just wasn't important. The couch was large and soft and what else mattered? "Harmony?"

"Most know me as a force." Harmony stepped out onto the arm of the couch in Comforting's body, eyes gazing long. "And little else. We do not have that relationship. Following my directions... You do it like you would a friend asking politely."

"Which I would." Comforting turned to face her doppelgänger a little above her. "Why is that bad?"

"Because sometimes it will be hard. Sometimes it will be very hard, and you get so little in return." Harmony dropped bits in a pile from her hooves, as if she had already been holding them somehow. The coins faded on contact with the couch, a promise of nothing. "Wouldn't you become irritated at a friend who kept doing that?"

"If you asked them for dumb reasons." Comforting clopped her hooves together in one firm motion. "Which you do not do. You will ask because something needs to be done, not because of anything silly." She had a hard time imagining Harmony doing anything as a joke. That was not their style. "I met the sad pony! He needs a hug, but more than that, he needs someone who's listening."

"And you are listening?" Harmony slid down the couch chair to stand next to the filly that was another of them, physical twins as they were. "I would ask more, but that would change things."

"Change things?" Comforting lowered her hooves to the soft cushions. "I'm not a prediction that you have to keep right."

"Yes you are." Harmony sat next to Comforting. "A prediction I enjoy." She skewed an ear to the side, the cup facing Comforting. "I am very logical. I see things how they should be, and must be. I can see where you will be, if that prediction remains true. You could wander off that path."

Comforting crossed her arms. "And I'm guessing even telling me what you see would change that."

"It would." Harmony set an arm around Comforting, holding her gently. "So I will not. Ponies do not often wander from the paths I see, but you are still... not entirely a pony. You have wandered from the path, but always onto a new one that I find you on, smiling and cheerful. One time... I fear you will not."

"It could happen." Comforting played with her hooves before hopping up. "I could end up in a field of stars, being rescued by some huge alien with soft words."

"That already happened." Harmony inclined her head. "Did you forget it?"

"No!" Comforting stuck out her tongue. "That was the joke. I didn't see that coming, and neither did you, but it made something great. Unexpected isn't always bad."

"Then I am helping." Harmony nodded slowly. "I am giving you more to not expect." And the dream ended without preamble.

Comforting was there and waiting for the custodial pony to come walking up. Her eyes were on him and not the water, for she knew what needed her attention more. "Good morning!"

"Good morning to you." He walked right past her to get the gate open. "Are you going to watch me clean every day? I'm doing the bathrooms today. It'll probably smell."

Probably, but that didn't dissuaded Comforting from following after him. "You know, you are allowed."

"Allowed to do what?" He closed the gate after Comforting with a clang. "Chase off little fillies? Ain't doin' a good job of that."

"You don't want to chase me away." Comforting walked alongside the janitor. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Clean Sweep." Like many ponies before and after him, he had a name that said what he was. "Uh... and yours? Alright to ask, yeah?"

She let him get his cleaning supplies for a quiet moment. "Comforting Shade." She pointed at herself with her name. "Nice to meet you. Trading names is a good way to get a friendship going."

Clean colored faintly. "I'm... a thousand times your age." He was not a thousand times her age. He may well have been younger, mentally. "You don't need to be friends with me. Why aren't you talking with ponies closer to your own age? You seem, uh... damn nice. To a fault, if we're bein' honest."

"Sorry." She circled around him as he went down the hallway. "Not trying to bother you, honest. I did ask... Twilight said you could join, if you wanted. Older ponies are welcome, if they want to learn what the school is teaching."

"That's nice." He was not going in any new direction, instead pushing into the stallion's restroom. "I'd still be sorrounded by a bunch of young ponies, jibber jabberin' about things I don't know."

"Sounds like a good time to learn." She trotted into the bright and tiled room. It stank, as advertised. Even Equestrians could make a smell in the proper place. Still, she did not flee. She had a mission and she was ready to see it through. "Being here is uncomfortable." She rocked left and right. "But I'm doing it anyway."

"Me too." He got to cleaning the floors first, combatting the stench a little at a time. "I get paid to do it. What's your excuse?"

"It's what I want to do." It was also her mission, but she kept that quiet. "And you want to understand ponies, like why I'm not leaving or doing what you ask me to."

"That would be nice." He glared at her, but only for a moment before the cleaning resumed. "Look... Thanks an' all, but... Look... What if I don't get it? I don't get it right now! I'll be the slowest kid there, and I ain't even a foal! They'd laugh at me, in my face or behind my back, ain't much better either way..." He pushed into a stall to get to cleaning in there. "I don't... I'm not the fastest pony 'round, alright? Or I'd have figured out how to get you back where you belong."

"I am where I belong. If you want to learn and you go to a school, then you are where you belong too." She hopped up onto his bucket, balancing on the rim carefully with a little wobble. "I bet they'd let the teachers come here if they wanted to learn something."

Clean turned away from the toilet. "Why in Equestria would Rainbow Dash come here?"

"She? She probably..." Wait... "She already did... When she couldn't figure something out, she asked her friends for help." She grinned at Clean Sweep. "They went the extra mile to make it so she could understand it. It was really sweet! That's what the teachers here are, so sweet. They want to help. They want to make you happier. Stop telling yourself that you're not worth a little effort."

"It wouldn't be a little effort." He pushed her out. She was a little filly and making her slide with a little direct force wasn't that hard. He closed the door after her with a click. That conversation was over, just like that.

"Huh..." Still... She felt like she was getting closer, bit by bit... She turned from the door with a giggle. She'd get through to that stallion! "You deserve happiness too." She walked off to the entrance of the school.

An eye peered at her from a barely open door. He watched her depart and sighed with relief. "She ain't gonna leave me alone..." He sank against the wall he was next to. "Life isn't always bein' a foal..."

Still, something prodded at him. Rainbow Dash wasn't a foal. She was an adult! She was a Wonderbolt, at that. A success story viewed from near every angle...

"Hey." Rainbow looked up from her desk. "Cleaning up?"

Clean Sweep nodded. "I'll get to that, ma'am... I'm here to talk to you."

"To me?" Rainbow curled both hooves at herself. "Well, here I am." She looked a bit smug at anypony needing her attention. Of course they did. "How can I make your day more awesome?"

"Won't take long, um, ma'am." He fidgeted in place from hoof to hoof. "Ah... heard ya asked the other teachers here for some help, studyin' one time."

Rainbow colored swiftly across her face. "Who said that?!"

"Ah knew it was silly." He turned to depart. "Sorry fer botherin' you."

"Wait!" She hopped up onto the desk that had separated them. "Yeah... it happened. Um... I had to pass a test about pegasus history, and history is not my favorite subject..." She slashed across her throat with her hoof. "But, um... You know Twilight and the other teachers?" As he nodded, she smiled. "They came through for me! They broke it down, um, the way I... Look, not every student learns the same way." She poked the side of her head. "I'm a visual. You put something I can see, especially while I'm flying, and I'll get it."

He was quiet and still a moment before he started to turn back towards her. "What if ya had a student that weren't learnin', but wanted to, um, learn?"

"That's the important part." Rainbow nodded with a firm arm folding. "If they want to learn, then we figure it out. That's part of a teacher's job. I am one of those!" As if that had been forgotten. "So if a student asks me for a hoof up, I'm on the case! If I can't figure it out, I'll ask the other teachers for help. Starlight's the counseler and she's good at that! Hey, if this is about a specific student, send them her way to chat."

"Good idea..." He glanced away and back. "Um... Silly question..."

"Some smart pony somewhere one said, 'The silliest question is the one you don't ask'. I don't entirely get it, but it makes sense to me. Go ahead, ask. We're already chatting and all." Rainbow hopped down from the desk closer to Clean Sweep. "By the way, hey! We work at the same place. We should chat more often."

It was his turn to color. Rainbow Dash; the Rainbow Dash was asking him to talk to her? What a strange day it was becoming. "Um..."

"Don't be overwhelmed." Her brows waggled with meaning. "Look, I'm here to talk with fans, not scare them off with awesome rays or whatever. So, uh, shoot, what was your name again?"

"Clean Sweep," he got out, stiff in fear.

"Nice. So, Sweeps, what's the question?" She was leaning in, too close!

He pushed her suddenly, reclaiming his personal space with a surprised yelp. It was right after that he colored and shrank. He had just pushed Rainbow Dash! "Sorry! Um... Shoot... Don't fire me."

"One." She raised a hoof. "I can't fire you, that's Twilight's thing. Two." She sat to raise the other hoof. "I wouldn't fire somepony for that. What'd you even do?"

"I shoved you?"

"I was a little close." She grinned without worry. "Sorry about that. So, the question?"

"Oh..." That he hadn't been fired... out of a cannon... to the moon... was surprising enough. "What if the student that was havin' all kinds a trouble weren't no foal? Say they were a 'dult... What then?"

"What's the difference?" Rainbow shrugged softly. "I was an adult when they helped me." She tapped herself on the chest. "Does that make me weird? Good, 'cause I am. I'm the best, and that's a bit odd, but the best kind." That she was completely confident in herself was hard to miss. "You know an adult that could use some lessons?"

"Uh... Say ah did..." He shrank towards the door, the conversation making him less comfortable by the moment. "What then?"

"Then we get to know them and try to figure out the best way." She pointed in the same direction. "I'd still send them to chat with Starlight. She's good at this!"

Author's Note

Aw, I feel for Clean Sweep. :heart:

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30 - Satisfaction in Success

Comforting circled on the bridge, but that didn't make him appear. "You're late!" She had developed a routine! He always came around that time and got right to it. That day, no Clean Sweep. "Hope you're not sick..." He had seemed in fine health the last time she had spotted him. "Did I mess up?" She imagined chasing him away with a smile, doing more harm than good. "I was too eager..."

But she had a school day ahead, and she turned her thought to that instead. It was at that moment that she thought of homework, and the relative absence of it. She went to school to do school stuff, and home to do anything else, and she liked that. Minus magic. Magic was extra, and she happened to like it. She raised her hooves as bright purple flowers covered them along with her giggles. She had that spell down pretty well. It was just the surprise part she had to work on.

Fluttershy was just awful at surprising ponies, it should be noted. Noise was not her thing, and she didn't like interrupting a pony that looked busy, being a polite and gentle soul.

But she had other friends! She scurried off as she considered; was Fluttershy a friend? She was her adopted mom and caretaker. But moms could also be friends, last she checked. It wasn't an assured thing, and the mom status took precedence. A friend may cut you slack for some things a mom wouldn't, for instance. At least the good ones. And Fluttershy was a good mom.

Comforting was smiling to herself with joy when she found the others, on the road and walking at a sedate rate as they chatted. "Diamond, Silver! Got a moment?" She hurried up to them, focusing on the present. "I need your help with a little something, though it'll probably be a bit long term."

Silver angled her head to the left. "Long term? Like, what do you mean? Also 'morning."

"'Morning," agreed Diamond Tiara. "You sure look excited about... something. What's up?"

"I need someone to surprise me." It was in that moment she realized. She could see magic, but most others could not. How could they surprise her?! "Oh..."

Diamond hiked a brow as Silver adjusted her glasses. "You look like you just remembered something."

"Yeah..." Comforting crashed to her haunches. "I need to be surprised while I do magic, but it's not obvious when I'm doing magic."

Silver leaned in. "'Course it is. Duh, like, you get way distracted." She pointed to her glass adorned eyes. "It's really obvious if you know what to look for, like you're doing a bunch of math in your head."

Diamond nodded firmly. "It's actually hard to miss. You never watched a unicorn do magic?"

Comforting had, of course, but her attention had been always on their sparkling horns, not the features of their face. She smiled with growing hope. "Good! So if you see me looking like that, this is an open invite to surprise me. Not every time, or it'd be predictable." She willed flowers at Silver Spoon just to get tackled by Diamond. "Ah!" The spell fizzled into Brussels sprouts instead of flowers.

Silver Spoon blinked at her new vegetative covering. "What did you just do?" She pawed at herself, brushing them away with obvious irritation. "That wasn't funny."

Diamond sat up, letting Comforting rise. "Duh, I distracted her, and her spell went funny. It was pretty funny, if you ask me."

Comforting scrambled to her hooves with an angry snort, her nostrils flaring. "You're better at this than I thought." She did her best to work herself down. She had asked for that, literally. "Is everyone alright?"

Silver Spoon shook herself free of the sprouts that were falling to fading bits. "I'm alright. I'll blame that on Diamond."

"Hey!" Diamond pouted at her friend. "I was asked to do it."

"I did ask her..." Comforting inclined her head at the two fillies. "Thanks for helping. Any time you see me like that, maybe surprise me. Not always! Even knowing you're around and could surprise me will help me get better." She clapped with suddenly rebounding joy. "And then I get to learn my second spell!"

Silver joined in the clapping. "Ooo, will it be a fancy one? You have to share. That's the trade. We help you and you show us first."

Diamond nodded. "That's a fair trade. What do you say?" She leaned closer to Comforting with a calculating smile.

Comforting saw no harm in that. "I can't promise it'll be flashy, or not. Twilight'll pick one and teach it to me... I hope it's useful." She waved her head at a rock that sprouted flowers. "Making flowers is fun, won't lie."

Diamond threw a hoof over Comforting and drew her closer. "And you're getting better at it. Now you just have to watch out, because we're watching, and we'll strike when you least suspect it." She released Comforting and resumed her journey to school with Silver Spoon at her side, the two giggling with impish delight.

They would, perhaps, enjoy their new job a bit too much.

Comforting made it to the bridge right on time, but waiting resulted in nothing but the soft burble of the stream under her. "That's strange..." Clean Sweep was usually so punctual! Maybe he was early? She put a hoof on the gate as her magic grabbed it and gave a pull, but it just rattled without opening. "Huh..."

She had to wait like anypony else until Twilight and Spike arrived. Twilight nodded. "Good morning! Eager to start a new day of education?"

"Professor Twilight." Comforting dipped her head at her headmistress and her brother, also adopted, much like herself. She had no stone to throw about that. "Where's Clean Sweep, if you know?"

Twilight perked an ear. "Hm? I thought you were responsible, truth told."

"Responsible?!" That was a dangerous word at the best of times. "What'd I do? Is he alright?"

"He's just fine." Twilight waved for Comforting to calm down.

Spike leaned in from above. "He's joining the school, um, joined, past. I didn't see his schedule."

"I did." Twilight nodded with serene confidence. She probably made the schedule. "He'll be in your fifth period, Comforting, and you should see him at lunch. Oh." She angled her head at Comforting's back end. "Did I miss something?"

Comforting curled to view and saw her cutie mark pulsing gently in signal of a completed cutie quest. "I didn't... But..."

Spike snapped fingers from both fingers into a finger gun. "Congratulations! But I don't remember seeing your cutie mark over the map."

Twilight drew the confused filly closer and hugged her. "It's alright. Not every quest ends as directly as one might hope. Now how did you get a cutie quest? We watch the map closely."

"It's half my job when Twilight's not around." Spike snorted with a grin. "And it didn't glow any time we weren't expecting it."

Did she tell the truth? Was there a reason to hide it? "Do you know Harmony?"

"The Elements Of?" Twilight inclined her head. "And The Tree Of--? It's a concept for a basic principle. Why?"

Comforting sprang away from Twilight. "Discord is a spirit of chaos, right?"

Spike shrugged expansively. "Not sure what else to call him, yep!"

"Now imagine a spirit of harmony." Comforting worked her hooves together. "A kind and loving creature, but still a spirit, and just as confused in a lot of ways in how ponies work, up here." She tapped at her head. "That Harmony."

"Hm." Twilight advanced past Comforting to will the door open, her key unlocking it easily. "Clean Sweep will want to see you, I imagine. If this was your cutie quest, you were very involved, even if you didn't get to finish it the way you wanted to."

That was nice, but also off topic sorta. Comforting kept up with Twilight easily. "She's very nice, but she needed help, and she asked me."

Twilight leaned to the side to allow Spike's dismounting. "Harmony asked you? Directly?" She pointed at Comforting's rump. "And she gave you a cutie quest?"

"Yep!" Comforting stood as tall as she could. "Which I just finished, apparently. My first one."

Spike patted himself down lightly. "I remember my first one." His eyes widened and iris' shrank. "Wow, I remember that! That was a little confusing. It used my head since I don't have a cutie mark." He shrugged softly. "Still called me."

Twilight nodded with an obvious uncertainty. "Like mother, like... daughter? And you are friends with this Harmony?"

"Good friends!" Comforting jumped, skipping her hooves together before she came back down. "She is the tree, um... physically?" Was Harmony limited to that physicality? It seemed not so far. "Don't make it a big deal. She's very shy."

Twilight nudged the gates open in either direction. "I was imagining the biggest thing on my plate today was getting a new janitor. Clean Sweep can't be a full-time student and a janitor at the same time, and I'm very proud of him, even if it leave me in a lurch..."

Comforting sprang up the stairs, hitting the last facing back down them, tail wagging eagerly. "So why not use us?" She pointed at herself. "Cleaning duty's important too, and it gives us a chance to chat and get closer and learn to work together."

Twilight approached the stairs at a casual pace. "That's very nice of you to volunteer, but you're volunteering a lot of creatures that are not you." She started up the steps. "I don't feel right asking the entire student body to accept a new task like that. They've come here to learn about friendship."

"But they will!" Comforting followed when Twilight went past her. "There's a lot you can learn from that, especially together. Trying won't hurt. You have great students."

"Which you are one of." Twilight's magic easily plucked up Comforting, causing her to float along with Twilight. "You have a big idea, and I approve of the general thought, but why not test the waters first?" She set Comforting just to the side of her office door. "If you can get a petition with at least fifty signatures by the end of the moon, I'll reconsider. How's that?"

Comforting's irritation as being so casually moved faded quickly into a bright smile. "I'm on the case!" She dashed off towards her first class, crashing into Silverstream on the way. "Sorry!"

"Hey there." Silverstream helped Comforting right herself. "Did I miss something? Is this a big pony holiday? You gotta tell me!"

Comforting shook her head quickly. "Even better!"

Silverstream clapped her cheeks with both hands, talons pressing to her beak from both sides. "Even better?! Now you have to tell me." She released herself to flop towards Comforting. "Go on! Go on!" Her tail was wagging at a new pace. "Please!"

"Alright, so..." The cheerful hippogriffon was, perhaps, a proper challenge. "Imagine if we could all help, together, as a big group." Comforting spread her hooves. "Like a daily thing to keep the school all shiny for us to learn in."

Silverstream sat up. "Huh? I... Hm..." She stroked her beak thoughtfully. "Oh! Would it be like a game? Maybe see who, or what team does the best job?" She began to clap, bouncing on her rump. "I'd do my best!"

"That could work." Comforting curled on herself, a paper floating out in her magic. "To start, I need signatures from my fellow students."

"Got it!" Silver snatched the paper away and soon signed it. "There you go! Oh, I'm the first one." She giggled as she offered the paper back. "I'm not usually the first, so that's exciting, too. You'll help, right?"

"Of course! I have to get the signatures first." Comforting floated the paper to hover beside her head. "Then, when it starts, I'll be right there, helping everycreature clean up!" She used the right word with extra emphasis. "Let's clean up our act!"

Author's Note

Nothing like a petition to get things started!

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31 - 49 Signatures

She started with the ponies she knew well. The Young Six were right at the top of the list. She waved the paper at Sandbar. "We clean up, together, to keep the school sparkling."

Sandbar let out an unsure 'eh'. "That isn't really our job though?"

"It could be." Comforting started a circle around Sandbar. "Our janitor is a student too, so this means he'll help like he always did, but we'll help him, because that's what we students do!"

Sandbar chuckled as he sat in place. "You are really excited about this. Hm..." He reached back for a quill stuck to the end of his hoof. "Oh, there's one here." He read the signature already present. "Did Silverstream get what you were asking?"

Comforting puffed up at that. "Of course she did. She's not dumb, just a little excited." About everything. "Will you be number two?"

He brought in that quill he held at the end of his hoof. "Alright, but I hope you know what you're doing." With a quick scribble, he added his name to the paper with firm strikes. "Good luck."

"Thanks!" With her second signature, Comforting rushed off for her next victim. It was a shame that those who didn't know her as well were less inclined to immediately give in to her requests.

"I'm already busy." One stallion waved her away.

"Ew," was all one mare had to say to the idea.

"Sure." Clean Sweep added his signature. "Won't get paid as much, but they're givin' me a chance, only seems fair."

Comforting hugged the helpful janitor. "I have to get a lot more signatures."

"Good luck with that." He inclined his head at her. "Didn't think classes would have so much other learnin' in 'em."

Comforting resisted fleeing right away. "It's a school, a whole school." She spread her hooves. "It has a specialty, sure, but they're trying to make all educated students."

"So ah see.... It's just takin' some gettin' used to, is all." He rubbed behind his head softly. "I'm a bit old for this."

"You stop that right there." She pouted at him. "I bet you're already doing better than you thought you would. Relax... The first bit is the hardest, for any age. You're just getting used to it." She twirled in place. "You think I was all in it at first? I wasn't!"

He watched her antics with a faint chuckle. "It's hard to imagine you not bein' all in on anythin', if we're being honest about it."

"Thanks." She bounced towards him, taking a moment to appreciate how her young body not only could bounce like that but kinda enjoyed it. "But I'm serious. If you need help, let us know. It's not something to be embarassed about."

His cheeks lit up, as if saying not to be embarassed was exactly what made him exactly that. "Even when yer all figurin' it out on your own?

"Which we're not." She pointed off down the hallway. "I ask for help all the time. Look at how big I am!" She wasn't very large. "And I'm still learning how to unicorn." She tapped at her small horn. "But I asked and I'm getting help and I'm figuring it out, with their help."

He looked ready to pat her, but did not. "Bet yer already doin' good with it. Now, don't want to be late for class, neither of us." That was a dismissal, but he wasn't wrong. They both had class, and they departed to do just that.

"Darling." Rarity was looking at Comforting, having found her in the hallways. "We need to have a talk, you and I."

"Did I do something wrong?" It wasn't often Miss Rarity called her aside. "I'm sorry."

"Oh dear, no, not like that." She gently shooed Comforting into an empty classroom and closed the door behind them with a sparkling horn. "I wanted to talk to you because I care about you, dear. You've done nothing wrong, in fact, quite the opposite."

"The opposite?" The opposite of something wrong was... "I'm doing really well?"

"You are, maybe too well." Rarity leaned in at the little unicorn. "Precious thing, you remind me of Sweetie in a way, and, just like her, you want to grab the entire world between your hooves. And, just like her, you may be headed for a breakdown."

Comforting went stiff, eyes widening. "Sweetie had a breakdown?!"

"We don't talk about it much, but... yes." Rarity nodded slowly. "I only bring it up because I don't want it to happen to you. Little darling, you're racing around trying to get everything done at once. I admire the tenacity, truly, but you're still one pony." She set a hoof gently on Comforting's nose. "So you can't do everything, no matter how much you want to."

Comforting set both her forehooves on the ones on her and pushed away. She was not strong enough to force Rarity, but the hoof came away, not resisting her gesture. "I'm not doing that much!"

"Really now?" She smiled, perhaps wickedly. "Perhaps I've heard it all wrong then, dear. Let's see where I've messed up, hm? Now, of course, you're a student here, with the responsibilities that entails. That's hard to argue."

Comforting nodded slowly. "Of course... I'm getting good grades too."

"Very good, yes, no problems there." Rarity inclined her head slowly. "But you're also learning remedial unicorn magic, which sounds odd, really, considering you're learning magic quite well and more advanced than some unicorns ever bother with, so it's hardly 'remedial' at this point, is it? So let's rephrase that, you're also learning to be a wizard, a fine thing to be, but difficult by any measure I'm aware of."

"I'm managing it..." Comforting shrank away a little with dislike for where things were headed. "I do that mostly after school, anyway! I can't practice magic during class."

"I'm glad you drew a line there, at least." She brought down a hoof in a clean line in the air. "But then you're also doing cutie quests. Congratulations, by the way. You're the youngest creature to be given such a task that I'm aware of. I'd give that map a talking to if I thought it'd respond... Really... giving such a tiny filly a task..."

"I did that!" Her voice came out in more of a defensive squeak than she had originally intended. "I mean... It's handled and over, right?"

"Is it?" Rarity settled down, sinking to her belly, eyes on level with Comforting. "You've been helping Clean Sweep. It's adorable, and sweet... I don't want to discourage such fine behavior, but it's just another thing on that pile you've been growing by the day, dear."

Comforting took a slow breath, as much to relax herself as anything else. "Thank you for caring about me." Rarity was a big sister, who cared about the little fillies around her, triple so if they reminded her of Sweetie Belle. "So... What did Sweetie Belle do?"

"A lot of nothing for a while, if you mean right after she went over that line. She hated it." Rarity sat up with a smile. "So consider that, if nothing else. You don't want to be stuck doing nothing, and you know your mother would do that. She'd sit on you if she thought that was the only way to protect you."

Considering a lot of nothing made Comforting cringe with clenched teeth. "But I have a lot to do..."

"And there's the problem dear... You're running with a tray on your back overfilled with things and when it crashes to the ground, you don't be getting there any faster... Now... How about this?" She offered a hoof, flatside up. "Give me one of those things you're carrying. Just one. Trust in your friends and family to take one little thing and carry it themselves. Surely not all of them can only be done by you, dear."

Comforting went through her list with a frown. There was no way someone other than her could learn magic for her. That was a her alone thing! Only she could go to school for herself. "Can you... check in with Clean Sweep? Maybe he'd appreciate someone to talk to closer to his age. "I... Maybe me being so young is part of that problem, having someone... Can you?"

She moved the hoof to her back as if dropping something off there. "I accept this. I will speak to Mister Sweep today and every day and check on how he's doing. I'll do my best to make sure he's adapting to school life. Now, I'm hardly your only friend. In fact, dare I say, I barely count as one of those. We don't talk nearly often enough, so reach out to them, darling. They want to help you. They don't want to see you crash to the ground anymore than you want to be there."

"Great, thanks!" She moved to dash from the room, only to pause mid stride, her hooves moving without the rest of her and she hit the ground on her back. Something had stopped her. "What?" But what? She looked back to see the paper she was holding was gripped by another glowing magic. She had been stopped indirectly by that trip. "Is something wrong?" It was obvious, to her, that Rarity was the one holding it.

Rarity used her glowing horn to draw the paper out of Comforting's stunned grip towards her eyes. "Names?" She looked over them curiously. "Why do you have a page full of names, dear?"

Comforting rolled up to her hooves. "We, uh, don't have a janitor anymore, because he joined the school." She sat on her haunches, feeling so small before the questioning adult. "So I was... thinking... What if we all helped?"

Rarity wagged the paper in the air. "And you need assorted names?"

"It's a petition," she huffed out. "Professor Twilight said I have to get fifty of them by the moon's end to do this."

"Did she now?" Rarity casually tucked the paper away into her pocket. "I'll speak to her about that. You get on with your day, and no more signatures for the rest of it."

"But..." Rarity was going, and there was no room for arguments. "I..." No room at all. "Mmmf...." Her quest to get signatures had been foiled, or at least delayed... Comforting went off with a frown. She had other things to do, even if that was put on pause.

"Twilight, dear." Rarity closed the door behind herself. "Explain yourself." She set the paper on Twilight's desk, unfolded and facing her.

Twilight leaned in over the writing with a raised brow. "This appears to be signatures."

"That you asked for." Rarity rolled her eyes. "From Comforting, who is all too happy to work herself to the bone. What were you thinking, really? You want her to fall over?"

"No! Of course not!" Twilight pushed the paper away as if it were dangerous in itself. "She's my magic student. I'm quite proud of her. This isn't even... I imagined she would either get it done in a day or get tired of it."

Rarity squinted at Twilight. "Have you not been paying attention to your own student?! She'd sooner die than give up on something like that." Rarity reached up to tap the proof in the form of a paper. "She's been building things to do, ever higher, and it will come crashing down. She does not need her teachers casually slipping new things onto the top to help her on her way."

Twilight sat back in her chair. "Then this is something she has to learn for herself."

Rarity cocked a brow. "Darling, I'm saying this in the nicest way I can, but this is a lesson some unicorns live with for quite a while without learning it. I dare say it's a lesson you've tried to instill on our own friends, with limited success, hm?"

Author's Note

Rarity is pulling out her Big Sister card. Is it effective?

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32 - Cleaning Up Your Act

Comforting rushed for the door. "Meet you at school!" But the knob rattled instead of turning, even as she inclined her head left and right as if to increase the sympathy with the turning. The door would not open. It was locked? "Mom?"

"Sorry." Fluttershy slid to her hooves. "But today is not a school day."

Comforting blinked slowly. "Pretty sure it is..." She turned back to her caretaker. "Do you have the dates mixed up?"

"I do not." She walked up slowly and sat in front of Comforting. "Today is a relaxation day. Your assignment is to relax and enjoy the day."

Comforting recoiled with clenched teeth. "Did Rarity put you up for this?!"

"She might have mentioned what was going on." Fluttershy reached for Comforting and wasn't prevented from gathering up her filly. "But she did not make up the idea, or force anypony. This is my idea. Today, we will just be. I've already called out and explained that I'm taking you with me. We'll go to a park and enjoy the sun... If you... We'll do that." She aborted her soft speech for more firm words. A mother had to be stern at times. "But I do have a surprise for you, and I think you'll like it quite a bit, if you play along."

Comforting side-eyed her adopted mother. "And by playing along, you mean doing a lot of nothing."

"All nothing." Fluttershy gently nuzzled her side. "I'll have a nice picnic lunch ready for us, and we'll just enjoy the day. No work. No responsibilities. Just you and me, relaxing."

Comforting weighed her options, but escaping her well-meaning mother felt like an impossible task without hurting her feelings, which she didn't want to do. Maybe... she could just relax a day? Would it hurt anything? She opened her mouth, ready to ask about grades, but ponies didn't have end-of-semester grades. She had been doing her work. If she kept doing her work after the break, she'd pass. Huh...

Pony life was not human life. "Alright."

Fluttershy smiled radiantly as she grabbed a large basket and started for the door. "Then let's go and relax. You know, I haven't taken a break in a while either. This will be good for the both of us." She was able to get past the door easily, with Comforting grabbing and opening it with her magic before she even finished arriving at it. "Thank you," she said around the handle in her mouth.

She set the basket down just outside. "Now, I had a few ideas for where we'd set up. We can do it right here." She waved a hoof slowly over the lawn. "Familiar, safe, cozy... Or..." She lifted her hoof to point further. "By the lake, especially nice if you enjoy swimming. "

Choices! Comforting looked between the two. The lake had more ponies, but mostly adults. The foals were at school. It also had water, and a few other distractions that a front lawn just couldn't offer. Hm. "If either... That one." She pointed to the lake with a nod and starting her trek. "That looks fun."

"That's the idea, a fun, relaxing time." Fluttershy began following her instead of the other way around, since Comforting could see the target. "Don't go too far. There's no hurry. This is a day with no hurrying."

Ponies could swim. Sure, she had seen them swim in the show, but actually doing it was something else. Her little hooves could gather enough water as she paddled to propel herself along at a sedate rate. She had no hands to grab it up, but it was good enough to dog paddle peacefully along to wherever she wanted to be.

"Having fun?" There was Fluttershy, on the shore and stretched out. Her eyes were on Comforting, but not in any piercing way.

"Yes!" Swimming was way more fun than she would have guessed originally. Her young pony body just wanted to move, and swimming ticked that box quite nicely. She burst into little giggles as she cut lines across the pond in no particular hurry.

"Are you playing hookie?" A stallion was watching her on another shore. "I won't tell."

Comforting hiked a brow up at the stranger. Well, he was a strange pony. That already put him half a step up from most strangers by her reckoning. "My mom's over there." She pointed at where Fluttershy was resting.

"Oh." He glanced over at the pegasus and back at the little unicorn. "I didn't think..."

"Adopted." Fortunately, that was not a sensitive topic for Comforting. She knew they adopted her from the moment it happened. "And I love her very much."

"That's nice to hear." He seemed to relax as things made more sense. "Have a pleasant time." And that was that. No suspicions and no attempt to stop her from playing. He was relaxing too, and he didn't bother her.

Part of her, a small part, wondered how he'd react to being splashed, but that would be mean-spirited. She batted away the idea and instead slowly made her way back to Fluttershy. As she emerged from the water, an urge came over her. She shook out in a way that animals did, sending water flying, but doing a fairly good job of drying herself out.

Her mom was on her in an instant, toweling her off the rest of the way to warm and dry. "If you're ready for a break, why don't we have lunch?"

Lunch comprised daisy sammiches. Unappealing to human tastes, but entirely delicious to pony ones. Comforting made happy little noises as she devoured it just to have something new pressed against her. It was a thermos. She popped it open with her magic, a sweet smell emerged. She poured it out into the cup of the thermos and drank it down eagerly, confirming that someone(pony, likely) had made a fruity elixir for her to enjoy. "This is great, Mom."

"I'm glad to hear that." She patted her filly on the head gently. "I admit, I thought you'd be more... upset."

Comforting went quiet a moment before she beamed. "I wasn't expecting it, but it's still a day with you, so I can't rate it too low." She raised a hoof up as if it were the rating of the day. "What was that surprise you mentioned?"

"That's still a surprise." Fluttershy took a much smaller bite of her sandwich, not finished with her much more timid nibbling. "Just enjoy yourself for now. In fact, it's such a nice, warm day. Why not relax with me?" She offered her hooves with outstretched arms.

Too tempting an offer to deny. Comforting snuggled into the offered embrace and found that sleep came too easily in the combined comfort of her mother's grasp and the sun's gentle touch.

"Hello."

Comforting blinked away what she had been doing in her half-formed start of a dream. "Harmony!" She smiled at the not-Twilight standing before her in the space that defied definition. She couldn't exactly tell where she was, as if it didn't matter. "Huh..."

"You are just falling asleep." Harmony leaned in slowly. "Would you like me to leave?"

"No!" Comforting hopped to her hooves. Had she been sitting? She forgot, and it didn't matter much. "It's good to see you. I fixed Clean Sweep's problem."

"You fixed one, there are others. It is up to him to address them. As his friend, he may ask for your help."

"And I will give it." Comforting tapped at herself. "If I can. Is there another problem you need my help with?"

"You are relaxing." Harmony as Twilight waved a portal into being, showing Flutershy napping and holding Comforting, who was also asleep. "I am not here to disturb that."

But that had already happened. Comforting decided not to bring that up. "It's still nice to see you. Maybe on a school break, I can ask about visiting you personally."

"You don't have to do that." Harmony looped around Comforting, just to crash into the lake and have to swim through it as if Comforting had just remembered it was there. Not that this stopped Harmony. "You aided Equestria, but you are not beholden to do so."

"I would again, if you asked me."

"You should not say that." Harmony was close to her, nose almost to nose. She had not approached, just suddenly close. Even as Comforting squeaked in surprise, Harmony inclined her head faintly. "I may take you seriously."

"Why... is that bad?" Comforting caught the breath she didn't have in a dream. "And don't do that! You surprised me."

"Equestria has countless problems, small and large. If you give yourself to me, I will give you things to do." Harmony sat where she had been standing. "If you are a part of me, why would I not? Like an arm, I will reach with you to see things done. A reliable hoof. I may come to depend on you. The better the tool you are, the more likely this is. This is the natural order of things. Do you want that?"

"You're trying to scare me." Comforting stomped each hoof in turn, eyes on Harmony. "Scare me away. Stop that. You're a friend. You can always ask, and I can always say no. But if you ask for good things, I probably won't. That's how friends work."

"Even when it's tough?" Harmony vanished, next to Comforting without passing the space between. "Even when it's dangerous? Don't take my word for it. My word is not enough, clearly. Ask the former bearers. They each carry marks and memories of the tasks I put before them, some easy, and some not. See if they speak of me in all positive tones."

The visit was over. Comforting next remembered waking up in Fluttershy's hooves. The sun was heavy in the sky. How long had she been asleep?! "Woah!"

"You were tired." Fluttershy nuzzled the back of her ward's head. "I didn't want to wake you, so I let you sleep until you came around on your own."

"T-thanks." Comforting slid up to her own haunches, peering just a bit off of the sun. How had so many hours slipped by?! "I... must have been more tired than I thought..." She thought she got plenty of sleep! It was hard to argue with the proof right in front of her. "Oh!" She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Is it time for that surprise?"

"You did an excellent job of not doing anything." Fluttershy helped Comforting sit up with careful adjustments with her hooves over the smaller body. "We both needed the day off. Now... I did promise." She reached with a wing into her pocket and drew out a scroll. "This is for you. I got Twilight's permission to give it to you."

Comforting's eyes widened as her magic took hold of it, drawing it closer. Could it be?! She hoped it was... But a question lingered. "Mom... Are you happy, or sad, or even angry about the force that gives you cutie quests? Not in relation to anyone else, just you."

Fluttershy was watching the scroll. "That's a curious question... I thought you'd be tearing into that scroll at this point, if we're being honest."

"Honest is good." Comforting hugged the scroll close. "Please?"

"Scared." Fluttershy sat back. "Scared... but proud? Every time it calls on me, I am frightened that I won't be able to do it... but I'm so very... I'm happy when it's all over, and I managed to make things right." She cracked an unsure smile. "It's as if it sees a strength in me that even I don't see. I'm not entirely sure how to deal with that... Um... Since you brought it up... How do you feel?"

"You didn't invite me?" Discord had arrived without fanfare, stepping between here and there without issue. "How rude. This looks like fun."

Fluttershy giggled at her chaotic friend. "This was a day of relaxation, Discord. You're a friend, but relaxing is not your specialty."

Discord crossed his arms with a huff. "I can be an expert relaxer! Give me a chance, next time, Fluttershy." He ruffled the top of Comforting's head despite her sour look. "Is it her? I can get along with foals just fine."

Author's Note

Hi Discord, we didn't forget you.

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33 - Since You Asked.

Comforting smiled at Discord, recovering from his entry. "Hello, Discord."

Discord clasped his mismatched hands together. "Now you remember me. See, we can get along just fine."

"I made friends with another thing like you." Comforting considered the chaotic mash of parts with a personality. "They're going through a lot of your problems."

"Problems?" Discord hiked a brow so high it was off his face. "I don't have any problems!"

Fluttershy moved between the two. "I think, um, she just means they're learning how ponies work too."

"They are pretty strange, aren't they?" Not that this stopped him from being between Fluttershy and Comforting, an arm around either and a hand on either's far shoulder. "But worth the effort. Now, who is this 'other' thing that's like me? There's only room for one spirit of chaos around here! We don't typically get along very well in the long term, it's a thing, I promise."

Comforting tried to imagine two Discords side by side. They'd probably have fun playing tricks and being wacky... for a while... That would run out and the arguments would start... "I can imagine... The one I know isn't a chaos spirit."

"Not a chaos spirit?" He leaned in close to Comforting. "But still like me. Well, the suspense is getting too much! Tell me."

"Just about the opposite." Comforting brought her hooves together. "The other half of the coin. You are chaos, the change that allows for new things and new ways of looking at things. Vital, in moderation, dangerous in excess, but sometimes needed even then, even if we don't like it as much."

Discord crossed his arms, releasing both ponies to take a moment with a smug expression. "Yes, I am quite important. But this other creature?"

"They are order, the, dare I say, harmonious working of what's already there. They have no new ideas, but can imagine everything working together towards a brighter future, but if they were allowed to take charge, everything would freeze up. A complete rut. It'd be just as bad as total chaos, if you think about it. It's only through the balance of the two that we can grow properly."

Discord blehed out his tongue in a dramatic display. "You've become chums with Harmony?! They're such a terminal bore... What do you even see in them?"

"They aren't harmony." Comforting leaned her entire body to the right. "I mean... I think you two together are harmony. Change and order have to work together to make something. You try new things, they make the good things stay around and improve steadily instead of going away the moment you get bored with them. Harmony! Um, they are called Harmony though..."

"Knew it." He blew a raspberry in vindication. "But I do like the way you think." He rubbed her cheek, cupping her face in the same motion to direct Comforting at himself. "I am very important, after all."

"Maybe you could help!" Comforting grinned with a sudden new idea. "I want to visit her, and you two might get along, after you learn more about each other."

"Pass." He drew away from the both of them, floating into the air. "She's a bit of a bore, if you ask me."

Fluttershy put a wing over Comforting. "It would be a nice favor, if you could? A little trip there and back. Have you, oh, you have." She seemed to remember. "You visited the box, when we were trying to open it."

"And she could have just opened it for you." Discord shook his head. "But no! You had to finish your little cutie quests to get that. She's such a slave driver. If I visit, she may think she can give me an odd job, and I won't stand for it!"

Fluttershy smiled slowly. "Even if it was with me?"

Discord's confidence cracked. "Well, um... If it was with you... I guess... I could put up with it..."

Fluttershy nudged Comforting forward with a sweep of the wing already on her daughter. "When you have a moment, please. We'd both appreciate it."

"Well, not today!" He tapped Comforting on the end of her nose. "You have a scroll to nerd out about."

Comforting's eyes went wide. The scroll! She dug it back out with hungry eyes. "Yes, I do! Thank you for reminding me." She dashed off in a scurry back towards home.

Discord nodded slowly. "See, I know foals just fine. So no avoiding me next time! I'm a pro at relaxing, I'll have you know. I have so much experience with it. Why, this one time I chilled out so hard they thought I was just a statue with how chillaxed I was."

Fluttershy giggled airily. "You were just a statue."

"Details, details!" Discord coiled around Fluttershy. "A day spent with you is hardly a boring day. You should know that."

Fluttershy colored with little giggles. "You're too much! Now, I should make sure she's settled in." She started for home at a sedate walk. "You'll be there this week, I hope?"

"Me?" He swam easily in front of her. "Of course! Did you think this brief visit counted? I should think not! I'll be there, and I have a new tea to try, so look forward to that." He vanished with a puff of smoke and a snap of his fingers.

Flutershy advanced, confident that her schedule for the week was settled.

Comforting willed the scroll open in her magic, unfurling it further and further until she got to the header. Transmutations (Non-Living), it read at the top there. Her eyes widened with wonder. "Wow..." The spell that could turn rocks into hats? Even being shown such a spell was such a significant mark of trust. "Wow..." She grabbed the paper, hugging it even if it wasn't capable of returning the affection. "I won't let you down!"

That was a spell she could make so much trouble with. She could be a vicious little terror, and, perhaps, that was exactly why she was being given it. It was a test of sorts. If she started doing improper things with it, still as inexperienced as she was, she could be disciplined, and they'd know what kind of pony she really was. It was a chance to show her true colors to the world. Maybe that was why Twilight had given the scroll to her with no advice. She was free to fly, or fall, on her own. She was being trusted to carve her own path, and, perhaps, the course of that path was just as... "Calm down." She sat back heavily. "Calm down..." She was working herself into a tizzy with the 'what ifs' of the situation. "First step, read!"

She fled to her room and slapped down the scroll. With a thump, she landed belly down in front of the scroll and got to reading eagerly. No matter what, she'd learn that spell, and it would be good!

"Comforting?" Fluttershy poked her nose in through the door Comforting had forgotten to close. "Don't get too sucked in. Today's a relaxing day, don't forget."

Comforting wanted to read! But her mom wasn't trying to bother her. She calmed herself with a slow breath and nodded. She wasn't a filly! Even if she really wanted it, she could be an adult about it. She shoved the scroll off her bed, crumpling to a heap in front of it. "I'll start on it tomorrow. For today, want to hang out?"

"I would be delighted." Fluttershy smiled brightly as she held the door open for Comforting and the two went into the living room to talk and play gently. The day of relaxation would end, well, relaxedly. "Today has been a wonderful day." She nuzzled the top of her child. "I hope you're feeling better. If you ever feel tired in the future, let me know. I know you're a hard working little filly, so don't be shy about that."

"Today was fun!" It had a lot of nothing big, but... that wasn't bad. She could remember she spent a fair few days just... existing. She had forgotten that lesson, the lesson learned with age that sometimes just... being was a fine activity in itself. She had a thousand things to do, but there was a better time for them than 'all of them, at once preferably.' "Thank you for forcing it on me."

Fluttershy giggled behind her mane as a shield. "Most don't say thank you for being forced to do things..."

"You have." Comforting pointed at her mother. "You've been forced out of your shell before, and sometimes had fun afterwards. This is the same, but... the opposite. You pushed me back in the shell and reminded me sometimes that's nice too."

"Hm." Fluttershy seemed to think back on her past experiences. "You're not wrong, Comforting... Sometimes I did have to be drawn out of my safe spaces by my friends... And... I suppose I had to bring you into one. I hope I don't have to do that again. Come to me and we'll spend a nice quiet day whenever you like."

Comforting hopped up strongly enough to land on a chair where she plopped herself with a grin. "Gladly. But I vote next time we go to a new place."

Fluttershy inclined her head at that. "I just realized something."

Comforting blinked at that. "What's that, mom?"

"We are opposites, in a way, um, not to offend you... You are very outgoing, and found a force of nature that was very introverted. I prefer quiet and still, and found a very outgoing and loud force of nature. But this only makes me feel closer to you." She reared up and hugged her seated child. "Our difference only makes us more alike, in this case." Things became quiet as they hugged warmly together, both enjoying the presence of the other with no further questions or statements needed.

Comforting pushed Fluttershy back a little. "I've met yours... You should meet mine. You two would probably get along, I think?" She skewed an ear to the side. "Or not... I like Discord, but I don't get along with him as well as he does with you. You're his specialest pony around!"

Fluttershy colored at the implications. "I would do my best... Um... Maybe when Discord goes, he can take me along too? That might encourage him to go sooner, if I'm involved, so we'd both get what we wanted."

Comforting bounced a little on the chair. "That's a great idea! I can introduce you both to her. She's really nice, just... different. Like Discord, really. I bet he was hard to get along with at first too."

"Oh, yes... at first very much so, but worth the time it took to get it right." Fluttershy glanced around to see if he was hiding, which he could be. "And I gather Harmony is the same way?"

"Yep! But a lot quieter. She probably won't turn your world upside down like Discord can, and will. She.... just wants ponies to get along together. Is that a terrible wish?"

"I should think not." Fluttershy advanced past Comforting on her way into the kitchen. "I'm going to make us something tasty to eat. You wait there and it'll be ready soon."

That was part of the relaxing day, but Comforting decided moving wasn't breaking that. She parked herself by the front window where she could see assorted animals coming and going. Some of them even saw her, watching. When she waved, there was, maybe, a 30% chance they waved back, or otherwise let her know they had seen her. That wasn't a very high chance, but still a higher possibility than she was used to as a human on human-world.

Equestria was not the human world, and that was alright. She had a tasty dinner to eat with her loving mom, there, on the pony world, in Equestria, and she was entirely alright with that situation.

She would face the next day with renewed energy.

Author's Note

Are you ready to chillax?! Too bad, it's over.

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34 - Rock to Cloth

Comforting went down the road with a loud whistle of joy. She knew something new and she couldn't wait to try it, a lot, and get it just right!

"You look happy." Comforting looked up to see Diamond perched on a fence. "Something happen? I didn't see you go past the other day, and you're usually super punctual."

"I took a day off." Comforting considered her wealthy friend... "Now... I have a question. Do you have something not-alive you don't care about and something not-alive you really want?" She held up her hooves. "No bigger than yourself."

"That's a question!" Diamond hopped down easily. "And a hard one. Hm..." She reached into her pocket and drew out a scepter. "This was a gift, and I never liked it. Maybe if I was an actual princess or something like that." She let the scepter clatter to the ground. "Which I am not."

Comforting considered the fallen royal regalia. "It looks nice." She cradled the orb at the top. "They matched your eyes, even better. Um! But what did you actually want? Your size or smaller. Ideally, this size or smaller." She willed the scepter to float up into the air, wagging it at Diamond.

Diamond grabbed it in her teeth in a sudden swish of her head. "Something I want, huh... What about a statue of me?"

"Huh, alright... But you'll want to put that down." Comforting took a step back, her eyes locked on the scepter. "It'll be scepter-sized, as I warned."

"Wait, you can actually do it?" Diamond released the scepter to thump into the dirt. "This I gotta see."

Comforting focused on the scepter, glancing at Diamond Tiara as she did it. She wanted a Diamond statue! The scepter began to glow brightly with her amber magic field. She was casting it! The world suddenly went topsy turvey as she floped over with another thing on top of her, roughly bearing her to the ground. She heard a yelp, and her spell was gone, leaving her startled form.

"Ha ha, gotcha." Silver Spoon climbed off of her with such a grin. "Just like you asked."

Comforting sat up quickly, scrambling. She wasn't even looking at Silver, instead... "Oh no..." There was Diamond Tiara, or a perfect Diamond Tiara statue. The scepter was at her hooves. "Oh no! No no no." She hurried forward to her petrified friend. "No...." She had killed her friend! "No...." Tears began to well up as her emotions just ran away from her. "No..." She flopped against the Diamond statue. "I didn't mean to!"

Silver took a slow step forward. "Um... You did say to, like, surprise you, right?"

"Not like that!" Comforting burst into a new wail, hugging Diamond tightly. "We have to get help!" Twilight felt like the most obvious, even if that meant her crime would become obvious. Even if she was banned from doing magic forever, she couldn't let Diamond die because of her! "Silver!"

"I'm right here." She was standing just to the side of Comforting, glancing between her and Diamond. "You can undo that spell now."

"That spell is only supposed to turn not-living things to other not-living things..." Comforting sagged with a miserable sigh. "I don't want to risk trying to use it to fix this.... We have to find a real wizard."

"Well, like... There are two of those." She raised both of her hooves. "Twilight Sparkle, and, like, her counselor. Hmmm, Rarity knows some, like, magic, right? Not as good as those two though." Silver shrugged softly. "Oh, and Lyra. Didn't she come from a big fancy school?"

"I dunno." Her blood was pumping and thinking was hard. She wanted to run! But running would not fix it. Comforting forced herself to sit, her little body trembling. "How heavy is she? Can you test, carefully? That's Diamond!"

"I can see..." It was Diamond, entirely, just... not as alive. A status of Diamond Tiara, captured in that instant of surprise. "Not your best side." She wriggles under her friend and hefted her up on her back. "Hey, go earth pony strength. Where am I taking her?"

"This way!" Comforting fled towards the school, almost tripping over herself in her hurry to get help. "This way!"

"I'm comin'." Silver Spoon was a tough earth pony, but she was still Silver Spoon, and Silver was not an athletic pony.

Regardless of that, they made their way to the school. "This way!" Comforting was waving wildly, with not a bit of patience in her. She had tried helping Diamond move faster, but neither her magic nor her small body was up to the task of moving that considerable filly statue move any faster than Silver was hauling it.

Gallus was there, idling the day as they approached. "What?" He could see one of the two fillies had a statue on her back. "Did I miss something?"

Comforting rushed up to him. "Help her carry that, please. That's a friend I made a mistake with."

"Wow..." Despite his word without commitment, he stepped up to help Silver move the statue faster. "Where are we going? This statue's alive? Like Discord?"

Calling Discord was an option. He was an expert of busting out of statues... But Comforting didn't know how to call him, if he could be called on. Expecting chaos to show up on demand felt silly. "Let's try Starlight." Starlight was a good wizard, and less likely to immediately shout at her for being a bad student.

Starlight sat up sharply when something heavy thumped against her door. She could hear muted whispering behind it. "Who is that? The door's open."

Gallus opened the door with a huff, the statue being shared between him and Silver Spoon. "Hey. We need your help with a little something." With a heavy thud, the petrified Diamond Tiara was set in the center of her office.

Starlight gaped at the gift given to her. "Is... that Diamond Tiara?" She spotted Comforting looking awkward. "This is not how we get revenge for mean things one might say. Now, I've heard she can be a little... much at times."

Silver stuck out her tongue. "They're friends! It was a mistake, sheesh. She was casting something and I distracted her, like she asked, and then... this." She waved a hoof at the statue of her friend. "Like... fix it, now please. It was funny at first, but I'm, like, way over it. I want my Diamond back!"

Starlight's horn glowed as she pulled Comforting inside fully, then closed the door with a clap. "Comforting, I need to know exactly what spell you were trying to cast before things went... wrong."

Comforting began reciting a spell. It meant nothing to the others there, but Starlight was nodding along as the runes were read in their Ponish format. "Wow, gotta give credit that you have so much of it memorized. Anyway, yeah, I know that spell. Usually harmless, unless you go zapping ponies with it." She turned in place towards the statue. "Which you didn't meant to do... but did anyway... And now we have a statue..."

Comforting sagged in place. "Can you fix it, please?!"

"Ha... wow... And here I thought I messed up really big." Starlight snickered as she circled the statue. "Caught her right in a bad spot too." She leaned in, examining the startled features. "Look... This is a normal thing."

"Normal?!" Comforting threw her arms wide. "I just killed a friend! That is not normal!"

"You didn't kill her, I am glad to say." She tapped a hoof gently on the stone. "She's still in one piece, so we can fix that. She will be a bit dizzy and maybe a little mad, but other than that... relax. Look, as I was saying, this is normal. Wizards like us?" She waved between herself and Comforting. "We play big, and when you play with big toys... sometimes things go sideways, and then it's up to us to fix our messes." She nodded to Gallus. "You don't need to hang around if you don't want."

"I'm kinda curious now." He leaned up against a wall. "She takes a break, then turns somepony into a statue? That's hard to miss."

"Right." Starlight swiveled to Comforting. "Now, here's the thing. That spell? It's supposed to turn not-alive stuff to not-alive stuff, but that's just a warning on the label. As you can see..." she moved a hoof in a slow circling arc over Diamond's head. "It works on living things just fine. It's not at all graceful enough to want to use it as a living-thing spell, but that doesn't stop you from doing it, which you did."

"I didn't mean to!" But the meaning did arrive. "I can just turn her back?"

"You can, but before you go rushing to do it." Starlight set a hoof on Comforting's small horn. "Remember that living things are way more complicated than a hunk of rock. I won't even blame you if you just ask me to do this. We don't want anypony getting hurt, right?"

Comforting considered that. On one hoof, she caused the trouble. She should thus fix it. On the other, it wasn't very fair to Diamond to hope Comforting got it right. "Y-yeah... Please, if you can... I'll be more careful, and learn, so I can fix this kind of thing in the future."

"You pass." She tapped Comforting on the top of the head. "Now go stand with your friends." She casually slid Comforting with her magic, pushing her over to stand next to Gallus and Silver Spoon. "Because it's time for some magic!"

With a brilliant flash and a mildly extended tongue, Starlight gave Diamond quite the zap. The filly shattered in half, the rocky parts falling to either side as the filly collapsed forward with a wheeze. "Watch what you're doing!" She blinked and sat up, confused. "What?" She turned around to see the others, watching her. "Oh, there you are... I thought I was facing you. What the hey?"

Silver Spoon crashed into Diamond with the last sentence, hugging her friend tightly. "Welcome back, Diamond!"

"I didn't go anywhere." She shoved Silver back a few inches. "You were the one hopping on Comforting. She was making me a statue! Where is it, anyway?"

"I... made you a statue." Comforting laughed nervously, worrying her hooves together as her eyes wandered the room. "I didn't mean to! Starlight got you all fixed."

"You..." Diamond looked down to see the broken chunk of her former statue self. "Wait..." She reached and picked up half of her own head, turning around to see it properly. With a squeak, she dropped it to shatter on the floor. "That is too creepy! That was me?! Comforting!" The filly only shrank further. "You owe me one. Really, turning me into a statue... I'd say you should turn yourself into a statue, but then how would you turn back?"

Starlight tapped at Diamond's head. "I turned you back."

"Oh, right." That brought ideas. "So if she turned into a statue, you could turn her back. Alright, Comforting. Spend the rest of the day standing at attention and I'll call it even. How's that?"

Comforting swallowed heavily. "Um... I don't want to... But I did... I did that to you... Suppose that it's fair... That'll teach me not to do it to anyone else. Um... Is it... Is it safe for me to turn myself into a statue?"

"I'll do it!" With an almost worryingly casual zap, Comforting was a statue. "I'll turn her back, now all of you run off." She shooed them away. Only after her office was empty, minus a statue, did she reach over and rap the statue hard enough to break it, allowing Comforting to fall free. "We can keep that a secret."

Comforting dusted herself off of rocky bits. "Tricky! But thank you... I really messed that up."

"I told you, it's a unicorn thing, especially wizards, which we are. I doubt that'll even be the last time you mess up... Now, I do have to tell Twilight about this." She could see Comforting shrinking. "Hey, relax. I'll tell her you were responsible about it." She willed a broom over to start cleaning the stone bits. "We all make mistakes, but you owned up to it, and got it fixed. Good on you."

Author's Note

Mistakes Were Made!

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35 - Shared Burdens

Comforting arrived at school to discover the janitor was there, but he was waiting as she had done. "Good morning!" She waved at him as her other three hooves carried her the rest of the way. "Enjoying school?"

"It's new." He half-turned, at least not facing away from her. "But I think ah'm gettin' used to it, at least. Now... This was your idea."

"What was my idea? Does this have to do with why you're out here?" She sat next to him, though facing the school and his side. "Why are you out here?"

"What I'm always out here fer." He swatted at Comforting with his tail. "Ain't that obvious?"

"Cleaning? But you gave that job up." It wasn't making sense to her!

"Oh, hey, that's right. You weren't here the day she told everycreature." He inclined his head a bit. "Give it a second."

The front door of the school opened, allowing Gallus and Smolder free. Smolder jogged up to the gate and opened it up quickly from the inside. "Good morning! Comforting, are you on the schedule?"

"She doesn't even know what this is." He moved through the open gates. "We're cleaning up as a team. This was your idea, remember?"

But she hadn't turned in her paper! She still had it, with the... Oh wait... Rarity had taken it and never given it back. "Oh... I'll help!"

He pushed her back just as she was about to jump through the gate. "We got a schedule. Check it to see when your turn is."

Smolder smirked as she closed the gate, barring the way. "You heard him."

Gallus arrived on the other side of the gate, joining in the smirking rebuke of Comforting. "It's your job to chill out. They haven't even added you to the schedule yet. You can complain if you want. We're not letting you in."

"Nope," agreed Smolder and Clean Sweep together. As a unit, all three headed inside to get to cleaning, without Comforting.

"It was my idea." She giggled at the situation. She had gotten what she wanted in the end. It just didn't go exactly as she had planned it.

"There you are, gosh."

Comforting knew that voice, turning to see Cozy Glow fluttering in along the bridge. "Hi!"

"Hi." Comforting wasn't sure she could or should return the enthusiasm that way. "Are you on the schedule?"

"To muck around? No." Cozy stuck out her tongue as if she disliked the very notion. "Thankfully! You're out here, so not you either, I'm guessing. Good! This is a job for dirty creatures."

Comforting tried to keep the frown off her face. "Clean Sweep is a pony."

"Poor thing. He shouldn't settle for cleaning things."

"Good morning!" Twilight and Rainbow Dash were coming up. "Always nice to see students ready for a new day of learning. Comforting, can I talk to you a moment?"

Comforting tensed. Twilight had been told. The statue incident was fresh on her mind. "Yes, ma'am!"

Twilight unlocked the gate even as Rainbow flew over it. "Go on in, Cozy."

"See you in class." Cozy nodded at each of them and trotted inside at a bouncy gait.

Twilight's magic wrapped around Comforting, hefting her up onto her own back. "Let's chat."

"Are you mad?" asked Comforting in a small voice.

"Mad would be the wrong word." Twilight walked sedately into the building and slipped into the first class. "Worried would be more accurate. You're not in trouble." Comforting deflated with relief on the student's desk they had placed her in. "You did quite well, all things considered... That was just a poor... It was bad timing, but you did about the best you could with the situation."

Twilight sat in front of Comforting, looking down at the filly. "But a few things. One, you've learned how to read and cast spells. That's enough right now. You can practice if you want, and I imagine you do, but you're already advanced, and have plenty on your plate. I won't put anymore there."

Comforting flipped an ear back, eyes darting. "I messed up as a wizard, didn't I?"

"You did not, well, you did, but not in any terminal way." Twilight put two hooves on her own chest. "I'm the one that messed up, Comforting, and it took another pony to make me see that. Your job is to be a student of this school, and that's plenty."

Comforting quickly guessed which pony that might have been... "But... I enjoy learning magic..."

Twilight leaned in, touching nose to nose. "I'm not cutting you off from ever learning magic, just pushing it back a bit. Enjoy being a student, with the challenges that come with it. After you finish that, we can consider the next step. Maybe you could join a magic school."

Comforting perked at that idea. "Like Celestia's School?"

"Like that." Twilight nodded gently. "I can't promise you'll get her as a tutor."

Comforting went a bright red. "I'd never assume! You're a special case, professor."

"And you're not?" Twilight seemed to enjoy Comforting's uncertainty at that point. "I'm joking. It's up to her, not me, in any event. I have... a spotty record when it comes to predicting Princess Celestia."

She flipped through a book slowly. "Then again, she did bring you here. She may already have a vested interest in your progress, so I can't say it's impossible."

Comforting began clapping quickly with a grin. "That would be..." But then she realized and came to a slow stop. "I'm not trying to replace you, professor."

"I didn't think you were." Twilight considered her young student. "It would be an honor to have one of my students rise to that level, and a completing of a circle, that she could train a pony who could in turn send her a student. I'd be flattered! But that's a topic for another day. Today, school; this school." She angled a hoof downwards, though the attached leg was directed upwards, making for a sharp angle. "Are you ready to be a dedicated friendship student?"

"I'll do my best!" Comforting sprang free of her desk with such force the desk tipped over and dragged her with it, the two crashing to the ground. Twilight's magic gently picked up both, setting either on their footing. "Sorry..."

"Don't hurt yourself." Twilight released Comforting to dash off, more successfully that time. "You're still welcome to ask me questions about your horn, just no magic spells."

"I should stop visiting like this."

Comforting jerked upright. She had been listening faithfully to Rainbow Dash go on about... She had lost track and fallen asleep. "Oh."

Another Comforting leaned in from the left, coming into view. "Hello. I am adding to your problems, and that is not fair."

"No!" Comforting pounced Harmony, tackling her to the ground, even if she was sure Harmony could escape at any moment. "Don't run away! I've lost enough today."

"What did you lose?" Harmony was pinned and didn't resist a reversal of fortunes. "You can tell me, if you want."

"I do want." Comforting sat up on her pinned force of nature. "They did my idea to help Clean Sweep without me. I'm glad it was done, but it was a little... It just stung a little. I know it's silly... But then Twilight said no more magic! That really hurt." She pouted down at Harmony, wearing her own face. "So now I'm just a friendship student."

"Is that not enough?"

Comforting hummed softly. "It's not that... But I've lost enough, thank you." She set a hoof on her double's nose and discovered exactly how boopable her own nose was. No wonder ponies did it all the time. "Harmony, I like you a lot. I want to be friends with you. Even if you stop giving me quests, I don't want our friendship to end. Our being buddies is a good thing, not a bad thing."

"Even when I get confused?" Harmony sat up as if Comforting weighed nothing, casually doing so, so the two were sitting in front of each other. "I know I do not understand what you understand, and you do not understand what I understand. That difference must cause some stress."

"That stress I'm alright with." Comforting reared up, hooves curled in front of her, though mostly hanging there. "If you just run away, that'll be way more stressful and I'll be really sad. So don't do that."

"If you are certain." Harmony did not seem as sure on the matter. "You are a pony."

"Yes?" Comforting fell to all fours. "We're way past that argument. I am Comforting Shade, a pony, and your friend."

"You are a pony." Harmony said that in exactly the same way. "A growing pony. You are a point of great mutability. Change is immense within you. I can only predict so much of one of your growth. You could be tall or short. You could become heavy or skinny. Life spread many branches before you."

"And I'll walk down the one I'm on." Comforting walked without actually going anywhere. A path formed under her, carrying her along that path. "I will take care of myself, which will change the path, but the body I have is a gift, and I will treasure it, whatever it becomes."

"Some do not accept that." Harmony smiled gently. "It pleases me, you do. She wants you to pay attention."

"Who--" A hoof was bopping her on the head. Comforting opened her eyes with a squeak, waking up from where she had slumped over her desk. "Sorry!"

"I love a power nap as much as anypony else." Rainbow drifted backwards with a big smirk on her face. "But not in the middle of my class, alright? I'm sharing important stuff!" The class chuckled as she went right back into her lesson, swooping around as she told her dramatic story of bravery against adversity.

When the class was over, Rainbow let the foals go, but darted in a streak in front of Comforting. "Not so fast!"

"Um, hello, professor." Comforting dipped her head at Rainbow, still seated without the chance to finish getting down yet. "How can I help you?"

"That's my question. You're usually paying attention, so what's up?"

What was up? Comforting considered it a quiet moment as the others left. "Well... Alright, you might get it."

"I'll try." Rainbow casually hopped up onto Comforting's desk, looking down at her. "Lay it on me!"

"Well, you wanted to be a Wonderbolt for basically ever... Imagine if the weather ponies, the ones around here, said you could only practice being a Wonderbolt when you retired from being a weather pony?" Comforting grimaced with sympathy for the imagined situation. "You'd be upset, right?"

"Upset? Why... I'd be awful tempted to quit the weather ponies, and then everypony would lose, me included... I take pride in that, in doing a good job." She hopped backwards in a flip off the school desk, landing with a clop. "And until I retired? That's basically forever! Did something like that happen to you? What's your Wonderbolts?"

"My..." Comforting couldn't hold in the giggles at the way that was phrased. "I'm a wizard, and I want to be a better wizard." She wiggled her hooves in hopefully a spell-casting sort of way. "I've learned two spells, but there are so many more to learn. But I was told to put that on hold until I finish being a student here."

Rainbow hissed in a shared feeling. "Ow... Not as long as 'wait until you're retired', even so, I feel that..." She plonked to her haunches. "Alright, now I know which way we're facing. You're tweaked out, and you passed out instead of flipping out. That's... Some ponies do that. Not throwing shade at you or nothing." She lifted on powerful wings. "But waiting for this isn't nearly so bad, really. You'll be a better wizard for it. I know it doesn't feel that way, but I'm a better Wonderbolt for learning how to be a weather pony, and if I got both at the same time, that wouldn't have happened."

Author's Note

This was a busy chapter! I hope it flowed properly for y'all.

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36 - Still!

"I do get it." Rainbow did a casual backflip in the air, swooshing about on her trained wings. "I want to practice these bad boys every single day, even when I'm busy with other stuff!" She landed, but her wings remained up and on display. "So... I have an idea."

Comforting inclined her head. Rainbow had never had much interest in her before. Had her example hit home? "What idea? I don't want to cause trouble."

"Trust me, the pony I'm thinking of gets into trouble all the time, and she's good at getting back out again, and she already likes you, so..."

Who?! "Are they a teacher?"

"Nope." Rainbow leaned in. "They do work here though. And they know magic."

Only one pony fit that bill. "Miss Glimmer?" Comforting did not hide the confusion on her face. "She'll tell on me. She already did once, but I deserved that..."

"Which is why I will ask. What's she gonna do, tell on me? And if she says yes, then she's in on it and won't tell 'cause she'd get in trouble. Win-win!" Rainbow soared in close over Comforting's head in a zooming dart, leaving a trail of rainbows behind. "And she knows what it's like to feel as if you're sitting on your talent. I bet she'll jump all over this."

Rainbow pointed to the door. "As for now, you should get moving. If you don't do the student thing, ponies will get mad, Twilight to start, but other than that... Leave it to me." She thrust her chest forward and rose to her full height. "I'm on the case."

Comforting took an uncertain step, ear closer to Rainbow flicking. "Are you... sure?"

"Sure as I can be." Rainbow shooed Comforting with both forehooves. "Go on. You got a busy day already."

Comforting broke into an energetic trot. She was already behind schedule in her class migrations, but not terminally so. "Thanks for being awesome!"

Rainbow sat back with a smug grin. "That's my job, bringing the awesome." She pumped a hoof in the air and lifted to move on her capable wings. "Now to keep my promises."

Celestia's eyes wandered left and right as she took in the letters of the scroll.

Dear Princess Celestia,

It's been a while since last I wrote to you, and do apologize for that. I wanted to ask about that filly you brought, Comforting Shade? Did you have plans for her? She's well on the way, proving she is a gifted unicorn by every measure I can hope to measure her by. She's learned two spells, one of moderate difficulty! I hadn't managed that until I was well into adulthood...

Look at me, being jealous of a filly. Nevermind that. I'm very proud of her, and myself a little. I taught her. She gobbles up spells without an issue. She has no talent in making up new spells, or combining them, as Starlight does with such ease. That doesn't change the fact that she picked up a moderate spell in a few weeks. That took me moons!

Calming down... This isn't about me. As I said, her talent is singular. Oh! There is one other thing. It doesn't help her cast any better, or different, but she can 'see' magic. She can see the glow of a unicorn's horn even when they aren't trying to glow, if they're using magic. The distinct notes change the appearance subtly. Related to that, she has no talent in detecting the magic notes being used without this sense, but if you can see it, is it a real hinderance?

I'm getting off topic. She is an eager friendship student. She's already made quite a number, and I'm quite proud of her progress, but she clearly is enamored with magic. I don't want to overwhelm her, as has been warned, with the work of two student lives at once. She can't be a friendship student and a magic student at once, can she? Not without health risks, both mental and physical, I feel.

So I'm reaching out to see if you had any plans. If you do, I won't stand in your way, of course.

Your Faithful Student(graduated),
Twilight Sparkle

Celestia let the paper drift lower as she sipped from her tea. "Hm." She still didn't exactly remember delivering that filly, aside from the fading dream. But she had done it. Some amount... "I can't ignore it..." She set the scroll next to her cake platter and grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and a new quill.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I've missed your letters a great deal and am happy to see they may yet resume. It sounds like you and Comforting are getting along well, even with your concerns. Dealing with a bright young magician can be quite a challenge, but allowing them to get ahead of themselves is also a risky tactic.

Not that cutting them off entirely is the best course of action. If they are a bright student, which you imply, then it's up to you to challenge that energy properly towards their growth. If I may suggest, perhaps start with small things? Have they shown an affinity for a specific kind of magic? That is very common, as you well know. Minuette delighted in time-based sorceries, for instance, and Lyra's grasp of musical magics is difficult to argue. See if you can't find where they are drawn and focus on that. Mistakes may come slower when she's put in front of something that comes naturally to her.

We can't all be you, Twilight. Our talents are not magic as a whole.

Relatedly, I did not have specific plans for Comforting, though you've made me quite curious. Would you mind if I paid a visit?

Happy to Reply,
Princess Celestia

Celestia rolled up the scroll closed and, with a bit of magic, she sent it away in a twinkle with the aim of one small dragon. "Better than any postal pony." Not to besmirch them, they did good work. But it was hard to complete with a personal mail dragon.

She nibbled softly on a biscuit as she rose. "Work to do." As fun as it was to correspond with Twilight, she remained a princess of the land, and that land had need of her. "Next on the schedule?"

"One o clock with the Duke of the Dalmins." Her favorite secretary was right there, following her. Miss Inkwell always knew what came next. "About a patent dispute?"

"Hm... My little ponies are becoming more clever..." Which meant sometimes a little dispute or two over those inventions with the neighbors. "Let's clear that up."

Celestia walked in no specific hurry, or slowly. The royal march was quite intentional in its speed.

"Ooo." Comforting clapped with a burst of excitement, though it faded quickly. "I should not be that excited..." She was on the schedule. She'd help clean things up in the morning. It was work, without any specific benefit, other than a clean school. That was still a benefit, right? "Still, it was my idea..." She had no room to complain about it, she figured. "Now where's Clean Sweep?" She slapped her hoof on his name on the board and followed it along to the day Comforting was assigned.

There was no Clean Sweep there. He wasn't on duty that day. "Aw."

But there was a Yona! "Ooo." Yona time was usually good time. "Hey!" She waved excitedly at the others. The Young Six were nearby, chatting among themselves. "Yona! We're cleaning buddies!"

"Hm?" Yona tromped over to have a look and confirm. "Ah, yes. We clean good." She offered a big hoof just long enough for Comforting's smaller hoof to hit it. "Good job. Get all signatures."

"About that..." Comforting laughed awkwardly as she shuffled in place. "Twilight took what I got and did it anyway. I wasn't even done!"

Yona inclined her head slowly left. "Huh... Even better job. Get done without finish. Nice trick." She patted Comforting gently, but she had Comforting petting rights, and no sour looks came from it. "We clean good, best of all teams!"

"Yeah!" Comforting grabbed her large friend in a firm hug. "Together. Oh, wait, the team's three. Who's the third?" She craned her neck to see who else had fallen on that day.

Yona let out a blah at seeing who it was. "Cozy Glow? She not like yaks. Doesn't make sense. Yaks best, how not like yaks?!"

"I don't understand either." Comforting giggled softly at her large friend. "You know, yaks aren't the best, right?"

Yona squinted at Comforting. "What mean? Of course Yaks are! Ponies good too, but Yak is best." She thumped a heavy hoof to her chest. "Don't feel bad."

"I don't." Comforting considered how to approach that, but left it alone for the time being. "Maybe I need a yak's perspective."

"How can Yona help?" Yona loomed over Comforting, though she put out no feeling of malice. "Question in class?"

"Outside of class." Comforting looked past Yona and threw her head. "About him."

Yona glanced behind herself. "Smolder? She is she. Silly pony."

"Not Smolder, Gallus," she harshly whispered out. "Him!"

"Oh, yes. He is he. How help?" Yona batted her eyelashes. "We friends, know him well. Know you too!"

"Yes, and I want to cheer him up." Comforting rubbed her hooves in a gleeful plotting. "He's good at hiding it, but I think he's down on the inside. He came from a rough place, and that doesn't just go away. I want to lend a helping hoof without being a creeper about it."

"Creeper?" A word Yona did not know. "What mean?"

"If I just storm up to him and proclaim I'm gonna fix him, that'll make him angry. He's not a puzzle waiting for somecreature to come along and fix, as if it's broken... which he isn't. I want to help... not call him bad for doing his best."

Yona frowned as she sank to her haunches. "Hm. For not yak, you think deep thoughts." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Actually... if honest, deep thoughts not best yak thoughts..." A moment of humility on her part. "So want to help, but not say help, like Pinkie, when visiting Yaks."

Comforting blinked slowly. "Wait... you know about that?!"

Yona returned the confused expression, though no blinks came with it. "You know? How you know? You weren't there. Did Pinkie tell you?"

Comforting realized a bit late that she had set her hoof right into extra-dimensional knowledge. "You knew and you were alright with that?"

"She changed to be more like Yak. We accept her attempt, and her. She is good friend of yaks!" An idea seem to come to her with a bright smile. "Maybe you learn to be more like griffon? Approach Gallus on his level." She directed her hoof at her eyes, then Comforting's eyes. "Maybe he appreciate. Become better friends. Understand. Griffon is not pony. Griffon is not yak. Different. You know what griffon is?" She tapped her head. "Yona does not."

"Well, besides that right there." Comforting peered at the unaware griffon not far from them. "No... I don't know a lot about griffons... I think you might be right though... That's the first part of the problem. I don't know griffons, but I want to fix them. You hated it when Pinkie tried that, didn't you?"

"Not me, other yaks, but yes. Not like when Pinkie try to 'fix' Yaks. We not broken! When she learned, then we get closer." She set a heavy hoof gently on Comforting's head. "Learn griffons, see how not broken, just different. Then can help?"

"Then can help! I mean, then I can lend a hoof." She bounced in place, thumping against the hoof still just above her head. Yona was quite heavy and could resist her jump enough to become a bonk on her head. "Ow, but thank you!" She hugged the same hoof and dashed off with new ideas.

Author's Note

Several things happened in this chappy, hm?

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37 - Birds of a Feather

One thing that Comforting learned quickly, was that there was not a wealth of griffon-related reading material in the school's library. There was barely anything, except where the griffons were involved with other people, ponies usually. They were a loving sort, but ponies were still working on not being insular. It was, she decided, not even that surprising that their supplies of other-cultural books were... lacking.

For just a moment, she thought of transmuting one book into another book, with griffon facts! But she dismissed that quickly. She had to visualize what she wanted, and if she knew griffons well enough to do that, then she wouldn't need a book... Besides, writing in a book fell under the 'lots of little details' that the spell wasn't even very good at.

And clearly capturing the idea of so many specific words?! Was there any pony that could manage such a feat? The idea of holding the image of a dictionary so clearly in her head that she could copy it without errors left her dizzy for a moment. "That's not happening."

She could just ask him! She could... but there was a good chance he'd see that as a nosy pony butting her nose where it wasn't required. That was a risk with pony friends! They loved shoving their cute little snoots into things. They meant well! She meant well... Comforting crossed her arms in defiance of the library that didn't have what she wanted.

"Comforting?" Fluttershy was hovering into the room slowly, some books in her arms. "Can't find something?"

"How'd you know?" Comforting turned to face her mom as she flew slowly through the room. "Returning some books?"

"Yes." Fluttershy gently tucked each book away where it belonged. "I know I could just put them in the return..." She slid another home. "But I also know Twilight very much likes a neat library, so if I can help at least not make a mess, that feels right."

"That's nice of you." Comforting applauded for her thoughtful mother. "Um... Do you know where I could find a book on griffons?"

Fluttershy tucked the last book away. "On their inside, outside, or a lot of griffons?"

Comforting blinked softly at how that had been put. "Huh... Mostly a lot of griffons, but all of that sounds useful." She hopped towards her floating mother. "Do you know then?!"

"No." Even as Comforting sagged, Fluttershy came in much closer. "But that tells me what to look for. Griffon culture, hm... I'll ask Twilight and keep an eye open for anything."

Comforting jumped up, getting her arms around one of Fluttershy's legs to hug her firmly. "Thanks! I'll wait for you to look and hopefully, you'll find something." She thumped back to the ground, tail wagging with excitement. "You're the best!"

Fluttershy colored as she gently set a hoof on Comforting's head. "You're quite welcome. Now, I imagine we both have things to get to. Griffon culture, hmm..." She landed and walked from the library with a considering expression.

Comforting scurried on back to class. She had plenty more of them left in the day!

With a gentle thump, Celestia's chariot touched the ground. A flight of two pegasus guards was pulling it along with little difficulty. And they said she ate too much cake... Celestia stepped off the chariot with a nod at her bearers. "Thank you. I'll be visiting a short while and will send word when I am to be picked up."

One of the guards inclined his head. "Ma'am! Don't you want a guard around... just in case?"

"I feel very safe here." She set her eyes on the sleepy town of Ponyville. "But we can't entirely forget proprieties... I'll take one guard."

One of the two pegasi shucked his harness with remarkable speed. "Reporting!" He was at her side in a flash. "You won't even know I'm there, ma'am."

Celestia nodded to the one still connected. "Bring that back to Canterlot, if you would, and enjoy the rest of the day."

"As you command!" He saluted with a wing and took off into the air, carrying his wheeled cargo back to the city on the mountain.

Celestia was then free to advance on the town with the remaining guard walking a little behind her. "Hm." She looked up to the sky, noting how heavy the sun looked. "I thought I'd get here earlier..." But things kept coming up, and she had to do her job.

Being a princess rarely came with vacations, long or short. Still, it was late in the afternoon, evening really. She'd have to tuck the sun in to sleep soon. Regardless of that, the school was likely emptied. This meant her target was... "There." Celestia turned to approach a cottage outside of the town proper. "I remember the last time..."

Should she have brought Philomena? Perhaps Fluttershy and she would have enjoyed the reunion... It was too late to do much about that. Maybe next time? Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden poke on her head. Being a tall pony, Celestia was not accustomed to being touched on the head, certainly without warning. She looked around for the source when a large form dipped into her view from above.

Philomena was on top of her, having emerged from her flowing mane to look at her from above. "Oh. How delightful. Phoebe, you remember Fluttershy, do you not?"

The phoenix bobbed her head, rising from view as they straightened out. A little chirp was a confirmation. They had not forgotten Fluttershy.

"Then go say hello." Celestia directed her horn at Fluttershy's cottage, unleashing her pet, figuratively.

Philomena took up the offer with spread wings, soaring quickly to the cottage that wasn't so far away. With a single loud thump of beak against wood, she knocked on the front door.

"Who is it?" Soft hoofsteps came closer. The door knob rattled, then turned. Philomena was through the crack instantly. "Who is it?" Fluttershy peeked out of her house and saw... nothing. "How curious..."

"Ooo!"

Fluttershy turned at the voice. She slipped back inside, closing the door. "Everything alright?"

"Better than alright." Comforting had met Philomena in the living room and she was busy admiring the fire bird. "Who's the best little flamey bird?" She reached a hoof and Philomena accepted the gesture, allowing Comforting to gently pet and stroke the magical fire bird. "You belong to Celestia, don't you?"

Philomena let out quite the discordant caw at that.

"Sorry, that wasn't nice. You are friends with Celestia, right?" Philomena nodded at those more accurate words. "Is she... here?" The door was closed. Comforting could see that easily enough and Celestia wasn't in sight.

Fluttershy approached on unsure hooves. "Um... So, you know Philomena then?"

Oops! Comforting blushed at her mistake. "She doesn't seem to mind, do you?" The two shared a little nuzzle as the filly giggled. Philomena had no obvious complaints at Comforting knowing them. "You are... even more majestic, in person."

Philomena rose to her full height on the floor, showing off her feathers and stance in a prideful way. A way Comforting was all too happy to encourage with clapping. "Do you have fire magic?"

Philomena looked to Fluttershy.

"Thank you for asking... I'd really rather we not set any fires inside, please..." Fluttershy was just about to sit when fresh knocking came from the door. "Oh! Hm..." She had an idea who it might be, which muted the surprise, just a little, when she peeked out the cracked open door to see Celestia standing there. "Your highness!"

"Fluttershy. Did Philomena arrive safely? She was quite eager to come say hello." Celestia raised a hoof, which was enough hint for Fluttershy to back out of the way, allowing the princess inside. "I apologize for showing up so suddenly."

"Celestia?" Comforting's attention flipped away from the bird in front of her to the large ruler. "Oh! Hello." She scrambled to her hooves and hurried over. "Nice to see you."

"And nice to see you as well." Celestia nodded gently at the smiling little filly. "I hear you've been making quite a name for yourself."

Comforting's big grin became a furious red color quickly. "Please don't!"

"Please don't... what?" Celestia raised a hoof for Philomena to perch on. "I see you met Philomena. You two seemed to be getting along."

Philomena let out a delighted noise and shared a warm nuzzle with Celestia. With an easy hop, she landed on Celestia's head, watching Comforting.

"Um..." Comforting worked her hooves together nervously. "So far everyone that's 'heard of me' is because they heard I should do less, and stop making waves. I'm not trying to make waves! I... like it." She curled a hoof on herself. "I like being a unicorn. I like learning magic. I like my new friends! I don't want those taken away."

"I'm sorry if I gave that impression." Celestia reached up for Philomena, handing them off to the quiet Fluttershy. "I didn't come to try and do that. Tell me instead, what is your favorite thing?"

"Favorite?" Comforting frowned with new thought. "That's hard... There are a lot of things..." She pointed to Fluttershy, getting a yelp from her mother. "Like her! She's a really good mom and I'm super happy to be her daughter."

"How delightful." Celestia reached a wing to curl around Fluttershy and keep her close. "Fluttershy, are you enjoying this new responsibility?"

"Oh, um... It's a lot of work, and new... But it's worth it." She smiled nervously at Comforting. "I wouldn't want it to change, except when she grew up, of course."

"I'd still be your friend." Comforting seemed quite confident in that. "And when you're old, I'll take care of you."

Fluttershy blinked softly. "Most foals are not thinking about that far ahead..." But most foals were not Comforting Shade. "Um, but thank you... You don't owe me anything, but thank you."

Celestia nodded at the two. "You two are quite close. It's endearing to see... Now, Comforting, I'd like to do a little test, and I think you'll like it."

Comforting looked around the room, but Fluttershy and Philomena had no help for her. "What kind of test?"

"A magical one." Celestia's horn glowed gently with that promise, not powerful enough to be a proper glow, and it didn't look like an actual spell. "Now, as you may or may not be aware of, I operate a school for talented unicorns. This is not a test for that. Any unicorn that wants to get in there has to win their way past the testers, who are not me. That keeps me honest."

Comforting weighed the different parts of that statement. "So, no matter how good, or bad, I do, it has nothing to do with that school?"

"Not a thing." Celestia craned her head in, a talent of hers. "In fact, you can just not take the tests, if you prefer, but I am curious to know more about you. You are my grandstudent, my student's student. Just as any grandparent, I am interested in seeing more, but only if you're alright with it."

Comforting considered, still a moment. "I don't want to make Twilight upset."

"Then I will not tell her." Celestia raised a big hoof to her lips. "I will only share what she needs to know. She's used to that from me regardless. So put that aside. I'd like to know where your specialties lie."

"Specialties?!" Comforting perked, tail going stiff in the process. "I don't think I have one."

"Not yet. At least, not one you're aware of. Most ponies have one, including me." She turned to display the big sun on her rump. "I am drawn to the sun, as fits. Magic that involves the sun, or heat, or light comes naturally to me, and are much easier for me to learn and use than, say, a spell that made things cool down. You don't know your specialty yet, but I'd like to learn, with you. Are you ready to try?"

Author's Note

This chapter was Celestia-o-clock and it's not even over! At least Celestia is a kind soul. No feelings have been hurt so far.

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39 - Old School

"Really?" Discord was eyeing Celestia with insulted doubt. "You're still using those schools?"

Celestia was returning with her guard. "And what is wrong with the foci? They do a good job of giving us broad strokes to test with."

Discord rolled his eyes onto the table in front of himself. "You've been using that, for what, forever? Whatever." He plucked up the dropped eyeballs. "Transmuter, huh? So you like changing things?" He popped them back into his face casually. "Like what?"

Comforting did not seem upset by his prickly words. "Well, I got the flower spell down pretty well." She covered the table casually in roses.

Which Fluttershy gently brushed aside to set down a platter of steaming food. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." Comforting was way too happy, clapping eagerly. "And--"

"That isn't transmuting." Discord adjusted the glasses he hadn't been wearing a moment before. "You are creating those flowers from nothing, not changing anything into flowers. See, Celly dear, this is the risk of this whole 'school' nonsense. Everypony starts getting them all mixed up."

"Oh..." She couldn't argue it. Those flowers did spring wholeformed from nothing. "You're right... But I can change things into other things." She set a hoof on a fork, drawing it closer. "Like this."

"Ooo, do a spork." Discord clapped without bringing his hands apart very far, a rapid beat. "I love those things."

"Spork it is!" Her horn hummed with the changing spell, willing it to change. It was a small change, compared to others, and she was able to refashion the fork into a spork without too much trouble. "Ta da!"

Celestia nodded gently. "Very good. You are a natural at that. Transmutation continues to elude me." She leaned in, craning her neck down to Comforting's level. "I am more of an evoker. I blame the sun thing."

Fluttershy hopped up onto the remaining seat. "I hope everypony enjoys."

"It's great, ma'am." The guard was already chomping down his food with great zeal. "Very nice."

Celestia set a hoof on his back. "Am I not feeding you all? Poor things. I will look into that."

The guard colored, half a mouthful of food dropping from his limp jaws. "Ma'am! You've done nothing wrong, Your Highness. I'm sorry."

"Do not be." With a glowing horn, she casually cleaned the snout of her guard. "I can see something wrong, and I will fix it. That is what princesses do."

"Yes, ma'am!" He slowed his eating, clearly self-conscious about being spotted enjoying himself too much for propriety.

Discord casually claimed the spork, using it to secure himself a bite. "Mmm, wonderful as always, dear Fluttershy. So, got any other spells down? That one's nice, but a bit crude. Like playing with clay, though, admittedly, the whole world is clay if you get good enough at it."

Comforting colored with the thought. The whole world, clay... "I'm still getting that perfect, and Twilight said no more spells for now." She crossed her arms with a mighty pout. "She wants me to focus on school for now. It's probably 'cause I messed up."

Discord leaned in over the table. "Messed up? Now this I just have to hear. Do share. I'm all ears." His ears had tripled in size, twitching eagerly to hear the story. "By the way, transmuting is one of my favorites, if we have to use that whole 'school' thing."

"I thought I'd be more mental..." Comforting cocked an ear at Celestia. "I'm not upset, but how does this relate to my cutie mark?"

Celestia smiled gently. "It's how you use it. While the connection isn't as obvious as it could be, you will use your transmutation to make others happy, and to heal their broken hearts. Not physically, I hope, unless becoming a doctor is your calling." She tapped her chin slowly. "Your cutie mark would fit that rather well, come to think... But only if you want to be."

Discord waved it away. "Your stamp is just a hint, nothing more. Trying to take it literally is a good way to be miserable. You're more clever than that. Find your own thing. You like helping creatures? Fine, don't let that mark hedge you in any further than that. Now, about that accident?"

"The mistake, right..." Comforting squirmed, working her hooves. "I made a... It was an accident! We fixed it. Starlight fixed it..."

"Good mare." Discord nodded. "A little short of a fuse, but go on. You're teasing now. What was the mistake?"

"I was distracted... on purpose. I... not that I wanted to be distracted, but I asked my friends to do it, for practice, and they did when I wasn't expecting it... which is right when I said to do it... and I accidentally turned Diamond Tiara into a statue."

Fluttershy gasped sharply. "Oh my! Is she alright?"

"Is she?" asked Discord with a scowl.

"She's fine, she's fine!" squeaked out Comforting. "Starlight fixed it... I felt so bad..."

"Being a statue is no fun." Discord brought his hands together silently, clasping them. "I speak from experience. At first, like a peaceful nap, but you eventually 'wake up', sort of. Just enough to realize you're trapped, but can you do anything about it? No. Then you get to wait and wait. You only have your thoughts for company, and they're about as slow as the rock you are, so they're pretty bad company..."

Celestia raised a hoof over her mouth. "You were awake?!"

"I was awake," he confirmed with an icy tone. "There was a reason I was as eager as I was to get a little revenge when I got out."

Fluttershy pressed a hoof against his closer arm. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm glad we're past it now."

Discord smiled at Fluttershy, unable to be properly angry with her calming presence. "Thank goodness. Now, Comforting." His eyes went back to her. "No more turning anyponies, or creatures, to stone. Are we clear on that?"

Comforting slapped a hoof to her chest. "I didn't want to in the first place, so promise! It was an accident."

Discord reached across to pat the top of the nervous unicorn filly. "Mistakes happen... This is what you get for getting all chummy with Harmony. A field of statues sounds right up her alley. Nice and orderly."

Celestia perked at that. "Harmony is an idea."

Discord snorted softly. "Was an idea. Little missy there met her and they're best of friends now." He took an angry chomp of food. "Go ahead, ask her."

Called out! Comforting laughed nervously. "Harmony is very nice... Just not used to talking to ponies, like Discord used to be. He's gotten way better at it."

Fluttershy rubbed Discord's arm gently. "There's plenty of space to grow, and I'm glad to lend a hoof."

"You're the best." It was Fluttershy's turn to be pet gently, so he took it on himself to be the one to see it was done. "But I make things fun and interesting. Gonna bet Harmony doesn't do that at all."

Celestia was looking between Discord and Comforting, but said nothing.

"She isn't boring, that's for sure. I'm not sure anycreature that powerful and with a perspective so... different... even could be boring. That goes for you too!" She pointed at Discord accusingly. "You don't see the world the way we mere mortals do."

"Can't argue that." He buffed his right claws on his chest. "Not that you seem bothered by it." He glared at the guard and somewhat more kindly, but still glaring, at Fluttershy. Neither of them were ready to face that perception entirely. "What's your deal?"

Celestia cleared her throat, drawing attention. "It was in a dream... but from what I remember, Comforting has the advantage of another world of experience. I have poked my nose in on other worlds, briefly, but to live in another entirely is a different thing."

Comforting tensed as Celestia spoke. Her secrets, being revealed. She heard a faint ticking and looked up, seeing a big sign with bulbous lights circling it. In bold colors, it announced 'Isekai' and pointed right down at her. "Discord!"

"What?" He assumed the most innocent look he could manage, halo glittering in the light.

Fluttershy inclined her head. "Oh... Like... Like in Neighponese comics?"

Discord recoiled in surprise. "You know those?"

"I love those!" Fluttershy clopped her hooves together with a joyful smile. "Their stories are always so interesting, even if they are scary sometimes."

Comforting struggled to parse that. "You wa... read manga?"

"Manga?" The word clearly was lost on Fluttershy. "Do you mean the comics? Yes. I didn't think you'd be interested."

Discord slapped down his hands. "This is all very lovely, but back to the point at hand. So she's lived in two worlds, very different worlds from the sound of it. So what's a third, and a fourth perspective after that, is that it?" He peered at Comforting suspiciously.

"Kinda..." She struggled for better words. "It..." Hiding it wasn't helping. "Mom, you know how I know about people before meeting them?"

She nodded. "Mmhmm. Um, is this related?"

"It is." She sat up in her chair, tail curling in a question mark behind her. "In... the other world, there were ponies, but as stories, and I loved those stories quite a bit... You were always such an inspiring character, Mother. It's even better now that you're not a character. You're a living creature, and my mom! I... am so happy."

Celestia inclined her head slowly. "Did you know me? You must have... That was one part of the dream that confused me. Why would... Why would you accept the word of this imposingly tall creature you only just met. Why did you come with me? If you were a pony, I'd understand, but you were not, this much I knew."

Fluttershy looked between Celestia and her daughter. "Oh, um... So..." She was so close to putting it together, but struggled at those last bits.

"Don't hurt yourself." Discord set a hand over Fluttershy's eyes, as if not seeing the problem would fix it for her. "So you ran away."

"What?" Comforting frowned at Discord. "That isn't nice."

"But the truth? You ran away from home and went off to live in a story time. Not very brave of you, if you ask me." He scoffed in his idle mockery of Comforting.

Who was busy turning colors. "It wasn't like that! I didn't have a choice in leaving... Not that you'd understand. This is a 'mortal thing'."

"Oh please." Discord waved away the idea. "As if there is any 'mortal thing' I couldn't comprehend."

But Celestia knew what it was. "I don't think this one..."

"Et Tu, Celly?" He threw away the toga he only needed for that out-of-dimension joke. "You're joking, yanking my chain." He pulled firmly at the chaint hat hadn't been there before with a loud flushing sound. "Such a thing doesn't even exist."

Celly shrugged softly. "Really, as bottled as you were, I can't help but feel this become even more difficult for you to grasp."

"Is this about the swinging night life." He swung his gem-topped cane at Celly, adjusting his bright purple hat. "I'll have you know, I've already mastered that. I can dance with the best of them!"

"Perhaps... But one day, they will not dance." Celestia sat back with a gentle sigh. "They will never smile again. They will not do any more fun things, no matter how much you may wish them to."

Discord raised a brow. "Is this a friendship thing? I'm getting better at that! Rude, implying I'd chase them all away. Fluttershy, back me up here!"

Fluttershy smiled awkwardly. "Even if you are very kind, this will... eventually be true, even for me. I'm not forever. That's... what being a 'mere mortal' is, Discord."

"Well then, I'll..." He trailed off, the weight of the statement perhaps reaching him. "Oh... Well, that isn't very fun at all..."

Author's Note

Discord is casually reminded of the mortal condition. He leaves a poor review, as he cannot recommend it.

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40 - A Matter of Life and Death

"Well, then we won't do that." Discord put a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "And that's that. Nice and easy."

Fluttershy lifted an ear, the other going to the side. "I don't... think that's something you just 'decide' to do."

Discord put both hands on his chest. "Are you forgetting who you're talking to? If I don't want to do it, then no force can make me do it."

Celestia pinned her ears back, perhaps noticing how agitated Discord was becoming. "If I may?" He looked towards her, fire in his eyes, literally. "It would be very... Harmony would approve of a life that never changed."

"That's a low shot." He crossed his arms with quite a pout. "If everything does something and one thing doesn't, that sounds pretty chaotic to me."

"Even if that chaos is to never change?" Celestia took a gentle nibble at dinner. "It doesn't seem to be what she wants."

Fluttershy shrank at the conflict. "I mean..."

"That can't be right." Discord scowled at her. "Tell her. Go on, say it." He opened and closed his hand in a speaking fashion as he spoke condencendingly, "I want to live forever." He brought his fingers together, ready to snap. "Just like that! None of that aging stuff. We can play forever. We can try all the teas in the world. We can see all the exotic animals there are to see, and there will be some new ones. Ooo, you can't miss that new fox species that's coming in a hundred moons or so."

Fluttershy only wilted as he excitedly made his case. "Well..."

"Well what?" His hands settled on the table. "This isn't a complicated thing. Yes or no? Ponies have tried for eons to find ways to get around this little problem. They've wanted it forever! And now I'm offering it, no strings attached." He tossed away the strings he hadn't been holding. "You don't even have to hang out with me... but I would hope you'd want to anyway. We are friends, aren't we?"

"Of course!" Fluttershy forced a smile. "And we will be... I hope, until the day... That day... But, Discord... I admire the natural order... quite a deal."

Discord hissed in a sudden intake of air. "Order... Order!" He leveled a finger at Comforting accusingly. "This is about her and her new friend, isn't it?!"

"No! No no no... Please don't be mad at her." Fluttershy dove onto the table, standing over the food to be in the way of his anger. "I love nature... I always have, well, almost always. I love its pretty parts. I love its ugly parts. I love the happy and sad parts... I love its starts... and with a start comes an end... eventually... To deny it would be to deny nature, and I'm not sure I'm ready to do that..." She slid back to her chair, some of the tension fleeing the room, to her clear surprise. "Do you understand?"

"I..." He went quiet, the room only having the sound of clinking of silverware on plates. "I think I do..." But he smiled. "But that means I have a chance to change your mind, until that day. Don't blame me for trying. Any good friend would want their friend around a little longer, hm?"

Fluttershy's worried expression brightened to a gentle smile. "Any good friend would want that." She put a hoof on his closer arm. "I won't be angry at that. I would do the same, if I were in your place... Any feeling pony would... But, for now, we're all in good health, so let's enjoy some good food."

"Speaking of that." Celestia set her magically held fork down. "This was delightful, Fluttershy. Free of pretension, which is a rare treat in itself. A homecooked meal filled with the love of a mother for her daughter, I could taste it with every bite." Even as Fluttershy blushed, Celestia was looking at Comforting. "You are very lucky."

"What do you think?" Comforting was looking at the nervous guard. "Liked it? Be honest."

"It was very good." If he said that honestly or copying Celestia wasn't entirely clear. "Different than what they serve at the castle."

"Very true." Celestia nodded slowly as she willed her plate to the side. "They are very formal in their preperations there. Quite good, but different. I appreciate that difference. Now... Comforting, we've found your specialty. I would recommend you focus on it. Alterations and how they can help those around you. Focusing on that will make the magic come more easily, and bring you greater joy."

Advice that seemed to make sense to Comforting, but other thoughts came too. "You run the school of magic, don't you?"

"One of." Celestia inclined her head. "You're already in a school, I remind."

"I'm not trying to switch..." As fun as that might be on a few levels. "But... since you do, you probably know a ton of spells..."

Celestia flashed a smile. "Twilight would be upset if I went behind her back to show you anything."

"So we won't tell her," shot Comforting, returning the statement. "And she won't be upset."

Fluttershy frowned at her daughter. "I don't like lying, Comforting."

"I won't! That doesn't mean I have to tell Twilight every little thing I do." Comforting fluttered her lashes at Celestia. "A little spell?"

With a magical pop, a scroll appeared, hovering in Celestia's magic. "It takes longer than what little time we have left to learn a spell, but this... Use this on yourself, or another, to invigorate them with your magic, allowing them to be a little stronger or faster, just for a moment. A fine starting spell, with few ways it can go wrong." She willed the scroll into Comforting's eager hooves. "Use it well, and bring a smile."

"I will do my best." Comforting squeezed the scroll, joy building at the idea that she'd secured a new spell. "Not to question... but why did you have this?"

"Hm?" Celestia sat back with a knowing smile. "Old habit... A starting spell of each foci is something I often carry around, just in case. You only have to keep the target in mind, the rest is quite set. Very few ways to get it wrong, which makes it a fine starting spell. Be happy you didn't have illusion. There are basically no illusions that don't require great focus and very specific images. How can you make a false sense if you aren't imagining that false sense precisely?"

Fluttershy looked confused suddenly. "Why did Twilight teach a spell with so many... variations as the first one then?"

"I prefer not to second guess my student." Celestia considered Comforting. "But I imagine she thought Comforting could handle it, and she did. You make lovely flowers."

Comforting willed flowers all over the big alicorn, sprouting across her white-pink fur in a thick carpet. "And they look better on you," she giggled, her mirth only increasing with Celestia's kind smile, clearly taking it in good humor. "I like that spell."

"It is a fine spell." Celestia stepped down from her chair. "Enjoy your new one. I should return to the castle." She yawned softly, but grandly, covering her mouth with a hoof. "The sun is set, so I should too. We are tied in this way. Luna may be wondering where I am, poor thing. Thank you for hosting us, Fluttershy."

"Of course, your highness." Fluttershy bowed low before the princess. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Very much. Philomena, let's go." With a squawk, the bird landed on her back and she started for the exit with her guard. "Sleep well."

Fluttershy rushed to the door to see her guests out, then close the door gently behind them. "That was unexpected." She turned back to see Comforting sneaking way, and no Discord. "Comforting Shade!" Comforting went still at her full name being used in such a way. "Get over here."

Comforting's ears sagged as she went to stand before Fluttershy, tail limp. "Yes, mom?"

"I do not approve of you going against Twilight, even if she never finds out." She crossed her arms, giving Comforting The Look™️. "I am not raising you to sneak around other pony's backs, and you know that's exactly what you're doing."

Part of Comforting bristled. She was an adult! She could decide what she wanted to do! But she was also Fluttershy's daughter... She had... accepted that. As her daughter, being chastised was part of the package, and she was sneaking... "But I really want to learn this spell. Please?"

Fluttershy set a hoof on Comforting's head. "I believe Celestia. That sounds like a nice spell for a young unicorn wizard... Which is exactly why you will show it to Twilight tomorrow, in school, and tell her exactly what Princess Celestia said today. If she allows you to study it, then you may. Otherwise, you wait, as she asked you to."

Fluttershy leaned in. "And you will tell me how it goes, good or bad. No lies of omission there! Comforting..." She leaned in, touching her nose to one of Comforting's folded ears. "I still love you... I'm angry because I care."

"I understand..." She hated it, in that moment, but she knew how it worked. She'd been on the other side of it. "I'll tell her... She better let me study!" She suddenly burst into laughter, realizing how things had turned. She had become a small child that planned to beg for the chance to study something. What a difference a world could make... "It sounds like a fun spell, and harmless. Even more harmless than the flowers." She looked around, but all the flowers she had conjured were already faded away back into the ether.

"Which is the only reason I'm allowing this." Fluttershy gently bonked her daughter. "No going around your magic teacher. She knows unicorn magic very well, and she's your teacher. Please listen to her, even the parts you'd rather skip." Fluttershy sat on her haunches and offered a hoof. "I don't want to be mad at you."

"I don't want you to be mad at me..." Having Fluttershy upset with her was kind of awful. "Can we stop?"

"Will you be good?" Fluttershy smiled timidly, as was her nature. "I prefer being proud of you."

Comforting accepted the offered hoof and was soon nestled in warmly with her mother. Arguments came to a stop in favor of cuddles between the two, a far more pressing matter. "Talk to her tomorrow... There's a good chance she'll say yes anyway. Twilight knows what it's like to be an eager little wizard."

"That's probably why she's holding me back." Comforting folded her arms in the grip of her mother. "She's worried I'll get all fixated like she does."

"And you won't?" Fluttershy nuzzled at Comforting's head from the top directly. "You seem pretty fixated."

"A little! I do not go Twilight. That's a special kind of fixated."

"Hmmm..." Fluttershy was quiet a moment. "It's true... that is a special... Don't tell her I said that. Talk to her tomorrow, good or bad, please."

"I promise! I should go to bed." She was allowed to spring to freedom and start for her room. "Good night!"

"Good night, Comforting." Fluttershy went instead to start cleaning up. So many ponies, and one chaos spirit, had left her a mess in need of tending before she could consider sleep. Such was the life of a mother.

"She doesn't take after you."

Fluttershy turned an ear without the rest of her turning. "Comforting?"

"She's nice, that much she has." Discord slipped up next to Fluttershy. "But that's where the similarities end, my dear. If you want a foal, I could get you a nice pegasus one. You could show them how to fly."

Fluttershy wrinkled her nose at the idea. "No! I'm Comforting's caretaker, and she loves me very much... Even if she is naughty once in a rare while... If I did get another foal, it would be another foal." Abandoning the one she had was not on the table. "Thank you for the offer, but no, thanks."

Author's Note

That tense moment is worked out. Yay reasonable endings!

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41 - Coming Clean

As she had promised, Comforting was up bright and early and she waited impatiently for Twilight to appear.

"Nice and early." There she was, walking towards the school. "You know, some fillies your age aren't so eager to start their school day."

Comforting colored faintly. She was not a standard model. "It's your fault for running such a fun school." Nailed it!

"I do my best, but I have a feeling you have a question." Twilight sank to her haunches in front of the filly. "Go ahead. Is it magic related?"

"Yes." She colored, seen through so quickly. "Celestia visited last night and--"

"Princess Celestia?!" Twilight's face became an O of shock. "Um... Why?"

"She wanted to test me for a focus." Comforting worried her hooves nervously. "And I'm a transmuter!"

"Ah... Ah." Twilight inclined her head. "That is... my fault... When I took those tests, I did about as well at all of them, and they didn't help me, and then I forgot all about them." She let out a strained laugh. "And now Princess Celestia knows I messed up..."

Comforting could see which way that was going. "Of course not! You've said yourself that I'm your very first student of this. Mistakes will happen, and that's alright, so long as you learn from them. She wasn't upset, just eager to test me."

"Yes... right." That Twilight was still struggling to internalize that seemed clear. "A transmuter? Hm. Then I also selected the wrong first spell... But the second spell was entirely correct!" She pumped a hoof, pleased with herself. "Now... I should point out, many unicorns don't do very well at any of the tests. One more reason most unicorns aren't wizards at all. They do what their cutie mark empowers them to do, and use telekinesis, and that's it." She suddenly grunted. "My first test wasn't those."

"The dragon egg?"

Twilight started. "Oh, yes... I forget you know these things. But that I did publish, so..." Not as strange as some of the others, apparently. "Speaking of Spike, he'll be along later today. He said he had some 'critical business' that I think is a keyword for a new comic arriving today." The two shared a little laughter at that. "I didn't stop him. Now... Congratulations, transmuter Comforting. Is that what you wanted to ask me? More of a statement, really, but congratulations all the same."

"Thank you." Comforting dipped her head. "But it was more about this." Her horn glowed as she pulled out the ornate scroll from her pocket to show it to Twilight. "Celestia gave it to me. She said it was a nice simple transmuting spell. I really want to read it, but you said no new spells... so..."

Twilight's barrel swelled with her deep intake of breath. "And you waited to ask me... I'm not even sure I would have had that willpower at your age." The glow around the scroll shifted as she took control of it from Comforting and unfurled it, eyes sweeping left and right rapidly, her mouth moving as she made little noises, reading it slightly out loud. "Oh! I know this one... I rarely use it, but it is... exactly as Princess Celestia said. Simple, straightforward, and ideal for a young wizard." She clopped a hoof to her cheek. "Have I been overtaxing you?! I've been giving you nothing but complicated multi-variable spells! What was I thinking?! No wonder there was a mistake. This was entirely my fault."

"No no no!" Comforting pressed her hooves against Twilight. "It's alright! It was being surprised at exactly the wrong time, not the spell itself, I promise! You've been an outstanding teacher so far."

"Now you're flattering." And perhaps it was working as her breathing was calming. "I'm just doing what I can... Now..." She floated the scroll back in reach of Comforting. "I see nothing wrong with this spell, if you want to read it, which I feel certain you do. Please consult with me with any new spells, like this one. Your focus is on this school." She raised a hoof to her chin. "If it's any consolation, you've entered this school so early, you'll have time to attend a more magically focused one when you're done without any issues. Celestia's school aside, there are many that focus on students that are not young foals."

Comforting wasn't sure how to feel about that. "I'll consider... For now!" She tucked the scroll away with a happy little giggle. "I have some after school reading."

"While we're here, since you just took the tests... may I ask how you did? You obviously did well at transmuting, I hear, but the others?"

"Oh! Um..." That was a fair question, she quickly decided. "I did 'alright' at most of them. I was slow but clear in seeing things. I was fast but weak at evoking. Um..." She struggled to remember the others. "I was not super great at illusions... Life sight, I... could only barely see... I could make a bubble! It wasn't very strong."

Twilight smiled at that. "My brother is an expert at that. With a name like Shining Armor, I suppose it was meant to be. He can make shields vast and powerful." She looked quite proud of her sibling. "But, alright. You've created things from nothing, how did you do on the conjuration test?"

"Celestia said--" Comforting wagged a hoof slowly. "I have good visualization, and will, but my creations lack that strong 'oomph' that would imply it was my specialty." A thought came to her with erect ears. "Is that why my flowers go away so quickly?"

"That would make sense." Twilight nudged Comforting gently. "Let's head inside. I'll have to get some testing tools, in case another confused unicorn foal comes wanting instruction. I won't make that mistake again."

"You're doing great." Comforting followed after Twilight with a joyful swish of her tail. "I've learned so much, both in and out of class. Oh! Do you know anything about griffons?"

"Griffons?" Twilight turned to look at Comforting, not watching where she was going as she went through the hallways of the school. "That's quite the topic shift. What about griffons?"

"I want to know about what it's like to griffon, um, socially? I want to look Gallus in the eyes." Comforting pointed to her eyes and outwards with a nod. "Which means understanding where he comes from, instead of just where I want him to be."

"That... is very mature." Twilight willed the door to her office open with her glowing horn. "However, that is also something I would like to know myself. Interacting with Gallus has provided me with a peek, but only a peek. I've dealt with them a few times, but even those were all fleeting glances. Sour griffons, cheerful griffons, and Gallus. They seem to come in all types, but the patterns? I don't have that information." She stepped up into her seat and sat down. "But I am very proud that you're curious. That's a friendship problem worth consideration."

She twirled her seat to face the window. "Now, one thing I can say confidently, is that griffons dislike being asked about their culture directly, which has stymied my efforts so far."

"I got that idea." Comforting considered with a slow pacing. "I will keep looking. Thank you, teacher."

Twilight raised a hoof. "Before you go." She twirled back to face Comforting. "Not for this semester, but for the future perhaps, but if you're interested... perhaps an exchange program? They have schools, and I have one of theirs. They may be willing to take one of ours. No pressure! You have plenty on your plate."

That was at once exciting and... "I'm not sure I'd want to leave all my friends behind... Including Gallus!"

"Just an option. There is no pressure in either direction. Now go on to class." Twilight was softly shooing her from behind the desk. "I have to prepare too. See you in class."

"See you in class," echoed Comforting with a bright smile, rushing off to start the school day.

"Darling, you're looking better today." Rarity had moved in the way after class. "I'm glad to see it. How do you feel?"

Comforting inclined her head at Rarity. "Much better... Did something happen?"

"Nothing specific," she lied, badly. "Just want to be sure you're feeling alright." She patted Comforting gently. "You are a darling little thing, and while Fluttershy clearly is entirely smitten with you, she is not a unicorn. I have practice being an older sister, hm? So I know a few things to watch out for in growing unicorn fillies."

Comforting curled a hoof to her chin. "Why isn't Sweetie Belle learning magic?"

Rarity colored at that. "She isn't a wizard! At least, not that variety. She is quite talented at a number of other things, but magic... Not really where her passions lie. Go on, ask her yourself. You've become a star student under Twilight, I'm told, so you'd be able to tell, so just talk with her, instead of asking her big sister."

Comforting frowned, but only a moment before it cleared. "You have a point. I should ask her. Um... You don't know magic, right?"

"On the contrary," she sang out. "I know a few spells. I dare say any unicorn in the presence of Twilight can't help but pick up at least one. But still, yes, I have. Besides gem finding, which my cutie mark gave me, I can read magic and cast spells." She tapped at the side of her head. "I am magically fluent!" Again, a sung bit of pride. "Now, I don't qualify as a 'wizard', but I'm able. What brings up the question? Are you seeking more arcane tutelage, because that's not my specialty, I admit dear."

This was news to Comforting. "You are? Huh..."

"Don't look so surprised, little darling." She smiled patiently. "I may be a fashionista, but that doesn't mean I can't also sling a spell if the situation demands it. Besides, a little magic makes my job so much easier, really." She leaned in and Comforting noticed something. Rarity's breath. A curious thing, perhaps mints or something she chewed on? But Rarity had a sweet and pleasant breath.

"I'm not opposed to learning or doing a new spell if it solves a crisis. I'm not big on memorizing new spells, something that lowers the odds of me ever qualifying as a proper wizard, you see. But give me a scroll and--" A scroll was tapping against Rarity. "You have a scroll?" Her horn began to glow as she unfurled it, beholding that enforcing spell that Celestia had given Comforting. "Oh, interesting... What does it do? It doesn't seem all that complicated, whatever it is."

"It's a starting spell." Comforting had become the teacher, and she sat with a happy smile. "You use it on a pony, or any creature I think, and they get a little faster and a little stronger so long as you keep doing it. That's it. No variables. Pick a target, use it."

"That is simple." Rarity stuck out her tongue from the side of her mouth slightly. "I tend to prefer a bit more... flash than that, some way to add a personal touch. This has no such space." She tapped at the floating scroll. "But it sounds delightful for a starting spellcaster. In fact... if Sweetie is at all interested, this might be great for her to see. Don't insist. Last I checked, she was getting a good grip on just picking things up. Like her cutie mark, she takes her time, but when it comes, it really comes! So maybe she'll become a wizard some day, who knows? Certainly not me, darling. I just want to support her, and my other little fillies." She smiled at Comforting with clear affection, even if they had no relationship. "So feel free to offer it to her, if she wants it."

Author's Note

Rarity is a quality older sister, just sayin'!

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42 - Cutie Mark Crusaders, Master Wizards!

"Wow!" Sweetie turned the scroll left and right, still rolled up tight. "Nopony ever let me examine a spell scroll before."

"Here." Comforting played the song over her horn. As promised, it was a simple spell without places to improvise. It was the magical equivalent of hello world, almost. She focused on Sweetie, who began to glow with Comforting's brown magic.

"What are you doing?" Sweetie dropped the scroll to clatter on the ground. "That feels funny."

"I'm making you stronger, better!" Comforting kept the magic strong and even. "Go on, do something. Push something, jump, do anything, um, physical."

"Something physical..." Sweetie looked around and grabbed a small rubber ball in her hooves. "Alley-oop!" She hurled it with all her might. It was, alas, too light. The force it was thrown caused it to smash against the air and it flopped to the ground without making it too far. "That was a poor test."

Scootaloo advanced, slapping down a box and her arm on top of it. "Arm wrestle, you, me, now."

"But you... always win these." Sweetie put her arm to match Scootaloo's. "Let's try..." Even if she wasn't sure, she braced herself. When Scootaloo began to push, she did as well. Comforting could feel a sudden draw on her spell. She was fueling Sweetie's struggle.

"Wait a second..." That meant there was one variable. Sure, it wasn't while it was being cast, but it counted! She could give more or less power. She focused on Sweetie's struggle, the glow aroung Sweetie growing brighter with each passing moment, her horn joining in the glow that seeped out across her forehead in its brilliant glare.

Apple Bloom looked up suddenly. "Woah." The light had grown bright enough for even other ponies to see it. "Poor Scoots, yer goin' against two ponies now!" She began to clap despite the warning tone. "C'mon!" Who she was cheering for, she didn't make clear.

Scootaloo was sweating profusely as she grunted and heaved against the strangely powerful, and glowing, Sweetie Belle. "You're... not going to win... even with her help! You're... still Sweetie Belle!"

"I'm going to... try my best!" Sweetie pushed with all the power she had, which normally was not much, but the brown glow around her was helping her push with the might of herself and Comforting in a combined effort, until it wasn't. The color blinked away. Scootaloo slammed her hoof to the table, getting a surprised and mildly pained yelp from Sweetie Belle. "What happened?!"

"I won is what happened." Scootaloo looked quite proud of herself. "Told you." She looked to Comforting, ready to gloat, but Comforting had flopped over on her side, with Apple Bloom fussing over her. "Oh... is she alright?"

Sweetie stood up, rubbing her still sore arm. "I'm alright." But that question wasn't about her. She spotted the fallen filly. "Oh no!" She hurried to her fellow young unicorn. "She must have tried too hard... We should get her to the hospital."

"Good idea." Apple Bloom proved she had the strength of an earth pony, hoisting Comforting up onto her back and starting towards Ponyville hospital.

Sweetie hesitated a moment before timidly following. "She'll be upset if we're not there."

"Good call." Scootaloo hurried to catch up with Sweetie Belle. "That was a pretty cool trick, until the end... I kinda wonder who woulda won if she hadn't... passed out like that."

"We'll only find out when she gets better, if then."

Apple bloom kicked open the door to the hospital. "Need some help, kindly."

Nurse Redheart sat up at her desk. "Apple Bloom, what--" She could see the limp form on Apple Bloom's back. "Stop right there." She grabbed a cart and rolled it over swiftly, carefully transferring the filly to it. "What happened? Be specific."

Apple Bloom reared up as soon as she was not carrying Comforting. "She was helpin' out Sweetie Belle with an arm wrastlin' contest with her magic, and then she suddenly fell over."

"I see..." Redheart chomped the guide of the cart. "I'll get her somewhere safe and call a doctor. Thank you for bringing her as soon as possible." She hurriedly zoomed down the hallway, the sight of her lost when the door closed behind her of its own volition.

The other two crusaders rushed into the room. "She's... with Nurse Redheart." Apple Bloom pointed the way. "Said she'd get a doctor."

Scootaloo hopped up onto a seat and thumped down to wait. "Sweetie, you're a unicorn. What happened?"

"I'm not an expert!" She threw her hooves high and wide. "I never even learned my first spell! I only have guesses and suspicions."

Apple Bloom shrugged. "Well..." Her eyes wandered over the quiet entryway of the hospital. "We don't have better to do... So what's yer guess?"

"Well..." She reached up to tap just beside her horn. "I've tried really hard to move things. It can really be stressful, especially if it's just too heavy for you. Maybe... I was too much. The whole contest, I mean. She was trying so hard she knocked herself out in the process."

Scootaloo whistled softly. "Well, she made you equal to me, so that's a lot of effort."

Apple Bloom suddenly punched Scoots in the shoulder. "Stop gloating! I know you like Rainbow, but this isn't the time."

Scootaloo wilted at that, silence looming large over them. "Hey!" She broke that pause with a chime. "Idea. I'll go tell Fluttershy what happened. Any of our parents would be really annoyed if they didn't know we were in the hospital. Um, besides visiting somepony else."

Sweetie gave a hooves up. "Now that sounds like a great idea. You're the fastest one here."

"But not for long." Scoots vacated the area, no longer being the fastest one there. She hopped on her scooter and with rapidly fluttering wings, she powered through the town to Fluttershy's little cottage. "Fluttershy!" she came to a skidding half, hopping free of her scooter as it tipped over. "You there?"

The door cracked open and Fluttershy poked her head out. "Oh my. What's wrong?" It wasn't hard to tell that something was going on. "Have you seen Comforting?"

"About that... She was, uh, working too hard with her horn and kinda passed out." Scootaloo pointed off towards the hospital. "She's at the hospital. I think she's alright?"

Fluttershy frowned as she stepped free and closed the door behind her. "Thank you for telling me... Were you involved?"

"Um..."

Answer enough. "Then you probably should come with me." Fluttershy began the march towards the hospital. "Did the doctor say she was alright?"

"We didn't get to talk to them. The nurse hurried her away and left us to wait in the front." Scootaloo huffed softly. "Hospitals, right? She... wasn't like looking bad, just suddenly asleep."

"Oh my..." Fluttershy hastened her steps to the hospital and inside. "Oh, thank you all." She nodded at the other girls gathered. "But you don't have to stay. I'm here."

Sweetie crossed her arms with a pout. "It was partially my fault. I'm not leaving, Miss Fluttershy."

"Me neither!" Scootaloo trotted quickly to join the others. "She's our friend, and we let her get hurt. The least we can do is wait here."

Apple Bloom nodded firmly. "I'd expect them to do the same fer me if I got roughed up. Ain't fair to expect what you wouldn't do yerself."

All three were nodded in unison, and not moving. Except Scootaloo. "Want me to tell your parents what's going on?"

Sweetie gusted with relief. "Please! I don't want to worry them for nothing. You're the best."

Apple Bloom tipped the hat she wasn't wearing. "Right appreciate it. We'll keep an eye while ya do that."

And so Scootaloo hurried back out once more to deliver news of what was going on.

"Fluttershy." Nurse Redheart was there, at the door leading further in. "A word?"

Fluttershy pointed at herself, as if there could be a lurking shutterfly nearby. "Of course..." She walked across the room to be near. "Is she alright?"

"We'll start there. She's fine. Nothing more than any pony that ran too hard. She'll be a little out of it for a little while, but nothing permanent should come of it. " She had to pause as the crusaders cheered and stomped despite her being, she thought, too far way for them to hear. She smiled wryly, not that upset. "She just needs a little love, which I think you are ready to give."

"I'll do my best! Any, um, thing else? Things I should... avoid, or try to have around?"

"She's just a little pony," assured Redheart with a slow nod. "A tired one. Make sure she gets rest and she'll bounce back from this."

Fluttershy returned to the still celebrating crusaders. "She'll be fine... Sweetie Belle, you're also a unicorn."

"Yep!" She couldn't argue that fact, as clear as the point on her head. "Why?"

"Has this ever happened to you? Or anypony you know of?"

Sweetie frowned, but it went away swiftly. "If there's any unicorn I can think of that'd be in this pickle, I'd ask Twilight! I feel certain she's probably done this more than once. I haven't. I... don't do a lot of unicorn 'things', truth be told." A thought arrived. "Huh... A lot of us don't."

Fluttershy raised a brow. "Come again?"

Sweetie pointed to Scootaloo. "Doesn't fly." She pointed to herself. "Doesn't use magic." She pointed to Apple Bloom, just to be shoved suddenly.

"Don't be implyin' nothin'! I can and do buck trees. Not as good as my sibs, but I can do it!" Apple Bloom thumped herself on the chest. "Earth pony through an' through! Still... That is two out of three. Funny. Never thought of it that way."

Scootaloo raised a brow. "We are not the same, Sweetie. Not that way..."

"True." Sweetie didn't even argue that. "I can use magic, I just need to practice a lot more... Maybe not as much as Comforting was though."

Scootaloo prodded at Sweetie. "Well, get on it! If you can do it, do it. Enjoy what you have instead of sitting on it."

Apple Bloom came between her friends. "Calm down! We're all tryin' our best. Let's focus on what we're already doin' instead of what we 'should' be doin', which is up to us and the pony we see in the mirror."

Scootaloo snorted softly. "If I could... Sorry, uncool of me." She took a slow breath to clear her head. "Sorry... Seriously though! I bet you could be really good at it. When she's back on her hooves, I bet Comforting would be super excited to give some tips."

Sweetie colored at that. "You think? She's a busy pony. So am I! We'd have to figure out when that could even happen, if it could."

Fluttershy sat near the chatting fillies. "I think she really would like that... And teaching somepony instead of running at full tilt ahead herself may be just the thing she needs, so I will suggest it to her. I can't promise she'll do it... I may be her mother, but I'm not that kind of mother, and she could say no..."

Sweetie burst into giggles. "I get it... My parents don't boss me around, usually. They're great!"

Apple Bloom inclined her head. "The ponies in charge of me sometimes tell me what to do. Kinda gotta if you want a farm to keep workin'." She didn't sound like she had a lot of hard feelings. "But mostly they let me do my thin'."

Scootaloo snorted softly. "Mine are Celestia-knows-where, doing all kinds of stuff that doesn't involve me... So they don't boss me around either." A wry smile spread over her muzzle. "That's something we all have in common then. Our parents let us do things we want to do."

Apple bloom pumped a hoof. "An thank goodness fer that! The crusaders couldn'ta formed if we had our parents leaning over our shoulders real hard."

Author's Note

Comforting has this bad habit of rushing ahead and falling face first in the process. Slow down, filly.

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43 - A Run Too Hard

Comforting blinked her eyes open to see the ceiling of the hospital, clean tiles that were nothing like what she'd normally see. "Hm?" She sat up, the motion slowing rapidly as dizziness washed over head. She thumped a hoof down for support on the bed and wobbled a moment before she could finish sitting up, groggy, but upright. "Mmm?"

The door swung open silently, revealing Fluttershy with a concerned look. "Are you alright? I can get you anything."

"Water." Comforting slid more of her body under herself, slowly sitting up. "Please... How... How long?"

"About an hour." Fluttershy hurried in, grabbing a glass to fill up with such refreshing looking water. She pressed it against Comforting until it was securely transferred. "How do you feel?"

"Groggy... but alright." She tipped the glass back. What started as a sip became a swallow, which became a chugging as she drained the glass with steady gulps. "Phew! I was... really thirsty."

"Comforting!" The crusaders were rushing in. Sweetie hopped right up on the bed in front of her with a grin and a floating scroll.

"You forgot this, also don't do that again! I'd rather lose an armwrestling contest than see my friend get knocked out." She tapped at her head. "I did a little reading while we were waiting."

Apple Bloom joined her, three fillies on the bed. "Ah huh. What you did was run out of juice. Ain't not a thing that'll hurt you by itself, but it'll knock you out good."

Scootaloo waved it away. "Unicorn thing. When a pegasus or an earth pony uses their thing too much, they get tired. If they keep going after that... then I guess falling over could happen. That'd be bad for a pegasus." Visions of a plumetting pegasus came to mind. "We'd get way too tired before that happened."

Comforting tried to rise, but was still gathering her wits. "You waited for me, all that time? You're all so nice... You didn't have--"

Sweetie casually filled that mouth, silencing the objection. "This is what friends do. You'd do the same for us without even being told, be honest."

Comforting began to color with the image of it. There would be no way to get rid of her if her friend was in trouble... "Thank you... I really messed up."

Sweetie shook her head vigorously. "Nuh uh! You were doing great, you just went too far. Didn't you feel tired?" She tapped at her head. "Up here, and all around? It had to feel like something. I've gotten tired before."

"I...." It was a moment of awkward realization. She had not been a unicorn from the start. The feelings had escaped her, and she had tried to brush them aside, until she couldn't ignore them anymore and just flopped over. "I'll pay more attention to that. I feel very silly."

Fluttershy grabbed her, hugging her daughter close. "We're all silly once in a while. I'm glad this has no lingering effects, other than you being tired. "You've learned your lesson, yes?"

"Yes." Comforting nestled with Fluttershy, but couldn't resist the blush creeping on her, knowing the CMC were likely watching the affection intently. "Sorry for ruining your day."

Scootaloo scoffed. "You didn't do that."

Apple Bloom giggled, hooves together. "Ain't what happened. Now, you don't do that 'gain, 'cause we like ya, and we don't like ponies we're friends with gettin' hurt."

Sweetie inclined her head towards Apple Bloom. "She carried you here, by the way."

Comforting turned new colors. "That must have been hard!"

"Nah." Apple Bloom got in close enough to be able to poke the hugged unicorn. "You might have magic, but so do I, earth pony magic. I could take it. Wasn't gonna leave ya there on the ground."

Comforting slipped to the ground, her balance recovered enough to approach her young friends. "Thanks for not panicking. That had to be a little scary."

Scootaloo burst into snickers. "Sweetie was the most scared."

"Was not!" Sweetie crossed her arms with a pout. "But I was worried."

"I was the most scared." All eyes turned to Fluttershy. "Um... if that doesn't offend." None of the girls were ready to claim the top spot away from Comforting's mother, waving at her to continue. "Thank you... Please be more careful. What were you doing, anyway?"

Comforting tried to play the magic, but that her horn was tired made itself clear with a dull ache. "Ow, um, I was trying to help Sweetie Belle in a little contest. It was working!"

Scootaloo smirked at that. "You brought her up to even."

Sweetie giggled, hooves at her mouth. "It was fun. I've never been that good at arm wrestling. Thank you for helping, now don't do that again!"

Fluttershy pointed past Comforting to Sweetie. "This reminds me. Sweetie was wondering if you could show her a few tricks."

Comforting lifted an ear. "Me?" But Fluttershy was nodding. She looked to Sweetie instead. "Me? What do you want me to show?"

Sweetie pointed at Comforting's horn. "Show me how to unicorn. You learned how to do it so quickly, so you must have something going on."

Apple Bloom nodded in a rapid bobbing. "Start with grabbin' things. She ain't very good at that."

Sweetie colored at being called out. "I'm working on it! Can you help?"

Comforting crashed to her haunches. "Wow..."

"Feeling better?" There was Nurse Redheart. "I'm glad to see it. If you have your hooves under you, you're free to go. Just take it easy and you'll be fine."

Fluttershy nodded at her fellow adult, but her eyes went back to the foals. "Are you all ready to go?" She got to lead a cloud of excited little ponies free of the hospital, serving as the nucleus for those excited electrons. "It's... late in the day." The sun was already about set, darkness replacing the light of day rapidly. "If you don't feel safe going home...?"

Sweetie cringed even with her smile. "You didn't have a lot of fun the last time you kept an eye on us... Sorry about that..."

"True... but you have matured since then." Fluttershy inclined her head towards Comforting. "And I have more practice watching over young ponies. If you do your best, I'll do the same."

Scootaloo saluted sharply. "Let's go to bed!"

Apple Bloom chuckled softly. "I doubt we'll go straight to bed."

"Of course not." Fluttershy walked slowly towards her cottage. "You haven't had dinner, any of you. We can't let that stand." She got into the house first, heading for the kitchen to get to work. "Have fun while I work. It'll be ready soon."

Sweetie waved Comforting over. "Show me!" She pointed up at her horn. "How do you grab things so proficiently?"

Comforting carefully picked up an abandoned brush, as much to prove to herself that she had regained that much mental strength. Her grip firm enough, she brought it over in front of herself, hovering with a slow bobbing. "Your horn is a part of you. It wants to do what you want to do, just like your legs and snout." She wriggled her nose with a giggle. "So imagine it's like an arm, and reach with it."

Sweetie blinked slowly. "I never thought of it quite like that..."

Comforting felt magic trying to get in where her magic was. Was Sweetie trying to grab the brush? Comforting didn't resist, and the color shifted from her brown to the pale green of Sweetie's magic. "You have it!"

"I..." The brush flopped to the ground, still glowing, but no longer hovering. "Had it..."

"You're still holding it." Comforting set a hoof on Sweetie's shoulder. "I promise. I can see it, your magic. Just pick it up."

"I am?" Sweetie peered at the brush with some skepticism. She couldn't see her glowing horn or the glowing brush. "Alright..." She yanked with her head as if it were a fishing rod, causing the brush to bounce towards her with the motion, a fish caught on that line. "Oh! I guess I am."

"You're doing it! Pick it up." Comforting clapped in happy encouragement. "You're holding it, promise."

Apple Bloom laughed in an open display. "Wow... never saw a unicorn learn this before. It's kinda interestin'." She sank to her belly, watching the two.

Scootaloo was less certain by far. "Why can you see what she's doing better than she can, when you couldn't even tell when you were getting tired?"

Comforting darkened in a slow but wide spread. "I can see magic... That doesn't always tell me what I'm seeing, or feeling. I never got that tired before... I'll know next time."

Sweetie squeaked in obvious surprise. "You can see magic? What's it look like?!"

"A sparkling field." Comforting reached to put a hoof just beyond Sweetie's glowing grip. "Yours is pale green, sort of like your eyes."

"Then yours has to be brown." Sweetie's attention slid off the brush, which stopped glowing, and instead was staring at Comforting's hazel eyes. "Right?"

"Yep!" Comforting pointed back at the brush. "But you lost your grip. Don't get distracted by me."

"Oops!" Sweetie reached out a hoof, but her magic returned, horn and brush glowing. She slowly raised her arm, bidding the brush to rise with it slowly until it was hovering in front of her face. "Like... that?"

"Oh, that's so good," gushed Comforting, almost vibrating with joy. "You've practiced this before, haven't you?"

"I have... I'm just not that good at it." Sweetie's head movements were echoed by the brush, as if the two were connected by a stiff rod. "Can you help?"

"You won't like the first bit of advice I have." Comforting gently nudged Sweetie's magic aside, replacing it with her own. "Practice! Anything you want to be good at, anything at all, you have to practice." She began brushing Sweetie's mane, which was perhaps more fun than it had any right to be. "You have the first step down, good, but only practice will get you much farther."

Apple Bloom nodded sagely. "She's right. Applejack showed me how to buck a tree, but I had to do it, like, a bajillion times before I was any good at it, which meant messin' up at least half a bajillion times. Ain't no way to get good at somethin' without being awful at somethin'."

Scootaloo pointed out to where her scooter rested. "Do you think I was born good at it? I make it look like it." Her brows wagged. "But I wasn't... It took practice. Any of you could get good at a scooter, if you wanted to, and practiced long enough." She suddenly grinned. "Want me to show you?!"

Sweetie held up both her forehooves. "Pass. I'll let you keep looking good on it. C'mon, there has to be some shortcut. You learned so quickly."

"Because I wanted to learn." Comforting was still brushing Sweetie gently. Sweetie had very brushable hair, Comforting decided silently. "So I did it, every day, all the time."

"It's true," came Fluttershy's voice from the kitchen. "Even when she was doing other things, she was busy using her horn; it was an obsession."

Comforting squeaked at that word. "It was not... alright, a little." She held two hooves close together. "You don't have to be that into it, but if you practice every day, you'll get better!" She reached out, tapping at the brush in her control. "Next step is to not have it be 'attached' to you. Your horn is flexible, more like your tail. Whip the brush around like you're shaking your tail and get used to controlling things."

Sweetie's giggles were legendary. "Like my tail?!" She tried to grab the brush and Comforting let her, color shifting around it back to pale green. "Whip your tail..." She lashed her head and the brush followed.

"Without your head. Move it, but not your head." Comforting poked at her own skull. "You can do it. Like moving your arm without your head."

Author's Note

Comforting is tricked! She's stressing less about her own manic growth by tending to the growth of Sweetie Belle. Everypony wins!

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44 - Student Teacher

"Really?!" Twilight peered at her young student in shock. "Sweetie never seemed interested in my offers."

"I think getting it from another foal closer to her age helps." Even if Comforting wasn't, technically, very close to Sweetie's age. "She's practicing now. I'm so proud of her."

Twilight grinned a little too widely. "And I'm proud of you. I didn't think that circle would close on itself so quickly. What does it feel like, to be a teacher?"

"I..." Comforting frowned a little. "This will sound so odd."

"Comforting." Twilight put a hoof atop her small student's head. "If I have learned anything from our time together, it's that you have a... different background. Go ahead and tell me. I can't promise I'll understand, but I won't doubt you."

"If you're... sure." Comforting peered at Twilight with doubt. "I... have been a teacher before."

"You have?" Twilight sat up, regarding the filly of a pony. "Where? When?"

"Far away and a long time ago." Comforting waved at that distant place, a world away. "A life away. It almost doesn't matter... But I like it when a young... When her eyes lit up, and she got so happy... I'm glad I could--"

Twilight grabbed her up into a fierce hug. "I feel the same way. I hope that doesn't make you feel odd."

Comforting squeaked in the hug, but she was smiling too. "I'm glad to hear that. You've taught me so much, and I have more to learn!"

"Speaking of that." Twilight released Comforting carefully back to the ground. "I hear you overworked yourself to exhaustion. Some ponies can't feel when they're tapping themselves out. There are ways to work on that sensitivity."

Comforting blinked slowly. "That's a thing?!" It was clearly a thing and she was proof of that. That it was a known thing enough that there were already workarounds for it was the more surprising part.

"It is 'a thing'. Alicorn Hypoesthesia." Twilight tapped just next to her own horn. "Partial, thankfully. If you had it entirely, working magic would be difficult, as you wouldn't be able to feel the muscles involved and operate them to perform magic in the first place. Imagine if you will, some ponies develop this syndrome, often through an accident."

Comforting cringed at the mental image. "And no more magic..."

"Not without considerable rehabilitation, at least. Now, you're not there. You just don't feel the ache that comes with fatigue. A lesser syndrome, but still in need of addressing." She willed a book over from the shelf towards her hoof. "As you've seen, the lack of feeling doesn't mean you aren't getting tired. Eventually, your body forces the issue. A pony with this problem is in constant danger of overexerting themselves, possibly to the point that damage is done in time. Let's avoid that."

"Let's!" Comforting cried with wide eyes. "What's first?"

Twilight folded open the book she had drawn, putting it in sight. "Thankfully, a simple one. And you can start right now, even during class."

Comforting blinked with confusion. "You usually don't want me to practice magic during class."

"Usually, but this is different." A small metal sphere flew at her, glowing with her magic. "Pick this up. Is it heavy?"

Comforting took control of the ball and it fell a few inches. It had weight! It wasn't nearly as bad as the first ball offered to her so long ago. "Yes but not too bad?"

"Perfect. All you have to do is hold it steady and pay attention to when it starts to get tiring. No other magic. Even if it doesn't get tiring, put it down after half an hour and relax for half an hour as soon as you put it down, because you were tired or the time ran out. Repeat. You'll be working on your strength and building sensitivity to that sensation. No magic is being used, besides lifting it, so you aren't breaking any rules."

Unicorns were allowed to pick things up, even during class. Forbidding that would be cruel, considering many wrote with their horn magic. "I'll be careful with it."

"I know you will be. Tell me how it feels tomorrow. Expect this to take a week at least to make major strides, but at least feeling that ache could come quickly, even if you're still not sure about it. For now, head on home." She shooed Comforting away, the magic lesson over, even if little direct magic came of it. "And please do keep me updated on how Sweetie's doing."

"You got it!" Comforting rushed out, just to suddenly stop, crashing to her back. The ball she'd been holding hit the side of the door, stopped, and the rest of her had stopped with it, her grip tight and inflexible. "Oops..."

Twilight winced at the thud of the ball crashing into the wall. "You'll want to be a little more--"

"--careful, yes. Sorry!" Comforting gathered up the ball and tucked it into her pocket, heavy as it was. "See you tomorrow!" With a last wave, she dashed off.

Diamond Tiara inclined her head slowly. "Not that I mind exactly... We are friends and all... but why is she here?" She looked to Sweetie Belle with obvious doubt on her face.

Sweetie laughed nervously, leaving it up to Comforting to explain. "I'm her teacher. Twilight taught me, and I'm teaching her."

Diamond perked. "She's going to be a wizard too?"

"Maybe." Comforting had no proof of that. "For now, how to unicorn. Picking things up, moving them around, that kind of thing. After that, glowing! The basics."

Sweetie looked between the two fillies. "You mentioned you two hung out... What do you do?"

Diamond smirked viciously. "One thing we do is surprise Comforting when she least expects it, when she's doing magic. Want us to surprise you too?!"

Sweetie squeaked in dismay. "No, please! I haven't even learned enough to not surprise myself... I don't need help with that."

"It's alright." Comforting made little placating motions, her ball hovering there. "I'm not practicing magic right now."

Diamond peered at that floating ball. "You're not? What's that then?" She pointed at the metal ball.

"Practice, but not a spell." Comforting brought it closer to Diamond. "I have to get used to knowing when I'm tired, so I don't go overboard... again."

Diamond tapped at the ball, making it quiver with each rap. "Again? Did you do something silly, again?!"

Sweetie looked between the two. "Again? What happened the first time?"

Diamond was all too happy to explain, "She turned me into a statue." She rolled her eyes. "I got better, thankfully, but it was still a silly mistake."

"I'm sorry!" wailed out Comforting, coloring in memory of that accident. "Starlight took care of it for us and fixed Diamond."

"And turned you into a statue," laughed Diamond. "Learned your lesson from that?"

"Yes..." She fixed her eyes on the floating ball. "I have to hold this up and pay attention to when it starts getting tiring... Speaking of that..." She slowly lowered the ball to the ground, letting out a happy sigh when it touched the ground. "Alright... Yeah... I can feel that..."

Sweetie inclined her head. "How do you not feel when you're tired?"

Comforting shrank at the quesiton. "I didn't... but now I do... And when I put it down, I get half an hour without it, so yay!" She hugged the ball close, no longer held in her arcane grip. "Be glad you don't need to do that."

Sweetie burst into new giggles. "It's kind of funny, that I'm ahead of my teachers, at least this way. I still have a lot to learn."

"Speaking of that!" Comforting beamed at her new student. "How are you doing?"

Sweetie fixed the metal ball that began to glow green with her magic. "Nnng." But it was heavy for her. "You were holding that?!"

"It's heavy!" Comforting hugged it protectively. "Which is the point, so I can feel what tired is."

Sweetie wiped her brow. "Well, I'm tired and I didn't even pick it up." She looked to Diamond. "I don't mean to monopolize Comforting though. What did you want to do?"

"Hm..." Diamond considered a moment. "I was going to take Comforting to get a snack. Something light and sweet. Maybe a shake?"

Comforting licked her lips. Hanging out with Diamond was bad for any diet. Good thing she wasn't on one! "That sounds fun. Um... but I'll cover Sweetie."

Sweetie batted at Comforting. "I can pay for myself, but thank you for offering." She hopped to her hooves. "That sounds fun! One of the best snack places this side of Sugarcube Corner."

The three set off down the road. Comforting veered closer to Diamond. "Where's Silver Spoon? She's with us more often than not."

"Ugh!" Diamond peered off to the left. "Her mom insists she learn how to play an instrument. So now she's practicing piano. It's like magic, but way less fun, but still just as solitary most of the time."

"Don't be like that." Comforting pawed at her wealthy friend. "Piano playing is really nice. I want to hear her play when she's ready to share with us."

Sweetie giggled softly. "I would also like to hear her play, if she'd like to share. I'm not good at any instrument."

This tickled a spot in Comforting's memory. "Have you ever tried to accompany a song?"

"Accompany it with what?" Sweetie inclined her head. "Is that a spell? Are you teaching me my first spell?" She looked excited, bouncing in her steps. "I didn't think we were up to that!"

"We aren't... Sorry." That had failed. "I meant on your own. Like... singing. I bet you have a wonderful voice."

Sweetie began to color. "I do not!" she squeaked out. "What would give you that idea? You never heard me sing before."

Diamond nudged against Sweetie. "But she isn't wrong. You have a nice voice, that you refuse to use!" Her smirk grew as they got close to the shake place. "For somepony who makes it a job to think about cutie marks, you don't even consider yours."

"What are you talking about?" Sweetie displayed her mark as they entered the shop. "I'm a cutie mark crusader! I have a matching mark with the other girls, which is almost unheard of. I'm very proud of it." She nodded with certainty. "We helped you learn about your mark."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Sure sure, you did that... But your mark has more to it then 'belongs in the crusaders.'" She pointed to the center of Sweetie's mark. "Look at that music note. You think that's for nothing?"

"Uh..." Sweetie looked at her mark as if it were some strange new thing on her rump. "Huh..." A musical note... "I have a lot of hobbies... Singing was one I only did by myself..."

Comforting smiled so brightly her cheeks squeaked. "I'd like to hear you sing, later. Not now, we're enjoying some snacks."

"Well said." Diamond advanced on the counter. "Three shakes!" She collected desired flavors and went with the others to a table to claim. "If you sing for her, I want to hear too. You saw when I... dealt with my mark, it's only fair!"

Sweetie shrank with a growing blush. "Alright... It won't be that good... Really, that's not..."

Diamond punched her shoulder. "Stop telling us what you're not good at and let us be the judge of that. You just sing."

Sweetie perked as three drinks arrived. She grabbed at hers and took a powerful slurp. "Mmm... Look... I'll try... No promises it'll be good..."

Comforting swayed in her seat, nursing from her straw. "I'll take that risk. I want to hear Sweetie's sweet voice. I bet you could get better with a little practice, just like your horn."

Diamond smirked. "We all have to do that." She was enjoying being able to tell Sweetie some advice, perhaps too much. "Let us know when and where."

Author's Note

Sing, little filly, sing!

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45 - Carrying Your Weight

It wasn't what she had expected. But it wasn't entirely unwelcome. Comforting was walking down the main road of Ponyville, but she wasn't alone by far. A line of other unicorn foals of wildly varying ages were trailing behind her, each holding something aloft. Most were not as solid as her training ball, but they all held something.

The most surprising, to her at least, was Snails. He had an entire constellation of things floating around him and he was handling it just fine. He was a natural! "You are so good at this!" Could a pony have a talent in telekinesis? It sure seemed that way.

"Thanks. I really appreciate you giving lessons." Snails nodded slowly.

"But why are you here?" Comforting considered the easy-going colt. "You don't need my help, clearly."

"He does." Snails snagged his friend, pulling Snips over. The motion was enough to get Snips to drop his corn cob to the ground. Why a corn cob? Comforting wasn't sure what drove any of the foals following her to pick what they picked. It was all random. "And now he has a teacher." Snails looked pretty happy about that.

Comforting considered the smaller colt. They weren't that far apart in size, both small foals. "Hiya."

"Hey..." He didn't seem as happy to be there as Snails.

"So, wanna learn about your horn? You're Snips, right?"

Snips perked. "My reputation proceeds me!" He looked pleased at that idea. "But I know you too, Comforting. Look, my friend's a natural." He waved wildly at Snails. "He isn't a wizard, like you, but when it comes to grabbing stuff, he's a pro!"

Comforting nodded at that as she looked back along her line of followers she had never asked for. "Some... ponies can do something more naturally than others, but you can all do this, with practice. It took me practice. I'm still practicing!" she waved her weighted ball for emphasis. "I have to carry this because I managed to knock myself out just getting tired. How silly is that?!"

One of the other unicorns waved her hoof. "Why are you teaching us if you made such a stupid mistake?"

Comforting flinched at that. What a way to phrase it! Kids... "Because we all make mistakes, and learn. Just because I messed up in one way doesn't mean I don't know a lot about other things... Besides, that's taught me too." She also hadn't volunteered to teach them anything. It just... happened... "Now, you all brought something with you, I see?"

In a wild collection of different colors, all the young unicorns hefted up their chosen items in their magic. Their differences in skills were easy to see in what they had picked. Those who could carry heavier things had picked heavier things and those that weren't sure had selected lighter things. One little colt was hefting up a single feather, but they were doing it!

Comforting approached the young colt and their lone feather. "Very good. Are you new at this?"

The cyan colt shied back a little. "Um, ma'am... I'm not that good at it."

"You're all here because you want to get better." She kept her voice even and, she hoped, encouraging. "And that's good! If there's a lesson Miss Twilight's been drilling into me, it that' practice makes perfect! That you're here, today, holding something means you're already on the right path. I'm proud of each and every one of you!"

"Yay!" One voice rose above the others. Sweetie was part of the crowd, waving at her with a big smile and floating a ball of her own, though it looked like it was a rubber ball instead of a metal one.

Comforting sat in front of her 'class' of unicorns. "This isn't a race. Some of you are 'ahead', and that's fine. We'll all get there as we get there. The ones that are ahead--" She nodded at Snails and his multiple objects. "--should help the ones that are behind. Now, I'm going to take a moment with you." She smiled at the cyan feather-wielding colt she had found. "Tell me what you're feeling, up here." She pointed to her own horn.

She had not woken up that morning planning to be a unicorn tutor to the unicorn foal population of the town, but it was fun, and rewarding. Maybe being a teacher was a thing that never really faded away entirely.

"That's nice of you." Gallus had approached her, which was unusual! It wasn't that he actively avoided her, but usually she'd have to go say hi to him, not the other way around. "Helping out those chicks."

Chicks?! Wait... He was a griffon. Chick... "The foals?"

"Whatever." He waved off that semantic detour. "Not a lot of creatures take time to help random chicks like that. They're someone else's problem... you know?"

Comforting couldn't just say she was a teacher before. To Gallus, she was a little foal herself, or a chick, apparently. "I like helping, and it was something I knew." She brought her training ball around to wave it at Gallus. "Still practicing myself."

He snatched it from the air easily, her glow fading out with a blink as he wrenched it from her grip. "What's the big deal?"

She pouted a moment. There went her nice routine... "I don't have fingers... I can't just wrap them around what I want to hold like that." She relaxed a little, watching Gallus. "Jealous."

"Me?! No!" He held the ball close with an angry scowl.

"I meant me." She pointed to herself. "Having fingers must be pretty great."

"Huh? Oh... Yeah, kinda nice." He set the ball down near her. "You are literally the first pony that ever said that before, at least that I heard. Most of them are just fine without fingers. What do you know about it?"

"I know they're great for touching things." She put a hoof out towards him. "Hooves can touch, but they're big and flat, just what they are. Fingers can be way more specific about it." She could remember having fingers. They were really nice... Unicorn magic was an acceptable replacement, but it was different. "Get it?"

"I get it." He leaned in. "But you shouldn't. You're strange." He thumped her on the top of her head, to her scowling displeasure. "I like it."

That part brought a hint of a smile back. Progress! "What's so strange about it?"

"You're a pony. You're a little young pony chick, so why do you know so much about these?" He wriggled several fingers at her. "And you act like you'd love a set of your own, which is not normal for most ponies, jus' sayin'. By the way, you can't have mine, still using them." He rolled his eyes at his own set limitation. "Doubt you'll find many that would give theirs up."

"Even... if I had yours, which I don't want to take, that sounds horrible, but even if I did, they wouldn't be mine... I can't just attach them and expect them to work..."

"Guess not... You're stuck with hooves forever, unless you get so good at that magic stuff you grow fingers." He squinted suddenly. "That is a thing a unicorn wizard could do, in theory, right?"

"Technically?" Comforting didn't know for sure, but that sounded within the realm of possible. "Way out of my league right now... I've learned my lesson about taking it a bit slower." She put her hooves instead on her training ball, rolling it back and forth slowly. "Hey, flying. Did you learn to fly fast, or did it take a while?"

"Huh? Oh. Well, see, as a griffon, you got two choices." Gallus thrust up two fingers. "You learn fast, or you stop being around, fast. One way or the other, it'll be fast. I'm still here, so you decide which it was."

Comforting managed to resist the cringe that was welling up powerfully. "So you learned fast... But do you enjoy it?"

"Flying?" He spread his wings just to flap them casually. "Sure. I enjoy flying. You can't do that."

She wrapped her magic around herself and gave a tug. She propelled up and over, crashing in a pile of ungainly limbs. "Oops!"

Gallus laughed at the sight, but he was also setting her straight with his talons. "I just said you can't do that. You have to have more faith in me. Who do you think you are, Starlight Glimmer? Now, I don't know how she does it, but she can fly. It's kinda creepy, watching a pony fly without wings."

"She's very talented. She fixed that whole... statue thing, remember?"

"I remember." He raised a brow at her. "How do ponies live with that? I mean the idea that some of you could by accident, turn some of the others into a statue? We'd lose our collective minds." He expanded his talons wide in a mental explosion. "It'd be chaos! But here you are, smiling like usual. Ponies, I swear..."

"It's a pony thing..." Humans would not accept that so easily, she decided, especially random people with no badge or title. A random person being able to do that? Hmm. "I'm trying to be good, honest. I'm learning! That's one reason I keep this around." She hugged the heavy metal ball. "We ponies are soft little things. We let our 'chicks' go slow, which means some of us pick things up faster than others, and we help them all, even the slow ones."

"You aren't that." He poked her right between her eyes. "You're going full tilt, even if it means smacking into a wall." He smirked a little. "I can respect that."

Her heart lifted. "You like going fast too?"

"Fast, or gone," he reminded, extending a finger with either option. "And I don't plan on the second. Now, since I have you." He crouched to her level. "I have this idea, and I want a pony's perspective on it."

Her ears danced with wondrous surprise. "Please, do tell." She was being confided in! Surely that was a significant step forward.

"I want to make these." He dug out what looked like a key chain. "Ponies don't have fingers, we just went over that. So a big thing to keep a hold of their keys would be super popular, right? I'm thinking 20 bits."

Comforting squinted at the top of the key chain that had a picture of Gallus giving a thumbs up. "Um... I don't think it'll fit most pony tastes. No offense, but most of them aren't rushing to put a griffon in their pocket. Now... If you made them custom... Say the pony's cutie mark? That would be real popular! Failing that, celebrities! Princess Celestia, for example."

His eyes widened as he threw the chain aside. "Duh! How did I not see that before? Those are great ideas!" He grabbed Comforting and shook her shoulders and the rest of her body vigorously. "Custom key chains would take too long, but famous ponies? Brilliant! We can start with the hometown hero, headmare Twilight Sparkle. They'll fall over themselves to get a picture of her looking all geeky and whatever."

Comforting fell back, dizzy, but smiling. "Be sure to get her permission."

"Huh?"

"Get her permission." Comforting sat up, still wobbling. "Or she may get mad at you later and take the bits back. You don't want that. Just ask nicely. She probably won't even think to ask for a share."

"I love the way you're thinking." Gallus smirked with greedy will. "Some of the other ponies might be smarter... or not... But that just tells me which to work with. Right... Um, I didn't promise you a cut."

She started, cut right out of that business venture before she was officially 'in' it. "Oh..." But it was a test, she decided. If she rolled over and took it, she'd just be another soft pony taking what was offered to her. "Cut me in and I'll come up with more clever ideas. You don't want to miss the next one."

Author's Note

The circle comes back towards Gallus. We didn't forget him!

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46 - Circles in Circles

Twilight slowed to watch what was going on. A row of young unicorns was tossing up a small bouncy ball into the air and catching it on the way down to send it flying back up again, all with their horns. Their hooves were solidly planted on the ground and their heads bobbed with the motion as their respective ball bounced up and down, creating a wave of motion up and down the line back and forth in a steady rhythm.

"You're all doing so well," came the voice of their teacher, a smiling Comforting. "Let up on the strength and focus on nice and smooth." She was patting one colt on the shoulder. Snips?! Twilight blinked softly, not expecting that specific little unicorn to ever attend a horn class.

Twilight smiled at the scene, sitting and watching the young ponies practicing. But something wasn't right... Ah. "Comforting?"

Comforting perked up, spotting Twilight quickly. "Yes, teacher?"

"Where's your ball?" She waggled a hoof at the lack of the heavy metal ball she had left Comforting with. "Taking a break?"

"Yes. Practicing that while I teach is hard. It's helping! I'm getting a feel for when I really should just put it down." Comforting was watching the line of bouncing balls carefully. "Um... I became a teacher too, teacher."

"So I see." Twilight was smiling gently. "How did that come about?"

"I basically walked into it." Comforting caught one ball in her magic, patting the pony it belong to as she whispered gentle encouraging adjustments and let it return to their grip. "But the foals of the town wanted a horn tutor, and they saw I was doing it... and I think I was less scary."

"I would have helped..." Twilight fought off her pout. "I'm glad they found a tutor that fits their needs. Another foal may be just what was needed. Even 'cool' adults are still adults, after all."

"Exactly!" Comforting nodded firmly as she moved towards the center of the line. "You've all made so much progress! That's it for today. Keep practicing. Grab things, move things. Keep your hooves on the ground and pretend they aren't there for anything but moving you around." That she wasn't, technically, a foal she kept to herself. Why ruin a good thing?

Snips wandered up to Twilight. "You would've? I figured you were super busy..." He worried his hooves together. "You know, being a princess, and running that school, and..."

Twilight let out a nervous laugh. "You may have a point... Like teacher, like pupil. I may be reaching for more than I can handle. Would you like to show me what you've learned?"

"Gladly!" Snips stood up tall and proudly. With a glowing horn that Comforting could see, he grabbed not one but two things! One of the other foals had left their ball behind, which meant it was open to his snatching. He bounced the two balls up and down in counter motions to one another. It wasn't juggling, he didn't have that kind of skill. It was more like holding a ball in either hand and waving the hands up and down. But the two hands was his one horn, so it was a step up from that.

Twilight gave a polite little clap of her hooves at the display. "Quite a difference from the last time I saw you. You keep this up and you'll be quite skilled in no time."

"Aw, thanks." He put the borrowed ball back down but kept what was, one assumed, his ball. "I thought I was the only unicorn that needed more, um, practice."

Comforting perked her ears. "Oh, no no! There's a lot of little unicorns with little horns that need lots of practice!"

"But I didn't know that," corrected Snips with a sage nod. "Being in a whole class of 'em makes that really hard to miss."

"Where's your friend?" Twilight looked around. They were the only ones left of the class. "I thought Snails was with you... basically always."

"Not always," Snips huffed out. "He's already so good at this... Um, so he told me to come but he didn't..." He shuffled on the ground. "He only came the first time to get me to show up."

Comforting sank a little with a laugh. "Yeah... wow, Snails is so good at that. I can't teach him anything about that. Are you sure he doesn't want to try being a wizard?"

"Nah." Snips waved a hoof left and right. "I've asked before! He's happy with what he has, and he practices it a lot. A lot lot... But he doesn't want to do spells. I don't get it either. If I was that talented, I'd be casting spells all over!"

Twilight and Comforting shared a moment of horror, imagining Snips casting whatever spell he had in mind. The world would become less safe... Comforting smiled though. "Well, before you can even consider that, you have to get horn magic and glowing under control. You'll be using all your learn from both to do magic."

The older mare perked. "Speaking of that, how is Snails at glowing? I don't think I've seen much of that."

Snips looked ready to answer quickly, but hesitated. "Um... Huh..." He crossed his arm to bring his hoof to his chin, rubbing. "Huh... I'll have to ask him."

Comforting's eyes widened slightly. "Is that why?!" Great flexibility but a small pool, or limited access to that pool would make for a not-so-good wizard. But there were countless other reasons it could be... "Um, but you're doing really well, Snips. I'll see you for the next class, right?"

"Yes!" He tucked his ball into his pocket. "I thought this would be... way harder." He had a goofy bit of a grin. "Shoulda known better. Thanks for taking the, uh, time, teach!" And off he went, trotting spiritedly away.

Twilight watched him go a moment before looking back at her own student. "So, how is it, being a teacher?"

Comforting sagged with relief. Twilight already knew enough to speak freely. "I've been a teacher before."

"You have?" Twilight perked an ear. "Want to talk about it?"

"They weren't unicorns with horns they were learning." She reached up to her own little horn. "Reading, writing, arithmetic... More like Miss Cheerilee." Comforting pointed the way to the schoolhouse. "Which is another reason I didn't really want to go to that school."

"I see... And why you seemed to have a good grasp on those basics, even if others were lacking." Twilight seemed to grapple with the idea rather than judging. "And so you came to me, hoping to learn more about social studies."

"Yes!" Comforting bounced in place with a big smile. "And I've been enjoying it very much. Oh, did Gallus talk to you?"

"About what?"

Comforting did her best to pantomime in the air. "He's making key-chains, and he was thinking to put your picture on them for ponies. I reminded him to ask you. I was checking if he actually asked you."

"He did not... But I also haven't seen any new baubles with my face on it..." Clearly, she would start looking for just that happening. "Maybe he just hasn't acted on the idea?"

"Possible. If he hasn't started, he hasn't done anything wrong." Comforting nodded, content with the situation. "I just thought you'd want a say in anything with your picture on it."

"That would be ideal... but I also can't stop him."

Comforting started at that. "You can't?!"

"I'm a public figure." She pointed at herself. "Being a princess is the ultimate one of those. Ponies will draw me. Ponies will take pictures of me. Ponies will put those pictures on everything and I'm not entitled to tell them not to, unless that picture is... obscene or generally offensive, but that would be a complaint about an offensive picture, not 'you used my likeness.'"

Comforting shook her head slowly. That was a day for learning. "Huh! But if someone used my picture?"

"You could complain. You are not a public figure." She leaned in. "That may change in the future. You are very ambitious."

Comforting colored at the indirect praise. "Ah, well, thank you... I understand now. We had rules like that where I'm from too, but there were a lot of fine details. Asking still felt nice, especially since he could. You know him, he knows you. Also you two live in the same town, so why not?"

Twilight nodded at that. "Polite, and a good faith measure. Not required, but still nice. I would appreciate it." She tapped Comforting on the nose. "I'm happy to know you'd ask, even if you didn't have to."

Comforting pawed at her nose. "Of course. It's just polite... Besides, if you like it, you may speak well about it, and that'd mean more keyrings going to more ponies. Win win from all angles."

Twilight considered that. "You have a point." She rose to her hooves. "You say you were a teacher?"

"Yes!" Comforting circled around Twilight. "And now I am a student."

"But also a teacher," noted Twilight with a smile. She began walking, but there was a Comforting with her, keeping her company. "Your own circle closes even as you loop mine back around. Now, just to be clear, you are welcome to ask for help. Even if you were a teacher before, you are a foal right now. Being a teacher is no small responsibility."

"I've been trying to be better about that!" Comforting patted herself on the chest. "Once a week, we have an hour of a lesson, and then it's off for them to practice. I can afford an hour a week. That isn't so bad."

"That is good to hear." Visions of intensive study every day, vanished back to the nightmares it had come from. "And probably closer to the intensity that works for foals that young..." She trailed off with her steps for a brief time. "Except you."

"Except... hey!" Comforting stuck out her tongue, even if was true. Once a week would have left her very dissatisfied. "Also, the time I'm training them is time I'm not training myself, so built in break. But... I haven't tried that spell, since the accident."

Twilight patted Comforting on the middle of her back. "You shouldn't be scared. You've learned your limits, so it should be far safer now. Besides, I hear you were casting it just fine, if not for that little mistake."

Wait. "You heard about it?"

Twilight half-laughed at Comforting's confusion. "I am best friends with your mother, I remind. She told me about it."

Comforting colored darkly. She had forgotten to even think of asking Fluttershy to not tell the world about that mistake and its specifics. "Sweetie Belle was really happy."

"Matching brawn with Scootaloo? I should imagine." Twilight hiked a brow. "The two are not usually very evenly matched at all."

"She was while I was doing it... but it knocked me out."

"Speaking of that." Her hoof moved up to Comforting's horn. "How is your training going? Can you feel as you get tired now?"

"Yes!" She looked up at her horn, or tried. It was hard to get a direct stare at one's own horn. "That little ache tells you to stop, and I know what it feels like now, so no more passing out. Speaking of that... How bad could that get, if you just kept... going?"

"Well, in theory... When you get low on magic, the first thing that is likely to happen is a loss of consciousness, as you experienced. But if you managed to resist that, then real damage can start... Your body will begin using itself as fuel. That is part of why ancient ponies would suffer permanent damage raising and lowering the sun. They were eating themselves to fuel the magic."

Comforting cringed at the thought of using her own body to keep the magic going. "No thanks!"

Author's Note

Lessons are being learned! Good going, Snips.

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47 - Big Ambitions

"Behold!" Gallus gestured at a strange contraption hidden in the gloomy cave they were in. "This will make me rich, and you'll get some bits too."

It certainly was... something. Comforting followed the lines around, trying to discern how it all came together. "It's really impressive, but also what is it?" She was being confided in! That he had tucked it into a secret place seemed clear.

"The fruit of my labor." He thrust a thumb at his own chest as he reached with his other hand for a large purple-knobbed lever attached to the machine. "Watch." With several loud clunks, he pulled it towards himself.

The machine came to live, glowing with what seemed to be magic. It was dim enough that Comforting felt certain that only she could see that magic. To anyone else, it wouldn't be glowing. Still, it meant it had magic involved in its running. A plastic disc was snatched and pulled along, stamped into a shape of a flat pony with wings spread? It began being painted by the machine, each step adding more colors.

"This is so neat." Comforting danced at the sight of the magical gadget performing manufacture. "How did you even build this?"

"It wasn't easy." Gallus was buffing his chest, looking way more like he was showing off rather than anything else. "And..." He waved over the still moving piece as what it was started to become clear. "See, Twilight!" A picture of Twilight, smiling, wings spread, and looking quite chipper. He put his hand in the right place to catch the finished keyring as it fell off the conveyer belt. "Ready to go."

The machine was already on the way to making a second keyring, painting it while a third moved into position to stamp. It was quite the spectacle of mechanical precision, with some magical assistance. A pity the glow flickered. The machine lurched and jumped, the belt shuddering as the paint was applied incorrectly with a slap of purple across Twilight's artificial eyes. "What the...?" Gallus flipped the switch back to off with a loud but single click. "It must still have a few things to work out..."

"Keep that one." Comforting pointed at the imperfect keyring. "Someone will pay for it, since it's one of a kind."

"Huh..." He picked up the defective keyring. "Maybe..." He added it to the other, proper, keyring. "Why'd it do that? I swear the thing was working right before." He threw a hand, knocking open a box with ten other keyrings. He added the perfect one to that collection. "See?"

"Mistakes happen. If we assume it always does that." She counted quickly. "That's an over 95% success rate, not bad. Can you make a good profit with that?"

Gallus blinked at the little pony. "Huh, I never thought of it like that." One could almost see him running the numbers. "Yeah, you're right. That won't eat into the bottom line much at all. Worrying about nothing. If it keeps at this rate, we're looking good." He swatted Comforting on the back. "You are pretty clever for a little chick of a pony."

Still, the way it had flickered was odd. Not like it was some kind of mistake, but like something had interrupted the power, but it wasn't connected to anything external. "What powers it?" Only way she figured to learn was to ask.

"What, this?" He waved at the grand, and turned off, machine. "Um, a funny crystal, I think?" He popped open a hatch and stuffed the forward half of his body inside, wriggling about. "Right... here." He yanked it free and presented it in its brilliant pearl green color. It glowed with red-brown shades of magic. "Not broken or cracked, but good idea to check." Gallus held it closer to Comforting. "You see anything wrong with it? You're a magic pony, right?"

Comforting took the crystal with her magic, spinning it slowly as she examined it in a quiet moment of intense staring. She saw no hints of cracks. It was a perfectly cut gem. What state its magic was in, she couldn't tell. She wasn't trained in making magic items! But the glow it put out seemed nice and ev--Wait. It flickered, like it had before. "Huh... I should ask Miss Sparkle."

"You see something." He snatched the crystal from the air in front of Comforting. "What do you see? It's my crystal. I deserve to know!"

How to explain that? "I can see magic. It's like a glow... The glow fickered. There are no cracks or anything, but it did flicker. That could mean something, or not. I'll ask the teacher about it."

Gallus stuffed the gem away in his side. "Or maybe they ripped me off. No wonder it was at a discount! I'll be yelling at a creature later, don't you worry."

Comforting squeaked, imagining Gallus angrily storming about the defective product. "Let me ask Twilight first. Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's a big something. You'll have more info when you complain about it."

"Yeah!" He pivoted on that thought smoothly. "The more I have, the better I can squeeze them. Huh, you're not so bad." He turned away from his machine and started for the exit of the cave. "But no more keyrings while we're getting that fixed. Just eleven maybes."

"So sell those." Comforting rushed to catch up with him. "Market them as sneak previews, that ups the value."

"I swear! I thought you were a magic pony. Where did you hear of half of this?"

That she had come from a world of cruel capitalism was not easily explained. "I heard things." Nailed it. "But it's, uh, supply and demand. Limited supply. You can charge more, but be careful."

"Careful?"

"You're not the only source of keyrings," noted Comforting with a sagacious nod. "Ask for too much and they'll get their rings somewhere else. You'd have to really market the, uh, nevermind. Just don't ask for too much or you'll turn off your customers."

"Are you sure you're not a money pony?" Gallus hiked a brow as they approached the town proper. "Like that little round pony, or the rich ponies you hang out with. Speaking of that! They want a key ring? One of a kind! Limited edition."

Comforting burst into merry laughter. "You're getting it. What is the going rate for a keyring?" That was not something she'd purchased before. She had but one key, to Fluttershy's cottage and even that was rarely used. The door was left open and unlocked most of the time. Ponies were trusting souls. She smiled just thinking about it and her mother behind that door.

"It's, uh... You ask good questions..." He waggled a finger at Comforting. "You know, you're alright. At first I thought you just liked poking your little snout--" He tickled her snout, making her squeak and bat at his hand to little effect. "--where it wasn't wanted. You got some good ideas in there." He stopped tickling her as they reached the bridge to the school proper. "Oh, one thing, that was a secret if you didn't get that idea. No telling nocreature about it."

Comforting adopted a sly look. "Oh? I shouldn't talk to Diamond and Silver about how much they really want a Twilight Sparkle keyring?"

Gallus burst into fresh laughter. "Alright, that you can talk about. Let me get the going rate of keyrings first." He offered a hand.

She met it with a hoof with a loud clap. "See you in class." She raced past him with a big smile and a light heart. She was making progress!

"Flickered?" Twilight raised a brow at her small student. "Do you normally see this kind of flickering?"

Comforting quickly shook her head. "I've seen magical things before. They're either off, or on, depending on the item and if they're working or not or... whatever how magical items work, but never a flicker like that." She wobbled her hooves close together in an attempt to capture the essence of the flicker. "That isn't normal then?"

"Hm... Unless what it was doing needed to flicker... But in most cases, no... Do you have it with you by any chance?" Twilight looked over Comforting as if she could spot it by looking hard enough.

"Gallus has it. He bought it. It didn't do anything dangerous, just hiccuped and didn't do its job just right... I saw the machine it was in flicker the same way, probably because the gem flickered, but I couldn't see it while it was inside the machine, working."

"I see..." Twilight considered a moment. "Odd, but, as you said, it may be a cheap power crystal with a defect. I would want a refund for that too if it did that to me. Though you've saved him quite a lot of effort."

"Hm?"

"I wouldn't have known what was wrong, and I doubt he would have either. Being able to see that flicker saved a lot of steps in figuring out what was wrong and what was at fault." Twilight tapped herself on the side of her head, next to her eyes. "A very useful trick. Which leads me to what I wanted to go over today!"

Comforting perked with a smile. "A new magic lesson?"

"Sort of. I said no new magic for now, and I still mean that." Twilight waved a reproaching hoof. "But that doesn't mean you can't learn more about being a unicorn. You are a special case when it comes to this, and I think we'll both enjoy what I have in mind."

"Stop teasing me!" The taunting of what could be was too much. "What's your idea?"

"Magic recognition." She flipped a blackboard over to a display of the arcane alphabet. "Now, for the usual unicorn, we show each alphabet being used and they get used to the 'feel' of it, but you don't feel magic, because you don't have to." Twilight tapped at her horn. "You can see it. But just because you can see it doesn't mean you have any idea what you're seeing. I propose we fix that." Her horn began to glow. "What rune is this?"

Comforting huffed. She knew the runes by how they looked on paper, and how they felt like when doing them, but not by what they looked like on the outside. "I... do not know," she confessed.

"Because you weren't looking for it." Twilight ran a hoof over the alphabet. "But you will now. Your assignment is to get a mirror and go over the alphabet while looking in the mirror, so you can get an idea of what letter goes with which 'glow'."

To Twilight's surprise, Comforting pulled out a mirror and looked in it, her horn glowing with different letters. "Why didn't I think of that?!"

"It took me this long to think of it." Twilight patted her shoulder gently. "Ideas often seem obvious in retrospect."

"I will..." she trailed off. Her horn had flickered. "What?"

"What?" echoed Twilight. "Is something wrong?"

"It flickered." She stared at her glowing horn, daring it to flicker again, but it only wanted to do it once. "I saw it..."

"Hm..." Twilight stood up with a frown. "Well, you have your lesson. I should get going."

"Y-yes, thank you, Twilight." She had no idea she was one piece among so many that helped Twilight get into action.

"Oh." Twilight patted Comforting gently. "I may need to borrow your mother. Will you be alright without her a few days?"

"I'll be fine!" Comforting slapped herself on the chest. "Adult in here." She pointed at her head. "I can survive a few days without panicking, promise."

"I was hoping that was the case... Still, she is your mother, so checking felt far safer. Have a safe trip home, Comforting."

"You too!" Comforting waved eagerly and dashed from the room, unaware of the events going on around her. The world would move, whether she was prepared or not.

Author's Note

Can you guess what is going on?

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48 - Flying High

Comforting did as many of the other students were doing; bouncing merrily on the clouds she could stand on. They were quite high in the sky, casually defying the order of nature just by being there. "This is a fun spell, Miss Starlight."

Starlight nodded at Comforting. "Thank you, very useful, but let's focus on the task at hoof." She pointed forward. "That goes for all of you. We didn't make this field trip just to enjoy cloud walking, as entertaining as it can be."

Rainbow swooped over the class. "This way to see the rainbow factory!"

Starlight raised a hoof to stage whisper, "Cloudsdale Weather Factory."

"That's what I said." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Everycreature ready?"

Yona flickered just faintly, a thing only Comforting could see, then vanished from sight. She was only the first to fall victim to Starlight's spell turning off without warning. Their young faces, screaming with horror as they fell from the sky. Fortunately, flyers were right there to mobilize. Comforting had never met the pegasus that caught her, but in that moment, chest pounding loud enough that she couldn't hear anything, she just hugged them until she was gently left on a patch of cement that she wouldn't fall through.

She never got their name, or even knew if it was a stallion or mare that had saved her. It didn't matter much, perhaps?

The trip was over. Rainbow and Starlight took the students back to the ground, rather than risking that happening again. Comforting didn't get to hear the teachers debate the situation or decide on a course of action. She was with the other students. "I'm glad you're alright." She was facing Yona. "When you vanished like that, it was scary. It must have scared you too."

"No!" Yona took up her proudest stance. "Yona was... maybe a little scared." She laughed nervously. "Still, is good you alright. You fell too?"

"I was so scared!" Comforting wasn't scared to admit how frightened she was. "A fast ticket to a phobia of heights."

Gallus nudged Comforting. "I got ya."

Wait... "That was you?!"

Gallus hiked a brow. "You must have been really scared if you didn't know it was me. I wasn't going to let you splat everywhere." He made an exploding motion with his talons. "What do you think they're talking about?" He looked to the closed door the faculty was busy debating behind.

"I have to go!" The door slapped open, revealing Twilight. "Classes may resume while I'm away." She vanished with a pop.

The other teachers emerged, encouraging students to their scheduled classes, well, except those who had been scheduled for Twilight in that moment. They were out of luck until the next period.

"Poor Twilight." Comforting snapped to look at Cozy Glow. "What? Oh, it just happened." And she had just emerged from that hidden room. "Her magic just stopped working. Crazy, huh?"

Comforting perked. "I saw that happen before... and again." The falling was that, right? "Well, that means Starlight didn't mess up. Something has to be wrong... With magic. Can magic..." She spread her hooves out wide. "Can all of magic have a problem?"

Cozy clopped her little hooves firmly together. "Gee golly. You've seen it before? It must be... Are you alright?"

Comforting waved about. "With friends like these? I was completely alright. Just... you know, scared a moment."

"Gosh, that sounds bad, but good. Friendship is great like that." She leaned in, batting her lashes. "Now, you should all get to class. Headmare Twilight would be very upset if we didn't finish."

There was little argument for that. The students wandered off with some grumbling of curiosity, but they did get to class. Education resumed, except Twilight came back and announced Starlight would be the temporary headmare while she took a trip.

Smolder crossed her arms with a great eye roll. "Oh, great. Here we go again."

"Again?" Comforting rubbed at her cheek. "Did Starlight do something before?"

"Now get back to class. Sorry for all the disruptions." Starlight waved for them all to scatter, sending them back to class.

As exciting as things had been, learning was able to resume. When Comforting got home, it was empty save a few animals. There was no Fluttershy. "Hm..." The house mice would likely have answers, but she lacked the power to hear the reply. She was not her mom and could not speak to animals. "Guess... it's up to me." She wandered into the kitchen.

With her glowing horn, she got to preparing a modest dinner, and it just... "Hm." It'd been so long since she quietly made dinner for herself, alone...

She missed her mom. Comforting was entirely sure she could handle things. She was doing it! The animals that needed feeding were fed, except one, herself, and she was working on that. "Stop being dumb...." Fluttershy would return. Of course she would! "I just have to be a good filly while she's out."

What was Fluttershy doing exactly? She had good friends. Like Comforting's pals, even if things got real scary, they wouldn't let her come to harm. "Do your best, mom..." Comforting willed the plate to the table and hopped up to join it. "I'll eat right and wait, right here."

"Good morning, friendship students." Cozy was behind a podium, her smile turning into a pout. "I know we're all sad because Miss Sparkle is away, but don't worry!" She curled a hoof to her chest with a confident smile. "--Because she left me in charge! To do things just the way she would." She threw a hoof in front of herself in a curl.

Gallus was the first to dare to advance. "I thought Starlight Glimmer was gonna be temporary headmare?"

But Cozy brushed it off, even having a letter supposedly from Starlight saying the title had been given over. The other students accepted this as fact. They wouldn't let Starlight, or Twilight down!

The Young Six were not so quick to accept that. Neither was Comforting. "Hm..." That didn't sound like the Starlight she knew, not at all!

"Oh, Smolder, you forget." Cozy hopped up onto the podium, legs dangling off as if it were a chair. "We're not scheming dragons. We're ponies!" A casual appeal to racism proved effective, framing the whole problem as a failure to friendship properly.

"Yona not yak either! If Smolder get extra homework, she does too!" The others called in uniformity, joining their friend.

Comforting scampered forward. "Me too! I'll do some extra friendship homework." What was friendship homework? She wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to abandon her friends.

"What loyalty. Rainbow Dash would be so proud." Cozy spun things forward without facing their uniform objection, turning it into a group-building moment. "You're all such good friends!" She gave her speech, finishing with, "Can I count on each of you to help me?" And the student body erupted into a positive cry.

The Young Six, including Comforting, shared less sure glances. Still, it was school time. All the teachers were gone, except Cozy Glow. She went from class to class to give instructions. To Comforting's shock, Cozy wasn't awful at it. She gave friendship sermons and did little nice things for everypony else, and sometimes big nice things. It was still, easily, qualified as a 'substitute teacher' day, with the substance of the work decreased significantly, but classes were had, and the students were singing her praises.

Comforting ran her hooves together, fidgeting the whole day. The whole world was... duller. It was hard to put a hoof on it, but it was like someone reached into the color settings of her head and casually turned it down when she wasn't looking. The whole thing was... less vibrant. "This is bad..."

"Is something wrong?" Cozy was beaming at her from the front. "Just tell me and I'll try to help."

Comforting tried to think of how the little pegasus could help her with that. "It's not your fault, um, Cozy... but... I can see magic."

"Golly!" Cozy drifted closer on her wings. "That sounds useful. You must use it all the time."

"I do!" Comforting smiled. Maybe Cozy would understand? "But today... everything is... more grey. It's... It's... like all the magic of the world itself is going away." Comforting felt sudden tears she hadn't asked for. "It scares me... And I can't do anything about it!" That had come out a little more like a childish wail than a calm statement, but she felt like a frightened child. "Can you help?"

"Gee... That's a big problem, hm..." She reached behind her back and produced a big tacky set of sunglasses with a purple set of lenses. "Here you go." She popped them right on Comforting's face. "There, now you have your color back."

Comforting blinked behind the glasses. "Um... T-thanks?" The purple tint on things was not helping, not even a little. The colors were just as faded, but also purple. The world was still low on magic, and only she could see that. Moving through the hallways, she almost collided with Sandbar. "Oh, hi."

"Hey." He nudged Comforting on the side with a hoof. "You're looking really out of it. I'm heading to a study group with the others. Wanna come?"

Comforting gave her best smile. "That sounds delightful." She followed him into the darkened library, to where the others had gathered. Yona was there, watching Comforting. "You look funny."

Silverstream shook her head. "She looks sad, not funny. What's wrong?"

Comforting pointed at her own head. "I can see magic, and I can see that there's less of it."

Gallus was peering at Sandbar. "So that's her excuse. What's yours?"

"I thought you forgot Study Club," gasped Silverstream with horror.

"As if." Sandbar joined the circle. "Cozy Glow gave everyone tickets to a show tonight!"

"Anycreature else get the idea she's trying too hard to be liked?" The conversation flowed away from the lack of colors to the more immediate issue of Cozy's presence.

But then a noise. It was late, the reason the library was so dark to start with. School was over. On a normal day, Comforting would have gone home to her mother. But Fluttershy wasn't there... She had kinda gotten lost. Not that she didn't know which way was which, but she lost, um, herself, and forgot which way she wanted to go.

They all went for a peek at what was making the noise to see Cozy Glow emerging from some place, flying off in the gloom of the closed library.

"That's kinda suspicious." Gallus crossed his arms. "What's she doing?"

Smolder pointed after Cozy. "Let's follow her and find out."

They snuck out as a team, creeping behing the cheerful little pony. Cozy went into her office and they hurried to get a peek. "Where is Princess Twilight?!" demanded a stallion with a sharp beard and a sharper scowl.

"Oh, golly, she's away on a quest," assured Cozy without a hint of a delay, no fear in her voice or mannerisms. "I'm watching the school for her." She gave a bright smile at the dour stallion.

"Magic is failing across our land and she left a foal in charge of this facility?" He angrily waved a hoof around, scowling at her extra hard for emphasis.

"Yes, sir," cheerfully replied Cozy, not at all ruffled. "Is there anything I can do for you?" As if his presence was not itself a threat to her in any way.

"That won't be necessary." He leveled a hoof at her with a scowl as she shrank for the first time. "Twilight's folly stops here. As of now, I am headstallion." He smiled with vindictive pleasure. "And I have quite a few changes to make."

Cozy scowled at the usurper that was snatching her position away. Unseen, the Young Six fretted silently at the new development. Of all the things they were hoping would happen, that did not rate very highly among them.

Author's Note

Like the original episode, this is gonna be at least a two parter. You will notice we have entirely skipped all the Mane Six action. They are not the protags of this specific story. We'll just have to hope it works out for them.

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49 - A Path Well Trodden

"What are you doing?! Those are Twilight's student files!" Cozy wasn't actually stopping the chancellor from searching, but an annoyed expression she had time to deliver.

"These aren't. Not anymore. With Equestria under attack, ponies must stand together. Twilight has endangered us all by skipping off on friendship trips while these dangerous creatures run loose."

His words only seemed to encourage Cozy, a smile growing. "You don't think they're the reason magic is disappearing, do you?"

"Yes, and I came to warn Twilight. But since she is gone, it falls to me to protect you foals from these monsters."

Comforting gasped. "What a jerk!"

Smolder rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but a jerk in charge," she whispered back.

"Did you hear something?" Neighsay looked up and scanned the room.

"It sounded like it came from over there!" Cozy flitted over to the door and knocked it open with a creak, causing the creatures there to topple over.

Neighsay scowled, his horn glowing with intent. "You again. As I suspected." The students yelped out as he wrapped them in sudden chains. "From now on, this school is pony-only! As nature intended. Now, tell me what you're doing with the magic and how to return it. Now."

Gallus shook a hand, the rest of him secured. "We don't know. Not like our magic's doing any better, genius."

"A likely story." Neighsay casually picked up Gallus in his magic, setting him aside to look at the others. "You." He scowled at Ocellus. "Changelings are quite talented at sneaky schemes. Out with it."

"I don't know much about magic, um, sir." She wriggled in her binds. "You know, chains can't hold a changeling very well." With a rush of green flames, she became a little parasprite, with equally small chains that dragged her to the ground with a thump. "Oh." She turned back into a changeling.

"As if I didn't prepare for your deceits." He shoved her smoothly next to Gallus. "Your kind always thinks its best."

"Unlike ponies." Yona looked smug at her burn.

Neighsay was not moved. "It's not. Tell me how to get the magic back, right now!"

"Use mighty pony power?" she ventured as if it were a legit strategy. "Works, yes?"

"Ugh." He tossed her, though a bit slower than the others. She was heavy. "Dragons are jealous. They think they should be in charge, of everything."

"Well, yeah." Smolder shrugged in an absence of argument.

"You admit it!"

"Never argued obvious stuff. Don't know about the magic though." She was as tied as anycreature else, but had her arms crossed in sullen defiance, eyes half closed. "If a dragon did it, you'd know."

"That is what I'm asking!" Neighsay stormed with a clop of a hoof.

"You wouldn't have to ask," noted Smolder in a bored and snarky tone. "It'd be really obvious. It isn't obvious? A dragon didn't do it. Call us all the names you want, but subtle isn't one of them."

"Enough!" He tossed her with the other students. "Since you refuse to explain your plot against Equestria and return the magic you stole, you will stay here while I summon your guardians to take you home."

Comforting did her best to raise a hoof with only mild progress. "Sir?"

"Wha..." He came up short. Even he had a hard time shouting angrily at the filly. She was exactly the kind of pony he was trying to protect. "What is it?" he repeated with strained lack of patience.

"My guardian is with Twilight, trying to fix the magic thing." Comforting tried her best smile. "Do I have to wait until she gets back?"

The other pony there, Sandbar, suddenly hopped into the conversation, "Wait! You were right about them from the beginning, Chancellor. I see that now."

Smolder recoiled in obvious shock. "What are you saying?!"

"Sandbar." Silverstream gasped loudly, just as surprised.

Sandbar sat up as well he could in chains. "I don't want anything to do with creatures that could threaten Equestria! Besides, somepony has to walk Comforting home. She's not even involved."

Neighsay was quiet a moment before a brief nod formed. "Wisely put, colt." With a brief glow of the amulet he wore and a touch, he undid the locks on Sandbar and Comforting's chains. "Everypony will come to their senses, eventually." He marched from the room with a purpose.

Comforting hurriedly trotted alongside Sandbar. "Where are we going?"

"To get some help. From a pony I know can and will give it." He perked an ear at her. "By the way... Why the, uh, trust. Not that I'm complaining."

"I trust you because it was pretty obvious you were lying." A contradiction that put a wry smile on her face. "You changed on a dime for my sake."

"Partially... I also have to save the others." They left the town proper and ascended in the dark towards the Apple orchard. "And staying locked up wouldn't help that. Making you stay locked up wouldn't help anypony, especially you, either. I know you're a smart filly, but you're still a filly."

A positive thing at times. "How will the Apples help? Applejack is with Twilight." Which meant she wasn't there, and the big quiet Big Mac seemed like the wrong pony for the job. "Also, how was he using magic?"

"Huh? Who?"

"That mean person from before, pointed beard?" Comforting pointed back where they had come from. A pony she didn't know was a relatively unusual experience. "Their horn wasn't glowing." She had been looking for that.

"Pretty sure it's the thingie he wears?" Sandbar brushed a hoof on his chest where the amulet would be, if he was wearing it. "Unicorns don't have magic right now. Oh! Right, you can see that magic, right? DIdn't you see it, um, glow?"

"I didn't think to look there," she admitted sheepishly. "I will next time. Why does that work and not our horns? So unfair..." They were coming up on a farm house. "This feels a little strange, sneaking up on someone's farm in the middle of the night."

"This is the definition of an emergency. They'll forgive me." He looked around. "Always an apple around here." He grabbed one off the ground where it had fallen. "Wake up!" He hurled the apple to bounce off a window.

But nopony woke up. So he grabbed a second to hurl. Comforting wasn't sure about lobbing apples, but tried to pick one up. It made it a few inches before falling, her horn sputtering sadly. She sighed as she nudged an apple towards Sandbar. "You sure this will work?"

"It has to." He ran out of apples, all thrown at that window. "She is a deep sleeper..." He looked around for something else to toss. The window opened while he wasn't looking. He grabbed a watering can, ready to toss that, but Comforting was in the way.

"Stop!" Comforting pointed at the open window with a sleepy Apple Bloom in it.

Apple Bloom noticed them down in the gloom. "What in tarnation are y'all doin' here?"

Sandbar rushed up. "Sorry. I need the Cutie Mark Crusaders. My friends are in trouble. Chancellor Neighsay locked them up."

Apple Bloom waved a hoof with a look of sleepy confusion. "Huh? I thought Cozy Glow was in charge."

Sandbar shook his head. "Not anymore. But you guys are good buddies. If you can convince her to distract Neighsay, I can break out my friends. Will you help me?"

Comforting clopped her hooves together. "Please!"

Apple Bloom smiled brightly, turning back inside. "Do mulberries have seeds?" She was gone, only to return a moment later. "That's a yes," she explained.

She came dashing down and fled the farmhouse to join them. "Let's get the others!" There were no arguments, and the three of them galloped away to fetch the other crusaders.

Scootaloo hopped on her namesake scooter. "Let's go!" Not that she could go full speed with the others charging as fast as they could, which wasn't as fast as a determined Scootaloo on her vehicle of choice. "So what's going on?"

Sandbar had Comforting on his back, the only way the filly could hope to keep up with their wild galloping. "Chancellor Neighsay has gone totally nuts, and we're hoping you can convince Cozy Glow to lend a hoof to distract him while I rescue my friends."

Sweetie raised a brow. "Not that I'm against lending a hoof for a good cause, but why Cozy Glow."

"She was in charge, remember." Apple Bloom charged over the bridge to the school. "While Twilight is away?"

"Oh yeah!" Sweetie looked left and right. "This place sure is quieter at night... Which way are we going?"

Sandbar pointed down a hallway. "I saw her go this way as we were leaving."

Comforting started, hopping down from Sandbar with the mad dashing seemingly done. "I didn't even notice! You're a perceptive pony."

"I can't see magic," he laughed, rubbing behind his head. "But I could see Cozy Glow. Let's see if we can't catch up with her." They soon entered the library where the Young Six and Comforting had met before, just as dark, except for a grate where light spilled out gently. "In here." He pointed at the grate, then popped it open easily with a clang. "I-I could've sworn I saw her come down this way when she left her office."

They all went down into a new area where strange artifacts were firing rays up into a hovering and trapped Starlight Glimmer. They all gasped at the sight, far from anything they had expected.

Cozy was circling slowly around Starlight, a cocky expression worn. "Enjoying yourself in there, Starlight? I'm sorry I had to push you in. But what else could I do? You were going to ruin all my plans."

Comforting sank to her belly for a better look, the others following with her.

Cozy Glow puffed up her curly mane. "You might get some company soon, if I can't make that annoying Neighsay back off!--" She paused to take a calming breath. "All this magic needs time to drain from Equestria before my vortex sucks it to another realm." She giggled with malicious glee "Three days can sure seem like forever, huh? You know, you ponies got it all wrong. Friendship isn't magic. Friendship is power! With Twilight and her lackeys out of my way, all of Equestria will bow to me! The future Empress of Friendship!" With her donned crown of friendship, Cozy Glow laughed wildly, daring the universe to do something about it.

She couldn't know the universe was actually watching.

"You aren't supposed to be here." Comforting looked around from her prone position, but the source of that voice wasn't obvious. Still, the tone seemed clear.

"Harmony?" she whispered. "Is that you?"

"But you are. You serve without asking. Do your best. I know it will be enough."

Comforting smiled, bouyed by her orderly spirit's encouragement. If Harmony thought she could do it, well, then it must be doable!

She just had to figure out what she was doing.

Author's Note

Two chapters for one episode, how's that? I don't normally slow down so much :D I added details that are skipped/glossed in the original episode in what I hope was an organic and proper way. Do tell if I succeeded.

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50 - Feeling Drained

Sweetie Belle advanced, Cozy Glow having left the area. "Cozy Glow did all of this? How? Why?"

Apple Bloom stood in defiance, scowling. "I don't know. But come on, y'all. We gotta get Starlight out of there before she comes back."

They rushed ahead, all the crusaders as one.

Comforting was distracted by the strange orb of powerful magic. It was a spot of color in an increasingly grey world. The magic was moving. Wait. "Wait!"

It was too late, phantom hands grabbing at Sweetie. "Help!" Fortunately, the others were quick to act, grabbing her by the tail and working together to yank her free of their clutches.

Apple Bloom snorted at the angry orb that had almost gobbled her friend. "That's gotta be what's suckin' up all the magic in Equestria."

Sandbar took a step back, tail lashing. "But if that's true, then Twilight and the others went to Tartarus for nothing. And if all of Equestria's magic's getting sucked up in there, there's no way for them to get back!"

Scootaloo waved a hoof away from it all. "We need to get help!"

Sweetie Belle wasn't ready to leave yet, instead focused on the pony still caught. "But Starlight's trapped here, and there's no way to get word to Celestia or anypony else!"

Apple Bloom sighed. "I guess we're on our own."

"Not entirely." Comforting joined them properly. "We have each other."

The crusaders shared a look, then to Sandbar. As one they thrust their hooves out and Comforting joined it with a final clop. They had each other, and that wasn't argued.

Gallus yanked the knob to the left and right with grunts of effort and the jiggling of the metal that wouldn't give. He fell backwards, hands coming free.

Smolder smirked softly. "Still locked, huh?"

Gallus scowled at the stubborn door. "We gotta at least try to get out."

Ocellus fretted visibly, shaking with fear. "Why? If Sandbar's turned his back on us, every other pony probably has, too."

Yona stomped, as was her way. "Sandbar not turn his back! Sandbar is our friend!"

Smolder rolled her eyes with a great shrug. "Uh, did you miss the part where he said he didn't want anything to do with us?"

Silverstream perked with an idea. "Maybe he just said that so one of us could be free to snoop around and figure out what's going on."

The window suddenly slid open, revealing Sandbar with a crowbar. "I dunno. That sounds too clever for a pony to come up with."

Yona gasped with laughter as she charged forward. "Yona knew Sandbar was still our friend!"

Sweetie Belle made herself known. "We all are."

Scootaloo tossed her head back where they came from. "Except for Cozy Glow. That pony is not who we thought she was."

Apple Bloom threw a hoof. "She's the one draining magic out of Equestria!"

All of the Young Six, minus Sandbar gasped. "What?!" they cried in unison.

Sandbar waved out of the small room. "We'll explain on the way. But right now, we gotta get to get to Chancellor Neighsay."

Gallus hiked a brow. "Huh?"

Sandbar strode free of the room, waving the others along. "I know he doesn't like non-ponies. But if we tell him what's going on, he'll help."

"Turning to a racist in dark times." Comforting shook her head. "What a time to be alive."

Sandbar laughed at that. "I swear you sound older than you are at times, Comforting." Not that he seemed to grade it against her, instead ruffling her mane.

"Old Soul," agreed Yona, but they had places to be.

Chancellor Neighsay stood before a crowd of students, addressing them all with his formal tone, "I am sure you are all concerned about the magic situation. But I want to assure you that this institution is safe, despite the absence of your headmare. As your new headstallion, let me be the first to say that the reign of Princess Twilight is over! From now on, this school will adhere to EEA doctrine, as it should have from the start!"

The student body murmured with obvious apprehension.

Cozy Glow clapped, flying sedately with a confident smile. "Thank you, Chancellor Neighsay, for that rousing speech. I know you're a stallion who truly believes what you say. And when you say this school will be run according to EEA doctrine, I know you mean it. And when you say there won't be any more lessons from the Princess of Friendship at the School of Friendship, I guess you mean that, too." She put on a real pout, glancing at the crowd.

The mutters of dissatisfaction increased in that crowd. That wasn't the school they signed up for.

Chancellor Neighsay took a step back, glancing about. "That's not exactly what—"

Cozy Glow advanced on her small wings. "But Twilight decided to run her school outside of the EEA guidelines. And even though you tried to stop her, Princesses Celestia and Luna trusted her enough to support her."

That's exactly what happened. The students whispered among themselves in remembrance of that event.

Chancellor Neighsay faced the crowd. "Well, I-I wouldn't say that—" That he was losing ground wasn't hard to see.

Cozy Glow kept pressing with her sweet expression, "So, since I know you mean what you say, my question is really for the students. Are we going to give the pony who already tried to wreck Twilight's school once another chance to do it?"

The murmurs grow ever louder. They didn't want that, did they?

Cozy Glow rubbed her hooves together. "Oh... I guess things will have to stay the way Twilight wants them. Which includes leaving me in charge."

The murmurs became loud shouts. They wanted things as Twilight left them!

Chancellor Neighsay sputtered in defeat, "This—! I can—! Just—!"

Sandbar opened a door in the hallway to see the student body grabbing the chancellor and securing him. "Okay. So maybe we need a new plan." He casually closed the door on the scene, turning back to the others. "Ideas?"

"Well..." Comforting considered. "He's more likely to see our side now."

Yona nodded in slow agreement. "Not so good."

Apple Bloom waved at the door. "But he's captured by a bunch of ponies, most of them bigger than us." At least the crusaders.

Sandbar smiled deviously. "We can get around that... We just need to keep Cozy distracted. Crusaders, up to it?"

Sweetie perked at being called. "We'll do our best! C'mon, girls!" She led the charge away towards the headmare's office.

Scootaloo was the first one to head inside to hear Cozy giggling in a not entirely wholesome way. "Hey, Cozy Glow! What's so funny?"

Sweetie Belle wandered in quietly next, looking non-chalant. "Are you just happy to be running the school?"

Cozy Glow ran her hooves over the arms of her chair. "Oh, I'm just keeping Twilight's seat warm."

Apple Bloom was the last in, looking about slowly. "Still, it's pretty impressive if ya ask me."

Sweetie Belle leaned towards the new headmare. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Scootaloo threw an arm on the desk, hoof tapping. "We can hang out with you all day if you want."

Cozy Glow smiled with that evil hint. "You know, there is something I need help with."

The crusaders cheered as one.

Rushing free the moment they saw the Crusaders going off with Cozy Glow, the rest hurried to the room that had their target. Inside was the chancellor, hopping awkwardly and tied to a chair. "Oh, wonderful. I suppose you've all come to gloat?"

Silverstream was on him in an instant, her talons wrapped around his chains and working on them. "Actually, we've come to undo all these chains and free you!" Sandbar was at his front, gnawing at the lock.

"But... But why?" Neighsay stopped resisting, instead watching the young creatures work. "And you. Did he bring you along?"

Comforting was standing next to Yona. "It's alright to be wrong."

Yona nodded. "Now that nasty pony met even nastier pony, maybe nasty pony not be so nasty." She kicked at the ground with one swipe of a forehoof, charging at Neighsay. He cringed in fear, but she came to a halt right in front of him and jabbed her horn into the lock at his front, casually picking it. Once undone, she gave him a shove and he crashed backwards, the chair splintering into pieces, freeing him.

Sandbar nodded at Yona in kind. "Also, we'd kind of like to stop Cozy before she drains all the magic from Equestria."

Neighsay popped up from the pile of chains. "She's behind that as well? I must get word to Celestia and Luna."

Sandbar looked dubious at best. "How? Without magic, it'll take forever to get to them."

Comforting pointed at Neighsay's amulet, visible to her in its glowing brilliance among a pile of tash that Neighsay had just tipped over. "I have no idea what that thing is capable of." Her eyes were locked on it. "But it's the brightest, most wonderful thing in this room..."

Neighsay looked to where Comforting was looking, focusing his attention and grabbing the amulet with delight. "While it's true that unicorns have lost their ability to cast spells, the most potent magic in Equestria is housed in our... artifacts. The EEA medallion allows me to travel throughout Equestria. Its magic worked when I chained you up. Perhaps it still has enough to send me to the princesses."

He tapped at the amulet, a few sparks escaping but little more. He rapped on it, coaxing it to fitful life with his horn glowing with its magic as a sort of focus. A round portal formed in front of him. Without a word, he strode through it.

Ocellus curled a hoof to her chest. " I hope he makes it."

Smolder had a far more pragmatic face on. "I hope he doesn't come back and lock us up again."

Gallus was quick to add, "If he comes back."

Silverstream bumped in next to Gallus. "Everything's gonna be fine! Twilight and the others are probably already on their way!"

Comforting sank to her haunches. "I hope so, but we can't just... trust that'll happen." She had a part to play! She didn't know what that part was, but she had to do it. The room was so grey and dull, the sparkly amulet gone. She already missed it. But there was one place still that was just as bright, with that wonderful color of magic... "Starlight is still trapped."

Sandbar clopped his hooves together. "Brilliant. C'mon." He led the way without another word, marching through the school back down under the library to where Starlight was being held in that great sphere.

Yona looked between the orb and Sandbar. "Uh, why pony lead us back down here?"

Sandbar considered the situation with a hum. "We obviously can't handle Cozy on our own. But we can't just sit around and wait for help. So, there's one more prisoner I think we should free."

Silverstream pointed excitedly at the floating Starlight. "Ooh! I guess Starlight! Is it Starlight?"

Yona tried her best, shouting, "Counselor pony, come out! We need help with nasty pony!"

Sandbar nudged her back a little. "She can't talk to us from in there. We'll have to figure a way to get her out."

Gallus struck one open palm with the other closed fist. "Hey! This is just like chapter twelve in 'Kanthaka's Facts and Artifacts' from Twilight's class!"

The students looked at him with amazement. Comforting broke into a bright smile. "I remember that."

Ocellus nodded quickly. "I remember too. Cozy must've linked these artifacts to act like a mystical magnet, attracting all the magic in Equestria into that orb." She looked to Comforting with a hopeful little smile. "Can you stop it?"

"Um..." Oh no. Comforting had some magical training, but about none of it involved artifacts. "We could... take one of them." She pointed at the many artifacts in a circle.

Author's Note

Three chapters, one season finale, and we're not done yet!

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52 - Okaerinasai

"Here we are, nice and safe." Sandbar lowered to the ground, allowing Comforting to slip to the ground. "Thanks for helping out. Sorry if it was... a lot." Sandbar rubbed his leg, earning a confused look from Comforting. "We're not used to dealing with foals, truth told. Not that there's anything wrong with being one of those. You're pretty dang cool for a foal, so you feel better, okay?"

"I'm not hurt," she insisted with a little whine she didn't intend in her voice. "I wanted to help even more... But everyone's okay now, so I'm glad for that." They met, hoof to hoof, and she waved as he wandered back into town. "And... home." She willed a grip on the knob and, miracles be praised, her amber magic appeared to obey her, getting a good grip on the knob and turning it as she wished it.

"Who's there?" asked a voice from inside, a startled female that came closer quickly. "Comf--It is you!" She burst free of the opening door and grabbed Comforting close. "I was worried when I got home and you weren't here. Are you alright?"

"Welcome home," Comforting squeaked with a big smile. "It's good to see you too. I'm alright, promise." She didn't turn down a chance for some hugs with her mother. However the rest of the day went, that was a good part of it. "I was with the other students, saving the day!"

Fluttershy inclined her head. "Were you? We spent the last few days not saving the day." She sighed softly, but a little smile was there. "It seems to have worked itself out. Twilight said all the magic's back, and that was quite the sparkly... whatever it was."

The memory of the burst of magic returned to Comforting. "Could you see it? The colors?"

"Hm? Oh my, yes. Very... everything." She swirled her hooves in the air, trying to encompass the magic of the moment with mixed success. "You saw it too?"

Comforting bounced free of Fluttershy's lap. "Yes! It was wonderful! That's what I see." She tapped at the side of her head. "Less... everything, but that's what I see." Tears stung at her eyes and she wasn't even sure why. Oh... Oh! "Wow... It's so nice to know someone else saw what I see, even for a moment..."

Fluttershy considered that a quiet moment. "You see that all the time?"

Comforting pointed up to her horn as she made it glow. "I see the color of my magic right now. Whenever a unicorn is doing magic, their horn glows. When a magic item is doing magic, it glows. Magic items glow even when not, but it's very faint."

Fluttershy extended a wing to point at it. "What about this?"

Comforting peered at the wing, but it was a wing. A lovely wing, belonging to her mother, but still, a wing. "I don't see a glow..."

Fluttershy folded the wing on her back. "But it has magic. Tirek proved that. If you can see all magic..."

"Then I should be able to see that," echoed Comforting, getting the idea her mother was presenting. "You have a good point. I'll have to try when a pegasus is actually flying, so I know what it looks like."

"Maybe tomorrow I can fly us to school." She was studying Comforting in an intense but gentle way in an odd blend. "So you know of Tirek then?"

"O-oh! Yes." Comforting reached up. "Tall, centaur, mean?"

"That's him. I wasn't sure." Fluttershy set a hoof on her child. "For now, let's retire for the day. Did you eat yet? I was about to make something."

"Yay!" Comforting headed inside to enjoy dinner.

The next day, Comforting rode to school on her mother's back, as promised. She didn't pay as much attention to the sights as she normally did, instead watching Fluttershy's wings as they gently flapped to carry them forward. What magic did they have? Pegasi had magic. It could be taken away, and they'd crash. They had to have magic.

But they weren't glowing brightly when they flew around. How did that work? For that matter, earth ponies didn't glow when they bucked a bunch of apples out of a tree in a clear display of magic. They didn't glow when they talked to animals, which would probably bother Fluttershy a lot. They didn't glow any of the time, except when doing unicorn magic. What made unicorn magic different?!

She slid down to the ground in a half-hop that ended with the clip-clop of her hooves on the bridge that led to the school proper. "Thanks for the ride." She traded waves with her mother. They both had things to do, and would only get to see each other during her class.

It struck her that it was odd. In a human school, a teacher would never be allowed to instruct their own child. Conflicts of interest would be way too high, both for and against the child, depending on the situation, for that to be acceptable. But ponies were not humans, and this was just accepted. Her mother was one of her teachers, and what was the big deal in that?

On one hand, er, hoof, Comforting felt an urge to bring that up. Even if she adored her mother very very much and enjoyed the class, even Fluttershy could make mistakes that'd get them both in an awkward place. It might be better, objectively, if a different teacher handled that class, for her.

But another force, the other hoof, wailed at the very idea. Losing a chance to be around Fluttershy? No! What are you even thinking?! Being with mom is great and she's perfect and beyond reproach! Not only allowing, but asking for someone to make that happen? Madness, utter and complete madness and she doesn't want that and... Something wet splashed on one of her hooves.

Dang child bodies. She had worked herself into a cry without anything there to actually upset her other than her own thoughts. She colored in embarrassment. Silly young body and it's silly immature thoughts! But it was the body she had... She had to work with it.

"Good morning." Ocellus was walking into the school, slowing at Comforting's side. "Oh, are you alright? Maybe you should take the day off."

Comforting wiped her face with her right arm. "I'm alright! I was just thinking about my old home." She waved kinda sorta in the direction of Earth. That had no direction, but she tried. "Nice to see you, Ocellus." She hopped up to her full, if still small, height. "We haven't compared notes recently."

"What sort of notes?" Ocellus looked at Comforting with obvious curiosity, and it hit her. "Oh, our shapeshifting?"

"Yeah!" Comforting's eyes swirled with new colors, the only shapeshifting she had. "I'd love to learn more about yours. You know all about mine."

Ocellus giggled softly. "You're funny. You get upset at some things I don't get, but also don't get upset about other things ponies get upset at a lot... You sure you want to see that?"

"Why wouldn't I? Can you become anything?" She threw her hooves wide. "As big as Yona? As small as a bunny?"

Ocellus polished her hoof on her chitinous scale. "Sure can! Living or not doesn't matter either. It took a lot of practice. We're not born knowing how to do that anymore than you were born knowing how to do magic."

Comforting colored in memory of her magic learning, still a project in progress in some ways. "That makes sense... But, yes, I'd love to see. You're still you, even if you're really big or really small or cute or ugly or anything." She worked her hooves frantically from theoretical thing to the next. "And I bet you'd be just as cute and wonderful."

Ocellus giggled nervously. "I'm cute?"

Comforting realized she may have misspoke. Still... "Yes. You are an adorable changeling that I am happy to be friends with."

"Aw!" Ocellus half turned away, fighting her own blush. "That's really nice of you." She suddenly turned back at Comforting. "But also a little odd."

Comforting blinked at her insectoid friend. "Why is that odd? You're cute, I repeat. I will call it out." She waved at a pony walking past. "She's cute! Look at her!"

Ocellus's blush grew worse rapidly as the pony looked at her with some confusion and wandered past. "Stop that! I... Thank you, I appreciate it, really... But you're a pony. As much as we can be, and are, friends, you're a... you know, mammal. I'm not." She pointed at her eyes. "These are alien." She raised her tail, pointing at it. "That isn't a pony tail, and these aren't pony ears." She pointed at those. "I'm different."

"Yeah..." Comforting couldn't rightly argue that. "Very different... and cute. And I adore all of your parts, even the parts that become other parts when you decide they should, which is still something I want to see more of."

Ocellus clapped her cheeks with her hooves. "This is a lot! You're a little young, um... I'm not sure we can be a couple."

Comforting crashed to her haunches. "I didn't mean that!" she squeaked out, her cheeks rivalling Ocellus in their shade. "Not that there's a thing wrong with you, but I meant platonically. As a friend, you're great, and I'd like to learn more about you."

"Oh." Ocellus perked an ear, quiet growing. "Is that all? I feel silly now. See you in class." She threw an arm over Comforting, hugging them firmly with that one leg before trotting off like nothing had happened of note.

Comforting was left behind, dizzy and colored from the encounter. "That was not--"

"Hey." Gallus was moving past her towards the school. "Better get a move on or you'll be late, teacher's pet."

"Teacher's foal," corrected Comforting with a huff, racing after him. It was class time. "There's a difference."

The school day began properly, but earlier thoughts refused to leave her. When Magic is Friendship class ended, she lurked around to get Twilight's attention. "Teacher, are you busy?"

Twilight perked up at Comforting's presence. "What's on your mind? I hear you worked with the others to save the school... and everything else. Thank you for helping."

Comforting colored faintly. "I didn't help that much... I wanted to ask, is it alright that Fluttershy is my mom, but also my teacher?" She nervously danced in place. "To be clear, I am super alright with it! I love her, as a mom, and a teacher. She's super fantastic!"

Twilight nodded. "Two good reasons to not worry about it, but since you brought it up, we did consider that when you first joined." Her horn glowed as she pulled down a list of all the teachers. "But we all teach very different classes. Who would replace her? Rarity's generosity is like kindness, but they are different. You've met all the teachers that work here. What teacher would be qualified to teach what Fluttershy does?"

Comforting considered all the teachers on that display. Rainbow Dash? Ha, as if. Applejack? No... no... Nice mare, but kindness was not her thing, nor did she have that much knowledge of critters aside of which cause trouble on her farm or not. Rarity? She was not a critter fan, and her kindness was very different, as Twilight had mentioned... Twilight herself was also not a critter person. "Huh... I see."

"I thought you would." Twilight pulled down with her magic and let the display flip back up into the ceiling. "So, with only one teacher qualified to handle her classes, you were put in her class. There wasn't much of a choice there. I'm glad to hear you aren't regretting it. If you were, we'd find another way. Your education and growth is very important to me, to us. I want that to be clear." She patted Comforting gently. "Your teachers say you're doing quite well, by the way."

Comforting danced in place with a smile. "Yay!" Getting good grades felt good, human or pony. She was winning at school!

Author's Note

How to accidentally propose to a changeling.

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53 - Dirty Flight

"You are looking really happy." There was Gallus, casually joining her walk. "Figured you might be in trouble or something."

"Nothing bad." Comforting hopped up to her hinds and did a little twirl, almost falling over as she came back to all fours. "Miss Twilight says I'm doing well in class."

"Good on ya." He slapped her on her back. "Let's hope we can be busy not saving the world for a while, huh?"

"Hope so." Comforting smiled up at her griffon friend. "Wanna do something fun?"

"Oh, I already have something fun in mind." He rubbed his hands together with a plotting look on his face. "Now that magic is all fixed, my machine should be working."

Comforting perked at that. "Oh yeah! Ooo, I hope it works out super well."

"As if you won't see it, c'mon!" He led her to their secret cave to behold the machine operating properly. It could spit out keychains at a respectable 10 a minute. He slapped one of the productions against her waiting hoof. "Ta da!"

"Ooo." She turned it left and right, lifting it in her magic. "It looks just like her." As if a picture were taken and copied, of Twilight, onto the keyring. "Very nice... When do you plan to start selling them, and where?"

Gallus grinned at Comforting. "One step before that. We need a hook, and I think you know just the way to do it. Some way to get ponies thinking about the keyrings."

Comforting considered this with all due gravity, rocking in place as she hummed and hawed.

Gallus rubbed his hands together with a grand smile. "I know you got something cooking up there."

"Mmm... One thing."

"Yeah?" His eyes shined with hope. "Lay it on me."

"Right now, most ponies do without one." She reached for a keychain off the machine. "If you gave one to Twilight and her friends and got them to wear it casually, then they can start being an 'in' thing. No shouting, just... let nature take its course."

Gallus considered with all due beak rubbing. "Hm... The trick is ponies usually wear them in their pockets, and it's easy to miss that."

Comforting redoubled her consideration. "True. If they're hiding them, that doesn't help you... What we need is for the keyrings to not have keys."

"Say what?" Gallus tossed his hand aside. "That's what a keyring does! If they don't have keys, what else do they have?"

Her first instinct was to say a phone, but nobody, or pony, had a phone in the area. "Other things they usually have on them, and as cute accessories. Watch." She grabbed a bit of string hanging off the machine in her magic, tearing off a section and weaving it through the keyring, soon making it a necklace. "Ta da! And..." She poked the metal part of the keyring. "It has this loop to add other charms and things for others to see."

Gallus smooshed her cheeks suddenly. "And we can sell charms! Now you're onto something! I knew there was a reason I kept you around." He pushed her back, already mad at work planning what the charms would look like. "I'll tell you," he muttered, brain miles away.

Comforting rubbed where her cheek had been pressed. "You're welcome..." She considered leaving, but stopped. "No."

"No?" He didn' look over at her, drawing something instead. "No what?"

"I'm not leaving." She crossed her hooves and struck a mighty pout. "I want to be more than 'that pony with ideas'. I'm here because I want to be friends, Gallus."

Gallus made one last scratch with his quill before it began to sink in. "Huh?" He let the quill fall to the desk as he looked over at her. "But you are a friend."

"Am I? We rarely hang out unless it's the whole gang, or I'm giving you ideas. That doesn't--"

He put a finger on her nose, quieting her, even if she looked angry. "I don't trust anycreature else with this." He waved back at the keyring machine. "We talk privately because I trust you. This means a lot to me. If we weren't friends, we wouldn't be here, promise you that. Now, you want to do something else, fine, if you want. What do you even want to do?"

Comforting sat back, a little smile forming. Maybe she had made more progress than she had originally thought. "What would you do if I was a griffon you were friends with?"

He rolled his eyes. "Now you're double-talking. If you were a griffon, I wouldn't be friends with you, probably."

Comforting squinted at the idea. "Really, not friends with any griffon?"

"Most of 'em are jerks." He shrugged as if noting the sky happened to be blue. "With a few tiny expections, like Gabby, and me, I guess."

"You are not a jerk," assured Comforting with her hooves at her hips. "And you have friends, even if they're not griffons. What do you do with them, when I'm not around?"

"All kindsa things. We go to the lake. We get snacks or floats. Sometimes art if we're feeling like it..." He cocked a brow. "I usually let them come up with the great team ideas. They're better at it. Look." He crouched down at her level and fell forward to all fours. "With you I can talk bits, and I like that. That isn't, ah, uh, distance thing. I like that." He poked her on the nose, a habit he had. "I like you."

Comforting colored softly. "Um, thank you... I like you too." She realised in that moment she had been saying that to a lot of her friends of late. A habit she was forming? "I don't mind talking money. I just don't want to feel like that's the only good thing I do."

"As if." He snapped the fingers of his right hand, standing up. "You have all kinds of ideas in that little head of yours, money related or not. I don't even get it. Now, I need to think up some awesome charms, so let's turn this off." With a loud thunk, he did just that, turning off the grand machine. "And get a snack while I brainstorm. You like cookies, right?" He paused a moment. "Chocolate chip?"

"I do like those." She followed after him to get her prize of cookies. "And maybe I'll share a few ideas."

"If you don't mind." He looked ready to hear any ideas she had. Together, they went to visit Sugarcube Corner.

"Yeah!"

Comforting blinked at the musclebound stallion. "I can try..."

"Yeah!" He pumped a hoof, looking quite pleased. He practically threw himself on a weight bench and began with one set of weights. Two pegasi came, one from either side, adding a weight, and another, and another. Each time he did a pump, they added another weight. His motions were slowing, but he was still going. "Yeah!"

There was a limit to his strength, and he was rapidly reaching it, slowing to a crawl as he struggled to raise the impressive bar loaded with heavy weights. It was Comforting's turn, playing the song of enhancement on her horn and directing it at Bulk Biceps. She could feel the strain, like she had begun a trot, as she filled in the gap and he got the bar up, allowing the pegasi to swoop in and add another set of weights. "Yeah!" Bulk was delighted that he had moved onwards, and with that second wind of encouragement, he started going with extra gusto.

They added another weight, and another, but even with her help, there were limits, and she could feel herself getting to it. She held up a hoof, their signal.

"Yeah." Not as excited, but he held up the bar for the pegasi to take the weights off instead of adding them on. Comforting could, and did, rescind her magic slowly, leaving it in Bulk's natural strength in a slow pass off.

She gusted for air, but she didn't pass out. Progress. "How was that?"

Bulk sprang free of the bench and grabbed her, hugging her tight. "Yeah!"

Comforting squeaked and wriggled herself free of the delighted, but sweaty, pony. "You're welcome... Maybe we can try that again in the future."

She was delighted to report her progress to her mother later. "I can feel when I'm getting tired, and how hard I'm working. I won't make that mistake again!"

Fluttershy set a wing gently on Comforting's back. "I'm very glad to hear that. It sounds like you made Bulk Biceps very happy today. I think he gets happier the more weight he manages to move. A curious hobby, but most of us have one." She perked an ear at her child. "Do you have a hobby?"

"Does magic count?" Comforting rubbed her chin. "It really should."

"Hm... I suppose it could. You're not doing it because you have to, and you have fun doing it." Fluttershy giggled softly. "I wonder sometimes what that's like, but I enjoy the gifts I've been given. I wouldn't trade all the magic in the world for being able to understand animals."

"Well..." Comforting considered that. "If you had all the magic, wouldn't that include an animal talking spell?"

Fluttershy raised a brow. "Technically true, but I'd have to cast it, and know when to cast it. I wouldn't hear if an animal was talking to me casually, until I cast the spell. It's not the same thing." She shook her head slowly. "No, I prefer it just the way I have it."

Innate versus cast. The difference wasn't one Comforting had considered. "Huh... That makes sense..." How unicorns weren't the best at everything seemed clear in that one bit of logic. "Duh." She clopped a forehoof on her forehead beside her horn. "A spell to see magic probably is out there, but it wouldn't be the same as my eyes. Built in tricks are different... I wonder if anyone around here has that spell... I'd love to share it, with you and Miss Twilight, so you can see what I see."

Fluttershy drew her foal close. "Wanting others to share your perspective is a very... understandable thing, but accepting the differences in those perceptions is also a part of friendship and relationships in general." She inclined her head. "My friends don't hear animals talking like I do, and that's alright."

"Yeah... But if you could share it, just for a little while, you would, wouldn't you?"

Fluttershy recoiled at that counter. "Hm... I suppose I would. It would be an educational experience, if they were up for it. I wouldn't force them, oh my, no."

"Of course!" Comforting spread her hooves. "If I found the spell, would you want to see what I see?"

"From what you've described, it sounds very pretty. I would like to see that, if you can share it." She leaned in. "Of course, you realize, once I see it, then I'll always know what I can't see."

Comforting came up short. The logic! "Oh no... I'd be making you blind."

"Not that extreme," assured Fluttershy, setting Comforting to the ground. "But that would happen if I shared the whisper of animals, or you the color of magic. Something to consider, is all."

"That's a heavy thought..." She pivoted mentally. "What are you making for dinner?"

"Now that is not a heavy thought." Fluttershy rose up and started for the house. "Why don't you help me this time? Would you like that?"

Cooking, with Fluttershy? "Yes!" Comforting sprang after her at a lively little trot. "I will be your best assistant."

"You'll have competition." She nodded at Angel bunny as they passed him. "He's been my cooking assistant for quite some time now. But maybe, with practice..."

Angel glared at Comforting and crossed his fuzzy arms.

"I can't talk animal, but even I can figure that one out." Comforting offered a hoof. "Why don't you help make sure I don't mess up? You're way more experienced with this."

Author's Note

Griffons and weights and rabbits oh my!

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54 - Fashion Trends

Another day, Comforting trotted down the road with a smile. She was in no special hurry, but her little form had two speeds when not matching someone else's walk half the time, standing still, or jogging about spiritedly. She had forgotten what it was like to be so small and energetic. It was... nice actually, to bounce about and there would be no consequences for it. Her small form had no aches or pains, unless she actually hurt herself in some ways. She was fresh off the factory belt!

Introspection was put on hold when she came upon Bon Bon. It wasn't that Bon Bon was an unusual pony. Nice, and a purveyor of sweets that weren't baked or frozen. But that wasn't it either. "Good morning," she called to the sweet mare.

"Hm? Oh, good morning... Comforting isn't it?" She had a hoof out in an offer. Comforting accepted the offer, getting headpats. When asked for, contact wasn't so bad. "It is a good morning, actually. I'm about to try a new flavor!"

Comforting perked up. "Of candy?"

"Exactly." Bon Bon nodded with all due seriousness. "A little sweet, a little sour, but 100% banana. I just got a shipment in and can't wait to try it."

Comforting considered how much she wanted to try that. "I hope that goes well. What's that?" She pointed to the thing dangling around Bon Bon's neck. It had a picture of Twilight, but also other little charms that jangled and clinked with her movements.

Bon Bon recoiled as if she had forgotten she was wearing it. "Oh, this thing? Lyra got it for me and she has a matching one." She colored faintly. "She wanted us to be a matching pair, that silly mare. That'll give ponies ideas, I swear..."

Comforting lifted an ear. "Is that a bad thing?"

Bon Bon sank to her haunches. "It's not a true thing! We're just friends."

Comforting flashed a bright smile. "Friends can't be matching pairs?"

Bon Bon frowned with new thoughts. "Hm, you have a point there... Now I feel silly, getting wisdom dropped on me by a little filly." She gently mussed Comforting's head. "Thanks, kiddo."

Comforting was all smiles. She helped, and Bon Bon was wearing proof that other things were progressing. "Silly question, but have you seen anyone else wearing one of those?"

Bon Bon curled a hoof to her chin. "Hm. I want to say I saw Berry Punch with one. Why?"

Three! Three verified sales. Progress! "I bet yours isn't the same as hers."

"Nope." Bon Bon pawed at her dangling charms with a refreshed jingle. "Lyra picked them out, a unique blend. Feels a bit silly to have Twilight there though. I mean, wearing a local pony around? It's a bit much?"

Comforting burst into little giggles. "I bet she'd blush, but she'd be happy if she saw it."

"You think so?" Bon Bon tapped at the floating picture of Twilight. "It's not a bad picture of her, but part of me's wondering... why? I like her, as a nice pony, sure, but I'm not like a fan, and she's not my plus one." She resumed blushing at that idea. "Which this kinda implies, doesn't it?"

"She's a local princess." Comforting pointed to the great crystal tower that was Twilight's. "Isn't that enough of a reason to show at least a little admiration? She's saved the town how many times?"

"Enough for it to be a regular event." Bon Bon's eyes half closed. "You have a real good point there. Maybe I'm just overthinking this, a habit of mine... Hey, I gotta go try those bananas. Great fruit, don't last for long. They'll be less picky once they're candied!" With candied determination, Bon Bon excused herself in a walk back towards her shop. "Try one later," she called, already down the street.

Comforting waved at the adult on a mission. "Good luck." She continued her wandering, looking for more signs of those keychains. They were far from everywhere. But she did find a few, including Berry Punch.

"Love it." Berry nodded at the filly. "It jingle-jangles." She shook in place, causing her charms and keyring to rustle energetically. "And, don't tell anypony, but when you're... enjoying a few drinks, the way they move gets even better." She waggled her brows. "Not that you should drink what I drink, just saying. What are you, not even ten years old?"

Comforting could put together what kind of drink Berry Punch was implying. "Not interested." She didn't need to put that in her perfectly functional little body. Why ruin a good thing? "You got that from Gallus, right?" She was pointing at the charms as she asked.

"Actually..." Berry inclined her head. "Gallus sold me the band and a few to start, but he pointed me to his fellow bird friend. Silverstream? She had a bunch more beads to go jingle jingle!"

Comforting perked at that. The others were involved? "That's nice of them... Keep up the look." Comforting met the hoof of Berry in a clop and continued her wandering, looking for something else.

She spotted Silver before Gallus. Silverstream was perched on a bridge, looking happy, though happy was her default emotion, so that only said so much.

Comforting jogged up to her in a light trot. "Hey there, Silverstream!"

"Hiya!" Silver waved eagerly. "It's a really nice day out," she gushed as if that were an especially noteworthy thing.

It was nice enough, Comforting could agree with, but... "What makes it extra good?"

"You don't understand." Silverstream hopped down from her perch. "When you're as far down in the water as I came from, the 'weather' is pretty stable. There aren't sunny days or rainy days or any kinda days really. So it's so nice to have nice days! And not nice days. And all kinda days!" She threw her hands up at an angle. "It's all so amazing. Today's a real nice one, just the right kind of warm with just enough wind to take the edge off without being all... too windy, you know?"

The realities of deep sea weather was not something Comforting thought of often. "Huh... Good!" It was a nice day, just as Silver had noticed. The sun was warm on her back, and the wind was just right, not too strong or just not there. "You joined up with Gallus?"

"Hm?"

"For making keyrings?"

"Oh, no." She waved that right out of the air like a stray fly. "I like making charms and he said he'd pay me if I made some for ponies that had his keyrings."

That was a roundabout answer. "The ponies don't pay you?"

Silver raised a taloned finger. "That's the funny thing. If they have a specific charm, I'm supposed to just give them, which is fine by me. I'm not really all that big on bits. Got the magic charm? You get a hand, or hoof, full of my charms! And ponies wear them! It's so great! Have you seen them?"

Comforting clapped in applause. "I saw a few ponies wearing them, and they seem to like them. Good job. Did Gallus say what he was trying to do?"

"Not really..." Silverstream looked pensive, rubbing her beak softly. "Gallus really likes thinking about bits. I bet it has something to do with that, but that's my guess."

Comforting considered that. She was on the inside. Gallus trusted her enough to share his plans and discuss them, but with Silver, she was only told the bare minimum. "Oh! So if a pony doesn't have the special charm, then...?"

"Then I'm supposed to ask for a few bits." She held up all four fingers. "And I get to keep one of them." She lowered all but one finger in demonstration. "The other three go to Gallus. Wonder what he's gonna do with them..."

That was a fine question that Comforting found herself wondering along with her hippogriff friend. "Do you have to pay for the parts?" Surely charm materials didn't just... appear. What was she, a unicorn?!

"Oh, no no no." Silverstream shook her head violently. "When I run low, I tell Gallus and he gives me a whole new bag of the beads to shape. It's so fun carving them." She clapped with naked joy. "And then ponies get to wear them! Hey, are you going to get some?"

"Where are yours?" Comforting could see Silver had no amulet of charms and/or keyring.

"Oh!" she blurted as if quite suddenly surprised. "How silly of me, selling charms and stuff and not wearing any. I'll ask Gallus if I can have a cord. Then I can decorate it up."

Comforting clopped once. "Good idea. Can I see your charms?"

"Sure!" Silver rummaged in her pockets and soon produced quite a pile for Comforting to see.

Comforting willed the bits away from each other, forming a straight line of different charms. "Aw." They were the Student Six, rendered in clear charm plastic. There were also other famous ponies, like Celestia and Mayor Mare there in the pile. "They are adorable! Do you have Twilight and her friends?"

"Working on that." Silver raised a finger to her beak in a secretive shh. "I'll let you know as soon as I have them." A thought arrived. "You want one of your mother, don't you? That's so cute! I'd love an Ocean Flow charm... But I'd be about the only one... Making those would be kinda selfish." She looked a bit down at the idea, her wishes denied.

"Do you have a picture?"

Silver perked. "Tons!" She slapped down a pile of pictures that'd like be better in a wallet, if she had one. "Why?"

"One more question, do you have a charm bead that isn't shaped yet, and can I have it, as a subquestion?" Comforting smiled in what she hoped was a kind way.

"That's two questions," accused Silverstream, but she burst into giggles a moment afterwards. "But yeah, not many." A bag with a tiny handful of raw beads within. "Why?" She dug one out and put it in front of Comforting anyway.

Comforting lit her horn as she spread out the pictures, looking from one to the next. She hovered the bead in her sight. "I am a transmuter, and I am going to transmute!" She held up her hooves on either side of the bead. "I know this spell..." And she shaped and molded the plastic, horn brilliantly shining above her as she moved her hooves slowly, willing the shape she wanted to come into being.

On the positive, she did shape it. On the negative, it wasn't as fine a work as the ones Silverstream had done. But that also didn't matter.

Silverstream grabbed up the roughly shaped form of her mom's head. "Aw! Thanks! You are the best." She twirled in place, as if dancing with the charm. "As soon as I get a band, this is gonna be the first charm on it! Um, one thing."

Comforting perked an ear at Silver. "One thing?"

"You gotta tell Gallus you used one of his beads. This wasn't my idea, you were there!"

Comforting barked out a single laugh at that. "Alright, deal. If he's really mad, I'll pay for the bead. Your smile's worth it."

"You are too nice." Silverstream grabbed Comforting up in a fierce hug, as brief as it was intense. "Oops! Sorry. I got so excited, I forgot to ask first."

Comforting wagged her ears with surprise. "Thank you... for realizing." That was about the first time she was grabbed but then apologized to, without her saying anything. "That's thoughtful of you." Sure, just not grabbing her would be even more thoughtful, but second best? "Your charms are really well made! I can't match them."

"Yet." Silver clapped giddily. "I've seen you. If you wanted to, you could practice way more than me and get way better too! It's up to you if you catch up and run past me or not. I'll probably get distracted by something."

Comforting inclined her head. "You are full of smart thoughts I wouldn't have guessed." She circled in place and started to walk. "Gonna find Gallus. See you later!"

Author's Note

Silver is easily distracted, but she knows it. Charms! Keychains! Get yours today!

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55 - Hey

"Hey." Gallus was watching her. Perched on a chair with a feline air of confidence, he had his eyes on her as she walked along the road, which would carry her to him. "You didn't mention you could make charms."

Comforting's tail lowered as she blinked. "What? You never asked, and I never tried before." She hopped up across from him, casually joining him at the table he was at. "But I am a transmuter."

"Yeah, got no idea what that is." He leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded hands. "Do tell."

"It's a focus of magic." She directed up at her little horn. "I change things, physical things. So shaping a bead falls under that wheelhouse. I guess I don't need to bring up that I used one of your beads?"

"Nah." He leaned in an inch further, a sly smile on his face. "Already know about it, and I'm not mad. You made Silverstream really happy. The only problem is you're young."

Comforting recoiled. "Why is that a problem?!" Being young had been, so far, more positive than negative. Sure, there were a few things... Being tiny was both a perk and a negative. The emotions were... a lot! She had a parent, sure, but they were a really nice parent!

Her romantic life was nil. But so was her desire, so, eh? That could be awkward later, but not that day.

"It's a problem because you got tons of ideas, and no practice with any of it." He wriggled his fingers, hands still pressed together. "Like that charm you made for Silverstream, don't get me wrong, she's super psyched about it. But it's not good, objectively. It's a little chick creation, even at a glance. You'd need to practice, a lot, to get it up to 'good'. And that isn't even insulting you. You are a little chick. You are, in fact, super talented. But you're still a super talented... little chick. And your talents run this way." He spread his hands left and right. "And not this way." He moved them up and down over each other instead. "So you got a ton of things you're alright at. And that's cool. Don't get me wrong. Nothing wrong with that. But it does mean I can't ask you to be our bead artist."

"Oh." She frowned a bit. "That was a lot to get to that."

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings or nothing." He shrugged lightly. "I'm not used to dealing with little chicks, especially one I'm not trying to make go away." Gallus flashed a smile, teeth on display, which was an odd thing about griffons and hippogriffs. They had teeth! They had beaks, but also teeth. What were the beak parts for if they had teeth? "What?" He slid his teeth away in favor of a confused look. "Why are you staring?"

Comforting shook the distracting thoughts free. "Sorry! Mind wandered a moment... No offense taken." She put a hoof at her own chest. "And you have a point?"

"I do?" He arched a brow at her. "What point is that?"

"I'm... still exploring." She ran hoof to hoof in slow circles in the air. "I'm actually happy I can do the things I do, but maybe it'll be better when I get better at a few things instead of being 'eh, alright' at everything."

"Hey. You're a little chick. I've mentioned this before." He reached out, ruffling her mane. "Exploring is kinda what yer supposed to do. As if I stopped exploring..." He set his hands on the table between them. "Part of life, but the older ya get, you know? The less wide, the more high, usually. You're in the wide part. Ain't nothing wrong with that."

What was up with her friends spouting wisdoms she wasn't expecting them to make?! "That's really on point, I think..."

"You know." He fired a finger gun at her with a click of his tongue. "Now, you'll be happy to know that we're doing well. One strange part though."

"What's that?" Comforting perked up, flipping back to business mode.

"They don't always want the keychains." He didn't look upset about that. "But they do want the charms. I can move some of the chains because of that. Get one of these and one of those and more of the charms included! You know? But ponies seem to want the charms more, and they're paying, so..."

"So that's good," finished Comforting for him. "But it means you're not getting a lot of use out of the keyring maker..."

"Exactly. But I have an idea that maybe you can help with." He pointed at her horn. "You can change things into other things, but you're not, like... super detailed about it yet, right?"

"Yeah?" She peeked up at her horn as best she could, which was limited from that angle. "Why?"

"Well you're 'alright' at making beads, but what if you made the machine a bead maker instead of a keyring maker, so we can have it make the charms instead? Something we can set up with... Oh! I know." He held up his hands. "Put in the finished bead here." He waggled his left hand. "And it makes copies of it here." He waggled his right hand. "Then we can make up new kinds of charms and it'll copy them. That'll free up Silverstream to make up new charms instead of putting all her work into making more of what we already have. Win win!"

Comforting scowled, trying to imagine the various parts of the machine that worked to put one bit into the next bit and how she'd modify what parts of it to get what they wanted. "I'd need... to see it. Can you slow it down?"

"Slow it down? Why would I want to do that?" He looked entirely baffled at the concept. "If I could speed it up, that'd be better."

"Once we're done, sure... but I need to see it working. The better I can see what it's doing, the better, so slow is good."

One could see realization dawning on him. "Duh!" He slapped his forehead with a palm. "That makes sense. So... No clue, but..." He dug into his chest pocket and pulled out a surprisingly dense book he slammed onto the table. "Here's the owner's manual."

Her eyes grew wide. That had to be hundreds of pages. She willed it closer, which took effort to heft up its considerable weight and get it closer to herself. Once it was in her reach, she flipped with a combination of hooves and magic. "Wow..." It was jut as dense in the inside with small font writing and complex diagrams. "Props... to whoever made this. This really goes over everything."

"Right?! It's amazing...ly hard to read though." He tapped the book, reaching across the table. "If you can figure it out, great! If not... I get it. It really is kinda... everything. Oh!" He withdrew his hand and stuffed it right back in his pocket, re-emerging with a bag that had Comforting's cutie mark stamped on the side. "This is yours." It jangled when he set it on the table as if it had...

"Bits?" She lifted it with her magic to pull it over. "Thank you..."

"You helped make them appear." He grinned, showing off those teeth. "And, hopefully, you'll make even more appear. We got a good thing going. Let's keep it up, alright?"

It was then that Comforting realized she actually had no idea what she wanted to spend money on. She had shelter. She had food. Fluttershy wouldn't deny her anything reasonable, and she didn't seem to be hurting for the bits she needed to survive either. Equestria was such a strange world! Oh... Oh!

He saw her grinning like a loon. "Thought of something to spend it on? Something fun? Share."

"What I am thinking of isn't 'fun', but, at my age, is like the best thing I could invest in... If it exists."

Gallus blinked softly. "If it exists?"

Oops. Comforting swallowed audibly and shrank with a nervous laugh.

"You are something else, lemme tell ya." He ruffled her head and she couldn't even muster the spirit in that moment to be annoyed. "So, what may or may not exist?"

"It's boring." She waved it off. "You wouldn't care."

"It's a good investment, you just said so." His brows came down together. "Which means I'm interested."

"Well..." She rocked left and right. "Are there banks?"

He scratched at his beak, eyes turned skywards. "That's a place for rich creatures to store their money, right?"

That was, itself, a hint of their state. "I need to visit one to find out if what I was thinking of exists... But my hopes are already shrinking." She brought her hooves together. "Worth checking. Is there one in Ponyville?"

"Uh... not that I know of? You'd have to go to a big city for that kinda thing... I'm still wondering what you're talking about, and you're not saying. Tease."

"Alright alright!" She crossed her arms and sat back. "Banks lend bits to people who ask for it, but they want the bits back, with extra, later. That make sense?"

"Sure... I'd love to have so many bits I was lending them out and getting more back. That's a nice way to make bits..." He rubbed his hands together, thinking of his multiplying bits. "But you aren't a bank. You want to loan bits?"

"Not me, personally. Can you imagine me chasing after someone if they're late? It'd be cute and sad at the same time." She could easily imagine her little furry butt trying to chase someone down, shouting about their missing payment. "But if I could put my money in a bank and let them lend it out and invest it and I get a share?"

Gallus' eyes widened as the idea sunk in. "Woah! That is kinda cool... And that's the part that might exist?" She nodded at him. "Where are you from? Someplace that has these banks... Well, I want to find out! And I have an idea." He clapped his hands together with a smart strike of a noise. "We ask the teaches if we can take a field trip to learn about the banks of Manehatten. That's educational, right?"

Comforting hopped up to her hooves on the chair. "That's a great idea! I'd really like to see that... But... It's not really a friendship lesson, is it?"

Gallus quirked his head off kilter faintly. "Hm... Well, we do learn about more than just friendship, even if that's, like, the big ticket item. The worst we'll get is a 'no', right? So why not try, I say." He poked her between the eyes. "And cut that out. Being the cautious one is my job half the time when Ocellus isn't handling it."

Comforting giggled softly. "I'm just giving you a break. Now..." She moved the heavy instruction manual out of the way slowly. "Since we're here, and I see somepony..." She waved wildly, getting Diamond Tiara's attention. "How about we do lunch?"

"Did you just say lunch?" Diamond hopped up at a right angle from both Comforting and Gallus. "Oh!" Her eyes went to the bag of bits, as if she could tell what was inside without even touching it, just at a glance. "And you're treating today, I see. What's the good news? Dish it out."

Gallus waved at Comforting. "Our wizard in training is gonna help me make more bits with that horn of hers, and the brain attached to it. She's real clever, when she isn't making trouble."

Diamond colored at that. "I've experienced both of those. Waiter!" She flagged down a waitpony. "I'll take a water with a lemon slice and bring over some menus already. How are we supposed to pick what we want?"

"Right away, ma'am." The waitpony walked off with proper decorum.

Diamond flashed a smile at the others. "You have to demand service sometimes."

Author's Note

Banking! It's fun for all ages! Does Equestria have the banking Comforting has in mind? Investing nice and young is a wise choice, if available, no?

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56 - Learning on the Go

Rarity smiled at her class, which was smiling right back at her. "Now, darlings, Manehatten happens to be one of my favorite places. What I want to know is what interests you all in it. And don't give me that 'it's educational' thing either, really dear. Foals do not go somewhere just for that and I am not fooled, not even for a moment. So be clear, do Applejack proud, and tell me what's on your minds."

Comforting squeaked with the force of half the class shoving her forward as the spokespony. "Um, well..." She had not planned on the position, and yet there she was... "To be honest--"

"--Please." Rarity batted her lashes at Comforting. "Is this your idea? You've had some interesting ones. Go ahead and tell me. I may like it."

Comforting tapped her hooves together. "I wanted to learn about banking, and there are no banks in Ponyville."

Rarity sank to her haunches. "Banking? Banking...? Really? You do look serious... I would not have guessed that in a hundred moons." She fanned herself, looking thoughtful. "Banking... Well, as a self-made business mare, I've had to deal with a fair amount of banking myself! Why, do you think I store all my bits under my mattress? Pfft, as if, dears. That would hardly suffice."

Comforting perked her ears and began to clap. "Do they have investment accounts, or do they just hold your bits?"

Rarity blinked at Comforting. "That is quite a step beyond what I imagined you were going to ask." She looked beyond Comforting to the rest of the class. "Are the rest of you as curious about the inner workings of banking?"

Gallus raised his hand quickly, waving it about.

"Well that's one at least." Rarity smiled kindly though. "And the rest of you are more eager to see the city itself, which is more where I imagined you would be. Well! If we were to make the trip, we would visit a bank, and learn about it. Are you ready to take notes?" She waggled a hoof at the lot of them. "If we do it, we do it properly, which means there will be instruction... And fun afterwards."

The classroom exploded into cheers, with hooves meeting talons and other signs of celebration rippling through the room. Rarity waved Comforting and Gallus to the side. "Now, you two seem to be genuinely interested in the whole affair. I'm still a bit unsure why exactly, but I'm not one to quash the desire to learn! I'll invite my banker over to have a chat with you two, hmm. How does that sound? I imagine the class will be a little... distracted."

Gallus clapped his hands in a firm strike. "That sounds like you're going for teach of the month!"

Comforting clopped to join in. "That would be wonderful. They work at a bank then?"

"They do." Rarity nodded, thinking back on it. "They visit me once in a while to go over various banking needs I have. Fortunately for you two, I'm a 'prized customer' as it were, and they check in on me. They don't want me to take my bits elsewhere."

Comforting bobbed with obvious excitement. "I can't wait to meet them. When will they visit next?"

"In no time at all, be patient." She patted Comforting on the head. "If only Sweetie had any interest in that, hm. Maybe I should ask... Now, back to class!" She clapped her hooves and directed ponies back to the topic of the day, fashion in the before times, when Celestia hadn't yet arrived. Very important.

Gallus was there at the end of the day with a big grin. "That went better than expected." He hopped down from the rail of the bridge and walked along with Comforting. "Now I almost don't even care about Manehatten. We can just have fun there or whatever. I want to talk to that pony Rarity knows."

"Me too." Comforting considered the excited griffon next to her. It was nice seeing him so... into something. "Now, I should warn. If this is anything like my banking, this is not exciting. The results can be, but its a set it and forget it kind of thing. The hardest part is not reaching for your bits."

"If they're making more bits, I'll leave them alone." Gallus shrugged softly. "Oh, by the way. Any luck with that book?"

Comforting squeaked at the thought of it. "That book is intense, to put it mildly. It's going to take me longer to work through it. I am reading it."

"I trust you." He fired a thumbs up. "You don't make many promises you don't plan to keep. To keep it clear, if you just can't, eh...but it would be so cool if you could..."

No pressure... "I'll try, promise."

"All I'm asking." He walked with her into the middle of town, headed for her house on the other end. "You friends with that other chick? She seemed nice, if a little bossy."

"Diamond? That... describes her pretty well. I like her, and her friend."

"She comes in a set of two?" asked Gallus with proper horror. "Say it isn't so."

"Alas, it is." Comforting giggled at Gallus' mostly-pretended shock. "Silver Spoon. She's just as rich, but a bit less snooty. They're both great once you get to know them."

"From their parents?"

"Hm? Yeah." Comforting nodded in slow thought. "I never met Silver's parents, but Diamond's dad is really famous around here. He owns a lot of shops. Both of them got their money from their parents."

"Lucky..." Gallus lifted an ear at Comforting. "Your parent isn't so rich. You're like me. We'll earn it ourselves! We don't need any handouts." He crossed his arms, going into bipedal mode to pout properly. "And when we're rich, we'll have earned it, and we'll enjoy it that much more."

"If the bank thing works..." She still had no assurance of that. "It's a long game. A real long game. We're both young enough to play it." She wobbled a hoof between herself and Gallus. "Using the most powerful magic known to money."

Gallus fell to all fours, eyes shining. "You didn't mention magic was involved. What kinda magic?!"

"This magic doesn't belong to unicorns." Gallus was nodding with growing excitement. "It's a math magic."

His expression fell. "Is this a way to get me to practice math?"

"Math has power," sang out Comforting. but it was not the last bit of that song. She started a ballad about the power of interest and the whole town just kinda joined in, lulled by the power of heart song. "Many creatures think getting bits is a blitz."

Rarity joined them from nowhere, shaking a piggy bank wildly. "What is this, on the fritz? I was told this would be simple!"

The power of heart song was not to be denied, but Comforting gave a quick lesson on the power of compounding interest and its magic ability to make money reproduce. "But it's not fast," she concluded. "Get it?"

Gallus shook his head. "Only kinda... So I put bits in. They make money with it, but then that money, all of it, starts to make more money, which is mine, so it counts when that more money makes money, and so on?"

Comforting slapped his side. "Exactly! You understand. But it's not fast," she repeated. "We're talking moons and years to see anything, and probably a little, but it keeps building like a snowball going downhill..."

"I... think I get it." He snapped the fingers of his right hand. "I'm with you. Let me know when Rarity's friend gets here."

"I will!" She waved at him as she sped down the rest of the road to Fluttershy's cottage. Fluttershy was in the yard, feeding a host of critters as she sang melodically.

Comforting sat at the corner of the yard and listened to her mother's sweet song. It had no words, but it didn't feel like it needed it. That had been a good day for songs, and she swayed to the gentle pattern weaving around her.

"Oh!" Fluttershy turned as if noticing Comforting suddenly. "Hello there."

"Aw... You don't have to stop." What had set her mother off? She wondered. "I was enjoying it."

"I could tell... You were singing along." Fluttershy waved Comforting closer. "Singing is... a special thing. I don't do it with other ponies much."

Comforting perked with understanding. "I will try to be more careful, but your singing was very nice, Mom. I wouldn't mind hearing more, if you want to share it."

Fluttershy squirmed in place. "I get... very nervous singing in front of other ponies."

"I'm your daughter and I love you," countered Comforting. "So you know I would never make fun of you. Besides, your singing is lovely! I wouldn't be asking for it if that wasn't true." She leaned in, nose twitching. "I'm not that good at singing... outside of a heart song. I'm alright there, apparently."

Fluttershy blinked and sat up. "Did one just happen?"

"I started one, on accident..." Comforting rubbed at her blushing cheeks with her hooves. "But it got the point across that I was trying to make. Gallus appreciated it."

"That's good. Was it... related to friendship?" Comforting shook her head. "Kindness?" Comforting shook her head. "Well, hm. Magic?"

"Sorta but not really." Comforting fell in against Fluttershy, snuggling with her mom happily. "The magic of saving money in the right place, which I still have to make sure exists. Rarity's going to help me with that. Maybe I'll be very wealthy, when I'm older."

Fluttershy recoiled. "Oh my... Why when you're older?" The idea seemed to baffle her. "Are you starting a business now?"

"That did work for Rarity..." Comforting tapped her chin. "But not that. I'm talking about investing." Fluttershy looked just as clueless. "I just sang that song, no repeats!" She jumped up to smooch Fluttershy's cheek. "If you're really curious, you could come with us when Rarity's banker friend arrives."

"Mmm... No. I'm happy with the bits I have." She rose to her hooves. "If you do become rich, you won't forget me, I hope."

"Of course not." Comforting trailed after Fluttershy, the two heading inside. "If this works, you'll be taken care of just as well as you took care of me, and you're taking care of me so well, so I have a lot to match."

"I'm just doing my part." Fluttershy smooched Comforting between the ears, to both of their simple pleasure. "Now, I was thinking of something baked today. You alright with that?"

"Baked goods from mom? Yes please!" Comforting clapped, but then ran past. She had other things to do in the meanwhile.

Comforting threw herself on her bed and willed the heavy book to flop in front of her with the rustle of paper. "You are so big..." But she had to read it. She had promised! She resumed her poring over the details and nitty gritty. There were so many things that went into other things...

But then she saw a part, an important part. "I can take that out." She slapped the page at the diagram. "I don't have to redo that..." She still had plenty to do, but that was one part she could avoid, and even keep that part if they needed it in the future. "Yes!"

"You seem happy." Harmony sat quietly in front of Comforting. "But I think it is more relief."

Comforting looked around. She could see herself, flopped across the bed, very asleep. "Oh..." She was standing in the middle of the room too. The fake her? The sleeping one was real, right? "Hello, Harmony."

"Hello, Comforting," replied the not-Twilight, copying the tone Comforting had just used. "You are working very hard. Did you forget why?"

"Why? To reach Gallus."

"But he is already close enough to brush a hoof against. Also, your mother is calling you."

Author's Note

Comforting discusses the power of compounding interest! What sorcery!

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57 - Lost in Running

Comforting clopped her dreamed forehead. "I was so busy chasing..."

"You didn't notice when you ran past." Harmony nudged her. "Your mother is coming."

Comforting woke up on her bed just in time for Fluttershy to poke her head in. "Oh, were you taking a nap? Are you hungry?"

"Comin'!" Comforting bounced down and eagerly charged for dinner. It was delicious, as most food prepared by Fluttershy tended to be. "Thank you." She hadn't been a filly so long that she'd forgotten to be thankful for such gifts. "It's so good!"

"I'm happy to hear that." Fluttershy took another gentle nibble on her portion, still working on it unlike the rapid devouring that Comforting had committed. "When you get tired again, sleep well."

"I will." Comforting's horn glowed as she squeezed her mother in an arcane hug. "Thank you again!"

Fluttershy giggled softly. "It's a funny thing, for the rest of us that don't see magic. You just looked at me, and I could feel a hug."

Comforting tried to imagine that. "That could be scary... I don't want to scare you."

"You do not." Fluttershy gently tapped Comforting's nose. "I know it's you and that you love me. I feel nothing but happiness."

Comforting shared a bright smile with her mother. With that settled, she went off to prepare for the night.

"Let's talk!"

Gallus hiked a brow at his suddenly loud pony friend. "What about?"

"You." Comforting circled to in front of him, blocking the way towards Ponyville. "It's you time, all you."

"What... about me? Did that banker guy show up?"

"Nope." Comforting leaned in. "Just you. You've had a hard time, and I'm just learning about it, and you. But I understand more than I used to. Is there room for a friend in there?"

Gallus snorted at that. "You're kidding, right? I have friends."

"Sure... But they're standing outside that hurt place." Comforting put both her hooves on her chest. "Right outside the door. You like them there, and you like them, but they're still not here." She tapped herself insistently. "Where it's sensitive... Where it hurts... I can imagine why. Not many want anything to touch them where it hurts..."

Gallus crossed his arms, lifting into the air along the way on his wings. "And you're just... volunteering to poke me where it hurts. Why would I want that, hypothetically or whatever? "

Comforting considered that with a hum. "It's easier to say no, and you can say that. But most good things take some effort, and that hurt can get smaller and stop being in the way... Besides, I want to help. And if 'because I care' isn't good enough, well, if you go, then there's no forward on our plans that're working so well."

Gallus landed next to her, but was walking past, having gotten around her. "Now that's true. So you want me to let a pony in? That sounds kinda wierd."

"It is a bit odd." Comforting followed at his side. "But emotions and the past are like that. Tell you what... If you let me in, I'll let you in."

Gallus roared to laughter. "Let me in? As if you have anything to 'let' anycreature in about. You're a little smiling chick. Picking which flavor of ice cream is like the most traumatic thing you have to deal with."

"I have things, promise."

Maybe it was the way she said it, but Gallus looked interested. "If this turns out to be lame, I'm going to noogie you forever."

Comforting squeaked at the idea. "It's worth it, promise. Well, go ahead. Tell me what hurts. I won't laugh. I won't judge. I am here to listen." She raised a hoof beside her right long pony ear. "You don't have parents."

"No, I don't." Oops, Gallus was scowling. "Thanks for the reminder. Grampa Gruff took me in. I think he gets his jollies knowing we owe him. He'd remind me basically every day." Gallus rolled his eyes. "Jerk... And still the best I had..."

"I'm not here to tell you to hate him."

Gallus came up short. "You're not? That's what most say when they hear that."

Comforting went up to Gallus' side and reared up, offering her arms. "I'm not here to talk about him, not right now. This is You time. You're way more important."

Gallus put his taloned hand easily over the whole of Comforting's face, forcing her back several inches. "Hold up. Alright... So... what do you want to hear? That I hear all my friends talking about the great families they all have and it pisses me off?" He started forward, motions becoming angry stomps at the ground. "Even you. Maybe especially you. You got Fluttershy, literal element of kindness. She'd do anything for you. That's your mom! I get an angry old bird. You get that. How is that fair?!" He was breathing hard, wind rushing past his teeth in a little hiss. "Sorry... Sorry..."

"It's alright. I... I get it. I got lucky, but don't forget what you already said."

Gallus peered at his small friend. "What did that griffon say? You shouldn't listen to him, nothing but trouble."

Comforting raised a hoof. "We may not start rich, but when we get there, we'll know we earned it, and we'll enjoy it that much more."

"Yeah... But you don't exactly 'earn' a family, last I checked." He poked Comforting in the side. "I'm not going to suddenly get an awesome mom, no matter how hard I try."

"You can do one better." Comforting giggled, putting all four hooves into her spirited walk alongside Gallus. "You can make a family. That family can be brothers, sisters, sometimes even parents. You could end up with a mom and a dad..."

Gallus went quiet for a minute of walking. "Look, I should go. I don't get all you're saying, like at all..." He glanced away and back. "But... thanks... See you in class tomorrow?"

Comforting resisted trying to a hug. "Be safe. You're not alone."

Gallus smirked at that. "Nope, even when I want to be." He snapped open his wings and took off, leaving Comforting behind.

"That was nice of you." Ocellus approached with a little smile. "I didn't even know... that."

Comforting sat. "Know what? Also hi!"

"Hello." Ocellus waved in fond greeting. "I didn't know he was... hurting like that... Should I have heard? I saw you two talking and I didn't want to get in the way, so I got closer but I was quiet and--"

Comforting shook her head vigorously. "It's alright, just don't suddenly treat him odd. He doesn't want that."

"Oh, alright." Ocellus leaned in. "I was curious... You don't have to tell me... But what were you going to share with him? He left before you could."

Comforting squeaked, realizing that was true. "That was a secret I'd share with him."

"Aw." Ocellus pouted a little. "We're good friends too, aren't we?"

"Great friends," gushed Comforting quickly. "It's just... personal is all. It's not because I don't like you. You're super nice!"

"Thanks." Ocellus smiled nervously. "But you won't tell me."

"I'd rather not." Comforting rubbed at her cheek. "And it wouldn't make a lot of sense anyway. I'm not mad at you, promise."

"That's good." Ocellus went in, touching nose to nose. "Good luck, with Gallus... I'll try to listen more around him. I feel like I wasn't being a good friend."

"Don't say that!" Comforting returned the gentle nose rub. "You are a dear and beloved friend. It's just we all have a different... life. You have a happy family, right?"

"Yes. I love my mother and father and my little sibling is so cute." Ocellus was smiling at the thought. "I love being with them... Gallus never talked about his family... and I never noticed until today."

Comforting detected a potential problem. "Don't spread his secret! Don't tell the others! If they all start acting odd around him, he'll be so upset. We don't want that, right?"

"Right! I will tell nocreature... Um... can I talk to him about it? I want to help too." Ocellus rubbed an arm with the other hoof slowly. "I'm not sure how... but I want to..."

"Because you care." Comforting patted Ocellus on the side. "Because you're a good friend... Right now he has to think. Chasing him will just make him angry, and close up. He let me touch the sore spot, and that's a lot of trust. Let's return it by trusting he'll come back if we keep being good friends."

Ocellus suddenly pointed at herself. "Do I have a sore spot? Where is it? Can you find it?"

Comforting burst into giggles as Ocellus looked herself over. "You are an adorable creature with no sore spots, and that's great. But we all live different lives. I have some sore spots, and so does Gallus."

"You do?!" Ocellus began peering over Comforting, as if some great pulsing sore would come into view if she looked hard enough. "Where?"

"That's the secret we were just talking about. The place that hurts when somecreature touches it... If you had a sore spot, you wouldn't want to share it with me, because it hurts when anyone touches it."

Ocellus was quiet a moment. "But... you touched his. Why? You wanted to hurt him? That's not nice."

"Because..." Things were getting complicated. "Because doing the right thing is sometimes not the nice thing... He hurt, but... I hope... he got something out of it. This is how we can make the sore spot smaller. It's... complicated on the best of days."

"Wow." Ocellus patted Comforting on the shoulder. "I will let you handle this. You know it way better than me. This is so... much! I want Gallus to feel better though, so if I can help, I'm right here!" She pointed to the ground, as if where she were standing was somehow a secret. "That's what friends do, right?"

"That is what friends do," Comforting echoed with a kind smile. "And you are one of those." They met, hoof to hoof. With the matter settled for the moment, Comforting was able to continue home without further interruptions.

"I did tell you." Harmony sat next to her sleeping form.

She had meant to take a little nap, so that part wasn't too confusing. It was still a little offputting to see herself sleeping. "What did you tell me?"

Harmony inclined her head as if indicating something outside. "Sometimes you have to hurt, to heal and strengthen. It is not something I do lightly, or because I enjoy that pain."

Comforting considered the not-Twilight. "Gallus is in a delicate place."

"But you are helping," concluded Harmony, sounding mildly pleased. "You are an excellent assistant. Many would balk at being ordered."

"It's for a good cause." Comforting shrugged at that. "And I care about Gallus, so why would I say no? He needs more help."

"He does." Harmony stared at Comforting uncomfortably in silence. "You can finish."

These words brought a smile to Comforting. "You said I could help with the magic draining."

"You could. You did not, but you could have." Harmony inclined their borrowed Twilight's head. "I can only see possibilities. That was not a certainty. The odds of you hurting the situation were small. I played the last part, but by no means the largest part. Your friends were the center of that. Did they notice? I hinted at their true purpose, of becoming my next agents."

"I don't think they did." Comforting thought back to the tail end of that conflict. "They were just happy to save the day, and so was I, even if I didn't do much."

"Few do 'much', but when a lot do a little, a lot can be done." Harmony stood up smoothly. "I will let you sleep. Thank you."

"You're--" She didn't get to finish. Harmony was gone, and her dreams returned. Was that instant? She couldn't tell.

Author's Note

Gallus! I felt for him.

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58 - Tit for Tat

A crumpled wad of paper bounced off Comforting's head. She twisted around to see where it came from. There was Gallus, looking at her intently. He directed two fingers at his own eyes, then at her.

She was being watched? She turned back to the teacher giving their sermon as she used her magic to unfurl the paper. It had writing on it, as she had predicted.

You owe me. Lunch, out back.

--G

Comforting considered the words. Surely it couldn't be all that bad? She took her lunch with her out of the school and looped all the way around towards the--

There was Gallus, waiting impatiently. "Well, you got to poke me where it hurts. Time to fess up. And you promised it would be worth it, so let's hear it."

"I did promise that." Comforting lowered her glowing bag to the ground and popped it open. "Want to share?"

Gallus shrugged. "Sure whatever, get talking."

"To tell you any of these requires... I tell you something else. Something I've kept as a secret." Comforting sank to her haunches. "The teachers know, and my mom knows..."

"But I don't know." He raised a brow slowly. "Sounding mysterious... Go on."

Comforting set both her hooves on her chest even as a snack floated in range for her to chomp. "You remember how Yona called me an 'old soul'?"

Gallus nodded. "Yea?" He didn't see how that related by the look on his face.

"She was right. I've lived before. I'm a filly, but also an adult." She skewed an ear back. "Please don't get upset."

"I would say you're making it up... But you don't make that kind of thing up. IF you did, it'd be really obvious and you'd be stuttering probably." He smirked at the thought of it. "Can you prove it?"

"Can I? I've already been telling you things a filly really doesn't need to know, or should know. Do you think my mom's been whispering secrets about banking to me?" Comforing met his eyes in a dare. "Really?"

"You..." He clicked his tongue. "That isn't a specifically 'adult' thing. Just because a filly reads a book doesn't make them not a filly. Tell me something only an adult would know."

Something only an adult would know... A lot of those blanks were human specific. Something only an adult pony would know? "I can tell you about the pasts of any of the teachers. I would be way too young to know that, right?"

He leaned forward, tail curling. "Yeah? Fine. Fluttershy's out. She probably tells you all kinds of stories." He rubbed at his chin. "Tell us about... Twilight. She doesn't talk about her past very much. So where's she from? Go on, tell me all about a Canterlot unicorn."

"Born of Twilight Velvet and Night Light, Twilight Sparkle is the sister of Shining Armor, who is married to Cadance. He didn't tell her they were a thing, let alone getting married. That got her real mad, but she still went to the wedding and saved her from Chrysalis, yay!" Comforting wiggled her hooves like clenched fists. "She met Pinkie first, but who doesn't?"

"And then?" He rolled a hand slowly. "Which pony next?"

"Uh... I lose track... Applejack welcomed her to the whole apple family at once. Rarity made Spike go ga ga. Rainbow got her all wet and knocked out a bunch of clouds in ten seconds flat." Comforting sliced the air evenly from left to right. "Believe me now?"

"Alright...let's say I trust you. So what's the sore spot? Was it that? Kinda creepy, but not really painful."

"Not that. That's just a secret... Which you'll keep I hope... Alright... So..." How to even explain it...? Comforting took a slow breath and began, "A life ago, when I was born, the doctor proclaimed 'It's a boy!', but I wasn't a boy. I was just as much a girl as I am right now."

Gallus inclined his head slowly. "How did the doc mess that up? It's, uh... kinda obvious which is which. Did he lose his glasses or somethin'?"

"No... It wasn't even his fault. I looked like a boy, so he said boy... Can't even be mad at him for that... But I was what I was, and that made a lot of trouble." She worked her hooves fitfully together. "My father would take me to 'boy' events, hoping I'd fit in and start acting more boy-y. The other 'chicks' at the time saw me as a huge nerd of a boy that had no..." She sank in place. "It wasn't fun..."

Gallus patted her shoulder awkwardly. "And now we're in the sore spot."

"Yep," she miserably confirmed with a faint smile. "Even when I was an adult and could finally make the outside fit the inside, they wouldn't even let me use the right bathroom at work for years. Literal years."

Gallus returned to confusion. "What's the right bathroom?"

Comforting snorted at that, a choked little laugh. "There are stallion bathrooms and mare bathrooms in public places, right?"

"Yeah, sure... oh." It clicked. "But... You just said you got it fixed. So you were a girl, in and out... Why... would they send you to the stallion's room?"

"It wasn't Equestria." Comforting flashed a soft smile. "I bet Celestia would have fixed it, if she were there, and she knew. She wasn't either, so..."

"Well that's dumb." He kicked a rock for the high crime of existing. "Huh... That's really far out there... So..." He wobbled a hand slowly. "That means you were a guy at some point, right?" That got him a glare. "Sorry, just curious... So, hey... Does that mean I get to do that too? I'll be a little chick again some day?"

"Maybe..." She couldn't know. "Where I came from, there were a lot of people that believed that. Reincarnation they called it, cycling through lives big and small. From tiny mites to huge whales, until you go it 'right' and escaped."

"Woah." Gallus crouched beside her. "Doesn't you existing kinda prove that right?"

"Sorta! Proves it's possible, once." Comforting began to smile easily. Chatting about that was way easier than other things. "But will I cycle again, or is this it? I didn't even cycle in the same world!"

"Come again?" Shoot, she had managed to not mention that part. "What world were you from?"

"Lunch will end before I finish that story," she deflected with a nervous laugh. "Now you have a sore spot of mine. That's a fair trade."

Gallus nodded hesitantly. "Y-yeah... That's fair, I guess... Huh, we both had a rough start, didn't we?"

Comforting curled a hoof at herself as she twirled. "It's hard to say that these days. I got a doever and Fluttershy as my mom. That makes me really happy... But yeah... There was that first time... We weren't starving, and I had a mom and dad, even if... I get we're not the same."

His hand came down on her head from behind. "I get it too. Give me some credit." He nudged her back towards class, pushing her along by the back. "But you're going to tell me more about that world of yours, eventually. You can't just leave me hanging."

"I sure can." She stuck out her tongue at him defiantly. "I've managed to not tell anypony else much, even my mom, so good luck!"

"Challenge accepted." They re-entered the school, both smiling. They had traded sores, and were closer in the end for it.

Twilight set down a new book in front of Comforting. "I hear you've gained complete mastery over the enhancement spell."

"Y-yes!" Comforting nodded quickly. "You said I can't learn new spells, but I practiced the ones I knew already."

"To satisfying ends, if the reports are correct?"

Comforting pointed up at her horn. "I know when I'm getting tired, and I know how hard I can push the spell, and when it's easy to keep up."

"Fantastic progress." Twilight clapped once with a big smile. "And you've been doing well in school, and don't think I didn't notice you applying lessons of friendship."

Comforting flushed a dark red instantly. "What do you mean?!"

Twilight gestured with a hoof at Comforting and something else. "You and Gallus. Quite a challenge. He's hard to get close to, and you two seem to be good friends now."

"I... did my best, ma'am." Comforting shrank a bit with uncertainty. "That's good... right?"

"Very good." She ruffled Comforting's mane. "I'm complimenting you, and offering a treat. You've handled all your affairs admirably, from top to bottom. I'm quite excited and proud." Twilight ran a hoof over the book she had placed before Comforting. "Which is why this is here."

Comforting's eyes widened in a sparkle. "A new spell?!"

"A new spell," agreed Twilight with a smile. "You can pick any spell from the first third of the book. Go on." As if she needed to say that, with Comforting already flipping through the book rapidly. "The spells in that section should be manageable. The enhancement spell is in there, but you already know that clearly. This is a book of alterations, to lean into your specialty. 'Perriwhistle's Guide to Change,' it's called. A very useful tome for other transmuters out there. Now, Perriwhistle was a famous pony. Not Starswirl the Bearded, but..."

She trailed off, seeing Comforting was quite engrossed with the book and not paying her words any mind. "I know that feeling... Do you see one you're interested in?"

"All of them?!" That got her to pay attention. "Any one of them?" She willed the book to flip back to the front where the table of contents hid. "I am so thankful! You are the best, Professor Sparkle!"

Twilight colored faintly. It was still nice to be called that. "If it helps, think if you want to focus on living or nonliving things. Both are quite useful and complicated in different ways. Most transmuters pick one to specialize in. You've made good progress with the enhancement spell, so perhaps?"

"No," cut off Comforting with sudden firmness. "I don't mind changing little things, but I'm not a doctor..."

"Aren't you." Twilight's horn glowed as she conjured a big pointing arrow directing at Comforting's rump.

Comforting looked back at it, at the heart being hugged that had been mistaken for bandages before. "Shoot..."

"It's a big choice, and not one you even have to make today. I was just trying to narrow the choices a little." Twilight brought her hooves closer together. "None of the spells there should be beyond you."

She just had to pick one to start reading and expand her arcane knowledge! They were all such exciting choices. "I can't just... borrow the book, huh?"

Twilight smirked at that idea. "You'd vanish, never coming out into the light of day until you had them all memorized. Fluttershy would never forgive me. For her sake, and mine, let's keep it to one spell, hm? You've done such a good job balancing things so far, let's keep that up."

"Right... One." She ran a hoof down the list of spells, wracking her brain on which to pick. "I'll go with..."

Author's Note

But which should she go with?! I'm headed to Everfree Northwest now!

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59 - Up and Away

Silverstream waved wildly, flying up in the air. "You can do it!" she called encouragingly. "I'm not that much higher."

Comforting wiggled her rump as she lined up the shot, horn glowing brightly, at least in her eyes. "Gonna do it..." She was at least as much convincing herself.

Her magic exploded with her jump, the sorcery enhancing her legs as she defied gravity, propelling herself into the air with a rush of wind through her mane. "Here I come!" She reached out a hoof, trying to swat Silverstream's offered hand, missing by an inch.

And then she was falling. "Don't panic!" She put her hooves under herself, spinning like a cat might. The same spell let her hit the ground without hurting herself, bouncing forward and coming to a stop. "I'm alright!"

"That was so cool!" Silverstream applauded the effort. "I bet you could reach if you tried again."

"Ready to--"

Gallus was suddenly in her face, flying in from seemingly nowhere. "What are you doing?"

Comforting squeaked, her spell lost, glow fizzling with it. "Practicing a spell..."

"You gonna fly like Starlight does?" He looked between Comforting and Silverstream. "Not doing a great job of it so far."

"I'm not flying! I'm jumping. Watch." She hunched down, wriggling as she refocused on the magic. "Gonna do it this time..."

With a flash of her magic only she could see and a great unleashing of her wound muscles, she threw herself into the sky, Silverstream growing rapidly in front of her as Comforting approached with the great force of her jump.

A pity she soared right past Silver, hooves flailing in a desperate attempt to nail the high-hoof, but she didn't fall back to the ground. Silverstream was hugging her from behind, having caught her. "Wow! That was a really good jump. I couldn't go that high without my wings." She lowered to the ground and set Comforting safely down. "Can you show me how to do that?"

Gallus landed next to them both. "Just guessing, but I bet little miss spellcaster her used her horn, and neither of us have one of those."

Silverstream pouted at that. "Is it true?"

Comforting regarded Silverstream's pouting beak. She didn't want to deliver that bad news, but what was the alternative? "I was using magic," she admitted. "I can't show you how to do that."

"Because no horn," finished Gallus. "'Bout as likely as you teaching her how to fly."

Silverstream popped out her wings. "Do you wanna know? I'll show you!"

Comforting giggled at the idea. "You, and my mom, and Gallus, are so wonderful when you fly. I love watching it, but it's not something I can do." She pointed back at her lack of wings. "Thank you for offering though."

Gallus elbowed his fellow part-bird. "She's like that. Good luck getting her down about it."

"Why would I do that." Silverstream circled around Comforting with a giggle. "I don't want my friend being sad. It'd be fun to jump like that, but it's not a super sad thing." She grabbed Comforting by the shoulder, squeezing her shoulder. "Rather we be friends!"

"Well, we are that." Even if Silverstream was prone to unannounced grabs. "Gallus, this is my newest spell. Oh!" Comforting raised a hoof to her face. "I'm being silly."

"I know that feeling." Silverstream giggled, but leaned in as she did so. "What are you being silly about?"

"My spell works on others. Wanna jump?"

Silver's eyes widened. "Can you?! Please!"

Comforting lit up her horn. "Get ready to jump." Even as Silverstream crouched in readiness, Comforting willed her magic into her friend's legs, filling them with the amber color of her magic and preparing her muscles for what would come next. "And... ready. Jump when you--"

Silverstream jumped! Alas, the spell didn't make her any more ready for the sudden new force. She twirled around, feet over her head and right back around. Her wings flapped wildly, aligning herself in the air. "Woah! That was... amazing! It felt all tickly!" She scratched at her legs as she came back down. "Do it again!"

Gallus roared with laughter at the antics on display. "Were you even trying? Hit me next. I'll show her how it's done."

Comforting clapped her hooves. The spell had some things in common with the enhancement spell, but it focused on the legs of the target instead of trying to bolster their entire system. It was way less draining, but also only gave one good jump. She was liking it! "Okay!" She began focusing on Gallus, filling the 'battery' of his legs up with her glowing power. "You get one jump. Make it good."

"Yeah, see." Gallus took a jumping stance, eyes narrow. "Half of her is pony. Half of me, the half touching the ground? Cat. I'll manage." His jump was far different than Silverstreams, smoothly propelling himself into the air. He spread his wings, directing his path in a twirl that ended with him hovering high above him. "Alright, see, that was awesome. If you show this to Rainbow Dash, she'd flip out."

"Who'd flip out now?" Rainbow was right there, arriving on a rainbow streak as she was known to do. "Is this a flying contest? That's adorably awesome." She squeaked at the two foals before her, Silverstream and the high Gallus. "Can I watch? I'd join, but that wouldn't even be fair." She polished her chest, looking a bit smug about it. "But I wanna see!"

Gallus swooped down to rejoin the conversation. "She did it." He hiked a thumb at Comforting, ratting her out without remorse.

Comforting squeaked. "I learned a new jumping spell."

Rainbow hiked a brow. "Jumping spell? What's that got to do with flying?"

Gallus folded his arms over his chest. "If you could jump as strong as you wanted, that'd help you start flying, right?"

Rainbow processed that slowly. "Huh... Yeah. Yeah! I get it. Hit me!" She waved emphatically at Comforting. "Make me a super jumper. Gotta try this."

Comforting raised her hooves defensively. "Sorry, um, miss Dash, but I don't want you to get hurt."

"Hurt? Pfft." Rainbow landed, wings folding tight. "I'm a pro flyer! I can handle it. Gallus handled it! Are you saying he's a better flying than me?" The look of indignity only grew. "As if! No offense or anything, but I'm the top flyer around here! Hit me and watch out!"

Comforting considered the athletic mare. "Alright... But even if you're the best at flying, are you the best at jumping?"

"I can handle it." She crouched down, ready. "Hit me!"

Gallus settled next to Silverstream. "Two bits she does the funny flip thing you did."

Silverstream burst into giggles. "I wanna see that." Both were eagerly watching Rainbow's attempt, even if Silverstream didn't actually agree to the wager. "Do your best!"

"As if I ever don't. Am I magicked or whatever?" She looked towards Comforting, brow raised. "Tell me when."

Comforting willed her magic into being, focusing on Rainbow's legs. Funny thing, it took a little more power, a little, for Rainbow rather than Gallus, but that was because Rainbow was on all fours, and Gallus was on two, and all the legs needed equal power or you'd be in trouble. She filled those limbs with her amber power. "One jump, ready!"

"Awesome!" Rainbow pushed off the ground and it fled her. "Woah!" Perhaps she wasn't expecting the jump to come, but she ended up leaping several feet ahead without getting very high up. "Hey! I wasn't ready!"

Silverstream stuck out her tongue at Gallus. "She didn't flip."

"Yeah yeah, but you didn't take the bet." Gallus looked like he considered himself the winner of that exchange. "Hit her again if you're up for it. I wanna see what she does."

Comforting nodded. "Alright. That was good practice for you." And nopony got hurt! A victory in her book. "Charging..." She filled Rainbow's legs before she got into position. "Can you feel it?"

"Yeah..." She slowly flexed and unflexed each leg. "Kinda weird, but a good weird... Alright. One more time." She crouched down tight. "Gonna do it for real!" She apparently could feel the magic topping off. "Aw yeah! Watch me go." She thumped against the ground in a proper leap, surging into the air with a mighty cry of joy. "Yeah!" She spread her wings, turning the velocity from upwards to forwards as she zipped around, leaving rainbow bands thickly behind her.

Rainbow looped around and landed between the others. "That was fun! It's like the Dizzitron without the whole dizzy part!" She ruffled Comforting's mane casually. "You keep that up. Seems like you have a specialty."

Comforting took a step back. "I do?! Transmuting, right?"

"Transwhatnow? No. You make ponies better." Rainbow nodded firmly. "You did it with Sweetie Belle, and Bulk Biceps, and today on us." Rainbow waved at herself and Silverstream and Gallus. "You make creatures go further than they could on their own. It's what you do." She reached to poke Comforting on her rump. "Got it figured out."

"What's that have to do with it?" She wasn't sure how a hugged heart translated to things at all. "I don't... get it."

"C'mon!" Rainbow waved that way. "You're a good friend that gives creatures a big hug and encourages them on. You help us reach as high as we can!" She thrust a hoof up towards the sky. "It's what you do. C'mon, you like it, I bet."

Gallus rubbed the bottom of his beak. "Huh... Well, you did help me reach higher."

Silverstream waved a hand excitedly. "Me next! I wanna be Comforted!" She burst into giggles, looking entirely delighted by the whole thing. "Sounds fun."

Comforting worked through it. If her mark was her destiny, and had a big impact on how she approached magic... "Is that why it messed up?"

Rainbow leaned in curious. "What messed up now?"

"My biggest mistake." Comforting fretted with her hooves. "I turned a pony into a statue. We fixed her! But it was really bad for a moment..."

Gallus shrugged. "Well, that isn't making anycreature better, so if that's your thing, the statue thing wasn't your thing."

"Makes sense to me," cried out Silverstream with a giddy clapping. "Congratulations. I'm almost jealous of ponies. They have a cutiemark. I don't." She pointed to her blank rump, unadorned with any sign of her destiny. "So I'll have to figure out my purpose the hard way."

Comforting smiled at that. "You're already on the right path."

Silverstream blinked rapidly. "I am?! Well... Then I'll keep going forward! You really are super good at comforting people, Comforting. Did you hear that?" She shook Gallus with a grin. "I'm already on the right path."

Gallus pushed her away with a smirk. "Good for you. Wait." He scrunched at Comforting. "You didn't stop with the machine. You're trying to improve me, aren't you?" He leveled a talon at her. "Cut that out."

Comforting scurried behind the laughing Rainbow Dash for cover. "Don't be mad at her. We ponies can't help doing our thing. It's like asking me not to be awesome. Not gonna happen. But she's not hurting you, right?"

Gallus squinted as his teacher. "I guess not... Still! Anyway, you got to jump. Not bad, after your first try."

Rainbow scoffed at that. "Anything worth doing takes a little practice. You think I was awesome at flying right away? I had to practice, a lot!"

"I'm still practicing my magic," piped in Comforting from behind Rainbow.

Rainbow grabbed the filly and drew them in front of herself. "That's the spirit. I bet you'll keep getting better at it. You'll give Starlight and Twilight a run for their bits."

Comforting smiled, but briefly. "Wait, if I have a specialty, am I still a wizard?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Not an expert, but why not? I bet a lot of wizards had specialties. They can't all be Twilight or Starlight, show offs they are." She would know one!

Author's Note

This chapter felt nice and fluffy!

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60 - It's What My Cutie Mark is Telling Me

"Making ponies better, huh?" Diamond sipped from her bubbling and colorful drink. "Interesting. Well, you haven't made me better, just stone for a while."

Comforting cringed at the memory. "It was an accident."

"I know that." Diamond wrinkled her nose. "But it's fun to tease. Still, why are you always looking at somecreature else besides me? Make a filly jealous..." She leaned forward as her hooves came in to make a landing platform. "Am I that boring?"

Comforting squeaked in dismay. "That wasn't what I meant. You're super interesting." She began thinking of what she knew of Diamond. An earth pony, rich, and a bit of a bossy filly... "I don't know you as well as maybe I should."

Diamond started. "I wasn't expecting that. What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Comforting jumped up onto the table that had been separating them. "What's your favorite color? What's your favorite game? What would a perfect day look like? What are you dreams?" She leaned in closer and closer to Diamond as she rattled off her questions. "I'd like to know about your parents. I hear your mom is... interesting. Tell me about her? Your dad's famous around here, but I don't know them either."

"Oh my Celestia!" Diamond gave Comforting a stiff shove, knocking the filly right back off the table. "You're like Pinkie with less party focus. What have I unleashed?!"

Comforting gathered herself upright in her seat. "Rude." She didn't look terribly hurt by the moment of violence. "I'm still curious. You don't have to tell me, but you're also right. I don't know about you. There I am, focusing on everypony else and not giving another friend of mine a fair shake. You deserve attention too."

Diamond took a sip of her colorful drink. "Did you just get your cutie mark? You're acting like it."

"I am?" Comforting peeked back at her cutie mark, unchanged. "It's been there a while..."

Diamond cracked a cocky smile, watching Comforting. "Doesn't matter. You're acting like you just figured out what you want to do and you're ready to share it with the world." She sighed wistfully. "I remember when I did that... Hey, you had your cenera. You're supposed to do it there!"

Comforting blinked slowly. "I am?" So many pony traditions she didn't know of! "I only just... There are levels..." She made a stepping motion with her hooves in the air. "I only knew the first step before, but I learned a second step and I'm really excited."

Diamond cocked a brow at that. "Were the Crusaders involved? They love helping ponies figure out the 'true' meaning of their marks."

"Rainbow Dash helped me." She deflated and laughed at once. "Which is a funny pony to do that."

"Her? No kidding! I would not have predicted that." Diamond rubbed at her chin thoughtfully. "Still, congratulations. So what is the 'second meaning' of that?" She pointed at Comforting's mark directly. "Share. I know you want to."

Comforting's horn glowed, even if Diamond couldn't see it. "I'm a buffer!"

Diamond inclined her head slowly. "Buffer?"

Comforting deflated, realizing she used an odd word. "I make others do their best. Magic that helps others work at their top is what will come naturally, and I like doing that."

Diamond considered that with a slow tapping of her hooves. "Hm... So if I wanted a big gold statue... Not your specialty."

"Nope." Comforting felt certain on that. "But if you wanted to make your own statue, I'd help! Or help another pony you had doing it. I'm pretty sure that's why we had that... mistake."

Diamond waved that away. "Mistakes are mistakes. As specialties go, that's not a bad one." She waved a hoof slowly at Comforting. "I've seen way worse than that. So, alright... Making ponies be at their best... And changing things from things to other things, or making the thing better at thinging..." She worked through Comforting's magic specialty. "And you love collecting spells."

Comforting bobbed her head firmly. "Yep! You got it. I'm a buffing wizard." She hesitated a moment. "Do you... like that?"

"Sounds good to me." Diamond wiped her hooves as if to clear the dust. "But I have an idea."

"What kind of idea?" Comforting's horn glowed and a book appeared, flopping between them.

"Is... that your book of spells?" Diamond laughed at the idea. "I thought only Twilight would have one of those."

"Did you mention Twilight?" With a loud pop, Starlight was there when once she was not. "What about her?"

Comforting jumped at the sudden arrival. "Starlight! Were you spying on us?"

"Yeah, I mean no! A little?" She shrugged. "So about Twilight?"

Diamond slurped half her remaining drink down. "Hey, Starlight. You work at the school, right? Same one Comforting goes to?" She pointed at Comforting with her mention. "You teach any classes with her?"

Starlight colored. "Oh! Well... I'm a guidance counselor, actually... So, no, no classes for me." She hopped up into an available seat, joining them at the table. "But I have given her a few tips. That counts."

Comforting bobbed her head. "She sure has. She's a powerful wizard, like Twilight."

"And like you," added Starlight with a wicked grin. "And look at this." She nudged the book Comforting had set on the table. "Just showing off your spells, I see."

Diamond peered at the book. "May as well be written in Old Ponish. Can you read that?"

"I sure can." Starlight turned the book towards herself, horn glowing with her magic. "Spells, to no great surprise. Jump, Enhance, Flower Sprout." She flipped through for each spell she found. "I bet you're dying to add to this collection."

Comforting perked at where Starlight was going, only to deflate. "I shouldn't! Professor Sparkle said she'd let me start the next spell later."

Starlight lifted her hooves in a shrug, smirk on her face. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Diamond joined Starlight in her wicked smile, but she saw Comforting's growing concern. "Nah."

Starlight jerked, facing the other filly. "Have we met?"

"Diamond. Diamond Tiara." Diamond pointed up at her tiara. "And her friend. And you're making her uncomfortable, which I'm not alright with."

Starlight blinked softly at the suddenly confrontational foal. "I was just offering exactly what I know she wants."

Diamond rolled a hoof slowly. "I get it. I want her to learn more spells. She wants to learn spells, but if she cheats, she'll feel really bad, and I don't want her to feel bad and mope around, so cut it out."

Comforting smiled gently at the save. "Diamond..."

"Hey, don't look at me like that." Diamond took a loud slurp from her drink, draining the last of it. "And go away." She glared at Starlight.

"You do know I'm about the most powerful wizard in this little town, right? You are being super rude." Starlight crossed her arms.

"Was that before or after you asked somepony to break the rules they weren't ready to break?" Diamond snorted right back at Starlight. "Shoo. We have more important things to discuss than ways to get in trouble with Twilight."

Comforting raised her hooves at Starlight. "Thank you. I know I can count on you as a magic tutor, but I really don't want to make Twilight mad... Besides, I am still a student, not of magic... I shouldn't get too distracted."

"Alright, alright." Starlight slid to the ground on her hooves. "I'm not here to force anypony, just an offer. Enjoy your chat." She trotted off without another word.

Diamond squinted, watching her go. "No... That was not right. She folded way too easily."

"Hm?" Comforting was looking more at Diamond's empty glass. "What did that taste like?"

"It was fine, but off topic." Diamond smirked at her friend. "You are so trusting. She did that for a reason. I don't know what it was, but she folded too easy... Keep an eye out for her."

"She likes magic, like me, without the specialty. She does all kinds of magic really well. I'm a support wizard."

"Support!" gusted out Diamond. "Finally, you used a word I know. I swear." She bonked Comforting gently. "You are such a character. Want to try one?" She was already waving a waitstaff pony over to make that happen. "I was a little distracted, but it's one of my favorites."

A fresh glass was set before Comforting and she clapped eagerly. "You are the star today." She took a nice big slurp of the bubbly colors. "Mmm!" It seemed easy to see why Diamond would like it. "Where's Silver Spoon, by the way?"

"Her mom got a hold of her," sighed out Diamond. "She'll be back tomorrow promise. They're taking family pictures or something stupid like that." She waved it off. "I feel bad for her, but family duties are a thing, and I couldn't avoid it if it came up either."

"Speaking of that." Comforting leaned forward past the glass. "Tell me about your mom."

Starlight popped open a fridge with her magic. "She passed."

Twilight inclined her head. "Who passed what?"

"Comforting." Starlight drew out a wrapped sandwich and got to freeing it with her magic. "I offered her a spell, promised you'd never know."

Twilight tensed at the tale. "And...?"

"And she turned me down." Starlight chomped into the bread and veggies. "And her friend got involved. It was so cute. Chased me right away, oh no..." She snorted gently. "Like I was scared of that little filly, but it was kinda cute."

Twilight nodded slowly. "I... see... Good. Good good. If we have a new wizard among us, it's better they have a strong code of morals."

Starlight hiked a brow. "You didn't say it, but I could feel that being aimed at past me."

"You've come a long way." Twilight advanced to throw a leg over Starlight's withers, drawing her close. "I am beyond proud of you, Starlight. Comforting is still my student, so I worry for her, is all... I don't remember asking you to test her."

Starlight popped out of existence, appearing a few feet away. "It was just an idea. She passed with flying colors! Rainbow would be so proud of her."

Twilight rolled her eyes at that. "Kindly resist testing her any further. She's a good filly. Now, I'm making some fritters." She pointed to the oven, on and cooking busily. "Which is why I'm here, so stop ruining your appetite!"

"Yes, mom." Starlight was not putting down her food, still chomping idly. "I hear she has a specialty now, by the way. A support wizard. She wants to focus on making other ponies do their best."

Twilight clasped her hooves together. "Aw! That sounds wonderful. How, hm, supportive of her. That seems quite fitting for a child of Fluttershy. Hm, I had been wondering if a future in biomancy was in her future, perhaps as a doctor of some variety. Medical wizards are so rare..."

Starlight shrugged. "Well, we can't decide that for her. She seems way more interested in tuning their engines rather than trying to fix broken ones. Medical wizard stay rare. Not like wizards, in general, are super common." Starlight pointed at Twilight. "I'd be happy with what I got there."

"You... have a point." Twilight willed the oven open to peek inside, grabbing a fritter free and taking a chomp. "Mmm.. Five more minutes." She closed the door. "I didn't think I'd ever tutor a wizard, and then one fell into my lap, just like that." She raised a brow at Starlight. "We just have to not mess that up, which, I suppose, includes respecting her choice of specialty. Support isn't a bad one."

"I've heard of worse." Starlight bit into her sandwich. "She could be an enchanter, enslaving ponies to her will."

Twilight snorted softly. "You..." She let that go, even if she wasn't sure how much Starlight was kidding on that one. "Magic can do many things, for good or bad. She chose a good thing, and I'm happy for that."

Author's Note

Diamond shows she can be a friend. :heart:

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61 - Full of Colors

"Are you sure?" Diamond was watching Comforting with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Mostly." Comforting's horn glowed, brightly in her own view. "I want you to focus on doing what comes naturally to you, and I will focus on what comes naturally to me, which is making you do what you do."

"And that will..." Diamond rolled a hoof slowly. "Make me a better boss?"

"If that's your talent!" Comforting had no proof that'd work. It sure wasn't a spell. She was trying something new and untested. "It's alright if you don't want to."

"I'm... a little curious." Diamond flashed a magnificent smile. "But let's try somewhere better. How about..." She bounced a hoof from building to building. "There." She pointed to Bon Bon's store. "If it works, we'll get a sweet reward."

"Or the bitter taste of defeat." But Comforting was already walking there. "Let's try!" When Diamond was standing in front of the store, Comforting directed her horn at her rich friend. "If it, hurts, tell me. I'll stop right away."

Diamond tensed. "It might hurt?" But it wasn't hurting so far. She was just being stared at intently by a concentrating Comforting. She could not see magic. She couldn't see the rainbow of colors bursting from Comforting's horn. But she could feel the warmth spreading through her body. "Woah, that feels funny." It started at her core and exploded out to her extremities; hooves, tail, and ears tingling as the rainbows, visible only to Comforting, sparkled around her. "Wow, I feel ready. Let's give this a try."

Diamond practically kicked open the door to the shop with a grin wider than her face. "I have a hunger!"

Bon Bon nodded from behind her counter. "You've come to the right place, if that hunger is for something sweet or sour." She leaned forward onto her counter. "Come on in, Diamond. How can I sweeten up your day?"

"Hm... Not a bad selection." Diamond looked from one jar to the next. There were so many to choose from. "Which do you think really suits me?"

Comforting could see the rainbow aura around Diamond sparkle with a sudden intensity, but it faded away, the whole effect vanishing. Had it done something? Had it failed?

"Suits you? Suits you..." Bon Bon trotted over and snatched a jar off the wall. "This is your perfect candy. And since you asked for my advice, I'll let you have one." She dug out one wrapped little treat and offered it towards Diamond. "You'll like it enough to come back for more."

Diamond accepted the candy. "You are the best." She quickly unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth, just to pucker just as quickly. "Sour!"

"Bare with it just a moment," Bon Bon urged.

That look of horror faded slowly, turning into a pleased expression. "Oh... not bad... The sour's hiding a really nice cherry flavor under it."

"Exactly." Bon Bon nodded firmly. "Just like you. Sour on the outside, but so sweet in the middle. Worth the trip to find it, hm?"

Diamond hiked a brow at Bon Bon. "Not sure how to take that... But the candy's good. I might come back for more." She turned for the door. "Later."

"See you later." Bon Bon waved as Diamond departed. "You can come in."

Comforting squeaked. She'd been seen? Called out, she emerged from around the corner. "Hello..."

"Hello to you too." Bon Bon set the jar she had taken from back on the shelf. "I saw you watching. Can I get you something?"

"Oh, um... I was..."

"Casting a spell on your friend." Bon Bon walked back towards her counter. "What sort was that?"

Comforting went rigid. How did Bon Bon know?! "How?"

"Hm? Oh... Tricky adults that practice can notice when magic's ahoof." She wagged a hoof at Comforting. "You felt like magic enough to be noticed through a wall, whatever that was... Now..." She folded her arms on her counter. "Gonna tell me what that was?"

Comforting remembered what Twilight had said. 'Feeling' magic was all most ponies had, since most couldn't see it like she could. Bon Bon clearly could feel it. The brilliant rainbows was a powerful sensation of something. "I was... enhancing Diamond's cutie mark."

"Were you now?" Bon Bon seemed cool and calm. "She has a very... commanding cutie mark. If she came in here and asked for half my store and I gave it, would that make you happy?"

Comforting went rigid at the thought. "No! I would yell at her if she did something like that..."

"I'm glad to hear that. Brainwashing a pony like that would be stealing... with extra steps." She leaned forward, tail wagging slowly behind her. "And very naughty... I would hate to think you're a naughty little filly. I've only heard nice things about you so far."

Comforting could feel sweat building. How did Bon Bon see through her little trick so completely. "I'm sorry," she got out in a harsh whisper. "I wasn't trying to hurt--"

"--Then you should be careful. I hear you're a practicing wizard. Being a wizard means you're walking around with dynamite. A wrong move and somepony could get blown up, or you could save the day." She moved her hooves up and down like two weights. "Only you get to decide which of those two it's going to be."

"Yes... ma'am." She considered Bon Bon, trying to think back. There was something about her... But Comforting couldn't recall it. "May... I ask. Why does an earth pony candy maker know how to feel magic?"

Bon Bon started back, a flinch really. "You never know when certain things come in handy..."

"Excuse me." Lyra stepped right over Comforting. "Bonnie!" She rushed up to the confectioner with a silly smile. "How's my favorite mare doing?"

Bon Bon colored, with indignation or embarrassment was hard to tell apart. "I'm working..." She tossed her head past Lyra. "And I was just talking with the filly you stepped over. That's very rude."

Lyra curled to look back at Comforting. "Oh, yeah, wow, sorry. I was just so eager to see Bon Bon."

Comforting smiled at that. "I don't want to be in the way of that. You two must be close friends."

"The closest." Lyra waggled her brows at Bon Bon in some meaningful way. "Doesn't get much closer as friends go."

Bon Bon's cheeks were on fire. "Lyra! She's a filly! Don't go implying things."

Implying things? Oh! Oh... Comforting's adult mind was able to take the threads and attach them properly. Oh... "Ponies do that?"

Lyra inclined her head. "Ponies do what?"

Comforting waved a hoof between the two. "Two mares?"

Lyra patted the filly gently on the head. "Why not? If they like each other. Same as a mare and a stallion, but foals are trickier."

"Lyra," groaned out Bon Bon. "Fluttershy is going to kill us both."

"She wouldn't! She's way too nice of a pony, and we didn't do anything wrong." She leaned in, smiling at Comforting. "Did we?"

"No! No... There's nothing wrong with that." Comforting reared up, hooves clasped. "It's nice that you two found a special somepony."

Lyra ruffled the mane of the filly. "You hear that? She's just as nice as her mom. You better give her a candy."

Bon Bon rolled her eyes dramatically. "I owe her nothing, but thanks. Comforting, was it?" Comforting nodded quickly. "Nice to meet you. Now, did you notice when your spell went away?"

Comforting fell to fours. "Yes... Did you?"

"I did, that much magic all balled up... Do you know why it failed?"

Comforting thought really hard about that, but... "No."

"Because she asked for something I was going to give, anyway. She got what she wanted, which still counted." Bon Bon shook her head. "A waste of that spell. Probably for the best. We wouldn't want you to have to come in here and yell at your friend if she started doing something extra naughty, now would we?" Her eyes were half lid, watching Comforting with a knowing stare.

"No! No definitely not... I didn't... I wasn't..." She felt so foalish in the literal term. As an adult, it should have been really obvious that was a bad idea for bad ponies to do. "Sorry!"

"So let's not do that again." She inclined her head at Lyra. "I am curious. If you can enhance cutie marks, what would happen there?"

Lyra blinked, suddenly relevant. "Wait, she can boost cutie marks? Awesome! Try it." She turned to present her rump and its lyre. "I wanna see this."

Comforting smiled suddenly as the topic shifted. As silly as she had been, ponies still liked her enhancing, and that was nice! "Alright. To be honest, this is not an official 'spell'. I just... kinda tried it, and it worked."

Bon Bon's eyes widened. "Get out."

"No, that's how--" Comforting didn't get to finish.

"--I mean get out." She pointed to the door. "Have a nice day!"

Comforting took a stiff step back. What had changed?! "O-oh... See you... later?"

"Another time." Bon Bon was smiling gently, but the order to leave remained in effect. "Have a safe trip home."

Comforting left, confused. Bon Bon turned to Lyra. "We have a problem."

Lyra blinked at her girlfriend. "You just scared off a nice little filly?"

"That is not the problem." Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "She just went over a line. Comforting did something she may never do again, or this may be the start of a worrying habit." She ducked down and came up with a notebook. "Either way, she's way too young to be considering new spells, but she just... did."

Lyra rubbed behind her head. "I wanted to see that new spell."

Bon Bon huffed softly. "Lyra, you attended a very elite school of magic use, did you not?"

"Celestia's! Good times, good times." She nodded, mind full of old memories. "What about it?"

"How many spells did you invent?" Bon Bon flipped open the book, making notes within. "How many spells did your schoolmates invent, before, during, or after?"

Lyra considered that with thoughtful noises. "Well, she...No... Oh, Twilight!" She flashed a brilliant smile. "She invented a whole new kind of magic."

"She sure did." Bon Bon closed the book with finality. "It was such an achievement we ended up with a new princess. Comforting is not ready for that. She doesn't even deserve it, if we're being honest. She's still learning how to be a pony, let alone being lauded for pushing the envelope." Bon Bon crossed her arms, eyes on Lyra.

Lyra reared up, hooves on her hips. "Bonnie, love you, but you're super overplaying this."

"Right. Explain your logic," calmly invited Bon Bon. "Show my mistake."

"Well, let's start with the basics. Twilight." Her horn glowed, throwing up an image of Twilight's cutie mark. "She invented a new magic idea. Friendship is magic. It's an idea, a big idea. That's what got her the princess title. Not any one new spell." She burst into giggles. "Go Twilight!"

"Go Twilight," echoed Bon Bon with far less energy. "Hm. So you're saying it's not the same because she didn't have a... larger theory behind it?"

"Yeah basically." Lyra shrugged. "She discovered one new, but very specific, spell. That's way smaller." She brought her hooves together. "Not Twilight level at all. No tiara for Comforting, even if I bet she'd look really cute! Bow to our smallest princess!"

"Yeah... no..." Bon Bon raised a brow. "It's enough to warrant monitoring her. She seems comfortable enough with you."

"Was that a pun? It was a good one. But she's Comfortable around everypony, really." Lyra looked way too pleased at her wordplay.

Bon Bon squinted at Lyra. "You know that's not what I meant... Get to know her, and keep an eye on her. That's a mission."

Lyra stiffened. "Officially? Well... If Secret Agent Sweetie Drops is asking, then I have to answer." She saluted properly. "I'm on the case."

Author's Note

Oh no...

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62 - Making Better

"Yer in our territory now." Apple Bloom scrunched her nose at the other filly that dared to intrude on them. "And we wanna know what's goin' on with that."

Scootaloo bounced in place. "Seriously, Diamond's lousy at keeping a secret, if that was supposed to be a secret."

Sweetie shook her head, seated calmly. "We're just curious. Cutie mark magic gets our attention."

Comforting considered the rumps of the fillies in front of her. They had a unifying theme, but each spoke of specific talents besides their bond. "I learned my lesson."

Apple Bloom pawed at the air. "What lesson's that now?"

Scootaloo laughed airily. "That awesome spell? Show us."

"That I should be careful." Comforting pointed to her own rump and its mark. "Just because I can make a pony better doesn't make that always a good idea. So... Before I offer that, what do you plan to do with it?"

Sweetie hummed. "That's a good idea," she sang out. "But we're good ponies, promise."

Scootaloo hopped up, pointing at her mark. "Look, mine's all about being fast and awesome. I'll just do some crazy tricks and nopony will be hurt by that."

A specific idea seemed to do more for Comforting. "That sounds harmless. So long as you don't hurt yourself doing it."

Scootaloo pulled out her helmet and popped it on her head. "All prepared! If I bang myself up, I can't keep being awesome! Besides, it'd make Rainbow sad, and we don't want that."

The other two nodded in solidarity with that.

Comforting smiled as her horn glowed with the rainbow hues of cutie mark enhancement. Why did it glow rainbow with that one spell, she was powerless to answer. "Here goes!" Scootaloo took on a ready stance as Comforting zapped her, filling her, what, soul? It felt like she was aiming for that, filling it up just like she had pony's legs and body with other spells. Enhancing seemed to involve a lot of charging batteries.

Scootaloo let out a whooping cheer as it happened. "Woah, this feels funny. A good funny, but still funny. I feel like I could fly!" A serious phrase for Scootaloo to utter. "Time to do this!" She grabbed her scooter and hopped on. "Any of you wanna ride with me?"

Sweetie shook her head vigorously. "I get the impression you're about to get even more wild than usual. I'd rather watch."

Comforting could see Scoots was glowing with a rainbow haze, the spell on her. "I wonder..." Would it all discharge at once, as had happened with Diamond, or would it be a more gradual thing? "Do what you're best at, and the spell should help."

"Already on it." Scoots powered away, her little wings fluttering wildly in a buzzing propulsion that carried her way with a grin of determination.

Apple Bloom tapped Comforting's shoulder. "One thing. She is almost certain to try somethin' brave. It's what she does. If she gets hurt, it ain't your fault. She woulda tried it with or without you. She wouldn't want you to feel bad."

Comforting tensed, visions of Scootaloo getting injured flooding her mind. "I don't want her to get hurt!"

Sweetie tapped at her horn. "So protect her. She'll be trying her best not to already."

"R-right, magic." She wasn't a protective wizard, but... She needed more spells! She didn't know one for making a pony tougher, just stronger, or jump higher, or enhance their cutie mark... "Maybe this wasn't a good idea..." But it was too late to cancel. She had already cast the spell, and Scootaloo was getting ready to use it at the top of a hill.

"Here I come," Scootaloo bellowed, kicking off and powering down the hill, faster by the second. The wind billowed in her mane as she cackled with wanton abandon, wings helping her pick up even more speed. She was glowing, at least in Comforting's eyes. The magic was being expended in a more continual drag than any burst of power. "And... Pow!" She hit a ramp and went right over the top in what felt like an instant.

She was airborne, soaring as most pegasi had license to do. Her wings beat harder and faster, the glow intensifying as the magic began to reach a fever pitch, but was also running dry quickly. "Woo!" Scootaloo was defying gravity, the scooter leaving her grip, surrendering to the pull of gravity, but she wasn't, still flying for that sweet moment.

The rainbow faded, the magic expended. She began to fall. Her forward momentum hadn't stalled, but she was gaining downwards at that uncomfortable constant of gravity that would be denied not one instant longer despite her desperately beating wings. She was crashing towards the ground all too quickly. Scootaloo raised her hooves to cover her face, screaming in fear instead of excitement. It had all gone from great to bad in an instant.

But she didn't hit the ground, instead colliding with something soft and fuzzy that she squished into the ground, tumbling over it in a flip and only smacking into the dirt after that, dust kicked up. "Woah..." She sat up, head wobbling, but she was in one piece. "Who put a mattress out?" What great timing! She looked back to see what she had bounced off of to spot that it was no mattress. She had bounced off Comforting, who was flat on the ground. "W-what?" She hurried over to the little filly. "You alright? What happened?!"

Comforting groaned, not moving much. "Didn't... want you to be hurt..."

Scootaloo looked around in a panic, but the other crusaders were there, hurrying onto the scene. "Fluttershy is going to kill us. We keep hurting her filly!"

Apple Bloom rubbed behind her head. "Not like we don't do it to each other... Still, let's get her to the hospital." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom closed with Comforting, one on either side to gently help her up and begin walking her away.

Sweetie remained close by. "That was amazing... You started to fall and Comforting took off." She swiped a hoof through the air with authority. "Woosh! She didn't say anything, just ran. She didn't stop until she was right under you, which is when you landed on her."

Scootaloo winced. "Ow... Comforting, you alright?" But Comforting didn't respond with anything coherent. On the positive, she was limping along with the help of the two foals with her. "You didn't have to do that... I've taken a few falls before. Um, but thanks! Thanks... It means a lot... That you'd just do that..."

They got her to the hospital. Redheart hurried her away on a gurney, to return not long after. "You three are a bad influence."

Scootaloo looked the most guilty, shrinking away. "I didn't mean to!"

Apple Bloom moved in front of Scootaloo, barring Redheart's accusing glare. "This was Comforting's idea. Is she alright? That's what's important."

Redheart sighed gently. "Of course... She's being seen by the doctor right now. Poor thing looks like she fell off a roof."

Scootaloo clenched her teeth, wince deepening. "The roof fell on her, actually..."

The three explained the situation and how Comforting got hurt. Redheart hissed in sympathetic pain. "A pony's body is not landing foam. While she's being treated, one of you should inform her mother. She deserves to know, and Comforting will be happier if she wakes up with Fluttershy around."

Sweetie perked an ear. "Wake up? She was already awake."

Redheart sank to her haunches with a tired sigh. "What the doctor has to do should't be done on a pony while they're awake. We put her to sleep for now. She'll be fine, but no reason for her to be in pain."

Apple Bloom recoiled. "It's that bad?! I've been in Scoota-cidents afore and ah didn't need that much care."

Redheart raised her hooves and brought them slowly together. "She's a little filly and you." She pointed at Scootaloo. "You are larger than her, and were going very quickly. We're lucky you didn't squash her flat. Now... being a little filly..." Redheart smiled gently. "She will probably bounce back from this... Just... please be more careful."

"On the case." Scootaloo dashed off. Her scooter wasn't there to ride, abandoned after the stunt.

Sweetie put a hoof to her head. "Poor Scoots... This is the second time she was involved in hurting Comforting..."

"That was foolish."

Comforting looked around. It wasn't the eternal stretching of the cosmos. It wasn't the gentle gloom of night. It was dark, no, dark was too mild. It was utter black. There simply was nothing besides herself, and Harmony. "What?"

Harmony watched Comforting with her unblinking eyes. "You love your friends. This pleases me greatly... But you hurt yourself, badly. This displeases me."

As if just remembering, Comforting took a step towards Harmony. "Is Scootaloo alright?"

Harmony inclined her head, no expression on her face. "That is your first question on that? You have a good heart. Scootaloo is fine. You are hurt. You spared her damage, and took it yourself, more than she would have gotten. Your mind is old, but your body is young and small. Your magic... You are taking after me."

"Taking after you?!" Comforting was distracted entirely. "What do you mean by that?"

"The magic of cutie marks is my domain." Cutie marks began to float around Harmony's heads, all of the mane six's on display in a slow circle. "It is where my power flows most strongly. And now you." Comforting's cutie mark popped free of her, floating above her head instead of on her rump. "You claim mastery."

"I do not!" Comforting tried to grab her mark, to little avail. "I was just giving a little push."

"What do you think I do?" With a slow push forward with a hoof, Harmony sent Twilight's mark floating towards Comforting. "A little push." Applejack's mark came next. "A little nudge. They do what their cutie mark urges, to make the world right. You have learned to walk." Harmony smiled gently. "But have not learned where to walk. Like a child, your first step was off an edge, but there was no parent there to catch you."

Comforting shrank at that. "This isn't Fluttershy's fault!"

"It isn't," agreed Harmony. "It is mine. You are a child. You learn by seeing, by copying, and by loving. You saw me. You copied me..."

"I... I do love you." Comforting smiled timidly. "I'm really sorry... I thought I was just... I didn't..."

"You are a child," reminded Harmony. "You think your age avoids that, but what do you know of destiny? What do you know of cutie marks? You are a child. Children make mistakes. It is up to their parents to protect them, and teach them. I am the one who erred today, not you."

Comforting sank to her haunches. "I don't want you to be sad."

"And yet, I am. I do not want you to hurt yourself. And yet... you did. We do not always get what we want. As an adult, you are aware of this." She spoke smoothly and evenly, watching Comforting with unshaking eyes, unblinking. "Your friends are close. They feel bad too."

Comforting thrust both hooves up. "How do I fix it?!"

"You do not... I am considering it... I shouldn't. I'm not supposed to." Harmony frowned, an expression. "Direct action from me is... The moments, those, they are clear to me, and I did not see this. I am not supposed to act."

"And so you won't." Comforting squeaked, jumping to the side to let Discord rise from the yawning nothing. "Coward."

Harmony turned their attention onto Discord. "Ordered."

"Another name for coward, yes." Discord rolled his eyes. "You have a special pony friend. I thought we were a little alike, that way... But you won't do a thing for them. Ponies are delicate! They get hurt, it happens... But we can do something about that. But you won't."

Author's Note

Mistakes may have been made... But that was an awesome jump though, right?

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63 - Orderly Entropy

"We are not that different."

Discord squinted at his orderly rival. "That's insulting. We have almost nothing in common. In fact, I dare say we're about the opposite."

"Not that different," assured Harmony in her even tones. "We both reflect a change."

"A change?!" Discord waved about at the utter black around them. "You call this change?"

"I don't like it either. I am considering how to address it." Harmony raised a hoof to her chin, Twilight's chin. "I have more rules than you, but we both seek change. I would see it grow. You would shake it and see what falls loose."

"So... make her grow." He waved at Comforting with both hands spread. "Go on, if you like it so much."

"To grow this way, she would dislike it. She may resent me." Harmony inclined her head. "It is a growth she is not ready for."

Discord shrugged at that. "When is anycreature ready for their growth?"

Comforting looked between the two of them. "What are you talking about exactly?"

"You want to be healthy again, don't you?" Discord was suddenly in her face, grinning. "You want to play with your friends and not worry your mother, don't you?"

"Unfair." Harmony frowned for but a moment. "Change has consequences. You will never again be the pony you were this morning. You will die. But you have died before. It will be a brief death. I do not think you are scared of that."

Comforting swallowed thickly, tongue feeling thick in her mouth, which wasn't real? Was any of that real? She was in some other place, speaking with some other beings. None of them were alive, technically. Just a few stray thoughts, sharing ideas. "I do want to play, and not to worry my mother... I messed up. I can't even blame anypony--" She frowned, realizing her ponyism. "Anyone else."

Harmony set a hoof on Comforting's head. "Why do you resist? You are a pony. Speaking like them does not harm you."

Discord was behind Harmony without actually moving, putting a hand on her just as she had with Comforting. "Why do you resist? You're a godling, like me. Change does not harm you."

Harmony swatted at Discord, forcing him to withdraw with laughter. She regained control over herself swiftly, but colored. "You test me. This is a time I need to be fully aware and thinking. Do not distract me further."

"I think you need to be listening, if you ask me, which you should." He raised a brow at Comforting. "Look at her. She has no idea what we're talking about."

Harmony considered Comforting. "Few do, until the change happens."

"Cruel. True... But cruel. Hey, short stack." Comforting looked up at Discord. "Hey, we only talked a few times, but I've been straight with you, haven't I?"

"Yes, sir." She took a step forward, only to stop. Her body was pain. She had one of those. She cracked an eye open. She was laying on a bed. She couldn't make out the details. Agony was sharp and deep, as if everything was broken. As if she were broken.

She blinked, back in the void, looking at Discord. "What was that? Did I wake up?"

"Unfortunately. Now... If we just sit back and wait, there's a good chance you'll slip away, or not. You may recover on your own. Neither of us know for sure... We could just let nature make the call. Sit back, do nothing... What will be, must be, you know the sayings." He rolled a hand as if bored. "And we can talk afterwards, maybe. If you're still here."

Harmony's horn glowed violently. With a toss of her head, she sent Discord flying back as she stormed forward. "I do not want that. I do not want that! I... do not... want that..." A single tear fell from her unblinking eyes. "You look me in the eyes, and you smile. You accept my embrace, and you smile. You know I have complete control, and you cheer my presence. I am God, in your view, and you are happy to be near me. I do not want this..."

Something touched her. Comforting was hugging her tightly from the side, squeezing her just as her cutie mark showed the hooves around the heart. Her heart. She didn't even have one of those... "I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to be hurt." The patron of order and harmony struggled to make the conflicting desires within it make some kind of sense. "You were never part of my plans, but you put yourself there. You tried to help. You did help. You help those around you. You are not part of the plan." Harmony was going in circles in her words and thoughts, shuddering with the conflict. "Not part of the plan..."

Discord was behind the would-be god. "Not everything can be. And it'd be terribly boring if it were."

Comforting stepped back from both. "Can you please tell me exactly what you mean? I should get a say."

"She should." Discord nudged Harmony. "But will she? She's yours. You called dibs. I won't if you're not up for it."

"This is not the plan." They were somewhere. Harmony was a tree, studded with the crystals of the elements. They were in front of the tree. "There is a process." Trees were not supposed to talk. The tree had no mouth, and yet, the words came. "There is an order. Steps. This would violate them all."

Discord shrugged. "Well, I'm not forcing you. We can just let things go their course. That's in the plan, hm?"

"I don't want this," spoke the tree with enough force to shatter itself and the world around itself, void returning. The shards of the trees fell like jigsaw puzzle pieces, reforming the far-staring Twilight form. "I will tell you. I will tell you, and you can decide. If you wish to leave... I will allow it. You asked that I ask you. That I trust you would say yes, but to ask. I am asking."

"I am listening." Comforting glanced at Discord, standing there and looking smugly fascinated. "I will listen until you are done. No interruptions."

"Thank you." Harmony gathered herself up, wings fluttering. "It will have to do. You are on a perilous path. Discoverer of new magic, unlocker of paths. You are blazing a new trail for ponies to be all they can be. You did it by accident. One other pony did this. Do you know Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?" Comforting nodded quickly. "She was the other. None guided her. She went on her own. You are now on your own."

"Not quite true," noted Discord, looking far too smug about the whole thing. "She has us! We count. Two creatures, right here, rooting her on."

Harmony was quiet a moment. "When a pony finds this fresh path, to be all they can be, to make all ponies be what they can be, when their body is destroyed, there is an alternative path opened to them. We could wait, and you may recover, or not. We could wait and let this slip by. Or we can hasten with purpose. We can destroy your form and use it to forge a new body. You would be the youngest, besides the one born in this."

Discord flicked a hand, a crown appearing on it, held by two fingers. "This could be yours, is what she's saying while being super vague about it. Want it?"

Comforting's eyes grew wide. "Me?!" She put both hooves to her chest. "Me?! I'm... just a little pony, even for a little pony. I'm still in school!"

Discord shrugged. "That is not entirely true and you know it. You're an adult where it counts, and before you give me the 'I'm not ready for it!' spiel, I will have you know that zero of the acting princesses were ready for it when it happened. They winged it, all of them. Some of them are still doing it."

Harmony inclined her head. "He is not deceiving you. We can create a new body for you, but it will have wings. Or we can leave you with the one you have, and hope."

Discord shrugged. "Or she could let me have a turn. You'll love my solution." He rubbed his hands together with mischief burning in his eyes quite literally in two cheery flames.

Comforting quickly decided she didn't want to try that answer. "Thank you, but no." She turned back to Harmony, considering her offer instead. "I'm not done with school."

Harmony nodded. "I doubt Twilight would permit you to leave. Your schooling is not complete. Wings will not change that." She considered Comforting. "You would be more squarely in my view. My wishes would echo in you. You are pledging yourself to harmony, the force."

Comforting looked between the two godlings. "I don't want to worry mom." Discord was bobbing along with that. "Or my friends." He nodded even harder. "I'm going to need even more schooling." He nodded hard enough that his head popped free into his waiting hands that continued the bobbing without the help of his neck.

"How much time passed?" Comforting had no way to know. "Did mom get there yet? Can we do this before she... arrives? Spare her even being worried?"

Harmony gazed nowhere, still a moment. "She is on the way. If we do it now, she will be worried, but for a short time. She will be more joyful, likely, when it is complete. Do you wish this? I have asked. You must answer. This is our pact."

"I have a question." Comforting worried her hooves together. They felt smaller than usual. "If you weren't asking me, what would you have done?"

Harmony inclined her head. "But I have asked you."

Discord elbowed her. "It's a theoretical question. Even you get that, hm? Go on. Pretend you didn't have to ask her. What would you do, just in theory."

Harmony managed a little frown. "Ah. Possibilities in possibilities." One could almost see the infinite mirror worlds in her eyes as she scanned through them. "A small chance I would end this. I would end you. Your influence on this world would end, and the plan as I know it would return. The confusion you bring would be terminated. The grand plan could continue." She lifted two hooves close together. "I could do this, but the odds are small and distant. I don't like that idea. I hate that some of me would accept this idea."

Discord shrugged as he popped his head back into place. "Alright, that's gloomy. Now what would you probably do, hm? That's what we both want to hear."

"I would rescue... my friend. My loyal assistant. I would stop her from suffering. I would.... I would break my rules. I would break the world, if it meant I could watch you a moment longer."

Discord set a hand on Harmony's withers. "Yeah... I know that feeling." He smiled a wistful smile. "One day I will have to face that... I'm not looking forward to it, but mine won't accept me breaking the world for her." He tossed his head towards Comforting. "Yours will, if it makes the surrounding ponies happier. Lucky."

Harmony took a slow breath, even if she had no lungs, and no body. There was no air, but she needed to take that slow breath. "Comforting Shade. I need your answer. Time draws close. Your mother approaches. I have asked, my oath almost complete. Tell me what you have decided, and I will obey it. You made me promise this." A new tear dropped luminously to the ground. "Even if it saddens me. Decide. Now."

Discord waggled the crown he still had and pantomimed putting it on his own head, waggling his brows with meaning and a big grin. "It'll be fun," he sang out, tail swishing behind him as he basically danced in place.

It was time to decide.

Author's Note

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64 - Unexpected Turn

"You shouldn't have to stop being you." Comforting smiled up at her spiritual mother. "Making you do it to save me is not fair, of me. I won't."

Harmony shuddered softly. "That is... the correct answer..." But the answer they wanted to hear? The tremble of her lips spoke against it, though her eyes remained unblinking. "I... will fulfill my oath. You are free... I hope you survive, but I will not stop you from passing if that is the case."

Discord nudged Harmony aside as if they weighed nothing. "Well, you shot her down, but we didn't make any promises. Now, me? I love breaking a few rules. It's what I do. So go on, let me! I promise you'll still have two arms and two legs." He held up two fingers with each proclamation. "And, since you have your heart set on it, two wings! All without Harmony having to get her hooves all dirty. Win win!"

Comforting considered Discord with a skeptical eye. "What do you get out of this?"

"How cold! Still, you're not wrong... I do get something out of this." With a snap, an image of Fluttershy appeared, smiling gently. "If you go, like this, it will break her little heart, which will break my little heart. We can't have that... But if I save you, well, then she'll be happy with me. And I like that. See, nothing fancy. I'm a chaos spirit of few needs." He batted his lashes at Comforting. "So let me."

Comforting poked him softly. "Will I be mad?"

"Maybe a little." He wobbled a hand. "If we're being honest, but you'll get over it, and have fun! I don't do a lot of 'not fun' things, you can trust me on that. Not my style." He flicked off some dust that surely hadn't been there before in the utter void. "Now, don't mean to hassle you, but I do need a decision. Time is running out."

Harmony set a hoof on his back. "I have a question. Why are you asking? You made no promise to ask. You could just do it. I have stepped aside, and she has no power over you, even in oath. Why do you wait? It feels against your nature."

"Oh ho! But being unpredictable is my nature." He made a tally in the void, leaving a bright white mark. "One point for chaos right there. Besides, if she says yes, I bet we'll have to chat more often, and making her mad at me forever would really get in the way of that." He set his hands on his hips. "So I want her buy in. Two options left! We wait and hope for the best... Your friends and family fret over your bedside, waiting, hoping... Or... We can spare them that. Snap!" He snapped his fingers but didn't make the trademark sound. "You are reborn, and they're spared that drama. Like that. I'm not even asking anything in return, avoiding Fluttershy's misery is payment enough."

Comforting imagined the other ponies, by her bed in the hospital. There would be sniffles in the air. They'd probably cry, just waiting for her to bounce back, or not. It would hurt them all... "I don't want that... At all..." The idea of inflicting such pain, when she had the choice not to... It felt just as selfish as demanding Harmony betray herself. "Please."

"As you command."

His snap broke the world.

To most spirits, it would be a confusing and new place, but Comforting had visited the astral plane once before. She landed with a soft oomph as she splatted on her belly as if she had been tossed bodilly there. "What?" She sat up and looked around. Compared to the void, it felt practically busy with the infinite stars in all directions. "Celestia?"

"Close." Discord casually stepped around a galaxy, wearing Celestia's rainments. The torc bounced against his chest as he jogged closer. "But not quite. Now, there is a tradition to this, and I'm not really a big 'tradition' kinda guy, but I thought maybe it'd be fun?"

Comforting reared up and bopped one of his barely hanging on golden gloves, sending it flying away into space. "This isn't your look."

"It really isn't." He casually shook off the rest of Celestia's clothing, tiara falling by his feet. "Now, Twilight visited here once, and left a princess! You will not do that."

"I won't? I'm... not upset at that, but still confused." Comforting peered down the path between the stars. "If not a princess, then what? You said two arms, two legs, and two wings."

"Oh, yes. I did promise... Now, me? I don't do promises often, but I did make that one, and I plan to keep it, so there." He blew a ripe raspberry at the confused Comforting. "So let's get walking as I highlight your most, mm, chaotic moments."

He cleared his throat before dissolving into a coughing bit. "You know what? Forget the song. Those are always so hard. How about a rhyme? Zecora would be proud. Did you meet her? You should, classy mare."

Comforting followed after Discord with clear confusion. "Alright?" There was no harm in some rhyming, right?

"It all started here. Sight extending clear. You were very dead. You refused an end." To their left, an image of Celestia with her head down low, whispering to a faded mote of light.

He held up a hand to whisper, "I wouldn't want to go out that way either. Now where were we? Ah, yes. Meeting chaos gods. Beating all the odds." A new image appeared, Comforting and Discord meeting hoof to hand, both smiling.

Comforting squinted at the image. "Did we ever do that?"

"It's symbolic," sighed out Discord. "Went to school for teens.... Oh forget it. Hats off to zebra-butt. How does she do it so effortlessly?!" He snapped his fingers, causing Zecora to pop into being. "Mmm, no, if I end up with an alizebra, I will be haunted forever." Another snap, and Zecora was sent home with some confusion. "Let's just talk. Everything you saw, you changed. You weren't allowed at that school, but you managed it. The moment you got in, you got to changing it from the inside. You made friends and got to changing them." Images of the Young Six appeared. "You reached out to a griffon. You reminded a yak of old ways from an old soul. You gave a pony a chance to be an older brother. You taught a changeling that just looking is not enough to really see." Each statement came with an image of the event. "You even tried to break fate itself, to help them. Sure, you failed..." An image appeared of the Young Six and Harmony putting an end to Cozy Glow's scheme. "But you tried. You are and were a force of chaos from the start... You just didn't realize it."

A new image, Harmony smiling in her distant way. "Why, even her. She loves you, you know, in that detached way she has, but she's admitted it herself. You're not part of her plans. I think maybe that's why she likes you so much, because she knows she couldn't boss you around, but you eagerly want to help her anyway. It's a new thing, for her. Little chaosling, you've come so far, and I am so proud."

"You're acting like you... We barely talked! I thought you were avoiding me, to be honest." Comforting scrunched her face at him. "Why the turnaround now?"

"That's easy! I wasn't sure what to do." He stroked his beard softly. "And, being the social butterfly I am, I just shut up and watched. But, I did watch... Kept half an eye on you the entire time." A new image, Diamond Tiara, locked in stone. "Good look for her... " A new image, Comforting's eyes shifting colors wildly. "Ah, almost forgot. You were already a shapeshifter, and that's not a normal pony thing."

"It's just my eyes." She pointed at herself, but had no mirror to see if they had changed. She was pretty sure they had.

"That's still more than they usually do. Trust me on this. But let's get to the real meat of things." Many images formed, snatches of time with Harmony and Comforting chatting silently with one another. "You gave her quite the confusion, and she kept coming back for more. You took destiny itself, tweaked its nose, and challenged it, and if that isn't chaotic, what else even compares?" He clapped his hands with a grin. "I love it."

"Why are you going over this? I'm not a chaos spirit."

"Hmmm..."

Comforting didn't like that noise. "You're hiding something from me."

"Yes, but not for long." He came to a smooth halt. "We've reached the end of the line." That was literal, the road among the stars ending just past him. "Which means it's time for you to take your next step." He reached for her and casually snatched out... something. It felt quite odd coming out of her, as if someone casually plucked out her liver, without pain, and still attached to her somehow. "This is the chaos I was speaking of. I'm not taking it, promise. In fact, it's the key to the next step, isn't that lovely? Now..." He raised the glow and Comforting hovered up with it. "It's time."

Strange pins and needles swept through her with a sharp gasp. It was like her body was on fire, not burning, but... changing? Something was happening, and she squirmed, floating in the air, with the strange sensations of it. "W-what?" She squeezed her eyes shut, senses overloaded. She had to surrender, washed away in the torrent of change that threatened to overwhelm her entirely. Is that what Twilight had felt?

Fluttershy squeaked. She had just gotten in the door when Comforting vanished with a bright pop. "W-what?"

"Outside!" came a call from the waiting area, Apple Bloom shouting. "Outside!"

Fluttershy took a step back, staring at where Comforting had been. "I'll be right back," she promised, unsure if it would be heard by the filly not even there. She raced out to find the crusaders outside, gawking as strange new colors swirled together into a ball, making hues that'd never seen before, or even knew were possible.

There was no word to describe them, being beyond the perception of all watching it, but they knew the colors were new and intense, as if blue and red were somehow brought together instead of the fake combination of pink, and there were many of them, congealing into a ball.

With a loud splitting tear, the ball began to split like an egg suddenly broke in half. Dropping out of this strange structure was a little figure that coughed and shook.

"Oh my..." Fluttershy began to approach the strange creature. "What... are you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Discord opened a door to enter. It vanished when he closed it behind himself. "The result of my hard work."

Fluttershy quirked an ear back where she had come from in the hospital. "I should... get back to Comforting. DIscord, do you know where she is?"

"I certainly do." He waved over the form as it rose not to four legs, but two. "I present, Comforting Shade."

Fluttershy and the crusaders all gasped in shared shock.

"Hi, mom," ventured the new Comforting awkwardly. "I hope I didn't worry you."

"You... certainly did... But if you're alright now..."

Scootaloo was on Comforting in a flash. "Woah! You got wings!" She was not shy about inspecting them with her hooves. "But they don't match..."

Apple Bloom squinted at Discord. "Just like somecreature else ah know! What'd you do to her?"

Discord raised his hands. "Hey. I only did what she asked for, nothing more than that."

Sweetie raised a hoof to her chin. "Is she even a pony?"

Fluttershy swallowed thickly. "I... don't think we could say that..."

Author's Note

All hail the new Comforting! Not a princess.

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66 - We Meet, Again

Comforting clenched her fingers. It was a thing she couldn't stop doing. After so long not having them... she finally had fingers again, and ignoring them felt impossible.

"Ya alright?" Apple Bloom was right in front of her, sniffing gently. "That musta been somethin' else. Ya sure yer okay?"

Comforting reached for Apple Bloom with her new dragon fingers, rubbing Apple Bloom's ear gently. It was as soft as she had had hoped for. "Confused, which is going around... a lot, but I'm alright." A glow manifested around her other arm, tugging gently. Comforting looked to Sweetie, the source of it. "Something wrong?"

Sweetie gave another little pull. "No offense... but you're a bit of a mess."

"Hey." Discord leaned in from over Sweetie. "She is no more 'messed' than anycreature else here."

Fluttershy turned instead for her cottage in the distance. "We should... go home. A good night's rest will help."

Comforting followed after her, new long tail twitching. "I'm not that tired." She felt... energized, really. Despite that, she followed her mom.

"You'll get used to that." Discord floated along with them, leaving the crusaders behind. "Sleep is now an optional thing. Do it because you want to do it. Or don't, because you don't want to do it. Simple, hm?"

"But..." Comforting scratched at a tufted ear with a dragon's set of claws. "What about when everypony else is asleep?"

"Then you either find something else to do, you bother them anyway, or you take a nap because you're bored." He shrugged, floating with her. "I've done any of the three before."

Fluttershy giggled softly. "Is that why you stopped by that one time?"

Discord looked away. "I admit nothing."

Fluttershy inched a little closer to Comforting. "I... want to be honest with you. You're... still my child. If I can't be honest with you, um, well that's no good... This... This is new, and strange." She took a slow breath. "It's going to take some getting used to."

Comforting directed a thumb at herself. Oh, she had a thumb. Two in fact. She was distracted a moment hiking them at things in a returned ability to do so. "That goes for me too... But I'm still your daughter and love you. And I still want to go to school and learn things. I'm still me."

Discord grabbed both of them, one arm around either. "You're, sorta, mine too!"

Both recoiled, eyeing him with surprise and doubt. "What?" He waved over Comforting's form. "There are exactly two of this in all of Equestria. I'm the other one. I helped make you, as daddy's tend to do. How do I not fit the bill?" He presented Comforting with a receipt.

Comforting peered at the receipt, eyes flashing in a wave of colors. "Hm."

Immortality
Cosmic Powers (in progress)
Friendship!

Not being dead

Daddy Discord

Fluttershy suddenly darkened. "Wait. Discord! Was this a way to get closer to me?"

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked with an arched brow.

"If you're her father, and I'm her mother, then we are connected in a new way." She waved a hoof between Comforting and Discord.

Discord coiled around Comforting, squeezing her. "Really?! I would never had guessed," he assured with a surprised gasp. "What a lucky coincidence. I already like the two of you, and now we're even closer."

Comforting gave her father(?) a light patting. "I almost hate to ask... cosmic powers?"

"About that!" Discord unwound from her and sprang in front of her, though floating backwards along with their motion. "I didn't write 'in progress' for nothing. Right now, you have no magic. Not even a drop. I mean, technically, you have plenty of magic, but you have no idea how to use it. Go on, try."

Comforting willed her horn, which she still had one of, to glow, but she saw two lights out of the corner of her vision. "Huh?" She reached up to inspect herself and discovered that she had been wrong. She had one horn in her field of view, right where she expected it. But there was another horn coming out to the side, thicker and smoother. A yak horn. She had a yak horn and a changeling horn. "Huh..."

Discord tapped the discovered yak horn. "They say that your friends are a part of you. You just went and made that literal. I wonder what they'll think of it."

Comforting's glow stopped as she thought of the reaction of the other students to her sudden taking the shape of their various parts. "I hope... they're alright with this... Oh, magic." She waved talons at a rock, willing it to be shrouded in flowers, but nothing happened... "Hey."

"Told you. You're not a unicorn anymore. Now, a changeling horn is like a unicorn horn. So, if you want, you could just get a feel for it and go right back to unicorn magic." Discord clapped his hands, watching Comforting with a smirk. "Or you can move right on past it. We're not limited to unicorn magic. Consider this an upgrade."

Fluttershy frowned with that. "She worked hard to learn her magic. Taking that away isn't very nice at all."

"But I didn't!" He threw his arms aside, either landing a few feet away from the rest of himself. "What she learned is still helpful, even if she never goes back to doing it the unicorn way. How things work is good to know. You can just do it a new way." His arms casually returned to their original places. "Now, if we're done complaining, I can show you how to do things the Discord way!"

"The Discord way? So..." She raised her dragon arm and put her fingers close together, preparing. "Snap." And she snapped.

The entire world was frozen, completely solid.

Well, except Discord. He crossed his arms with a sigh. "That was silly of you. I hadn't even finished explaining it. Still, points for that 'go get 'em' attitude." He zipped in close to his daughter with a grin. "When you snap, you draw the attention of the universe. And now it's watching, and waiting. You didn't give it instructions, so we're stuck here in the paused moment. Now, eventually, the universe will get tired of waiting and things will continue. Now, there are two ways to do this. One, you do it yourself while the universe is distracted. Or two, you get the universe in on it. Two is trickier, you have to ask for something the universe wants to do, and it's picky. Think your friend Harmony, but even bigger, more powerful, and even less personable."

He drifted away with a laugh. "On the other hand, if you get the universe in on it, well, that's pretty powerful. But it's rarely worth all the bother. If the universe wanted it, it'd already be happening, so I don't suggest that."

"Harmony!" squeaked out Comforting.

"Like her, yes." Discord nodded lightly.

"No, there." Comforting pointed past Discord to where Harmony was seated calmly, watching them. "Harmony! Hello!"

Harmony inclined her head. "You are now a breaker. The plan is ruined. The plan is broken..." She sighed gently, drooping. "We are now in a new place... Are you the same? You can't be. You have changed..."

Discord whirled to face his orderly rival. "Don't be all melodramatic about it. Plans are made to be broken. Just means we make up a new one!" He set a hand down on Comforting's head. "And here she is. Of course she changed. Don't we all? Even you've changed."

Harmony inclined an ear. "That... is not incorrect. You have no need of me. Chaos and change are what you have. You have shed my mark. You are entirely free of my influence."

Comforting hurried towards Harmony, but the distance between them never seemed to shrink. "What do you mean, mark?"

Harmony lifted a hoof at Comforting's hips. "Even the parts of you that remain a pony do not have their mark. They entirely separated you from me."

Comforting looked herself over. There was no cutie mark. "Oh... But I was helping before I got one. Why would this make a difference?"

Harmony inclined her head at that. "Is it that simple? You are free."

"That just means you have to keep your promise, which you were doing before... even when it hurt. I appreciate that, a lot." She took a more calm step forward and reached Harmony's side where all the running had failed. "That had to be hard."

"It was," agreed Harmony with a slow breath. "And now, here you are... I do not have a 'boss', but if I did, this is as close as we could get, and you have drawn their attention to yourself, to me, to us... Now they are aware of how badly I failed, allowing the plan to be shattered..."

Discord put an arm around either of them. "Sure, but will do they anything about it? I doubt it. They're not really the 'get up and do things' kind of being. That's half of why we're around, isn't it, Harmony girl?"

Harmony suddenly pricked up. "Have you..." She poked at Comforting. "Did he?"

"Did he what?" Harmony's eyes swirled with fresh colors with her confusion, settling on an off-violet in her left, though her right returned to their amberish hue. "What's wrong?"

Harmony clopped a hoof down in a rare showing of a flared emotion. "You did that on purpose. You made her one of us. Not a princess, but a watcher. You made her a peer."

Discord held up two fingers close together. "That's being a bit overly dramatic about it. She's not as everything as we are. How could she be? She doesn't even know how to do anything yet. She's our junior!" He adjusted the tie he hadn't been wearing before, dudded up in professional attire. "And we expect great things from you."

Comforting squeaked, realizing she was also wearing business formal. "You have to finish showing me how to even think about that before I can. Speaking of that, wh--" Time resumed. She was standing in front of Discord.

Fluttershy blinked softly. "Did it not work? I didn't see anything happen." She looked around for the result of Comforting's snap, but nothing was there to see. "I guess you have to practice."

Discord elbowed Comforting lightly. "You've already learned that lesson. All good things take practice to get right and all that. Did you think being one of me would skip that? Well, actually... it can, but you haven't learned that trick just yet." He opened a door that hadn't been there. "I'll let you two get comfortable." He left them, the door popping out of existing when it was closed.

Fluttershy made it to her cottage, opening the door and turning back to Comforting. "A... lot has happened today."

"Y-yes... Mom, this was... this was my fault." Comforting sagged with the admission. "I was helping Scootaloo and didn't think it all the way through and she was going to get hurt, so..."

"So you did your best to protect her." Fluttershy smiled gently. "I imagine she deserves some of the blame, and I imagine she's already punished herself quite a bit. I'm... Comforting, this... This has gotten even more important." She ran a hoof through the air from the bottom up. "You are not a pony... You're still Comforting, but you're not a pony. You are something that can cause even more trouble with your magic, as you learn it... I'm not saying this to make you upset, but if you don't want to cause a lot of trouble, you have to consider what you do long before you actually do it."

Something seemed to click for Fluttershy. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"Oh," repeated Fluttershy. "This is why Discord doesn't just make our problems go away when he could, in theory, do that." She smiled gently. "Thank you, for helping me understand him a little better."

Author's Note

Comforting has a new lease on life (again), but seems mostly alright with it, so long as those around her are. But will they be?

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67 - New Chapter

It was hard to put a finger on it. That she had fingers to put on things was a new, but familiar, thing. Comforting hopped down for the morning floor. "She didn't come." Harmony hadn't visited her the night before. Some part of her was hoping she would, and another part was worried she would. "We're still friends..."

Something in the air... felt different. Some strange subtle pressure, gone, changed? She struggled to put a word to it even as she stretched out each altered limb one by one. They were all mismatched, but they were all hers. They all felt like they belonged to her, as if she were born with them. There was no dysphoria there, in fact, she felt... good.

Gazing in a mirror, she liked the creature that smiled back at her, pony snout turned in a joyful expression. Her eyes swirled with colors, which only got more intense a moment when she realized it was happening. When she thought about it, they calmed down, one going amber, the other settling into a rainbow of hues. But they were both dazzling, and hers. "I... am kinda cute." She blew a kiss at the reflection and giggled.

Not many ponies would be rushing for her strange hand, but she wasn't asking their opinion on the matter. She was adorable, she decided, and she was the only one that had to be convinced of that. "Looking good." She fired a double finger gun at herself, and a cup across the room behind her suddenly fell over as if shot. "What?" She hurried over to gather the cup and clean the water that she had just spilled. "This is going to take some work..." Why didn't fantastical cosmic powers come with a manual?!

"You didn't make one." Discord was standing next to her without much warning at all. "But nice trick with the finger guns there."

Comforting squeaked in surprise, hopping free of her skin with her fright and finding herself a mass of exposed muscles, nerves, and various viscera. It didn't hurt as much as one might think. "Huh..."

He reached down to grab her skin and offer it towards her. "You dropped this."

She grabbed her skin with a dragon's paw. "Thanks." With some wriggling, she got it on like a suit and it popped back into being part of her. "Has that happened to you before?"

"More times than I care to count." A large number appeared over his head. "I said more than I want to count." The numbers trudged off, drooping and sad. "Really, I did tell them ahead of time. Now, welcome to your first day as a chaos spirit!" He clapped his hands. "I'm so excited! I hope you are too."

"I do want to know more," started Comforting with an unsure voice. "But I also have school and I'm not calling out because Daddy Discord wants me to practice something else."

Discord grinned in a new way. "Daddy Discord... It sounds even more fun when you say it, truth told. Now, I want to be sure, you're not mad at me, are you? You did kinda say yes in the heat of the moment. Just making sure you're not having second thoughts now."

"Second, third, fourth?" She counted on talons as she went. "I have a lot of thoughts, and school." She stuck out her tongue at him. "But I'm not mad. I still haven't figured this all out... but it's me, and I don't hate me, so, can't hate this." Simple logic, so far as she saw it. "See you after school?"

Discord ruffled her hair, fingers running over her long tufted ears. "I had been meaning to ask... Do you know about this?" He tickled at her tufted ear.

"Flutterbat?"

He recoiled his hand. "Huh, that's a yes. I do wonder why you ended up with that of all the parts of your dear mother you could have gotten." He shrugged softly. "Don't tell her I said so, but I think she rather enjoys that bit of her... Decisive and forward, flutterbat is free of the shackles she normally carries around."

"I can see that..." Comforting rubbed at her chin thoughtfully, scratching a bit with her new dragon claws. "She's pretty great as she is."

"Right?!" Discord swatted Comforting on the back. "Glad we agree. Have a good day at school, champ. Oh--" He snapped his fingers and produced two bundles from nowhere in a puff of smoke. "Breakfast and lunch. You're up early, so Fluttershy hasn't had a chance to prepare them. I'll tell her you've taken off."

Comforting accepted the packages. "That's really thoughtful of you. Thank you."

Discord clasped his hands together. "And they said I didn't have it in me to be a good father figure. Ha! I can do anything I want to do."

She waved as she scampered past him. Comforting burst through the door out onto the front lawn. A new enemy faced her. Angel frowned at her with some meaning only he could know.

"Nope." She flapped her new wings and tried to fly over the rabbit, just to flop to her belly. Flying was not an effortless thing. "Practice," she groaned to herself.

Angel landed on her head, standing tall and triumphant.

"You win this time..." She swatted at him, making him bounce off. "Rematch later." She scampered back to her feet and got to jogging into town. A friendly face. She veered towards the two fillies with a big smile. "Diamond! Silver!"

Both looked at her with confusion and worry. Diamond clopped a hoof to her cheek. "The crusaders were not joking."

Silver Spoon inclined her head. "Wait, like, seriously? Comforting?"

"That's me." She hiked a thumb at herself and bounced up into the chair at a 90 degree angle from the two others. "Good to see you!"

Diamond looked Comforting from top to bottom. "You... have a lot of everything going on there, don't you?"

Silver nodded firmly. "Like Discord."

"Just like Discord," agreed Comforting. "But it's still me, and we're still friends, right?"

Diamond waved that away. "Please. Even if we were being purely mercenary, you just got more valuable, not less." She plonked a hoof on Comforting's head, mussing her hair. "And we were already friends. But you have to tell us what it feels like. From the outside you look like an explosion of... everything."

Silver whistled softly. "That's putting it mildly. I'm, like, surprised you can walk at all. Scootaloo said you were really hurt last time I talked to her, and here you are, just... bouncing along, like, and... this." She waved at Comforting wildly, trying to get the entire situation within her wave.

Comforting colored faintly, but her eyes were on the drinks of her friends. "You two always know what's delicious. May I have one while we chat?" All too soon, a new tall glass was placed in front of her. "Thanks." She grabbed it with both hands and began nursing the straw. "This is going to sound confusing... but I know what having these are like, so this is a homecoming." She wriggled her fingers on the glass, still drinking.

Diamond poked at Comforting's dragon arm. "Gonna guess it wasn't scaled and feather and furry all at the same time."

"That part's new," allowed Comforting with a little nervous laugh. "Um, awkward question... but how do I look? Tell it to me straight, from your eyes."

Silver adjusted her glasses as if that was very required to get a good look. "Hm. It's a, like, unique look, for sure."

"Way to be safe." Diamond smirked at her fellow earth pony friend. "Let me just out and say it. It's strange. Really strange. That isn't ugly, or not ugly, it's just strange. Until that wears off, it's hard to give bigger opinions. Some of you is pretty... A lot not, what is it..." She held up her hooves and slowly ran them back over her face. "On regular creatures, left is right and right is left. You're busy laughing at the idea, and I can't ignore that."

Comforting was still a moment. "Huh... First... Thanks. That hurts, but it's also exactly what I asked for, and I appreciate that. Thank you for keeping it real."

Diamond thrust a hoof at Comforting. "You can pay it back by telling me like it is when I need to hear it." Talons to hoof met. "Now, seriously... You look like him, but do you have all his... stuff?"

Silver began clapping. "Yes! Can you make it rain chocolate?"

Comforting peeked up at the mostly clear sky. "Hm... I'm still learning how to... that. It was only yesterday! I can't even magic right now."

Diamond gasped with shock. "You worked so hard to learn those spells! Sister! You have to be super mad right now."

Comforting giggled gently. "I am really happy to hear you caring about me, but I'm not mad. I'll learn how to get those back, and more, from the sound of it... It just isn't being instant for me." She brought up her fingers, but caught herself before actually snapping. "It won't be a snap."

Silver adjusted her glasses lightly. "We should get to, like, school and stuff. You too I bet. Or are you off while you get yourself back together?"

"No rest for the wicked." Comforting shared waves with the fillies and they all set off to their educational goals.

"Woah." Gallus spotted her and peered with undisguised wonder. "That is something else." He began pointing to the various limbs. "Ocellus, Silverstream, Sandbar, Smolder, Yona..." He tapped her big yak horn. "In two places. How'd you... Where am I in this? Don't I count?!"

Comforting patted his shoulder with a dragon's hand. "Of course you count. In fact, you're right behind me, keeping me upright, even now." She half-turned, wagging her leonine tail about. "Right here."

Gallus' brows fell as one. "Really? I get a tail?" He crossed his arms, his own tail curling. "Not sure how I feel about that..."

Comforting hopped back, facing Gallus properly along the way. "You're alright with it, overall?"

"Was... this even a thing you did? Or did it happen to you? I'm pretty lost here, help a griffon out." He threw one hand wide. "This isn't normal."

"Hey, Gallus." Smolder was jogging up from the direction of the school. "Did yo--- What?" She peered at the strange new creature that happened to have one of her arms. "And this is why you're not moving."

Gallus waved in a casual motion at Comforting. "Yep. This is Comforting, somehow. I didn't get proof yet."

Smolder cocked a brow. "No proof, huh? I'll be the judge then." She smirked viciously. "If you're really Comforting, tell me something I don't know about... Hmm... Rainbow Dash. She likes to gloat, I doubt you have anything I haven't heard of before."

Comforting scrunched with thought. Rainbow Dash? Hm... "She's younger than my mom by a little. When she was going for the first rainboom, mom was so cute and lanky! That was where they both got their cutie mark."

Smolder swatted Comforting's new shoulder. "I've heard that story, minus the Fluttershy part, but you sound like her and talk like her. I'm going with it." She fired a double thumbs up. "Now tell me why you have my arm because that's really freaky!"

Comforting rubbed her hippogriffon's arm with the dragon's hand. "Sorry, I didn't pick that... but I also kinda like it. We're even closer now. Um... So... I'm a chaos spirit now."

Gallus scrunched his face. "You're a what now?"

"Like Discord?" ventured Smolder more pointedly. "Get out. Can you do any chaos-stuff?"

"Still in training. No magic right now." Well, except for making glows that only she could see. "Oh!" Her eyes swirled with the thinking of it. "I can still do this." She pointed at her eyes as they slowly went blue and purple and red and back to their starting point.

Smolder laughed at that. "Cool, kinda small, but still cool. Look, we should get in school." She began leading her friends inside. "You can tell us all about it. All of us, instead of repeating it six times."

Author's Note

Comforting meets her friends anew, and isn't immediately chased out of town. Yay! But now we are in new territory. The plans are shattered. Anything could happen now. We're in the most dreaded of places, AU land.

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68 - One for All, All for One

Sandbar hoofed at Comforting's side. "Wow... Why a leg?"

"You didn't get a tail." Gallus rolled his eyes in a mighty gesture. "So stop complaining."

"Yak is best, so get more." This seemed like simple logic to Yona, nodding with approval at how much more yak got than the others. "Good at using?" She tapped at the yak horn. "Fun!"

"Is it?" Comforting looked up at her new horn and the yak examining it. "How is it fun?"

Yona gasped with shock. "How fun? Easy! Crash into things." She shook her head in clockwise and counter motions. "The faster you're going, the better. Got yak horn, got yak head. Yak have strong head!"

"Strongest?" suggested Ocellus.

"Strongest," agreed Yona with a nod. "And proving it is fun. Run into things. Break them."

Comforting put both of her new hands on the thick yak horn. "But I only have one."

"So?" Yona inclined her head away from the new horn. "Lean into. Watch." She turned and looked around before huffing. "Headmare Twilight get angry if show here..." There was nothing she could crash into without creating destruction of the school property, to her clear annoyance. "Will show later."

Ocellus circled around Comforting to peek at her changed friend's back. "Do those work?" Her horn glowed as she plucked carefully at Comforting's mismatched wings.

"Maybe?" Comforting looked over her shoulder as she spread her new wings. "I don't know how yet. I don't know how a lot of this. It's me, but that doesn't mean I get me."

Silverstream burst into giggles. "I get that. When I first got onto land, I was so confused. What do you mean you can't swim around?!"

Smolder huffed with a small curl of flames. "Imagine that... Well, you're still Comforting, so you're still a friend." Noises of approval rose up. As odd as Comforting appeared, she was still their friend. "Just let me know when you get that magic worked out. I want to see that."

Gallus rolled a hand in the air. "You sure you want to see that? There's a reason they turned Discord to stone."

Comforting squeaked at the thought. "I'd never be that mean, and neither would he, again... He learned his lesson..."

Sandbar moved to stand next to Comforting. "Yeah. She's still Comforting. Can you really imagine Comforting being mean with her magic?"

Gallus smirked at that. "On purpose? No. On accident? Yes, easily."

Comforting's cheeks burned all the brighter. "I'll try not to!"

Smolder poked the chimeric being. "I'm pretty sure you wouldn't mess with us on purpose." Noises rose in agreement. "And we'll be here to help keep you on the straight and narrow." She flashed a grin. "But not too narrow." Her tail wagged with the mischief on her mind.

Comforting smiled at the unified support being shown. "You're all so good!" She clapped her hands together in a firm meeting, fingers entwining. "This is why I'm alright being a little of all of you. I'm a lot of pieces of good things."

Sandbar consider that with a hoof to the chin. "Yeah... Not how I'd want it, but sure. So... does it mean something? I mean, the parts we got? Was it just... random?"

"Random would fit..." Comforting considered it and reached up for her horn. "A changeling horn can do unicorn magic, but has a different view. It fits nicely." She slid her hippogriff hand towards her feathery ear. "My color, but there are two lovely birds I know that probably added to this. They help me hear... and hold my mane in place."

Sliverstream laughed at that. "And you have my arm!" She grabbed for that arm, taking hold of its hand. "Do you like it?"

"I do." Comforting squeezed Silverstream in return. "I like having fingers again."

Smolder hiked a brow. "Again?"

Oops! "Um. And this." Comforting grabbed across her face to reach her yak horn with her right dragon arm. "Yona reminds me that sometimes you have to go forward, even if it seems scary."

"Yes, extra when then." Yona nodded with certainty. "Glad you listen."

Smolder tapped at a draconic wing with the end of a claw. "I got two bits too. So what do my parts mean, since you seem to have this all worked out."

"Dragons and yaks are about confidence," assured Comforting with a big smile. "Even now, all mixed up, I feel like I love me, and that's important." She hiked a dragon's thumb at herself. "Confidence. Maybe that's why you two got two? I feel good about me." She hopped away from the grasping hands and hooves.

Gallus crossed his arms, foot tapping at the ground as he lashed his tail. "And me? Not sure how that tail means much."

Comforting reached behind herself with both hands, grabbing the feline tail firmly. "Tails do two things. They help you keep upright, and they can help show the world how you feel." Her tail curled even as she felt it. "You have a very nice tail."

Gallus colored. "Which you now have! And... are enjoying way too much." He looked away. "Cut it out..."

Silverstream casually snatched Gallus' tail. "She's right. Your tail is pretty great." This prompted the two to wrestle with laughs and squawks as they vied for dominance.

Sandbar poked her on her pony leg. "I help keep you standing?"

"Close," sang out Comforting. "You're a stable pillar."

Yona inclined her head. "Huh. Yona see that. Yona is second pillar! Keep Comforting up."

Ocellus pointed to the hallway. "We should get back to class before we get in trouble. "

Sandbar joined her in heading for the exit. "Glad you're alright, Comforting."

Smolder fired a thumbs up. "Next time we have to wrestle with all the magic of Equestria, you have to help out more. No excuses!" Her laughter followed her out to the next class.

Yona patted Comforting lightly, well, lightly for Yona which still had comforting wobbling. "Be best Comforting. All ask." And she walked off with a satisfied smile.

Silverstream clapped both hands on Comforting's shoulders. "I've changed shapes before! I do it all the time." She waved at where Ocellus already fled. "Her too! Um, just mean that I get it. It's not even weird, just new! New can be good." She headed out, giggling.

Gallus headed for the door with the others. "We still have plans, discorded or not."

Comforting joined the slow wave, leaving the room for more educational things.

"Hm." Twilight considered her magical student. "Hm..."

"Hm."

Comforting raised a brow. "Hm?"

"Hm," echoed Twilight again. "Are you... in pain?"

"No." Comforting crossed her arms. "If I was, I'd want a reward for doing all of school while hurting."

"And I'd give you one... after I yelled at you for not telling us sooner so we could send you home." Twilight smiled gently. "This is... a lot... Your horn has been modified. Can you use magic?"

Comforting considered the spells she knew. "Flowers!" She waved at her desk and nothing happened other than the glow from her new horn. "I remember how... but it doesn't work..."

"You're singing off key."

Comforting blinked. "What?"

Twilight pointed up at Comforting's horn. "You're playing the right notes, but in the wrong key. On the bright side, it means you can control your new horn, but it's not your old horn. You just need to learn the difference." She raised the same hoof to her own horn. "That would distract me terribly! I can only imagine and I don't like what I'm imagining."

With her own, operating, horn, Twilight grabbed a sheet and pulled it over to lay flat in front of Comforting. "Back to the basics. Go over the scales and practice the charts. When you get the runes down with your new horn, your magic should come back to you. Now! Having said that, you've been through quite an adjustment! If you want to just wait on this, I completely understand."

But Comforting was giving Twilight a new look, eyes swirling purple a moment.

"But you aren't going to do that." Twilight smiled a little. "I understand that too. Now... as you are likely aware, you've become something new."

"A chaos spirit," suggested Comforting. "I don't feel very... spirity. Thought that was way more gaseous, if we're being honest about it."

Twilight wobbled a hoof. "I am told you don't know how to chaos just yet... and to be clear, chaosing is against school policies! No chaosing during classes."

Comforting blinked slowly, colorful eyes swirling. "Was that really a rule? Why?"

"It... wasn't until we discussed this..." Twilight slowly turned away. "We want you to continue finding an education here, but we need to protect both you and the other students, so no chaosing in class." She swiveled an ear back, but didn't look. "Smolder isn't allowed to set things on fire. Ocellus has been told not to shapeshift. Many of our students have talents that are wonderful and grand, but not helpful in education." She finally turned back to Comforting. "And that was true of you before. Magic mid-class is not allowed! Unicorn or chaos, that rule hasn't really changed, hm?"

"True..." She leaned forward on her arms on the desk. "Everyone seems excited for me to learn how to chaos properly. Are you waiting for that too?"

Twilight took an unsure step back. "I can't say I share that same enthusiasm... Discord's magic is quite... a force. That you'll have some portion of it is worrying, but I know there's a good pony in there, and I trust her to use it gently." Her worry turned to a kind smile. "Comforting things is your specialty. Speaking of that." She leaned to the side. "You've lost your cutie mark... Do you feel disoriented?"

Comforting peeked back at where a mark had been. "I'm still me..." She reached back to rub at the yak fur that covered the spot. "And you know me, mark or no mark."

"Certainly... but a mark does have some power, especially... Oh." Twilight sat back. "I'm being silly. Of course. You aren't doing anything related to your mark, so how would you know? Maybe after you've regained your magic, we can tell. I'm putting the cart before the pony, as it were."

Comforting stuck out her tongue at that. "I may be a chaos spirit, by the way, but you are still my teacher, and I will still listen to you. You know a lot of things I don't, and--"

"Thank you." Twilight put a hoof on Comforting's chest. "I didn't... realise I needed to hear that, but I did." She smiled brightly. "Which is proof, I suppose. You are still Comforting, living up to that name."

She swept with her hoof from Comforting's horn to her shoulder? "You are two parts changeling. Can you shapeshift?"

Comforting blinked owlishly. "I never had practice with that."

"Yes, you have." Twilight pointed at Comforting's eyes, that swirled in response. "This, you said it was the same as changeling changing, did you not? If it's the same now, then..."

"Then maybe," admitted Comforting breathlessly. "Wow. I didn't think of that." she clapped a hand to her cheek. "You're so smart!"

"I try," bashfully accepted Twilight. "Care to make an attempt?"

Comforting took a soft breath. "Should I? I want to... but neither of us are actually good at chaos. Maybe I should wait until I'm back home. Discord knows better than us combined about this."

Twilight rubbed at her chin. "As curious as I am, you're not wrong. Well, no lesson today." She pointed at the paper in front of Comforting. "Practice."

"Practice." Comforting snatched it up in her talons. "Practice. That's the motto of this new life."

Twilight smiled gently. "I've heard of worse mottos before, considering you're getting other things done in the process. Oh.. Oh. I meant to ask, did you... We need to compare and contrast. I would like to know the similarities and differences we experienced on our ascensions."

Author's Note

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69 - Howling at the Moon

"All done!" Comforting had been ready to say that herself. A pity she didn't get the chance. She had barely taken a step out of school when a curtain appeared just for Discord to step through it, grinning broadly. "It's Discord time!"

Other students swerved around him, glancing nervously.

Comforting raised a set of talons, waving. "Hey, dad."

"Hello yourself, slugger." He casually tossed a bat in Comforting's direction for her to flumble wildly a moment in getting control of it. "It's way past time to take you out and pitch a ball or two. I know you're ready for it!"

Ocellus tapped Comforting from behind. "Hey."

Comforting waved back at her friend. "Discord, this is Ocellus, a friend of mine."

Discord tipped the hat he only had long enough for the gesture. "Charmed. Thanks for all the friendship stuff, but it's time for Comforting to get a taste of chaos."

"Um, yes..." Ocellus furtively looked around as she shuffled in place. "Can I help?"

Discord raised a brow high enough as to hover several inches above his face. "That's awful brave, especially for you."

Comforting threw an arm around Ocellus. "That is really sweet." She ducked to the side and did it, at last. She lost her balance and went flying for the ground. She missed. She was floating in the air, flailing wildly, but not striking the ground.

Ocellus blinked at the sight. "You're flying! But you're not using your wings."

"Optional," provided Discord. "Now, really, thanks, but we have to go." He threw a carpet over Comforting and yanked it free. The carpet drifted to the ground in its bright browns and reds, but there were no chaos spirits to be seen.

Ocellus pushed the rug, but they weren't hiding under it. "See you... tomorrow?" She saw little choice but to head on and hope everything was alright.

Elsewhere, Discord waved at a strange place where gravity was a suggestion at best and reality itself was casually coming apart. "Welcome home!"

Comforting turned slowly in place. "Wow..." Discord's home was one thing to see on television. It was another to stand in it. "This..." She was distracted a moment, watching a large rocky meteor float by with a mailbox posted on it. "Is that yours?"

"Hm?" He flitted over to it and threw it open. "Junk, junk..." He tossed letters behind himself as he went. "Ooo, I might have won.. junk!" He slapped it closed. "Nothing good." He darted right back to Comforting. "Still, worth checking once in a while, I suppose."

"This whole place is amazing." She sniffed at the air, getting hints of... It was like someone took a banana and coated it in butter and cinnamon with a side of a whiff of sulfur. "Huh... Wait." She pointed across the island they were standing on. "Who's that?"

"Hm?" Discord looked in the same place. "Oh, she's Screwball. Screwball! Come over here!"

The purple earth pony seemed to hear, floating towards them, her spiraled eyes gazing not quite at them, but through them with a smile on her face. "Discord... You can see me."

Discord raised a hand for stage whispering, "I usually ignore her."

Screw Ball pouted a bit at that. "Hello." She turned her attention instead on Comforting. "You smell familiar." She floated in, beanie propelling as she sniffed loudly at comforting. "Mmm, like Discord... Will you ignore me too?"

"Why would I do that?" She only noticed a moment after that Discord was shaking his head wildly, but it was too late.

Screw Ball began to clip-clop her hooves excitedly. "Yay! I'm chaos touched, like you. Like Discord. I can feel it." She came in closer to Comforting and moved to grab her, but Comforting hopped back. "Aw..."

Comforting shook her head. "I'm not big on touching unless you ask first."

Discord smirked at that. "Or she's the one doing it. My daughter, the hypocrite. Takes after her papa." He wiped a tear free of his eyes. "Now, chaos lesson. That's what we came here for!"

Comforting floated upwards, which was a reminder that she had never stopped flying. She did a twirl in place, wings unfolding even if they weren't strictly required. "Is she learning too?"

"Who? Oh, Screwie? I doubt it." Screw Ball's moment of hope was dashed into quite a pout. "Don't look at me that way. You've barely touched the stuff. You don't really put out any. You're lucky you can fly."

Screw Ball crossed her arms, floating there with her legs folding. "You did this to me, Discord. Take some responsibility."

Comforting looked between the two and swerved in closer, nose close to that spinning beanie propeller that kept right on spinning. "Does chaos make that twirl?"

Screw Ball peeked up at it. "It's been spinning since I got it. Can't blame that on Discord." Her swirled eyes refocused on Discord, or his general direction. "Teach both of us! We both want to be better at chaos."

Comforting shrugged as she willed herself closer to the ground, landing on her feet. "I don't mind. Maybe a lesson will make her happy."

Screw giggled, mane wafting as if in the same joy. "I like her. I hope we can be friends."

Discord rolled his eyes at that. "Comforting is an easy friend mark. Now... You seem to have flying under control, good! I was going to cover that, but no need if you feel comfortable with it?"

Comforting crouched and thrust into the air. She grasped for that strange sensation, of missing the ground, and she seemed to turn mid-air, going from not-flying to flying by pressing in some new dimension she never knew before. She was floating. With a will to move, she began to soar and dart about. "This is way easier than I thought it'd be!"

Screw swept in to follow after Comforting, hooves reaching as if to tag her in some game she just made up. "Flying is a lot of fun!"

"I can't argue that." Discord shrugged, allowing the two fillies to cavort and play in casual disregard for the concept of gravity. "But we do have other lessons to get to. Let's start with what I will nowcall the 'minor adjust'. Are you both listening?" His eyes were far more on Comforting than Screw Ball.

Comforting came in for a gentle landing and got a filly draped over head, Screw Ball giggling with joy and babbling a moment. "Wow... The chaos really kinda got to you, huh?"

"Sorry." Screw floated free of Comforting and seemed to try to land, but couldn't quite reach the ground, and ended up still in the air. "Mmm..."

Discord sighed heavily. "About that minor adjust. This trick is for the smallest little things. To the untrained eye, maybe you're just using house magic to make it happen, and it's not up to us to correct them." He reached out and yanked a bit from behind Screw's ear to the discorded filly's squealing delight. "Like that." With another flourish, the coin was a butterfly, flying away peacefully. "It looks like magic because it is magic, just with the knob turned up to eleven out of ten."

Comforting frowned with obvious thought. "Like magic." She fished in her pocket and drew out a pencil.

"Very good." Discord clapped softly.

Comforting blinked. "I didn't do it yet!"

"Yes you did." He was suddenly next to her with a sly grin. "You didn't have a pencil."

Comforting began to blush wildly. "Oh! Neat!" She reached into her pocket and drew out a packet of gum, from when she was a human child. "Ooo..."

Screw Ball shoved a hoof into her pocket, rooting around. "It's..." She drew out a big ball of lint. "No..." She tossed the ball over her shoulder and dug her hoof back into the pocket, digging around for something. She turned and twisted as if the right position would let her find it, but she wasn't finding it.

Comforting watched the attempt, her tufted ear lowering. "Is this a practice thing?"

"Practice helps, sure." Discord shrugged emphatically. "But I doubt she's going to get it. Look, me? I'm a chaos spirit. You." He pointed at Comforting. "Also one of those, congratulations. She--" He hiked a thumb at Screw Ball. "She's a pony. A chaos touched pony, but still a pony. Like I said, it's already amazing she can fly."

Screw sniffled softly. "It's not fair..." Tears began to flow, but they weren't watery. Instead she bawled candy balls and baseballs and bowling balls in a scattering of directions, the debris not caring about gravity any more than the pony that made them. "It's not fair!"

Comforting frowned, just to jump, realizing Discord was half hugging her. "Go on. I know that look. We won't get much teaching done until you give it a try." He smirked suddenly. "Besides, maybe it'll work even! I won't even be mad. Maybe she'll find something to do besides floating around here."

She jumped away from Discord with a new smile, taking off mid-flight. That was getting easier. "Screw Ball!"

Screw looked up at being called. "Huh?"

Comforting collided with her, grabbing her in a firm hug. Screw burst into giggles, returning the hug as the two floated away a moment. But Comforting pushed Screw back. "I want to help."

"Gosh, thanks!" Screw smiled, her eyes swirling somehow deeper despite not seeming to change. "So what do we do?"

Comforting tapped at her chin. "I have an idea. I think ponies are chaotic and harmonious."

Screw blinked at the idea. "Really?"

"Really." Comforting pointed past Screw Ball to her cutie mark. "That is your harmony. You still have it, so you're rooted in harmony, which holds you back from the chaos side."

Screw curled to look at it. "That?! That's what's stopping me?! Well... then get rid of it." She pawed at her own mark to little effect. "How?"

Comforting shook her head. "We're not. That's a part of you, be proud of you. You're awesome, all of it, even that part. We just need to work with it, and around it. Chaosing is all about distracting the universe."

Discord gasped with a big smile. "She's learning so quickly!"

Comforting giggled briefly at that. "That mark isn't stopping you. It's a hint. It tells you from what direction the universe is watching. Discord snaps." Discord raised some fingers into position, but didn't do it. "Like that. That's how he does it. You're a pony, you won't do it like that, but I don't think the snap is important. You just have to distract harmony a moment, and you know where it is."

Comforting floated back a few inches and reached out, tapping Screw Ball right between the eyes. "It can't see here, I bet."

Screw's eyes widened wider and wider. "Wow! You're... Wow!" With an ecstatic cry, she drove her hoof against her forehead with a thunderous clop. "Ow!" She curled, new tears dropping. "That hurt!"

Comforting winced at the display. "That... looked bad. Try it slowly until you get it right."

"Slowly, right." She raised a hoof, squinting at it as if the hoof had done something wrong. "Do it right," she chastised. She pressed it against her head and tried to wriggle it in.

Discord snickered softly. "While she's trying that, I want you to get good at the trick I showed you. You can get so much done with it! I don't want to hear--" He didn't get to finish, being squeezed firmly by his new daughter. "--one... complaint..."

"Why would I complain?" Comforting released him, drifting back a few inches. "I love it! There's so much more to learn, but I can start with that." She grinned with mischief in her eyes. "The others are going to be so impressed..." Visions of what she would pull out on command danced in her head. "Screw! Keep practicing. We'll get good at chaos, together!"

"Together!" cried Screw, spinning upside down and still trying to get her hoof to do something. "On it!"

Author's Note

Say hi to Screw Ball! There were some calls for her to show up before. She was waiting for her turn like a good little chaos filly.

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70 - New Tricks

She had learned to deny gravity. That was a mistake on the universe's part. She floated around with giggles, just enjoying moving in three dimensions. She was back in the 'real' world, but that didn't mean floating was off the table, even a little.

Fluttershy watched Comforting darting and swerving about. "Um... Well, she looks like she's having fun."

"I am." Comforting stopped right in front of Fluttershy, well, mostly. She was still drifting slowly to the side. "Wanna fly with me?"

Fluttershy spread her wings. "I already could fly, but if you want company, I would be delighted. I don't... do those turns you do." She obeyed the rules of physics, and sudden sharp turns were saved for experts like Rainbow Dash.

Discord nudged Fluttershy from behind. "This is Comforting we're talking about. You know she'll go at your pace."

"True." Fluttershy lifted into the air with soft flaps of her wings. "How about a circle around town before dinner?"

"That sounds fun!" Comforting seemed happy to act as the orbiting electron to the atomic core that was Fluttershy. She didn't ask Fluttershy to go any faster or slower, simply darting about her and enjoying the sights and the company of her mother.

Fluttershy looked around Ponyville from up above. "You know... I usually just walk places. You're a bit of an excuse to take flight more often. I'm... glad you pushed me. The town really is nice to see from up here."

"It really is," joyfully agreed Comforting in a swirling dive around her mother. "What's your favorite?"

"Hmm..." She curled her hoof to her chin to rest as she flapped along sedately. "Twilight's castle is hard to miss, but I think my favorite would have to be... the square." She pointed to the open space near the center of town. "Imagining all the happy ponies there... I know most of them. It makes me happy..."

"Aw!" Comforting came in for a firm hug. "That's really nice. I'd have to go with the school." She pointed off at Twilight's school and burst into giggles. "Which feels funny. School wasn't my favorite place before."

Fluttershy lifted an ear at her disjointed daughter. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it now. Now... I am curious, what did you learn with Discord? He was teaching you before you arrived, right?"

"Yep!" Comforting chimed, floating along, belly up. With wings, that would have been trickier. Good thing she wasn't using her wings to fly. "Flying, for one." She turned over onto her belly, floating alongside Fluttershy. "It's so fun!"

"You do look like you're enjoying yourself." She had her sedate smile, approving of the good time Comforting was having. "Was there more? That is a lot, I imagine..."

"Actually..." Comforting considered. "What's your favorite little snack?" She raised her mismatched hands close together. "A little something."

"Little something... A carrot?" Fluttershy inclined her head faintly. "Or an apple."

Comforting grinned at that. "Those are such pure answers! Well, you brought them with you." She casually snatched a carrot from behind Fluttershy's ear... and it kept coming, and coming, and coming.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide as more and more carrot kept emerging from behind her ear. "Oh dear..."

With a great yank, Comforting got the carrot to pop free, leaving her wielding a several foot long carrot. It never got wider than it started, just strangely long and narrow. "Ooops? Guess I need to practice that." She held up the carrot in both hands towards Fluttershy. "Want some?"

Fluttershy considered the enormous root veggie. "Maybe when we get home, I can cut it up properly... Thank you for trying. That's... impressive, and a little scary."

"Don't be scared! It's just a carrot." Comforting wagged the veggie and it broke with a loud snap. About a third of it came free and plummeted to the ground to hit the dirt with a puff of dust. "Oops."

"Carrots are not meant to be so large," gently counseled Fluttershy. "And it makes me a little nervous, wondering what else you could make if you wanted to, or made another mistake. Please be careful."

Comforting stuffed the huge carrot away. "I'll be careful." She flew in on top of Fluttershy, hovering over her. "Can I get a ride?"

Fluttershy kept an ear trained on her daughter. "But you can fly yourself now."

Comforting came in closer, almost touching. "But you're still my mom and it's... May I?"

Fluttershy's smile softened as she got the clue. "You may." Her flight wobbled faintly as she adjusted to the new weight with a filly on her back. "There we are. All settled?"

Comforting hugged Fluttershy from the top, a big grin on her own face. "Yay! It's fun flying, but it's special when I get a ride, because you are special." She smooched the back of Fluttershy's head. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Fluttershy banked in a circle. "We should get back."

She came in for a gentle landing, walking as she touched the ground towards the house. "Let me have that carrot now. I'll use it for dinner." Which she did, slicing it up and tossing it right into the stew she got to making. There was still plenty of carrot left for the job, and she had other things to toss in with it. Nopony went hungry.

"I can't ignore this."

Comforting wasn't dreaming. Dreaming wasn't a thing she did anymore. Instead, she had just been idle, asleep, but not dreaming. It was a strange state to be in. But there wasn't anything to do in the dark of night, so she had tucked herself in and did her best, which allowed her to slip into a sort of idle state.

But something had spoken to her, in her mind. She wasn't dreaming. She imagined looking around. "Harmony!" She zipped over for a hug, but Harmony was always a few feet away. "Is something wrong?"

Harmony inclined her head. "Yes, no... Many things..." She raised Twilight's hoof to point at Comforting. "You came into the world, a small tear. But you were soft and kind. You were eager to help me. I put it aside, and tried to draw you close..."

Not-Twilight sighed, her face impassive. "But as you started, you remain. You broke it. My plans, ruined, tattered. I can't see what is coming, and I... I am scared, Comforting. How do I plan if I can't see what comes next? Celestia is scared too. I shared my visions with her. She is an agent of mine, and she used what I shared so well, but now I have nothing to share, and she is scared, and I don't know how to comfort her. I don't know how to comfort myself. I am scared..."

Comforting tried to take a step forward, but the distance between them did not shrink even an inch. "Harmony... I didn't want to hurt you, or anything. I still want to help!"

"And you have." Harmony inclined her head. "And hurt. A foal I thought was lost... I found them. You guided them to me. She is soaked in chaos. She was not part of the plan, swept away from it by Discord's presence. But now she is found. I can't say she is part of the plan. There is no plan." Harmony was still a moment, one ear twitching. "Screwball was lost, but now she is returned. And you showed her how to reach for chaos further. Help, harm. Heal, infect. You are both. You are everything. Comforting, I am scared."

Comforting stopped trying to walk towards Harmony, that just wasn't working. "She was really angry... She was ready to hurt herself to get away from you, but I stopped her."

"You did... I saw it." Harmony smiled faintly. "You told her to be proud of what she was. That was a nice thing. But then you showed her how to get around me."

Comforting's ear pricked. "She figured it out?!"

"She did." Harmony deflated faintly in place. "She is a bringer of chaos, another..."

"But she is still part of you." Comforting pointed back at where a cutie mark once resided.

"She is..." Harmony raised her hooves. "I am confused. Given the choice, who would win? Discord, or me?"

Comforting frowned at the question. "That's not a fair question at all! I don't want either of you to 'win' against the other. You're not even on opposite sides!" She threw her hands up and wide. "I don't even think he dislikes you. You're more... like a sister he has a lot of fun playing jokes on, who will rat him out to both of your mom if you catch him getting into trouble, which little boys do."

Elsewhere, Discord frowned. "I'm a distinguished gentlecreature! Really..."

Harmony inclined her head. "That sounds antagonistic... but siblings often are. You think the universe is both our progenitor?"

"It has to be." Comforting shrugged softly. "Really only two options. The universe made Discord, or at least what would become Discord, or Discord made the universe, which would make Discord your boss. You both said the universe is something else, not either of you." Comforting wagged her finger between Harmony and the theoretical Discord. "So... Only one option left."

Harmony went still. No breathing, no blinking, no motion at all. Time passed at a slow pace as she stared out into nothing.

"You alright?" Comforting dusted at her sides. "I still want to be your friend, you know that... right?"

"Your words are horrifying," spoke Harmony, breaking her silence. "But there is truth in them. Comforting. I request it. I cannot demand it. I cannot compulse it. Your mark is gone, your connection severed... But I request it. Comfort me."

It was an odd sensation. The distance didn't grow or shrink, but she somehow felt the barrier, that eternal distance, fade. She hurried into the short space she could see, grabbing Harmony around the neck and hugging close. "Things have changed, and you didn't... expect them, but we're still friends, and this world is still worth saving."

Harmony inclined her head. "How can I save what I cannot see? It has become dark and blurry. I can see one of my agents at a time if I focus on them. Allowing this has... It's broken." She would have deflated, but Comforting was there, hugging her upright. "I am scared. Sorry for repeating that as often as I have... but it's true. I am greatly diminished. Allowing you to be saved by him was a far greater sin than I had thought possible. The universe itself has forsaken me."

"That's not true," she said with enough conviction to make Harmony jump. "If the universe wants something, it gets it. It holds all the cards. You both said that."

Harmony flipped her ears back. "Then it wishes me to be powerless?"

"It wants what must be, to be. You are off, um, balance, but you're not gone, so the universe can't want you gone... or you would be!" Comforting went in for a smooch on Harmony's cheek. "Did you know I can't use any of my unicorn magic right now? Not even a little fair." She stepped back just enough to put her hands on her hips. "After all that work! But I'm figuring out new ways, to do that, and to do other things."

Harmony turned Twilight's hoof on herself. "But I am not alive."

"Another lie," sang out Comforting. "Of course you are. You can change, you can learn. It's time to learn. That can be scary, really scary... I get it." She went back in for a firm hug. "But you have a friend. Two, actually... He probably won't admit it, but Discord doesn't want to see you all sad. What kind of rival would you be if you just pouted all the time?"

Harmony put up a hoof, pushing Comforting back as if just casually changing her coordinate, no actual contact made. "I must consider this. But you are still Comforting." The dream didn't end, it wasn't a dream.

Still, Comforting awoke, and it was morning.

Author's Note

I really enjoyed the conversation with Harmony. Both sides felt genuinely themselves. Was it just me?

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73 - Sisters True

Twilight raised a hoof. "Please wait here. Spike! I'll be right back." She spread her wings and flapped off in the direction of the town.

Spike poked his head out. "What'd she, oh." He spotted the new filly. "Hey there."

"Hi!" cried Screwball, zooming in for a closer look at Spike. "Look at you, a dragon! Ooo."

"That's me." Spike puffed out his chest, looking proud of this fact. He was quite a dragon. "And you're a pony."

"Mostly." She inclined her head. "With a dash of chaos." She threw her hooves wide with the last word, a rainbow following their motions with strange colors that didn't match a prism. "You met my sister?" She waved back at Comforting.

Comforting waggled a few fingers as she stepped closer. "Hey, Spike."

"Hey yourself." He considered the two shining examples of chaos before him. "You're not going to do some weird chaos things, are you?"

Comforting smiled at that. "Do you want us to?"

"We can try," joyfully added Screwball.

Spike considered with a hum. "Well... Can you give me a big moustache?" He twirled the facial hair he was missing. "Something really dashing looking?"

Screwball considered how to do that. "Um..."

But Comforting had an idea. She pulled out a fake moustache and slapped it on his face without even a moment for him to realize what was going on.

"H-hey!" He swatted at her. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a moustache, clearly." She bounced back a step. "How's it look?"

"That was just..." He ran his fingers over what was a moustache. If it was a fake, he couldn't confirm that. "Woah!" He suddenly ran off, but came back just as quickly with a mirror in hand, gazing upon his new self. "Nice..."

Screwball burst into airy giggles. "That was amazing! Can I do that?" She fished out a fake moustache and peered at it skeptically. "Gonna try!"

"You already messed up," cautioned Comforting. "Our magic is like a stage trick. The longer you wait, the more chances for the trick to be seen, and it's messed up."

"Oh..." Screwball looked amazed at that chaotic insight. "Wow... Discord would just get angry if I tried to ask him about how chaos works."

Comforting frowned, imagining poor Screwball, ignored by the one that made her, or robbed her of memories? It was hard to know. Either way! Unkind... "I won't do that."

"Which is why you're the best big sister!" Screwball hugged Comforting tightly about the neck. "I'm already learning new stuff and I love it."

Comforting smirked at that. "Learning is very fun, especially when you're learning what you want to learn."

Spike twirled his for-real moustache. "So... how long do I get to keep this? Twilight's only lasted a little while."

Two ponies were coming on wings. Twilight was flying next to Fluttershy. "Oh my," let out the latter, coming down gently and looking at the two fillies.

Comforting whirled on Fluttershy. "Mom! Oh, Screwball, this is my mom." She waved from Screwball to Fluttershy. "She is the absolute best."

"Hi." Screwball zipped over, circling over Fluttershy's head. "If you're her mom, and she's my sister, does that mean you're my mom too? Wow, that was fast. I thought finding my mom would be way harder."

Twilight raised a brow at Spike's new adornment. "You know I have to get rid of that, right?"

"Aw..." But he didn't fight as she zapped the beard away. "Nice while it lasted... Comforting's getting better at the whole chaos thing."

Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead. "That was very nice of her... Comforting, please don't alter the body of a growing young dragon."

Comforting inclined her head. "Any more than you did?" Her eyes swirled with colors. "Sorry! That was really mean... I didn't mean it."

Twilight recoiled at the sudden burn. "W-what? When did I alter Spike?"

"Technically," joined Fluttershy. "You used magic to make him hatch, and that involved a few major changes if I recall the story correctly."

It was Twilight's turn to cringe. "That was an accident... And one I will not be repeating!"

"I'm alright with the hatching thing." Spike shrugged with a casual meh. "The alternative isn't very interesting."

Fluttershy coughed into a hoof. "Back on topic... We have a new filly here." She watched Screwball float about, mumbling something to herself. "She... looks..."

"Cute?" proposed Comforting with a smile.

"Certainly, but also a little..."

Twilight waved at Screwball. "She is clearly affected by being steeped in chaos for years! Poor thing."

Screwball zoomed over to Twilight. "What's wrong with a little chaos?"

Comforting crossed her arms. "That's called being isolated for way too long. Come here, Screwie." She grabbed Screwball when they hovered closer. "You are worth loving."

Screwball somehow smiled wider, eyes swirling with the joy. "Oh, um... we're sisters. This is so sudden!"

Comforting laughed at the misunderstanding. "Not like that. Just as a pony, you're a lovely pony that deserves a helping hand." She wriggled a few fingers at that. "Are you ready to get used to company that isn't just a Discord that's trying to ignore you?"

Screwball threw her hooves up and wide. "Yes! That sounds like tons of fun. What do we do first?" She leaned in, eyes swirling wildly. "Do we have a party? I never had a party, beside by myself. I hear they're way better with other ponies."

Overwhelmed with dreams of happy times, Screwball babbled to herself with snatches of what a party would be like, drifting away.

Fluttershy inclined her head slowly. "Twilight was right. Screwball needs some love and attention... Comforting, how do you plan to give that, and still do your own things?"

Comforting scowled a little, but it turned into an unhappy sigh. "Do they even have a mental hospital in Ponyville?"

Twilight nodded at that. "Actually, yes."

Comforting blinked with amazement. "You do?! Where?!" She twirled around, lifting to do so. "I never saw one..."

Twilight pointed to the hospital in the distance. "The hospital cares for injured bodies and minds. I'm sure they would gladly treat Screwball."

Comforting landed, rubbing the side of her head and over her ear-feather. "Huh... Alright, but only if I get to visit her, a lot. She's not dangerous! They wouldn't put a straight jacket on her or anything, right?"

"I don't want a crooked jacket," added Screwball, floating over Comforting's head. "Why would you want that?"

"They're no fun." All ponies jumped in surprise. Pinkie had arrived without warning, being a chaos touched mare herself. "So I hear some little pony never had a party. This injustice will not stand." She clopped her hooves together in a firm strike. "I need to know your favorite cake flavor, color, and if you like things loud, quiet, sparkly, or, my favorite, yes please."

Screwball floated towards Pinkie, eyes wide. "You smell nice."

Pinkie raised an arm to give her armpit a sniff, sticking out her tongue afterwards. "Smell normal to me!"

"You smell..." Screwball's nose danced in the air. "Familiar. A good familiar. Hello!" She thrust a hoof at Pinkie. "I'm Screwball, the screwiest pony around." She giggled, which turned into a laugh, then a cackle, overwhelmed by her own madness a moment. "Nice to meet you."

Pinkie met the hoof despite the unhinged laughter. "I'm Pinkie Pie, but just Pinkie's fine. So, favorite flavor?"

"Mmm. Mmmm!" She reached up and pulled a slice of cake free of her head. She took a casual bite. "This one's good. What flavor is this?"

Pinkie grabbed the plate and slapped it down on a counter that hadn't been there, wearing a full scientist get up as she manically began testing the cake to determine its flavor. "Mmm, every time I measure it, it changes! Twilight, I need some extra science power!"

Twilight watched Pinkie work manically a moment. "Have you tried tasting it?"

Spike snickered, face held behind both hands. "I wasn't gonna say anything."

"Oh." Pinkie sat, letting a bit of the cake fall to the counter. "Right. How silly of me." She smashed her face against the fallen cake, coming back up with the counter entirely clean. "Mmm, Cherry berry blast, you got it!"

Screwball let out an appreciative yay, clapping rapidly with her hooves, though the sound was a mixture of clops and very human sounding applause. "You're so nice. Are you like Comforting and me? You feel like it..."

Pinkie waved that away. "As if. I haven't been around much chaos, so unless it happens in the future and echoes back to now, that's impossible!" She casually swept away the counter, no longer needed.

Comforting considered the display. "You are a great example."

"Yes!" Pinkie pumped a hoof in triumph. "Great example of what now?"

Comforting floated up to be eye level with Pinkie, eyes swirling colorfully with happy thoughts. "You are a harmonious pony, very harmonious. You do a lot to help Harmony out, eagerly and happily. But you're also way chaotic. You prove my point, that a pony can be both of those things."

Pinkie grabbed Comforting by her pinchable cheeks, rubbing them between her hooves. "And so are you, miss Harmony fan!"

Comforting ducked back away from those grasping hooves. "How do you...?" But the question died before it was finished being born. "Chaotic viewpoints." She didn't have that. She still only saw what she saw. She only thought linearly. A limitation? She liked having linear thoughts, really... "How have you avoided Discord's attention, chaos mare?"

Pinkie shrugged at that. "I dunno. We both have things to do and just don't bump into each other all that much. If he wants to help bring some parties to the next level, I'm ready!" She giggled at the thought of such wild affairs. "But he's busy doing his chaos thing. It's alright." She shrugged a bit more grandly than required. "How about you? You're a chaos thingie. Too cool for me?"

Comforting opened her mouth to talk, but Screwball got in there first. "I'll be your friend!" cried the new chaos filly. "But first, the party."

"The party!" Pinkie clapped her hooves. "You have your priorities straight. We have to introduce you to the town, and celebrate. This is kinda your birthaversary, sorta." She considered with a curled hoof. "I'll work on that. Gonna get on that!" She bounced away, the conversation over.

Fluttershy started off. "Come along, Comforting, Screwball." She led the two chaotic creatures away into town. "Thank you for getting me, Twilight!"

"Any time." Twilight and Spike waved at her departing form.

Spike raised a scaled brow. "She's going to the hospital, yeah?"

"I hope so." Twilight turned for inside. "Tonight is your turn. What do you have planned?"

Spike rubbed his hands together with a big smile. "I hope you're in the mood for skewers, because I have just the thing in mind!"

"Ooo." They headed inside, both looking forward to Spike's delectable offerings.

Fluttershy walked along at a sedate pace. "Screwball, that's your name, isn't it?"

"Sure is, mom!" Screwball hovered just over Fluttershy, pawing at her ears gently. "Wow, it's nice having one of those..."

Comforting felt a flash of jealousy, but stomped on it just as quickly. Being mad at the poor lost filly wasn't nice, or proper. She wasn't losing her Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded gently. "Now... I want what's best for you, Screwball... I think you should go to a place that has ponies that know how to best care for you."

Screwball's expression sank. "Wait, are you getting rid of me?" She brought up her hooves, shaking. "Discord tried! Why does everycreature want to throw me out?!"

"No, no... no..." Fluttershy shook her head quickly to emphasize that. "I'm not throwing you out. In fact... I imagine you and Comforting have so much to talk about, and are already good friends."

Comforting floated up at Screwie's side. "We're sisters," she repeated to be sure that was clear. "So what's your idea?"

Author's Note

Flutter has an idea, but is it a good one? What would you do in her place?

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74 - Back to School

Screwball was pouting. She was good at that, it turned out. "I wanna go with you!"

Comforting gently tapped her new sister on the nose. "You'll learn things today too, but not at the same place. Study hard and we'll get to play afterwards. Learning can be fun, but it's work, so I'll be working, not playing."

Screwball folded her arms on her chest. "Why can't I work at your school-place?"

"Because you're staying at the hospital." She pointed the way. "At least while I'm at school. I'll pick you up afterwards and we'll have the rest of the day to play." That was the compromise they had reached, allowing her to get time with therapist ponies but not be cut off from ponies she trusted and cared for. "And we'll practice some chaos!"

"Oooo!" Her unhappiness evaporated at the idea of new chaos magic. "I'm ready! When is the party?"

Comforting wasn't sure... but... She reached behind herself and pulled out a calender. She had no idea what was on it, but calenders kept track of that, right? Right there. "In just a few days." She pointed at the pinkie drawing with lines coming off of it. "See?"

Screwball came in, twirling to arrive upside down at the calender. "Wow, that's close! I'll be good so we can have the bestest party ever!" She thrust a hoof up(down?) towards the ground and rotated back up. "See you after the school thing." She let out a piercing squeal of joy as she swam a bit spastically towards the hospital.

Comforting considered her sister a moment. "She's in the right place..." Maybe they could help her even out a little, so she could be her best Screwy self. Still, the matter was handled, so Comforting scooted towards school, at least until a hoof got right in her way. It was attached to an arm, which was attached to Diamond Tiara.

"Hey there." She waved for Comforting to join her. "Have breakfast?"

"I had." That didn't stop Comforting from landing across from Diamond. "Morning!"

"Morning yourself." Diamond sipped from her colorful drink of the day. "I hear you're getting more comfortable with the whole chaos thing."

"I think I am," Comforting proudly agreed. "And it's fun."

Diamond waggled a hoof at Comforting. "Can I ask a favor?"

Comforting sat up. "Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly..." Diamond crossed her arms. "More of a curiosity thing, really. Can you change ponies?"

Comforting thought of the things Diamond would want changed. "You're just fine as an earth pony, Diamond."

"What? No." Diamond wrinkled her nose. "I just wanna know what I'll look like as an adult, is all." She glanced away and back. "I don't want to end up like my mom. Don't tell her that."

Comforting casually zipped her lips, literally, with the soft buzz of the teeth interlocking and sealing her mouth shut.

Diamond reached over and pulled the zipper free. "I want you to talk with me, goof. Can you do it? Just a little bit, a sneak preview!"

Comforting frowned with thought. "I can probably tell you how you might look, but not how you for sure will look. You're still growing." She waved both hands over Diamond. "There's time for things to change."

Diamond inclined her head. "That's... actually kind of nice. It means even if I don't like what I see, I can still try to fix it. Hit me!"

Now came the part when Comforting had to actually do it. She hadn't been taught that trick, specifically, but she was getting a grasp on how chaos worked, in general. She felt confident enought to try. "Alright!" She hopped up and didn't bother coming back down, floating instead. "See this?" She drew out a shower curtain and flipped it about, showing it off. "Very nice, love the floral pattern."

Diamond's eyes followed the curtain as it was waved about. "Very... nice? How does that--" The curtain encompassed her vision as Comforting shoved it at her, wrapping up Diamond entirely and concealing her from the universe for just a moment. Comforting wrenched it away with a crack of a whip. "And let's see!"

Diamond swatted at where the curtain had been. "Warn a filly before..." She trailed off, realizing her voice was off. "What?" She curled on herself and paused. Even seeing her side and rump was seeing a difference. "What?" She grabbed her mirror for proper looking. "Woah.... Hey!" She poked her snoot with a hoof in a self-boop. "I have mom's nose!" It was mildly turned up. Not as severe as her mother dearest, but it was there, making it extra clear they were related. "It's... not that bad." She inclined her head left and right at the reflected image. "I sound different, but not bad..."

Comforting giggled with joy. She had done it right. "It will wear off soon. No way the universe will let my trick stand for long." She waved up at the sky. "Thanks for being a good sport."

A great hand appeared from the clouds, giving a thumbs up.

Comforting blinked at it. Had she made that, or had the universe actually given her a thumbs up? She couldn't know.

"Comforting?" Diamond was looking at her, apparently missing the whole exchange. "Thank you. This is..." She hopped down to the ground and did a twirl, looking at herself the whole time. "Wow... Look at me! I'm a nice looking mare." She flashed a big proud smile. "You have to do Silver Spoon!"

"Only if she wants it, and a good magic trick shouldn't be repeated over and over without some variation. You don't want your chaos doer to get boring, do you?" Comforting landed on the table near Diamond, swinging her legs and smiling at the happy filly-turned-mare. "And no getting into trouble."

"As if." Diamond waved that away. "I don't even know when this will wear off, so anything I'd want to do has a good chance of going sour anyway. Gonna get to school!" She trotted off with a giggling departure, pleased.

It was only about ten steps away that, with a puff of smoke, the original Diamond was returned. "Toldja!" She kept right on going, but was just as happy about things.

"This is... fun." Comforting lifted into the air, considering her new self. She was a god, kinda. She could mess things up real bad, but she didn't want that. She would be a force of good chaos! With a smile, she charged for school. Chaos creature or not, she sat down and paid attention in class.

"Hey." It was just after school, and Gallus was jogging over towards her on all fours. "Been meaning to talk to you."

Comforting hopped up, allowing hovering at his height while being quadruped at the same time. "What's up?"

"We were in the middle of something and then this... happened." He waved a few talons at Comforting's new being. "I understand you getting a little distracted... but I still wanna do it, if you're up for it?"

Comforting clapped her hands on the sides of her face. "I'm so sorry! Where did we leave off?"

Gallus seemed to relax at the clear signal it had just been a mistake, and one that would be fixed. "We were gonna tweak the machine so it made little things with famous pony pictures instead of keyrings, remember?"

Comforting slapped one fist down onto an open palm. "Right! One thing... I haven't re-learned unicorn magic yet, working on that with a bunch of other stuff." She grabbed at her large yak horn. "My plate is full! But without that, I can only throw chaos at it. It'd probably work... but also wouldn't last, and that won't do for what you're trying for. You want a fix that'll last, right?"

Gallus hiked a brow. "About that. How much chaos are we talking anyway?"

Comforting rocked in the air. "That's hard to measure! So far... my imagination seems more a limit than anything else. Which is a little dangerous..."

Gallus smirked at that. "That's a little scary. So you could swap us all around? Make Yona a changeling and Ocellus a griffon?"

Comforting giggled at that. "Ocellus can already be a griffon if she wants to be. Changelings are great like that! I bet Yona would figure out how to be a yak again really quickly. But making her not a yak sounds... kind of mean spirited."

Gallus waved that away. "Don't be silly. It'd be a fun thing, especially if we're all on board. A 'walk a mile in each other's shoes' kind of thing." None of them wore shoes by habit. "I'd like to see how some of them handle it."

Comforting waggled a lone finger at Gallus. "And if you end up without wings, how will you like that?"

Gallus picked up each foot in turn. "I'm standing right now. Not like I don't know how. Besides, it'll just be for a little while, right?"

Comforting looked ready to say yes, but a new thought arrived. The Young Six were directly Harmony's agents. If she did that, she would be interfering with them. That would make Harmony even sadder. "Um... Let me think about it. I don't want to hurt anycreature accidentally."

"Oh, yeah." Gallus rubbed near the tip of his beak. "Make sure you know what you're doing, for sure. We can wait on the machine until you're ready for that too." He patted her right on the head, mussing her curious new ears. "I just wanted to be sure that you didn't forget. We have a thing going."

Comforting dropped to the ground with a thumb thrust upwards. "You got it. A little chaos isn't going to stop me, or us." She met his hand with her own in a solid clap.

"Awesome. Later." He walked off with a pleased smile.

"He looks happy."

Comforting twirled to see Ocellus standing there. "Hey!" She landed with happily color-swirling eyes. "Your trick's been really helpful."

Ocellus blinked at that. "Which trick?"

Comforting pointed to her still shifting eyes. "This. It helped get a quick hold of what I was doing." Her eyes became smiling emojis, both winking at Ocellus. "I owe you a lot."

"I'm glad it helped." Ocellus sat. "You really cheered Gallus up. Good job... We're even."

Comforting blinked, eyes returning to normal. "Even?"

"I helped you, you helped Gallus. That seems fair." Ocellus nodded with confidence at this. "You helped me too... I've been listening more, and watching." She glanced about nervously. "You see a lot more... when you look."

"Can't argue that." Comforting threw up her hands. "See anything interesting?"

"A lot... I'm still figuring out what to do, but I can see it." Ocellus smiled nervously. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome." She went in for a hug and wasn't rejected, the two warmly embracing a moment. "You are the best bug pony ever."

Ocellus blinked at that. "I'm not a pony."

Comforting squeaked softly. Had she just been rude? "Sorry. I do mean it though, um... You're awesome."

"T-thanks." Ocellus took an unsure step back. "I should go. Good luck learning yourself."

"That's a forever and a half thing," sighed out Comforting, waving at Ocellus flee off to do whatever Ocellus did. She zipped from the school, changeling horn glowing with practiced runes. She'd get that back! Eventually... But that wasn't the time to focus on that. She rushed to the hospital to get Screwball.

"Sis!" Screwball popped out a window, a nurse behind her with an exasperated expression. "You actually came."

"Of course I did." Comforting met Screwball in a warm hug. "I said I would."

The nurse pony hurried out to join them. "You have to sign her out, please, before you... float away or whatever it is you're doing." She squinted at the two, hovering there with no wings.

Comforting saluted sharply. "Yes, ma'am!" Darting around the nurse mare, Comforting rushed inside to sign on the proper dotted lines, announcing that she had arrived to grab Screwball. "Let's play!"

Author's Note

Schoolday, complete. Comforting is getting rather cozy with her new self. It's kinda fun!

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75 - Visiting Friends

"I want to do something special."

Screwball's swirling eyes widened. "Ooo, what kind of special? Is it chaos?"

"We're the chaos involved." Comforting waved between herself and Screwball. "I want to visit someone I haven't ever visited before. We can both fly though, we have nothing that can really stop us."

"An adventure!" cried Screwball, one hoof raised high in the air above her. "Do we need equipment?"

Comforting considered the fantasy fare, and took off the helmet that had appeared on her head and dropped the sword she hadn't asked for. "I think just us will do. Now, before we get there, I will warn that this will surprise you and maybe upset you a little, but I want you to know I'm right there next to you."

Screwball babbled softly, running through what it could be in little half sentences that often had half words in them, making her mostly unintelligible. She gave up, though. "Tell me!"

"Nope." Comforting lifted higher. "We should go over the forest. I don't want to fight any monsters."

"Monsters?" Screwball lifted after her. Rising and lowering was in her power, until she wanted to get too close to the ground, then her magnetism prevented it. "I wanna see a monster or two."

"Maybe we will." Screwball zoomed away, peeking over her shoulder to see Screwball was following right behind. "To the Everfree!"

Most of the monsters of the Everfree couldn't reach them, soaring over the treetops easily. "Where are we going?" Screwball pulled up alongside Comforting. "Secrets are awful."

"Secrets are chaotic," countered Comforting, eyes swirling with excitement. "I bet mom would never say yes to us going this way on our own."

"We're being naughty," whispered Screwball in hushed tones. "Naughty... You told me to do it!"

"I did," easily accepted Comforting. "You can blame me." The forest broke, trees becoming sparse as they got close to the castle of the twin sisters. A ravine cut the landscape, a staircase winding upwards down towards a cave. "There." Comforting dipped into the ravine to have a look about, taking but a moment to head towards that cave. "This is it."

"This is what?" Screwball zoomed past Comforting just to come to an abrupt halt with the sound of skidding tires. "What?! This... feels bad." She backed right up out of the cave. "I don't like it."

Comforting could feel it too, pressing against her chaotic nature, but it was also her friend, and she refused to be turned away from her friend. "It's alright. We are fire, and they are water. Being friends just requires we both be gentle and careful. Harmony!" She shouted the last into the cave, pressing onwards. "Harmony, I came to visit."

There, the tree, large and studded with the elements of harmony. Twilight stood at the base with her fifty yard stare, Harmony. "You came."

"Of course I came." Comforting landed and jogged, hands pumping in her running sprint. "Now that I can come here, what could stop me? I missed you!" She jumped for not-Twilight, but got the ground instead. Harmony was casually standing about fifteen feet away.

Harmony didn't have to turn, already facing Comforting. "You are a creature of chaos... I could summon help."

"Don't be like that." Comforting put her hands on her hips. "I'm not here to hurt you and you know it."

"You brought more chaos." Harmony looked past Comforting, towards the mouth of the cave. "Why?"

"Because she is still yours. Screwball!"

"Yes?" came the distant reply.

"Come here," hollered Comforting. "It's safe, I promise. Both of you are being crybabies."

Harmony considered Comforting, facing her without turning. "You are still Comforting."

"Comforting is still your friend," added Comforting with a gentle smile. "I came to help."

"To he..." She trailed off, seeing Screwball approaching and the sight driving the words from her.

Screwball floated over Comforting. "Who is that? They feel super icky-bad."

Comforting reached up with a dragon's hand to grab Screwball, tickling their underside with a loud peel of giggles and wriggling. "She's just as scared of you, but I want us all to be friends. Two of us already are, I hope?" Her tail formed a grand question mark in its expressive way. "Right?"

Harmony took a soft breath, despite not needing air. "Screwball. I saw this possibility. I saw it, and your name was delivered to your parents."

Screwball was suddenly fixated on Harmony. "What?!"

"I saw it, this possibility." Harmony inclined her head faintly. "One of many, but it was powerful. I hoped it would not be, but it could be... and I delivered the name."

Comforting threw up her hands wide and free of Screwball. "That makes so much sense! You give ponies their names?"

"Usually. Not always." Harmony inclined an ear as she sat slowly in place. "I give dreams when a foal approaches. The mother may take my suggestion, or not. I do not force them. Usually. But mothers often take the name I offer. A pony by another name will still have the same fate and plan. Screwball could have become an accountant. She would have specialized in edge cases and precarious situations, putting right to wrong with an even hoof. A force of harmony, businesses would have vied for her time and attention. That was also a possibility, and her name would have worked."

Screwball clopped her hooves to her cheeks. "Wow! I coulda been that?" She looked down at herself. "But I'm not. I'm... me... Is that bad? I can still do things, good things? Big things! small Things? Things!" She began to flail with each statement, overwhelmed by the possibilities.

Comforting gently rubbed the belly of her sister. "You have your life ahead of you. We're working on making sure you have a good chance to be amazing! And you already are."

"Yay!" Screwball calmed down, mollified by Comforting's words. "What did you see for me?" She was looking at Harmony once more. "If this happened?" She waved at her screwy self. "I'm already there, so what happens next?"

"Possibilities. I can see many of them... In many, you are lost, but we have avoided most of them. You are found." She nodded towards Comforting. "By a kind chaos."

"My sister." Screwball grabbed Comforting with her forehooves from above, giggling with joy.

"That closes off some possibilities, but makes others more likely. I can never say what must be. I can only say what could be, and what is likely, and what is unlikely, but any could happen..." She brought up her hooves and slowly closed them. "My job, primarily, is to help the things that are better to be. And to discourage what is better not to be. I create paths. I am Harmony, keeping ponies together."

Comforting pointed upwards with a bird talon. "You helped me get in the right place to find and bring her back. This is your fault, at least in part." She crossed her arms. "Harmony, gatherer of ponies. You gathered a pony."

Harmony's impassive expression broke into a smile. "I have. Screwball. I have described what you could have been. Do you truly wish to hear what you may yet be? Will you heed my words?"

Screwball clapped once, zipping to orbit around Harmony's head in an excited floating. "What can I be? Something amazing? Something great! Tell me! I want to be as awesome as my sister so she's proud of me."

Comforting colored, named as the reason for Screwball's excitement. "I'm already proud of you, but you could get even better!"

Screwball threw her legs out in all directions in an excited babble that had no words a moment. She calmed herself down with heavy panting and a manic grin. "Tell me, please."

"If you wish to know... Knowing has a power. You are accepting my influence on you. I will speak as I see, and you will listen as I speak." With her warning given, Harmony sat back, considering the orbiting Screwball. "Your future is muddled, chaotic filly. You could become a monster and terrorize the town, but I see Comforting would not accept that easily. Even if you were to become a monster, she would hug you."

Comforting zipped in to deliver one of those hugs, squeezing the squealing chaos filly. "Just like this! No monsters!"

Harmony kept one ear on the two that kept circling. "Your control over your chaos is small, but growing. If you follow Comforting, your sister will guide you towards greater power just behind herself. But what will you do with that?" She brought up two hooves close together. "Keep it small, for the largest. Be a bringer of small things and ponies will celebrate you. Speak few words, but mean what you say. You try to speak many things, and barely get out a few. Your words are jumbled, scrambled in chaos. This will probably not change. Pick a few important ones."

The babble was back, Screwball trying to get out a thousand thoughts, and not succeeding at a single one of them. She frowned and huffed. "Just... a few."

Comforting rubbed her cheek against Screwball's. "Just like that! Your friends will wait for you to finish, or they aren't good friends."

"Will you.... wait?" One could see Screwball fishing for the right word, one at a time, digging them from the chaos of her mind and the strange circuits that guided them to her throat.

"Of course." Comforting pulled out a pin to stick to Screwball's front. "#1 sister," it and Comforting said. "And if I can't wait for my #1 sister, well, I just stink at waiting." She twirled at Harmony. "Is there more?"

"There is always more... until there is not." Harmony inclined her head faintly. "You could have anything, Comforting. Why are you happy to follow after my plans?"

Comforting came in for a landing in front of Harmony. "A few reasons. To start, we're friends." She extended a finger with that. "I want to see where this is going." She extended a second finger. "I want to help it get there." Out went the third finger. "I want to actually help this time! Being powerless.... sucked, a lot." A fourth finger, all of the ones on that hand. "But I don't plan to be God. They have two already, and they're both pretty cool in different ways."

Harmony curled a hoof on herself. "I am one. Who is the other?"

"Discord? Pretty sure you two are about the same levels." Comforting balanced two hooves against one another. "Rivals, but coworkers. You're both super interested in Twilight and what she gets up to and her friends. You can have them. Good teachers, but I'm calling dibs on their students!" A thought surfaced. "Oh! I wanted to check with you. The students, they asked if I could teach them a lesson with chaos. But I didn't want to say yes if it'd make you really sad."

Harmony frowned at that. "I... I heard Gallus speaking. I did not know why. When I looked, he had moved on. This limit of perception... I do not like it." They focused on Comforting, making her flinch. It was unusual for Harmony to focus like that. "Chaos. It has grown stronger... But it sides with me? Can you give my sight back?"

Comforting reached behind her back, rocking on her hooves. "Well.... I don't know, but maybe?" She suddenly thrust a pair of thick glasses on Harmony's face, but was held back several inches, unable to finish the act.

Harmony was examining the reading glasses, though her gaze was no longer focused, staring through the glasses. "What did you intend?"

Comforting released the glasses. "You ruined it... I was hoping a pair of glasses--" They were floating, held by Harmony's will. "--would help fix your vision."

Harmony waved them closer, allowing them to settle on her snout. She blinked softly. "I see.... I see..." She closed one eye, then the other. "I see...."

Author's Note

Schoolday, complete. Comforting is getting rather cozy with her new self. It's kinda fun! Now, do you see what Harmony sees?

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76 - I See

"So... what do you see?" Comforting was watching Harmony with growing curiosity and a little concern.

"I see a scary friend." Harmony looked around slowly. "But still a friend. In one eye, I see here and now, in the other, fractured futures, maybes. But I could see no future before, so this... this is an improvement. You have thrown chaotic glimpses. An improvement." She reached up and took the glasses between her hooves. "Do not give these to a pony. You will upset them. It is possible that you may damage them. You are a kind chaos, you said so yourself. This would be an attack."

"N-no!" Comforting shrank back at the idea. "Driving my friends crazy isn't the idea, promise."

"But you told me." Screwball frowned at the paragon of order. "You told me some maybe futures. Why weren't you worried I'd get hurt?" Her speech was a little slower, making sure she got the right words out.

Harmony folded the glasses and tucked them away. "You are a tough little filly. You are also a chaotic filly. The rules are different because you already see what others do not."

Comforting zipped over to Screwball's side to press against them. "You're awesome, Harmony just said so."

"Yay!" Her question was blasted away with joy. "Oh. Oh! Oh!" She started and twitched faintly, desperately hunting for the words as if they were marbles she had just dropped and scattered over the area. "Is... That reason the? That the reason..." She curled a hoof at her face and her swirling eyes. "This?!" She was too excited to wait, and the words fell over themselves.

Harmony was holding Screwball by the cheeks, not bothering to take the steps between to actually take hold, they just were, staring deep into Screwball's swirled eyes. "Ah. Yes. Your vision is already fragmented and wild. I doubt any glimpse could damage you." More than she already was, Harmony implied without saying it. "I'm sorry."

Screwball wriggled back away from the holding hooves. "Why are you sorry? Discord did this." She twirled like a top on a whim. "And it's me now! Me, me, Screwball!" She dissolved entirely into babbles, dropping what few speech marbles she had left to her.

"Slow down," gently counseled Comforting, remaining close to her sister. "We'll still be here, promise." She looked to Harmony with a smile. "Thanks for the help. Oh, um." She pointed up at her big yak horn. "Yona said this was for breaking things."

Harmony considered the horn, or the area in that direction. "Yaks are like that. They revere the past, but are equally swift to damage it, especially if they do not think it is 'their' past. They will dance carefully around a vase, if it has their history on it. Greedy. They are learning. This is why Yona is so important."

Comforting set her hands on her hips. "Well, I don't want to break things." Visions of the poor tree she smashed came to her with a flinch. "Sorry," she whispered, as if the dead tree could hear her. Maybe it could? She couldn't for sure deny the possibility.

Harmony sighed gently. "Scary friend, I should not advise chaos... But... In the future, when you damage something, you do have the power to undo the damage. Your powers are frightening, but present." She raised her hooves and slowly clicked them together, side by side, not hoof to hoof. "Next time, put it back together."

Comforting's eyes widened slowly, swirling with new colors. "Oh!" She clapped her hands together in one firm strike. "I could... Now I feel stupid... Sorry! I'll put any future trees back together if I accidentally knock one over."

Screwball grabbed Comforting firmly, gibbering and breathing hard, but she was slowing, bit by bit.

Comforting patted her sister gently. "Today's been really exciting, for all of us. Harmony, I hope we're back to being friends, for real." She leaned in with a big smile. "I don't even dream anymore, that sucks. So visit! If you have time, come say hi. I miss our talks."

"Foolish chaos friend, you invite harmony to your side?" Harmony seemed pleased more than aghast. "You know, my presence weakens you. This may be why your sister is losing control of herself. I can't control that." She pointed to the tree, her real self. "It is what I am."

Comforting smooched Screwball on the nose, but pushed her back. "One moment." She held up one finger, nodded, and zipped off. She showed Harmony, the tree, what she thought with a big hug on that barky harmony avatar. When she got close, she couldn't fly, gravity refusing to concede to her, but she could walk, and she did to close the rest of the distance and embrace her friend. "You're pretty, you know that?" She could see the flicks of jewels and gems, glittering in the cave. "Delicate and shiny. Love it."

Harmony watched Comforting and her true self. "You are just saying that. I do not have what a mammal would call 'pretty'."

Comforting waved that away. "Let's start with the big thing. I'm not all mammal anymore." She rubbed her dragon hand with an avian one. "We got dragon and hippogriff, and griffon classic, and even some insect in there. Besides... It's not like I'm asking you out on a date." She paused, blinking. "Do you do dates? We can go on a date if you want. What do you do for fun?"

Harmony suddenly burst into laughter. It was Twilight's laughter, borrowing her image and form. "Chaotic friend... You are a treat. You would date a tree? You surely can't date me as I am now." She curled a hoof to point at her Twilight-self. "The questions would be legion, seeing a teacher dating their student."

"Ooo!" Screwball clasped her hooves at the two of them. "Can I come?"

Comforting smiled at her sister. "Feel better now?"

"A little, sorry... I was... really excited..." She colored, but not red, instead a plaid arrangement over her cheeks. "Sorry..."

Comforting zipped in to nose-touch with Screwball. "I'm so proud you calmed yourself down. Now, if this is a date date, it would just be us." She waved between herself and Harmony. "But it'd probably not be a date date. Harmony, are you looking for romance, or just some fun?"

Harmony inclined her head at Comforting. "I am... You accept this easily, as if either answer would be alright. I would still need another form. I am attuned to those who have served me well." Twilight was gone, Rarity in her place. "Darling, any of the element bearers are possible. But they are all older than you, and your teacher, you see."

Comforting clapped suddenly. "Perfect. If you're mom, then us hanging out won't even seem odd, and if I hug my mom, that's just adorable and normal."

Harmony was Fluttershy, wings fidgeting gently. "There are kisses two ponies in love give. There are kisses a mother gives to her daughter. They are not the same kiss."

Screwball smooched at the air with loud noises, giggling joyfully at the imagined scene.

Comforting returned from the tree, her buoyancy returning to her on the way. "You're the one getting ahead of yourself now. Let's just have fun. If we get to smooches, we'll figure that out. I'm dating you, not mom." She laughed at that. "Dating your mom isn't right, even adopted. But just a fun playdate? That's something you can do with family."

Screwball tried to land, paddling at the ground with futility. "If it's a playdate, I wanna!"

Harmony considered a moment before she brought a hoof down in a slow smooth motion, dragging Screwball with it as if she were manipulating an asset on the animation.

Screwball squealed with a fresh pain, causing Harmony to release her quickly. "Don't do that! Whatever that was..." She sniffled, wiping away a few little gumdrops. "That hurt..."

Comforting folded her arms. "Neither chaos nor order can put Screwball on the ground, at least without hurting her."

"Thanmfs fer..." She dropped her speech marbles, words trailing off into little babbles and sniffs.

"She says thanks for trying," translated Comforting. "But this is a lot. Today's been a lot. Let's... plan for the future. It was nice meeting the real you."

Harmony inclined her head. "You already met the 'real' me. One day... I saw it, before now... That me will be gone. The other me will remain. I hope you are not too attracted to my wood. It will go away eventually."

"Now we're getting kinda existential." She perked a brow at Harmony. "Which is really wierd, with us both being, you know... immortal, I think?"

"Many of those you love are not. Neither is that tree." Harmony nodded at the studded tree. "It will die. I will not. Death will come to visit you again, not to take your hand, but to pick up things around you... Will that make you mad? Will you lose your kindness?"

Comforting grabbed her overwhelmed sister close. "I hope not. At least I'll still have at least one friend." Comforting flashed a bright smile at Harmony and zipped away. The pressure of order was something she had forgotten, at least until it faded away with her zipping out of the cave. She half-carried Screwball away, over the treetops. "Feeling better?"

Screwball sniffed gently. "Am I forever too?"

Comforting frowned, having no real answer for that. Screwball was still a pony, right? "It doesn't matter." She climbed over Screwball, holding her up from the top. "You're still my #1 sister."

"Yay!" All the worry, gone, just like that. "Thanks, for taking me... That was... scary, but... Still happy." Screwball gently swatted Comforting away to take up the flight on her own. "Race ya!" And even go faster, determinatively vrooming ahead, as if the sound effect helped her go faster. Maybe it did?

They raced good spiritedly out of the Everfree to get to the safety and love of home.

"You called me."

Comforting had just gone to bed, and there was Harmony, floating over her. "You gave me answers, and also questions." She was wearing the glasses Comforting had gifted her. "I thought these would fade, but they persist... That may be my fault." She set a hoof on the side of them. "I am a creature of order, and they are now part of me. To remain still is a specialty."

Comforting smiled brightly at that. "I'm really glad. Good! I can make things, and you can make them stick. That's great to know." She slipped out from under Harmony to float up next to her. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you," echoed not-Twilight. "I did not expect you to visit, but you did, and I should thank you as well. You pleased me." She inclined her head at Comforting. "I do not scare you."

"Did you ever?" Comforting lifted an ear-feather.

"Of course." Harmony flew in a little closer at Comforting. "I was very intimidating. I wasn't trying to be, but I am. You are the intimidating one now. You are not trying to be. But you are." She inclined her head. "But you are also young. Young and caring." She offered out her hooves. "A child may be dangerous, but I find it difficult to be scared the more I consider it."

She wasn't young! But she also was? But also... "It's complicated... like both of us." They met and hugged firmly to one another. They had no further complaints about their shared complexity. "You know I'd never hurt you."

"On purpose." Harmony returned to the ground, where an orderly thing belonged. "But you would do your best to fix it, were a mistake to happen."

"And say sorry." Comforting came down to float just next to Harmony. "And mean it."

"And mean it..." Harmony considered quietly a moment. "That is a step Discord often forgets. It is easy to say."

Author's Note

They've reached a new understanding, I feel.

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77 - Generational Bias

"You may." Harmony inclined her head. "But I have a condition."

"Alright... but what are you giving me permission to do?" They had skipped that part entirely. Comforting folded her arms. "You can skip a lot, but not that part."

"You started it," calmly retorted Harmony. "You may use your chaos for and on the students, but condition. You may not permanently change them. Their perspectives may change, but their bodies may not, barring time."

Comforting rocked on her mismatched feet, considering that. "What if one of them really wants to... not be what they are? I'd feel bad not even trying to help with that."

"You speak from personal experience, I can hear it, but I don't know your past." Harmony's horn glowed as she plucked at Comforting gently. "One day you may share it, though it will not help me here. A matter entirely of curiosity."

Comforting swatted gently, though she had little hope of just swatting at formless magic, at least not without trying harder. "But, still... if?"

Harmony let out a long sigh. "Chaos friend, you test me, in the way that chaos friends must. If you make a change that must not be, it will be eroded. You have seen this, things you make and change not persisting. The universe has requirements, and makes them silently but undeniably. They are the final arbiter, not me."

Comforting's eyes swirled slowly with colors, more like a loading wheel than anything else. "Were you giving me that condition for me then?"

"For you?" Harmony was quiet a moment. "That will do."

Comforting awoke. "Morning!" Screwball was floating elsewhere in the room, ordering her toys, though what order that was...harder to tell at a glance. "Did you sleep good?"

Comforting made idle note that, while being visited, she was distracted and didn't notice things going on around her. "Morning, Screwie!" She hopped up into the air to float beside her already hovering sister. "What are you doing?"

Screwball made quite the dramatic wave at the toys, board games and plushes and other things. "I helped!"

Comforting inclined her head slowly. "What order were you going for?"

Screwball pointed to the left and slowly on to the right. "It's in order you got them in."

Comforting's eyes widened. They were in that order! She had entirely missed that. "Wow, neat. How... did you know what order that is?"

"Lucky guess?" suggested the chaotic filly. Unlike Comforting, her perspective was badly skewed. "Like it?"

"It's lovely, but I'd like 'types' of toys to be closer together." She pointed at the various stuffed creatures. "Like these things. I want them together so I can look at the huggable things."

"Ohhh," let out Screwball, seeming to grasp that. "Okay." Not that she resumed ordering things, instead focused entirely on Comforting. "Breakfast time?"

"Breakfast time." Comforting smooched Screwball's cheek and zipped with her out into the kitchen where Fluttershy was making said breakfast. "Morning!"

"Good morning you two." Fluttershy set down a plate with her wings on the table. "It's good to see you two getting along so well, even first thing in the morning."

Screwball hovered just over a chair, as close as she was gonna get to sitting in it. "I like my sister all day long, and night long, and the times between."

Comforting chomped her food gratefully. "Thanks, mom! I'll take Screwball in."

Screwball pouted. "After school, I wanna meet your friends."

Comforting considered that before she snapped her draconic fingers. "You got it. I'll see which of them is around today." Screwball needed to meet more and hang out with more than just herself, Comforting decided quietly. "See you later!" She waved at Fluttershy, heading out with Screwball.

The two made a rapid flight to the hospital. The town was still waking up, but there were ponies up and about, some noticing the two chaos touched ones. Fortunately, they were known, and not in a bad way. They got a few waves on the way past.

Comforting came in for a landing. "Be good. Are you learning things?"

Screwball hovered before Comforting. "They keep telling me how to... act. They aren't teaching me... things. You teach me more things. Better things. All kinds of things!" She clapped her hooves, starting to get excited. "I want more things. Things things things." Too excited, her babble returning to her.

Comforting gently pet her excited sister. "Calm down. You need to learn how to act so you can learn more. Discord wasn't helping with that. But we are, promise."

"Promise?"

Comforting thrust out a pinkie. "Promise."

Screwball blinked softly, the offer going right over her head. "Uh..."

She also didn't have a pinkie to do it back with, Comforting realized sheepishly. "Sorry, it means I'm making a serious promise."

"Oh!" Screwball bounced in place with a big smile. "Okay! I'll listen. Listen real good." She hurried inside with a swooshing sound effect she gladly made herself with her mouth.

Comforting cracked her knuckles. Learning time! She jogged instead of flying. There was a feeling in actually using one's legs, and she took a little time to enjoy it as she fled to school.

Later, Twilight smiled at the class. "Rarity has informed me that the trip to Manehattan is nearly prepared." The class erupted into cheers. "But I do need one thing." She held up a hoof. "Please send a letter to your parents and get permission. They agreed to your coming to this school, but that doesn't mean we can take you to anyplace in Equestria."

Grumbles replaced the cheers. Gallus threw a paper at Comforting, making her squeak. She unfurled the paper quickly.

I doubt your mom's gonna be a problem.

Comforting nodded. She doubted Fluttershy would stop her from visiting the city, but... She flipped the paper over and scrawled a reply, "Will you have any problems?"

Gallus caught it when she tossed it. He smoothed it out to read it and quickly scribbled a reply, "He'll take his sweet time answering if he bothers at all... Sucks."

The paper didn't make it back to Comforting, caught by Twilight's glowing magic. "Please don't exchange notes." Still, she put it down on Comforting's desk. "Last message, hm? Now, as we were covering..."

Comforting read, but didn't try to reply. She wasn't a problem student! Or she hoped, and she paid attention for the rest of the class.

But when Twilight dismissed the class, she was quick to get to Gallus' side. "Boo!" she emphatically blurted at him. "We have to be able to do something."

"It took a lot of arm wrenching to get in here at all." Gallus shrugged at that. "It's not that big a deal... we're gonna meet that bank pony right here, remember?"

"Yeah... But..." Comforting crossed her arms. "It's not fair you being left out because your caretakers aren't doing their job..."

"Thanks for caring, kiddo." He ruffled the chaotic filly's head, undisturbed by her potentially vast power. "But unless you can magic up a signed permission slip?"

She could! Maybe? Possibly? Even if she could... "It wouldn't be right..."

Yona informed them of her presence by speaking loudly as if she had been part of the conversation the entire time, "Why not take him there?"

Comforting blinked quickly. "Oh. Oh! Yona! You're brilliant!"

Yona beamed with pride. Gallus looked on with doubt at his large friend being 'brilliant'. "Can you do that?"

"I think I can. Will he sign the paper if you're there in person to ask?" Comforting began rubbing her hands together with a calculating smile. "Then we can get it done without breaking any rules." A few rules of physics, but those barely counted!

"Maybe..." Gallus clucked his tongue against his beak. "Better odds than some random letter. Seriously, you can... do that? Do you even know where I live?"

"No idea! And that won't stop me. I've teleported before, and it worked." She offered a hippogriff hand towards Gallus. "And if it gets you a trip with us, I want to help."

Gallus took her hand in his, shaking with the smaller child, even if she could do things he could not. "Alrighty then. If it's as easy as that, let's hop over there after school."

That was when Comforting remembered... "I promised Screwball, first to pick her up, and second to maybe introduce her to you all?" She looked between Gallus and Yona. "If you're up for it?"

Yona nodded easily. "Sure. Meet pony. Sister now? I take care of sister. You take care Gallus."

Comforting jumped in place. "You are the best yak!"

Yona's smile could light the room. Best yak? Best of the best? She liked that idea. "After school."

"After school," quickly agreed Comforting, looking to Gallus.

"See you two then." Gallus walked off towards his next class without any more fancy of a goodbye.

Just as Comforting was ready to flee for the day, Twilight intercepted her. "How is your rune work coming along?"

"Okay, I think?"

Twilight smiled at her changed student. "Why don't you show me, a quick alphabet."

"Hmm..." She focused on her changeling horn, playing the notes of magic faithfully.

"Higher," gently advised Twilight. "Lower... There you are..." It became a quick little lesson in pitches and timbres as she went. "Much better. Keep practicing. I think, soon, you will be able to cast a spell. I think... once you do that, the rest should come swiftly. Then you may, if you wish, resume your lessons as a wizard."

Comforting flashed a big thumbs up. "I gotta go!" But her attempt to flee was barred by a hoof. "Hm?"

"Sorry. I admit, I'm used to you being more...focused. You've been through a lot, but I want you to know I'm still here for you. Don't hesitate to ask--"

"--Do you have any advice on convincing griffons of things?" Comforting waved off at where her friends were waiting for her presumably.

Twilight inclined her head. "They can be... headstrong. Don't approach them as if you know better than they do, especially about personal things to them."

"Thanks!" Comforting looked genuinely pleased as she lifted up and darted away, leaving Twilight behind.

"You're welcome?" offered Twilight to the space that once held a student. "Good luck." Why did she need to know about griffons? They denied Twilight knowing for the time.

Comforting rushed out to find Gallus and Yona waiting for her. "Sorry, quick magic lesson." She tapped at her smaller horn. "Getting better. Not as good at smashing."

"Changeling horn alright. Yak horn better." Easy conclusion for Yona. "Get sister."

As one unit they marched on the hospital. "Comfie!" hollored Screwball from the second story. She jumped clear of it, plummeting just to bounce gently, the ground refusing her presence. "And friends? Hi! Hi hi hi." She frantically flailed her hooves with undisguised excitement. "I can't--" She frowned, fishing for words. "Can't..."

Yona inclined her head at somecreature that competed with her for word use. "Wait?"

"Don't wanna wait!" cried Screwball. "Hi! Screwball." She pointed at herself, then at Yona.

"Yona." She pointed to Gallus. "Gallus. Nice meet."

Gallus nodded at the strange filly. "Hey. Gonna borrow your sister."

Comforting waved at Yona. "Yona wants to meet you and play some games. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Ooooo." Screwball floated about Yona, orbiting the larger being. "Play. Let's play. Where are you going?" She had spotted Comforting trying to slip away. "Wanna come!"

Comforting put up her hands. "I need to help Gallus with homework. Boring school stuff. I'll be back as soon as possible. Yona got her work done early. Yaks are good at that."

"Yaks best at homework," she agreed. "So time to play."

"Yay!" The offer of play dissolved her worry, the two wandering off to do that.

Gallus chuckled softly. "We owe her one for saving the day. Alright, how do we get from here to there?"

Comforting considered the ways she'd seen Discord do it, and how she had done it. "We just need... a scene transition."

"A what now?" Gallus did not comprehend the reality he lived in.

Author's Note

Time for a trip! But will it work smoothly, and will Gallus get that permission slip signed?

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78 - Commercial Break

They were standing in a griffon village. They hadn't flown there. They didn't step through a mysterious door. No curtain to push through or a sharp snap to announce the magic. Gallus sank to his haunches, confusion only growing by the moment. "What did you do?!"

Comforting gestured in a sweeping wave at the village. "I brought us here. This is the right one....?" It wasn't as if she knew for sure. "I was just kinda aiming for your home, wherever that was."

Gallus spotted a particular griffon and raised a hand to wave, only to get an annoyed grunt. "Yep... this is home." A traditional griffon greeting, second only to angry shouting. "I didn't see you do anything though. Seriously, what?"

"I used a scene transition," she explained as if that actually explained a thing at all. "A blip was coming up."

"Blip? I didn't hear nothin." He put a hand beside his head, as if to help in that hearing.

"It's not a sound exactly..." So her senses had changed a little. At least she was in the present and not the future or past or some confusing blend of it all. "But it was coming, and I took you here in it. The universe isn't watching when it happens." She waved up at the sky. "Don't be mad please. Just a quick permission slip."

God didn't reply that day.

"Who are you talking to?" he asked with a raised brow. "You've gone a little crazy... Not as over the top as your sister, but a little out there for sure." Still, he advanced at a steady walk. "My old house is this way. Thanks... for the lift. Can you even call it a lift?"

"I am honestly not sure. But it was a ride." She skipped alongside him, hooves tapping with a clop with each jump. "I'm glad it worked, and we're both okay."

Gallus paused. "You weren't sure about that?"

"That was the first time..." She tapped her fingers together. "First time I tried moving on a transition like that."

Gallus took a slow breath. "Right... Right!" He gestured at Comforting with both hands. "Right! I did ask you to do that... Wow..." He patted himself down to be extra sure he was all in one piece, and without extra parts. "How are you even handling this?"

"Handling what?" Comforting was looking around at the griffon town. "It's different, but still a town. Griffons aren't... aliens, just a different culture. I'd love to meet them."

Gallus smirked at that. "Most of them don't want to meet you. Still, I more meant... being what you are now. Before you were a unicorn, which was already quite a lot, but now you're... this." He waved one hand at her as he walked. "Which makes unicorn look boring in comparison. Worse, you're really getting into it. You're starting to just... do things. Isn't it a little scary?"

"Yes," admitted Comforting openly. "I was scared I'd mess up. Maybe you'd get hurt..." She rubbed at her chin. "Arguably worse, you could have gotten lost. If I dropped you somewhere random, I'd be so upset!" Harmony would also chew her out, but she didn't bring that up. "I'm really glad that didn't happen." She pointed at his hand. "But we held each other and it was alright."

Gallus flexed his hand, imagining what would have happened if that brief and forever grip had slipped. "Wow... Uh... Thanks. Actually... kinda glad to hear it makes you a little nervous too. It makes you more... grounded?" He shrugged as they stopped in front of one of many houses. "This is it. I'll be right back, hopefully with good news."

Comforting waved for him to go, starting a merry little whistling as she waited for the news, good or bad.

"What are you?" asked a female. A griffon hen was peering at Comforting like the odd creature she was.

Comforting looked up at the muted browns and blacks of the new griffon, but the patterns... "Pretty."

The hen blinked at this first word. "Thanks? So what are you and should I be... concerned?"

Comforting shook her head quickly. "I'm not a monster or anything, promise." She offered a hippogriff hand, perhaps hoping another avian hand would be less threatening. "I'm Comforting. Nice to meet you."

The griffon did not take that hand. "Yeah, hi." She glanced at the building they were in front of. "You know somegriffon in there?"

Comforting bobbed her head quickly. "Gallus." She raised a pointing finger at it, aborting the attempt to shake with the new griffon. "Goes to Twilight's friendship school?"

The hen rolled her eyes at that. "Wow... Yeah, I heard of that... Sounds like a huge waste of time. He could be learning something practical, if he wanted to go learn something. But no, he's off learning how to have tea and cakes with ponies, like that's gonna help."

Comforting went quiet. A thousand retorts rose and fizzled. "Actually..." The hen peered at her. "He's working on a project. It's secret though, so I can't say more than that."

She snorted at that, clicking her beak. "That ain't much to go on. Does it make bits?" She rubbed two fingers together as if a coin was between them to caress.

"It already has," proudly declared Comforting. "Just needs some fine tuning to make more."

She leaned closer. "Now you're talking something like my language. So, really, what are you? I'm tired of asking."

Comforting's attempts to avoid that question, foiled... "I'm Comforting, a chaos spirit. Before you..." The hen was already backing up. "I'm a nice chaos spirit, promise!"

"Yeah... chaos, and spirit. Two words I don't really wanna chat with..." She flared out her wings. "Have a good one or whatever." She took off, flapping away from what she decided she didn't want to deal with.

Comforting sighed, turning back to the building. Gallus' house? At least the house that held his caretaker. She really wanted to know how it was going.

And she slapped herself on the forehead. "Being dumb." She pulled out a tablet and swiped it active. She soon had a picture of the inside, revealing Gallus.

Gallus was standing next to a table where an old griffon was seated, looking grumpy, the griffon default. "So I just need a signature and--"

"You always come in asking for something," grunted out Grampa Gruff. "Shouldn't you be at that fancy school, wasting your time? What are you doing here?"

Gallus slid the paper onto the table. "I'll be headed right back there, just a little signature, and I can get out of your way."

Gruff folded his hands together. "You just quit, didn't you? Figures." He snatched the paper away to scowl at it. "Just a paper for me to say I'm alright with it or something..." But it didn't say that. "A trip? A city? What kinda 'education' are they trying to pull?!"

Gallus hiked a thumb at himself. "The other students are being lazy jerks." He casually tossed them under the bus. Not like they cared much about Gruff's opinion, right? "I'm going to learn stuff. Me and my business partner got our eyes on the bottom line, and we need to go to a place that has a lot of bits in it."

Gruff hiked a brow with a tired huh of a noise. "You don't say..." He set the paper down. "Probably going to waste the chance... What do I have to pay?!"

"Not a single bit," assured Gallus with a cocky smile. "Twilight just enjoys being proper, so she wants your alright."

"What do I care?!" thundered Gruff. "That pony princess, I swear... If I sign this, will you go away?"

"Right away." Gallus reached one foot out towards the door in promise. "Soon as..."

"I know how to sign things," the elder grumbled, snatching a quill from a counter aside him. "Tell that princess of yers that I don't care unless it costs me somethin'!" He angrily scrawled something that could be confused for a signature if one were drunk at the time. "Here. Don't know how you got here, but do it back!"

"I'm on the case." Gallus snatched the paper back and tucked it away. "Later." He emerged from the house just as Comforting was tucking something away. "What was that?"

Saying it was nothing was the first urge, but... "I was watching. He's a bit... salty."

"Salty?" Gallus shoved Comforting suddenly. "Jerk or not, don't spy like that. It's rude."

Comforting scowled, the sudden contact bothering her, especially in the form of a shove, but she managed to calm herself in a moment of tension. "Sorry... I was worried about you."

"Appreciate that." Gallus turned well away from the house, starting back the way they came. "So... you going to hop into another 'scene transition'?"

"Nah." She walked alongside him. "Doing something the same way twice feels... wrong somehow. Like part of me wants to try things in different ways, to see and do it in all the ways..." She clapped her mismatched hands. "It's fun... so long as nocreature gets hurt."

Gallus inclined his head. "Huh. Well... how about I suggest a way then?"

Comforting's eyes shined. "I love the tone in your voice. What's your idea?"

Gallus made a motion as if opening a book. "Like a book for little chicks. Have an announcer do it."

Comforting blinked softly. "Wow... I would not have thought of that." She floated several inches into the air. "Sounds fun though. Wanna try?"

"It was my idea," he dryly noted. "I'd look stupid if I said no now."

"Take it away, storyteller." She beckoned, waving grandly at the sky.

But she didn't have that power.

"I can hear you," she noted. "And the narration of my talking, which is odd."

Oh, well, maybe she did have some power.

"Can you take us home?"

No, but she could, and she did. It was a feat of chaotic magic too splendorous to even describe, but it ended up with Comforting on a pile of bananas and fudge, at the feet of a confused-looking Gallus.

"What?" Gallus blinked down at the messy form of Comforting. "What...?" But instead of losing it, he burst into laughter, deep and true. "You are something else." He looked around, seeing they weren't in the griffon village anymore. They were back in Ponyville.

"Ooo." Pinkie landed next to Comforting. "Are ya gonna finish that?"

Comforting sat up in the sticky mess, giggling at what she had apparently made? It was all her magic, as tricky as it was. "If you want some, pl--" She didn't get to finish, being licked from top to bottom in a huge Pinkie slurp that cleaned away the bannanas and fudge in one fell swoop. "Are you sure you're not a chaos spirit too?"

Pinkie pulled out her ID and turned it towards Comforting. "Nope, says so right here."

Pinkamena Diane Pie
"Pinkie"
Earth Pony

"See, earth pony, not chaos spirit. You'd think they'd know." She nodded sagely. "You're the chaos spirit, silly. How's that working out? You look like you're having a fun time!"

Gallus swatted at Comforting's clean back. "She just saved my whole day. I'm going to go get this to Headmare Twilight." He pulled out his permission slip to hold in the air triumphantly. "See you in the city!"

Comforting waved as he fled and turned back to Pinkie. "You could be an earth pony and a chaos spirit."

Pinkie twisted an ear aside. "That'd be funny."

"You like funny, don't you," gently nudged Comforting with a smile.

"I do like funny." Pinkie stroked her chin softly. "But I think I'd remember that, and my parents would remember that. Nope, couldn't have been born like this or they'd know for sure. I didn't start this until about when the Rainboom happened." She clapped her cheeks with her hooves. "Do you think that book ended it?! Ooo, I like that..."

Author's Note

Pinkie is a mare of mysteries...

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79 - Even New Status Quos Can be Broken

Comforting started awake in the dark. It wasn't like she was asleep, but she was abruptly not idle anymore. A sharp pain had run through her... everything. Something was wrong, and she had no idea what it could be. That pain had been intense, but also quite brief, already gone, fading away.

There was Screwball, curled and dozing, floating in the air peacefully. It hadn't bothered her. Perking an ear, Comforting heard nothing from the rest of the house. Fluttershy hadn't been woken up. Good, she had just gotten back from something. She hadn't said the specifics, but she finished with that. Waking her up felt like an awful thing to do.

Who could she ask? What could she check?

Well, mother was tired and snoozing. But what about father? She reached out and brushed aside some beads, at least she brushed aside where some beads could have been, parting the scene to slip through with only the quiet tinkle of them brushing back against one another with her passed form.

She was in front of Discord's house. "I'm getting the hang of this." Being a chaos spirit was kinda fun... "Dad? You awake?" She zipped to the front door and knocked on it directly. "It's me, Comforting."

Discord opened the door from the inside. "Hey, shortstack. Did you come here on your own? You're getting the hang of things."

Comforting beamed at the praise. "Yeah... But something happened, and I don't know what. Could you help?"

"No, see... the trick there." He wagged a finger at his adopted daughter. "Asking chaos spirits for help can be a chancy thing. Are you sure you want to try?"

Comforting blinked at the idea. "You're my dad, and I'm a chaos spirit and love helping people."

"Bad habit, you'll get over it." He waved that off. "Either way, what's got you down?"

Comforting took hold of her long tufted tail with her dragon hand, the other gesturing in the air. "I was 'sleeping' when suddenly it was like I was being electrocuted all over, but for like a second? Any ideas?"

"Tons of them," calmly retorted Discord. "But most of them are probably just bad attempts at humor, if we're being honest. More seriously, that sounds like something important to you was messed with, and you noticed. Good job, by the way. So, I'd check the important things." He turned his fingers on himself. "I'm safe! So it's not me."

"Good!" She hugged him firmly, the two quiet a moment in a soon returned embrace. "I'd better check other important things."

"Good luck." He waved as she unzippered the air and vanished through the opening she made. "A real natural..." He frowned a little in thought. "Going to have to account for that..."

She knew Screwball was alright, so she appeared with a quiet pop above Fluttershy to be sure. Yep, there was a pegasus, sleeping peacefully. Part of her wanted to zoom up and give a big hug, but doing that to a sleeping pony was kinda rude. So she hovered there a moment, just watching Fluttershy breathe softly. Sometimes it was the little things... With a smile, Comforting pressed between the wall and the door, popping out somewhere else.

Another sleeping form, but much larger. Yona was sleeping in her own way, taking up much more of her room, as yaks did. Comforting was in the dorms of the school, which meant a quick spinning twirl was enough to reveal the other students were there, and alright.

She was running out of things to check. Oh! She slipped under their door and popped up on the other side of a different door, inside Diamond Tiara's room. It smelled... ornate. Was ornate a smell? Like fine incenses lit just right, layered meticulously to please the nose.

"What... are you doing here?" And there was Diamond Tiara, looking sleepy as she roused from her slumber. "Comforting? This is kinda sudden, don't you think?"

Comforting stiffened. Caught! "Sorry! I was just checking on you."

Diamond slipped to the ground, stretching as she went. "Checking for what?" She looked over herself for anything wrong, but there was nothing there.

"Anything, really... Sorry, not trying to bother you... I was going to check Silver Spoon next." She pointed off in no particular direction. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Why wouldn't I be? Dummy." She booped Comforting gently. "Still, since you're here, maybe you can do a little chaos for me?"

Comforting blinked softly. "What kind of chaos?"

"The fun kind." Diamond waved at her door. "It's too late to get anything. I'd just get yelled at if I wandered out there, but here you are, my little wonderful meal ticket."

"Oh." That didn't sound hard. She casually reached through everything, sifting around in Diamond's fridge. "What am I looking for?"

Diamond blinked at the sight, Comforting's arm just casually stopping about halfway up, the other half somewhere else. "Where are you... looking?"

"Feels cold. How about this!" She closed her fingers around a smooth round thing and yanked free a bottle of milk. "Ta da!"

Diamond clapped appreciatively. "Nice, you must be in the fridge. Put that back and feel around for something in a metal square." She pantomimed a square with her hooves as best she could. "That should have a cake."

Comforting stuffed the milk back where it had come from and patted around in the space she couldn't see. "Metal... square... metal square..." Plastic, plastic, glass. Wax paper? Metal, round... There, metal and square, at the same time! She grabbed it firmly and yanked it through.

"That isnt the cake." Diamond was smiling though. "Good enough." It was some kind of dish, cheese, pasta-like? Like a lasagne of sorts, or a casserole. It was cold, coming from the fridge. "Can you heat it without burning the house down? I'd get grounded for that."

Comforting quickly imagined a lot more than just a grounding would happen if their daughter burned the house down. "I don't want that... Oh, easy." She slapped the thing into a microwave and started pressing buttons. She was reaching for the start when she brought herself short. "Ooops!" She quickly removed the food from its metal pan. "Don't microwave metal."

"Don't what metal?" Diamond had no idea what a microwave was, watching Comforting curiously.

With a triumphant final beeping tone, the microwave was finished. Comforting reached in and discovered that hot food was strangely hot. "Ow!" She waved her hands wildly before she tried again, with oven mitts. "There we go..." She got the plate out and quickly put it down in front of Diamond. "Be careful, it's hot."

"Mmm..." Diamond licked her lips appreciatively. "You're the best, Comforting. Now, you wanted to check Silver? Let me know she's alright, since you brought it up."

"Will do." Comforting just popped, leaving little fragments of herself, but she was gone.

She reformed in a new, dark, room. It was hard to see what she was looking at. She drew out some large nightvision goggles and popped them on her head, revealing it all in ghostly greens. There was a slumbering form of a filly on a large and soft bed. All was peaceful.

Comforting poked just her head back into Diamond's room. "She's alright!" And she pulled herself out of both of their rooms to be in the town square instead. "Who's left...?" The teachers? They were pretty alright at protecting themselves. They were experienced adventurers!

Harmony? She was a little godling. What could hurt her? She waved off the very idea, but her hand slowed, not finishing the motion. Harmony had said she would die, sort of... "Harmony!" She vanished with a big exclamation point that fell to the ground with a dusty thump.

"W-what...?" It was her turn to be shocked to confused silence. Where once there was a grand tree of glittering orderly wonder, there were bits and pieces. Fragments of wood and jagged rocks were all that was left. "Harmony..." They hadn't even had a chance to try that whole dating thing...

Comforting waved that thought away with a snort. It wasn't time for that. "Harmony!" She rushed forward. The pressure. She could feel it. It wasn't nearly as strong as it had been. But she felt it. That meant Harmony was still there, right? "Harmony? Are you..." Alright? Clearly she wasn't that... "There? It's me... Say something, please."

With a flicker, a form appeared of the far-sighted Twilight, looking on with a little smile. "I had been working to build energy."

Comforting wheeled to face them. "Harmony! Energy for what? What happened?!" She waved at the scattered bits of her friend.

"Evil. Chaos. I felt both. I said my wood would be gone. I did not think it would be this quickly, but I knew it was coming... Energy, to call the students here. You are here." Twilight advanced on Comforting. "Can I ask a favor, chaos friend?"

"Of course. How can I help? You... I keep wanting to say alright, but... You said you'd... be..." She sagged. "You'd still be here. Does it hurt?"

"It hurt. It does not hurt now. I have nothing to hurt. I am a spirit." She inclined her head. "Like you."

Comforting's tail curled and lashed. "What?! I have a body." She poked herself as if to prove this fact.

"Mutable, uncertain... You are a chaos spirit. I am an orderly one. Chaos friend, a favor?"

Comforting reached to pat Harmony, but her hand went through the space, not solid... "You're hurt."

"I am hurt." Harmony inclined her head. "Chaos friend, bring word to the others. Have them come here. Let them do as they wish. This is a part of their growth. This is a part of my growth. Chaos friend, do not stop them. Help them. Help them be as they should, where they should."

Comforting went in for a hug, shadow hugging the immaterial orderly spirit. "I'll do my best, promise."

"You usually do." Harmony stood back. "I must go. Chaos friend, do not tell them this, but be not sad... I already told you." She vanished away, nothing left but a ruined tree to enjoy the solitude of the quiet cave.

Comforting took a shuddering breath, her hands falling to her side. "Alright... Alright." She fell backwards and landed in her own bed, thumping into its softness. "Alright..." She rolled onto her side for a peek out the window, but a face was in her way. "Wah!" She jumped back in surprise, and Screwball came in with her.

"Morning!" cried the excitable fillly. "Where were you? I woke up and you weren't there and I was worried, but you got back, yay!" She clapped with the joy of that event. "Where'd you go? Naughty. The school isn't even open yet." She wagged a hoof at Comforting reprimandingly. "And you didn't take me to the hospital yet."

Comforting relaxed, realizing who was there. "Morning, Screwie. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. Very well." She stretched hard enough to pop her back. "One perk of floating is the bed is always so soft." She pedeled her hooves through the air as if walking, but it had no effect. "What about you?"

"The first part was good... but I woke up early and got a job." She rubbed her chin softly. "Which I should get to. As soon as you get breakfast, off to the hospital and I have to get to work."

"You have a job?" Screwball floated in closer. "When did that happen? Can I get a job? I'll do my best, promise!"

Comforting could remember giving that promise herself shortly before. "I bet you would... We can try that after you're done with the classes at the hospital." She touched nose to nose with her sister. "But first, breakfast."

"Breakfast!" That Screwball could agree was a priority. "Let's go!" She zoomed out of the room with a babbling cheer.

Comforting could hear Fluttershy greeting Screwball. The day was properly starting. She had things to do.

Author's Note

Things are going on, but not quite the way they're supposed to be. Comforting has broken the plan, but not her friendships.

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80 - Summons

With Screwball delivered to the caring hooves of the nurses and physicians at the hospital, Comforting put her thought to the matter at hoof. She'd already wasted time! And there was school! Wait.

She stepped through Twilight's door, despite not having gone through town. "Teacher."

Twilight looks up, ears pricked. "Is something wrong? School hasn't even started yet." She waved over some papers in front of her. "I was just grading a few papers." And yet, she seemed to 'get' that something was up.

"The tree of harmony," started Comforting directly. "It's... destroyed." Was there a better word for that? "And I need to grab some students. Is that alright? They probably won't be at school today."

Twilight flipped her ears back. "How did... Nevermind... You are a chaos spirit. I should know better than to question how you know any particular thing." She brought her hooves together. "I know about the tree. How does that involve any other student?" She glanced away nervously. "How much do you know?"

Comforting stepped inside, closing the door with a sway of her tail. "I know Harmony was destroyed by some kinda evil thing, also chaotic? Not me!" She would struggle to qualify as 'evil'. "And she wants the students to visit. Gallus, Silversteam, Yona, Ocellus, Sandbar, and Smolder." She counted on fingers as she went. It was nice to have those back. "This isn't to play, I promise."

"I don't think you're lying to me." Twilight let out a slow sigh. "Not at all... Yes, the tree of harmony was... damaged, to put it mildly. Are you certain it can't recover?"

Comforting shrank a step. "No. Maybe them being there could help it? I don't know... Harmony is still there."

Twilight parked at that. "The order spirit? That's great news." She smiled with rebounding enthusiasm. "If she wants to speak to the others, then I'll allow it. Please, be safe. The forest has become less dangerous, but not entirely safe. I don't want any of you getting hurt."

Comforting snapped a salute. "I'll keep them safe!" She giggled, rubbing her hands together. "I'm the nice chaos spirit, remember? We may just skip the entire forest."

Twilight inclined her head, one ear up. "Ah... Forgive me for asking, but you weren't this not long ago... Just trying to imagine that feels... overwhelming, to put it bluntly. Are you sure you're alright?"

Comforting jumped up and forward, not bothering to land as she zipped in at Twilight. "The less I actively think about it, the easier it gets. The more I just assume it will work, the more it just does. It's... liberating. And fun." She landed on the desk, crouching down to put their faces close together. "But a little scary once in a while. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"I could understand that." Twilight pushed back a few inches for some space. "Be careful, as you have been, and I hope the visit goes well. They are excused for the day." She raised a hoof at Comforting. "That includes you."

Comforting hopped back off the desk and almost tripped and fell over. jumping backwards off a thing was trickier than it might look. "Oops! I may be back... I don't know what part I'll be doing besides being the chaos taxi for the others. Thanks!" She jumped back one more time, but didn't land, flying backwards right out the door, which she never opened, causing it to slap open and shut with her body battering it open easily.

She hurried to the dorms. "You all in here?" Sandbar was at least, looking up at her as she flew in the door. "Where are the others?" It was good to find a pony, but she had so many others. "We have a place to be. I got permission already."

Sandbar blinked softly. "Permission for what? Hey, Comfort. What's up?"

Comforting came in for a landing in front of Sandbar. She stood as tall as him, but she was bipedal. He was a larger creature easily. "The tree of harmony was... busted."

"What?!" Sandbar rushed to the nearest window. He threw it open and poked his head outside. "Smolder, get the others!"

"What for?!"

"It's important!" Sandbar hollered, closing the window with a thunk. "She'll get the others."

Comforting smiled at the teamwork on display. "Alright. I can--" She didn't get to finish, being tackled into a hug by an excitable hippogriff. "Hey..."

"Hi!" Silverstream eagerly shot back. "You don't visit the dorms very often. I got excited." She hugged Comforting like a plush doll. "What are you looking funny for?" She was just noticing Sandbar's unsure expression.

Sandbar waved at Comforting. "She heard the tree of harmony got hurt. She's taking us there... right? That is where we're going?"

"Yep!" Comforting wriggled her way to freedom. "As soon as I have you all in one place." Thoughts of chaos-wrangling them from their various points danced in her mind, but that felt like making more ways for things to go wrong just to save a few minutes. "I already told Twilight. You're all excused from school today."

The others soon gathered around Comforting curiously. Ocellus nodded at Comforting. "We're ready, for, um, whatever it is."

Yona pumped a hoof. "If we can help, we help." She didn't expect a big fluffy blanket to be tossed over them. "What?" She threw her sizable head, sending the blanket flying. They weren't in the dorm anymore. They were in a cave, a familiar one. "Oh..." The rest of her words fled her as she began to absorb what she was seeing.

Comforting kept from between the students and the destroyed tree. She wasn't sure what to tell them. She had been told to bring them, and help them do... what they needed to do, and would do... And not to tell them Harmony was still there. Why? "I'm sorry." It was the only words that came to her.

Gallus picked through the bits of wood. "What... happened?"

Watching them pick helplessly through the bits was too much. Comforting wasn't allowed to tell them what she knew, no matter how much she wanted to assure them, not that even she could be entirely sure. She was... helpless. "Just call for me when you want a quick trip back," she half-muttered out, stepping back away from the others.

Silverstream dropped the jewel she had been examining. "Where are you going? Aren't you going to help?"

Comforting winced. How did she do that? "I'm just a call away, promise..."

Yona crashed into Comforting without warning, the two going end over end to land in a heap of horns and skewed limbs. "No!"

Comforting could see the world spinning about her. "Ow... Yona... Why did you do that?" She had learned to expect Yona to be a gentle giant, generally. "That hurt, seriously."

"All hurt." Yona sat up, snorting softly. "Sorry... Not run. Friend, not time for run." Yona reached to help Comforting to her feet. "Beside, Comforting tough! Hurt, but not hurt. Yes?"

Comforting patted herself down. It was true. She had no broken bones or pulled things, just a general soreness from being crashed into. "I'm yak tough?"

"Most Tough," agreed Yona with a big smile. "Can take yak crash and not break. Yona proud."

Sandbar gently slid himself between the two. "I'm glad you're alright. Let's not smash into each other... We got enough of a problem. Comforting, can you... magic it back together?"

Comforting thought back on Harmony's own words. She could, in theory, force the pieces back together... But that didn't feel like the answer Harmony was looking for... Is that why Harmony and Discord spoke so obliquely at times? "I could undo a mistake I made. I didn't break this." That was true and seemed enough to mollify them. They didn't ask further, thinking she had answered them.

Gallus snapped his fingers. "Would've been too easy. Why would you get us if you could fix it yourself?"

Ocellus raised a hoof. "Maybe she forgot? I've forgotten I can do things before..."

Smolder huffed a little fire. "Valid thought, but not what happened... The tree's gone... We should, at least, do something about it?"

Gallus clapped his hands with a growing smile. "We can show it off to people, remind them of what they missed. Ponies deserve to know about the tree of harmony."

There were mutterings and chatting, and they began to scatter. Each had their own idea for how to deal with the event, and were not sticking together.

Was that proper? Was that right? Had Comforting somehow ruined it? She danced in place nervously, unsure of what to do. On the other hand, they were not paying attention to her. "Call me when you want to get back." And she vanished before they could try tackling her again.

Fluttershy came up short in her walking, Comforting appearing in front of her with a kazoo bleat. "Oh! I thought you had went away today? Did you... get everything done then?"

Comforting blinked at the words. "How did you... Oh! Twilight told you?"

"Of course." Fluttershy closed to give her daughter a hug. "It would be mean if she didn't tell me when something happened with you. Something about the tree, and the students... I didn't realize they were as close to it as you were... Do they know about Harmony?"

"Yes." Comforting stepped back. "Different relationship, but they have one. Um, odd question... Do you know them much?"

Fluttershy inclined her head at Comforting. "Not personally, no. But they are a dear friend of my daughter, and I have done little tasks for them. They are the one that uses the map, aren't they? So... I know them, indirectly." She curled a hoof to her chin. "A little scary at times... But I've worked it out each time she's sent me off to who knows where."

Comforting enmeshed her fingers together. "She's hurt and weak right now. How will the map work?"

Fluttershy shrank. "Oh... It might not, until she feels better.. Is there anything we can do to help? I... thought she might be gone forever." She lifted up, smiling. "I'm glad that's not the case. Next time you see her, please tell her I said hello, and that I wish her a speedy recovery."

Comforting smiled at her mom. She was so cute and pure! Love swelled in her in purest adoration for Fluttershy. "I will, promise... Right now, the students are visiting and... doing their own thing... That's what I was supposed to do. Harmony knows I know she's still there. Um, they don't... So don't tell them."

Fluttershy mimed zipping her lips. "Mum's the word. That does feel like a mean trick, to not tell them. Aren't they worried?"

"Yeah... I don't know all the details." Thankfully, she hadn't been told not to tell Fluttershy. "I have to trust Harmony knows what she's doing."

Fluttershy drew Comforting in for a quieted hug that lasted for several long moments. "I have trust you know what you're doing." She kissed the top of Comforting's head. "But if you need help, I'm here."

Comforting smiled brightly. "You are the best mom I know."

Fluttershy giggled, blushing at the kind words. "I'm just doing what I can... which I'm sure you're doing too. Now, since you're back, are you going to class?"

Oh, right. That was an option... "I'd feel bad going to class to get a call to go pick them up again... I'm how they're getting home afterwards."

"I could imagine that..." Fluttershy moved around Comforting. "Come with me then. You can help care for the animals that stay on the campus. They won't mind too much if you vanish. They're used to Twilight and Starlight doing it."

Comforting giggled at the thought of a surprised squirrel, gaping at where the unicorns had been. "I can imagine that. Let's feed some animals!" Tending to the animals felt like a far more comfortable thing to do just then.

Author's Note

Did you see Season 9? If so, you know what the Young Six are going through. That part is not Comforting's story, as Harmony gently requested, and is being given.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, see the updates early, and/or get your own written here at atreon!

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81 - Gentle Touches

Comforting appeared near the top of the cave. The rubble of the tree had been removed. It was clean and flat, and full of arguing students. "They've been doing that." Comforting twirled, but no Harmony was there. "I am tired. My voice alone will have to do."

She frowned at the thought of her orderly friend, tired and possibly in pain. "Having them argue next to you can't be helping... What are they arguing about?"

"They are united in purpose, and in pain. They all mourn the passing of my physical shell, but how to react to it is where they all differ. To meditate, to decorate, to glorify... These and other thoughts are common, when facing the end of a life."

"But you're not dead."

"But they think I am, and their decision must be made." Just a floating voice, speaking gently in Comforting's ears. "Don't make it for them."

"Right... right." She wanted to just zip up to them and stop the whole thing... But Harmony was hurt, and disobeying her felt deeply wrong. "Right..." So she watched instead and kept her chaos to herself as the students tried to enact their different plans, each grandiose in its own way, and right in the path of the others.

But she had been asked to not get involved, so she watched. They built, collapsed, and built again. They shouted at one another angrily when they crashed, their plans not working in harmony... or for Harmony. Comforting waved in the air, trying to somehow conduct them like some kind of symphony.

They couldn't see her, of course. She was invisible, at least to them. Hirrah chaos powers! Did Discord do that?

"Sometimes." Oh, there he was, floating next to her. "Points for trying, but that never works."

"Hoping?"

"The conducting thing." He twirled a finger in the air. "Been there, done that. Now, why are you wasting so much time on Harmony's problem? That's between her and her 'agents', isn't it?" He rolled his eyes with a low huff. "I thought she was good at that kinda thing."

"Dad!" Comforting waved down at the lack of tree. "She's hurt. You wouldn't want her to come make fun of you when you were hurt."

"I'd be impressed, if we're being honest." Discord patted his new daughter on the back. "They'll figure it out. It just takes longer than you'd want it to. Look, been there, seriously. I've watched Twilight and her friends lose all their marbles over something so obvious... But I couldn't just shake them until they stopped being dumb." He crossed his arms. "They're not me. They got there, in their own time. They were very proud and happy, and I was happy for them, in the end, even if they were being ninnies about it."

Comforting thought back to her watching of the ponies and their various adventures. "Some of them were pretty silly."

"Right?!" Discord snapped two fingers smartly, conjuring a screen in front of them that showed Twilight having a montage of her episodes. "Almost every time she has a panic attack, I swear..." He glanced aside at Comforting. "And you're taking after me. You really want to watch over them? You know they're going to do more things like this."

"Yeah..." She doubted they would suddenly stop being silly... wonderful... things. "Worth it."

"Then have a little patience." He leaned in closer with a grin. "I know that doesn't come easily for either of us. Still, since you're here... keep an eye out. A little touch may be just the thing." He casually popped from being.

Comforting waved through the space he had been in, finding nothing in the air then. "Thanks dad." It was kinda nice having a supportive father figure around. She returned her attention fully on the students. They were talking, that was good. They set off, but seemingly on a single project. They began gathering up bits of the fallen tree from a cart and assembling them with other bits and bobs from their various projects.

She floated in closer with building curiosity. What were they making? With building excitement and togetherness, the group was forming a... "Tree house?" Comforting inclined her head at the ramshackle thing, but it was a thing they were making, with their own hands and hooves. It was... wonderful, for that reason alone.

Comforting felt something. Something that was trying to push her away. Oh. Order. Orderly energy was trying to seep upwards, into the treehouse as the students cheered with their progress.

But Harmony was weak... Weak and sick and didn't seem to be able to do what she wanted to do.

Comforting reached out and grabbed that harmonious energy, burning her hands instantly. "Ow!" she yelped, though none could hear her. She didn't let go, pulling and tugging the force up. "C'mon! You got places to be!" It sizzled and burned at her, her chaotic nature and the harmonious power she was holding clashing violently, but she didn't fight it, instead trying to feed it. "C'mon..."

She was forced to let it go with a pained cry, her hands reduced to skeletons. She shook them out, sniffling with pain. Flesh, fur, and scales returning as she shook off the effects. "Not giving up that easily." She drew out some heavy duty cooking mittens and slipped them on. "You're getting in there." She grabbed the magic, the heat radiating to her even through her mitts. "I love you too much for you to give up."

Her oven mitts combusted, their flames licking at her as she heaved and huffed to get the magic to the clubhouse. "We're waiting for you... C'mon..." It was at that moment she realized she probably wouldn't have another episode in the hospital like the others. That was nice... "Don't get distracted!" she berated herself, redoubling her efforts to get Harmony's magic to the clubhouse.

The magic jumped free of her grip. She gasped with alarm, but it was going the right way, surging into the clubhouse that glowed with power. The students backed away with shock and awe as it erupted upwards. They scampered to follow after it and Comforting came along, suddenly becoming visible to them. "Good job!"

Yona squeaked. "When you get here?"

Smolder chuckled as she ran. "Chaos spirit, hello? She can be here whenever she wants to be. Hey Comforting!"

"Hey!" She waved back, shaking free her burnt mitts to dissolve on the way down. "Let's catch up to that clubhouse."

They raced up the steps to find their tree house in grand and crystalline glory, shining with perfection they never could have built themselves. Not-Twilight sat in front of it, smiling at them as they rushed for her and the new house.

"Hm." Comforting noticed something, but didn't speak on it just yet. "Harmony!"

"Chaos friend," gently echoed Harmony. "You have all done so well today."

Twilight appeared with a pop. "Are you all alright? I felt..." She trailed off, seeing... herself... "Oh..."

Harmony gazed on Twilight with her ears pinned back. "I should have seen this coming." Perhaps she would have, if her visions of the possible futures were unhindered. "Be not afraid."

Twilight inclined her head slowly. "The rest of you see this, I assume?"

The students looked between the two Twilights. "Yeah." noted Silverstream. "And it's kinda awesome. Hi Twi!" She waved at both eagerly.

Twilight crossed her arms. "That's Twilight."

Comforting raised a finger at that. "Professor Twilight." Twilight colored at that. "Um, so... I am guessing this wasn't in the plan?"

"Not exactly." Harmony. "Twilight Sparkle, this was not how I intended, but you are performing well." She turned to the students. "And you have shown the strength of friendship. I am tired." She closed her eyes, fading with it to vanish from sight.

Twilight rubbed at her cheek with the flat of a hoof. "I see..." Her lack of sight was not well hidden. "Comforting, I'm glad you're here. I have an idea that you probably know what's happening here."

Comforting squeaked, but Twilight had a hoof up. "And I will not force you to say it, but know that I would like to know. So, as your friend, not your teacher, please know that." She turned to the students. "As for the rest of you, congratulations are in order! Look at this." She waved that hoof at the treehouse. "Wonderful... It's like my castle. Not quite as large, but just right, for you all."

Gallus hiked a thumb at the new structure. "Not bad, right? So, uh, guess we won't be needing the dorm so much."

Ocellus wobbled a hoof. "Eh... This is far to walk to school every day. But as a special place, it's pretty great."

"Very good," agreed Yona with a firm nod. "Make together." She waved at all her friends, including Comforting.

Which surprised Comforting. "How did I help?"

"Yona sure you help." She thumped one of her large horns against Comforting's yak horn. "Know when yak smash something. You smash hard."

This made little sense to the others, but Comforting grasped it. "Thank you... I just did what felt right."

"Smash what need smash." Yona nodded, as if that just made sense, at least to her. "This ours." She pulled Comforting over to hug them and wave at the clubhouse. "You too! You help."

Smolder shrugged. "I have no objections. Besides, chaos spirit. I just went over this! Locking her out? Good luck." She smirked with a chuckle. "Not that we'd want to. Comforting's a cool creature."

Sandbar tapped at Comforting's side. "So, really, where were you? A few more ideas mighta helped us get there faster."

Silverstream pffted at the idea. "Nah. We had to walk on our own feet." She walked in place to nowhere. "She's a friend... but she didn't know that tree like we knew that tree." She reached to elbow at Comforting. "I bet you had a totally other idea about what to do and didn't want to get in the way."

"Actually..." Comforting inclined her head. "Basically that. You're clever."

"Ooo." Silverstream danced with excitement. "I don't get called that often."

Smolder waved that off. "Don't look that excited. Now, I'm heading inside to check this out. Coming?"

She led the way inside to scope out their new club. Comforting stayed behind, looking to Twilight instead. "I don't know what you know or don't know at this point."

"Obviously not as much as I'd like to know." Twilight sank to her haunches. "But I am listening, if you wish to share. I understand trying to force a chaos spirit is a good way to learn nothing at all."

"You bet." Discord casually patted Twilight on the head, riding her where once he was not there. "We have a space that we don't need you intruding on."

Twilight hiked a brow up at the intruder on her back. "That works for ponies too."

"Really? I never saw one." He casually enjoyed his mighty magical mount. "Anyway! Comforting here went and did what I never could. I'm not jealous or anything... but she broke the 'plans'."

"Plans?" Twilight twisted her head to look back and up at Discord. "What plans?"

Comforting nervously shuffled. "There was a plan, for everything." She waved at the clubhouse. "Harmony helped make sure it happened, and I kinda broke it. It was an accident, and I'm trying to help as much as I can."

"But it's still broke," taunted Discord. "Anything could happen. Dogs and cats, living together!"

"Dad!" Comforting smiled at Twilight as nicely as she could manage. "It's not that... dramatic... It just means Harmony can't really guess what happens next. She's on the same foot as the rest of us and has to do the best she can."

"Best she can." Twilight sat, Discord sliding free to float. "I see... And may I ask what she is exactly? Is this the harmony spirit? Why does she look like me?!" Twilight waved at herself, clearly rattled by the idea.

Author's Note

Hello crystal clubhouse! Yay!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, see the updates early, and/or get your own written here at atreon!

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82 - Life Moves

Comforting tossed a ball high into the air with a great heave. It was caught long before it could consider the ground, caught in the mouth of Screwball in an excited squeal as she came in a wide circle to deliver it back to Comforting's hand.

"You know." She tossed the ball ahead instead of up, watching Screwball dive for it. "You're not a dog. You don't have to play with the ball that way."

Screwball zoomed back to drop the ball in Comforting's waiting hand. "But this is fun. It's a game I'm playing with my sister." She pointed at Comforting, the sister. "And I get to fly as fast as I can."

"That is pretty fun," confessed Comforting. "But we should play something that lets more creatures in on it."

Screwball looked to the side at the rest of the Student Six, watching them. "Oh... Okay!" She sat there, floating in the air. "Hi!" She waved at them all.

Silverstream burst into giggles, taking off to join Screwball in the air. "That looks really fun. Can you let me try?"

Screwball dove for Comforting, pawing away the ball. "Ready?" She tossed it as hard as she could away.

Silverstream went after it with an excited cry.

Sandbar chuckled at the sight. "So, little question." He held two hooves close together. "I didn't see you bring her. How'd she find us?" She waved back at the clubhouse they were close to. "Not complaining or anything. She seems nice."

Yona nodded at that. "Nice. Not think Comforting know how have mean sister."

Comforting winced at the idea. "I hope I never have to find out... It was a day off, and she heard, and she wanted a day off too... and here we are, playing."

Smolder raised a thumb up. "And she's a chaos critter too, so she can be wherever she gets an idea to be, like you, right?"

"Sooorta." Comforting wobbled a hand with that uncertainty. "She can fly really well, as you can see." They were watching her and Silverstream toss the ball back and forth, both darting and bobbing for it during their turn. "But she can't teleport, at least that I've seen. Maybe she'll figure that out?"

Gallus poked Comforting. "Alright, enough of that. Let's be real." All of them looked at him, minus Screwball and Silverstream, still playing joyfully. "You're kind of a big deal, and I don't mean that in a bragging kind of way. You got this chaos stuff worked out."

Ocellus sat up at that. "Oh, how is magic going?"

Comforting looked up towards her smaller of her two horns, glowing with her magic. "I think..." She went from one note to the next. "I think I can get it... but it feels a little silly."

Smolder snorted at that. "I'm with you there. If I could do that, why would I want to know magic?"

Comforting folded her arms across her chest. "But I went through all that... and I still know it, and I kinda... It's hard to explain."

Yona nodded firmly. "If smash easy with look, want smash that way, but miss crashing into things. Yona understand."

Comforting blinked at that, a slow smile spreading. "Well put," she congratulated her large friend. "I want to know more about magic... even if I cheat around it, because even cheating I'm reaching into that same world with its same rules, even if I draw outside the lines. Knowing where the lines are and why they're there is still good!"

Ocellus clapped at that. "That's a good way to look at it. Um, if I can help, let me know."

"You're already a super help." She offered a hand and soon had a changeling to hug warmly. "You're all such amazing friends! Speaking of that, what were you planning to do before I showed up with the sis?"

Gallus smirked and hiked a thumb at the clubhouse. "Actually, we were just bringing our stuff out here."

Yona hopped in place, making the ground shudder on the impact. "Yes, too empty. Now has stuff. Much better."

Sandbar pointed into the treehouse. "The offer's still open. You could take a room."

Comforting shuffled awkwardly, at least until a hippogriff landed on her head. "Ack!"

"Why not?" asked Silverstream, hugging Comforting from above. "You're a friend. All the friends have a room. You were there."

Comforting gently swatted away the tackling half-bird, just to get another upon her. "Why not?" asked Screwball, clinging to her top. "I'd take a room if they let me."

Some part of her was tempted to angrily suggest Screwball do just that... But she let that anger flow away with a slow breath, and a gentle hug of her sister.

Gallus hiked a brow. "Wow, that looked kinda angry. You don't have to."

Yona pointed to a tree a small distance away. "Need smash?"

Comforting reached out, quite a distance away, and casually folded it shut in her vision, which caused the tree to be folded as if it was a tiny thing between her hands. She kept right on folding until the tree ended up back where it started and she planted it right in the ground and patted its top. "It doesn't deserve to be hurt, and none of you deserve me being a butt about it. I just feel... out of center."

Screwball slid back into the air. "Out of center? I haven't been centered in... forever I think."

Silverstream giggled at that. "I think she's right, but if she wants a room too, that'd be fine by me. What do you all think?" She twirled in the air towards the others.

Affirmative noises rose, but Gallus had a question. "What happened with the teach? Sounded like she had a lot of questions when this all went down... She alright?"

"That was a bit of an interesting moment..." She thought back to that day, Twilight seeing herself in the form of Harmony, and the confusion that caused.

"And may I ask what she is exactly? Is this the harmony spirit? Why does she look like me?!" Twilight waved at herself, clearly rattled by the idea.

Discord nudged in an elbowing at his daughter. "This is what you get, letting her get this close."

"Close to what?" Twilight gave up hoping Discord would solve her questions, instead looking to Comforting, the softer mark of the two.

Comforting huffed with a little smile, exasperated chuckle escaping her. "This has a lot of information leading up to it." She laddered her hands up on top of each other, which casually became a ladder, which was not her plan. She squeaked, pulling her hand-ladder apart with a pop and restoring her hands.

Twilight inclined her head. "You need to know the letters before you start reading spells, yes. May I know the letters?" Her eyes shined with hope. "I would be very appreciative."

Discord threw an arm around Twilight. "Twi, Twi, Twi... Are you sure? This is a deep dark hole. It'd be a shame for you to break anything if you just jumped right into it. Now, I'm sure Comforting would do her best to catch you, but it's still quite the pit you're circling."

Comforting shoved at her father, who surely could have resisted, but floated away with laughter instead. "Harmony can see a lot of maybe-futures, but how many, and how reliably, she can see them got a lot smaller." She held up two fingers close together. "So this is a scary time for her."

"I see..." Her seeing rating felt like a four out of ten from the way she said it. Comforting had heard worse levels of not-seeing. "But how does that lead to looking like me?"

"Harmony is a lovely creature, love her a lot, but she has weaknesses. Creativity? That's a big one." Comforting pointed at herself and Discord. "Unlike us. Creativity is chaos' specialty!"

"Preach it, sister!" Discord waved the big foam cover on his hand as if cheering on his favorite sports team.

"Hm." Twilight sat up straight. "So... She looks like me because she knows me, and decided, 'that's a fine pony form, I'll do that?'" She pointed at herself. "Has she looked like other things she's seen?"

Discord snorted derisively. "She never looked like me," he grumbled, as if put out.

Comforting colored faintly. "She's looked like me before."

"Am I the only one being skipped?" Discord crossed his arms with a pout on his lips. "It's not even fair..."

Twilight nodded, though, lost in her own ruminations. "I see... That makes sense, actually." She flashed a bright smile at Comforting. "Thank you for explaining it. Why not look like... herself?"

Comforting deadpanned with a smile, "Trees don't talk, Twilight."

"Duh," added Discord, perhaps enjoying that barb more than he needed to.

"Right." One could almost see her imagining a talking tree. "That would be... odd. So she appears as a pony, who can talk. She isn't a shapeshifter, like a changeling, because when she's a pony, that's... more of an image than an actual 'form'... am I getting this right?"

Comforting brightened at Twilight's words. "You're figuring this out!"

Twilight darkened at that. "I can do that... I miss when you were just a little foal with so many questions." She sighed with fond remembrance. "Now we've swapped places."

Comforting reached out, placing a hand on either of Twilight's shoulders. "You still know a ton of stuff I don't. You're still my professor, Twilight."

"I appreciate that." Twilight put a hoof on Comforting's shoulder, just to pull her in for a little hug. "We'll teach each other then. That seems like a lovely trade."

"Now that you two have this worked out." Discord had an arm around either of them without having actually approached to do that. "Why don't we let these foals enjoy their new place?"

Twilght looked to the tree house with its occasional glimpses of the students rushing about, inspecting things and planning their use of it. "They deserve that."

Comforting cupped her hands at her snout. "Shout when you need a lift back," she shouted at them, getting a few waves in reply. "Let's go."

"I got this." Discord reached off the frame, which was the first time Comforting even saw the frame. Huh... He yanked it back towards himself, wrenching the backdrop from in front of the new clubhouse to in front of the other Harmony created the structure of about that shape, Twilight's castle. "She may have a bit of a fixation," he murmured in dirty thought. "I'm just saying..."

Comforting went over to--

Gallus tilted his head further and further left. "Frame?"

Silverstream inclined her head to the right as if to balance Gallus. "Chaos magic is really strange."

Comforting realized she was about to throw the students right down that hole they had been trying to warn Twilight about. "Sorry, off-topic. Um, either way, Professor Twilight calmed down and we hung out. It was fun!" The students cheered at the happy ending, quietly forgetting the strange part. "Just to put it out there, you're welcome to ask me to stop any time I start making your head hurt."

Yona leaned in, unafraid. "What about your head? Doesn't hurt?" She sat back with a grin. "Tough head, Yak tough!"

Comforting knocked on her yak horn. "That must be what stops my head from hurting."

"Yak tough," agreed Yona with pride. "But, we friend." She waved a hoof around at the others. "All, together. Not be sad if want ask help."

Smolder hiked a thumb at the treehouse. "Which includes getting a room. The way you get around, you could live here and get to school on time."

That this was an option got Comforting thinking, but it crashed quickly. "But then I'd be moving away from mom..." She could probably make do for herself, but she didn't quite want to... "Screwball needs a stable home too... Okay. I'll take a room, but I'm not living there... I'm still a little filly."

Gallus snorted at that. "A filly that can do most anything she wants."

Ocellus squeaked. "If it was another filly, I'd be scared. Be good, Comforting!"

Author's Note

Comforting is invited to join the Student Six properly.

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83 - Questions, Answers

With the others away, Comforting poked at the frame. It was a curious thing, a line between somewhere and... somewhere else? What was beyond it?

"I'd hate to lose a daughter so quickly."

She hopped with a squeak, turning to face Discord who had appeared because he felt like it. "Hey, Dad. What is this?" She pointed to the edge of reality. "I saw you grab it before."

"It's a border." He leaned in on it. "You're better off not staring at it, but here we are. Does whatever world you're from have movies?"

Comforting bobbed her head swiftly at that, and it clicked. "We're a movie?!"

"Sort of, but also sort of not." Discord shrugged gently. "Just one way of many to perceive the world. Being what we are, how we see things is up to us, and we can work with that. So the world is a film as long as we treat it like one."

Comforting hopped back away from the frame. "But... Films have a lot of... Are they all true?"

"If you work with it that way." He clucked his tongue. "At least you know what film is. I wasn't sure. Having to explain that would have taken a while."

"But a film need a projec--" Bright light shone in her eyes. There was the projector. "Oh..."

"I said, if you work with it that way." Discord reached out and covered that light, which plunged everything into darkness, as if the sun itself were covered. "There are dangers to taking it too far, but that can be part of the fun."

Comforting reached out a short distance that was also infinite, gently swatting Discord's hand away and returning light to the world. "Does that mean... we're being watched?"

"Could be," allowed Discord non-committally. "You sure you want to look in that direction? I usually ignore it."

Comforting considered that but turned away from that edge. "Being a chaos spirit is so strange... but kind of neat."

"I told you!" Discord looked quite proud of being proven right. "And you were all worried about it."

"It did hurt Harmony," huffed out Comforting. "We have to fix that..."

"She's a big girl. She's 'fix'ing it herself." Discord jumped back into a casual float. "You're such a big softy, but that's what makes you 'you', I suppose. Now... I have a little challenge for you."

"Really?" She walked after Discord, watching him curiously. "What kind of challenge?"

"You're getting very comfortable, pun intended." He shot a finger gun at her, a 'pow' flag extending from the finger. "--with chaos magic. Too comfortable, hm? I think you could use a little not-chaos time. I know, I know, what a hypocrite is this guy over here?!"

Comforting left the embrace of gravity to float along with her dad. "What do you mean? I try not to fix everything that way." She hiked a thumb. "I go to school and read instead of trying to shove a book in my head."

"Points there, I suppose." He folded his arms. "But I'm talking more about up here." He tapped at his head. "You're peeling loose, and while that does look fun... and is fun... a little moderation, ugh, may be called for."

Comforting came to a land on Discord's belly, standing on him with her hands at her hips. "Are you going to take away my magic? I already lost it once!"

"Yes and no... There's another place. Twilight's been there before." He pointed to Twilight's castle, rising proudly. "The entrance is hiding in her basement. She doesn't talk about it much... But it's a whole other world. Why don't you go take a peek? It'll be fun! You'll make some new friends, learn some lessons. In fact! It's a school too. You like schools, don't you?"

"Schools that Twilight runs are kinda fun..." A blank check for all others she had not written. "And this will change my magic how?"

"You won't have it," he sang out. "It's a humanish world. You know the sort. You came from one, didn't you?" He held up a hologram of the old human frame that was the previous incarnation of Comforting before coming to Equestria. "Looks close enough. Now, before you go freaking out, you can come back after you learn a lesson or two and make a few friends." He raised a brow. "Which I know you'll do. You can't even help it."

Comforting looked down at herself, twisting about to gaze at her flicking long tail. "Um... How does this..." She waved over her exotic form. "How does this fit with that?"

"Best part!" He set Comforting on the ground. "It just does. Now, you go and sneak into that basement, or ask Twilight really nicely. Figure you can do one or the other. But don't come back without taking a little... vacation! Yes, let's call it that." He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and straw hat, a colorful drink in hand. "Nothing like a little vacay to get the juices flowing properly, hm?"

He was gone, no theatrics, just gone. Comforting frowned at the spot that once held Discord. "You're the one saying I'm doing too much chaos?" Still, she was curious... What would she be in a human world? She'd been through a lot since the last time. Would she be her original human self, or something new? One would... think... something new? But what new?!

There was one way to find out!

Twilight looked up from the book she was reading to find she was facing a lot of fur. She got out an 'ack' of a sound as she flopped over backwards.

Comforting drifted in over her. "Hello, professor. Sorry to bother you."

Twilight sat up. "Oh, Comforting. Hello. Can I... help you?" She looked around her office that had been so quiet and safe until the sudden visit.

"Dad says I'm getting too chaotic." She tapped her head next to her yak horn. "I'm not trying to reach Screwball levels, much as I adore her. So! He said I should visit that place you have a way to get to in the basement."

Twilight blinked slowly. "Discord said you're getting too chaotic?" She clapped a hoof to a cheek. "That sounds... appallingly frightening, if we're being honest. What are the symptoms? You look... normal, for your current state."

"I am! Um, physically?" Comforting shrugged softly. "I think I get what he means though... I'm learning how the universe works and that is kind of... freaky." She didn't go into details on that, not wanting to share that discomfort with Twilight. "So he said 'take a little vacation' in this human world you have hidden away. Just be a boring little girl with no super powers."

Twilight rose to her hooves. "Canterlot High is... a human world, yes." She glanced off and back. "Discord knows about it? This shouldn't even surprise me." She clopped a hoof to her face. "It's a High School, do you know what that is?" That she got a nod out of Comforting was, somehow, not that big of a surprise. "When a pony goes to that world, they become a human. I've been there... When Spike went through, he became a dog. Starlight became a human. I... don't know what you'd become. Are you certain this is what you want?"

"I'm really curious," she gushed out, clasping her mismatched hands together. "Is it really not-magic? I got kinda used to that... But maybe a little bit without it would be good..."

Twilight patted her small but powerful student on the head, just behind her changeling horn. "That is a very mature way to consider it. I feel like I learned a little something, having to go without it for a while myself... Maybe Discord has a point." She glanced around, to see if he appeared at his mentioning, but he didn't. "A little break away from all you've become may be just the thing. Let me write to my friends. I have some there. They can help make sure you fit in properly and keep you safe from anything... If things get out of hoof."

Her horn glowed as she commanded a new book to approach her, setting it out in front of herself, a quill quickly joining it in the joy of writing. "One of them is Sunset Shimmer. She was a pony, like me, a unicorn. She ran away to there. Long story, but she's happy, and I'm glad to have met her. I trust her to see this trip goes... without too much drama." She wrote with little scratches at the paper, willing the quill about. "Now, while that world certaintly has less magic than here, I can't say it has none. They've run into bits of magic at different times. It's just far from omnipresent as it is here in Equestria."

Comforting clapped quietly, watching Twilight write. "I should talk to mom. Vanishing on her would be incredibly rude."

"Very," agreed Twilight, waving her off with a hoof. "Go on and do that, and be sure she has no objections to it. You are her filly, chaos spirit or not."

"Yes." This was a fact, and not one she was ready to argue. She jumped back and landed in Fluttershy's cottage's living room.

Fluttershy squeaked, several birds fluttering away with equal shock. "Oh, Comforting. Please come in through the front door, if you would, please..." She pointed to the door. "You surprised me."

"Sorry, mom." They made things even with a nice warm hug. "I want to go on a magicless vacation for a little while, may I have permission? I'll be with Twilight's friend, Sunset."

Fluttershy inclined her head softly. "Well, if Twilight knows about it and is alright with it... it's probably fine. Just, be careful. I'd hate for anything to happen to you." She went in for a nuzzle that was eagerly returned. "I'm making your favorite tonight, so at least wait that long."

"Gladly!" Comforting dashed off to her room to wait for that with a big smile. She shut the door behind herself, alone.

Or was she? She extended her arms out towards the walls. "One. Two." She fell back against the door she had come in through. "Three." She looked out at the remaining wall, where she could see you, well, an impression of you. The vauge sense of others. She raised a hand by a feather of an ear, trying to hear the soft noises of conversation. "Hello?" she ventured. "How long have you been watching? Um... I'm listening." She sat down, watching the inky black source of voices. "I don't see anything." Just words. Words on the black. "But I am listening. Want to talk?"

Author's Note

You heard her. She isn't joking. All comments made on this chapter are heard by Comforting, and she will respond to the best of her ability.

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84 - What You See in the Mirror

Twilight blinked as the source of the clip-clops became visible. A pony was entering her basement. "Who are you?" She trotted towards the filly. They had a cutie mark. A heart with hooves wrapped around it. "Oh. Comforting, why the disguise?"

"The idea just came to me." She twirled in place, showing off the form before her chimeric default popped back into being. "I wanted to try it. Now we're going where I can't do that, right?"

"That's the idea." Twilight turned away from Comforting, instead to a large elaborate device with a mirror installed. "Now, if I understand correctly, this world is closer to the one you came from." She sat with a nod at the mirror. "Which is part of why I don't feel as nervous as I would otherwise be. For you, this is a trip home, sort of?"

"A chance for school that isn't horrible, sounds kinda nice." She was about to snap her fingers, but thought better of it. Chaos spirits shouldn't do that casually... "Did you talk to your friends?"

"She's ready for you." Twilight's magic pulled a switch and the machine hummed to brilliant life, the mirror shimmering with its power. "She will also show you how to get home when you're done. Sunset Shimmer, to remind. She's a nice pony, er, human?"

"Going in!" Comforting dashed for the mirror, but an arm blocked her way, capped by Twilight's hoof.

"I know your mother probably said this, but be careful." Twilight drew her in for a hug without much resistance.

"I will be." Comforting nuzzled her caring teacher and slipped away. "Now, take two!"

Nothing could stop her! She dove into the mirror of sensational horrors and dizzying heights and depths. She had fallen off the edge between frames, lost in the wider multiverse.

At least until she was flopped on her hands and knees on a sidewalk. The sun was warmly greeting her up above. Her hands were... hands. She had human ones. She rose up on her feet, dusting herself off with her little hands. With a chance, she looked over her form. "Oh!" Adorable! She was a little girl in a school uniform. "Precious..." Was that vain, considering it was her own body? Well, she liked what body she was residing in.

"Comforting?" A teenager was approaching, easily towering over her. "Comforting Shade?"

"That's me!" Comforting waved a hand at new presence. "Sunset?"

"That's me," she echoed with a smile, crouching down to be closer to Comforting's level. "Wow. I didn't realize she meant this young. What are you... 7?" She hiked a thumb at the high school behind her. "We have some early grades in here, but that's stretching it a little."

Comforting considered Sunset, her likely age, and put it all together. "That is quite the difference... But if I'm one of those too-smart kids?"

Sunset blinked at that. "Wow, wait." She held up a finger. "Are you that smart?"

"I'm not claiming to be super smart, but I am an adult, up here." She tapped her little head. "So they can hit me with high school tests and I should pass, I hope."

Sunset ruffled the little girl's head. "Twilight has the strangest friends." She stood back up to full height. "Well, easier to explain than a random dog. Alright, let's do this on the up and up." She started for the building. "Hopefully, Principal Celestia and Luna go with it."

Comforting jumped forward, and came right back down. Gravity would not be denied that day. "Right..." Walking. She could walk. She hurried to catch up to Sunset. "Nice to meet you."

"Hey. I was not expecting Twilight to just toss a tourist my way. She's usually way more secretive about the whole... thing..." Sunset paused. "You're not being banished, are you?" She turned to Comforting. "Did you do something bad?"

"No!" Comforting managed to avoid squeaking that time. "I'm a student of hers. She's taught me ma--"

Sunset had clapped a hand over Comforting's mouth, silencing it. "People around here are still getting used to the idea that anything could be magic outside a book. Let's not freak them out."

Comforting nodded, which got the hand removed. That contact had not been welcome... but there was a decent reason for it, so she tried to just set it aside. "Sorry." She reached into her pockets, which she had thankfully. Within she secured a pack of gum and soon had a stick in her mouth. Mmm, the taste wasn't bad at all. She offered one up towards Sunset.

"Huh?" She took it, but was peering at it suspiciously. "Thanks?" And she tucked it away. "Don't want to get in trouble though." She rolled her eyes. "Some students chew gum anyway. Alright, the principal's office is over here."

Had she said Principal Celestia? A downgrade from the princess... But if the highschool was the center of their world, a principal occupied about the same spot. Comforting followed into an office. It was an Office. There was someone at a desk, watching them come in. "Sunset Shimmer." Her eyes fell to Comforting. "Is this about them?"

"Exactly," gusted Sunset, as if relieved that had been figured out without needing to explain it. "Are either of the principals in?"

She pressed a button on her desk. Celestia's voice issued forth electronically. "Yes?"

"Sunset Shimmer is here with a small guest," noted the secretary. "Send her in or send her back to class?"

"Send her in," came Celestia's friendly tones. Human or not, Celestia was a good creature.

The secretary gestured with one hand in a single flip. "You heard the lady."

"Thanks." Sunset gave a half salute on the way past.

Comforting waved at the secretary on the way. "Have a nice day."

"You too." The secretary smiled. Did she think the little girl was cute too?

Sunset pushed into the next room. "Hey." She wriggled her fingers at the human that had features in common with the princess of ponies, but was clearly a human. "I'm not in trouble this time, I swear."

"I'm glad to hear that." Celestia was smiling kindly, watching Sunset, at least until Comforting came in. "And who is this little adorable thing?"

Comforting waved at who had saved her being, in another world. "Hello, um, ma'am."

"How polite." She returned her look to Sunset. "Is she related? You shouldn't bring your little sister to school, you know."

Sunset laughed nervously at that. "No! Not quite like that." She put a hand behing Comforting, nudging her forward. "This is Comforting Shade, and she's a very advanced student. She's not getting the education she needs, and wanted to test into here."

Celestia sat up, suddenly quite serious. "Is that true?" She was looking at Comforting directly. "You want to go to school here?"

Comforting smiled nervously, in the center of attention. "If I can, ma'am."

"You realize." She put a hand out at Comforting's height, then slowly raised it to Sunset's level. "You would be the youngest student here, if allowed, by some measure. Everyone else would be quite larger and older than you. Is that alright, before we even approach if this is possible?"

Comforting grabbed Sunset's closer leg. "They may be bigger, but I hear they're pretty nice."

Celestia smiled at that, heart melting at the display. "Some of them are... I can't promise all of them are equally kind, especially with such a new, young, addition. I just want to be sure this is what you really want."

Sunset rested a hand on Comforting's head. "I'll help keep an eye on her."

"Thank you for the offer, but you are a student first. I can't have my students sacrificing their education." She clasped her hands, leaning forward on her desk. "It is our job, as teachers, to make sure every one of our students gets the best we can give. But, first... Sunset, could you get her a chair?"

"Sure," Sunset pulled a chair to face Celestia's desk.

Comforting got the hint and half-climbed up to sit across from Celestia. "Test time?"

"Test time," gently agreed Celestia, reaching down to pull out a folder. "If you don't know an answer to a question, don't feel bad. You are testing quite a bit above your... What grade were you in?" She raised a brow at what could have been a gradeschooler easily.

Comforting took the folder and flipped it open, paying it more attention than that question. Some questions were easier to answer than others. "Oh, um, do you have a pen, ma'am?"

"Of course." Celestia surrendered a pen. "Good luck." She gestured for Sunset to come with her off to the side of the room, where she could whisper conspirationally. Comforting could still hear her. "Sunset, I appreciate you wanting to see a bright and eager student, but her chances of passing the competency exam are... small."

Sunset chuckled nervously. "Let's let her answers speak for themselves. She's a bigger girl, on the inside." That was as close to the truth as she could get. "She may surprise you."

"That she's taking the test at all is already a surprise." She glanced over at Comforting dutifully penning answers and filling in circles. "Most students her age are very poor at such tests, even if they know the answers. It's a learned skill, how to take an exam."

"Tell me about it." Sunset rolled her eyes, thinking of her first days in that world. As a pony, they had taken different kinds of tests... "Um... Thanks, by the way..."

Celestia patted Sunset on the shoulder. "You are proof that it works both ways. She may be advanced in the art of test taking, but some need a helping hand, and that doesn't make them less intelligent. You are a brilliant student, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Still, Sunset had required some remedial training to get up to speed on some of the basics that most sudents took for granted. "Look at you now, a model student."

Sunset smiled at that with a little laugh. "Oh, want some gum?" She offered the stick that Comforting had given her.

"Thank you." Celestia accepted it without delay, wielding a bit of a sweet tooth. "Now we wait and see what answers she gives. As you learned, test taking and knowledge are not the same thing."

Comforting looked up. "Is it alright if I use a calculator?"

Celestia blinked at this request. It wasn't unusual for high-schoolers to want, or even require, such a thing. But that was a grade schooler. Most such places didn't allow their students to have calculators, as they were still learning how to calculate at all. "Yes, of course." She set a calculator down next to Comforting. "You know how to use it?"

Comforting was already punching buttons and writing results. "I see." She went back to where Sunset was standing. "Today is full of surprises." She rose a hand in a vain attempt to hide her words. "Is this another Equestrian thing?"

Sunset laughed a bit hysterically.

This was answer enough for Celestia, crossing her arms and looking at Sunset penetratingly.

"Ugh, yes..." Sunset sagged, caught in her little lie. "She just wants to go to school. She'll be good."

Celestia laughed gently, looking suddenly less tense. "You could have started with that... This is far less surprising if she's... not from around here. Does she have any... tricks that will upset students or faculty?"

"Not that I know of?" She gave a genuine shrug. She had no idea! "But she is Other Twilight approved."

"Ah..." Answer enough? "How are you doing?"

Comforting set her pen down. "I answered all the ones I could." She pushed the folder away from herself. "I hope I did well, ma'am."

Celestia came to claim the test folder, snapping it shut. "I'll go over this. For today, follow Sunset. Don't get in the way of her studies. It'll be a chance to get a look around. How does that sound?"

Comforting smiled brightly. "Thank you, ma'am!" She hopped down to the floor. "I'll be on my best behavior, promise."

Author's Note

Welcome back to High School. Wait, you were already there... but less tails this time!

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85 - Meeting Them, Again

It was a thing of strange wonder. It was a school, like the one she distantly remembered. Its occupants were strangely colored, for they were... They were ponies, bipedal human ponies. They smiled more often and had their cutie marks stitched on their clothes. Comforting colored a little, wondering if they actually had that mark on their skin, and had it done on their clothes so it could be visible?

She could find out quickly! But pulling her clothes off certainly felt like it would be a rude thing. The people there clearly wanted to wear clothing, so not wearing it would probably freak them out. One did not strip down to nothing in the middle of a school. Proprieties!

"Here's my class." Sunset waved inside. "I have a lot of them. Do you know how Highschool works, schedule-wise?"

Comforting considered that, fingers curled around her chin. "Periods, one class to a period, right?"

"Bingo!" Sunset fired a finger gun. "For a... You know, you are pretty familiar with how this works." She pulled open the door. "Hey, Teach..." She went up to the front desk to explain why she had a guest.

Comforting trailed after her into the room, but didn't charge for the front desk, instead looking at all the other students that were sitting or filing in to do that. Some of them were chatting animatedly among themselves.

"You are standing in a Great and Powerful way," came an announcement behind her. There was Trixie! Well, human Trixie. Still Trixie. She made a shooing motion at Comforting. "And aren't you a little small to be in this school?"

Comforting hopped to the side. "Sorry about that." Still, it was Trixie... She never had a lot of chance to approach the pony model... "So, you do super tricks, right?"

Trixie paused in her approach of her desk, putting on a cocky smile. "My reputation precedes me, clearly." She crouched down closer to Comforting's level. "I'd love to show you some of Trixie's tricks, but the teacher would get upset." She made an explosive gesture and, with a puff of smoke, some flowers appeared between her hands. She offered the fake flowers towards Comforting. "For a little fan."

Comforting accepted the flower, hugging it with a giggle. "Thanks! Wow, you really are Great."

"And Powerful," added Trixie, though she looks pretty pleased as she got into her seat properly.

Sunset returned, pointing to a free set of desks. "You can join me there. Let's do some learning."

"Learning!" Comforting doubted she would learn much, but at least pretending would be good, right?

So she made it through several periods of instruction. She knew most of it, though some of it had been forgotten, so she tried to pay attention to that. But, lunch time! Sunset had a hand gently behind her back, guiding her through the crowded hallway. "And you'll get to--"

"--Who's that walkin' with ya there?" Applejack, human version, came jogging up and joined their walk. "Howdy." She tipped her hat at Comforting.

Comforting raised a hand to wave, the other still holding the flowers. She didn't have a backpack, purse, or anything else to stash things in. Did human ponies have built in pockets? She imagined not, being the sort to wear clothes with pockets. "Hello... Applejack, right?"

Applejack started at that. "Have we met?"

Sunset leaned closer to her country friend. "Equestria thing," she whispered harshly. "But nice."

"Oh, well, howdy. But that ain't hardly fair none. Ya know mah name, but ah don't know yers." She pointed to herself, then at Comforting.

Comforting tipped her head. "Comforting Shade. Comforting's just fine. Nice to meet you." Again, she didn't say that part out loud. That Applejack was clearly a teenager, not an adult. A big difference there. She had been Comforting's teacher, one of several. "Your school's nice."

"Thanks kindly. Like it mahself." She walked with them into the cafeteria. "But it's grub time! Now, yer a little thin'. Want me to grab somethin' for ya?" She hiked a thumb at where students lined up to grab some food.

Comforting realized at that moment that she was indeed hungry. "Please! Thank you."

"Ain't no thin'." She ruffled the top of Comforting fondly. "Cute little thin'." And off she went.

It was kinda nice being the cutest thing for some distance. Comforting couldn't even muster the barest ire at the contact. It was a friendly touch, and not forceful. She let Sunset direct her to a table where others were already talking and eating. There was Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. They were all humans, of course, living their best teenaged lives. "Woah..."

They looked over at Comforting's breathless gasp of a word. Rainbow hiked a brow. "What's up with the little girl?" She gestured with a flat hand at comforting and up at Sunset. "You have a sister?"

Fluttershy smiled at the small child. "Aw, hello there... Um, is this allowed?"

Sunset sank to join them at the table and offered a hand, helping Comforting get up next to her. "May I introduce, Comforting Shade. No relation. Celestia gave the alright for her to be here while her competency exam is graded."

Comforting waved at the girls. "Pleased to meet you. Applejack is getting my food, because she's really nice."

Rarity tittered, a hand held over her mouth. "That sounds just like her, darling. Now, why is a little girl like you here at all? What sort of 'competency' test are we talking about?"

Twilight considered the child, adjusting her glasses. "Competency exam? Are you attempting to enlist in the school?"

Sunset blinked owlishly. "You are as sharp as a tack some times. Comforting?"

"I want to attend with you all," confirmed Comforting. "It's been a little... too..." She glanced around. "M-word where I'm from. So, for a while, nice and simple! I'll do some homework."

Fluttershy nibbled on the carrot she had, offering it to a little rabbit that was hiding on her person that took a chomp. "Aren't you a little... young for this? I wouldn't want to see you be overwhelmed or anything..."

Her mom was still the best, even as a teenager... "I can handle it, trust me. I may not look it, but I've been through school one and a half times already." All of the girls were looking at her. Oops? "Long story?"

Rainbow leaned in with a cocky smile. "A long story I can make room for. This I gotta hear."

Rarity gently waved her off. "Don't be rude, darling. She hasn't even had her lunch." She flicked her fingers at the returning Applejack. "Speak and she appears."

"Hey everyone." Applejack sank to join the rest, her own plate before her and another slid towards Comforting. "Eat up! Y'all gettin' 'long?"

A hamburger, and salad, and ketchup and... It was a fine, serviceable, school meal. And it was tasty! She chomped a bit messily on the offerings.

Rainbow watched it with a growing sneer. "She's from Equestria."

Sunset jumped. "W-what? Who said that?!"

Rainbow gestured at Comforting as she wolfed down her food. "So far, every single Equestrian has gone nuts for our food the first time they try it. Explains how odd she's acting. So... you're a pony?"

Comforting grabbed some tissues to clean herself. "Um..." Was she supposed to admit that?

Sunset laughed nervously. "That... was surprisingly fast... but this isn't really the place to talk about that, hmm?"

Fluttershy inclined her head. "All the other ponies we met were about our size. You look... young."

"I am...and not. It's complicated." Comforting pushed her largely empty plate away. Mmm, that had tasted good. "What class comes next, Sunset?"

"Hm? Right! Comforting is trailing me today. Next up is--"

"--Gym," cut in Rainbow with a click of her tongue and a thumbs up. "I'll be there. Wonder if they'll even let you play... No offense or nothin' but you are kinda small. Wouldn't want you to get stepped on by someone else."

Comforting squeaked at the imagined horror of a bunch of teenagers running around her, trying to play their sportsball. "I'll just watch... Good luck, Sunset."

"Thanks, kiddo." She patted Comforting lightly, other hand working to devour her own food, far less messily than Comforting had done. "I'll explain to the teach, like I did with the other ones. You know the drill by now."

"Thank you, really... You don't owe me this." Comforting smiled up at her temporary mom of sorts. "But you're doing a great job!"

"Aw, thanks." Sunset colored faintly, but was smiling as she enjoyed her lunch. Everyone could use a compliment once in a while.

Rarity leaned in closer to the new guest at the table. "Dear. Did you come with that?" She waved over Comforting as a whole. "I heard ponies are not always the most fashion forward. Perhaps, after school, we could spruce up your look, really make you shine." She spread her hands, fingers wide in the vision of glamour.

Was she dressed poorly? Comforting put out a hand and looked across her arm and front. She seemed... presentable? But Rarity would know. She was a fashionista as a pony, and, from the sound of it, as a human too.

"I don't mean to insult," assured Rarity with a dismissive wave. "You're fine, but you could be better. It'll be fun, dear! We can visit the mall."

A mall?! They had those? Rarity seemed to spot the excitement in Comforting's gesture. "Ah ha, got your interest. It's settled then. After school, we do some retail therapy!" She looked to the others. "You're all invited, if you like."

Most of them passed on the idea, but Sunset raised a hand. "I promised to keep an eye on her, so I'll come along."

"Sunset, absolutely welcome, darling. It's a date." Rarity glanced up at a clock. "Period's almost over. See you after school."

The girls completed their meals and headed off back to class. Sunset kept ahead of Comforting. "Explaining!" And she went right up to the gym teacher to do that. "So, yeah, got a +1." She waved back at Comforting, who was watching the sports being played with wide eyes. "The principal knows about it."

"Uh huh." The female gym instructor didn't look enthused. "She is way too small to take part. You understand that, right?"

Sunset shrugged. "She said she'd be happy watching, but what if some student was just... short? You wouldn't just sit them out forever, would you?"

The teacher hummed thoughtfully. "You have a point there. Hey, kid." Comforting looked up. "Yes you, come here." She waved Comforting closer. "We're playing dodgeball today. On the positive, you're a smaller target. On the downside, how good are you at throwing a ball?" She grabbed a ball from a nearby bin and thrust it at Comforting. "Show me the best you got."

Comforting ran her hands over the ball. "Hmm..." She danced back several steps away from the teacher. "I'll try my best."

"That's all I'm asking." The teacher put up her hands in a defensive position. "Go on, knock me out of the game. Put your all into it." That she did not fear the little girl was not being hidden well.

Visions of cannons and catapults danced in Comforting's mind, but she was not there to use any of that. She was there to be a regular little girl, which meant using little girl arms, as unideal a tool as that was for that game. "Alright!" She wound the ball back and chucked it with both hands over her head. "Haw!"

The teacher easily caught it, but looked impressed despite that. "Huh. I didn't even expect it to reach me, if we're being honest." She bounced it off the ground in a single dribble. "Not bad for a kid your age. Alright, if you want to play, you're in, but I'm not putting you out there without some protective gear. I don't want to get chewed out if you get bashed across the head."

So it was that Comforting was the only child sent out with a safety helmet and pads, but she was allowed to charge out on Sunset's team to play some dodgeball.

Author's Note

If you can dodge a reality implosion, you can dodge a ball, right?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, want early updates, or to get their own written here at atreon!

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86 - Fun and Games

With the dull thump of a rubber ball against her helmet, Comforting was sent skidding back on her bottom. "Ow..." It had hurt, a little, but most of that was the impact of the ground as she slid back. She looked around a moment, but Rainbow was already moving towards her next victim. She had been Dash'd. "If I was gonna get knocked out by someone."

Comforting rose, leaving the ball behind for another player to take up. She was out, but she left with a smile as she joined the others that had been tagged out, either with a ball bouncing off them or their hurled one being caught by another. "Nice try," she consoled them all.

"As if this little game means anything to Trixie." Trixie raised a brow, only to double-take. "Oh, my little fan. Well! We're both out of this boring little game. Come to see another trick?"

The other students grumbled with a strong lack of interest. But Comforting was not the other students. "Please!" She found a seat, a bench part of the bleachers facing Trixie, eyes sparkling with eagerness.

"Trixie does not disappoint." She threw her arms wide, smoke escaping in dramatic puffs in the act. "We will make this student's--" She snatched the goggles off Photo Finish's face. "--goggles, vanish!" With a flick of her wrist, they were gone, getting excited claps from Comforting.

Photo Finish was not as pleased. "I demand zose back!" On her feet and scowling at Trixie, she put out an empty hand for her headware.

Trixie laughed at the misfortune. "Why are you worried? Trixie always gets her tricks right!" At least a solid 65% of the time. She clapped her hands firmly together. "Behold the magic!" With a great release of sparkles, she brought them apart, revealing a set of goggles. But it wasn't the original set.

Photo Finish snatched them, glaring at the clearly incorrect version. "Vere are my gogglez? Vu think thiz iz magic? There iz no magic here!"

Trixie waved at her new fan. "Oh no, did you take them?" Photo Finish looked at Comfortingly expectantly.

Comforting squeaked, suddenly the focus point of ire. She patted herself down quickly and... wait. She dug a hand into her pocket and drew out a set of goggles. "Oh, I do..."

Photo yanked the goggles back and shoved the improper ones at Trixie. "I vill thank you never to do that again!" She stormed off, unamused.

Trixie smirked at the annoyed peer, but paid them little further mind. "Now, little fan, you must reveal your own tricks." She drew out a third set of goggles, also looking just like Photo Finish's. "She would love to take credit for putting these on you, but she did not." She waggled the goggles at Comforting.

Comforting tensed. That hadn't been Trixie's magic? She stuffed a hand in her pocket and searched for a new stick of gum, but none was there. Was was going on? "Um... just... a little trick I brought from far away... That you knew tricks too is why I wanted to see you in action. It's amazing."

"It is, isn't it?" Trixie parked the spare goggles on the bleachers above Comforting. "Fine. A real magician never reveals her secrets. Trixie can respect that." She clucked her tongue. "But you could have said you were a fellow magician to start!"

"Ah... ha..." got out Comforting in an awkward laugh. "Sorry... I wasn't trying to lie to you, promise."

Trixie poked Comforting on the nose, resting a finger on it. "You didn't upset Trixie. It's rare she gets to touch base with another magician! And so young... When did you even start?"

Comforting smiled nervously at the teenager. Why were teenagers so large compared to little girls? "It's nothing compared to yours."

"Trixie can't argue that." So she didn't. "Still, if you want to swap a few... tips... Trixie's not opposed." She wandered off with a laugh, just in time for Sunset to join her.

"Was Trixie bothering you?" She sank next to Comforting. "She can be a bit... extra."

"Extra, but not bad," defended Comforting. "She just likes doing tricks."

"With very different levels of success." She offered a hand. "Nice job out there. You weren't the first tagged out." She snorted with memory. "I saw a few sail over your head. Bet the other team thought you were an easy target."

Comforting flashed a bright smile at Sunset. "Thanks. I didn't really get a chance to see how you were doing, sorry about that."

"As if." Sunset rose to her feet. "But you made it through gym, let's go."

"Behind you!" She raced along with Sunset, finishing up the day without further drama.

Sunset led Comforting out of the school, among a crowd of other students rushing to get elsewhere. "Ally-up!" She grabbed Comforting gently and raised her up to her own shoulders. "Better?"

Comforting could see the crowd from above! She could see the statue she came from and the wider world beyond. "Wow..." She held tight to Sunset from above. "Thank you."

"Darlings!" Rarity sped towards them through the crowd. "Good to see you both. Let's do a little shopping, hm." She pointed the way with a big smile and led the way down the street. "If you had just said she was your sister, I would never have known, truly."

Sunset pinkened faintly. "But that would be a lie, and without much a good reason."

"Fair fair... Would have saved you a lot of explaining with the teachers, I bet." She swung around in front of them, the crowd thinning that far from school. "Even with Celestia. She knows about... this." She wiggled her fingers in the air. "But forget that! What's your favorite color?"

It was officially shopping time. When they reached the mall, Sunset put Comforting down to dash around excitedly. "This is really nice of you, Rares. I think she wants this."

"What was your first hint?" Rarity watched the small child race from one interesting thing to the next. "Hard to imagine she's older than she looks, the way she's carrying on, really dear."

Sunset considered that for just a moment. "I bet you'd look the same if you went to an Equestrian clothing shop."

Rarity's eyes sparkled at the idea. "That would be something incredible, wouldn't it? Little ponies with little clothes. It's so cute to consider." She clenched her fists in front of herself, shaking them with a giggle. "I'd love to see it. Perhaps, if your princess is feeling up to it, you could arrange that sometime, hm?"

"No promises." Sunset whistled sharply, getting Comforting's attention. "Don't get too lost. First stop--" She didn't point to one of many places to get clothes. No, she instead directed at a beeping and blinking arcade. "We blow your little mind."

Comforting gasped, staring into the dark pit of sparkling lights and sound effects. "It's been forever..."

Sunset hiked a brow. "That was not the answer I expected, but maybe I should have."

Rarity laughed gently, walking past Sunset. "Alright, a few video games first, then we shop. Come along, Comforting. Do you have a preferred style of game?"

Comforting rushed inside instead of answering, gaping at the collection. Many looked so familiar, but it was still another world, with its own games. Street Fighter? Nope! But Alley Brawler had people eagerly waiting for a chance to punch and kick at each other. Dance games, puzzle games, and others waited to tempt comforting out of her... Oh... She turned towards Sunset.

Sunset caught up, looking quizzically at that expression. "What's wrong? I don't 100% get you, but you seem to know what these are."

"And they need coins." Comforting patted her sides. "That I don't have..."

"Right! Yes... One moment." She powerwalked towards a machine to put in a few dollars.

Rarity couched down beside Comforting. "Be sure to say thank you, dear. She's obviously doing all she can to give you a pleasant trip."

Author's Note

Dodge, or catch. That is the question.

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88 - Spring Cleaning

"Hey." Sunset leaned back against a wall, her body supported by her bed. "You will not believe this."

"Try me," came the country-twanged response. "We've seen some crazy thin's."

"True..." Sunset inclined her entire body for a better view. "But there's a little girl in a bright blue frilly dress in my house, and she's cleaning it."

"Huh... Didja invite her there, or did she jus', ya know, show up?" Applejack's confusion was clear on the line. "Wait! Is this the girl ya showed off at school?"

"Exact same one," laughed out Sunset. "Little pony girl, cleaning my house."

"You asked her to clean yer house?"

Sunset raised a free hand swiftly, not that Applejack could see it. "No! She just wanted to, on her own. She practically wrenched my arm behind my back to do it. You should see this..."

"So, show me."

Oh, right. "Sec." She pulled the phone away and soon had it streaming a video instead. She directed its camera at the scene.

Comforting was busily picking up anything she rated as 'trash'. Old wrappers and packaging were easy to make such judgments on. Old Food (capitalized in case of sapience, not impossible) was hurriedly cleared from plates, which then was scooted to the sink. She added clothing with obvious holes and degradation to the 'probably tossed out' pile, but not directly into the trash bag she was filling. For that first pass, she ignored anything that wasn't in one of those easy categories of needing immediate removal.

"Look at her go," came Applejack's voice from the phone. "Awful industrious little thing."

Sunset pulled the phone back to rest by her head. "Right? And it's my house. I'm not sure how to feel..."

"Shoot, ah'd be thankful."

"I am!” Sunset watched the continued cleaning of her mess. "I made this... The more she cleans, the longer it takes, the more obvious it is that... I've been living in a disaster."

"Sugarcube, stop talkin' a second. Look, ya ain't had no simple life. Shoot, ya were a pony from some other world, then ya wen't and took over a high school for fun. Now yer savin' the world as often as not sometimes, and ya got a new gaggle of friends."

"And that means I should be alright with this?" Sunset waved at the slowly tended filth.

"No. But it does mean you should try not to feel so bad havin' it pointed out by someone who cares 'nough to get to work fixin' it. Look, we all need a helpin' hand sometimes. If yer feelin' that bad, hang up on me already and join her. Pretty sure she won't say nothin' bad 'bout another set of hands on the job."

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. "Yeah... Yeah... Shoot, I have to finish my homework."

"So do that," advised Applejack. "And if she's still workin', then ya can consider tossin' in with her. Bet it'll make her day."

"Why are you so sensible?!" groaned out Sunset, but she started to smile. "Alright... Alright, homework first, then maybe join in on this cleaning project."

"Atta girl. See you tomorrow." The line went cold, Applejack taking the initiative to end that call.

Noticing Sunset shifting her attention to a desk, Comforting hurried over and began clearing it off of things in the way. She filled her bag and had to get another to resume the task of tossing things into it. "Good luck with homework." Wow, homework. It just hit her that she hadn't had to do homework in a while. Ponyland didn't bother with it. Human-ponyland clearly did. Would she have to do some when they made her a student? Probably... But it was still HS homework. She was an adult! Mentally... Mostly? She'd be fine!

Sunset started her assignments. "Thank you." She could spread her books open without bumping into something. It was a privilege she forgot she had lost in her own little house. "Man..."

Comforting patted her side, but bounced off a moment later to resume her crusade against clutter. She came and went from the front door several times, carting full garbage bags out and leaving the house less awkward to exist in with each. "Hm."

Sunset heard the question in that little grunt. "Something wrong?"

"Just... amazed." Comforting held up her little hands. "It's like... I flattened strength in this world. I should be a lot weaker, I think... But I'm doing alright."

Sunset smirked at that. "That only works up to average or so. There are strong people that are strong. If we had Bulk Biceps in here, which I don't want, he'd be carrying several of those bags at a time."

"There has to be a limit." Comforting reached, resuming filling a fresh bag with things to get rid of. "I'm smaller than you. I can't be as strong as you."

"I doubt that." Sunset folded her arms across her front. "But strong enough to take out the trash? You're doing that." She unfolded to get back to her work. "Almost done here, then I'll help."

"You don't have to." But she wasn't stopping Sunset. "Oh! Start with that." She pointed at the maybe pile. "You have to decide what stays and what doesn't."

"Right." Sunset put the finishing touches on homework and shoved those books aside to get over to that pile. "Wow... I forgot I had this." She began plucking through the clothing and a few abandoned toys. "Look at you..."

Comforting kept half an eye on her, wondering if she'd actually toss anything out, or if fond memories would prevent that. "Yuck..." She tossed an especially old thing with eyes that bulged out when squeezed. "One of the first things I got, when I came here." The pivotal moment had passed. She was throwing things out slowly but steadily. "Part of... why I want you to have fun..."

"Hm?" Comforting continued to work, even if her curiosity had been piqued. "Why is that?"

"I didn't have so much fun." She crunched in a pile of papers into the bag. "It was hard... I was... lonely... I mean... did you already hear how it started?"

"You fought with the other girls at first, right?"

"Right," admitted Sunset with a heavy sigh. "I fought with almost everyone... I clawed and held onto every scrap of happiness I could find. I had just... Listen to me! Sorry, you didn't come to hear my sob story."

Comforting squatted next to Sunset. "No, really, go on." That was way more interesting than cleaning up. Didn't mean she couldn't grab things while she was there, which she did. "You're not boring me."

"You are such a funny little girl." Sunset smiled at her little helper. "If you're sure? See... I came from Equestria too, you know that, right?"

"Yep!" Comforting fired an emphatic thumbs up, a bright smile on her face. "Why'd you leave?"

"Because of Celestia... More specifically, my relationship with her." Sunset sagged. "I was busy thinking the world owed me... and she wasn't giving, so I ran off. It was dumb." She put a hand over her face. "That mirror has a sense of ironic justice, let me tell you. It sent me to where I was as young on the outside as I was busy acting on the inside. I needed it... and it gave it to me, like it or not."

Comforting gently patted her on the shoulder.

Sunset jumped at the contact. "Hey... Um. Alright, not gonna second guess myself. Does that make any sense to you?" She rolled a hand at Comforting's pint-sized form. "From where I'm sitting, you're a little kid that shouldn't be thinking about this much."

"I'm thinking about it because I care, and you're thinking about it." Comforting swayed on her legs back and forwards. "That isn't that unusual... Especially where I come from."

"Equestria?"

"Before that." She made a rewinding motion with her hands. "This would be life #3, if you look at it the right way, and in this one, I'm an old-soul little kid in the care of a lovely Sunset Shimmer. And I'm alright with that."

Sunset quirked a little smile. "Wow... Far out, if you don't mind me saying. I've only had the one." She pointed at herself. "Didn't really put much stock in that whole 'reincarnation' thing. Nobody I know remembers any past lives, so hard to just... accept that. But here you are."

Comforting shook her head quickly. "I can't say it's an everyone thing. I can't say it's ever happened more than me times before, but that feels super entitled, to say I'm the only anything." She flopped down, her frills billowing around her. "But I like being cute, and helpful. This life is delivering that!"

Sunset fired a thumbs up. "Cute and helpful, can't argue that." She stood up and went to attack some other clutter. "But I'm not letting some kid, nice or not, steal all my thunder. Let's get this place sparkling."

"Okay!" Comforting eagerly accepted the enthusiastic call to battle. The dirt didn't stand a chance.

Sure, the place wasn't upgraded to a perfect score in cleanliness, but they managed, together, to get it from disaster to reasonable. Sunset dusted her hands, huffing for breath. "Wow... I really let that go..."

"Bet you feel better." Comforting twirled to point at all the things at once. "Doesn't it look better? You deserve a nice place to live in."

Sunset plonked a hand on Comforting's head. "You are too cute. Now, you said this was #3, so there has to be a #2, which I assume is Equestria?" Comforting nodded quickly. "Were you a foal there, or a grown pony?"

"Neither!" Comforting curled a hand to her chin. "It gets complicated really fast. Ever meet or at least hear of Discord?"

"Hear of, yes..." Sunset hiked a thumb at a book. "Twilight's written about him a few times... Wait, are you Discord? Get out!"

"No!" She waved her hands in quick negation. "But something like him. I was a girl before, and still a girl now. But I was a chaos spirit." She suddenly snapped her fingers. "Also, technically, this makes you on #2."

"I..." She frowned at that. "Huh." Sunset couldn't directly battle the logic. "Is it really a 'new' life if I can go back to my old one if I want?"

"I could go back to my #2. #1 is right out." Comforting sliced negatively with one hand. "I will go back to #2, this is a vacation, not a permanent thing."

Sunset hiked a brow at that. "Do you usually do a bunch of housework as a 'vacation'?"

"If it helps a nice person that's been great to me, yes." Comforting seemed quite firm in her view. "Only one thing remains." She pointed to the filled sink. "I am too small to do dishes..."

Sunset smirked, imagining Comforting's little arms dangling over the side, at best, and trying to do dishes she couldn't even see. "Fair... We could get a stool, but if I let you clean dishes in that new dress, Rarity will murder me. I'm already on her hit list for letting you clean at all..."

Right! Comforting twisted and turned to get a look at herself. She reached with some effort to the back of her neck and pulled forward the tag just enough for a peek. "Machine washable. Got one?"

"Hm? Oh, sure." Sunset led the way to the tiny little laundromat in her house. "You know how to use it? Not a pony default..."

"But that was #2," reminded Comforting. She shook loose the dress and soon had it loaded in the washing machine. "And..." With a triumphant press, the machine began chunking and whirring, cleaning her new clothes. "We wait."

Sunset gave a polite applause. "Great job, alright. All that cleaning worked up an appetite. How about some pizza as a reward?"

"Yay!" Good deeds came with some prizes.

Author's Note

Finished the last half of this while out at a workout place. I'm feeling the burn! Said burn may have resulted in a few singed typos, sorry.

89 - Study Hard

The next day, dressed in school uniform she had started in, Comforting skipped alongside Sunset. They were going to school! She was curious what it'd be like, from the viewpoint of an actual student. But would she? She was still, at that moment, a guest of Sunset.

Who took her to the principal's office to start. "We should check in. She let us have yesterday." Assuming the next, she didn't do. "Hey." She waved at the secretary. "Celestia in?"

"Let's see." They pressed the button. "Sunset Shimmer is back, with that young girl."

The reply was quick, but also a different voice, "Send her in."

"Sounds like the Vice Principal is in." They waved forward to their shared office. "Go ahead."

Sunset huhed. "Alright." She reached for Comforting's hand and got it, drawing the small one forward. "Luna's cool. They both are, really. Not quite their, uh, pony selves, but what is?"

Inside, there was no Celestia, but there was a Luna, behind the other desk that had been empty the day before. "Good morning. Celestia had mentioned this situation." She pointed to the seats in front of her desk. "We've gone over the test results."

Right! The test! Comforting climbed up into a free chair. "How'd I do?"

Luna took out a slender folder and set it on the desk. "Quite well... Especially for someone of your apparent age... Not perfect, but competent." She cracked a little smile. "Being a competency examination, that is acceptable. However... I was also told of your... unique origin."

Comforting tensed. When did that come up?! "Ma'am?"

"Unless you intend to move here permanently, which hasn't happened yet..." She didn't know Sunset came from the same place. "I can't enroll you as a student. You will leave." She brought down a finger. "But that only precludes permanent attendance. You can be assigned as a foreign student."

Comforting's worry evaporated. "Foreign student! Yep, that's me." She hiked a thumb at herself. "Parlez Vous Francais?"

Luna was not amused at the sudden French clip. "A foreign student is permitted up to 12 months. That they will leave is a given, not an unusual circumstance."

Sunset brought her hands together. "Great! So, she's in then?"

"Not quite." Luna fixed Comforting in an even stare. "We need to set a few... rules. These are specific to you. We understand students from... your country are accustomed to some things, but we need to clarify that any 'magic' is entirely forbidden at school." Her brows came down with a sigh. "Trixie excepted, this is true of all the students, and her tricks are relatively harmless... and often ineffective."

And not actually magic. So far Comforting knew? Stage craft was something else. "Right. We're here to learn."

Luna smiled at that. "Good. Exactly the case. Now, you are, talented or not, a very small student. You survived yesterday with minimal incidents, but this remains true. We will do our part to make your stay comfortable and productive, but will you meet us halfway?"

"Yes! I am ready." Comforting was perhaps a bit more excited than one needed to be for school. "Will I still be in Sunset's classes?"

"No." Such flat denial. "Allowing you to attend the school at all is quite the leap, but placing you at her advanced year? Unthinkable." She drew out a fresh paper and slid it across towards Comforting. "This is your schedule, assuming you accept it. Admittedly, the other option is Sunset taking you to wherever you currently reside. Non-students have little place here."

Comforting took it for a look. At a guess, it was like she was a freshman? Sunset wasn't that... So they wouldn't share any classes. Drat... "Well... Alright." She wouldn't see any of the girls. They were all in later grades, inching closer to graduation. Dang... "Time to make some new friends..."

Sunset patted her little ward gently. "We can still, oh, what period do you have lunch?"

You checked. "Fourth."

"Great!" Sunset smiled brightly. "We can at least talk there. And I'll grab you after and before school."

Yes, they still had out of school time... Oh well, she was there to be a student, not play games... "Alright... Alright." She folded the paper and stucked it away. "Let's get started."

Luna's stoic expression broke into a true smile. "I had worried you would object more... It's just as well. Good! Sunset, can you see her to her first class? I imagine she hasn't memorized the lay of the land yet. Both of you, have a wonderful day."

"C'mon." Sunset guided Comforting out. "Later!" She waved at Luna on the way out. "Hope you can get along with the freshmen. I don't really brush elbows with them nearly as much..."

New people. Maybe they'd be super fun. Maybe they'd even be human versions of ponies she already knew! Of course, that'd just provide a hint of their nature. They'd be new people, overall. Humans, not ponies. "This could be fun."

"That's the spirit." Sunset led her to a classroom and waved inside. "Your first period awaits." She pointed up to a number on the door. "And that's how you find classes. The number says what floor it's on, simple as that."

"Simple." Comforting advanced on into the room. "See you later."

Inside was a chaotic mess of new students still roaming about, talking, playing, and enjoying the time before the class began properly. She was one of them! Ah ha! She spotted some familiar looking ponies. They were not a unicorn, or a pegasus, but their mane, er, hairstyles were a giveaway. Oh, the glasses. "Silver Spoon?"

The other girl, away from the other three, looked up. "Hm? Do I, like, know you?"

Comforting scooted up to human Silver Spoon and sat next to her. "Hi there. Not yet." She offered a hand. "I'm Comforting Shade."

Silver Spoon seemed confused at the sudden cheerful approach. "Oh, hey." She hesitantly offered a hand back in a brief shake. "Welcome?"

"Glad to be here." Comforting realized, a bit late, she had come on strong. "Sorry about that. I just wanted to make a friend or two right away, and you look nice."

"Thanks." She smiled at her curious new friend(?). "But that's Diamond's spot. I'd get out of it before she shows up."

Comforting scrambled from her chair with a squeak. "Sorry!" She swerved around to sink on Silver's other side. "Don't want her upset."

"Do you, like, know her?" Silver looked Comforting over intently. "You're acting like you do."

"Heard of her?" That felt safe. "Seriously, nice to be here."

"Welcome to Algebra." Silver Spoon rolled her eyes mightilly. "Ugh... Are you any good at math?"

Comforting perked. "Like 2x = 6?"

Silver Spoon squinted at Comforting suspiciously. "Like that. So what's the answer?"

"Um... 3?" Comforting had made a simple problem, but looked worried at Silver Spoon's reaction to it.

"Sounds like someone won't be clueless." She raised a hand just in time for a hand to slap against it as a new girl sat. There was Diamond Tiara, human edition. "Hey, Diamond. We got a new friend." She laughed, pointing back at Comforting. "I didn't, like, ask for her, but here she is. At least she isn't an idiot."

"That's good." She leaned around Silver for a peek at Comforting. "Hey. Aren't you... young for this?" They were the youngest in the high school, but Comforting was smaller yet. "Not to offend or anything, but you look like you should be in grade school, junior high at the absolute max."

Silver colored dark. "Diamond! Maybe she has some kinda, like, growth thing. Maybe that's as big as she'll ever get!"

Comforting laughed tensely. "It's not like that... I'm exactly as big as I should be." Which was small. "I'll get bigger later, no rush."

"See?" Diamond looked comfortably confident in the fact that she wouldn't mess anything up. "Diamond Tiara." She thrust a hand right in front of Silver Spoon to reach Comforting.

Comforting accepted the hand in a shake. "Comforting Shade, nice to meet you."

"Charmed." Diamond reclaimed her hand. "The teacher's gonna love you. You have teacher's pet written all over you, and most of us hate this class. So smile, look interested, and take the pressure off the rest of us, alright?"

Comforting inclined her head faintly. "I'll do my--"

The teacher wandered in. It was human Cheerilee, smiling gently at them all. "Students, in your seats." Her eyes darted to Comforting. "We have a new student today. If you would come up?" She waved Comforting up to the front. "What's your name?"

Comforting feared for a girl her actual age. That could be a scary situation! But she did not have that fear. That class was full of pony humans she recognized. "I am Comforting Shade, a foreign exchange student. I'm looking forward to meeting you all." She curtsied to the clapping classroom. Nailed it! "Thank you for having me, Miss Cheerilee."

Cheerilee seemed surprised. "Oh, did one of the others tell you my name? How lovely, we can skip that then. Go on back to your seat." She gently shooed Comforting away and began her lesson on the mysteries of x and how to solve it. Such a vexing problem, that x, always getting lost.

Diamond thumped the back of her hand against Comforting's on the way out of class. "Huh, you're good at that. My tutor blows chunks, to put it bluntly. How are you at teaching, one on one."

"One on two," huffed Silver Spoon. "I'm invited too, right?"

Diamond curled an arm around her friend. "Of course you are, but only if she's up for it. She's... what.. 8? 10? Not sure her parents will even let her."

Silver frowned at their potential pint-sized tutor. "Just because you know math better doesn't make you better than us!" She was a proud and independant young woman, and some amount of pride had to be defended.

"Of course." Comforting did not rise to that bait. She reminded herself, repeatedly, that she had an unfair advantage and had to be extra nice to the people going through life the first time. She wasn't there to gloat. "I'd be happy to help."

"Great." Diamond clapped her hands together in a firm stoke. "But... are your parents alright with it?"

"Got a new friend?" Human Sweetie Belle had approached with a big smile. "Comfy, right?"

"Close, Comforting." Comforting offered a hand, quickly met in a friendly shake. "Sweetie Belle." She looked to the others accompanying her. "Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom."

"Woah." Scootaloo peered at the new kid. "Where'd you learn that?"

Silver Spoon shrugged. "Same place she learned how to do math, I bet."

That was... closed to the truth than not. Comforting didn't argue it. "Say, since I'm helping them, why not make it a whole class, if anyone else wants?"

Diamond puffed up at that. "Hey! This was my idea."

"A very good one, but if I'm teaching you, for money, that looks odd. If I'm just having a study class with my fellow students..." Comforting waved at the lot of them. "Then that's pretty normal."

Apple Bloom blinked softly. "What're we studyin'?" She had her bigger sister's country twang. "Math?"

Silver leaned in against Comforting. "Well... we know those three." She wiggled her fingers at the human crusaders. Were they crusaders? That felt suddenly unlikely. Then again... Pony humans had cutie marks. Sure, they covered them, but they had them, maybe...

"Comforting?" Sweetie noticed Comforting looking spaced out, mind a mile away. "You alright?"

Diamond suddenly smiled. "Actually... You may have a point, also, we don't know what you know or don't know. Maybe you'll need our help for a class or three."

This bore out to be the case. Social Studies may as well have been about martian fern development for how little Comforting grasped it. It was just close enough to Earth history to seem familiar but all colored subtely off to make all her knowledge more of a hinderance than a help. She finished the class miserably slumped over her desk, groaning in defeat.

Silver leaned in over Comforting's desk, standing after class. "Wow, Diamond called that."

"I usually do," Diamond sang, looking quite vindicated. "So we have a deal. You help us, we help you. Fair's fair."

Comforting raised a hand, the rest of her slumped. "Fair's fair."

They shook on it, a deal formed.

90 - Study Buddies

"Here we are?" Sunset looked at their target with some doubt on her face. "Wow... Are we at the right address?"

Comforting pointed towards the mailbox, which looked just as fancy. The number on it was impossible to miss. "Looks like it."

Sunset whistled with appreciation. "I did not realize that little kid was this well to do..." She raised a hand at what was a manor, not a nice house, before them, if one went past the gate that was erected to keep the riff raff out.

This did not stop Comforting. She skipped up to the intercom button and pressed it with a soft buzz.

"Hello?" issued an older male voice. "Can I help you?"

"Hi!" She didn't know where it was from, so she just waved forward in the direction of the button. "I'm here for the study group, with Diamond Tiara?"

"Very good." With a dull thunk, the gate broke apart and began to swing open.

Comforting twirled about. "I can get home when I'm done."

"If you're sure?" Sunset pulled out her phone. "If anything comes up, give me a call, alright?"

"Aw! You are like the best big sister." She hopped in and hugged Sunset's leg, easy to do in that world, with so much of a person's height being devoted to legs.

Sunset gently ruffled the head of her little ward. "Have fun in there."

"I will!" Comforting darted past the gate, waving back at Sunset as she fled. The gates clicked shut, locking them from one another. She was in rich man's land. Rich... man's land? Comforting giggled as the pun struck her. Would she meet the whole family? Maybe?

She arrived at the door and reached to knock on it, but it was swinging open by the time she got to it.

"Right this way." Their butler waved inside, a proper tone in his voice. If he had questions, he aired none of them, simply directing Comforting along. "May I have your name?" Well, one question.

"Comforting." She looked around the house as she walked through it at an energetic pace to keep up with the butler. "What's your name?"

"Randolph," he surrendered without a fight. "Charmed." He was quiet until they got to a particular door. He knocked twice with the back of his hand, cracked it open, and called in, "A Miss Comforting arriving, madame."

"Yes!" The door swung open sharply, Diamond grabbing it from the other end. "There you are. Come on in!" She waved Comforting forward. "Most of us are here already."

Inside, a classroom, or what could have passed for one. There were a lot of freshmen, waving at the newest arrival.

One of them, a boy, looked quite doubting. "Really? She's not even half our age."

"Pretty sure she's at least that," argued Apple Bloom. "Don't be such a downer, Snips. She knows her stuff."

Scootaloo fired double finger guns. "Except history. I hate that class too."

"She's so small," cried the nasally girl that leaned in over Comforting. "I love it! Is she really that clever?"

Diamond smartly clapped. "Alright, people." All eyes were on her, the way she liked it. "We have to actually do some studying, or we'll get in trouble, and no more of this." She waggled a few fingers at the table set up with snacks and treats. "So let's get to it!"

It was there that Comforting got to learn the wonders of teaching. It wasn't her first time. First time as a human girl? Sure yes, but trying to go by that measure, a lot of things were new. "The big secret is if you do the same thing on both sides, it's still equal." She was going over some basics with some of the students. "Like this." She wrote '10 = 10' on the blackboard. "If you subtract two from either side, what do you get?"

Snips raised a hand. "Six." The others nodded in agreement. The answer was clearly six.

Comforting tensed. Wait... Were they... Was it? How did she not realize they weren't base ten?! She laughed a little deleriously. "Of course! But, the important part, 6 equals 6, which is still true. If you do the same thing to both sides, it's still equal. This is always true, and this is how we find x when it's hiding in there..."

Fortunately for her, math was math. A universal constant, even across universes! Comforting just had to catch herself from the base she was in. She felt actually kind of good that she was handling it without tripping too much. She got through the demonstration, finding x and its partner in crime, y, in various situations.

Diamond clapped in light applause. "Appreciate the refresher. You explain it differently than the teacher, and I mean that as a compliment. One thing though, and you're not a teacher, so I bet I'll get an honest answer."

Comforting tensed faintly. What curveball was approaching. "What's up?"

Diamond waved at the board full of math. "When will we use any of this in the real world?"

"You already do."

Diamond blinked at that retort. "We do?"

Comforting pointed at Diamond, Silver, and Sweetie Belle. "Let's say there are three of you, and each of you brought three cupcakes, and there were five there already." She turned around and wrote it out, '3x + 5'. "But you want to split it up into two cupcakes each, for a sale." She put a line under it and a big 2 underneath. Then an equal sign and a y. "How many groups of two can you make? In this case, you know x, easy, there are three of you. So you just have to solve for y, easy peasy."

Diamond raised a brow at the demonstration. "Huh... But we didn't have to bounce anything around on both sides."

"It's nice when that works out, but it doesn't always. Also... What if you knew, for sure, you wanted at least 10 packs." She tapped the y. "How many students bringing three each would you need?" She tapped the x. "Now we know the y but not the x, time to get solving."

The crowd murmured and chatted about the more practical example of algebra. Comforting was pleased, she was reaching them! "We use algebra all the time, we just don't think about it. Learning it in school is about bringing it up so you can get better at it."

The nasally girl burst into giggles. "Wow, just wow... You are something else! How do you know all this? You just joined high school, and you're so eency tiny." She snorted softly, not seeming to mean anything by it. "How?"

"Twist." Sweetie nudged her. "Anyone that studies can learn stuff. That's what we're here for."

Noises of general agreement followed, and the learning continued. Which included for Comforting, who learned the America's origin was... different. "Huh..."

Diamond cocked a brow at Comforting. "You never heard of this?" But she hadn't. "Huh," she echoed. "Well, we did good. I say we take a break." She hopped to her feet. "It's time for a treat." She clapped twice.

The door swung open, pushed by a wagon being pushed along by Randolph. He wheeled it in to the center of the room and pulled off the lid. "Madame."

"Thank you." Diamond reached up and snatched a chicken leg off the platter, fried to perfection. "Randy's the best, let's enjoy a pit stop."

The room erupted into cheers as they rushed to get their share. Silver sat down next to Comforting. "Alright, you. You have, like, secrets."

"Who, me?"

Silver prodded her in the closer arm. "Yes, you." Silver rolled her eyes. "Kinda helpful, but also kinda suspicious. We're not dumb." She threw a hand out wide over the room. "Wierd stuff has happened around us before..." She hissclicked her tongue to her teeth. "You, like... Hey, you're with Sunset. You're like her!"

Comforting tensed. "Like her... how?"

"A demon?" suggested Silver.

Diamond suddenly crouched in front of Comforting. "Gonna try to take us over? Uncool."
'
Comforting raised her hands wardingly. "Sunset's not like that! Neither am I!"

Apple Bloom chomped her drumbstick, swallowing the meaty chunk a moment later. "Ya say that, but y'are a bit... out there. What's yer deal? Jus' tell us! We won't be mad or nothin'."

"We wanna know," pleased Twist.

"Tell us," joined Snips.

"Yeah, tell us." Snails nodded sagely. "What is she tellin' us?"

Scootaloo idly pushed the slow boy out of the way. "We're grown up! We can handle it." She leaned in. "C'mon! Are you from... wherever the freaky stuff comes from?"

Pipsqueak slipped away his phone. "I promise, it'll be off the air!"

Comforting placed a hand over her face. How could she get out of things? "I'm not some sign of strange things."

Silver nudged her borrowed mentor. "No, like, you are the strange thing." It didn't help that basically every other head in the room was nodding along with her. "And we, like, need a strange thing right now that's on our side."

Comforting perked up at that. "What?"

Diamond huffed. "Way to explain it, Silver. There's this freaky thing... We can't talk to our parents about it, they'd never believe us, and we're not going to the seniors about it, they don't want to talk to us." She rolled her eyes. "But you... You're a freshman, like us."

Snips suddenly looked interested. "You're talking about that?! Why didn't you warn me? Ooo, that's a good one." He rubbed his hands together meaningfully. "You won't be able to solve this x so easily!"

Comforting giggled at that math pun. "I'll... try. What's wrong?"

Silver brightened. "Great! I had a feeling we could count on you. Okay, so, there's this house." She pointed off. "Right at, like, the edge of town, right? Spooky place already, abandoned, creaky, the works."

Scootaloo shook her head quickly. "That's not the problem. If it was just a creepy old house, that'd be kinda cool."

Sweetie huffed, sinking. "We think it's for real haunted... We tried to have a little... thing there."

Apple Bloom threw up a hand. "No poin' dancin' 'round it. We had a sleepover there, tryin' to prove how tough we were."

Scootaloo buried her face in her hands. "It didn't quite work out..."

Diamond raised a hand. "Ugh... I heard about it and wanted to prove they were being silly dunderheads..."

Silver shrank. "And we both ended up running. That place is no joke!" Noises of approval came from the others, all in agreement that this particular house was, indeed, super haunted.

Comforting hopped to her feet. "I get the basic idea... but you're leaving out a lot of details. What scared you out?" She pointed to Silver Spoon first. "You, what scared you?"

Silver shuddered with remembered dread. "I saw this face... It had no hair, just a haunted, like, look in its eyes. Couldn't tell if was a guy or a girl, but it came flying at me, just the head, screaming!" She shrank back against her seat. "So I ran... You'd run too if you saw it..."

Twist waved both hands. "I was juth walking path one evening." She pantomimed a casual stroll. "And thuddenly eyeth opened! It was like a dothen angry glowing eyeth in the windowth, all tharing at me! I ran away from there ath fath ath I could!"

Comforting shook her head slowly. "Wow... That sounds haunted..." Super haunted? Possibly... "I'm not sure how much I can help..." She didn't have her chaos powers, right? "But I can try. Nobody's been hurt, right?" All the students there shook their head.

Except Snails, he had a hand up. "Who got hurt?" All heads turned towards Snails at Comforting's question.

Snails squirmed in place. "Well... I was... I heard..."

Snips punched him in the side. "Out with it!"

"Okay okay!" Snails pushed his friend back. "I heard that's why Featherweight's been out." Gasps of alarm rippled across the room. "Um, he wanted some pictures, for the school paper."

Author's Note

Gasp, something's ahoof!

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91 - Scoping it Out

"So..." Comforting looked to the other souls with her in that bush, most wielding binoculars. "Is this a bad time to ask a silly question?"

Diamond scrunched her nose. "Depends. If this is about 'Oh, you didn't really see what you for sure saw,' not interested."

"Not that." She brought up her binocs for a look. That was a grade A creepy house. It had just enough wear on it to be super abandoned without looking like no sane person would trust it to not just collapse at any moment. A delicate edge, that, and it was doing it effortlessly. "It has nothing to do with the house... This will probably sound super dumb."

For however creepy it was, the house was doing nothing in the middle of the day. "Go ahead. Probably more interesting than this stake out." Diamond set her binoculars aside. "You know a lot and know nothing. It's kinda funny."

Silver swatted at her fellow upper crust. "Don't be mean. She's here to help us."

"Right." Comforting moved to sit on her bottom instead of her belly. "Cutie marks." None of the others seemed to get that as a question. "What's the deal with them?"

Diamond waved over Comforting's side. "Yours is right there." Stitched on Comforting's school clothes, just as they had come. "Just about everyone gets one, like a birthmark. It's just a specific birthmark." She grabbed for her own skirt, raising her own cutie mark into easy view. "Like mine, love it."

This set off a cascade of all the others showing off their mark. There was no taboo about showing that off, it seemed, but they were all displaying the one on their clothes, not the one on their skin. There were limits.

Comforting rolled a hand. "Yep, get that, but--"

Apple Bloom poked Comforting from the other side. "Not to be offensive or nothin', but ya got one. Didn't you ask yer parents what that was about? Ah know ah was fulla questions when it happened."

"Or didn't happen," taunted Silver Spoon with a giggle. "You got past that." All the crusaders colored, called out on their late mark. That was still true in another world.

Comforting took quiet internal note of that. The crusaders hadn't changed that part. "N-no... My parent is... a long way away." Pony Fluttershy was a world away, and didn't have that answer. "So, do you know?"

Sweetie blinked owlishly. "Wait... are you an orphan?" All the kids gasped with shock. "How awful. I'm sorry!"

"Yeah, sorry." Scootaloo patted Comforting on the shoulder lightly.

Diamond rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "And you got to book learning and got math and stuff down and didn't bother with the, uh, humanities... That sorta makes sense, actually. Well, don't worry! You can trade with us. But, right now." She pointed to the creepy house.

"Right." Creepy house dead ahead. Maybe emphasis on dead? Comforting considered how she could get to the bottom of it... "Well... Any reason I can't just walk in there?"

Diamond raised a brow. "You could get hurt."

"Yeah, like, I'd feel pretty bad sending a kid in there to get hurt while we hid back." Silver sat up, crossing her arms. "Also, I'd feel like the biggest chicken basically ever."

Comforting hopped up to her feet. "I'll just take a quick peek. I'm little and fast." Yay for youthful dexterity. "If I hear anything, I'll run in the opposite direction, promise. Just a look."

Apple Bloom set a hand on Comforting's shoulder. "That's real brave of you, but we ain't gonna let you do that without at least one'a us with you.

"Okay, who's with me?" Comforting looked along the line of teens sitting up, most looking uncomfortable with the idea.

Scootaloo thrust a hand up. "I will not be outdone by a little kid! Let's do this!" She grabbed Comforting's surprised hand and pulled her towards the house. "We'll get this taken care of in no time."

Comforting yanked her hand away. "Calm down!" Being grabbed like that, not on her list of things she wanted. "Let's take this... calmly." She looked left and right. The road was largely abandoned, no cars parked on it in sight. That only made it creepier. "Straight in the front."

"Y-yeah! It's the middle of the day. It shouldn't be... too creepy." Scootaloo and Comforting advanced on the house, Scootaloo shivering faintly with moderately concealed fear. "I ran away from this place once... Not again..."

Comforting patted the side of the larger teen. "Hey. If something dangerous shows up, we run. We don't even worry about being 'brave'. We run."

Scootaloo snorted at her smaller companion. "Great, now I'm being psyched by a little kid." She swatted at Comforting, but she lacked malice, smiling even. "Thanks. Fine. We see something super spooky, we get out of there..."

"Right." Comforting stepped across the boundary. The light of day dimmed, concealed by the roof over her, the walls on all sides. Only the door and dirty windows allows light to spill in. It was suddenly dark. Not too dark to see at all, but dark enough that seeing was no longer a given.

Woulda been handy to yank out some night vision goggles. A pity she was on a chaos break. Still... tempting. She reached into her pocket and produced a single stick of gum, the last from the pack she started with. "Hey." Scootaloo looked over. "Split?" Splitting that last stick with Scoots felt like a good ending for it.

Scootaloo laughed nervously as they pressed deeper. "It's like a plane... chewing gum while you do it helps a little..."

Comforting cocked her head. Oh, the directional ears of ponies were nice for that kind of thing... But she had heard... something... "That way, I think?" She pointed off into the gloom. "Let's find a ghost... or a mouse. Either/or."

"Hey, look... If we find a mouse, great... Let this whole thing just be us being stupid..." Her bravery was wearing down rapidly in the darkness. "I'm alright being wrong!" She was edging closer and closer to Comforting, but the little girl was a bit too small to offer any real protection or comfort in that situation.

A faint glimmer. If there had been any more light, easily missed. In that gloom, Comforting could see it, a faint trail leading towards a door. The door was closed up. She reached for the knob, just to get Scootaloo grabbing her.

"Where are you doing?" she hissed frantically. "We were just looking, remember? Not... Let's go back!"

Comforting looked between the panicked Scootaloo and the door. She wanted to get past it, but Scootaloo looked pretty shaken... "Go and tell them I went in there. If I don't come out in ten, then you can all panic."

"I'm panicking right now!" Scootaloo casually grabbed Comforting, lifting her by the armpits. "As the adult in this situation, I'm getting you out." Comforting's wiggling did little to stop her from being bodily carried free of the house, back into the light of day. Scootaloo didn't slow down, in fact speeding up as she hurried across the street to where the others waited. She flumped to the ground, heaving for breath. "I hate it!"

Comforting fell from Scoot's numb grip. The others were crowding in around them, asking if they were alright. "I'm fine." Blaming Scootaloo for chickening out was an initial urge, powerful even... but Scootaloo was a kid, a real kid. Tossing them under the bus for getting scared felt... kinda bad. Despite what Scoots said, Comforting was the adult there. "It was just way too dark in there. We shoulda brought a flashlight."

Diamond flipped out her phone and raised a brow.

Comforting clapped a hand to her face. Right! Everyone had a flashlight. It was literally the default. "I didn't think of that..." She dug out her forgotten phone. "That was dumb of me..."

Scootaloo grabbed Comforting firmly on the shoulder. "You were super brave..."

Sweetie giggled at that. "Aw, that is nice of you. You kept her safe. Good job!" In her mind, the one that urged the retreat was clearly Comforting. "Okay, flashlights! We have those." She dug out her phone to compare to everyone else's. They all had one. They could all glow brightly. "This isn't a stunt. No reason not to bring light with us."

A loud slam drew their attention sharply to the house. The door had slapped shut. Diamond fell back. "W-what did that?! Was someone looking?"

Alas, they had been looking at Scootaloo and Comforting.

Well, except Snips. He was tapping at his phone, pulling up the recording. "Oooo.... Woah..."

In the moment before the door closed, a hand grabbed the handle. The hand wasn't attached to anything. It didn't look spectral, as much as could be seen. It was like someone's severed hand just casually grabbed the knob and pulled, despite having no arm or body attached to it, and the door was drawn shut with that loud bang.

Silver screamed. Was there a better response? "Nope! No! Like, no way!" She scrambled to her feet. "Getting out of here!"

Diamond grabbed the wrist of her friend. "Hold up. First, we have to be super clear. That was... strange... but not impossible with tricky CGI or something. We can't run off with that video and expect anyone to take it seriously. Now, don't get me wrong. I was there. That wasn't a special effect... But can we prove that to anyone else?"

The panic of the group diminished. Depressed admission of failure could do that... Snips pointed to his phone. "So, this is useless? Lame..."

"It's not useless. Keep it... It just won't solve the case on its own." Diamond took a slow and shaking breath. It had rattled her like anyone else there. "Alright... Let's call this off for today. I don't think any of you are eager to push more right now."

Silver tapped at Comforting. "Want a lift home? Thanks for coming with us. Like, super brave for such a little kid."

Comforting smiled, feeling awkward. She was the youngest and also oldest, person there. "Thanks. I'll take that offer." She looked over at the house, closed. A part of her wanted to just burst back in for a peek... "Let's go."

"Yeah." Silver waved at the others and led Comforting off to a plush ride back to Sunset's place. "Hey." Comforting looked over. "Don't feel bad, about the orphan thing, like, you know? You're still awesome. Maybe more awesome? Like... just don't get awkward about it. See you tomorrow at school?"

Comforting smiled gently. Silver was a good pony, human or not. "I'll be there, promise." She half-pounced Silver in a hug, which wasn't resisted. With a shimmy, she slipped free of the big car and waved at Silver was driven away.

"Comfort?" There was Sunset, in the doorway. Her house was way less creepy, especially all cleaned up. "Welcome back."

"Good to be back." Comforting rushed up towards her caretaker. "Have fun?"

"I did homework." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Speaking of which, how's yours doing? You were out, not doing it."

Comforting squeaked, called out. "On it!" She rushed past Sunset, but not without getting a hair-ruffle on the way.

"Had a feeling you'd get on it." Sunset drew the door shut gently, unlike that strange hand. "I'll be making some food myself tonight. I hope you're ready for my best."

Comforting peeked at the small kitchen. She knew the supplies there. Nothing could come out of it that was that fancy... Still.. "Thanks." The thought was nice, and it'd be neat to see what Sunset made. "I'll get tomorrow."

Sunset blinked as she headed into that same kitchen. "You're a kid, relax."

"I'm a responsible kid," retorted Comforting, not sounding as mature as she planned to be. "I'll do my part."

"Thanks." Sunset didn't sound like she took it super seriously. She got to work making dinner. "You get that homework done. I won't let any borrowed students of Twilight slack off."

Author's Note

Would you be spooked?

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92 - Solo Operation

Chapter warning. This story is generally soft and squishy and I love it. This chapter has blood and an injury. This is a warning.

Comforting walked right up to the house. She had brought nobody with her. That was intentional. She would walk right in there and figure it out! It wouldn't be so bad... right? She reached up for the handle and, with a creak, she pushed it open. "Hello?"

But only silence responded to her call. "Not here to make any trouble, promise." She stepped in out of the comforting light of day, into the dark interior that only grew darker with every step. "You've scared a lot of kids..." Could whatever it was hear her? Comforting had no way to be sure it could, if there even was a force to hear it in the first place.

Comforting pressed forward into the gloom. Right! Light! She fished out her phone, even its screen harshly glaring as she swiped and pulled to find the flashlight button. Click! Suddenly, it was lit around her. "Not like a video game at all." There was no specific beam where it was lit and everything else was dark. The light shed by her phone made everything around her a bit brighter, while sending out a conical beam of even brighter light.

"This isn't so bad..." But then, why was her voice wavering? Get it together! She wasn't a little girl. Well, alright, she was one of those, but she'd seen scarier! She'd literally died before. What could that house have to spook her? Everything was fine! Perfectly fine...

She couldn't see that line she had been following, but she remembered what door it was. Rushing up to it, she reached for the handle and gave it a twist, or tried. The knob rattled in her hand, refusing to turn more than a little in either direction. "Oh..." Shoot. Locked?

Comforting had many skills, picking a lock not being one of them... She reached for a solution, but her pockets had nothing but the container of already-devoured gum. She had to throw that out... Chaos magic wasn't going to solve it for her. She was there to relearn how to get things done with her own hands!

She screamed. It felt like the proper reaction to the sudden bang that echoed around her. The front door had slapped shut, sealing her in the house. She had her phone out, so she wasn't in the dark, even if it felt mighty gloomy all around her. "I'm not here to make trouble, promise..."

Maybe she should have just closed the door herself? That would have been polite, right? She shivered as she backed away from the locked door. "There has to be another way..." She panned the phone around slowly, trying to make sense of things.

Her light reflected off something, a shiny spark. She rushed over to it in an almost frantic scramble. It was a mirror, or bits of a mirror. Like someone had thrown it against a wall and its remnants were there, fallen to the ground, reflecting the light of her phone. "Oh..." That didn't... seem useful?

Still, she could see fragments scattered about. She crouched down and slowly settled each piece back into the mirror. That went there, this.. slotted there. The mirror was mostly intact, just a few had come free. She wiggled into place with the clink of glass on glass. "And..." The last was hard to get into place, jamming against the other pieces. She angled it and muttered in concentration as she tried to-- "Ow!"

Glass was sharp. Broken glass was the worst variety when it came to that. It had just pressed right into her thumb. From touching it to being inside her finger, it had all happened in a flash. A dull ache radiated from the injury, and it just kept getting worse as red dripped free of her. She had hurt herself, and not mildly. "Ow... Ow! Stupid..." That had been dumb, she scolded herself, but the pain kept ramping up.

"Ow..." Her vision blurred. It kept hurting more and more, and she was crying, and it was getting hard to focus on much of anything but how much that was hurting. She dropped the dangerous glass to the ground and shoved her thumb into her mouth, but sucking on it just made a lance of purest white pain shoot through her. She cut that out, but kept the thumb in her mouth, having no better place for it.

Chocked sobs forced their way free of her. She was messing up. She was messing everything up! The coppery taste of blood was filling her mouth, and too dang quickly. She'd bleed to death, thumb in her mouth, in some creepy old house. The thought of it brought more tears to her eyes. Fluttershy would be beside herself. Twilight would blame herself for allowing the trip at all, and she'd die, again, maybe forever, for being a super dummy.

Calm! She had... to be calm... First step, she had to get help. She tucked her phone half in a pocket, allowing the light to shine freely as she hurried as best she could. Each movement seemed to jostle things, making it hurt more in little spikes of sharp pain. Comforting hurried to the front door... And there was no knob. She patted it down, as if the knob had just misplaced itself and she'd find it with a little work, but no, there just wasn't a knob to find, just the empty spot where a knob belonged.

Pressure! Right... She had to apply pressure. That was a memory making itself clear. She drew the thumb free hesitantly and paused, shaking hand hovering in the air. How? Only one thought really came to mind. She grabbed it with her other hand and curled her fingers around the thumb, squee-- It was not a word that got free of her. It was a wail of horrible pain. But it was that to live. She didn't want to... She had to! She kept the pressure up, vision almost entirely occluded by the pain as she looked around for a way out. Windows, they had those, but they were caked with dirt and shut. Locked? Only one way to find out.

A pity both of her hands were busy... "Dad?" Could he hear her? They were a world apart, but then, he was Discord. "I really messed up... Please, if you can hear me." But nothing seemed to be happening other than the injury she was holding together as best she could still being a problem. "Anyone..." She sank to her knees with a whimper. "Anyone at all..."

She heard a step! It wasn't a shoe-covered step, or a naked human foot step. It had claws, tacking on the wood of the floor. Had she somehow drawn a wolf to her injury? Did that town have wolves?! "Calm down," she muttered to herself, shaking like a leaf. "Calm down..."

The steps were coming from above her, heavy thumps, little clicks. A bear? What sort of animal would make those noises? Whatever it was, it was awake, and moving. She might be devoured, alive, or bleed to death. Both? Both was not off the table of options. "Phone!" She kept blurting words. It was about the only way to think through it all. "Phone..." She grabbed awkwardly for her phone with the fingers of the same hand with the injured thumb. With some effort, she unlocked it and quickly tapped and slid her way to the contacts. "Yes..."

There was Sunset, about her only contact. Not the only, but one of an elite few. She pressed it firmly.

It didn't ring. It picked up, instantly. "Hello, you've reached Sunset Shimmer--" Comforting kicked the phone with white hot fury and frustration. It was no time for voice mail!

Wait... "I need that." She followed after it. This wasn't hard. It was about the only real source of light around in the gloom. She fished it out from behind the couch she had kicked it and got it back in her pocket with a miserable sigh. Wait, she didn't hear the steps anymore. Had the animal gone away? Or at least fell asleep? She couldn't know...

"Window." She raised her hand to it, using the same fingers to hook into it and feel around. "Latch latch latch..." She ran along the corner slowly, feeling for one, at least until she bumped into something that wasn't wood or metal.

It was another set of fingers. She yelped in terror, hopping back.

The hand was there... looking? at her. It had no eyes, but its attention seemed impossible to deny. "Hello?" Sure, it was a severed hand, but it wasn't jumping to strangle her... "Sorry if I'm intruding."

It took its first two fingers and tapped them with its thumb. It made other strange gestures. "I... Are you... talking?" Was that sign language? A pity she didn't know that, but still, it was talking! She thought? She couldn't be sure. "This is a long shot, but I cut myself." She held up the thumb, still held firmly with her other hand. "It hurts, a lot... and this can't be safe... Do you know how to deal with it?" She was asking random hands for medical advice... She didn't see a lot of other options.

It ran off. Running is a generous statement for something without any legs, but its fingers made great makeshift legs and it scampered out of sight down the hallway, zooming out of sight all too quickly. "Um..." She could wait for it, or try to follow it... Moving brought pain. She sank to the floor instead with a tired whimper. "Please be a nice hand..."

Comforting took a slow breath, forcing it. "Have to calm down..." Maybe one of her other friends? She awkardly flopped her phone to the ground and got to tapping. Red splashed on it. She retightened her grip, but the damage was done. The phone turned off. "Waterproof my a... Ugh..." She tapped anxiously at the power button, but no, the phone seemed dead.

Thump-click, thump-click. Those heavy clawed steps had picked up. They were coming down stairs? It was getting closer. Comforting clenched inwards, curling in place. "Don't eat me..."

The slow steps reached the bottom? It was at her level. She could hear it slowly approaching, through the dark hallways. With her phone busted, it was dark, way too dark. She could only hear the clicking, drawing closer.

"You are hurt," noted a female voice. "Badly."

"Y-yes?" It was talking. That was good, right? wait... "Do you have a dog, miss?"

"Yes and no." Thump, click, drawing closer. "Yes... and no... How did you hurt yourself?"

Comforting pointed off in the dark. "There was a broken mirror. I was fixing it... That was dumb."

"Very foolish," agreed the unseen female. "Why?"

"I..." Why had she done it? "I was intruding... It felt like a nice thing to do..."

"Very nice. Very foolish." Her face became visible as she leaned in. A woman, a normal woman! "I'm unsure if you want my help."

"If you can help, please?" Comforting raised her still bleeding thumb, clutched as best as she could. "Wow that... looks bad. Nnng..." A little whimper rose from her, fresh tears. She didn't want to die like that. "I'm sorry..."

"Very sorry." She reached a hand. That hand was too familiar. It was that hand, but clearly attached to her as she took hold of Comforting gently. She had two of them, but clearly favored the one that had been scampering about. "Very serious... May I pick you up? You are in grave danger."

"Go--!" Her statement was cut off, being picked up into the air and pressed against something warm and fuzzy. She squinted against the dark as she was carried off. The thing holding her had the hands of a human, the face of a human, but the torso? It was like a werewolf had her in her grasp. The tap-clicking was its feet, echoing beneath them as they pushed deeper into the house. "Um, thank you..."

Author's Note

This chapter felt heavy, but I hope it was enjoyable.

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93 - Magic Lost

The strange creature did not have a first aid kit. She did have cloth, and wrapped it around the injured finger. It hurt, a lot, as she tied it tightly to bind the wound, but it was doing a far better job of keeping it all sealed, rather than the unsure grip of Comforting's other hand. "I used to do more."

"More?" Comforting sat up when her hand was freed. It still hurt! But it didn't... feel like she was a tub with the drain taken out, spilling out. "Thank you, really..." She took the time to examine her savior. She was like someone had started to become a werewolf, but didn't get all the way. Her basic shape, if one discounted the fur, was that of a human woman with a limp wolf's tail. Her hands were human, with a pale skin.

Not Caucasian, an unnatural paleness. Her face was also human. She had no hair. It occurred to Comforting just then... "You can come... all apart, can't you?"

The wolf-lady flinched back. "I'm a little mess..." she admitted with a low growl deep in her chest. "You don't seem bothered."

"We can't pick how we're made," argued Comforting. "Besides... my usual self is just as bad if we're being honest." Sure, she happened to like her mishmash of a form, but it was still a mishmash. "What happened?"

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about getting home?" The wolflady leaned in, peering with penetrating eyes. "Of escaping. Of proper care?"

"Are you from Equestria?" Comforting just went ahead and asked it. That was apparently more pressing. Not feeling like she was dying, she casually forgot all about that, for the moment. Focusing on the monster lady just felt... easier. It was so much better to think about her, rather than her own injury and its issues.

"Equestria?" She grunted in a canine way. "He made it? Damned fool... Of course... He did like getting his way..." The lady wolf turned to Comforting, looming over her. "Did his favorite take over?"

"Favorite?"

"Celestia," spoke the wolf lady in slow tones. "The Sun pony. His favorite..."

"Yes... But who is 'he'?" Comforting got up to her feet, hands behind her. "Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions."

"You are asking a lot of questions." She snorted softly. "But you don't feel like them... Something about you is... you smell different..."

Comforting sniffed reactively. "Um... Oh. I'm not a pony."

She scowled at Comforting. "None of them would say they are ponies."

"But they are," countered Comforting. "Human ponies, but still ponies."

This caught the wolf lady by surprise. "And what are you then?"

"Fair is fair..." She had asked a lot of things. Answering a few? Sure... "I was a chaos spirit, now I'm a little girl... in a creepy house with a cut thumb..." Saying that outloud reminded her she shouldn't be very comfortable. She was still hurt. She probably still needed some real care... "Hello."

"Hello. Hm... Is that why you're not... scared of me?" She took a step closer, great wolf-paws for feet clacking their toes on the ground. "I could hurt you... badly. That little nick you got would look tame in comparison."

"You could..." That felt impossible to argue. "But I don't think you want to. My name is Comforting Shade. What's your name?"

Uneasy quiet sank over the room. The wolflady was looking around, but saying nothing. She suddenly grabbed Comforting's arm, just to wrench the thumb into view. With a grunt, she got to changing the crude bandaging with a new strip of cloth. It was uncomfortable, but, on some levels, comforting. The terrible creature was showing it cared, and doing her best. Comforting decided she was a good creature, unsettling or not.

"Chaos spirit..." The wolf lady prodded Comforting firmly. "You are solid."

"I'm a little girl right now. Um, but I'm solid normally, so no real change there." She shrugged, thinking about that. "Um... Did you want to get back to Equestria?"

"It wasn't Equestria when I left it... I was cast out of those lands a long... long time ago." She sank into a squat, like a human trying to do a wolven haunch-sit with mixed results. "Before you, I imagine..." She hissed softly, looking away. "I... You like talking."

"I enjoy listening too," assured Comforting with a smile. "Want to tell me?"

"Talking and listening... I detest small talk." She threw her hand aside, literally, it flying through the air, hitting the ground, and scuttling off on its own mission.

Comforting flinched at the unexpected motion. "Then let's talk larger. Who is 'he'?"

"Starswirl," she growled out. "I heard he had a favorite solution. I got to learn it in person... This entire world? I think he made it. Did he mean to? No idea, but he shaped it, by what he threw away into it. He fashioned its monsters. The wizard creates its ponies. He made it all, the refuse of 'Equestria'." She bared her teeth with the last. "He got his way..."

On one level, Comforting was happy. The wolflady had started pretty quiet and unsure, but was speaking pretty animatedly. But it was also a topic she didn't like much. "Sorry, that couldn't have been fun."

"No." A flat and single word.

"Can I help? I know how to get back there." Comforting pointed out with her uninjured hand. "There are new ponies."

"Who will despise me like the old ones." She rose up to her full height, looming impossibly tall. To an adult, she would have been tall. To a small child, she was the definition of a giant. "Cracked Glass."

"Huh?" Comforting leaned in with a tilted head.

"I go by that." She directed the thumb of her remaining hand at herself. "Cracked Glass." She turned a finger on Comforting. "Comforting Shade."

"Yep!" Comforting smiled brightly, happy with the exchange of names. "Are you mean? You don't seem mean... Why would they hate you?" She squealed, something touching her leg unexpectedly. Wheeling to find it, there was Cracked's long lost hand, scurrying past her back to Cracked to rejoin her arm properly.

"You were saying? Hate. Easy." She hugged herself, arms folded under her chest. She had a human one of those, though covered in a thick pelt. "It wasn't better back there."

Thoughts of what Cracked looked like in Equestria flitted through her mind, various ideas and notions... "That name. What was it before you broke the mirror?"

"I didn't break it!" she howled out with a sudden furious intensity. "Starswirl is not... gentle... when he discards things..."

"But then... you had to be called something else... right?" Comforting rolled her intact hand as she asked. "Right?"

"Fortune is mean..." She tapped Comforting Shade on the nose. "You were Comforting Shade before you walked into a dark place to try and talk nicely to what was hiding in it. Were you Cheerful Day before then? Fortune is cruel..."

Comforting was still a moment. Huh. She had not considered that. She was living up to her name. "Are you comforted?"

Cracked sneered. "You found my broken mirror." The two had thrown their names at one another, wanted or not. "Sorry... If it wasn't broken..."

"Then what?" Comforting looked towards the stairs heading back down. It was hard to see them. The area was dim, no lights around.

"Then I would be whole." Her tail gave the barest twitch of life. "But that isn't happening... That you tried... the only reason I hesitated..."

Comforting reached towards the stairs. "Want me to get it fixed?"

"They don't fix. They replace." She threw up both of her hands. "There's... it's different. I need the glass. I need the metal. Same glass. Same metal. Not replaced. They do not fix."

Comforting tapped her chin with thought. "May I see it again?"

"You would dare? It already hurt you." Cracked scowled at Comforting. "Are you mad, foolish, or brave?"

"You just said the same word three times." Comforting started for the stairs, her steps slow and careful through the gloom. But Cracked didn't stop her, so she went down them into the part of the house she knew, relatively. Entering the living room, she could see her phone, stained and turned off. "Maybe?" It had dried, maybe it would work?

She picked it up and held down the power button. It lit up! "Cracked?" Something poked her on the leg. She was less surprised that time. "There you are." Comforting held up her phone to Cracked's hand. "It's turning on." The hand gestured. Sign language? Comforting was pretty sure it was that... "I can't talk that. I'll be right back up." She tucked the phone away, then went to the mirror. There it was, with the jagged last bit of glass that had cut her. She so very carefully picked up both, setting the glass on the mirror and holding the mirror. The edges of the mirror were way safer, being metal rimmed and not cut.

She had her prizes! More than she could have hoped for, if one is being honest. "Coming back up." Comforting looked to the door, still with no knob. "Did you do that? We can talk when I get back." She ascended the creaky stairs. "That scared me, a lot..."

"You would have run." Cracked was near the top of the stairs. "We wouldn't have talked."

"True..." But also she might have bled to death. "Is that sign language?" She pointed at Cracked's hand as it scurried towards her.

"Yes." She flexed her returned fingers. "I can hear you, but a hand doesn't have a mouth."

"A hand doesn't have ears either," noted Comforting, setting the broken mirror in front of Cracked.

Cracked backed from it with the scramble of a startled dog. "I can't look at that!"

Comforting sat in front of the broken mirror. "But you want it, I thought?"

"I do. I don't... Not while it's broken..."

Comforting looked over the mirror. "It's... less broken."

"What?" Cracked stepped closer on unsure paws. "You must be..." But then she could see it. "It's less broken," she breathlessly agreed. All the shards Comforting had forced back into place had sealed as if it had never broken to start. Only that last piece was stubbornly out of place. "You're fixing it..."

Comforting crossed her arms, humming with thought. "That doesn't... But..." Ideas came to her. "My blood." Not what she had planned on doing... "Do you think that helped?"

"Your blood is the glue." Cracked laughed in an almost howl. "All this time... Can you... Will you...?" She pointed at the last fragment that was still unfixed to the mirror. "Comforting Shade, comfort me."

Comforting nudged the glass into place, but didn't dare try to force it down into place. That pain was still quite present in both her mind, and her thumb. "What were you doing yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" Cracked scowled in thought. "Yesterday... I was in Equestria forever ago."

That was certainly not the day before... "Do you remember when I last came?"

"You came before?" Cracked snorted softly. "That doesn't sound... No."

And yet, Comforting remembered that clearly. How could that have been missed? "I... have an idea. I think... I think!" She pointed at the mirror in her lap. "You were broken. You were a bunch of angry parts. So, you chased people away, because you didn't know what else to do. None of the parts could talk to each other, or...do anything."

Cracked flinched at the situation being presented. "You put me together, mostly... Then I found you, bleeding and scared. You saved me. I saved you. We are even."

"Even," agreed Comforting. "But how do we get the last piece in?"

"Blood is the glue," noted Cracked as if it were obvious.

Comforting frowned at that. "You have blood too."

"I do not." Cracked casually popped her hand free, no blood created as a result. "You do." She pointed with the hand that wasn't attached to her at Comforting.

Author's Note

Say hello to Cracked Mirror.

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94 - Bleed for Me

"I..." She hadn't walked through any puddles. She bled a lot, but blood did what blood does, drying up. She wasn't sure she'd have any to use... "That hurt, a lot..." She held up her savaged thumb, clumsily bandaged at it was. "But I do want to..."

"Comfort me," repeated Cracked in a light tone, as if beckoning the sun to do its thing and shine.

"There has to be a way..." She looked around in the gloom. It was almost entirely dark, upstairs in... what room were they in? Comforting sure didn't know, but it was dark.

Cracked watched Comforting, seemingly able to penetrate the gloom with her piercing eyes. "Blood is the glue." She pointed at the mirror. "Fix me. I fixed you."

Comforting dug out her phone and flicked on the light, making both of them squint a moment, but she could see! They were in a bedroom. There was no bed, or much of any other furnishings. A cabinet stood, lonely and abandoned. "I'm... I want to!"

Cracked stomped a paw, claws tacking against the wood. "Then do it. Blood is glue." She prodded Comforting with a human finger. "You have it."

But she was already a little low on it... "Let me think..." She ran her fingers over her phone in a nervous fidget. "There... Oh." Her phone, it was on! She flipped it about and tapped at it. "Please pick up!"

"Comfie-cakes," rang a voice through the phone, Diamond Tiara. "What's the haps?"

"You will not believe this." She leaned a bit to the side as Cracked leaned in on her. "I'm inside the creepy house."

"W-what?! Are you alright?" Comforting could hear things being moved around, tossed? "I'm coming! Why did you go in there?!"

"I'm alright!" Mostly? "In fact, I made a friend. She could use your help."

"Um, am I on speaker? Hi, whoever you are. Why are... Nevermind! Coming!" The call ended.

Cracked snorted softly, her fingers flexing. Her nails, already long for a lady, became deadly sharp for a moment as she flexed and worked her fingers, but became human nails not long after. "Who was that? Will they help?"

"That was one of my friends." Comforting tucked the phone so the light hung out of her pocket, keeping the worst of the gloom at bay. "Hopefully, she'll become one of yours. Be nice to her."

Cracked stared at Comforting, empty of emotion a long moment before she forced a smile. "She will get scared," she noted as if this was just obvious. "Then she will run. You would have run... I stopped you."

"You're not so bad." Comforting gently petted at one of Cracked's legs, where it transitioned from human to furry wolf leg, leading down to her dangerous hind claws. "And I'll be here. If I say hello to her first, she won't run. She might get scared, but she won't run." At least she hoped.

"You." She pointed to the stairs down. "Go. I stay." She sank in a squat. "Most." She offered a hand towards Comforting, literally.

Comforting took the hand, grasping it like one would a handshake. That it flexed and wriggled a bit was...offputting, but she drew it close and cradled it. "Alright. We'll start by showing her this isn't so bad." She pointed to the hand she was holding. "Then move on to the main event." She started for the stairs. "You wait here. You can see what I'm doing." How a hand saw things, still beyond her, but it seemed to work.

Her bounce was more energetic as she descended the stairs, creaking with her motions. She wasn't bleeding to death! She wasn't being torn apart by an angry monster and/or ghost! Things were looking up by all measures Comforting could come up with. The day had taken many terrible turns, but it was on an upwards slope. "Can she get in?" She turned the hand to 'face' herself. "Does the door have a knob on the outside?"

The hand clapped itself 'shut' and nodded. A clear answer there, no words given. "Alright." Comforting went for the front door and waited. She couldn't peek outside very well, the windows as dirty as they were.

Fortunately, it wasn't too long of a wait. She could hear the handle on the outside being jiggled. "I'm in here," she shouted, one hand to her face. "Come on in."

Diamond pushed the door open, but she wasn't alone. Silver Spoon came in with her, the two looking around nervously. "Are you alright?" demanded Diamond, moving directly for Comforting. "Why are you even here?!"

"Seriously!" Silver threw up an arm. "This place is, like, not a good one for random visits. What are you thinking?" She jumped back suddenly. Had she spotted the hand? No, her eyes were on Comforting's hand. "What happened?!" She could see the big bandage, stained red and dark. "What... What happened?!"

Comforting tucked it reflesively, which just got Diamond wrenching it into plain view, lit by the outside light coming through the open door. "That is nasty! Girl, why aren't you bawling? I'd be totally crying right now."

"Like, for real." Silver drew the injured hand closer, hugging it even. "Poor thing... Why are you even in here looking like that?"

Comforting smiled awkwardly. There was no way to get her hand back without fighting the two caring teens. "Um... more importantly, I made a friend."

Diamond crossed her arms at that. "You made a friend? Before or after that?" She pointed at the injured thumb.

"After?" Comforting jumped, the two girls screamed. She gave herself half a credit for not joining the yelp as the door slammed shut. "And that's them. Don't panic."

"Why wouldn't we panic?" shouted Diamond as she wheeled around, as if standing protectively over the smaller Comforting. "W-W...."

Silver was staring at the same thing Diamond was, both trembling in place as the hand scutted slowly towards them with purposeful steps of its fingers, nails tacking on the floor.

"That, is my friend. She's harmless, I promise." Comforting ducked around the numb Diamond. "At least, that's her hand. She can hear us, and see us. Hi!" She waved cheerfully at the hand, and got a wave in return. "See? Nothing to be scared of."

Silver shuddered forcefully. "Why is it being nice to you?"

Diamond clamped a hand down on Comforting's shoulder, preventing her from moving any more forward. "It wasn't nice all the other times, what'd you do?!"

Comforting instead lowered, offering a hand for the other hand to crawl up towards, much to her friends' discomfort. "I helped them. We all need a hand." The pun struck her a moment later. "Sorry. But she's not mean, promise. She was just in a bad place."

"Bad place..." Silver looked around the gloomy area. "Yeah, okay, that, like, checks out... So... is she just a hand? I saw more than that."

"Way more." Diamond took an uneven step back. "You sure this is safe?"

"No." Comforting stood up, hand held up in both her palms. "But she seems nice, and she needs a little more help. Just a little." She inclined her head at the painful cut. "This'll sound super strange, but my cut helped. She has a broken--"

"--glue--" drifted in from upstairs, along with the shuffling click of heavy canine paws.

Silver hopped in closer to the rest. "What was that?! Comforting, why are you so... comfortable right now?"

"She's hurt." Comforting put the hand to rest on her shoulder to perch. "And needs our help. As she said, blood is glue. It's gross and scary, but it worked. I fixed most of her mirror."

Diamond threw up her hands, though they didn't detach. "This is a big thing you're throwing at us." But Comforting wasn't backing down. "Wow... Sheesh... Well... we did ask you to get involved."

Silver gaped at her friend. "You're going along with this?!"

Diamond squeezed Comforting's shoulder. "We've trusted her this far. She didn't invite us over for nothing." That grasp tightened. "Right?"

"Right!" squeaked out Comforting, wriggling away. "This way." She started for the stairs, her phone casting light over the area. "Now, I should warn, Cracked is... Well, she has a wolf's tail and two big wolf paws for feet..."

Silver zipped ahead of Comforting to cut her off. "Hold up there! What?"

Diamond shook her head, following along less urgently. "That explains the howling..."

"Forget the howling!" The thumping click from upstairs didn't calm Silver Spoon. "We're in the same house as some kind of wolf monster and you're worried about that?"

Diamond gestured with both hands at Comforting. "The wizkid says they're alright. If we didn't trust them, why did we ask them to come check this out at all? I say we go say hi. We'll get to rub it in all the others' faces that we did what they were too scared to do." A wicked smile spread over her face. "Imagine Scootaloo's expression."

Silver looked ready to argue that, but she thought of Scootaloo's face when they told her what they'd done... "Yeah... Like, that would be pretty great... Promise me." She looked Comforting eye to eye. "Promise me we're gonna be alright."

Comforting raised a hand for a proper solemn oath, and that was a reminder that her thumb was still in terrible pain, spiking with that motion. She squeaked, curling a bit on herself as she sniffled. It hurt... too dang much. Tears stung at her eyes as her small form pleaded with her without words to go find somewhere safe, curl in a ball, and cry until it all stopped.

No matter how old her soul was, she was still a little girl, and she was hurt.

Diamond gently placed a hand on Comforting's shoulder. "Look, let's get this over with so we can get you to a hospital or something. This is not where you need to be right now."

"Like, double that!" Silver started up the stairs. "Hello? You needed help?"

Diamond hurried up after her. "They need blood. How are they going to get it without... All the ways I can think of it are pretty awful."

"Blood is glue." There was Broken, at the top of the stairs.

That was the last place either girl wanted her, shrieking in fear and falling backwards, down the stairs. Comforting joined in the startled cry, trying to catch them to little effect but joining their fall, sailing down the steps in a grand plummet.

But they never hit the ground, instead something else was in the way, holding them a few inches off the ground.

Silver rolled off the pile she had landed on. "Everyone alright?"

Diamond was next off. "Oh, wow, sorry Comforting. I flattened you. What caught us?"

Comforting flopped to the side, sniffling. She had been landed on by the two, but she hadn't slammed into the ground. It could have been worse... "Ow..." She could barely see, unwanted tears forcing themself free. "Ow..."

What had caught them came into view with her roll. Broken's hand was there, having saved the day. That hand scuttled up the steps with practice, rushing to rejoin the rest of her.

Diamond offered a hand to the squashed child to help them stand up. "Sorry, um... Cracked was it? You came out of nowhere! Give a girl some warning before you jump scare her like that."

"Really." Silver took Comforting's other hand, helping her up. "We'll try that one more time, and you better not be waiting at the top like that."

With their wits returned to them, they ascended as a cohesive unit to face what was waiting for them. Silver leaned in towards Diamond. "We still have the problem with the whole blood thing."

"Talk first, blood later," whispered Diamond. "If they're nice, it shouldn't be a... big deal, right?"

"Right." A bit of a pity that Silver Spoon sounded very uncertain about the idea. "Just ask the strange wolf monster how it prefers its blood. What could go wrong?"

Author's Note

Diamond and Silver? Two for one! What a bargain!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own written here at atreon!

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95 - Fix Me

With slow steps that made the steps creak with every bit of advancement, the three pushed on despite their fear, cresting up onto the upstairs. "Hello?" called out Diamond. "You can come out now. We're not on the stairs."

But no sound came. Comforting advanced past the others. "I brought help, just like I said I would. It's alright, say hello."

Silver jumped against Diamond. "I heard something!" She pointed with a quivering finger towards the bedroom that she could only see thanks to Comforting's half-tucked phone.

Comforting sped up towards the room. "Good! Cracked, we're back!"

A heavy thump and a sharp tick. Cracked had taken one of her considerable steps. "They didn't run. I stopped them."

"You did that..."Comforting couldn't argue that logic. "But I don't think they would have. They care about me, and I said you're alright."

Diamond slid around Comforting as if to protect her from the strange sorta-woman. "What are you?!"

Cracked recoiled faintly. "What?" She seemed to consider that a quiet moment. "What... I dont' remember. Fix me." She pointed to the mirror, so close to being whole. "Blood is glue."

Comforting rushed to the mirror, sinking beside it and gesturing over it. "This is hers. She had it when she came here, but it broke, and I think that broke her. All the creepy body parts? I think that was her." She pointed to Cracked. "She can still come apart, when she wants to, but she doesn't seem to want to besides her right hand now."

Cracked huffed softly, sinking into a canine squat, but upright as any human may want to be. "I could. I don't want to. It feels... strange when my head is there instead of here." Still, as if to prove she could, she raised her hands and casually popped her head free of her neck as if nothing more durable than a building block peg kept it there. "No." She lowered it back into place.

Silver's head was at a 45 degree angle of a tilt. "Neat, but, like, also super creepy... So why were you scaring the daylights out of us before?"

It was like Cracked froze a long moment. "Ask her." She pointed at Comforting.

"I don't think she could, well, think." Comforting moved over to Cracked's side, patting gently. "She had come apart, literally. You try thinking clearly when that happens."

Diamond cringed at the proposed idea. "No thanks! Alright, second time I heard 'Blood is glue'. What does that mean? Besides being creepy, keyword of the day."

Comforting waved over the mirror. "That used to be way more broken. When I hurt myself, which was not her fault, or idea, I bled on it. It wasn't my idea either, kinda dumb... But then it sealed up all the parts that were in the right place."

Silver leaned in close towards the mirror. "I only see one part not right." Her eyes were on that last piece, lifted up and refusing to settle quite in place. "Blood may, like, be glue, but that one isn't sitting in there right. What happens if we glue it wrong?"

Diamond's eyes were on Cracked. "If I had to guess, which I do, then I'd say she wouldn't be quite right. Some part of her would be a little off kilter." As if Cracked wasn't already that. "Let me guess, you tried to get that in there."

Comforting colored as she was called out. "Yeah... That didn't work well. That's how I got hurt, trying to force that last one in there."

Silver pulled a purse from a pocket. A pocket in a pocket, ultimately. "Let's see if we don't have something to help with that."

Cracked perked as Silver and Diamond began searching their purses. "You were right. Your friends are good."

"All my friends are good." Comforting patted Cracked gently. "You're one of them. I want to talk to you after we get this fixed. You deserve more than lurking in an old house."

Diamond drew out a compact. "Mmm, no..."

Silver tossed some lipstick aside, a pair of gloves quickly following.

Diamond grabbed those gloves. "Hold on!" She worked on the gloves. "Protection!" She wriggled her protected fingers. "Now I don't feel as dumb touching broken glass." They were leather gloves, promising reasonable protection from casual contact with sharp things. "Watch me."

Comforting shrank back a step. "Be careful. I don't want you getting what I got." Her thumb still ached from the abuse it had received, reminded while thinking about it directly.

"That's why the gloves," scoffed Diamond as she pulled the mirror into her lap and began poking at the edges of that one piece and the hole it belonged in. "Just gotta get this in there, and not cut myself in half trying... Easy..."

Silver thrusted up a balled fist. "Go Diamond! You got this!"

Cracked watched unblinkingly and without word, her attention complete on the act.

Diamond began to wiggle and test the meeting. "This..." She pressed in a bit, just to pull it out and try another portion. "This..." She turned it around and tried a different angle. "Yeah..." She got one part under the surface, pressing firmly in place. "Just gotta..." She pushed down on the whole thing, but it was no easy task, her arms trembling as she pressed harder and harder. "You tried this without gloves? I'd be scared out of my mind!"

Comforting hid her injured hand behind her back, shuffling awkwardly. "I didn't think it through... sorry..." Was that a part of her child brain? Old soul or not, she had a young brain, and those weren't especially good at stopping when dangerous possibilities were presented. "You're stronger than me too."

"Thanks, but not something I was going for specifically." Still, compared to a little girl, the teen was a step stronger, grunting with effort as she managed to force it down further. "Almost! You don't have another pair of gloves in there? Gimmie a hand?"

Silver swiftly searched, but... "Nope! Sorry..." She had brought just the one pair."You're, like, so close! You got this!"

Diamond brought back a hand and slammed it down in a fist on the piece. A loud crack sounded as it sunk into place and she yelped. Her glove had turned away the worst of it, but a thin line had been cut. Thinking fast, Diamond yanked her glove free. "Blood is glue, right?" She waved her injured hand over the mirror. "Drink up! Already got the cut, better be happy!"

Comforting gasped, hands at her face. Her friend got hurt! "Are you alright?"

"Whatever." Diamond bled, but not nearly as copiously as Comforting had. "This better work!"

Less blood meant less power. The glass began to flow, but slowly, the crack sealing from the outside inwards in a slow transformation to being a solid sheet and a restored mirror.

Cracked snatched the restored mirror, hugging it close to her chest. "Yes! Ye..." She suddenly flopped onto her bottom, sitting more like a human would for a change. "Oh..."

Silver was applying a bandaid to Diamond, all that was required to tend to that far less serious wound. "Does it hurt?"

"Of course it hurts." Diamond hiked a thumb at the discarded glove. "Gonna want to get rid of that set I bet."

Comforting was torn. Old friends and new, they all seemed to need her. One was mostly alright... so she went for Cracked. "You okay?"

"No." Cracked at up slowly. "Not at all... I remember it all." A tear spilled from her left eye. "Every last little tiny bit of it..."

Silver raised a brow at the wolf-lady. "Um, isn't that good? I thought that was, like, half the point."

Cracked tucked the mirror away. in her furry form. "I remember how I got here. I remember fighting Starswirl." That name meant nothing to the teens. "I remember what I had and what I lost. I remember how long I was here, trying so hard to get... nothing... I remember."

Comforting squeezed Crack's closer arm, petting the fur of her arm, even if her hands were bare and human. "It's alright, we're here."

Cracked quirked a little smile. "If you remembered what I remembered, you wouldn't be here willingly. I earned that... Equestria is safer for me not being there. I was a monster. I am a monster." She rose up, looming over them all easily. "Blood is glue, ha... I feel like an idiot now. Of course blood would work."

Diamond yanked Comforting back behind herself. "Hey! We helped you. You better not be going all monster on us now."

"I can't 'go' somewhere I started," huffed Cracked. "I am a monster. You can see that. I can almost smell your fear." She flexed her human hands. "Starswirl is a monster, but he was on their side. He protected them by sending me far away."

Comforting tried to get around Diamond, but the teen was quite insistent on keeping the girl safe. "Cracked! The past is the past. You're alive, so you can change."

"It's not always that easy." Cracked smiled with her perfectly clean human teeth. This was only more disquieting against the rest of her inhuman form. "I'm not being dramatic... I have blood, now." She tried to detach her hand, but it was quite stuck as most hands were. "And a heart, and a stomach. That stomach needs food. Yours does too, doesn't it?"

Silver winced at the whole exchange. "So... do you eat blood?"

Cracked made quite the face. "What? No! But the rest is very tasty..."

Diamond rolled a hand. "Not to naysay the wolf lady, but why can't you just get a hamburger?"

Cracked gazed confusedly a moment. "What is that?"

Comforting slapped Diamond's back. "Genius! If you're a carnivore, that's no big deal. We all like meat." The teens nodded in agreement. "Just not meat that could ask us not to eat it."

Silver flinched. "Yeah, like, that's the line. Dinner better not try to start a conversation before we get started."

Cracked frowned. "Really? That isn't... monstrous to you?"

Diamond shrugged lightly. "I ate bacon and eggs this morning. That's pig and chicken if you don't know what that is. Tasty."

Cracked howled with laughter, equal parts both sounds. "That mad fool! He threw me out of the way, and I ended up where I'm not even a monster?"

Silver waved over Cracked. "Well... We don't have wolf parts. That's a bit odd." She turned to hike a thumb at her bottom, which had no tail. "And no fur, and no paws." She pointed to Cracked's great wolf paw feet. "So... still kind of a monster."

Comforting quickly raised a hand. "But just for looking odd, not for being a monster monster."

Cracked flexed her fingers, long nails becoming deadly claws. "I am a monster. But... maybe I could get along, if you don't mind a monster for a neighbor."

Comforting waved a hand excitedly. "The ponies--" Oops, the teens were confused. "Um That place you came from. It's changed over the years. If you promise to be nice, they'd be alright with you, even being a meat eater. Just don't eat what asks you not to. Even your furry parts wouldn't bother them."

Diamond prodded Comforting squarely in the chest. "You are such a freak." But she was smiling. "I want to know more."

Silver dared to take a step towards Cracked. "So... if you can get your food without hurting any people, you would, right?"

Cracked shrugged at that. "If I can get food without a big fuss, who wouldn't do that? I didn't hunt for the fun of it... but it was kinda fun..." She stroked her chin, thinking back on those hunts. "The chase, the kill.. Don't you ever hunt? How do you get your meat?" She pointed at Diamond. "You ate two animals just today!"

Diamond held up her hands. "Hold up. These are different times. They sell meat. You buy them, you cook them. No hunting."

Silver smirked at that. "We get someone else to do that part."

Comforting laughed awkwardly. "They are pretty rich, so they have other people do the shopping and cooking."

Cracked squinted at the two rich teens. "What decadence... I like it. How do I get someone to bring me meat?"

97 - A World Away

Diamond grabbed Comforting firmly. "Alright, emergency's over, which means we got two things left."

"Two?" She wobbled a little in place, as if to get a better angle around Diamond. "What two?"

Diamond put up one finger. "You are getting a nice ride to a hospital." She put up the other finger. "You're going to spill your secrets to us. We put your fuzzy friend back together, hirrah and good for us. Now reward us."

Silver grabbed Comforting's arm, the one attached to her injured hand. "This is not a long term, like, solution at all. We have to get you patched up, girl."

Cracked frowned at the gabbing girls. "Hold on. Are you leaving me behind?" She snarled with all the proficiency of the wolf she partly was. "Probably safer for you."

Comforting quickly raised the arm not being held. "We're not abandoning you, promise." She sighed softly. "Look." She looked to the teens. "I'm not from around here. I'll take her home, with me. Where I'm from, she'll be odd, but not a monster."

Diamond released Comforting just to resume poking at her. "Well, that just made me more curious. Are you from wherever the other-Twilight's from?"

Silver clapped her hands firmly together. "Ah ha! I knew it!" She extended a hand towards Diamond with a smarmy look.

Diamond slapped down a large bill in that hand harder than required. "Here, ugh..."

Comforting glanced between the two. "What was... your guess?"

Diamond shrugged. "I put that on you being some kind of crazy artifact that took the shape of a little girl." Comforting looked at her oddly. "What? We've heard of stranger things..." She hiked a thumb at Cracked. "Oh look, there's one now. Alright, so, get you to a hospital, come back with few burgers for our new friend. Sound like a plan?"

Cracked folded her arms under her chest. "I like the part where you bring me food. Fine. Take care of her, then feed me. Now that I'm connected, I'm getting hungry. Lucky for you, I'm not an unthinking monster. If you're going to get me a snack... do that."

Diamond nudged her friends towards the stairs. "You wait here. We'll be back with a treat or two." She hurried them to the door... which had no handle. "Cracked!"

"Sorry." She descended the stairs faster than she had been lumbering around while broken. Her big pawfeet still made thuds and clicks, her monstrous nature not really hidden. "I put it..." She found the knob without too much trouble, hidden a little behind the sofa. "In we go." She shoved it into the hole and gave it a testing turn. They could all hear the latch clicking. "There. Now come back! I'm trusting you, like an idiot..."

Comforting hugged the leg of the vicious monster. She was still a resident of that world. She had plenty of leg to hug. "Thank you. We'll get you something to eat."

Cracked plopped a human hand on Comforting's head, gently rubbing. "You're a good kid. Maybe too good. Go on."

They emerged into the light of day, blinding them a moment. Silver reached for the sky. "We're out!" She fished out her phone, making a quick call. "Yeah, all done, but can we make a detour? Uh huh... Yeah, the hospital." She flinched. "No! I'm fine! It's for a friend of mine." She tucked the phone away. "I just scared my poor driver to death. Good to know he cares. Like, didn't mean to spook him."

That reminded Comforting to dig out her own and turn off its flashlight. While she had it out, she pulled up Sunset and got to texting, a little slower with one of her thumbs out of commision.

Hi! I got in an adventure. I'm alright, minus a little cut

She glanced to her crude bandage. Well, no reason to spook Sunset.

I'm with Diamond and Silver right now. I'll be home later. Hugs and kisses!

With the little swirly indicator of the message being sent, she stuffed the phone away. "Where to?"

"Here he is." Silver skipped to the roadside as a familiar nice car pulled up. "Want a ride, Diamond?"

All three of them hopped into the back seat together. The driver looked up in the rearview mirror. "Are you sure you're alright?" asked the concerned driver.

Silver grabbed Comforting's arm and wrenched the injured hand into view. "This is, like, what need the hospital."

"Oh dear." The car pulled forward smoothly but powerfully. "We're on the way." He said nothing else, concentrating on getting them to the hospital.

Diamond Tiara pulled her buckle into place. "Woah, this is a little... intense."

Silver joined her, reaching over to get Comforting secured. "He knows when it's an important thing, because he is just the best."

"You're too kind, ma'am." He drew in to a parking spot with the squeak of brakes applied just a bit too hard. "Let's get your friend inside." He unbuckled himself and pressed a button that clicked all their buckles, letting them fall free easily. With a push he emerged and hurried to their side to open the door for them.

Comforting gently warded his offering hand. "I'm alright." Well, she wasn't entirely that, but she could move, and hopped from the car. "Which way?"

Diamond hiked a thumb at the hospital they were next to. "Pretty sure that way."

Inside, They whisked Comforting away. The nurse remaining looked to the driver, the only adult there. "Are you her father?"

"No. I'm just her driver." He waved that off to Silver.

The nurse nodded at Silver Spoon. "Are you related?"

Silver shook her head. "We're friends." She pointed to Diamond and herself. "She'll be alright... right?"

"Undetermined," responded the nurse curtly. "I'm sorry, but if you aren't related in a few specific ways, I can only tell you so much unless she says to do so specifically. I will let you know if it changes, I promise that."

Diamond snapped her fingers. "Damn hippo rules."

Inside, they pulled the bandage off, numbed the area and got right to stitching it up tight. "That's a nasty cut," noted the doctor working on her. "You're lucky you didn't..." He paused, perhaps realizing he was talking to a pre-teen girl. "You're very lucky, but you'll be alright."

Comforting thought back to all that gushing blood. "Did I... hit an artery?"

The doctor raised a brow. A mighty specific for such a young girl. "I think you did, a small one. Did one of your friends put pressure on it? Good thinking. Might have saved you from getting a lot more hurt than you did." He tapped gently at her thumb. "It let your body get to work patching things up."

She had clotted? Comforting let out a relieved sigh. "Phew... Um... Thank you." A thought came to her. "How much... will this cost?"

The doctor folded his arms. "You are a very mature little girl. But also silly." He ruffled her hair. "Are you from another country? Here, we don't charge people at the hospital. Being hurt or sick is hard enough. Now, let me finish this so you can go back to playing." He got back to sewing carefully. "You'll want to keep careful with this thumb until it's healed. The stitches will fall right out on their own, so don't worry about that."

Comforting emerged from the back with a lollipop in her mouth for being a good girl. She had a fresh bandage over her thumb with stitches under that. She was treated! "Hi!" She dashed over to Diamond and Silver, spotting them.

Diamond bounced up out of her chair. "There you are!"

Silver came from the other side. "Feeling better now?"

A nurse approached with a smile. "I guess I don't need to announce that part, but are you taking her home?" She was looking to the driver.

Diamond cut in between them. "We'll get her where she belongs. She's visiting from out of town."

"Ah. I hope she doesn't get hurt again. Hardly a way to spend a visit." Still, her question had an answer, and she wandered off to other business.

The driver waved the girls towards the exit. "Ma'am, you should return home. Your parents will be concerned."

Silver sighed dramatically. "Yeah yeah... I guess I should. Let's drop them off, then you can take me away."

"Very good." He considered just a moment. "We're closer to Comforting's place of residence." And so, an order was determined.

Diamond thumped in next to Comforting. "No more excuses. Out with it! C'mon, I literally bled for you!"

Comforting waited until they were at least buckled into the car. "Alright, do you know anything about Equestria?" Their confused looks was a hint. "You said 'where Twilight's from?'"

Silver nodded quickly. "The other Twilight. Our Twilight's from here, and a nerd. There's another Twilight! She saved us when Sunset was... Um, anyway, yeah, other Twilight!"

Comforting giggled at that. "The other Twilight's a nerd too. I bet they're both great. She's from another... world? Dimension? Reality? Whatever you want to call it. I'm from there." She laughed nervously. "Sorry if that bothers."

Diamond hiked a brow. "I'm only bothered trying to figure out why a girl from another everything would even care about our school. It does explain why you don't know history...but also why would you want to know our history? It's boring for me and at least it's my history!"

Silver snickered softly. "She has a point." She hiked a brief thumb at Diamond. "Are you just doing it to hang out?"

Comforting blinked. "Huh... That's not entirely off. I don't want to hang out at Sunset's house all day. That sounds super boring. But I also wanted to be a super regular student and do regular student stuff."

Diamond twirled a hand upwards. "Like figure out the mysteries of the local werewolves?"

Comforting sat up bolt straight. "Stop! We have to get food!"

Silver swatted her forehead. "Wow, so forgot that. Let's get some food. Adding two stops!" With her order given, the car took a turn at the next intersection. "Still, I promise, this is not regular student stuff. I wish school was this interesting on the regular."

Diamond smirked at her friend. "No, you don't."

Silver looked ready to argue, but it settled on her... "Yeah... probably not... Okay, so... What are you?" She leaned in towards Comforting. "Are you a wolf thing too?"

Comforting crossed her arms negatively. "Nope! I've been through a few changes... I was a human, like you, kinda... Then I was a pony, a magical one. Then I was a chaos spirit, and then I was a little girl." She gestured over her current self. "It's been a... busy time. But each step, I've been something wonderful."

Diamond inclined her head at that summary. "What? Are there humans where Other-Twilight comes from?"

"Nope." Comforting considered that, pointer to chin. "My first stop was as far away from there as this place is, I guess, maybe further..." Her humans didn't have cutie marks! "Do you know what reincarnation is?"

"When you die and live again?" All the girls looked towards the front. The driver had answered that.

"Yep," agreed Comforting, recovering from the surprise of the answer's source. "Pretty sure I did that... And I lived again as a pony. It coulda been worse, I promise."

Diamond cringed. "Well, better a pony than nothing at all, if I had to pick between the two." She flexed her fingers. "Wouldn't want to do without these though, and, oh my god, imagine how long they have to shampoo!"

Silver laughed at the mental image. "Making Mane and Tail shampoo, like, super literal... Look, we're getting a fast-food meal for a werewolf kinda lady? At this point, I'm taking you at your word." She punched Comforting in the arm. "In the future, don't go getting cut open! I won't be any happier hoping you reincarnated somewhere nice."

Author's Note

Cooling down. Lives are not at risk. Secrets are revealed.

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98 - Promises Kept

"Did you call me?" Sunset asked over the phone. "Sorry I missed it, everything alright?"

"I'm fine." Comforting tossed the phone from one hand to another. "In fact, just dropping off some promised goodies to a new friend, then I'll be back."

"Aw, that's nice to hear. I was worried you weren't making a lot of friends outside of me."

Comforting wrinkled her nose, skipping towards the creepy house. "I love making a friend. See you when I get back!" She slid the phone away and grabbed the doorknob with her bandaged hand. "We're back!" She said we, but it was just her and a bag from the local fast-food joint. The others were in the car. She pressed inside, lost to sight.

"Is this... proper?" Silver's driver was looking at her through the rearview mirror. "Sending a little child into a building like that."

"Right?" Silver laughed at the ludicrousness of the situation. "Trust me, like, she knows what she's doing, and she'll be fine."

Comforting closed the door behind her, pausing only to get the flashlight of her phone turned on. "Cracked! It's me!" She jumped at a thud. The click that followed was, strangely, relieving. She knew that combination. "Coming!" She bolted up the stairs with the sudden speed of a child. "I got lunch!"

She zipped out onto the landing, just to be grabbed from the side. Furry arms ending in smooth human hands took firm hold of her, lifting her up under the arms. "You came back. I didn't think you would." Cracked sniffed gently at the air. "That smells... different, but good." She set Comforting back to the ground. "Is it what you promised?"

"It is." Comforting set the bag down and hopped back. "Enjoy!"

Cracked tore the bag to pieces, sending fries scattering and burgers, still in their wrappers, spilling out with them. "What?" She leaned in, snuffing curiously. "Salt. I like that." She took one of the lost fries. "This doesn't smell like meat... Salt." She licked it twice. "Mmm, good salt." She put the fry aside. "But not meat." One did need salt to live. She didn't begrudge the salty starter. "Meat... Now we're talking." She grabbed one of the burgers and looked ready to chomp into it, foil and all.

"Stop!" Comforting made wild gestures. "Unwrap it first, then eat up."

"Unwrap?" She felt along it for where the foil could come up and soon she held a burger, liberated. Her eyes went wide. "Wow! You cook. You wrap to keep fresh. You do so much. Such decadence." She chomped into the sandwich, but her expression turned to one of confusion. Still, she forced herself to chew at it with teeth that became far too sharp the moment she focused on eating, tearing the food to small chunks with the skill of a carnivore and gulping it down on the way. "What a strange meal... I can taste meat, but a lot of not meat there."

Comforting clapped her hands in a joyful expression as the eating began. "A lot of modern human food has meat and not-meat together. They're omnivores and a meal with only one or the other doesn't satisfy most of them." She pointed to the burger. "Beef, that's cow, cheese, a kind of milk, tomatoes, lettuce, grilled onions and some bacon crumbles and stuff. Mmmm."

"Mmm," agreed Cracked, sinking to a squat as she took another big bite out of her burger. "Mmm... New, but good new. I would never have bothered with most of those things, but with the meat, it has a certain... appeal, yes." She squinted at Comforting. "You were a pony. You're alright with this?"

Comforting shrugged. "I was a human first. Watching someone enjoy a burger just makes me smile. I'm glad you're liking it."

"Strange pony." She reached a slightly greasy hand to ruffle Comforting's head. "A good strange." It was a fine day for strange, but good, things. "Still, aren't you hungry? I'd get hungry, watching something eat..." Not that this slowed her devouring of the first burger, reduced to nothing but foil. As if to check, she tried nipping the foil. "Uck." She tossed that aside, deeming it inedible.

Comforting grabbed the discarded foil and tucked it in the abused bag it had all started in. "The fries are cooked potatoes. They're good. Try them before you toss them."

"Cooked potatoes?" Cracked raised a doubting brow. "... Mmm... Since you're suggesting it. I'm trusting you here." She took one of them, glistening with salt. "Very salty." Still, she promised. She popped it into her mouth and gnashed it up, which unleashed its flavor profile across her tongue. "Ooo.... Different... But good. I've said that a lot today." She she ate a few fries. "We should get to the point." Her tail lifted a little, her spirits turning around with the food.

"The point?" Comforting pressed a few buttons on her phone, messaging those outside that all had gone well. "Which point?"

"My point?" She hiked a thumb at herself. "The human world's... not all bad... But they aren't me. The pony world, the ponies aren't me either. Where do I live now?"

Comforting considered that. "I know what you look like, here, in the human world." She spread her hands to either side, just to get her injured hand grabbed. "It's alright now."

"What did they do?" Cracked turned the hand around slowly, studying it.

"They bandaged it up so I'd get better." She gently retrieved her hand. "What do you look like, back in the 'pony world'?"

"I was a terrible beast, part pony, mostly predator." She curled her fingers into wicked claws. "Hmm... Imagine the human parts were pony parts. The predator parts, mostly unchanged."

Comforting tried to do that. The head of a pony leading into the body of a wolf. Pony fore hooves, wolf everything else. Pony voice? "You could talk?"

"Always could," admitted Cracked with a shrug. "Got an idea?"

"I can imagine that..." A curious beast... But... "I think they'd learn to like you, if you didn't hunt the ponies anymore."

"You are too nice." She poked Comforting gently in the center of her chest. "But a nice that means you'll bring me food is a nice I kinda like. Half pony, half their nightmare. You really think they want this around?"

"No," said Comforting quite flatly. "But they'll get used to it. The humans probably won't get used to it. Maybe the girls, they know you, but the rest of them... probably not. I'll be your in." She hiked a thumb at herself. "If I say you're good, which I think you are, then they'll give you a chance."

"Are you a leader of the ponies?" Cracked cocked a brow at that. "You're a little small for that. The ponies respect size in their leaders."

Comforting thought of Celestia, towering over all. "They really do... But they know I'm a source of good and nice things. They'll give you a chance." She flashed a sudden grin. "Also, when we're there, I will be an even more terrifying monster than you."

That caught Cracked by surprise. "What? You're a foal. What are you threatening me with, crying at me?"

Comforting twirled in place. "This is probably hard to imagine, but back in pony world, I'm a spirit, a chaos spirit. I can do... whatever I want. I was sent here to just... be... without the cheat codes for a little."

"You were banished too? That's awful." Cracked folded her arms, fur bristled. "Been there."

"It was voluntary, promise." Comforting grabbed a burger and offered it up, at least until it was grabbed. "But when I go back, I'll be that again. So I will protect you. You just have to be good. They have meat, especially fish. You like fish?"

"Fish's alright." Cracked chomped into her new burger. "Depends on which... Pony's even better... but that's not an option."

"It's not," flatly agreed Comforting. "The ponies will be your friend, not lunch."

"It'll take some getting used to," She bit the burger in half, nomming joyfully. "But it sounds worth it... if we can keep being friends."

Comforting clapped her hands with a big smile. "You have no idea how happy you just made me." She had won over a terrifying friend. "Alright. Until I go back, I'll keep you fed. How often would you want one of those?" She pointed to the bag she was holding.

Cracked nudged at the remaining burgers. "One a day's good. Where do you... suggest I get a drink? Even monsters like a sip once in a while."

"Oh!" Comforting clapped her cheeks. "Sorry! Let's see if this works." She hurried off to the bathroom and struggled with the knob on the faucet. "Just... turn..." She was trying as hard as she could, but it wasn't moving.

Cracked lowered her hand over Comforting's, grabbing her smaller hand and the faucet at once. With a twist, she demanded it turn, and the faucet had no choice but to obey with a squeal of metal on metal. The water spurted out, dirty at first, but became cleaner by the moment as it flowed.

"Oh!" She leaned in and lapped at the water like a dog, as curious as that looked with a human face. "Perfect..."

Comforting reached out into the air and pantomimed turning it the other way. "That's how you turn it back off when you're done. Don't turn it too far though."

Cracked turned it back until it hit resistance, the water stopping. "I learned something new today." Her tail was wagging with happiness. "Thank you, friend Comforting. I must seem like a big fool, not knowing these things. I can tell you already know all this."

Comforting shrugged with a smile. "We're all new once. Someone had to show me how it's done." She couldn't quite remember that instant, but she knew it was there, her parents showing her how to operate such things. "You listened and you did it on the first try. That's a good mark."

"Stop sounding like a parent." Cracked rose to her considerable height, chomping a burger as she thumpclicked away. "You really want to drag me back to pony world, after Starswirl went through all that effort kicking me out?"

"I'm not asking him." Comforting trailed behind Cracked, watching her tail, wagging eagerly as it was. "You're happy."

"I am," Cracked admitted, coiling in place to look at Comforting. "What makes you ask that?"

"I wasn't asking." Comforting swatted gently at Cracked's tail.

Cracked yelped, jumping away. "Hey! No touching tails." She snorted as she turned to face Comforting. "Touching a tail means you want to fight, or you want to fight. That can be fun, or dangerous, and a little kid like you? I doubt you want either."

Comforting quickly decided she'd had enough pain in a day. "Alright, no touching." She moved her hands behind her back, well away from fluffy tails. "You have a nice one. I have a nice one too, in the pony world. You can rate it when you see it."

She waved Comforting away. "Stop that! Do ponies compliment each other tails now?"

"If they like them." Comforting shrugged. "It's nice to talk to you when you're not sad, or hungry, or mad. You're nice to be around when you're happy. I think most people are like that." She pointed to the remaining burgers. "I'll be back, promise. Silver's waiting for me outside."

"Yeah..." Cracked let Comforting skip away. "I actually believe you this time," she said to nobody there. "You will be back..." She grabbed the second to last burger and got to devouring it. "With more food, I hope."

Comforting dashed out to the waiting car, holding a mostly empty bag and little else. "All done!" She slid in next to Silver and Diamond. "She likes 'em both. Diamond, you were right."

Diamond puffed up with pride. "Even a strange monster'll like fries!"

Silver's driver took them all home, ending that day of excitement.

Author's Note

A charming end of that arc, I think, and a potential new buddy!

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99 - End EQG Arc

Sunset waved a book at Comforting. "Twilight sent me a message."

"How?" She peered at the book, deceptively normal looking. "What'd she say?!"

Sunset flipped the book open to the page with her writing. "Send Comforting home if she seems balanced and happy. Fluttershy and her friends miss her dearly. Discord insists she has spent enough time there."

Comforting inclined her head. "Oh." She looked from hand to hand. "Well, I did some good time existing with just my own hands and without chaos magic everywhere... and I made some friends." Speaking of that. She winced at that thought. "Who I need to say bye to, aw..."

Sunset lifted her shoulders. "If it helps, you have a perfect cover already, being an exchange student. If your parents are calling for you, what are you going to do?"

"True." That'd work for most of them, but... "Promise not to be mad."

Sunset hiked a brow at that. "I'm already concerned. What's up?"

Comforting threw her hands wide. "Two of them know about Equestria, and that I'm from it."

Sunset blinked, turning into a little snicker. "The worst kept secret of the school... That shouldn't be the end of the world. Do they know how you got here?" Comforting shook her head. "Good. Then all they know is there's a magic pony world, and you're from it. You'll vanish just as mysteriously." She wiggled her fingers with the fog of mystery.

"I want to say bye!" Comforting crossed her arms in pouting defiance. "I don't want to just stop being there..."

"You'll get your chance." Sunset popped out a pen, scrawling on that book. "We have to time when the portal will be open anyway. Twilight can make it be on, but that isn't helpful if we're not ready to hop through it. So, after school?"

"We need to take one more with us." Her hands moved to her little hips. "The monster we met. She needs a home, back in Equestria."

Sunset's pen faltered. "What? Monster?"

"She's really nice! Just lost and in need of a friend or three." Comforting bounced in place. "I will take responsibility of her."

"Is that how you got that?" Sunset directed her pen at Comforting's bandaged hand. "Not sure I want you around something that does that to little girls."

"I did that to myself." She hid the hand behind her back. "So I'm the monster that did that to a little girl."

"Ha ha." Sunset ruffled the top of Comforting. "Pretty sure you can handle that monster. I hear she's pretty nice." She turned away, tapping her pen on the book. "Seriously though, a monster? Hm, not the first I've run into... but we usually just... tame them, really... We never tossed them back to Equestria."

Comforting folded her arms. "And you think that's nice? She deserves to live somewhere she won't be at maximum freakiness level with everyone she wants to say hi to."

"These are ponies we're talking about." Sunset turned back to Comforting. "Is this monster basically human, here? Because that's about the only way they'll end up a pony over there."

That brought up the image of the strange pony-wolf that Cracked would become. "Sorta... Look, it doesn't matter." She crossed her arms petulantly. "They're making good progress to dealing with not-ponies all the time! Didn't Twilight tell you about her school?"

"Wait, that wasn't, like, metaphorical?" Sunset cocked a brow at that. "They really have dragons and griffons and stuff?"

"And yaks and a changeling! They can deal with one confused, but nice, monster. She only hunted because she didn't know a better way. She loves hamburgers!"

Sunset blinked slowly. "Hamburgers?"

"She is a carnivore, but I'd say 75% carnivore, not 100%." Comforting clapped her hands together and swished them left and right to show a spectrum. "People are pretty close to 50%. A cat's 100%." She swayed her hand along to indicate each. "Most herbivores are like 5%." Off to the left she went.

Sunset put a hand on those clasped ones at the left end of the spectrum. "I don't think a random deer is trying to hunt down some chow like that."

"They aren't, but things happen." Comforting went back to the right. "and a kitty might try some veggies, especially if they're cooked. But neither is really made for it. Kitty needs meat. Deer needs veggies. Humans love both and are healthiest getting both."

"And you know where your new friend is... how?"

That was a moment of defeat. "Um... I don't actually know... It'll be easier to figure out back in Equestria, but she's alright with fish, which ponies do have." She scratched behind her head with her good hand. "And I'll help. I promised."

Sunset laughed warily. "Alright... and can you get your friend to the school without a panic this evening then?"

"With help!" She thrust a hand up into the air, only for it to fall. "Oh..."

"Oh?" Sunset peered at her young guest. "You have two monster friends?"

"Just one, promise." She crossed her arms negatively. "But my idea was to get Silver's driver to bring her over since he knows what's going on, but then he and Silver would be nearby when we're doing this."

"Which is what I'm trying to avoid," finished Sunset with a grunt. "Look... Fine. I'll talk to her. You get ready for your last day." She made a final note in her book and closed it with finality.

At school, Comforting told everyone she even passingly knew that she was heading back to her home country, even the principals. She thanked Celestia and Luna for letting her spend some time there. "I learned a lot!" A lot of it was pretty useless, but other bits... "This is a wonderful school."

Luna leaned forward, hands clasped, elbows on her desk. "Going back to Equestria?"

Comforting froze. They knew that?! "Um... yes."

Celestia nodded, seated back in her chair. "Then we both wish you a safe journey. Thank you for abiding the rules while you were here. The only comments I got about you were largely pleasant."

Luna inclined her head. "Tell me, curiosity compels, are there really pony versions of everyone at the school?"

Comforting tensed, feeling she was in a dangerous place. "There's, um... I should say bye to everyone else!" She dashed from the room, leaving the question unanswered.

Celestia smirked faintly. "I knew she wouldn't tell you."

"Don't rub it in." Luna reached for the next sheet of paper needing attention. "It's a fanciful thought. What would you be as a pony? Think you get your own school there?"

"No assurance of that." Celestia scribbled a little something. "Maybe something else entirely. Magic's involved, after all."

Both hummed in agreement. Magic made guessing difficult.

"Aw." She had told people far and wide, including Snips. "Will you come back? That was kinda fun. You were, like, brave."

Brave wasn't the first word Comforting would have picked for herself, but she smiled. "Maybe, but no promises. Home is far away. You be good, and don't forget what we went over."

"Yes, mom." He rolled his eyes and laughed at the absurdity of the little kid telling him that. "Go on."

She couldn't forget Silver and Diamond. "I'll miss you both a lot! Um, Silver?"

Silver hmmed? "What? Do you have to go? We got a thing, like, worked out here."

"I do... Got people who love me on both sides, but one has my mother. I'm not saying no to her." She hopped forward and hugged both of her bigger friends. "I'll still be with you."

Diamond cocked a brow at that. "Is this one of those 'in spirit' things?"

"Nope! Literally. There's a pony Diamond and pony Silver Spoon. I'm friends with them too."

Silver blinked at that. "Not fair. I'm not pony Silver. I don't get to hang out with you if you're with her." She glanced away and back. "Is she cool?"

"As if either of you could be not cool," countered Comforting with a big smile. "I love all four of you. Um, speaking of that, can you bring Cracked by the school after school. She's going to Equestria too, remember?"

Silver fired a big thumbs up. "I'll pick her up afterwards then. Huh, this'll be her first car ride, I bet."

Diamond squinted at them both. "Do I get to be part of this?"

"Hm. Um... trying to keep this small and simple." Comforting rocked on her feet forwards and backwards.

Diamond threw up her hands. "Right, fine." She stormed off. "Good luck in pony land or whatever."

Silver patted Comforting's shoulder. "She's upset she's losing a friend. I am too... She's not mad at you, like, promise."

So it was settled. Her friends knew she was leaving. All her ducks were in a row.

Comforting met up with Sunset after school. "Silver said she'd bring Cracked."

"That's the, uh, guest's name?" She glanced around, students still in the process of leaving.

"That's her. Knowing them, shouldn't take too long."

It was about ten minutes later that Comforting spotted Silver's car pulling up. The area was largely emptied of students, but not entirely. Comforting rushed up to the car, waving wildly.

Silver pushed open the door from inside. "Hey." But she staggered forward, Diamond pushing past her. "Rude."

Diamond stood tall and proud. "You thought you could get away without me being there? Hardly."

Sunset put a hand to her forehead. "Hey, Diamond."

"Hey yourself." She hiked a thumb back at the car. "Cracked's inside, waiting for the signal to get moving."

Comforting tried to get a peek inside, but the tinted windows provided for very little chance of that. "Alright. We'll have to wait until the coast is clear."

So they waited patiently for the last loitering students to be on their way. Sunset made a quick mark in her book, and the base of the statue shimmered faintly with the power to transcend worlds. "There we go. Good luck back there."

"Thanks for being a super awesome big sister." Comforting grabbed Sunset about the nearest leg, squeezing. "This was fun, and scary, but mostly fun."

Sunset ruffled the hair of her leaving ward. "You were an A+ guest. Now get going. Let Cracked out?"

Diamond pulled the door open. "Time to go."

A great form exploded from the vehicle. Part woman, part wolf, with sharp edges and an aura of menace, she grabbed Diamond on the way and stormed for the statue, vanishing into it before anyone could finish registering the action.

Silver blinked numbly. "Um... Like, that wasn't the plan."

Sunset groaned sufferingly. "Great..." She made new notes in her book. "You better get going." She nudged comforting with the front of a knee. "One way or the other, you're supposed to be there, with or without Diamond. Help get her back, kindly?" As Comforting moved to head back home, Sunset looked to Silver. "Sorry, but you're the best person to explain to Diamond's parents what's going on."

"I don't even have to lie," claimed Silver, looking confident. "Her exchange student friend went home to their country... and Diamond went along." It was an answer that'd make no sense for most students. Unless one were as rich as Silver or Diamond. "You can message them, right? They'll get nervous if I can't reach her at least."

Sunset pointed to her book. "The least of our worries. You're taking this well."

Silver shrugged. "I'm only mad I didn't think of it myself... She better tell me every detail when she gets back! Hmmph... One of us has to be here to keep our parents from flipping, like, right out."

Comforting hopped into the portal. The trip back wasn't nearly as harrowing. She wasn't losing things, she was gaining them. She emerged in Twilight's basement, her chaotic magic returned in a giddy rush that made her lash her returned tail as she stood up, wobbling with the mild difference in proportions. "I'm home!"

Author's Note

Welcome back to Equestria! Now with double the Diamond Tiara!

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100 - Wolves for Dinner

Twilight had backed away from the mirror, gaping at the large form of the monster then occupying her basement. It was a great wolf, with a pony's face. Just the face though, she had wolf ears on her head. Cracked also had pony hooves at the front and a pony's barrel/belly, covered in dense wolven fur. She was a mashed hybrid of the two species, and alarmingly big, her teeth bared and too sharp.

That she was holding a confused pony Diamond Tiara didn't help.

"Stop!" shouted Comforting, putting up her hands. "It's me, Comforting. Let's calm down."

Cracked let out a canine noise of surprise. "Comforting? You changed, maybe more than I did." The tension of the moment had been shattered. "I will put you down." Which she did, releasing Diamond to the floor.

Twilight advanced, horn glowing as she pulled Diamond away to move between Diamond and Cracked. "What are you?" Notes had come in her book, but it was hardly the time for a book, an idea that was abhorrent to Twilight. "You know Comforting?"

"She knows me too." Diamond pointed at herself with a new hoof. "Hmmph, she's the one that got me here. Thanks."

"You promised lunch," growled out Cracked, thumping one of her hind paws against the ground with the scratch of her claws. "I haven't eaten today."

Twilight blinked at the exchange, coiling away from Cracked, at Diamond. "And... you aren't the Diamond Tiara I know, are you?"

"We've walked past each other." Diamond shrugged. "You're Twilight Sparkle, right?"

"That is... correct." One obvious difference Twilight could see, this Diamond had no tiara. She was wearing a school uniform, even if it only mostly fit her pony form. "Don't panic. We'll get you back home as quickly as possible."

"Pass." Diamond raised a hoof in flat negation and clip-clopped over to Comforting, her stance a bit off, but she didn't fall. "Hey, wow, look at you! You got to keep your fingers? Lucky. I thought I'd be seeing a pony you, not... whatever this is. No wonder you were alright with Cracked."

Cracked approached, a strange sound. clip-thump-tick-clop-thump-tick. "You are a monster too... No wonder. Hmmph, part of me was wondering why you didn't start with that, but I would have not believed you if you had told me..."

Comforting laughed nervously. "Yeah... It was a long journey to get here. I was a pony before, and stuff happened and..."

Twilight poked Diamond in the side. "Excuse me? This isn't where you belong."

Diamond cocked a brow at her. "That didn't stop you from visiting. Now, shoosh. I'm here to visit with Comforting and check things out. I'll go home when I'm done."

Twilight sank to her haunches with a weary sigh. "And you?"

Cracked inclined her head. "I was invited to stay."

Comforting raised a hand quickly. "I'll take the blame, and responsibility, for that one. Cracked needs our help, and is from Equestria originally."

"Nice to meet you, Cracked... Hm." Twilight looked Cracked over intently. "I hope you don't take offense... but you appear to be a carnivore."

"I am." That was neither a secret nor a shame for her. "I hear you have hamburgers too."

Twilight colored faintly, reminded of those human hamburgers. "Not the exact same kind. The burgers here are hayburgers. You probably wouldn't like them? I'd be glad to offer one and you can try it?"

Cracked sat up, towering as she crossed her arms. "Bring it, and I will judge it."

Comforting considered making a hayburger, but she just went through that chaos detox. No rush to get right back into those habits. "I'll take her. Diamond wants to see the town anyway, so we'll all go to the Hayburger."

Cracked's tail lifted as she stood up, wagging behind her. "I can just walk outside?"

"I'll be there." Comforting patted Cracked's shoulder, even if she had to reach up to do it. "Nobody's bothering my friends. Besides, the ponies of this town are nice. They just might be startled."

Twilight let them ascend towards the exit. "I should tell Fluttershy." She vanished with a pop, teleporting away to just in front of Fluttershy's cottage. She knocked with a clop on the door. "Fluttershy?"

"Is she back?" Fluttershy opened the door quickly. "Oh..." But there was no Comforting. "Did you want me there when you brought her back?"

"She's back, with friends." Twilight smiled with a little chuckle. "You may be very interested in one of them. She's made friends with a monster, a real monster. They're headed to the hayburger to get them a snack, but I bet they'd love to have an expert at hoof to help feed her properly."

"Oh my!" Fluttershy's eyes widened with the thought of it. "But the monster is friendly?" Twilight nodded. "Well, alright then." Fluttershy spread her wings and took off at a casual soaring. It wasn't hard to find Comforting's crew. Ponies were giving them a wide berth, and her new friend was sizable. Fluttershy came in for a landing just in front of them.

Comforting dashed ahead to grab Fluttershy, squeezing her. "I missed you so much!"

Fluttershy hooked an arm around Comforting, returning the embrace. "It's good to see you back. Um." She looked between Cracked and the curiously dressed Diamond. "Hello. My name is--"

"--Fluttershy," cried out Comforting, cutting her off. "My mom and animal expert."

Fluttershy colored faintly at the praising words. "Nice to meet you all. I hear you're getting something to eat?"

Cracked flashed a dangerous smile. "Yes. I hunger..." She licked some spittle that had been about to escape. "You say you're an animal expert, does that include monsters?"

"Actually... yes." Fluttershy approached Cracked without fear. "May I examine you?"

Cracked flumped down to her haunches. "Really? I was really expecting you to say no..." Still, she didn't fight at Fluttershy circled and poked and examined. "Ponies have changed a lot from when I last remember them... They wouldn't dare to do this."

"You're just a hungry animal." Fluttershy reached up to peel back Cracked's lips to examine her teeth critically. "We're all hungry animals at times, and we need the proper food to be healthy and happy. Knowing what to feed them is one of many jobs I've accepted."

Cracked flexed some internal muscle, causing her teeth to shift between harmless pony chompers and sharp cutting wolven teeth. "Pretty sure the pony ones are for looking less scary."

"Maybe..." Fluttershy pressed a hoof against Cracked's belly, feeling around, as if making some judgement on her insides, taking weight and feel of her very organs. "Maybe..."

Diamond huhed at the whole thing. "Your mom's kinda out there. Cool. I want to try pony fast food. That sounds so stupid, it has to be great."

"I never went to hayburger," admitted Comforting, realizing that was true as she said it. "Never occured to me when I have her for a mom. She makes the best food."

Fluttershy colored faintly. "All animals need good food, be they pets or wild critters or even my daughter." She poked at something that made Cracked grunt and glare at her. "Sorry. Your insides are fascinating! Have you... tried adjusting them, like you do your teeth?" She pointed a hoof at her own mouth. "It's just an idea, but you may be able to do that."

Cracked inclined her head slowly. "Uh... adjust them how? My stomach doesn't need teeth." She smirked at the thought of it. "But that does sound pretty scary..." And that didn't sound like she was entirely against the idea. "I'm not a changeling. The form I have is the form I have, minus the teeth."

Fluttershy put both hooves on one of Cracked's hoof, drawing it closer. "Feel mine." She directed that hoof at her belly. "Ponies have many chambers in their belly. It's good for breaking down things that are hard to digest, like plants." She led the hoof on a journey, to feel each part of her digestive tract from the outside. "Carnivores are a lot simpler. Meat is easier to get at the goodies, um, as it were. Yours feels a little in the middle."

"I hope you aren't offended... But you feel delicious." Cracked growled with the imagination of what meal would come from Fluttershy's insides.

"No." Comforting bopped Cracked with a newspaper she hadn't been holding before. "Bad. She's trying to help you."

Fluttershy released Cracked, falling to all fours. "You were going to the hayburger, weren't you? That might be the perfect place to try this."

Diamond kept up with Comforting. "Your mom's hard core. Not many people I know would take that without freaking out." She frowned with thought. "Mental note, not offering my belly to Cracked."

"Comforting!" called out Diamond, but it wasn't that Diamond. The one with a tiara came trotting up to join the crew. "And... friends?" She peered at Cracked suspiciously, but that redoubled into a scowl at the sight of her doppelganger. "It's rude to take a pony's shape. Stop that."

Diamond 2 pointed at herself. "I didn't get a choice. So you're pony me? Neat..." She went to circle Diamond Prime with naked curiosity. "Are you just as rich?"

Diamond 1 looked instead to Comforting. "Yo, explain this." She pointed at her circling double. "It's making me mad, but you're the one I bet could say what's going on, so out with it."

Comforting hopped between them. "Hey Diamond, great to see you again. I went to a whole other world, and you were there, as an alien species."

"That's me," agreed Diamond 2. "But I'm a pony here, just like you."

"Like me?" Diamond 1 poked Diamond 2. "I was here first. I was friends with Comforting first. Hmph." She looked to Comforting. "How long is this going to be a thing? She's not staying here, right?"

Comforting wrapped an arm around the neck of either of her Diamond friends. "Just a visit, promise. Let's be nice, even to our other-universe selves. You'd want her to do the same if you were visiting her, wouldn't you?"

"One thing." Diamond 2 pointed at Fluttershy. "Why are we so small? I know I was still growing up and all, but I was getting close to adult! Now I'm tiny!"

Diamond 1 cocked a brow. "Huh. Your species, whatever it is, must work different. We ponies have some pretty big growth spurts. Practically overnight, you're in the next stage." She looked over her twin. "What is your... What do you normally look like? Not a pony, I gathered."

Fluttershy was guiding Cracked away, off into the Hayburger. Ponies started with surprise, but Fluttershy was right there. Surely any monster with her had to be alright if she wasn't already locked in deadly combat with it. She went right up to the counter with Cracked trailing behind. "Um, hello. I'd like to place an order."

"Whattaya have in mind?" asked the bored mare before she noticed the big thing behind Fluttershy. "Woah..."

"Don't mind her. One fish, one hayburger, an order of hay fries, um, a water... That'll be enough for now, thank you."

"Sure, no problem." The mare brought down a hoof on the register, collected the bits, and took a stiff step back. "Coming right up..." She fled.

Cracked snickered at the sight. "That is more of what I'm used to.. Part of me wants to chase her..."

"Don't do that, um, please." Fluttershy sat in place. "She's getting your food. She can't do that if you hurt her."

"True." Cracked reared up a big wolf hindpaw which proved quite good at scratching an itch. "Sorry, this is all new to me... but thank you for being patient."

Author's Note

D1 is not pleased to see D2, but she's not violently shoving the twin back through the portal. Progress! Also hayburgers! This chapter has it all.

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101 - Double Diamond is a Different Pony

Diamond 1 gave Diamond 2 a shove. "You didn't plan something, dummy."

Diamond 2 scowled at her local copy. "Didn't plan what?"

Diamond 1 rolled a hoof in the air. "You're broke."

Diamond 2 blinked at that. The very idea, alien. She patted herself down, pulling out her wallet with some effort and unfolding it to reveal the dollars and cards within. "Nuh uh!"

Diamond 1 laughed at the display. "Yep. That sure is a lot of not-money. I'm sure it's worth something where you're from. Around here, that looks like... a lot of paper, and..." She poked at one of the cards. "Not sure what this is, but it isn't money."

Comforting watched the exchange fascinatedly. They were talking and not attacking one another, so that was a victory, right? "People around here use gold coins usually."

Diamond 2 sank to her haunches, just to finish flopping on her belly. "Gold coins?!" she wailed out miserably. "I didn't bring any of those!"

Diamond 1 patted the defeated back of her clone. "If it helps, Comforting isn't likely to let you be too bad off. She's awesome like that."

Comforting fired a thumbs up at that. "Of course! Diamond, can you help too?"

Diamond 1 frowned. "I should... have seen that coming." She offered a hoof to help her double back to their hooves. "Fine. If I ever end up in your strange place, you better help me."

"Deal." Diamond 2 began re-stuffing her wallet awkwardly with her hooves, getting that tucked away. "Comforting tried to sneak away from me!"

Diamond 1 rolled her eyes. "She did sneak away from me. She's good at that." The two Diamonds nodded at one another, unified in that moment with being annoyed at Comforting. "Let's keep an eye on her."

So Comforting had two Diamonds, agreed to keep her under monitor. "I'm not going anywhere, promise..." That promise held little weight with either of them. "Where's mom?"

She was burdened with snacks, and walking alongside Cracked. "You seem to like it," she reported with a happy sound to her voice. "How wonderful."

"It's all pretty good... Ponies got way better at cooking!" She chomped the last half of the hayburger she had, wrapper and all. "And the wrapper they use is edible. The other world, it isn't. Way better."

Fluttershy inclined an ear. "It isn't? I wonder what it was made of..." The idea of metal foil being used for that, not one that even occurred to her. "Now, with you fed, how do you feel?"

"Much better." She rubbed at her belly with a hoof. "I think I can get along with ponies. They have burgers! Fish and hay, both were tasty..." She licked over her lips. "You gave that pony something, a trade. How do I get those, so I can get burgers? If I ask loudly enough, will that work?"

Fluttershy shook her head quickly. "So close..." She was even impressed at how close Cracked had come to the correct conclusion. "Yelling at them will make them upset, and they may ask you to leave. You don't want that." She folded a wing on herself, drawing out a single bit. "These are bits. We trade them for things, like burgers."

"Oooo." Cracked leaned in to study the power of the bit. Just like that, she was introduced to commerce, and she wanted more of it. "How do I get these?"

Comforting heard that question. "We were just going over that." She waved the two over to join them. "Now... I'm still new to the whole thing, so I want to hear too. How do ponies get bits, usually?"

All eyes were on Fluttershy. A pity Diamond 1 was huffing indignantly. "Why are you looking at her? Who's the richest pony here? It isn't her." She rolled her eyes. "You should know better, supposed Diamond."

Diamond 2 colored, called out in such a silly mistake. "Yeah, other me probably knows how to get money... sorta. Let's be real, if you're like me, most of it comes from daddy."

Diamond 1 shuffled in place. "A lot of it, still! I know how to make bits, in theory... There's the simplest, most pedestrian way, just get a job! Celestia will pay any pony that's doing what their cutie mark says to do. But that's just enough to get by. If you have a scrap of ambition, you want more than that!"

Fluttershy directed a wing at her home. "That isn't so bad. That's where most of my bits come from." She also lived a fairly spartan life and wasn't terribly ambitious where money was concerned. "I know Applejack works far harder for her bits."

Diamond 1 nodded at that. "Of course she does! She has a whole orchard to tend and a family to support, two of them not working. Still, for all her complaining, she has bits. If she didn't, she wouldn't have either of those to worry about." Simple logic, by her view. "She isn't very good at managing them though."

Diamond 2 cocked a brow at her double. "And you are? If you're like me, money management isn't exactly our specialty."

Diamond 1 stomped in place. "Better than her, trust me on this! Anyway!" She looked to Cracked. "A job, or convince Celestia you're doing your part." Her eyes fell to their new friend's blank rump. "Which is hard, with no cutie mark."

Cracked peeked back at her lack of mark and to the others. "Well, that's not fair... I'm doing my part! I'm a fearsome monster! Will eating a pony prove that?"

Comforting squeaked. "Don't do that! No! Please..."

"Yes." Fluttershy looped around Cracked. "That won't get Celestia's attention, um, in a good way. Do you have talents besides being a very good predator?"

That got Cracked thinking, and scratching with a hindpaw. "Hm... Hm... Back in my day, we didn't have this." She waved a hoof over the town. "This is all new... The talents I have probably aren't... worth much anymore."

Comforting suddenly grabbed Cracked by the snout. "Because you are a child."

"I am older than you." Cracked scowled at the little thing grabbing her face. "Foal."

"Guilty." Comforting didn't look affronted at being called what she was. "But so are you. You're just a bigger one. That's not a bad thing to be. I know where you belong, and it has free food."

That got Cracked to perk. "Where?!"

Diamond 1 and 2 tilted their heads in opposing directions. 2 ehhed. "Where are you thinking?"

Comforting pointed off into the distance. "A special school I go to, where creatures of all shapes and sizes learn how to be friends, and adult lessons too. It's for older teens, not little kids. So you wont have to sit and learn how to count. I love it there."

Cracked drew her snout free to snuff at Comforting. "You go there? And it has food?"

Fluttershy clapped her hooves with a big smile. "I work there. If you'd like to learn how to get along with ponies and other creatures, that sounds like a wonderful idea! With that education, you could then go on to have a job, if you want."

Diamond 2 snickered softly. "Wow... This place has a school about being friends? Freaky."

Diamond 1 shrugged at that. "I thought the same thing when it came up. I go to a regular school." She pointed the way. "Boring, but servicable. Now, you." She pointed at her twin. "Let's get you into something presentable."

Diamond 2 followed eagerly. "Ponies get clothes? I was starting to think that was just a thing they didn't do... She waved at the ones she was leaving behind. "Later!"

Comforting giggled, but didn't follow. "I'm sure Diamond knows what Diamond likes. Alright! Let's get Cracked signed up for the school."

"Yes." Cracked leaned in, looming over Comforting. "I will attend this school of yours. I will be the best predator there, easily."

"Actually...."

Fluttershy nodded at Comforting's doubting words. "There are other predators that attend the school. You wouldn't be able to take that title without some effort."

Cracked looked genuinely shocked. "I wouldn't be the only one? I want to go there! What other predators are there? Tell me!" She got a new idea, her grin growing. "Does that mean they have meat? This school is sounding better by the moment."

Fluttershy patted the excited predator. "Actually, yes. We have a dragon and a griffon, off the top of my head. Both are predators. Hum. Actually..." She rubbed at her snout. "The dragon could be considered at least partially a lithovore. Still..."

"Lithowhat?" Cracked cocked a brow. "What is that?"

"Eater of something." The exact meaning was eluding Comforting. She had heard that word before...

"Rocks," completed Fluttershy. "Gems, specifically in this case. They love them. But they won't turn down a tasty steak either."

Cracked made a face, tongue extended in horror. "Ew... How do you even hunt a gem? That sounds boring, and hard to chew, with either teeth."

"Oh, yes... But they manage." She got a sly look. "Just imagine teeth that can crunch gems."

Cracked shuddered from ears to tail, which tucked low in fear. "I would not want to be bit by that... Maybe I won't be the most fierce predator there..." She directed a hoof at Fluttershy. "What do you teach there? What to eat?"

"Hm. I never thought of it that way, but sometimes I do teach what animals like to eat." Fluttershy began to lead her little herd back towards her home. "But, mostly, I teach how to consider how others are feeling, and how best to make them feel better, and, doing that, make yourself feel better too. I'm--"

"--the professor of kindness," cut in Comforting, looking so proud of her mother. "She's a pro!"

"Technically, yes, I am that." She was being a professor as a career, that was professional, right? "But I'm here to help, not gloat. I look forward to seeing what things you two are drawn to doing. I'm certain they'll be simply wonderful."

"Sister!" Coming in at a hurried floating, her hooves pinwheeling wildly in a vain attempt to go faster, Screwball collided with Comforting in a loving embrace. "You're back! I missed you so much! They said you'd come back, but that was hard to believe. You were gone for so long and... And..." She trailed off, spotting Cracked, huge and dangerous. "Ooo. Are they a friend?"

Cracked sniffed, not to get a scent, but because her nose was running, and a tear spilled. "Stop that... Ponies of this age... Why are you all alright with me?! I'm a predator, of you!"

Comforting hugged Screwball fondly, but with her little sister facing the big monster. "Ponies have changed. You will too. It will be hard some times, but you already have friends." She ruffled Screwball's mane. "Here's an eager one right here."

"Hi!" Screwball thrust a hoof up at Cracked. "I'm Screwball. I'm what happens when a pony shoves a hoof in some chaos. This is my sister, Comforting. She's what happens when a pony just falls in and manages to come out again."

Cracked inclined her head at that explination. "I... think I see? Nice to meet you. I am Cracked Mirror." She flashed a big smile. "My mirror isn't cracked anymore, thanks to your sister."

"Ooo! Good job, sis!" She wriggled with excitement, giggling. "Good job! Can I see it?"

They arrived at Fluttershy's cottage. Even as Cracked dug out the mirror, Fluttershy was gesturing over her home. "I'm afraid my little house may be a bit... small for your stature... You are quite welcome to stay here, provided you don't eat the animals." Who were all gone, minus the bear that was staring at Cracked, daring her to pick a fight. "And eat breakfast with us."

"I like that part... I can dig out my own burrow." She pawed at the ground with a hoof. "That's alright, right?"

Fluttershy imagined the huge hole that'd result. "Oh! You... dig." She hadn't expected that. "Well, this way." She led Cracked off to find a good spot for that work to begin.

The family would adjust for its newest member.

Author's Note

Welcome Cracked to Equestria. Ponies are too nice, perhaps. It's overwhelming!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, see the updates early, and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

102 - A New Normal

"G'morning!" Comforting jumped past the door of her house to the lawn out front, leaving her mother behind, accompanied by her sister.

Peeking from across the street, which was far more like a basic dirt path, emerged Cracked. She smoothly stepped free of her burrow and shook herself out. "Is it time?"

"It's time," excitedly called out Screwball. "When do I get to go with you?" She poked a hoof on her chaotic sister. "I'm the only one not going there."

Comforting considered that with all due gravity. "I'll check with your nurse after today, see how far you've come. How do you feel about going?"

Screwball clapped her hooves excitedly, floating along as she was. "I am super excited! Lemme come! I'll be a great student, promise, please, no possible--will do--please!" Her words slipped, word to word in a moment of overexcitement.
"Please."

Comforting grabbed her sister up in a firm hug. "I'll talk to them and see how things are going. I'm not against you joining me." She curled a finger under her chin. "But you are young. You may end up at the normal school. I'll ask which would be better."

Screwball's eyes widened, tears threatening to spill. "Not your school?"

Cracked grabbed the little filly by the head. "Your sister said she would check. She likes rescuing people, so let's have faith in her."

"Faith! Yes!" She vibrated with excitement, even if she was grabbed. "I will trust in Comforting. Please try your best."

"Have a good day at school!" Fluttershy waved from inside. "See you there." It wasn't as if she wouldn't see her, being a teacher.

Comforting pointed off. "First step, drop Screwball off."

"Aw." But she darted away from Cracked, flying along with a big smile. "I wish I could go with you all the way."

"Me too." But Comforting brought her to the hospital instead, to the waiting hooves of the nurse on duty. The moment Screwball darted inside, Comforting waved the nurse aside. "Just checking, how is she doing? Good?"

The nurse frowned with thought. "That's a complicated case. She gets excited easily, but never violently. She is curious, but not in any way I would find odd in a foal, like you." She poked Comforting right on the nose. "In company of understanding ponies, I imagine she'd do just fine. I just worry about the other sorts of ponies. She's a lot to ask of any given pony."

Comforting clapped her hands together. "That's pretty good news overall."

Cracked nodded swiftly. "I am also a lot to ask of a random pony." She flashed her dangerous teeth. "But around those who treat me well and understand me, I am liked."

Comforting curled one arm around Cracked in an awkward hug. Cracked was kinda big! "It's true! She's a big predator, but she's our big predator, and she's really nice when you get to know her."

"I'm sure she is." The nurse did not look entirely convinced. "Oh, I meant to note, if your friend here." She inclined her head towards Cracked. "If she gets hurt, you'll want to see a veterinarian, not us. We won't be able to help much."

Comforting curled an arm, pointing at herself. "What about me?"

"You're a chaos spirit," noted the nurse flatly. "I don't think much of anything could hurt you. I hope never to be proven wrong."

Comforting considered that a quiet moment. "You... may have a point. Whatever hurts me is probably outside medical science. A vet isn't going to help either... Well, I just better not get hurt."

Cracked nodded at that. "That's my plan. Let's go to school."

"Yes!" Comforting resumed her journey. "Thanks for the update! I'll bring it up to the teachers and see what they say." She waved at the nurse on her way towards school.

Cracked leaned in as they went. "Do you want her there?"

"Of course." Comforting jumped and forgot to come down, floating on her back. "She's a good pony, and my sister."

"Hm."

"Comfie!" There was Diamond, and Diamond. And Silver Spoon. All three were waving at her, seated aside her path, enjoying breakfast. Was that the first or second Diamond? It was almost impossible to know, with both wearing a tiara and no school outfit.

Comforting zipped over to the three. "Hey there. Now, I don't know." She looked between the two Diamonds. "Which is which?"

One of the diamonds pointed at herself. "Go ahead, guess."

"Yeah, guess," agreed the other Diamond. "Give it your best shot.

Silver snickered behind a hoof, doing poorly at hiding her laughter.

Cracked snuffed at the air, pawing with one of her canine hind paws. "That one." She directed a pony hoof at one of the Diamonds.

Both looked appalled. One of them crossed their arms, presumable Diamond 2. "Cheater!"

"Really," agreed Diamond 1. "How'd you know? Can you sniff her world?"

"No." Cracked looked between the two. "But I have smelled you both. You don't smell the same."

Silver laughed without restraint. "Like, wow. Comforting has a bloodhound, and got it to fix that real quick."

Cracked frowned at Silver. "I am no hound."

Silver raised her hooves. "Don't get mad. You're amazing."

"Yes." Cracked seemed entirely mollified by the praise. "What are you eating?" She was eyeballing their breakfast. "Smells good."

Silver picked up her plate and twirled to offer it. "I'm done."

"Good." Cracked chomped it with a great snap of her teeth, mashing the food out of existence in no time at all. "Mmm... Ponies of this day and age are masters of flavor..." She rubbed a hoof on her belly. "Why eat a pony when their food is there and so tasty?"

Silver squeaked with a cringe at the meaning behind that. "That'll make Comforting really mad!"

"You use her as a shield?" Cracked set a hand on the floating head of Comforting. "She is my friend as well."

"Guilty," sang out Comforting. "But I will be sore if any of my friends eats any of my other friends. Be nice."

"I will be nice." Cracked released Comforting back to floating. "We are going to school. they will teach me lessons, and feed me." One of those was clearly more important in her eyes. "Let's go."

"To school!" Comforting waved at the three fillies. "Have fun at yours. Oh, how long is the other Diamond hanging around for?"

Diamond 2 stuck out her tongue. "I got in the same way you did. Say hello to the newest foreign exchange student." She looked quite proud of that. "Cheerilee said it was alright, so I'll be around for a little while. Silver knows what's going on and keeping my parents filled in. That their little girl rushed to try some foreign education is just a perk in their eyes."

Diamond 1 nodded. "The hardest part was explaining it was just a wild coincidence that we look so similar. Now half the class thinks we're just rubbing it in."

"Which we are." Diamond 2 snickered softly. "Have fun at your school!"

With things in order, Comforting led Cracked to the school. "Here's your schedule." She offered a slip of paper towards Cracked. "If you get confused, don't panic. All the teachers here are super nice. they want you to have fun and learn. Just look for one of them and ask for help."

"Panic is not an emotion I know very well." Cracked snorted softly at the very idea of it. "I will master this." She heavily clop-tapped her way into the school.

Smolder landed gently next to Comforting. "What was that you just led into the school? Should I be a little or a lot worried?"

Comforting gave her draconic friend a gentle shove. "Don't be like that! Cracked wants to have fun and learn things here, like you. She's a monster from way long ago. Modern stuff confuses her. Um... like... That pony, the big one, with the shovel?"

"Rockhoof?" proposed Smolder with a shrug.

"That one!" Comforting nodded swiftly. "She's out of time, but she's ready to learn, and she thinks our food is super tasty."

"Well, then it can't be so bad." Smolder hiked a thumb inside. "Let's get going."

"Yes." Comforting landed and walked alongside Smolder. "By the way, she's pretty sure she's the biggest, dangerousest predator at school."

Smolder hiked a brow. "Really now? We'll have to test that." She brandished her claws dangerously. "She has some competition."

"You about to fight somecreature?" Gallus raced up aside them. "I know that claw flex."

Smolder laughed lightly. "Wow, good timing. Comforting's new monster friend thinks they are the biggest toughest predator in school."

"What?" Gallus scowled. "That can't be right."

"Right? Everycreature knows who that is."

The two hiked a thumb at themselves. "Me," they both declared with unwavering conviction.

Smolder noticed this conflict. "Hey! I could beat you any day of the week."

"You're dreaming." Gallus clacked his sharp jaws. "Aside from your fire, you aren't so tough."

Smolder threw up her hands. "Aside from my fire?! I'm a dragon, you can't 'aside' my fire!"

Gallus grabbed at Smolder, forcefully mussing up her headfin. "Cut it out. You know I'm a serious predator."

Smolder shoved the hand away. "Like I'm not."

Comforting detected the ire growing between them. "We're at school, let's calm down."

Gallus raised his hands. "She's right, but if you want to challenge me any time outside school, just name the place."

Smolder stomped past them both. "Whatever. First, acing these classes, then, kicking your flank across town just for fun. Be ready for that."

"Any time." Gallus stalked after her, looking ready to defend his position on the predator totem pole.

"What they angry about?" Yona had arrived, heading in the same direction. "Something wrong?"

"Yona!" She got Yona to hold still long enough for a big hug. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Happy see Comforting." She squished Comforting in a warm embrace. "Welcome back. Where hiding?"

"Another world." Comforting waved vaguely. "Oh, there's a monster joining school. She's big and dangerous and totally nice. Don't judge them too quickly."

Yona inclined her head. "Yona not scared of monster. How bad can be?"

Comforting put out her hands out. "This big to hug one of her legs."

Yona inclined her head the other way. "That big. Well, Yona ready. If you say is safe, is safe."

"Safe," assured Comforting. "They're upset--" She pointed to the two jockeying predators. "--because she claims to be the best predator here."

"Oh." Yona shook her head. "Yona not pred-thing. They can fight for that. Stupid. Yak best anyway."

Comforting burst into merry laughter at that. "Yep, they shoulda known that already. Let's get to class."

"Yes." Yona charged with Comforting to get their daily education.

"Hm." Twilight tapped at her chin. "I will ask a question, and I want the most honest answer, not what you hope will get what you want. Are you ready?"

Comforting nodded quickly, seated in her magic-learning desk. "Ready!"

"Your sister, please evaluate her emotional maturity. Does she strike you as a yearling? A young foal? An older foal? A young adult? A mature adult?" She rolled a hoof. "I presume certainly not an elder."

Comforting frowned with thought. She wanted to say what might help Screwball get in, but she was asked to be as honest as possible. "Well... I'd... She's a very smart little filly, I'd say. She's super sweet, if excitable..."

"Hm." Twilight reached to pat Comforting on the shoulder. "I am very proud that you told the truth. That is the problem. Your sister is too young, mentally, to fit in at this school. No offense to her, not at all, but she'd do better with Miss Cheerilee than with the professors here. I want her to be in the place that will best see to her growth."

Comforting grunted, getting the answer she feared. "But will Miss Cheerilee want to teach a chaos-touched pony?"

Twilight drew her hoof back. "She's a professional. If we explain the situation, she will do her best. I have complete faith in her. Now, if your sister has reached the point where she can begin an education, that is where I'd suggest she go."

Author's Note

Welcome back to Ponyville! Missed the place.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, see the updates early, and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

103 - Apple for Teacher

"I have 75% good news!"

Screwball's eyes widened, swirling as they were in the habit of. "Wow! What is it?"

Comforting pointed. "You can skip the hospital today, maybe forever if it works out."

Screwball began dancing in place, floating as she was. "Oooo, really? I can go to school with you then?"

"That's the 25% bad news," admitted Comforting. "You're a young filly, so you'll go with the other--"

"You're a young filly," countered Screwball.

The part that stung was that she wasn't wrong. Comforting was a little filly, that was also a chaos spirit, and a reincarnated soul. It was complicated... "You'll get to meet other young fillies and colts and make lots of friends and learn neat stuff."

"As neat as you're learning?" Screwball crossed her arms, trying to give a severe look and failing entirely.

"Your teacher will be Miss Cheerilee." She reached up and yanked down a display panel with the image of Cheerilee projected on it. "She's super nice and she'll help. While you're at school, she's like a second mom."

Screwball blinked slowly. "W-what? I get a second mom?! You didn't say that happens!" She shuddered with excitement. "Wow... Will she let me stay up late? Does she cook good? How are her hugs? Did she tune--" Her words started making less sense, overwhelmed in her excitement.

Comforting gently hugged her sister, petting her until calmness returned. "Like a second mom, not literally. She will do her best to make sure you're a happy student."

"I am so proud." There was Fluttershy, approaching with a box balanced on either wing. "Both of my amazing students get a lunch." She curled the wings forward to put them in reach of her daughters. "You be sure to follow Miss Cheerilee's instructions, alright?"

"Alright!" Screwball grabbed her wrapped lunch and casually shoved it inside herself, in her head. Food was clearly on her mind, if one had to gauge on where she stuffed the box. "Ready!"

"Not quite." Fluttershy dug about and found what she wanted, giving a pencil and pad to Screwball. "So you can take notes on the interesting things you learn."

"OOoo." The day was getting more and more exciting. "I'll do my bestest!" She floated in for a hug with Fluttershy, then darted right out the door.

Fluttershy inclined her head slowly. "Does she know which way the school is?"

Comforting started at a much more sedate walk. "I have a good feeling she'll figure it out."

But the camera didn't stay on Comforting. "Hey!" It left her to follow after Screwball.

Screwball was zooming through town with a huge smile. "No hospital!" she cried out in a song, the notes briefly manifesting above her and dancing with her joy.

She spotted a little filly about her age and floated over them. "Hi!"

Sweetie blinked up at the floating little filly with the swirling eyes. "Hello... Who are you?"

"I'm Screwball!" She exploded, arrows appearing all around her, pointing at her, but they vanished almost as soon after. She didn't have the chaotic energy to keep them floating there long. "And I think we're going to the same place. Are you going to where Miss Cheerilee is? I wanna go there!"

"Oh! Yep." Sweetie bobbed her head. "Exactly the same place. Come on." She got to leading the chaotic filly forward without any complaining. "I go there almost every day, with my friends."

"Who's your friend?" Scootaloo came scooting up rapidly, kicking off just as she reached Sweetie and the floating Screwball.

"I think she's Comforting's big little sister." Sweetie pointed up.

Screwball tilted so hard she spun about in place. "Am I little or big? Can you be both at once?!"

Scootaloo snickered. "Sure you can. You're her little sister because she cares for you and protects you. You're her big sister because you're bigger. Must be nice to have both at once."

Sweetie pointed at herself. "I have a big sister."

Scootaloo nodded at that. "So does Apple Bloom. None of us have a little sister. Oh well, I'd show a little sister a good time!"

Screwball clopped her hooves as she floated over the two fillies. "If that's what a little sister is, I can be one!"

Sweetie blinked softly. "But you already have a big sister."

"Who's not here," reasoned Screwball. "You are. You can be my big sisters at school!"

Scootaloo burst into laughter. "Wow, alright, sure. We'll take care of you, sis."

"You're a Crusader ward now," excitedly joined Sweetie Belle. "We'll make sure you have a great time at school."

"Yay!" Screwball was aside herself, not literally, but not for lack of trying. "Alright. Are we going there?" There was a building ahead of them that they were getting closer to. "Is that it?"

"Howdy." There was Apple Bloom, joining the other Crusaders. "Found a new friend?"

"Even better." Scootaloo pointed up at Screwball. "Say hello to the School Little Sister of the Crusaders!"

"Hi!" Screwball waved jubilantly with all four limbs. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, hey there. Ah'm Apple Bloom." She pointed at herself. "And yer my little sister?"

"Yes!" Screwball flew down with some effort. The closer to the ground she got, the more anti-gravity tried to repel her, but she got in close enough to hug Apple Bloom, and they both lifted. The repelling force was enough to carry them both up into the air with Screwball's arms wrapped around her new big sister. Screwball giggled with wild joy at the whole thing.

Apple Bloom was less joyful, squeaking and wriggling with obvious worry. "Um! Could ya... put me down?"

Sweetie's horn glowed as she got a grip on Apple Bloom and tugged, oops. One good pull was enough to dislodge her, which resulted in an Apple Bloom slapping into her, both ending up flat on the ground.

Screwball floated over the two. "Are you alright?"

"Ditto." Scootaloo offered a hoof to help them, getting them back on their own hooves quickly. "Warn a filly before you grab her like that." She looked more amused than appalled though. "I wouldn't mind a little fly... maybe at lunch. It's school time."

All four of them hurried inside. Cheerilee was there, standing at the front of the class. She noticed Screwball right away. "Hold a moment." She met eyes with Screwball, which was a thing she didn't normally get to do with her students without looking down. Still, she was floating. The explained that part, but she was floating, which was odd and raised questions itself... "Screwball, right?"

"Cheerilee!" Screwball giggled with rapture. "Nice to meet you, new mom."

"New... I see." It was not the first time Cheerilee had run into a foal that tried that angle. "We can start there, but I hope we can grow to be partners of a sort. I am here to lead you on a journey of learning and growth."

"Oooo." Screwball pedaled in the air. "That sounds exciting. What do we do first?"

Sweetie raised a hoof. "Miss Cheerilee, the Crusaders have accepted her as their school little sister."

Cheerilee blinked at that. "Have you now? Sounds like you already made some friends." She pointed towards their seats. "Go ahead and take a seat next to them and we can begin shortly."

The Crusaders eagerly led their new sister over to where they normally sat.

But Screwball wasn't sitting. She was hovering over her seat.

Diamond snickered softly. "Wow. That's Comforting's sister, isn't it?"

Silver rolled her eyes. "As if, like, anypony could forget."

Diamond 2 blinked at the floating figure. "Why is everyone alright with this?"

Diamond 1 elbowed her doppelganger. "Welcome to Equestria. This happens sometimes."

But Cheerille was not 'alright' with that. "Screwball, you need to sit in your seat." She pointed to the abandoned desk. "Go on."

"I can't." Screwball swam towards the desk as hard as she could, getting a grip on it, and floating back into the air, the desk dangling from her teeth. "Sorry..."

Cheerilee applied a hoof to her face, but her smile returned as she moved in, detaching Screwball from the desk and setting it down gently. "Can you... not stand normally?"

"Nope." Nice and flat. "I've tried! Promise!"

Cheerilee forced her best smile. "I see... How do you sleep?"

Screwball curled in place and closed her eyes. Little snores began to lift from her with Zs manifesting in a lazy arc of peaceful sleep.

Cheerilee blinked at her suddenly unconscious student. "Screwball?"

"Yes?" She sat up, waking instantly, still floating.

"Ah, good... Alright... If you can't sit there, can you remain still, and take notes, while floating there?" She waved a hoof at the filly's hovering form.

Screwball grabbed out her pencil attached to a hoof and her new notepad in the other hoof. "Ready! I will take good notes!"

Cheerilee returned to her desk. "Well, let us begin then. Class. That is Screwball. She'll be joining us from now on. She has some learning requirements, but she's here for the same reason you all are, so be nice, and let's get started." With a clearing of her throat, she began, going over the various cities and counties of Equestria, pointing to each on a grand map as she went.

"Woah." Snips was looking up at the floating one. "How do you do that?"

Screwball waved down at the colt. "Hi! You look funny."

Apple Bloom snickered. "He looks just fine, but he's a colt instead of a filly."

Screwball blinked. "Oh... What's the difference?"

All the foals there blinked at her. That was a question they were unprepared to answer.

At least except Diamond. "Filly." She pointed at Sweetie, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. "Colt." She pointed at Snips, Snail, and a few others like Featherweight. "Get it?"

Screwball looked between each foal. "Filly colt, colt filly, filly, colt, colt, filly..." She curled a hoof on herself. "Which am I?"

Apple Bloom nodded at that. "Yer a filly."

"How did you know?!" Screwball floated over Apple Bloom. "You knew right away!"

"That's easy." Apple Bloom crossed her arms. "If you were a colt, you'd be my little brother, but yer a little sister, so ya gotta be a filly."

Screwball blinked in amazement. That logic held firmly. "Wow... That makes sense. But what if I'm a colt later? Will I be a little brother then?"

Sweetie blinked. "Um... Most ponies are one or the other and don't change..."

Scootaloo shrugged. "But if you did, then yes, you'd be our little brother."

Apple Bloom snickered. "You're a chaos pony. Maybe she could do it. Don't matter none. You'd still be Screwball, and still our little sib at school."

Diamond 1 joined in the snickering. "She probably could, but why would you want to be a colt?"

"Hey!" Snips scowled at Diamond. "Being a colt is cool!"

"Yeah," joined Snails, supporting his friend. "We're big."

Apple Bloom burst into laughter at that. "Snips is not a good example of that."

Screwball tilted her head rapidly left and right. "Is Snips a filly?"

Snips colored brightly. "No! I'm still growing. I'll be huge, eventually..." Rather than face that awkward conversation, he led Snails away from the chat.

Sweetie giggled softly. "Alright, finish your lunch. We have more class to get back to."

"Okay!" She slurped up her food like a vacuum cleaner. "Mmm! Mom makes good lunch." She stuffed the box away and perked up, ready. "Let's learn more stuff!"

Fed and prepared, the foals headed back inside to resume their journey of education.

"I learned where Baltimare is," announced Screwball with great pride. "And that I'm a filly. Are you a filly too?"

"I am." Comforting smiled across at her sister, floating with her. "Sounds like you had a fun day. Did you make any friends?"

"This many!" Screwball threw her arms as wide as they could go. "They like me! I like them. I was worried... but this is a good place, very good, super good!" She babbled to herself in joyful excitement a moment. "Sorry for being mad at you." Like a switch, she went from babble to serious.

Comforting grabbed her sister tightly. "I'm not mad, not even a little. Glad you're having fun."

Author's Note

That chapter was super cute, to me. Welcome Screwball to school! She's officially graduated from the hospital.

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104 - Rawr

It was a day off! Comforting had done her part and she was-- getting mail? A floating envelope with a red 1 floating over it was clearly in her vision, like her life had a HUD. When did that become a thing? She reached up a finger and tapped the icon curiously. She had email?!

The icon vanished, replaced with a very real scroll that dropped into her waiting hands. "Oh..." She unfurled the scroll to give it a read.

Good morning, Comforting,

This is a message very like what Princess Celestia would send to Spike. You are not Spike, so I am not entirely certain how you will receive it, but feel certain you will receive it. At your earliest convenience, can you visit me? I would like to talk to you. As you are not my agent, more of a friendly agent, intruding without permission feels improper.

Dutifully,
Harmony

"Well, that's blunt." As Harmony tended to be, Comforting figured. That was her style, and Comforting felt no real ire about that. "Well, sure!" Since she knew the trick... She hopped down, not to the ground, but to the first step of many that led down towards Harmony's cave. "I'm here!" She skipped down merrily, skipping a few steps along the way.

That was when she remembered Harmony wasn't there. "Oops." She was upstairs! She flew up quickly to the treehouse that was the new physical body of Harmony. "There you are. I shouldn't misplace my trees." She came in for a landing nearby and waved at her arboreal friend. "How are you?"

"It is good to have you back." The far-staring Twilight emerged. "I've been thinking about you."

"Aw, wait." Comforting raised a finger. "Is this about that date?"

"It is not. It is about paths not taken." Harmony sat in front of Comforting, taller, but most were around Comforting. "About what could have been, and perhaps one might argue, should have been, but it was not."

Comforting shrugged at that. "Like what? If it's already done, we should just do what we can from here."

"We should," agreed Harmony, but it didn't sound like she entirely agreed, on the inside. "You could have been a powerful and wonderful instrument of my force, of ponies, of harmony. It was my weakness that prevented this. Less fun, perhaps, but so important..." Not-Twilight worried her hooves gently. "My failing."

Comforting inclined her head, turning one hand palmside up. "Alright, so... I'm still me." She turned a thumb on herself. "And I still want to help."

"You are a dear friend." Harmony leaned in, nose coming close even if her eyes looked beyond Comforting. "This I know is true. I apologize if I sounded wrong. I'm sorry." Her horn glowed and an image appeared, a little filly with her mane and tail, but her eyes were more green, vibrantly so, and she had some green in her mane in a stripe. She had wings and a horn, but that was a filly, not combined with anything else.

Perhaps more curiously, the cutie mark was different. A heart, sure, being hugged, but at the pointed bottom, a star radiated as if the bottom were exploding out in orange. To the left of it a four pointed cyan star glimmered. The destiny of princess Comforting was not the same as chaos Comforting. "Twilight didn't change her cutie mark..."

"She did not." Harmony reached a hoof to rest on Harmony's face, booping her gently. "You are not Twilight. This is, perhaps, consolation. This other you would have served an entirely different purpose... This would not be you, not now-you. Not past-you. A different you."

Comforting waved the image away, banishing it with a puff. "Well, that isn't me. This is me." She pointed at her new self. "And this me loves you. I'm not that bad, I hope?"

"I am being foalish." Harmony went quiet a pregnant moment. "How was your trip?"

So Comforting shared the events of the trip. "So I came back, with a friend!"

Harmony clopped her hooves gently. "How lovely. You have brought harmony through chaos. A unique talent of yours, I think."

Comforting blinked at that. "What would have been the harmonious choice?"

"She was already a member of that world." Harmony leaned in. "Making her happy there."

Comforting curled a finger to her chin. "Mmmm... No, I like it this way better. I get a new friend, and so do a lot of ponies."

"To each action, consequences." Harmony sat up tall. "Lets watch some." With a glowing horn, she produced an image of what was happening elsewhere. "It was a chaotic act of harmony. Both result."

Cracked looked at the other two with a wicked smirk. "So, tell me, how does this work again?"

Smolder swiped at the air with sharp claws. "We're going to settle who's the best predator."

Gallus nodded in a mild upwards thrust of his beak. "We're going hunting. What better way to show who has the predator thing worked out?"

Cracked flicked an ear to the side. "We could fight, directly." She lifted a hoof, wicked claws forming. She was no shapeshifter, but altering the sharps and rounds of her body seemed to be within her control. Like a mirror, she could expose sharp edges with a snap. "That would answer it, hm?"

Smolder waved that away with both hands. "Nuh uh. We're all students at the friendship school. That'd get us all in trouble if we show up looking half mauled."

"Pass," agreed Gallus. "We'll hunt instead. Gotta be fast, gotta be good eats. The larger the thing you bring back, the better."

Smolder raised a finger. "Nothing with hooves. That makes ponies sad. We don't want sad ponies, do we?"

Cracked snorted at that. "I suppose not... They decide what grades we get, and feed me... Now, this isn't fair." She rose to her immense height. "I am larger, and more experienced. You two are little cubs in my eyes. I feel ashamed to even compete with you."

Gallus punched Cracked's nearest leg. "Shut it! Discounting us without even seeing us in action? Rude much?"

"Seriously." Smolder rolled her eyes. "I'm headed to the gorge." She pointed the way. "Good luck."

"I'm going that way." Gallus didn't specify what he was going for, just a direction.

"Fine." Cracked rolled her shoulders. "I will go where you are not." She directed a long and jagged claw in a new direction. "Let's begin. Do not get angry at me later."

Smolder lifted on her wings. "You don't get angry when we whoop your tail."

"See y'all later." Gallus took off with powerful flaps, joined by Smolder in eager pursuit of what they were hunting.

Cracked started off at a casual walk. "Silly children... Real predators don't waste energy." She saw no reason to go faster until there was food in range to bring down. "Mmm... the scenery has changed..." The Equestria she once knew was quite a bit different from the one she returned to. She took the time to admire the sights, and look for anything edible. It was a fine day for a stroll.

Harmony nodded. "Chaotic harmony. They are finding a new order among themselves."

Comforting considered the floating image. "At least they aren't fighting. It's... more like a bunch of older sibs jockeying with each other." She smiled at the mental image. "I think Cracked likes them, like her little sibs."

"That is sibling love?" Harmony quirked an ear. "I admit, my understanding of predator relationships is not as keen as my pony understanding... Gallus and Smolder both appear visibly irritated."

"Siblings do that, especially when you want to show you're just as good as your older one." Comforting crossed her arms with a sage nod. "They want to be praised and acknowledged. Who doesn't? I can't give them that. I'm not a predator. Cracked can... Maybe she will. I hope she does. It'd make their days if she admits they did a good job."

Harmony reached an arm, curling it around Comforting and drawing her closer in a little hug. "Then let us watch. This is part of my duty. Once, it was all of it. To watch, to learn, to observe. Friend Comforting, will you join me?"

"I will." She leaned back against the warm front of her friend the order spirit. "I wonder what they'll catch?"

"Something without hooves, at least... Ponies are safe."

"There are a lot of animals without hooves. I wonder what mom would think..." Fluttershy believed in the natural order of things, right? A predator hunting a prey was pretty natural as things went.

Smolder soared over the valley in search of edible things. "Not fair..." A nice big gem should count! Still, if she wanted to prove she was the top hunter, she had to hunt. Rabbits? Or were those hares? Either way, too small. They'd both laugh at her if that was her big catch.

She saw turtles, some quite large, slowly plodding along. Tortoises, right, those. Still, there'd be no thrill in hunting those slow animals. No glory at all. No no... She had to...

Oh ho... A proud bird stood, looking over the same valley. A bird! Yes. But not that one. That was a bird of prey. It'd taste terrible, and be tough. It was built for hunting. Hunters had a code! Leave other hunters alone, unless they're muscling on your turf, then chasing them off was allowed. Still, you didn't eat other predators.

She needed a big fat prey bird. Like... that one. Smolder banked towards it, angling her wings for silent approach and her fangs on display. She was going to do it, come in for a nice clean kill.

"She was happy without hunting." Harmony inclined her head. "Is she better, getting her claws dirty?"

"She's better for doing what makes her feel good, if it doesn't hurt other people. That bird, unfortunately, is not a person." Comforting flinched at the point of contact, glancing away rather than witness the act. "And now it's lunch."

"She isn't eating it." Harmony pointed. "She's carrying it."

Comforting nodded swiftly. "Of course. She has to bring it to the others to show off. That's half the point."

"We are encouraging pride?"

Comforting elbowed back against Harmony. "Some pride is a good thing. People without pride can't get much done. Also, this is Smolder. She had plenty of pride to start with. I don't think this is making it go up or down."

"You may have a point." Harmony swiped a hoof left to right, changing the 'channel'. "You are like a... I find the signal easier to find with you here, but I struggle to discern why. You should be ruining it, with your disorder... Do you know why?"

"Because I love you very much?"

"I hope that is the reason. It's a good reason." Harmony gently squeezed her chaotic friend. "I accept that as the reason, until shown otherwise."

Comforting giggled, snuggling in and watching the scene. It was showing Gallus. "What's he doing over that wetland?"

"There are few creatures to hunt there. Perhaps a bird as well? A fish?"

Comforting skewed an ear back at her companion. "I know ponies eat fish. Do they eat birds?"

"If they want." Harmony shrugged at that. "It will not harm them, but also they do not need it. Still, different tastes..."

"That's a very long way of saying 'yes' in this case." Comforting inclined her head. "Wonder how ponies prepare birds..."

Harmony bopped Comforting gently. "I would prefer not to think of you eating that. You are welcome to eat what you wish, but you are a spirit, like me. You don't require sustenance."

Comforting blinked at that. "Wait... really? I've just been eating for fun?!"

"It was fun."

"It was fun," agreed Comforting with a smile. "And I liked being with friends and family... Still, good to know it is an option..."

Author's Note

This competition's worth more than one chapter, right? I think so! Smolder snatched a bird. What will Gallus hunt down? Cracked is in no hurry, but she'll get something, right?

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105 - The Hunt, Part 2

"That? Nah." Gallus waved off the pink long-legged bird. "You? No..." He soared over colorful fish down below. "Need something... Like that." His eyes settled on some rocks jutting from the water. But the rocks weren't the target. What under it was.

He could make out the huge form lurking beneath the surface, promising pain to those that bothered it. It was a predator, but it happened to be a tasty predator, prepared properly. "Nothing like a little cragadile..." Of course, there was nothing 'little' about it.

Or easy.

But if he could take that down, he'd be the winner for sure. There was no way Smolder would go for that wet, fire resistant, target. Would Cracked? Honestly, he had no idea, but it was the biggest thing around that came to mind. The trick was how to hunt it without becoming hunted...

Harmony shook her head slowly. "He is placing himself in great danger. As my agent, I would wish him not to do that. But... I know you would caution me not to act. Tell me why, friend Comforting."

Comforting raised a finger. "You already know the biggest reason, and it's one you've used before. Growth. He won't learn if you just pop up and tell him to cut it out. We'll do our part, just not by chastising."

Harmony inclined Twilight's borrowed ear. "You are acting your age. What part do you envision then?"

"We'll keep him from being chomped." She made a chomping motion, hands sealing their fingers against one another as if they made a big jaw. "But the rest is on him. We want him to learn, but not get hurt too badly if he messes up."

Harmony flinched at the idea. "You would let him get hurt at all?"

"You plan to raise a gang of predators without ever letting them get hurt?" Comforting shrugged at that. "Even Twilight managed to get hurt, and she's a horse that would prefer to avoid being involved in that at all."

"Ponies are not horses." Harmony was still and quiet a time. "But you are not wrong. You were hurt, badly, but you were, and are, a special case."

"Not that special," argued Comforting as she sat back against Harmony. "Let's make sure they never get to the spot I was in. No hospital stays for these little guys. They can learn a lot without that."

Harmony jumped as the battle took a turn. Gallus was trying to wrestle with the great beast with mixed success. "I do not want... to see this." But she didn't change the channel. "I can't abandon him."

Comforting tossed a gamepad she didn't have a moment before. "Here's yours." She mashed at hers, controlling Gallus with one. Harmony had the other held in her glowing horn magic, controlling the cragadile. A stamina bar hovered over either as they played a brawling game, to Harmony's clear confusion.

"How is this helping? Both are getting hurt..." But Harmony was still playing. "Explain..."

"They are, but only the way we're playing." Comforting pointed a tail at the bars above them. "Since I made this a Street Fighter, the worst that can happen is one of them falls over. Neither is going to the hospital, or past the point that'd help."

Harmony perked. "I... see. Oh. Oh! Yes. You've masked it." She waved a hoof over the image. "Concealed the events from me, spared my feelings... Yes, that was thoughtful of you, Friend Comforting. We are watching, not 'playing'." Still, she hammered at her joystick, animating her reptillian warrior in energetic battle against her griffon foe. "Why did you give me control of the one I don't want to win?"

"You just said you aren't controlling it," she huffed out with a pout. "Which is it?" She performed a special move, making Gallus do a chi blast. She was pretty sure Gallus couldn't do that, normally... But a little chaos magic... Though, with Harmony's words, she wasn't entirely sure how close to reality what they were seeing was. Still, she felt certain Gallus was alive and actually fighting, somehow, even if the details were masked.

"Enough." Harmony banished the view, the game, gone, returning instead to Cracked walking slowly along.

Cracked looked up towards the sun and its warm, shining across her back. Her tail wagged with each step in time. The wind was mild, but nice. It was a... good day, yes. She was certain of that.

She had so rarely had the chance to just enjoy one of those. In the ancient past, she had to hunt to survive, and even that was a matter of using energy very carefully, or a predator could meet their end in a miserable way. The modern day was so much kinder. She knew food would come, every single day. She just had to be a good neighbor.

Movement caught her attention, spotting a pegasus flying at the head of a flock of birds. Was the pegasus leading them, or did they just happen to fly together? She didn't know, but the sight was worth watching for a few minutes before she turned her attention to what was in front of her as she wandered farther from Ponyville in no great hurry.

It was a good day. Her hooves and teeth had returned to their rounded and less dangerous versions. She wasn't about to pounce, so using that energy felt silly. "Little cubs..." She could imagine the other two, struggling to get something big to show their worth. She felt no particular urge. She was the biggest predator by all measurements.

Cracked had nothing to prove. She just had a day to enjoy.

Mmm, but she shouldn't just return with nothing...

She spotted a small hare looking curiously at her. Did it think she was a funny pony?

That was its mistake, a fatal one. Cracked ended its life cleanly and tossed its body on her back, carrying it along as she walked. It had been easy. There, she had taken part in their little game. She licked the blood clean of her hooves even as she walked. Mmmm, tasty. Even the prey of that future time was tasty. The world had improved by every metric she could think up! She was glad to be living in it.

Harmony smiled as she sat back. "Though she is a predator, I can feel her joy. If everypony had that joy, there would be few problems in the world. Pinkie Pie is the only pony that comes to mind that experiences that complete rapture at simple existence with any regularity. At least she attempts to share it as far and wide as she can."

Comforting joined with a clapping applause. "This is one more reason I brought her here. She wouldn't have had this back in the other world. It wasn't made for her, and she wasn't made for it. She's way happier here, with the ponies. Um, I do hope she doesn't bother anyone with her catch, but she is far out of town..."

Harmony pointed a hoof at the body on Cracked. "It's so small compared to the ones the others hunted. I am not a predator, but why is the largest predator so pleased with the smallest catch? Does that not mean they lost this game?"

Comforting giggled at that. "I don't think she's worried about winning, but..." She pointed at the catch. "She caught one, and that's important. That means she isn't ignoring the game. She could have just come back and said 'ha ha, I'm not playing.' But, she didn't." Comforting twirled in place. "She's being a good older sib!"

"Sibling relationships are complicated, but valuable." She banished the image, instead showing Applejack and Big Mac, working on the farm. "They are siblings, with love and mutual support. Their relationship is one of that, support." With a waggle of her hoof, the image moved just far enough to show Apple Bloom off just enjoying the day. "Their younger sibling helps, but often they accept that she is their ward. They protect her."

Comforting hopped up and over to the picture, grabbing it and swiping it like a phone, getting Granny Smith in the picture. "You're making it more complicated than you have to. They're a family. Granny's the matron of it all." She hiked a thumb at the elder working on something in the kitchen. "The wise elder. Applejack and Big Mac are the adults." She swiped back to them to point. "And little Apple Bloom." She got her back on screen. "She's their shared daughter. And somethimes daughters help, but it's the adult's job to protect the daughter, and they do, gladly."

Harmony tapped at her chin. "But she is not their daughter." Understanding seemed to come though. "But she is. They are a harmonious family. You are not Fluttershy's daughter, but you are. To insist she is not your mother would make you upset. To insist you are not her daughter would make her upset. You are not Discord's da--"

"Don't even finish that." Discord had a finger to Harmony's snout, though her eyes didn't cross, still staring off into the distance. "You said you got it, so just shhh."

Harmony smiled at her rival. "You have shown harmony."

"Ew, where?" Discord looked over himself for the impurity. "Quick, get it before it lays eggs!"

Comforting patted at her distressed father. "There there. What are you doing here?"

"Hm? Oh." He struck a pose, double finger guns at Comforting. "Do I need a reason to visit my little filly?"

Harmony waved to the right, casually sliding Discord out of the way without touching him. "We are monitoring."

Discord swung around and sat, floating, popcorn in hand to chomp. "Ooo, what are we watching? Did Mayor Mare pick a new mane dye?" The image crackled, focusing on Mayor Mare nervously covering up her pink mane with swipes of grey. "No, that hasn't changed."

Comforting swiped back over to Gallus. "We're watching a predator game."

Discord started. "Really!? I didn't think that was either of your kind of game." He snapped on an overly large slab of beef jerky. "I'm learning all kinds of new things today, and I'm here for it. Turn that up." He hit the volume up on his control, somehow controlling the magic involved to be louder and broadcast the sounds of Gallus' struggle. "Oooo, he's in over his head, isn't he?"

Harmony tapped Comforting on the shoulder from behind. "Spirit, watcher. This is a friend of yours. You do not wish them to be harmed. How will you save them?"

Comforting tensed. That was a super testing question. She was a little local god, and being called out on her godly abilities and how she'd approach such problems. "Ah ha!" She rubbed her hands together. "I know who can help, and just wandered off in a random direction..."

With a loud splash and a deafening roar, Cracked landed on the back of the rocky beast, tearing at it with the skill of the oversized predator she was. Gallus fell back, eyes wide. "H-hey! I was hunting that!"

Discord popped a fresh popcorn puff in his mouth. "Ooo, interesting play. She's big, but so's that cragadile. Think she can handle it?"

"Not alone." Comforting sat down next to Harmony. "But she's not alone."

"I am helping," grunted out Cracked, throwing the cragadile away with a splash as she scrambled back to her paws and hooves. "We will finish this hunt, together. You weakened them."

"Yeah, I did." Looking properly mollified by the admission that he had gotten the cragadile to that point, Gallus circled around to finish the hunt with Cracked Mirror. "Doesn't stand a chance."

Comforting clapped with a big smile. "This is going to have a happy ending now."

Discord rolled a hand at that. "But isn't Smolder involved? Will she be happy about this?"

"We will have to wait." Harmony seemed fine sitting and waiting.

Discord groaned in pain. "But that'll take days!"

Comforting blinked. "The contest is only for today."

"Trust me, days." He glanced at the fourth wall and its many eyes. "Trust me..."

Author's Note

I feel I've gotten better at not resolving things in the same chapter they're brought up. Like it?

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106 - The Hunt, Part 3

Gallus ducked under a crushing snap of those terrible jaws. "Watch out!"

"I am." Cracked grabbed the cragadile by the snout, forcing it closed, but it still had many dangerous claws, already moving into position.

Harmony inclined her head faintly. "This may be much, even for them. May I help?"

"You're so predictable." Discord snapped with meaning. "I got this. You know, this is kind of fun. Why don't we hang out like this more often?"

"It's the first time it came up?" Comforting shrugged helplessly. "But it's working out, I think."

Smolder grunted in annoyance. "Where are they?!" She clearly won the speed part of things. There she was, with her big bird prize, and nocreature around to show it to. She looked up to the sky and the lazy sun there, slowly dipping towards the surface. "The day will be over..."

Did they give up? Winning on a technical victory wouldn't be any fun and involve more waiting... "Fine." She tucked her catch safely under some rocks to wait for her. "You'd better be dying or something!" She took flight to search for them. She remembered which way Gallus had gone and took off after him.

"Part of me is hoping this went badly." No, she didn't actually want Gallus hurt. But saying it let some steam off. "And where even is Cracked?" The big predator had wandered off in a random direction. She had no hope of finding them... Her search might have been fruitless even trying to find Gallus in that vast swamp.

If he wasn't making so much noise and fuss.

"What?" Gallus was on a huge cragadile's back, bashing the back of its head with mixed results. It pinned Cracked, but her hindclaws were tearing at the great beast's belly in an exchange that had no winners. It was a battle for survival, and she wasn't part of it. "The hey! When did this become a team match?" She swooped down on them with a snarl. "What gives?!"

"Glad you're here." A sudden swipe of a thick tail cut Gallus' words off, sending him flying to land with a splash in the murky water. "I mighta picked ambitiously, you know?"

"You don't say?!" Smolder drew her breath in with a great inwards heave. "Stop messing with my friends!" she roared out with her flames, baking the back of that rocky menace. That Cracked's raking claws held it up was the main reason it could be exposed to the fires instead of being protected by the water. The creature hissed in pain, outnumbered, but not clearly outclassed.

The cragadile wrenched its snout free, opening it just long enough to get it closed on one of Cracked's legs, drawing a shout of fury and pain from her.

Harmony smiled gently. "She called them friends. That is the first time she referred to Cracked this way."

Comforting rubbed at her chin. "Um, I'm glad for that, but that's what you're focusing on?"

Discord snorted out a laugh, a new kernel vanishing into his mouth. "That's just how she does things. Still, they should be able to handle this now."

"I hope so." Comforting leaned left and right for better angles. The oddest part being that it did seem to help, her viewing position changing what she saw. "I don't want them getting hurt, especially now that they've gotten this far..."

Discord shrugged at that. "We've given them all the help we can. It's up to them to bring it home, literally in this case." He cocked a brow. "Think they'd share a little of that when they're back? I haven't tried a cragadile in so long."

Harmony quirked an ear at Discord. "You may be chaotic, but you are more pony than carnivore. Does that interest you?"

"Please." Discord waved over himself. "What am I again? Draconeques. Dragonpony. Not exactly that dragon--" He hiked a thumb at the battling Smolder. "We dragons come in a lot of shapes and sizes, you know. Either way, I'm not turning down a nicely prepared steak if it's offered."

He swatted Comforting on the shoulder. "You already take after me there. I know you have a meat loving side."

"Yeah..." But she was a human, um, first. "Not sure how much I'd put that to any 'dragon' thing, dad."

"Oh, pshaw." He waved it off. "We're chaos spirits, we can put it on whatever we want to. Now, did they win yet?"

All three of them returned their attention to the floating image.

Cracked heaved for slow and deep breaths. "That... was a bad hunt."

Gallus cocked a brow. "We won." He kicked the defeated cragadile. "How can that be bad?"

Smolder landed atop it. "Yeah! Best hunt, more like it."

Cracked raised a hoof in quiet for a long moment. "We did win. But we paid a price for it." She swept that same hoof over her many cuts and bruises. "We were hurt, and that was very tiring. In the future, consider your target. If it looks too tough to take down quickly, pick another. Only when there are no others does one consider something this powerful."

Gallus winced at the injuries Cracked had endured, not that he didn't have some to show himself. "Right... So, if it was so bad, why'd you join?"

Cracked booped the griffon on his beak. "Because I didn't want to watch you get torn apart. Now, we have all completed this hunt. May I suggest we share in the victory and call the contest concluded?"

Smolder's smirk was legendary. "Not so fast. I caught mine and brought it back first, and it's great! Come and see." She waved for the others to follow as she took off into the air. "This way!"

Gallus shrugged at the retreating dragon. "If we don't go see it, she won't leave us alone about it, and she'll claim she won, anyway."

"I will meet you there." Cracked started in a different direction. "I have to get my catch."

Gallus gawped silently. "Wait... You did get something?! Huh..." But he went to claim... "Uh... Cracked? This is kinda heavy..."

Cracked chuckled softly, turning about to go grab the significant body of the cragadile and slip it over her shoulder. "Fine. Another reason not to hunt something so large you can't carry it. It's hard to make leftovers, hm?"

"Yeah yeah." But Gallus went with her, the two emerging from the wetlands to more firm ground. "Where'd you put yours? I'll carry that."

"If you want." Cracked led the way to where she had tucked the hare for safe keeping. "That."

Gallus picked up the rabbit-creature. "Huh." He turned it left and right, weighing it along the way. "Isn't this... small for you?"

Cracked shrugged. "It would have served a fine lunch, and I used far less energy to get it than I'd get from it. A quick and easy kill. I won with that."

"Huh... Huh." Gallus did carry it, as he had promised. "You really think through the whole survival angle, don't you?"

"Better than not surviving," argued Cracked back with a little smile. "I'll take that any day of the week."

"Yeah, but the contest--"

"--was misguided." Cracked directed a claw at the hare. "I lost the contest, and admit my failure as a trophy hunter." She leaned in, breath washing hot over Gallus. "But I survived."

Gallus snickered, which grew into an outright laugh. "Wow, alright, sure. Anyway, the real winner was teamwork." He reached up to pat the enormous body of their prey. "Together, we can take down anything!"

"Together." Cracked didn't extend that conversation, quietly plodding along.

Discord golf-clapped slowly. "Well, that looks like a happy ending from this angle."

"Not quite." Comforting leaned in towards the vision. "They have to meet up with Smolder."

Harmony hummed gently. "She seemed to agree that things had ended well, but she would like victory. Will that sour it?"

"It could... I hope not."

Discord slid in front of Comforting. "You do know what this means, don't you?"

Comforting blinked at that. "What's 'this'?"

"This is you acting like us." Discord pointed at Harmony and himself. "Congratulations, you're living the spirit life." He was not alone, his applause echoed by Harmony in the two finding delight in Comforting's progress. "There is a downside, I should warn."

"My most powerful agent is aware of this. She flew high enough to touch it, and once touched, one cannot escape it." Harmony shook her head with finality. "I apologize, Friend Comforting. I should have warned you."

Discord waved that off. "She's a grown mare, she gets to make her own decisions."

"You're not saying what I did." Comforting poked at herself, and she felt just as solid as before. "What happened?!"

Harmony reached up, brushing the image without touching it and summoning a picture of Celestia. "She can see as we see, though recent events have obscured it somewhat. She is a seer. She is a watcher. Like us. She is no spirit, but she is a watcher, and that changes a creature. She will never again be the fulcrum on which the world turns. No... No..."

"No," agreed Discord. "She is a fulcrum, but she never gets to be the one pressing down on the bar. Don't get your terminology all mixed up. Celestia is a bump, and sometimes Twilight has to hop down on one side or the other to get things right. In the future, if she gets her way, she'll become a bump, and it'll be up to the creatures around her to get things moving. Essential, but powerless on her own. Such is the way of things."

"Such is the way of things." She directed a hoof at Discord. "He has power, and no control. Why does he not fix all their problems?"

"Because that'd be boring?" ventured Discord with a shrug.

"That, and he cannot. But he doesn't want to, so little is lost. You cannot, but you want to... something is lost. You will have to help your friends as you did today."

Discord snorted at that. "I've helped Twilight and her friends before!"

"Rarely. You know your powers could help more often and more easily than you tend to do."

"I like watching them struggle a bit." Discord shrugged at that. "Puts hair on their chest." As if any of the ponies lacked sufficient hair.

Comforting frowned at the whole idea. "But I'm still a student with them! If a problem comes up... why wouldn't I try to help?"

Harmony inclined her head. "Chaotic Harmony, you act in ways not like I, or like Discord. Perhaps my worries are for nothing."

"You are a bit of a worrywart." He pointed at the image. "Look, they're back."

Cracked set down the heavy body with a great thump on the ground. "Here is our catch. We will not be hungry for some time."

Gallus tossed the hare on top. "Here's Cracked's catch."

"Really?" Smolder peered at the little rabbit. "Really? Whatever. Here's mine!" Gallus darted off, rushing back with a bird big enough to make her move slowly. She dumped the thing ahead, like an emu or an ostrich, flightless but heavy. "Ta da! And I got it back here before any of you."

Cracked inclined her head left, then right. "I concede. This is a fine trophy kill. Did you get hurt?" Smolder shook her head. "Was it hard?"

"For me? Nah." Smolder shrugged cockily. "In and out, pow, lunch is served."

"Then I say you are the winner." Cracked nodded. "But we will all enjoy victory... Mmm... Ponies have such good recipes of late. Do either of you know how to prepare this?" She directed a hoof at the cragadile.

Smolder looked so proud. "I'm not just a trophy hunting champ, I know how to cook something up fierce."

Gallus tapped at the Cragadile. "You get this. I'll cook that." He pointed to the bird. "We griffons know a thing or two about birds."

"Figures." Smolder shrugged. "Sounds like a plan. Let's celebrate... my victory."

"You are the worst." Gallus slapped at her, but they were both smiling.

Cracked nodded at the two smaller predators. "You have much to learn, and I look forward to helping that along. There are ways to approach large beasts. How you start sets the tempo of the battle."

Gallus' eyes widened. "Will you show me?"

"Gladly." And they went off, burdened with meat, but all delighted to tell, or hear, stories of how to hunt dangerous prey better in the future.

Author's Note

End arc, but Comforting is given a warning, or ultimatum? You're a god! There are rules.

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107 - What happened?

Comforting bumped fists with Gallus, the two separating with smiles. But she didn't get far before Ocellus landed next to her. "Hi!"

Ocellus waved a little shyly. "Hi... What happened?"

"Where?" Comforting glanced about for the odd thing, but saw nothing, aside herself maybe? But that wasn't a new odd thing, no... Had to be something else. "What do you mean?"

"Gallus." Ocellus pointed where Gallus had gone. "He's... smiling. What happened? I'm not complaining, promise. It's nice to see him smiling. He looks happy, really happy."

"He found a new thing to connect on." Comforting worked her fingers against one another in a mesh. "Pretty sure... he's feeling closer to a lot of creatures actually."

Ocellus pointed to herself. "Like me? I'm a creature."

"We're all creatures," countered Comforting. "Just some of us are also ponies or other things. He's a predator, and proud of it. And now he has some predator friends."

"Oh." Ocellus was quiet a moment, thoughts dancing unseen. "I'm not a predator."

Comforting ruffled the top of the changeling's head. "You are not. Changelings never were. Used to be... mentalvores? Whatever the term is for eating thinking?" She blinked with sudden confusion. "Wait, what do changelings eat now?"

"Whatever we want?" Ocellus inclined her head. "You've seen me eat lunch before, and dinner." But she smiled despite that moment of confusion. "Silly. Changelings are omnivores. We can be whatever we want, so we can eat whatever we want. Um, not that we'd ever want to eat a creature!" She colored in horror of the idea. "Of course not!"

Comforting hiked both thumbs at herself. "I'm one of those too. Omnivores, represent." She held out a hand to get it booped with a hoof in solidarity. "Well, if you want to hunt something, Gallus learned he kinda likes that, for fun." Comforting smiled as she settled her hands on her hips. "Just fun, not for any imagined profit."

"Wow." Ocellus clopped a hoof to her cheek. "That's amazing. Did you do that?"

"I might have helped a teeny tiny bit... but I'm not taking credit for this. This was mostly him and his fellow predators. They really came together." She clapped her hands, bouncing down the hallway in an energetic walk. "I'm proud of all of them."

"That's great news! Oh, we should get to class now." She waved. "See you at lunch."

"See ya." They separated; another fine meeting with a friend.

Twilight smiled at one of her more curious students. "You have not been studying magic."

"N-no..." Comforting smiled timidly at that. "Sorry."

"While I am a little sad... I also understand." Twilight considered her student with a swish of her tail. "But it makes our meetings a little... Why do you come here? If you've set aside unicorn magic, which is your right to do, why come to a magic tutor?"

"Because I learn a lot." Comforting clasped her hands. "Because I like you and talking to you. I do magic, but it's not the unicorn way. You're not kicking me out, are you?"

Twilight made a face at that. "N-no... I just want to be clear where we stand." She set her hooves firmly on the ground. "You're not learning spells, this seems clear. I suppose I understand why. I might be tempted too, if I could just... do what you're doing. I'm a little sad you won't be the next... Your wizard status was something I was looking forward to. You seemed so eager."

Comforting flopped forward across her desk. "Sorry! It's hard to focus on that when I can...do it already. Oh, try me. Name a spell."

Twilight inclined her head. "Since you're offering... But not here and not now." She frowned with thought. "There has to be a way to measure it..."

"We tried that before. Chaos doesn't like being measured. Sorry..." She spread her hands a little. "It's not my idea, promise."

"Thank you for understanding. I know... Still... Hm, not your fault." She hook her head in resignation. "I'll figure out something... But, for sake of curiosity--" An element she had plenty of "--Why don't we try some traditionally hard spells?"

Comforting perked at that. "I like the sound of it. Try me!"

"Well." She waved over herself. "Can you do age spells? Hm, I suppose 'spell' is the wrong word to use. Can you make me younger, or older? Such a feat, for a unicorn, would be a master class of magic! Even I haven't managed that."

Comforting hopped free of the desk, oozing free to floating in the air. She clapped her hands down on either shoulder of Twilight's. "You're too tall." She pressed down, compressing Twilight as if she were made of puff instead of pony until she was down to where Comforting stood as a four-legged filly. "That's better."

Twilight tilted her head. "I said to make me a different age," she chastised in a higher voice, which made her pause. "W-wait..." She raised a hoof, then the other hoof, gawking at her little self. "Oh! I thought...I thought you made the room larger. I didn't feel anything."

Twilight patted herself down, discovering she was a filly in every physical way. "Amazing! Was that difficult?"

"Little Twilight is still Twilight." Comforting giggled with joy, admiring her handiwork. "So cute! So little, but so powerful."

Twilight tilted her smaller horn. "When I was this little the first time, I did not have these." She spread her wings, still being an alicorn despite her new age. "Is this temporary?"

"I hope so." Comforting cringed at the idea. "They'll be really angry at me if I turned the headmare into a filly, no matter how adorable she may be."

"No matter how much," agreed Twilight, waving a little hoof at comforting in a way that failed at being reprimanding. "Well, why not experiment a little. Make me normal."

"Normal is easy." Comforting reached a number of frames, or maybe paragraphs, back and grabbed the adult Twilight, slapping her down on top of the young Twilight, casually replacing one with the other.

The grown Twilight blinked in confusion. "Okay, I felt that one... That was strange, but it worked. What did you... do?"

"I put your adult self where your younger self was," explained Comforting as if that was a normal thing to do.

"B-but... what happened to my younger self then?" Twilight patted herself down. "I can still remember what happened..."

"Because you are your younger self, silly." Comforting stuck out her tongue. "But there's only room for one of you at a time, usually... Dad made there be two of me one time. That was... amazing, but uncomfortable. I won't do that to you."

"I can only imagine, and that just barely..." Twilight settled her hooves down. "I choose to accept this at face value. I can't imagine how else to do it..." She wobbled a hoof. "You're like Pinkie, but easier to verify as a fact, however poorly defined. Hm, well, by measure of ability, congratulations. You're a wizard." She shrugged softly. "But you're not using spells to do it, so..."

"So I'm not, I get it." Comforting bounced a step back. "I get it. I can't claim to be a math professor because I'm good at a calculator."

"I should imagine not... You've held a calculator before?"

Comforting started. "You haven't?"

"They're very expensive." Twilight threw a hoof wide. "And not required if you know your math properly, which I do." Stated with pride in herself, Twilight nodded. "But, I hear they can be useful, but far too expensive for the help they give."

Comforting drew out a calculator, just to turn it about. It didn't feel like it was dissolving...

Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh... I forgot you can do that. Is that... No, I suppose not."

"Suppose not what?" Comforting tapped idly at the calculator, performing nonsensical bits of math.

"That's not permanent... right?"

"Right." Comforting nodded and tossed the calculator over her shoulder, letting it fade away before it even hit the ground. "Permanent isn't a very 'chaos' thing."

"It would seem not... But the consequences of what you do can be very permanent." Twilight walked towards a black board across the room. "What Discord did shaped Equestria in very fundamental ways. Even if the physical marks of his trickery have faded... The consequences have not."

"I'll be careful." Comforting crossed her arms. "Was there another spell you wanted me to try?"

"Mmmm... The ones I am most curious about, I have the sense to know it could be dangerous, especially if anything goes wrong."

"Like?" Comforting leaned forward, floating in the air. "Now I'm curious."

"My mistake." She looked over her shoulder with a little smile. "This may be safer on another creature, however. I was simply wondering the extent by which you can modify a biological form. Maybe a changeling would be best, since they can undo any mishaps with only a moment of confusion to show for it."

"But that would be mean. I wouldn't do that to Ocellus. She is way too pure." Comforting floated in to tap Twilight on the nose. "Be nice."

Twilight wriggled her nose. "I am nice! But you're not wrong. That would be a lot to ask... Now, last time, we were going over the runes, which you seem to have proper control over, but also don't need. Do you want to proceed with that, or shall we set aside unicorn magic as a study topic?"

Comforting considered that with all due gravity. "I don't want to give up Twilight time. You're like my favorite auntie."

Twilight tensed. "W-what? I... Hm, I am one of those. But I'm not your auntie. I'm your professor, you said so!" She pointed at Comforting accusingly.

"Because you are," allowed Comforting. "But you can also be my auntie, and I love you for both of those things. You're practically a sister to my mother, so..."

"So... auntie... I see..." Twilight ruffled her wings on her back, rubbing feathers together. "I see... Pardon me, but I have to think about that a little... Not upset, I hope?"

"Becoming an aunt is a big deal! I bet you were surprised when you first became one."

"I was!" Twilight threw her hooves wide. "You'd think the second time would be less surprising... But... Just, a little while, please... I'm not saying no... I just need to process this." Twilight took a bit of chalk in her magic and began doodling on the board. "An aunt, twice..."

Comforting got the idea and floated backwards towards the door. "I'll see you tommorow at class." She waved at the distracted unicorn and slipped out. "Yes..." Even if Twilight had been quite shocked, she hadn't shot Comforting down. The odds of securing a new aunt felt high.

"Going for a full collection?" Discord was there, dressed as a 90s high school student. "Still have to get an uncle, a brother..." He counted each on a finger as he went. "Maybe some grandparents? Oh, what about an uncle? I hear those are fun!"

"You said uncle twice?"

"Relations so nice, you say them twice," reasoned Discord without any regrets. "I'd claim the spot, but I'm already daddy."

"Hi, Daddy." She hugged him gently. "You're already good at that."

"One of the best." Discord buffed his chest with pride. "Now, enough Twilight time. A spirit's calling for you."

"Is it you?" She hiked a brow with a little smirk. "You already found me."

"No!" He bopped her gently. "As if you could stop me. It's your other spirit friend. I know she sent you a message before, so why she didn't just do it again, beyond me."

"Aw!"

Discord blinked at that. "Aw what?"

"It's so nice, seeing you two talking." She danced from foot to foot. "I'm so happy!"

"You're welcome. I guess... Anyway, she wants to talk to you, whenever you get a chance, or don't. I won't force you."

Competing ideas came up. She could send a message herself, or just hop over... "I should tell mom where I'm going." She got to mentally typing out the message to Harmony, letting her know what's going on. "Silly Harmony."

"Very silly." He vanished without fanfare.

Author's Note

The start of something new, but also the end of something old. Comforting doesn't want to give up Twilight time. Would you?

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108 - Best Laid Plans

"Comfy!" Gallus spotted her and rushed to match her pace away from the school. "I was hoping I'd run into you. Talking to the teach?" He hiked a thumb back at the school. "Still learning magic?"

"Not as much anymore." Comforting shrugged, floating alongside him. "I kinda have all the magic I dare to have."

"You... sound almost dangerously confident there." His brows went up. "But forget that! I brought Cracked and Smolder over to our secret cave. Um, don't be mad about that."

Comforting looked far more confused than angry. "Oh? You showed them the machine?"

"I did. Cracked didn't get it, but she's big and strong. With her brawn and Smolder and I's brains, we got it working the way we wanted it to!"

Comforting applauded with joy, drifting over Gallus as she did it. "That's great!" That they'd done it without her direct assistance, she penciled down as another victory. Cheating with chaos wasn't a lasting solution. "Can I share a victory of mine?"

"Huh? Yeah, go for it." He reached up to swat a passing hand in an impromptu high-five. "What'd you do?"

"Remember when I was gone?" She waved off to nowhere in particular.

"Yeah?"

"I learned, or re-learned really..." She worked her hands together. "If you really want something, it'll hurt, but that blood and sweat can bring something lasting. Cheating past it is fun! But not for forever fixes." That there was literal blood, Comforting didn't go into detail about.

"Huh." Gallus shrugged at that. "Well, alright, got a point there. You were trying pretty hard to 'cheat' it, but I feel like what we did is for the long haul. Good job, by the way." He took flight next to Comforting, with more flapping involved. "Glad you took Cracked from wherever she was. She's pretty great."

"Isn't she?" snag out Comforting with a big smile. "Glad you're all getting along. I have to report in to mom." They shared a little wave and Comforting zipped ahead to get to her house. "I'm home!" she announced as she slapped the door shut behind her.

"Sis!" Screwball came hurrying out in an energetic hover to crash into Comforting in a warm hug of shared joy. "Welcome home!"

"Hello." Fluttershy joined the rest of the family with a gentle smile. "Did you have fun with Twilight?"

"I did." Comforting released Screwball to float joyfully away. "But I got a message from Harmony to visit her, so I was going to do that, but wanted to check in first."

"Thank you for doing that." Fluttershy hummed softly. "I... did you know you have an uncle?"

Comforting started. "I do?! I was just talking--"

"--With Discord, yes. He mentioned it to me." She went to a dresser and fetched a picture of another pegasus. "My brother. We... don't always get along..." She held out the picture of Zephyr Breeze. "But I care about him and want the best."

Comforting took the picture in her hands. "Wow." He was one of the few ponies she'd seen with that... specific look. "How does a pony get a stubble?"

"I... never thought about that before." Fluttershy curled a hoof to her chin. "But it's what he always had since he became a grown pony. Some ponies grow all kinds of interesting facial hair, mares and stallions alike, though usually stallions." She patted at her own snout, with average length fur all across it. "Nothing fancy here, sorry."

Comforting patted her own face. "Same here. Dad wins for the most interesting beard in the family."

Fluttershy giggled at the thought. "He wins that hooves down." She took her picture back. "But have a good time with Harmony. Will you be back for dinner?"

"Good question." Comforting twirled on Screwball. "You stay here today. I'll try to be back for dinner, but don't panic if I'm not." She could fix that problem if needed.

"Alright then." Fluttershy grabbed Screwball with a wing as she walked past, taking both towards the kitchen. "Have a pleasant walk."

"Thanks, mom!" Comforting hurried through the door and shut it behind her. Hopping to Harmony was a temptation, but she had just promised to have a nice walk, so she got to walking instead. "No harm getting a little motion in these legs."

But another creature had spotted her walking off. Their steps were deceptively quiet when she wanted them to be. Cracked leaned in over Comforting from behind. "Where are you going? You look like you have your eyes already set on a prize."

"Cracked!" Comforting reached up to tickle the bottom of Cracked's snout, getting a canine noise of approval from that pony snout. "I'm just visiting another spirit, no hunting here, sorry."

"Ah, fine." She shook out entirely from front to back. "But if you need protection, I am here."

"You are just the best." Comforting grabbed Cracked's snout to bring it in for a little smooch. "I'll be alright."

"You are far more capable in this world." She waved a hoof under where Comforting was casually floating. "This world is like that... I was a pale shadow in the other. Thank you for helping me."

"Super welcome." Comforting came in for a landing and resumed her hike. "Have fun!" She waved as she departed. Fluttershy's cottage was right on the edge of the Everfree, so there was nothing else in her way from passing into the forest. None of the monsters there bothered her, either for not being there, or not wanting to start a fight with her.

She did spot a cockatrice, but the chicken of stone was busy chasing after a large worm it desired far more than Comforting, so she left it to its business. Light returned as she emerged from the forest, near the old castle and the treehouse that held Harmony. "Harmony!" she called out, hurrying towards the tree.

"You came." But there was no pony to go with it, just a voice.

Comforting hiked a brow at that. "Trees don't talk. You said so."

"They normally do not," agreed the voice. "But I need all of my energy to make this offer. Friend Comforting, come and listen, then accept or deny. Ask, you requested that."

Comforting hurried closer on her short legs. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, but perhaps it could be more right? Only by looking can we know which is true. Do you remember the vision I shared with you?"

"The... other me?"

"That one." There was a moment of quiet. "Would you like to visit your other self? You have visited other places that could have been, but never were. One more? I would like you to meet your other self."

Comforting rocked left and right, considering the offer. "I've missed a lot of school. I don't want to become a trouble student."

"Harmonious chaos," sang the nothing that was Harmony. "I adore that this concerns you. I assure, no time will be lost. You will get home in time for dinner, even if, for you, it feels like some time."

Comforting raised a finger. "You... sound different right now. Are you alright?" The voice was right, but the way of the words... "Just checking."

"I blame you, friend. I have asked. The other part of the bargain is you must answer. Yes, or no. I will accept either, but you must answer."

"Just checking." She held up two fingers close together. "Will I still be Chaos Comforting, or something else?"

"Sending you as human Comforting would be interesting, but aside the point, and confusing. My chaos has not grown to that extent. Sending you as old Comforting would benefit nocreature at all. Chaos comforting it is. Let two advanced Comfortings learn of each other, for the better, I hope. Do you accept?"

That question was firmer each time it was repeated. An answer was demanded. She had to give it. Yes, or no. "Last question, I promise. I promise promise. Do I get to pick when I come back?"

Metal thumping into the grass. Comforting crouched down and felt about, finding a pin that was also a button. "Press this to come back?" She tried clicking it, and in doing so, gave her answer.

It was yes.

"I should cleanse myself." An image of Twilight stepped out, no longer holding her energy for that effect. "Please be well."

Comforting landed with a thump in front of her house. Er, or Fluttershy's house? She was herself, all chaotically mish-mashed. The world looked like the world she knew, but it wasn't, she also knew that. "Mom?" She paused, turning in place to look across the road. There was no mound of Cracked's home.

There was no Cracked. That Comforting had never gone to rescue that beast. Perhaps she had, but left them there in the other world? The other... other world. The multiverse could get really complicated.

"Aw." That Equestria was diminished for the lack of that lovable predator, Comforting decided. But there was little she could do about that. "Mom?" She knocked on the door. "You home?" It was evening, so she wouldn't be at school, Comforting figured.

"Coming," came a gentle voice from within. The door opened to reveal a smiling Fluttershy, but she squeaked and closed the door just as quickly. "Y-yes?" she asked through it, voice quivering.

Comforting felt a stab of pain at the rejection, even if the why became clear with just a moment of thought. "Sorry, not here to bother anypony."

"O-oh... that's good." Fluttershy dared to open the door a crack. "Can I... help you?"

Comforting tried her best smile. "I'm looking... for Comforting."

"You..." Perhaps Fluttershy saw how Comforting, well, looked like Comforting. "She's over there." She pointed to another house, further in town.

Comforting blinked owlishly at that. "She doesn't live with you?"

"Oh, no. She's a princess now. She can handle herself, um... I couldn't really stand in her way." Fluttershy tilted her head at the strange new Comforting. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, sort of..." Comforting rubbed one of her arms. "I'll go say hi. Thanks!"

"You're welcome." Fluttershy closed the door as her brief guest fled. "That was strange..."

Comforting hurried into town, floating along, at least until the first pony fled. "Right." She touched down and got to walking, being less immediately troubling on her feet. "This isn't my Ponyville." They knew her there, and loved her, and she loved them.

She was a stranger there, a strange stranger, at that.

The house Fluttershy had pointed to was a simple one story house. 'Princess Comforting', it read on the post box outside. "Here I am." Comforting turned onto the stone-paved path leading up to the house. "I hope I like me."

She knocked on the door lightly. "Hey, Comforting? You home?"

The door glowed with unicorn magic, allowing a filly to come into view, her wings fluttering behind her. "H--eye?" She saw the strange creature on her doorstep. "Are you related to Discord?"

"Actually, yes!" But maybe not that world's Discord? Surely he'd understand! "It's nice to meet you." She offered a hand.

Princess Comforting reached out, touching hoof to hand. "Nice to meet you. How can I help?"

"That is something I'd ask." But maybe not a helpful start of things. "You know Harmony, right?"

Comforting started with confusion. "O-of course. What about her?"

"She sent me here to see how you turned out." She turned a thumb on herself. "And this is going to sound super wierd, but I'm another you, from another maybe. You could have become me, but you didn't. I could have become a princess, but I didn't." A moment of thought. "Did you get really hurt once?"

Princess Comforting shrank at that. "Yes... That happened. I trusted Harmony to save me. I'm still working to make it up to her." She smiled though. "Worth it every day. I get to make creatures happy all over by fixing things Harmony tells me about. What do you do?"

Author's Note

Comforting, meet Comforting. By popular demand!

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109 - The Path Not Taken

"I think you're telling the truth."

Chaos Comforting tilted her head. "Of course I am."

"You are a chaos creature," reminded Harmony Comforting. "Assuming that feels silly."

"I... Alright, point. I am more chaotic than you, but I'm still Comforting." She spread her arms. "I like helping people, not playing jokes that could hurt them."

Harmony Comforting smiled, her eyes darting to Chaos Comforting's lack of a mark. "You... You have my name and you look like me." She looked back at her own mark, hug displayed, but not quite what Chaos Comforting ever had. "Harmony told me that she directs things towards the best maybes." She considered her chaotic copy. "Does that... I'm sorry, not trying to be mean, but does that make you a not-best maybe?"

"Ow..." Chaos Comforting rest her hands on her hips. Unlike the other Comforting, she still had hands. "It was my choice, not hers, that led to both of us, I think? Actually..." She frowned, thinking of that pivotal moment. "Sorry to keep bringing it up, but when you got really hurt, did Harmony ask before she crowned you?"

"No?" Harmony Comforting looked confused at the idea. "Why would she? I was hurt, and she could help, so she did." She smiled radiantly. "I'm very grateful. Being a princess is fun anyway." She pulled a tiara free of herself and placed it on her head, completing the look. "I'm the princess of caring. You could call it a subsidary of kindness. I remind mom she's my inspiration all the time!"

Chaos Comforting applauded the show. "That's adorable! Speaking of that though, why did you move out?" She hiked a thumb at Fluttershy's cottage in the distance. "You still look like a foal to me."

Harmony Comforting pointed at her chaos twin. "You were a human, just like me, right?"

"Yep?"

"Then neither of us are foals, really," concluded Harmony Comforting. "After I got hurt like that... I decided to start taking things a little more seriously. It was time to act my age, no matter how big or small I was." She stuck out her tongue a little. "Before you ask, that doesn't mean I can't have fun. I have a lot of friends, and we have fun all the time. Not like adults can't have fun. So... I moved out. You didn't? You still live with Mo--Fluttershy?"

Chaos Comforting colored, called out like that! "Y-yeah... I have a sister and--"

"Sister?!" Harmony Comforting curled a hoof at herself. "I don't have a sister. Did you bring one from Earth?"

"No, adopted. A pony," explained Chaos Comforting. "I rescued her from chaos, and she still needs a lot of help, more than Mom could give without taking up her day, so I help with that."

Harmony Comforting sat back with a gentle smile. "Then you're not just freeloading. I'm so glad to hear that. What's she like, this sister?"

"Very nice." Both Comfortings nodded at that, as if they could have a not-nice Equestrian sister, please... "But confused. She's getting better. She's a pony that touched way too much chaos and got dazzled by it really bad. She wants to be a good pony though. We just started sending her to school." Chaos Comforting clapped her hands. "And she's making so many friends. It's adorable."

"What is her name? Maybe I know her. A different her? Like you and me." She pointed at her and Chaos Comforting.

"That would be neat... Alright, Screwball?"

Harmony Comforting shook her head. "I don't know any pony by that name." Her eyes widened. "I need to tell Harmony! Maybe she needs help!"

Chaos Comforting lifted into the air, ready to take off, but Harmony Comforting was not following. "I thought we were going to Harmony?"

Harmony Comforting blinked with confusion. "Silly. Where...? I see Harmony in my dreams."

Chaos Comforting came in for a landing. "You don't visit her... physical self?" Her griffon tail lashed with confusion. "You have wings. You could fly there." Chaos Comforting also had wings, but also didn't need them.

"No?" Harmony Comforting turned back towards her house. "Come on." She led the way inside with a smile. "Harmony visits in dreams. Didn't she visit you in yours?"

"Used to..." Chaos comforting scratched at her cheek as she came inside, swatting the door shut with her tail. "But now we visit face to face, or she sends me a message to come visit her." A thought came to her. "Are you and Harmony really close friends?"

"Yes... no? It's... complicated." Harmony Comforting worked her hooves together. "I owe her everything. But we don't just... chat... She's Harmony! She has a whole world to watch... I'm just helping out. I was selfish, at first, taking up her time... But I've grown out of that." She tapped a hoof on her chest. "I'm proud of that."

Chaos Comforting huffed. "Not... the relationship I have with my Harmony... She's like a dear friend. I would help her, when she asks, but she has to ask."

Harmony Comforting looked aghast. "She has to ask?! She's watching a whole world... She tells me what's needed, and I do my best. It's the least I can do."

Chaos Comforting held up her hands. "Let's not get too worked up. Two different Harmonies. Two different Comfortings. We each have our own way of doing it."

Harmony Comforting nodded. "True... Sorry. I shouldn't chastise someone that's not even from this world..." She suddenly smiled with a new thought. "Have you ever said no?"

"Mm?"

"To Harmony. Have you ever said no to her?"

Chaos Comforting considered that. "Only once."

Harmony Comforting flinched. "Was... it... She only would... It had to be important... What happened?"

Chaos Comforting waved over herself. "This happened. I turned down Harmony's offer of princess, and the even scarier option of--"

"--There was a more scary option?!" Harmony Comforting looked horrified at the mere idea of it. "What was the scarier option?"

"I handle it myself," explained Chaos Comforting. "And either live, or die, with nobody to blame, or thank, but myself. Hmmm. I wonder what that me looks like..."

"The not dead option, I hope." Harmony Comforting dared a little smile, clearly rocked by the new information. "I didn't even know that was... possible. I was hurt, and Harmony helped me. There were no questions, she just helped me."

"Mine asked. Discord offered too. I took his." She spread her mismatched hands. "Ta da! He's my dad now."

"Your father?" Harmony Comforting hiked up a brow. "And Fluttershy... He must like that." She was smiling at that, hopping up onto her couch. "Daughter of Discord. That explains a lot of things... You are Chaos Comforting."

"You are Harmony Comforting," countered Chaos Comforting, floating up to sit even with the couch. "Nice to meet you. What would the other Comforting be?"

"We would have to meet her."

"Do you want to?"

"No," flatly denied Harmony Comforting. "It's none of my business, if we're being honest. Harmony will send me to her, if it is. Leaving to go look would be betraying her."

"Harmony sent me here. My Harmony." Chaos Comforting pointed off to where a Harmony stood, in theory.

"About that." Harmony Comforting waggled a hoof at Chaos Comforting. "You turned her down. How... why are you two still talking, at all?"

Chaos Comforting considered that, the weaving path that led to that point. "Long story. For one, she felt bad when I got hurt. We never stopped talking. Then I went to visit her, and I kept helping her. Um... also, I think becoming this might have broken a few things." She scratched behind her head. "Too much chaos, maybe? She was... weakened, confused. I couldn't leave her like that, so I help her a lot, actually... In different ways, probably way different from how you do it."

"Way different," easily agreed Harmony Comforting. "How many ponies have you helped?"

"Most... of them aren't ponies?" This only got a shocked expression. "What? Other creatures deserve love too."

"S-sure, of course... But my quests have all been ponies..." Harmony Comforting rubbed at her cheek. "Our lives are very different now. I imagine, with time, it will only grow further apart."

Chaos Comforting darted in, only pulling to a screeching halt at the last very second. "Sorry! May I hug you?"

Harmony Comforting giggled at that. "Of course you can. You don't have to ask to hug."

Chaos Comforting floated there, blinking dumbly. "Wow."

"Wow?" What was confusing Chaos Comforting was... confusing. "Wow what?"

"The time we got hurt wasn't where we split." Chaos Comforting landed gently. "We were never the same pony..."

"You aren't even a pony," noted Harmony Comforting with a little smirk. "But... expand on that?"

Chaos Comforting waved over herself. "I don't like being hugged or touched without a warning. I never did. I never did."

Harmony Comforting's eyes widened. "What? I love being hugged by friendly people." She pointed to Chaos Comforting's lack of a mark. "I have a mark for it! You're me... How can you be me and hate hugs?!" She threw her forehooves wide. "What chaos is this?!"

"Ha ha." Chaos Comforting rolled her eyes. "I like hugs quite a bit, I just prefer to be the one giving them. Getting them is great too, if I know it's coming." A thought came to her. "Hey, how's the Twilight lessons going?"

"She's the best! At magic lessons at least." Harmony Comforting's horn began to glow with the promise of power. "I learn more every time we meet. Oh, your book must be so large, since you're not being sent on quests. Show me!"

"Uh... not so much..." admitted Chaos Comforting. "Once I became this..." She gestured over her chaos self. "Magic lost a lot of its appeal. I can do anything, about, just by wanting it to happen."

Harmony Comforting clopped her hooves to her cheeks. "Really?! Um... Oh... You have all of Discord's power?"

"In theory? I'm still learning it. You're still learning magic. We're the same there." Chaos Comforting shrugged a little. "The way it is. But I can get a lot done. I bet you can too. But I also bet you couldn't match Twilight."

"Magic is her cutie mark." Harmony Comforting snorted. "That's hard to match! Starlight's pretty close though. It's hard to say which of the two is top. But she has a magic mark too." Harmony Comforting pointed at her own mark. "Not magic."

"Not magic." Chaos Comforting shrugged. "But still magic. Just not the best magic. I'm chaos, but not the best chaos... I miss Twilight magic lessons, but we talk about other stuff at least."

"I'm glad to hear that." Harmony Comforting slid to the floor and offered both hooves. "Hug?"

"Hug." Chaos Comforting crashed into her harmonious doppelganger, the two snuggling in an intense bout of affection. "We may be different."

"But we are the same in the important ways," concluded Harmony Comforting. "Is it nice, having hands again?"

"Best part!" Chaos Comforting wriggled her fingers at her twin. "I really like having fingers again."

Harmony Comforting extended a hoof. "Being a pony has its advantages. No pony gets scared when we first meet."

Chaos Comforting flinched at that, remembering the fleeing ponies when she first appeared. "Yeah... That's a thing. Oh! The students!"

"The students? You mean at Twilight's school?"

Chaos Comforting nodded quickly. "Are you good friends with them?"

"I am friends with some of them, but only as neighbors, really..." Harmony Comforting shrugged. "I only visit for Twilight lessons, mostly. Other than that, I'm doing Harmony quests, or I'm 'just' a princess, doing princess things. I'm not a student, of that school. Not anymore..."

Chaos Comforting waved over herself. "Don't you see it? I have a bit of each of them?" She tapped a yak hoof on the ground and lashed a griffon tail. "They're... super important to me."

Harmony Comforting smiled gently at that. "I am so happy to hear you have close friends. I have them too, but they are not the same friends."

Author's Note

Sheesh, this chapter came out in a rush, but felt so... heavy. The implications are many! I presume folks would prefer I explore this alter-verse a little before heading home, yeah?

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110 - Chaotic Harmony

The two Comfortings shared a wave, but went their different ways. Harmony Comforting went inside. Chaos Comforting darted off to where she knew she needed to look. The Everfree forest was about the same, with the same stairs heading down to where Harmony once rested.

Harmony wasn't there. The students had still moved her? Comforting darted up to find the treehouse still there. "There you are. Hello. I'm a friend." She landed a small distance from the tree. "But you probably don't recognize me."

The tree did not reply.

"Harmony?" Comforting took a few steps closer on timid hooves. "It's me, Comforting."

"You are not Comforting." A far-staring pony stepped out, not Twilight, but Comforting instead. "You are something else."

"Not your Comforting, yeah." Comforting rubbed an arm with the opposing hand. "But one of them. There's at least three, four technically, and probably a lot more than that."

"We have nothing to discuss."

Comforting blinked at the cold dismissal. "Don't be... like that. I'm a friend of a Harmony."

"I struggle to envision what path led me to that. You are no agent of Harmony. Leave, or I will summon one."

"Your agents are loyal and adorable." Comforting leaned in a little. "But not fast. I'm not here to cause trouble."

"You already are," countered Harmony.

Comforting waved over herself. "I am a meeting of your future agents. I want to help..."

"Then leave. You are not required at this time. I have spoken enough." And so there was no speaking Harmony, just a tree.

Comforting took a step back and slowly turned. Starting a fight with her dear friend, even an alternate of her, felt like a bad thing to do. "I'll go... Sorry." She lifted into the air and left that universe' Harmony in peace.

As she flew, she dug out the button that had been given to her. "I could go home..." That was an option. Did she have more business in that world? Ah! She powered to Ponyville, but skipped around it to land a short distance from Twilight's castle, hurrying on feet towards it. "You are a smart pony," she said to nobody as she jogged. "Let's chat." She knocked on the door lightly.

"Hello?" came a familiar but also unknown voice. The door popped open to reveal Spike, er, female Spike? "Can I help you?"

Comforting blinked softly. There were other differences in that universe. "Hi! I was hoping to talk to Twilight, if she has a moment?"

"Hi," echoed fem-Spike. "I'll check, but... who are you?" She looked over Comforting curiously. "You look... familiar."

Comforting smiled gently and held out her hands. "Would you believe I'm a different version of Comforting?"

"Yes, actually. Are you an evil one?" She rolled a hand through the air at the idea. "Or not?"

"I give evil hugs?" She waggled those offered arms.

"Oh no, the horror." Spike stepped out into range and the two shared a warm embrace, Spike giggling. "Wow, what... Did you come from a mirror?"

"Huh, good way of putting it, yep! I came from a mirror." Comforting tapped the side of her snout. "I come in peace!"

"Been there," assured fem-Spike. "Barb the Dragon, world traveler!" She struck a dynamic pose, only missing a fluttering cape. "Um, come on in. I'll go check on Twi--"

"--Who are you talking to?" Starlight joined them with a curious expression. "Huh." She peered at Comforting with confusion. "You... Gonna guess you aren't Comforting in a lot of trouble?"

Comforting shook her head. "Different Comforting, from past a mirror." Sure, it wasn't an actual mirror, but that shorthand seemed pretty useful. "Friendly, promise."

"I'm not sure I could deal with a not-friendly Comforting." Starlight inclined her head a the disjointed creature. "You remind me a little of Discord."

"You rang?" Discord casually stepped out from nowhere. "What brings my name... Oh." He spotted Comforting. "Look at you. Ha... What have I been up to?"

Comforting lifted an ear. "Hey... Do you know me? I was hoping, maybe, you did?"

"Sorta." He wobbled a hand. "I can tell I'm responsible, but since I don't remember that, going to guess another-me is responsible for that. I disavow all blame!" Still, he zipped in over Starlight with a grin. "Now that we got that out of the way, hi!"

"Word of the day." Barb went off inside, perhaps to get Twilight.

Starlight shook her head. "There's more to it... You... look like somecreature took the students and smashed them together, which is a curious look."

Comforting did a slow turn, showing herself off. "I... Another world, right? But I'm super friends with them, there. I bet they'd be... kinda confused, maybe scared, here."

Discord clapped eagerly. "I can imagine! What other bits of chaos have you been up to? Reveal it all."

"Um, I rescued Screwball?"

Discord blinked at that. "Oh. Oh...."

Starlight drove an elbow into his midsection. "I don't like how you said that. Who's Screwball and how do we rescue them?"

Discord shrugged widely. "Just a pony that enjoyed my visit a bit too much. She's still floating around my little pocket in the universe. Not much to be done about it."

Comforting scowled at her alter-papa. "I rescued her, and she's alright now. Both of you were so mean to her!"

"I was not mean!" countered Discord, folding his arms. "I just stopped paying attention to her a long time ago."

"That's not better!" grunted out Starlight. "You will take me to her, now."

"Now?"

"Now," she flatly demanded. "C'mon."

"Fine." He snapped his fingers and the two vanished, presumably to rescue a chaos-addled filly.

"Ye--" Twilight arrived, her words dying on sight of Comforting. "Oh..."

"Hello, Professor."

Twilight flashed a bright smile. "Only she would call me that. Um..."

"Mirror," reminded Barb behind her.

"Right, Mirror Comforting. Hello..."

"Hi." Truly, the word of the day. "I was hoping to talk to you."

"You... bring a thousand questions... Come inside." She stepped aside for Comforting to head in, closing the door behind them. "Are you as chaotic as you appear to be?"

"Probably more," admitted Comforting with a little giggle. "In my world, I am Discord's adopted daughter. Here, I am not."

"That is fascinating on its own..." Twilight led the way to the map room, which looked much the same. "I had wondered if he was aware, or even lived, in all the worlds he existed in."

"This Discord isn't my dad." She floated up to go alongside Twilight easily. "An uncle at best. You, on the other hand, feel just like my professor."

Twilight smiled with a little blush at that. "Did I teach you magic in your world too then?"

"You so did!" Comforting played the runic alphabet on her changeling horn. "But... then I learned chaos magic and that kinda trumped it."

"Oh." Twilight sank on her throne. "That is a shame. This world's Comforting is an eager magical student."

"She is, I met her." Comforting perched on the table, facing Twilight. "But I still love you, a lot, teaching me magic or not. I love chatting with you."

Twilight colored faintly. "I'm happy to hear that... But what do you talk about, if not magic?"

"There's still magic! Just not unicorn magic." She waved over herself. "How chaos magic works is super interesting to other-you. It can't be measured, even with a more willing target than Discord or Pinkie."

"What does Pinkie have to do with it?"

Comforting froze, realizing she was giving out information that maybe didn't belong in that world. "Just another thing that's hard to explain."

"Truly." Twilight nodded, accepting that. "Barb, can you make us a snack? I have so many questions! What can you tell me about how chaos magic does function?"

Barb saluted, rushing off to get the food.

"I'm... not sure how much I should say." She rubbed at her cheek, scratching through the thick fur. "I don't want to mess things up."

"Some creature of chaos you are." Twilight was smiling gently despite the words. "Very well. What is it you wanted to discuss, since you have me here?"

"Good question." Comforting considered it. "If I told you there was a creature on the other world, the one you have a mirror for, that may need help, what would you say?"

"I'd say... a lot of things could be different, especially between two worlds of two worlds. I try to not interfere with Canterlot High, but I could ask Sunset about it?"

Sunset! Comforting perked up at the thought of that kind host. "Yes, please. Ask her. They, in my world, lived in a creepy house. If she asks the younger students about it, they may know. She seems scary, but she's just hurting..."

"Hurt creatures can be very dangerous." Twilight floated a book over, her communication diary, which she was already scribbling in. "But, worth a look. I trust Sunset to act responsibly, and she has good friends to help her."

Friends! Comforting applied a hand to her face. Taking the other girls to check out the house would have been a lot easier, but they had caught her up in the energy of the worried younger students. That had been dumb... But it'd worked out, right? "That's all I'd ask. Her name is Cracked Mirror. She's a predator, but if you give her a way to live without hunting thinking things, she'll take it, if she's like my Cracked. She just wants to live. Who doesn't?"

"I suppose it wasn't her choice what she was born as." Twilight tapped at her chin with a feathery quill. "You are Comforting."

"Hm?"

"You care." Twilight set the book aside. "In that 'Comforting' sort of way. Though she's far more focused on ponies, rather than other creatures. A shame, I try to impress on her that all creatures are equally deserving of friendship."

Comforting clapped at the words, also at seeing Barb rushing back with a tray. "Ooo, whatcha got there?"

"Snacks." Barb slapped down the tray on the map table next to Comforting and pulled the lid free to reveal a host of little sammiches. "Eat up!"

"Mmm." She picked one at random, and grabbed a second to offer to Twilight.

"Thank you." The second glowed with her magic as she pulled it over for a bite. "Mmm," she agreed. "Very nice, Barb. Thank you."

"Besides this..." Twilight waved over Comforting's form. "Are you otherwise the same Comforting?"

"I don't think so... There are other differences. Except you. You are exactly the same, so far." She clapped with the joy of it. "But not you."

Barb jumped at the point. "What? I'm a bedrock!"

"Well, yeah... But you're a guy bedrock in the last world I was in." Comforting shrugged. "Still a great dragon either way."

Barb stuck out her tongue. "Ew... I like me as me, thanks."

Twilight gently set a hoof on Barb's head. "You're a dog in the mirror world. You seem to be very mutable, overall. I wonder what causes that... Is it a personality trait, or something else?"

Comforting waved at herself. "I was a little girl there. Nothing special, just a girl."

"And yet." Twilight wagged a hoof at Barb. "Dog. That she has a male alter-self is less surprising to me, all things considered." She paused a moment. "Is... she, he, are they still fascinated with Rarity?"

Barb colored sharply. "H-hey! Um... But since it's already up, are they?"

"Yep," sang out Comforting. "Um... but are you?" She hiked a brow at Barb, considering. "Is she interested in that?"

Twilight's color managed to beat out Barb's. "Let's change the topic, if we can, hm? How long do you plan to visit? You're welcome, of course. You hardly seem hostile, but I am curious."

Part of her wanted to dig deeper and see the differences...

But she also had her own world that needed her to actually make it into what it was to be.

Author's Note

Some stories I tend to write updates faster than others, the words flow more easily and the prose is there at my findertips. I can 'see' this world, these worlds? I can see it, and share it, and here it is.

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111 - Click

She pressed the button. Unlike hopping through the mirror, the transition was instant. She had been standing before alter-Twilight and Barb, then before Twilight and Spike. Both were surprised to have Comforting just... appear like that.

Spike poked Comforting lightly. "Hey, we have a door, you know."

Twilight seemed less annoyed. "Fortunately, your timing is good and you didn't catch us at a bad time. What brings you around?"

Comforting stuffed the button away, as useless as it might be. It wasn't her button to toss away. "Sorry about that. I was a world away, literally... Talking with another version of you both." She pointed at spike. "Instead of handsome boy Spike, it was pretty-cute girl Barb."

Spike squinted at the idea. "Pass." He had no particular amount of lack of confidence in his identity, at least gender wise. "She didn't tell you anything weird, did she?"

"Only that she likes Rarity too." Comforting shrugged at the information that everyone knew.

"What?!" Or maybe they didn't? Or, at least, Spike hadn't admitted it. "W-what would make her say that?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, clearly knowing better. "I am uncertain I'd be prepared for that version of Spike, or Barb was it? Why were you there?"

"Yeah, why?" pressed Spike. "Thinking of moving?"

"Hardly." Visions of her other-self, moved out on her own haunted her a moment. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that... And that makes me feel guilty."

Twilight cocked up a brow. "What makes you feel guilty?"

"Guilt?" Descending the stairs, as if summoned by chat of past guilts, came Starlight. "Hey, Comforting. I didn't hear you come in."

Comforting waved at her counselor. "Hey. I didn't come in the usual way. I was just thinking... It's not like I don't know how to take care of myself... am I being... greedy, relying on Fluttershy, mom, as much as I am?" The idea of being seperate from her was a painful stab in her heart. Intellectually, she knew she could live on her own, but she didn't want to...

Starlight gently brushed a few tears away that Comforting hadn't even noticed. "I think these might be an answer. You're a big filly, here." She tapped at Comforting's head. "But you're still a filly right here." She moved the same hoof to Comforting's chest. "Don't rush it. It's not like Fluttershy's upset having you around." She paused. "On the other hoof... She will be awful at saying when that line's being crossed." She switched her footing from one to the other. "On the other other hoof, she has friends, and we're your friends. We will call you out when that day arrives."

Twilight curled an arm gently around Comforting. "Which it has not."

Spike hiked a thumb towards the school they couldn't see from there. "You're a student, not a free-loader. When you get to Fluttershy-brother levels, we'll let you know."

That was the second time he came up. "Is he that bad?"

Twilight sighed with a chuckle. "I've heard a few stories. If you want to know more, either ask her, or Rainbow. She has a... history."

Comforting flinched at that. "That did not sound like a good sort of history... I might do that though." She lifted into the air. "I should check something first." She zipped away without a pause then, leaving them behind.

Starlight shook her head at where Comforting had been. "Cosmic powers, but still has growing to do."

Twilight smiled gently. "Let's help her do that, hm?"

Spike shrugged. "Hmmph, if I had cosmic powers, I'd get more done!"

Twilight poked her assistant/brother. "That is, perhaps, why neither of us have cosmic powers."

Comforting landed near the tree. "Harmony?" She approached the clubhouse on unsure feet. "Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Not-Twilight stepped from around the tree. "You have returned. Should I be upset?"

Comforting dug out the button and rushed to Harmony, holding it out. "Here!"

"No." She did not reach for the button. "You need it one more time, I think. Friend Comforting, there is another path unwalked that you wish to see. Am I wrong?"

Comforting let the button sag in limp grip. "Oh... I don't have to. If you wanted me to be happy to be here, you did that! I like this world. The other Comforting was... alright, but I like me more than her. I like this-you way more than that other you. She was so mean..."

"I cannot apologize for her." Harmony inclined her head at Comforting slowly. "But I am happy to have you. Comforting Chaos, there is another world you would wish to see. Am I wrong?"

"Comforting Harmony wanted to make the world better... but she approached it so differently..." Comforting worried her hands together, avoiding mashing the button. "All ponies all the time. Ponies are great! But other creatures deserve love too..."

"You left them a seed of chaos." Harmony smiled gently. "You landed on their well tilled lawn and interfered with her plans. You weren't even trying. That Harmony will not think well of you. But, I think..." She considered a quiet moment. "I think their world is improved for it... Comforting Chaos, you disrupted their world, in a good way, I think..."

"Chaotic Harmony," echoed Comforting with a smile. "What would you do if a little thing like that arrived?"

"I would be its friend." She reached for Comforting, drawing them in with permission given silently and hugging her. "And I would treasure her."

Comforting giggled with growing joy. "A good response! Um, but the other path." She fished out the button. "That me didn't have Harmony, or Chaos. She stood on her own hooves for some reason. You want to see it?"

"You want to see it," corrected Harmony gently. "I think this will help. I think you will grow. You do not have to." She directed a hoof at the button. "Press it. Or do not. I can only offer, and you can accept, or not... That is what makes you a poor agent." She saw Comforting wilt at that. "But an excellent friend."

Comforting grabbed her local goddess in a firm hug. "I'll take that!

"Will you look?" Harmony turned her gaze on the button. "You can return when you wish. May I admit something?"

"Of course." Comforting lifted from the ground. "Hard to imagine you did much to be worried about."

"That is kind... When you go, my friend, I see. I have seen what may come of me. Your chaos has grown within me. I am curious. I do not act entirely for neutral benefit. I have seen what may come of you. I prefer this you."

"I... think most people do." She cupped an ear to her head to listen better past that fourth wall. "But what if they like this next one better?"

"Then we will learn something." Harmony studied Comforting. "If you wish. You do not have to press it. I can only ask." She offered a hoof. "Without you, I would be very different. Worse, I think... You will be my favorite, I feel certain. How a Comforting that has denied me completely can be better taken, this escapes me."

"What... would make me do that?" Comforting danced from foot to foot, ground trembling faintly under the stomps of the yak's hoof. "Only one way to find out." She pressed the button and ceased to exist.

She appeared by the eatery that she often spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They were there, and so was Comforting. Little, pony, Comforting. That Comforting had a few lines, scars? Despite that, she was laughing and talking with the others animatedly.

"I'm not dead," noted Chaos Comforting, glad for that at least. She casually pulled out a bush and hid behind it.

"What are we hiding from?" Pinkie was in the same bushes, hiding alongside Comforting.

Comforting jumped in surprise. "You... are amazing."

"Aw, thanks." She squeezed Comforting with one arm. "You haven't been greeted... but I feel like you have been... Are we friends?" Pinkie gasped with alarm. "Did I forget a friend?!"

Comforting set her hands on Pinkie's chest. "It's alright. I'm from another world and met another you."

"Oh! Why didn't you say that?" she laughed out as if that was an obvious explanation for everything. "Well, nice to meet you, again." She leaned in. "You remind me of Dis--"

Comforting popped a hand over Pinkie's snout. "Speak his name and he will hear. Love him, adopted dad in the other world, but not trying to chat with him right this second."

"Oh." Pinkie drew back just enough to chomp the hand playfully. "So, what are we spying on?"

Comforting pointed to the three fillies gabbing cheerfully. "That one, that's me. Another me."

"You're Comforting?!" Pinkie tilted her head. "Yeah, I can see that..." Of course she could spot it quickly. "Why are you spying on yourself then?"

Comforting smiled at the fellow agent of chaos. "One decision led to me. Another to Princess Comforting. I want to get an idea of what this me is about, and how she ended up this way."

"Wow." Pinkie peeked at filly Comforting. "Gonna admit, Princess Comforting? That's out there... Then again, so are you, so..." She shrugged widely. "I guess we're already that far. So, why not ask her?"

"I would scare her, and her friends." She waved over her chaotic body. "I don't want to do that. If she's at all like me, she's a nice pony. Scaring nice ponies is not my thing."

"We don't want that," agreed Pinkie with a firm nodding. "So I'll ask her."

"Wai--" But Pinkie was already bouncing joyfully towards her target. "Dang it..."

Pinkie bounced up into the fourth chair. "How ya doing, fellow fillies?!"

Diamond peered suspiciously at Pinkie. "You are fooling nopony, and you're not even trying that hard. What's up?"

"Yeah, like, we're eating lunch." Silver waved at her food, not really being picked at. She was busy chatting mostly.

Filly Comforting gently swatted at her friends. "Don't be mean... What's up, Pinkie?"

Chaos Comforting smiled at that. Filly Comforting seemed nice, so far.

Pinkie pointed directly at Chaos Comforting's bush. "Would you believe that there's another Comforting from another world that wants to talk to you but is super scared that you'll get scared but I think she's actually nice?" There was a strong lack of grammar in that quick verbal discharge of words. "If so, she'd love to talk!"

Diamond hopped to the ground and went right for the bush. "What are you tal--" She brushed the brush aside to reveal the quivering chaos agent within it. She scrambled back. "Woah!"

Chaos Comforting slipped free, seeing no use in trying to hide. "Sorry... I come in peace?"

Silver clapped eagerly, grinning down at what could have been Comforting. "Like... wow! Look at... whoever you are?"

Filly Comforting jumped down to join Diamond Tiara. "Hello..."

Every new world, a new round of that. "I'm another... maybe you," tried to explain Chaos Comforting directly. "I was hoping to chat and share bits of how we both ended up where we are. I promise, not here to mess things up. You can tell me to go away if you want."

"That would be mean." Filly Comforting smiled at the strange monstrous mirror of herself. "My name is Comforting. Is that your name?"

"Mine too." Chaos Comforting smiled gently, feeling easier. "Nice to meet you all."

"See!" Pinkie sank down next to them all. "You just had to ask. Alright, I got deliveries to make. Have fun!" She waved excitedly before vanishing in a pink puff to her other tasks.

Diamond dared to prod the new Comforting. "This is so weird..."

Filly Comforting gently swatted Diamond's hoof away. "That's not nice. Do you want to be poked?"

Chaos Comforting hummed gently. "You seem super nice. Why did you turn Harmony away?"

"Who?" Filly Comforting blinked softly. "Never heard of that... Are they a pony from your world?"

Author's Note

Meet Filly Comforting. What drove her down this path? How did she not meet Harmony?

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112 - On One's Own Hooves

"Spirit of harmony, pony togetherness?" Chaos Comforting brought her hands together. "Looks like Twilight, distant gaze?"

All three fillies shook their head in unified ignorance. Silver Spoon snickered softly. "Maybe that's a thing where you come from?"

"Maybe..." The temptation to go check was strong, but leaving Filly Comforting wasn't on her todo just yet. "So!... So... I want to ask you a few questions, but I don't want to make it strange for your friends."

Diamond hiked a brow at that. "We're besties. There's not much you can ask that'd upset us that wouldn't also upset her."

Chaos Comforting smiled, clasping her hands. "You are a good pony."

"She is," agreed Filly Comforting with a matching smile. "And I love her." She grabbed Diamond in a firm hug, getting a squawk that turned into a returned hug a moment later. "What did you want to know?"

"Alright, before. Before you were Comforting Shade." Chaos Comforting waved over herself. "Before you were in this world."

"Oh." Filly Comforting inclined her head. "I put that aside. I'm done with that life. I died." The other fillies peered at her. "Sorry! But I did! It's a past life, literally. I don't think about it, because it's done. I'm Comforting Shade." She stood up tall and proud. "And I'm alright with that."

Silver hummed. "You don't... look, like... dead?" She poked her more familiar Comforting. "Yep, alive."

"Don't be dumb." Diamond rolled her eyes dramatically. "She just said 'past' life. As in not right now?" She gave Filly Comforting a firm thump with her hoof. "As in not right now. Of course she's alive."

Filly Comforting flopped back to her haunches on the thump. "Hey."

"Sorry." Diamond rubbed behind her head. "Didn't mean it."

Chaos Comforting perked. "You don't like being touched without warning either, right?"

"Nope." Filly Comforting offered an arm. "But expected hugs are great."

Chaos Comforting came in and the two met in a warm hug that was just as fuzzy and friendly as she had hoped it'd be. "Yep, you're me, at least a me."

Filly Comforting examined Chaos Comforting curiously. "Do you think about your past life a lot?"

"Yeah... no..." She rubbed at the side of her head. "Now that you bring it up, I guess I don't? But it's part of me. I didn't forget it. It's me, just past me."

"Well." Filly Comforting shrugged. "What can you say about the life before that?"

"I... Wait." Chaos Comforting frowned with thought. "I didn't have one."

"I bet you did," taunted Filly Comforting. "Why would we have one but not two, three, a thousand million bajillion?!" She tapped her hooves together. "As soon as you have more than one, it's hard to put a limit. We thought we had one world, but then, oops, there's another, which meant... Suddenly there's untold number of them. That's how things work."

Chaos Comforting waved up at the bright day. "This isn't..." But her argument died and she flopped to her bottom. "No fair... Alright... So maybe there are a ton of them... that I don't remember... How does that change things?"

"It doesn't. But my past one doesn't either. This is a new one." Filly Comforting wrapped herself around Diamond in a warm hug. "This life is the one I'm in, and I will live it to the fullest. The old one is done. I died."

Diamond squinted at Filly Comforting. "Now you're getting strange, but alright. I can't argue with where you ended up there." She turned to Chaos Comforting. "So, how is that different from you?"

Chaos Comforting puzzled that through. "My past is... still part of me. If there are other lives beyond it, I'm a little sad I don't remember them... Since that means they're really dead. I still remember my last one, so it's still part of me. I love this life, a lot. Oh! Harmony. I should check on her." She lifted into the air. "Will you still be here?"

Filly Comforting pointed off. "I'll probably be at school."

"Like a normal filly," added Silver Spoon, nudging against her friend. "Which she is, unlike... like... you."

It was hard to argue that... "I know this sounds a bit weak... but you're a friend of mine, back in my world, Silver Spoon. I don't want bad memories of you."

Diamond curled a hoof on herself. "Me too then, right? Ha, go... other... me?"

"We should go." Filly Comforting led the way towards school. It wasn't the college, it was the foal school, for foals.

Chaos Comforting waved as they headed off, considering the ramifications of it all. "I'm just a filly, a normal... cute filly." Which wasn't a bad thing to be, really... A filly... No extras, no frills, just a filly.

She took off with a crack of casual warp speed, arriving at the gorge that hid Harmony. The treehouse was up above it. The Young Six had done their job in seeing to its creation. Comforting drifted closer to it, cringing with fear. "I come in peace... please don't be angry..."

"Hello." Far-gazing Twilight stepped out from around the tree. "I don't know you."

But the words weren't colored with anger or fear. Comforting dared a little smile. "I know you, another you. Hello. I'm Comforting." She waved at herself. "From another world."

"You do not appear to be the correct Comforting. Your words appear to be truthful." Harmony sat, considering Comforting. "Why are you here?"

"I was sent by another you, to see some paths that were not taken. I've seen what I might have been, a few of them."

"Have you?" Harmony smiled faintly. "This Comforting is no agent of mine. She is a filly. She is a fine filly, that does not require my assistance. A pony. Nothing more, nothing less. Her fate is simple, but pleasant. What is yours? I cannot discern your path, Comforting of another world."

Comforting raised a hand quickly. "Objection!" Harmony inclined her head. "Sorry... But she got really hurt, didn't she?"

"She did," agreed Harmony without hesitation. "Many foals get hurt as they grow. I would prefer it not be, but she is no agent of mine. To intercede would be playing favorites. Why help her, and not other hurt foals?"

Comforting waved at herself. "My Harmony was my friend... but she didn't help me either, because I chose for her not to, and Discord did instead."

"That explains much." Comforting's curious appearance, then clear in meaning to Harmony. "That Harmony played favorites. I would chastise them, if they were here."

"She was doing her best, promise... Now I am her agent, sorta... I'm her friend, and help her."

Harmony blinked slowly, though her eyes never changed their non-focus. "I do not have friends. Technically, you could call all ponies my friend, but this would be incorrect." She turned to wave a hoof at the clubhouse. "They have seen me, and aided me, but they are not my 'friend'. I am their patron, to brighter futures. I am playing favorite, but they are my agents. I am permitted." She turned back to Comforting. "You are not an agent."

"I'm even better." She threw her hands wide, little sparklers bursting with it. "I'm a spirit, a watcher, like you. Like Discord."

"Oh! Oh... Oh. You should have started with that." Harmony dipped her head at Comforting. "Hello, fellow watcher. You are the first from another world I have met before. I trust the story you watch is proceeding smoothly?"

"Very." Comforting clapped her hands with a smile. "You are way more pleasant than another Harmony I met."

"You are meeting many of me?" Harmony inclined her head the other way. "Shouldn't you be watching your story?"

"It's paused right now." Comforting hiked a thumb at nowhere in particular, then curled the finger and others, forming a window showing the flickeringly paused view of her world and its Harmony, a tree, perfectly still. Though, for a tree, that was fairly normal.

The new Harmony peered at the image a moment, then looked away, back at Comforting. "That requires great power. You are a potent spirit."

Comforting dug out her button. "The other you is doing it. She gave me this."

Harmony snuffed the button gently. "It is of me, another me... Good. I was worried." Not that she had looked worried. "A spirit of that magnitude, visiting me? I am glad this is not the case." She reached a hoof and Comforting allowed the contact, gently brushing the fur of her cheek. "Little Chaos Spirit, friend of Harmony. Will you be my friend as well?"

Comforting jumped at that. "O-Oh! I... I can't... I'm alright with being friends." She offered a hand out. "But I will go back, to my world."

Harmony touched her nose to Comforting's palm. "Then we will enjoy the little time we have. Little chaos spirit, why are you so comfortable about an order spirit? Our natures are in conflict. I can feel it pressing against me. I am larger, it is a gentle press. It must be uncomfortable for you."

Comforting patted herself down, but she felt no pressure. She felt no tearing, or pinching, or anything else unpleasant, just the warm presence of her alter-friend. "I... Once I felt that, I remember. I used to, a lot, but I pushed against it, to hug my Harmony."

Harmony clopped a hoof to her cheek. "I lack the words."

"I'm sorry?"

"You have nothing to apologize for." Harmony inclined her head at Comforting. "You are a chaos spirit tainted with order. You took it on willingly, such a friend you were with an agent of order. This cannot have been one way... Is this other Harmony troubled? To have disorder pushed on it. I would not want that, but the result is... Is... Pleasing, I think." She looked over Comforting. "Pleasing, yes. You are a nice result."

Comforting crashed back to the ground, landing in front of Harmony's tree. She knew, somehow, it was her own world. "What?!" She dug out the button, which was shattered into so many fragments. "I wasn't..."

"You broke me." Harmony emerged. "Shattered me, like that button..."

Comforting winced, but those words were not spoken in hot anger. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I hurt you." Harmony stepped closer. "I threw you from your destiny. I made the first move... and kept making mistakes. You, Chaotic Harmony, Comforting Shade, you did as you could, the best you could see... I should have known better. I could see more. I could be more... I could have... This is my fault." She crashed, flopping at Comforting's feet. "I am a poor spirit."

"You are a great spirit." Comforting sank to her bottom and reached, cupping Harmony's cheeks in her hands. "You are kind and caring and growing."

"Order spirits should not grow," Harmony stated flatly. "They are, as they must be, and ever will be."

"You heard the other Harmony, I assume. You're not just an order spirit." She stroked and petted over Harmony. "You're even better."

"Better, or worse?" Harmony sat up slowly. "What am I?"

"My friend?"

Harmony sat in complete silence, eyes focusing on Comforting properly, fully, intensely.

"Right?" Comforting smiled as best she should. "I'm yours."

"I am not Harmony." She sounded so very sure of that. "I am something else. You were something else." She lifted a hoof at Comforting. "Then you became Comforting Shade. I... My choices are made, and now I am reborn. I am something else. Something new... Something good? Maybe..."

"I'm still me" Comforting tapped herself on the chest. "And you are you." She turned the tapping to Harmony. "Let's find out, together, what makes this new you, you, and even better, but you're still you."

Harmony inclined her head. "Will you go back to your old name?"

"N-no... alright. Alright!" She threw up her hands. "We'll think of a new name for you. Do you mind if I ask the others?"

Harmony glanced about, but there was nocreature there. "What others?"

"I can hear them." She put a hand aside her head. "Just give them a moment to speak their opinions. They sometimes have great ideas. Lucky for us, it's the end of a chapter."

"Chaotic Harmony... I don't understand. Part of me is scared that I will, some day... I trust you." She settled patiently for the voices to come, even if she didn't hear them.

Author's Note

You heard her, what would be a good new name for Harmony, or should she stick with Harmony? Order and Disorder have crashed. We have seen what happens when one achieves dominion, and the other. The balanced Harmonies seem kinder, I say, in some ways. What think ye?

Meet Filly Comforting. What drove her down this path? How did she not meet Harmony?

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113 - I Am Me

"Resonance?" Harmony tapped at the ground softly. "Not awful... I like the feel of it. Did they give others?"

"So many." Comforting reached behind her head with both hands. "I try not to listen too often. They have their world, I have mine, but this is worth it. Alright, next! Gaia, name for nature goddess, or even the planet." She waved a hand at Harmony's tree self. "Matches you being a god tree."

"I do not administer the entire world," argued Harmony. "I oversee ponies. There is a world beyond them. I do not bother myself with that. The... my new agents are a new thing, not ponies. They are working well... I am pleased with them, but this is new. I am not an administrator of the world." The name was denied. "Your voices, they are kind to share their ideas with me. I don't mean to sound ungrateful."

Comforting burst into giggles. "That one is joking."

"Joking?" Harmony inclined her head. "Is it a bad idea?"

"Probably..." She giggled, spreading her hands, "Unless you like Treefriend, Big Glowy Twilight, Princess or Queen Empress Sparklybranches the second, Boaty McBoatface, or, last, but not least, Doug".

Harmony leaned back as if the deluge of names were slapping against her. "Your voice friend speaks in jest, truly."

"They do that! Like any of those?" Comforting sat next to her undecided friend. "Sometimes a joke's still a good idea."

"Sometimes. Maybe not this time. Twilight would be upset if I took her name, even in jest." Harmony considered a quiet moment. "Have they others?"

"Yggdrasil? Tree of the world--"

"I do not admin--"

"--Right, right, sorry." Comforting went right on to the next with a nervous chuckle. "Aw. That one says you're more a spirit of togetherness, rather than order."

"I am unsure if I should be pleased, though togetherness is a fine sentiment... I was... No, togetherness is a force I attended, for ponies. The force that draws ponies together, that is my original function. Your voice is correct." This seemed to please Harmony, relaxing. "But, no name?"

"No name there. There's more! Friendship. I like that one."

"Friendship is a potent force, and I agree with its relevance. May I hug you?"

"Thank you for asking." Comforting spread her arms, but it was no idle hug. She was pounced, born to the ground under Harmony and squeezed tightly in a warm embrace.

Harmony bit at Comforting gently. "Friendship is a powerful thing... It has changed me. I am not friendship, but I will surrender to its will. Friend Comforting, do they speak further?"

"Oh! Here's a good one." She tried to stand up, but Harmony wanted snuggles, so snuggles continued. "Empathy. You were harmony, but now, Empathy, which is still Harmony, with more concern for those you are harmonizing with. I like that one."

"I like that one... Your voices are wise." Harmony sat up on Comforting, tail swishing behind her like a pleased dog. "Do they have others? I would not wish to make a decision before they are done."

"A few say you're just fine as Harmony, which has to be a little chaotic anyway, but arrives in a pleasingly orderly balance in the end." She scratched under Harmony's chin, tickling there with a smile. "Nice of them."

"Nice of them," echoed Harmony. "Please, continue."

"Balance." Comforting put both hands on her own chest. "A splash of chaos." She moved those hands to Harmony. "A splash of order. Mixed gently to a wonderful new thing, balanced with care and love. The best parts of both."

"Did they say that?" She leaned in, touching nose to nose, gaze going past Comforting. "Or did you?"

"Is either bad?"

"I suppose not." Harmony sat up. "A good one."

Comforting swatted at her ears. "A few of them are supporting Boaty McBoatface."

"I am not a boat." This was a simple statement of truth. There was no offense there, just a simple statement of truth.

"You're not. They're just being silly." Comforting wriggled her way to her feet in the moment of lapse. "Amity, a friendly relationship. It's like Harmony, but different, focusing on those bonds."

"I like that one... Friendly relationships. I want those. We have one of those."

"We do!" Comforting grabbed Harmony, the two hugging gently. But when the hug ended, she wasn't hugging not-Twilight, but instead filly Comforting. "Huh?"

"What?" Filly Comforting inclined her head. "I often take the form of the last thing to leave a powerful impression on me. You have given me much... Some without meaning to. Are you upset?"

Comforting grinned about as wide as she could, ruffling the cheeks of Filly Comforting, who happened to be adorable and thus easy to want to cuddle. "You're adorable..."

"I am Amity," corrected Amity. "I am your friend, and... maybe with others?" She seemed to focus, teeth clenching. Her gaze came in from far away, drawing Comforting into their focus. "I will watch far away less, and dear friends closer. I am a creature of order. I am a creature of chaos. Friendships... can be both?"

"Good friendships usually are," agreed Comforting. "You've thrown both at me, but good friendships are worth it."

"They are." Filly Comforting bounced to her hooves. "Friend Comforting, will you show me?"

"Will I show you what?" She couldn't imagine what she'd refuse to share with Amity... "Just have to ask."

"I am asking." Amity poked Comforting in the belly. "Show me how to use chaos. I am both. I should use both"

With an unzippering noise, Discord casually stepped out next to them both. "Now we're talking! No more fuddy duddy orderly nonsense."

Amity frowned at Discord with her little face. "I trust Comforting. That trust does not extend to you."

"Don't be that way." He casually put an arm around either version of Comforting. "Why not go directly to the source of chaos-related knowledge?"

Amity curled a small arm around Comforting. "She has order. I want orderly chaos, for that is what I am. We have shared."

Comforting nodded at her father. "She has a point. We're all mixed up, all order and chaos jumbled together."

"By the way." He tapped his daughter on the nose. "Now that you've worked out that you're still your older self, plus some, does that mean you'll be up to adult things?"

Comforting hiked a brow at that. "I do a lot of adult things."

"Like?" Discord rolled a hand in the air. "I want to go clubbing! My zoot suit does not see enough use, let me tell you."

Amity shoved Discord with her hooves. "This is why I want her advice and not yours."

"He's trying to help." Comforting slid between her arguing spirit friends. "We're all in this together."

Discord padded Comforting on the head. "Yeah. So, Amity huh? Not bad." He held a hand up to Amity's new height. "A little small, but cute enough."

Amity smiled radiantly at Comforting. "I am a perfect size, and I agree. Hm... You do not feel as you did before. It must be the chaos that Comforting shared with me. You are not as uncomfortable."

"Me? Uncomfortable?!" He put both hands to his chest, looking offended, for but a moment. "Really... Glad you got way over that. Well, now that we have three spirits all gathered together, I say we do something."

"Clubbing?" suggested Comforting, sounding quite unsure.

"Something chaotic?" guessed Amity with a shrug.

"Sort of." He flipped a table cloth, revealing a screen before himself, some papers, and a collection of dice, one of which he was already bouncing between his hands. "I say we play some real Ogres and Oubliettes."

Comforting sat at the sudden new game table. "What makes this 'real'? I mean, if you just want to tabletop a little... alright? Sure. A little play between friends and family sounds fun."

Amity sat across from Comforting and reached a hoof out, her horn glowing as a piece lifted up, that of Celestia. "Why is she here?"

"I said real and I meant it." Discord put down a miniature of Twilight Sparkle. "The map is the world." He raised his hands, causing it to elevate and wrap into an actual ball shape of the entire world, of which Equestria was but a portion of.

"You're Amity now." He tapped Amity on her little nose. "You're not just about ponies, so let's look at the big picture, and maybe have a little fun with it, hm." He tapped at Twilight's figure, so small on that big globe. "What will our heroes do on such a big playing field?"

Amity's eyes lost their focus, entire form glowing brightly a moment. A flash overtook the area, and new figures appeared all over the map. Yaks, cats, changelings, dragons, and countless other creatures popping into being, at least one to each domain, but more than one in many places. "What is the goal of this game?"

Discord clapped with joy. "Now you're getting into it! We have so many creatures in so many places." He twirled around the globe. "We could take any of them as little adventuring members and go on little fun quests." He reached in and snatched up a feline. "Look at this little one. She's a baker! How cute. She spices them with catnip to really bring a relaxation with her goods."

Comforting floated up alongside him. "Who's this?" She grabbed up a pony figurine that'd been close by. And then she knew. Just holding the figure gave her that. She was holding a town guard that liked that baker a lot. Being a pony, he was unaffected by the catnip other than it being a pleasant smelling and tasting addition to the bread. Still, he rather liked her, and wanted to get her attention. "Oh."

"Oh?" Amity's horn glowed, picking herself up to join them. "He did not answer your question."

"I didn't need to." Discord put his cat figurine back. "Each has a story. Each is in the middle of an important part of their little lives. We can watch, and nudge. One perk of being a spirit!"

Amity sank back to the ground. "I will play this game. Comforting will not."

Comforting landed next to her. "Why?" Being told she couldn't play made her want to play even more. "You don't want to play with me?"

"I want to play with you a great deal." Amity inclined her head. "But you have your own game to play. I would not have you let go of your own piece just yet."

Comforting's mouth popped shut. "Oh," escaped her. "Good point. I should play the game of Comforting. It's a good game. What nonsense will she get into next?!"

"I can't wait to find out." Amity smiled gently. "May I play that?" She reached with her magic, plucking up the little Comforting figure. "I would dearly like to be close to you. Perhaps I can help?"

Discord snickered softly at that. "That's a lot of trust. If she's playing you, she is you, in a way. She'll see out of your eyes , hear what you hear, and feel what you feel. What she wants to do, you'll feel, and you can do them, or not." He shrugged. "It is my magic. No fun if you have total control, now is it?

Comforting pointed to where they had placed the kitty. "You'd just 'suggest' things for your character to do?"

"And?" Discord shrugged. "Really not fun if you get to call all the shots. Half the fun is figuring out what the limits are you can get away with. Now, do you trust Amity dear with those hooves at your wheel?"

"She's a good pony, and spirit, and friend. Which is a long way of saying yes." Comforting nodded. "I trust her."

Discord snatched the Comforting figure. "What about me?"

"I trust you... to be a dad. Dads do not ride their daughters, that's kinda odd."

Discord released the figurine back to Amity's magic. "Now you made it sound strange..."

Author's Note

They chat about your comments, and a decision is made. Hello, Amity! Comforting is ready to get back to her life, perhaps with a new friend leaning over her shoulder. How would you feel?

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114 - You Are Me

So it was that Comforting headed home after a final petting stroke of the new Amity. "Have fun!" she bade before launching back towards Ponyville at about the pace of a lazy seagull. She spotted that cockatrice, the same one as before, roosting on a stone snake. A victim? Comforting darted past it to touch down near Fluttershy's house. Her house too!

Fluttershy was outside, tending to her many animal friends. It seemed that day was a nail day. She was trimming and caring for each little fuzzball's little claws as they came up for their turn. Her wings held the clippers and worked gently to get them just right.

Comforting waved at her mother, but didn't interrupt the work going on. Across the road lounged a magnificent beast, watching it all. "Hey Cracked." She skipped towards the fearsome predator that was pretty nice by her estimation. "What are you up to?"

"I want a turn." She directed a large hoof at the line of animals. "But, if I rush, I scare them, and upset your mother. I will wait my turn. A good predator strikes when the odds of success are in their favor, and without wasting energy."

Comforting took hold of one of Cracked's claws, her right hind paw. "These are large..." Everything about Cracked was large. "But pretty."

Cracked's ears flickered. "Pretty? Not the word I expected. Mmm, you remind me." She casually placed her hooves on either side of Comforting, curling in offer of a hug. When Comforting allowed it to happen, she drew the chaotic being in for a gentle embrace. "When I lived, the first time... I wasn't the only of me... There were others who could call me pretty, or ugly. They didn't all agree."

Comforting gasped. "Oh! You had a second life too. I didn't even think of that." She held up a hand high. "Welcome to the reincarnation club!"

Cracked touched a hoof to the offered hand. "What do I get for being a member of this illustrious organization?"

"You get to live, twice, maybe three times?" Comforting stroked her fuzzy chin. "Maybe a lot of times. We're still working that out."

Cracked touched her large snout to Comforting. It was a gentle thing, from her view. It knocked Comforting back, rocking in place. "If you eat me, then I am gone. That is the rule of nature."

"They broke you into lots of pieces." Comforting threw her hands wide. "That's pretty dead and gone. They even tossed your parts a world away. Very gone. But here we are, enjoying a conversation."

"Hm." Cracked rose to her hooves and paws. "You have a point... A second life. Maybe a third, as you said. I will not assume that. This may be my last. I will guard it well and enjoy it. If a third comes, I will guard it just as carefully."

"Probably a good idea." Comforting floated up and swung around Cracked's powerful neck to land on its back, mounting her friend. "What are you up to today?"

"I was going to see Gallus, about his machine. Do you wish to come with me? He said you were allowed there. Not many are." Despite having asked that, Cracked was already moving, perhaps assuming the answer.

"I'd love to." Comforting hugged her big pony-wolf of a friend from above. "I can't help, magically, without risking it all, but if I can help, physically, or just by being there, I'm for it."

"This will please him." She stepped over a river that most used the bridge to traverse. "You eat meat, yes? I caught something delicious... It's there. You will eat with us?"

Comforting turned her eyes to the sky, guessing the time. Mid-afternoon? "Alright. That shouldn't spoil dinner. I don't want to miss what..." She trailed off, frowning suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Cracked pivoted an ear back at her rider. "You went quiet suddenly."

"I just realized something." She scratched gently through the thick fur of Cracked. "I can eat whenever I want, or just not eat... I'm still getting used to that idea."

"Mmm?" Cracked paused in her trek to look back at Comforting. "If you do not eat, you die. I do not want you to die. Eat. It's that simple."

"It's not that simple..." But how to explain spirit natures to Cracked? "I'm not really alive in the first place. You can't kill what's already dead." She pulled a noose that hadn't been there, hanging herself idly, not that it hurt, or even carried her far from Cracked, just to fall back into place.

"You felt scared. You were bleeding and injured. Now you say none of that mattered?" Cracked worked through the situation in slow purposefulness, a wolf considering its next prey. "How can that be?"

"You were different in that world too," countered Comforting, tickle-scratching as she did so. "So was I. I wasn't a spirit there. I could bleed and die and that'd be sad... But, here, spirit. I don't think spirits can die..."

"Technically." There was Discord, floating alongside Comforting. "It is possible."

"How?!"

"I would hear this." Cracked turned an ear on Discord. "Comforting's father, inform us."

"Since you asked." Discord directed a thumb at himself. "To each spirit, a purpose. If we abandon that purpose, well, now the universe has no need for us, and neither do we. Then you don't have that spirit anymore. I'm a spirit of chaos, it's my thing!"

Comforting tapped at her chin. "I'm a spirit of... comforting?"

Discord shrugged. "I've heard worse purposes before. So if you got it in your head to un-comfort creatures, you'd be in trouble."

Comforting sat up bolt straight. "No wonder!"

"No wonder what?" Discord leaned in with a leer. "Show your work to the class."

"You knew!" She swatted at Discord with a huff, which only made him laugh for the effort. "You knew Harmony was hurt! You knew why! You knew it all and you let us freak out and--"

"Figure it out," concluded Discord. "Welcome to being a spirit, a watcher. Letting creatures figure it out is half our job. If it helps, it almost happened to me, once. Can you imagine it? Me, orderly? For Fluttershy, worth it."

Cracked huffed out a brief chuckle. "Almost dying for a mate? I can understand that... Were a mate of mine threatened, I would do much to protect them."

Comforting scratched almost curiously at Cracked. "I didn't think you had much of a romantic drive."

"I lack a target. You are too small, and female. You are still small." Her eyes, well, one eye, was on Discord, She was still facing ahead in her trek. "And I don't know you that well. Your appearance is not immediately attractive."

"Well!" Discord huffed into a mighty pout. "I'm perfectly attractive, I'll have you know!"

Comforting wagged a finger at him. "That's relative, Dad. Now, we're going somewhere they did not invite you to, so shoo. See you later."

"Fine, be that way." He casually slipped between here and there, vanishing with a pop.

With him gone, Cracked accelerated, at least until some little ponies got in her way. "Hm?"

"Hiya!" Apple Bloom waved up at the dominant predator. "Hey, Comforting."

"Hi!" Comforting waved down at the crusaders. "What's up? We were just heading out."

Scootaloo folded her arms. "Diamond's been kinda... extra recently."

Sweetie bobbed her head. "As one of her besties, we were hoping you could look in on it. Silver's too under her hooves."

Apple Bloom pointed up at Comforting. "You're her friend, but you could also bend her into a pretzel the moment you wanted to, salt included if you were feeling it, so..."

"You're the best bet," they all agreed in harmony.

Part of her wanted to leap to their aid, but... But... Something was holding her back. Hesitation overwhelmed her. "I trust you. Do your best. I know you can do it... But if it gets terrible... Consider me a last ditch resort. Call me if everything else explodes."

The crusaders pouted, but moved out of Cracked's path. Apple Bloom sighed. "We'll do our best, honest."

Scootaloo waved as Cracked resumed movement. "Have fun, wherever you're going!"

Cracked soon put distance behind them at an easy lope. "Why did not not help them? That didn't seem like you. You are usually so eager to help when you can. To deliver Comfort."

"It... Sometimes..." Comforting wriggled, trying to find the right words for it. "It didn't feel right?" But it clicked. "Amity!" Her friend had influenced her, like a piece on a very large board. "Why did you stop me? Mmf... But if she did that, I'm sure she had a reason... A good one, I hope. They're such wonderful fillies."

"I do not understand." Not that this stopped Cracked. They soon arrived at the secret cave. "Gallus?"

"Nope." Smolder emerged with a smile. "Hey, you brought comfie-cakes along. Yo." She waved at Comforting and fired a finger gun. "Get down from there."

Comforting slid/floated to the ground, landing on her feet. "Hi! So, I hear the predator club got the machine all working."

"Took some effort." Smolder buffed her chest. "But we got it. Gallus is inside, doing a run. Now, I hear you brought lunch today."

"Yes." Cracked stepped over Smolder, heading inside the cave. She had to crouch down to fit properly. It proved to be a snug fit, but she fit, ultimately, curling around the machine there, her great snout directed at a busy Gallus. "There you are."

"Hey." He noticed Comforting walking in a moment later. "Hey! Comfie. What's up? Wanted to see it in action?" He waved at the machine with obvious pride.

Comforting came jogging in with Smolder. "Hey!" She closed with the machine, looking at it curiously. "It changed..."

"It did." Smolder turned as she passed by. "Cracked moved the big or stuck parts. Me and Gallus were Team Fingers. With us all together, we got this thing doing what we wanted."

Smolder fired a thumbs up. "And it didn't stand a chance. Watch!" She slapped a big red button and it hummed to life, something happening inside it. "Now we wait a moment... Hey, Gallus, what'd you leave it set to?"

"We're about to find out." He hurried to the end of it, holding out a hand patiently for something to fall into it. "Wow. Did you plan this?" He held up a keyring. On one side, filly Comforting. On the other, chaos Comforting. "Since you and Harmony--"

"--Amity--" cut in Comforting. "Sorry, she changed her name."

"Did she? She didn't tell us... But that's right at my point." He offered the keyring towards Comforting. "You two are tight, we can see that. Shoot, you knew she changed her name, and we didn't have a clue. But we could see you two were big pals, so we thought... especially since she looks like this?"

"It's wonderful." Comforting hugged the keyring with her and Amity on it. "How much do I owe?"

Gallus hiked a brow. "I won't say no... but you're one of the models. I figure I owe you at least one of the prints. If I gave you another one, could you get it to Amity?"

Smolder clapped at that. "Yeah! I don't know how she'd wear it, but she may like it. That'd be great."

Cracked nodded softly. "One for each model. Now, lunch. Will you assist?" The other predators cheered as they moved to set up a fire to prepare the food over. "I am not good at cooking," admitted Cracked. "But to watch, and smell, and listen to the process... a genuine pleasure. Food becomes even better by the moment. That nervous anticipation. I want to eat it... I want it so bad, but I know waiting makes it better. That competition, mmm..." She was sitting, tail wagging like the excited dog she was. "I love it."

Smolder puffed a bit of flame to get the fire going properly. "And we like cooking the stuff she catches. She's really good at finding stuff worth cooking."

"Not to speak badly of the Professor and whatever." Gallus waved it off. "But her staff? Ponies. This is the real stuff."

So they all sat around the fire to enjoy some lovingly grilled meats.

Author's Note

Cracked forgets about her nail care, distracted by predator triumphs and lunch times. Priorities!

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115 - Being Played

"I'm home!" Comforting closed the door behind her with a soft click of the latch, not letting it bang. "How are my favorite ponies?"

"Sister!" Screwball zipped out from the back and grabbed Comforting without delay. Fortunately, she was one of the few with permission to do just that. "Where were you hiding? It feels like forever since you were home. Did you do something fun, something amazing, something scary? What'd you do?!"

Comforting held onto Screwball with two soft hands, letting her work out the excited energy of their meeting. As soon as Screwball slowed down, she replied, "I was meeting with friends, big and small. What about you?"

"I--" She pointed a hoof at herself and struck a proud stance. "--was helping mother."

"She was, and is." Fluttershy was by the kitchen, smiling at the two of them. "She has a knack for cooking, or at least she enjoys doing it."

Screwball clapped eagerly. "Of course. You take a bunch of things and you mix them together." Her eyes swirled with the vision of the wildly assembled food. "But, in the end, you have something frozen in just the right spot."

Comforting inclined her head at her excitable sister. "Wow. That's actually a good thought. Cooking, is it chaotic, or orderly?"

"It's tasty," answered Screwball, confident in this fact. "Guess which thing I helped with when we have dinner!"

Comforting headed for the table, carrying Screwball along like an inflated balloon, tethered by a thin string as she babbled and squealed with joy. "I'm sure it'll all be amazing. Cracked caught something tasty for the rest of the predators. They had it for lunch."

Fluttershy sat at the table, joining them. "Nature is a wonderful thing. Just, um, be sure you're not the prey."

Comforting huffed at her mother. "You're friends with a few predators last I checked. You're not scared of your bear, are you?"

"No..." Fluttershy considered that with all due weight. "I'm not. You have a point there... You and Cracked seem to have a good bond. Now, I'll go get dinner. Let's enjoy that." She lifted into the air and sped into the kitchen, returning with platters on her back and balanced on those same wings that had been flapping a moment before. "Prepared with Screwball's help." That got a fresh cheer from the filly as Fluttershy placed it all on the table between them all.

Screwball clopped excitedly. "Oh Oh Oh! I learned about the apple cycle today."

"Apple cycle?" Comforting arranged her plate with a few choices of things. "What's that?"

Screwball shivered with overflowing excitement. "You don't know? I know what you don't know? I didn't know you didn't know that I knew what you didn't know." She bounced in the air, trying to reign herself in with middling success. "It's, um... It's a few things, from how to get new apple trees to how to get apples out of the trees. Cycles, cycles, all cycles. Patterns and circles." She whirled her hooves around in circles as she explained. "What time of year. What time of day. All circles! Water, fertilizer, care and love. Can't stop, or won't get apples."

"Ooo." Comforting applauded in soft claps. "I bet the Apples know all about that in details. Was Apple Bloom there?"

"She was! She was. No other Apples, just one Apple as we talked about the apples, lower case, in their cycles." She resumed her round swirls of her hooves. "I think she knows about the apple cycles. Do Apples have cycles? They must! They're apples!"

Fluttershy tittered softly. "All creatures have cycles, even you, me, and Comforting. Being alive means having cycles. It's just learning them that's the trick."

Did spirits have cycles of any kind? The thought distracted Comforting a moment, but she got back to enjoying the food. Oops. One sweet biscuit had a sudden jolt of spicy heat in it. Tasty, but quite unexpected... "You helped here." She pointed at the biscuit.

Screwball gasped in about three octaves with amazement. "How did you know?!"

"Just a hunch." She winked at her sister. "It's tasty."

"Yay!" Screwball leaned in. "Next time, you help. I'll guess. I'll get it, or not, or maybe? I don't know, but I will try!"

When the food was finished, both chaotic sisters helped their mom to get the dishes put away and help clean them all. Comforting handled the actual cleaning, with a little magic to smooth things over. She passed the damp plates to Screwball to get clean by twirling and jittering with excitement. Fluttershy got the result last to get put away carefully. "Thank you all for helping." Fluttershy directed towards the back. "But it's time for us all to wind down for bed."

"Bed! Sleep! Dream?" Screwball casually attached to Comforting's top as she walked. "Do you have nice dreams?"

"Actually... usually not." Comforting tapped at her chin. "Spirits don't technically need to sleep, at all."

"What?" Screwball leaned in over Comforting's stop to look at her upside down. "That sounds boring. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, promise." She patted her sister, on the underside of her chin. "I have something to do tonight anyway."

The house quieted as each of them got to bed properly and settled for sleep. Well, all but one. Comforting sent her dreams to a specific place. She opened her eyes to behold the tree house that was Amity. "Hello!"

"Hello." Filly Comforting, otherwise known as Amity, emerged from behind herself. "You had a fun day."

"You would know. You were there." Comforting jogged up to pet and ruffle her little filly self. "Why did you stop me from helping the girls? They looked like they really wanted my help."

"No. I know you wanted to... That has been your nature since before I met you." Amity waved at the air, forming a glowing panel. "But I saw bright things ahead of them. They can only reach it with a little challenge. They have to prove it to themselves, then they will emerge from their shells and the world will be improved."

The image showed their cutie marks, all similar, but each unique. "Woah... Um... Are you sure?"

"I am sure. As sure as I can be." Amity tapped at her head. "Which is only mostly sure. I miss having complete confidence, but I feel sure enough."

"Oh!" Amity jumped as Comforting dug into a pocket and pulled out a keyring. "This is for you."

Amity's horn glowed as she floated the keyring over, turning it slowly. "I like it... but I have no keys. What do you propose I do with it?"

Comforting shrugged with a snicker. "Keep it. Wear it. Tuck it away. All good options in the end. Gallus made it and wanted you to have it. So it's a gift from him and Smolder."

"Kind of them." Amity tucked it into her own pocket. "Did you get one?"

Comforting flashed her own, though it had one key dangling from it.

"Which key is that?" Amity pointed a small hoof at it. "I remember you putting it on there now... But what key is it?"

"Mom's key. How did you..." That's when Comforting realized she had just opened the door without unlocking it. "Oops! I should get out of that habit. If I have a key, I should use it. So! Back to the girls... They need to work things out with Diamond. Will this help her too?"

"I think it will, but... things grow hazy." Amity rocked slowly in place. "I know the crusaders will grow wonderfully... This is their path, and we are helping them reach it. They will be happy. But... For Diamond and Silver, I don't know. I just... don't know... I hope so?" She smiled suddenly. "You are their friend. I trust in you to help guide them. Let the girls finish their growth, but you can take Diamond and Silver close."

"They're girls too." Comforting sank next to Amity. "But I get you. Alright, so have their marks, yay. So I just focus on Diamond and Silver and be the best friend I can be." She suddenly hiked a thumb at herself. "By the way! What's it like, playing me?"

"Energetic. Hopeful." Each word was stated with a gentle sort of admiration. "Joyful. Tender. You are curious, but in very caring ways. I felt there were things, quiet things, things you denied entirely."

"Denied?"

"Maybe from past-you?" Amity shrugged with genuine uncertainty. "You deny them, and they have no home. What does have a home is quite welcome. You have friends. It was a joy to speak and hear from Gallus and Smolder as peers, instead of... the way I normally do. Playing you is very enjoyable. Did I bother you?"

"Only the crusader thing... and I understand now." Comforting grabbed Amity in a hug. "I had a feeling you had a reason. You don't do much without a good reason. I was just really curious what the reason could have been. I didn't like their sad faces, but, yeah... growing is like that sometimes."

"Sometimes." Amity inclined her head. "I heard that, by the way. Discord did it to me. He didn't tell me, so I had to face the truth and grow. It was unkind, but it was the kindest thing he could have done. I was terrified, but there were no other words he could have said that would have fixed it."

Comforting considered what he could have said. "You'd better be careful about hanging around that Comforting girl..." No, that sounded pretty bad. "You're getting chaos all over yourself." No... "This is hard..."

"It is." Amity patted Comforting lightly. "Now you know my challenge at times. I want to help, but to simply state what I know may not be the truth of the one listening. To insist is to destroy friendships, and still they will wander away." She clopped both hooves to her cheeks. "You will warn me if I speak poorly, I hope?"

"Of course." She ruffled her filly self gently on the head. "It's hard to get angry at you right now, cheater. You're me. Cute me. Cutest me." Comforting gave a profile view. "Not that I'm not cute right now, but that's maximum cute." She dropped to a crouch to look her filly-self in the eyes directly. "That's why you picked it, isn't it?"

"It is not." Amity inclined her head. "It's where we first met, and became friends. It is where Amity, as a feeling, took root and began to grow. It was a confusing time, but it is and will always be a precious time to me. You are my friend in any form you decide on, but this is the one I met you, and we became friends. That is special."

"Huh!" Comforting didn't expect that response, quiet a moment. "Yeah... You were Twilight, but it's alright that you're not anymore. I still have a Twilight in my life, and she's great the way she is. Now I have filly-me and a Twilight. Complete win if you think about it..." She gently tickled at Amity's ears. "So now we wait?"

"Waiting is a large part of a spirit's duty." Amity waved the image of the cutie marks away. "We wait, and we watch. That is how we got that name. What we know is coming isn't always quick in arriving. That is, perhaps, for the best. How could we plan if we only saw things moments before they were upon us?"

"That would be a challenge," hesitantly accepted Comforting, pacing on her feet. "So we get a warning, and have some time to get ready. I can deal with that. I'll put an eye on Diamond, see what's going on. I won't poke her until the crusaders finish, but I'll be ready."

Amity smiled grandly at that. "Friend Comforting, you are thinking as a spirit must. I am very proud of you. Let us watch this, together."

116 - Not All Homes

Comforting lurked after Diamond Tiara. This was easier than it had a right to be, but being invisible, no, imperceptible, allowed for that. She was living up to the spirit part of her title, leaving no trail behind herself as she followed the scowling Diamond through the town.

"Be careful about that." Discord was floating next to her. "If you get too used to not being there, well, maybe you actually won't be."

"Just a little while." She went in to hug Discord from the side. "Keeping an eye on her."

"I know what that's like." He gently pet over Comforting's head.

"You followed mom before?"

Discord looked about anywhere but at Comforting. "What? Me? As if... Oh, I hear my phone going off." He vanished, rather than continue that conversation.

Comforting smirked at the spot that held Discord a moment before. "Spirits..." They liked to keep an eye on those they held precious, and she was no exception. She caught up with Diamond as the filly took a breath in front of the door to a large house. Hesitation? Fear? Diamond pushed inside.

"There you are." A mare came out at a walk, her nose turned up high. "Where have you been?"

"I was--" Diamond was pointing off, but it was already too late.

The mare wasn't even looking at what Diamond was pointing at, or likely listening to her words. "Nevermind. You were almost late. Come along."

"Yes, mom..." Diamond trailed after her. Comforting watched and saw what would have been missed if she had been there, worrying about her own presence. Diamond looked defeated, angry, but defeated. Diamond obeyed her mother, but she barely concealed her displeasure. Comforting didn't give her mother any points for her lack of awareness, or perhaps caring.

"Where's dad?" Comforting pricked at the words. They held hope and warmth. Whatever Diamond felt about her mother, the father was a different story.

"Father is opening a new store," reporting Diamond's mother as if Diamond should have already known that. "He won't be back until late."

"Right..." Diamond sagged, disappointed by this with a little kick at the air. "Are we done?"

"You will not take that tone with me." Her mother glared at Diamond with an unspoken threat. "Now let's resume."

Comforting felt her fur fluff up. She wanted to grab that mare and do terrible things to her... But that would make Diamond a new kind of sad, and would also make her less of a kind spirit, attacking ponies, even if she felt they deserved it at that moment...

How often had her father felt that way whenever somepony said something unkind to Fluttershy? But Discord had twisted into knots no ponies for some time. If her father could control himself, surely she could at least match him. She had to help! But she could not. Amity had forbidden her from even approaching the problem until the crusaders finished their part.

Would the crusaders help Diamond? Maybe. Neither Amity nor Comforting knew for sure...

A loud crunch of a popcorn being munched made her jump. Discord had returned, enjoying a tub of the stuff, not that the ponies there seemed to notice him at all.

"Dad!" She glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"What?" He held out a handful of buttery popcorn. "If you can do it, why can't I? She's a genuine piece of work, isn't she?" He tossed his head in the mother's direction, the head landing next to her, peering at her. "A real uptight sort. I'd love to break that out of her, but I know! I know! You called dibs."

Comforting grabbed the dropped head and popped it back onto Discord's neck. "You'll lose it if it's not attached."

Discord wagged a finger at her. "More true than you even know, my chaotic little daughter. Now, what was that about doing some awful things?" He rubbed his hands with a malicious smile. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"I don't!" she squeaked at him, not that the ponies there noticed the argument of spirits. "But it was tempting... I have to wait for the right moment, then I can help."

"Boring." He rolled a hand through the air. "When is this 'right moment' exactly? Does it come with fireworks?"

"I wish... Oh! Actually... It does have a big hint." Comforting brought up the screen with the future crusader marks. "When we get these, it's go time."

"What are these?" Discord leaned in with one eye, peering. "I didn't think you were big on graphics design. Interesting use of negative space."

"Cutie marks, pretty sure." With wiggling fingers, she called up the ponies they belonged to, each mark adorning their proper filly. "Ta da."

"Ooo. The little squirts get matching ones?" He shrugged lightly. "Always was Amity's thing, the whole mark thing. The moment you start getting anything figure out, pop, locked in. Not my style."

Comforting zipped over to Diamond, still mid-conversation with her mother. "She has one." She waved over Diamond's tiara of a mark. "Doesn't mean she's locked in. She's still figuring herself out. It'll be my job to help her do that, which I want to do. Diamond's a great pony!"

"Yeah..." Discord threw up his hands and caught them with the same hands in a display of disregard for object permanence. "I can see that. Silly ponies... Even Fluttershy's still working on hers, but she's making progress with the whole 'how to Fluttershy' thing. That reminds me! You going to meet that brother of hers? I'm quite curious how you two will get along."

Comforting put her fists on her hips. "As if spirits are better. Even you are still growing."

Discord thumped his head against the roof of the room, too large to be easily contained. "Me, growing? I don't see it." He ducked under the suddenly close roof. "Where are you getting these silly ideas from? Now, you?" He pointed at her with the force of a dozen fingers. "You're growing a lot. But you're still young, especially in spirit terms. Barely a concept."

"That concept is a warm hug," returned Comforting with an extended tongue. "I'll meet Mom's brother when he stops by. I'm keeping an eye on Diamond right now."

"Sure Sure..." He sipped from his brightly colored drink. "But you can't do anything yet. Why torture yourself? You could go bother him instead. No rules or promises stopping you from doing that."

Comforting swatted at him wildly a moment. "You're distracting me from what's going on." She tried to refocus on Diamond, doing so just as Diamond's mom left the room and Diamond sighed. "Fine." She hopped up onto a bench in front of a piano and began working on it. Practice? She was far from a skilled player, at least from how she was playing just then. But maybe she was just doing practice keys? "The worst..." Diamond plunked her face down on the keys.

The door opened, her mother peeking in. "Something wrong?"

"Just a stuck key!" Diamond got back to practicing with a forced smile. "Everything's fine."

"Good." She closed the door with a light slap, leaving Diamond to her work.

Discord hiked a thumb at the retreating matron. "I want to flick that nose of hers too, but neither of us can do anything right now... so why torture yourself? There are things you can do."

"Yeah..." Comforting wrapped her arms around Diamond, unfelt or not. "I'm rooting for you..."

Diamond sat up with a smile. "I wonder how Sil and Comf's doing... I'll go bother them after I finish this." She resumed her practice with more energy.

Discord snickered softly. "Cheater... I approve."

"She can feel that?!" Comforting bounced away from her friend. "I thought she couldn't?"

Discord shrugged. "She didn't, not the touching anyway. Still... Come on, do I need to spell it out? Magic, friendship, etc? I thought I was supposed to be learning that lesson."

Comforting smiled as widely as her face allowed. "Aw.... She felt my love? That's... touching... I hope it helped then... but that does mean I cheated. Sorry!" She poked herself in the chest. "I know you're listening, Amity. I didn't mean to do that!"

Discord shrugged with a raising chuckle. "Well, if she didn't want you to do it, and she's playing you, you'd know. So..."

"You have a point." Comforting bounced back to Discord's side. "Alright, so that wasn't a big cheat. You're also right about... watching her be sad and not doing anything is frustrating! I want to fix it."

"But you can't," sighed out Discord. "I know the feeling. Too well..."

Comforting patted her father, imagining Fluttershy doing things he wished he could help with. "Yeah... So I'll focus on me for a moment. How do I meet this brother, uncle of mine, that everyone keeps insisting will be interesting to meet."

"You'll get along great!" He clapped his hands together. "Or horribly. I'm curious which it'll be, but we won't know until you meet him. Still, just to be clear, you are not allowed to hurt him, but sending him on a trip to some faraway, safe, place isn't hurting him. Not like he has a job worth talking about."

Comforting shook her head slowly. "You sure he's related to mom? She's been working forever, and likes it."

"Takes all kinds. I don't even mind that part... Still, no, he doesn't match with Fluttershy at all. Her parents? Easy to see that connection. Anyway! You going to visit?"

"You didn't tell me where I need to go, so, not yet?" She pulled down a map of Equestria. "A little hint?"

"I refuse!" He reached to tap her on the snoot. "You're a little chaos spirit. Go ahead and get creative about it. I know you can do it."

"Hmmph..." Still... "Wait. You sent me off to stop using chaos all the time. Now you want me to use more? Which is it?"

"Both." Not a hint of delay there. "Our life is a fine balancing act. Your head is back out of the clouds, so enjoy being what you are. Go on."

Grumbling, she turned away and thought of how to reach this mystery brother. "Well..." She drew a tree in the air in front of her. "Parents up here--" She tapped closer to the top, and vanished.

She popped into being in the clouds, landing in front of a charming little house. "Bro— Oops." She looked around, realizing she had moved. "That was not the plan..." Still, a chance to meet her mom's parents. That sounded tempting.

She hurried for the door, bouncing against the clouds like a springy mattress. She thumped against the door, not stopping quite on time.

"Who is it?" asked a male voice from within. The door opened to reveal a middle-aged or little older stallion with a smile and a moustache. "Hello? Um... can I help you?"

Comforting hopped away from the pegasus. "Hi!" She waved with a friendly, she hoped, smile. "Did Fluttershy tell you about me? She's my mom."

"Oh ho!" His eyes widened with surprise. "You're Comforting Shade?"

"That's me!" She hopped forward towards him. "And you're my grandad. It's super nice to meet you."

He offered an arm and soon had a grandfoal to hug, if a little confused. He confessed he expected any grandchild of his to be more pony and begged not to be offended.

"Who was it?" Misses Shy popped her head out. "What a cute little creature. Do you know her?"

Mister Shy turned with Comforting in his grasp. "You do. Say hello to Comforting, our grandfoal."

Misses Shy blinked with obvious shock. "Oh... Hello there. Please, come inside." She led the way into the dining room. "I'll get us all a little snack. We didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I," admitted Comforting with a laugh. "But here I am."

"It's a... curious time for that. Our son plans to move back in a few moons." He sighed softly. "That'll... Nevermind that. Today's about you." He ruffled the top of his new hybrid granddaughter. "Tell us all about you."

Author's Note

Oops. Discord, you are very distracting, just saying...

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117 - Grandparents

Missus Shy set down a tray of steaming cookies. "And don't leave a thing out."

"With pleasure." Comforting took one cookie and popped half in her mouth to confirm quickly, yep, grandparent cookies were the best, in any world. "Thank you! So!" A little chime sounded, but they didn't hear it. A little notification appeared in her vision. She had mail! Only two creatures she knew of could do that...

Amity, and Discord, from being told Amity had done it. Which was it? She was in the middle of grandparent time... If it was Amity, she'd know that, so... a brief delay shouldn't have hurt anything too badly?

"I was in a tough spot when Fluttershy took me in. But she's been the best mom ever since and I love her more than almost anything!" She threw up her hands with a giggle. "Now I go to her school and learn all kinds of things and that's great too."

Mister Shy nodded, one seat over. "That sounds really nice. Are you doing well there?"

"Yes." Comforting dug frantically through her pockets. There it was. She pulled out a set of graded papers and slapped them down. They did not grade them with As or Bs. instead, they had smiley faces and hooves up and other such encouraging symbols that showed her teachers were pleased.

Both of them clapped with appreciation at the display. Missus Shy took one paper gently in her hooves. "May I have this?" With Comforting's nod, she mounted it with a magnet to the fridge as a trophy for them to display. "Now, I've held you back. I know somepony wants to show you their collection."

Mister Shy laughed with darkened cheeks, called out. "If you'd like to see them. I have all sorts of clouds from all over. It's easy to think they're all just little puffs, especially if you don't fly." He looked between Comforting and the ground she seemed to walk on just fine. "Not a problem for you..." Which only brought more questions...

He waved a hoof over her. "I don't mean anything bad... but do you fly on those?" He focused his waving on her mismatched wings.

Comforting flapped them, which was a thing she didn't actually do that often except as a way to show excitement or otherwise emphasize a gesture. "Oh, those?" She hiked a thumb back at them. "Love 'em, but... basically decorations." She lifted from the ground without their help.

Missus Shy clapped at the display. "How lovely. Dear, what tribe, if you don't mind my asking, are you?" She looked nervous, as if there was a good chance she would have just abandoned asking it at all with as much chance as she forced it out.

"Not a pony one." Comforting rubbed over her chin gently. "More of a spirit these days, but a friendly one."

Neither of them looked like they really had any idea what that was, sharing their confused expressions. Mister Shy stood up and shook himself out. "Well, any friendly relation of ours has got to see the collection. This way." He led her outside to a little side building that had shelves on shelves, each one filled with jars, and inside each jar was a cloud. Each cloud was different. Some just in how grey or white they were. Some were thundering quietly. Some dropped rain in a forever display of their weather.

Each was a bit of weather, captured delicately to hold it in stasis.

Comforting shuddered and took a step back. She hated it. Not on any intellectual level. It was a lovely collection by a nice pony. But she was a chaos spirit. The room stunk of forced order, even worse, stasis imposed on things that should not be static. Every cloud there had a thing it should do, and would otherwise do without complaint. Eventually they would cease being a cloud. The jars denied this and held them perfectly in place.

Mister Shy was busy going over what each cloud was, talking about Cumulus this and Cirrus that. He only noticed her hesitation several jars in. "Something wrong?" He turned back towards her. "They won't bite. And they can't zap anypony while they're in the jars. It's perfectly safe, I promise."

"Y-yeah..." She forced a step forward, eyes on Mister Shy and avoiding even glancing at the trapped little balls of static order. "You must have worked really hard." To capture such agents of change and force them to that kind pony's will. She didn't say that part out loud. "It's quite a collection." She wasn't looking at them, but she knew there were many of them, as if they were calling out to her, begging to be set free. But to destroy her grandfather's collection felt at least equally as cruel.

"How did you get so many?"

Mister Shy looked so very proud. "Slowly, step by step." He stepped in place to demonstrate. "You have to find the perfect cloud, the right size, and capture it just at the right moment." He made a scooping motion with his hooves and a pop with his lips. "And in they go. Then you have to hold them carefully. Clouds love to get away, if you let them."

"I bet they do..." She could feel their want to be free, to live their little cloud lives and expire, content in that brief moment of being. They did not know how brief it was. It just was. They barely knew anything, being clouds. Only that they should move, and something preventing them from doing that. "So... which is your favorite?"

A chime only she could hear informed her that another email had arrived. From the same creature, or somecreature else? She couldn't say!

"Oh!" His eyes shined as he reached for a particular jar. "That prize would go to this one." He swung it into Comforting's view, right in front of her nose. "A wild lighting storm, caught in an untamed weather storm. It was Rainbow Dash that caught this one for me, such a darling... But she brought it to me and it's my prized catch now." He hugged the jar gently as the cloud inside crackled and zapped angrily. "I used to work with untamed weather, back in my younger days. I'm retired now... But I have good friends." He set the jar down carefully. "They take the time to help me expand my collection."

"Wow..." She was not paying attention to that cloud. It was her specific goal to not do that. Each one felt like a victim, but attacking their jars meant attacking Mister Shy. She didn't want either of those things. "Thank you for sharing it with me." She hurriedly, if stiffly, fled from the cloud-collection. "Where's the little spirit's room?"

"Hm?" It took a moment for that to click. "Oh! Inside, on the left." He pointed to the main house.

Excuse, and a direction, held in hand, Comforting fled inside and slapped the door shut, heaving for air as the dizziness ebbed away. "Not his fault. Not his fault," she repeated to herself. "He's a nice pony, just enjoying his golden years..."

But she was alone. That notification of email still floated in her vision. "Let's see." She reached up, tapping it to expand it out.

From: Amity

I made a terrible mistake! But maybe it wasn't me? Something is wrong. I cannot trust my own sight. When you can, please, inspect the crusaders. Do they have their marks? I... don't remember them getting them, but I can't trust my memory either. Please check on this. Please.

Thank you for reading this,
Amity

PS: Enjoy your visit. Fluttershy's parents are darling ponies.

Comforting inclined her head. Did they have marks or not? She had not paid a lot of attention to the existence, or lack, of those marks on the crusaders' bottoms. It wouldn't take long to check on that. "You got it." She fired a thumbs up, hoping Amity was watching and would hear her agreement. "But I have to finish this visit." Vanishing on the Shy's felt kinda rude.

She had another message, so she clicked the notification again. "Also Amity?"

From: Amity

Sorry to bother you. I was just in a state of panic. Enjoy your visit. Check when you return, if you wish.

Hugs and kisses,
Amity

Your father is here, by the way. He says he finds the cloud collection equally 'creepy'.

"Aw." They were together, hanging out? The mental image brought a smile to her face, her tension fled. "Wait. Amity! You guessed me! Good on you." She snickered into a giggle, realizing Amity had predicted her reply. "I will, when I get back." She waved the messages away, clearing up her vision for the world around her.

Missus Shy stood in front of her with a concerned look.

Comforting squeaked in surprise, leaping backwards and tripping over the toilet, falling over it backwards and thumping her head on the ground. "Ow."

Missus Shy was there in a flash, helping her up. "Oh, my... I didn't mean to startle you. You were in here a little while and I thought I heard talking and... I messed this up," she sighed out that last part, looking ashamed. "I'm so sorry."

Comforting got back to her feet and hugged Fluttershy's mom warmly. "You owe me nothing. You're a great host." She spared trying to explain the idea of spirit mail to her though. "Now, I'm all done in here. What's next on the schedule?"

Missus Shy looked a little confused, but didn't dare to ask a question, instead waving for Comforting to follow her back into the living room. "I was thinking, this would be a fine day to relax."

"Ooo, relaxing." Mister Shy was there, perched on a couch. "Always a classic."

It was a thing the retired couple did often. They talked quietly, and ate comforting food. It was a very chill visit.

"But you must be bored." Missus Shy pointed outside. "A young thing like you, so full of energy. Just relaxing... Would you like to see my flowers?"

Mister Shy chuckled softly. "She takes as much pride in her flower beds as I do in my cloud collection. Go on." He waved Comforting away. "If you like colors, or delightful smells, she has them in abundance."

Comforting trailed after her, floating along after the mare. "I like flowers."

"I would hope any child of mine would like flowers." She sounded pleased as she came up on neat rows of flowers. They didn't offend the way the clouds did, but they were an orderly old couple, comforable with things in their right place. "The petunias are my favorite, but don't let me steer you. Go ahead and enjoy them all."

Comforting came in for a gentle landing and meandered the flowers with a big smile. It smelled! In a good way, soft floral hints flooding her senses with bright colors to go with it. "These were cared for lovingly." She crouched down to pat the ground gently. "And it shows."

"Thank you." She colored faintly, pleased, if intimidated, by the praise. "I enjoy bringing a little color to the clouds."

"And you do a great job." Comforting brushed her hands along several tops, getting a dusting of pollen along the way. "These flowers are very happy, I think."

Missus Shy just smiled, sitting on her haunches and watching the filly... spirit enjoy her garden.

The clouds had lamented, in their thoughtless way, seeking to escape their imprisonment. The flowers, on the other hand, were happy, rejoicing in their quality care and pleasant lives. They were doing as they wished to do, only wanting and hoping to make more flowers, but they were doing their part, and that was the end of their thought, if one could call it that, on the matter. "Don't tell your husband, but I like the flowers better, I think..."

"It's hardly surprising a filly like you would like the flowers more." She winked with a giggle. "But I won't rub it in. You did like his clouds too, didn't you?"

"Lovely," she lied blanketedly. "You two are great."

Author's Note

You have mail! Two from the same place, it seems. I swear I didn't plan the cloud thing. It just spilled out of me as she went to walk inside, and it felt entirely natural. What do you think of that?

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118 - About Time

Comforting hugged each of her grandparents, nuzzling into their warm and soft forms. "It's been real fun meeting you two! I shoulda visited a while ago." That she only just recently figured out how, she left off the table.

Missus Shy released her. "A cookie for the trip?" She has that tray of them, and offering them to a filly seemed like a fine end to them for her.

Mister Shy chuckled softly. "I'm still getting used to it, but I'm not sure her trip will be a long one. Still, if you'd like some?" He waved a hoof at the platter. "Go ahead."

Invited twice over, Comforting snatched a last cookie for the road. "Oh! You said mom's brother was moving in?"

Missus Shy shook her head. "A bit of a mis-phrasing. He's not 'moving in'. Stopping by for a stay is more accurate. The dear's getting a new job, in Canterlot."

Mister Shy perked up at that. "Oh, yes, with the royal guard. I'm quite proud. Hopefully, this one will stick." He glanced outside. "I hope this stay is a bit more... peaceful."

"Peaceful?" Comforting looked where he was looking, at the cloud collection house. "What happened?"

He sighed. "Last time... he demolished my collection. He was... finding himself. Thankfully, Rainbow could, and did, lend a hoof getting things back in order. A real dear, that one."

"And such a loyal friend to Fluttershy," added Missus Shy with admiration. "Next time you see her, give our well wishes and thanks."

Comforting imagined all the clouds escaping in a moment of liberation. A pity she hadn't been there to see that... Still, attacking Mister Shy still felt more wrong, so she waved and made her way out of the house, cookie tucked in a pocket. "See you next time!"

She fell through the clouds, vanishing in a puff of fluff and emerging on the bottom side of Cloudsdale. "Now..." She darted off, with a mission in mind. Rocketing with great speed, she darted about to orient herself and homed in on Ponyville, her home, and the location of her target, unless things were going oddly.

Comforting landed on something warm. She was being held. "What?"

"Welcome back, kiddo." Discord set her confused form to the ground. "Enjoy Cloudsdale?"

"I have two very nice grandparents." She scratched at her neck in thought. "I have a really nice family overall, come to think of it. A mom and a dad I love, and grandparents! Living the familial dream right there."

"Even if your grandfather has macabre tastes?" Discord snorted softly. "Oh well, they can't all be perfect..."

"Nope." Comforting was sliding away though, shuffling away with all the stealth she didn't have.

Discord noticed this. "What's the rush?" He floated in over her. "You just got back."

"Amity asked me to check on the crusaders. I was going to go peek really fast."

"Well!" He put a hand on his chest. "Far be it from me to stop somecreature from checking out a bunch of foal posteriors."

"Phrasing." Comforting stuck out her tongue at him. "I'll be back after I check if they have their marks or not." With things out in the open, she launched off speedily.

Discord shook his head. "Could have just checked from here." He shrugged. "But what's the fun in telling her that."

Comforting looked up towards the sun. "Maybe?" She landed near the schoolhouse. The sound of Cheerilee's talking wafted out, trying to impart knowledge on her students. Fortunately, it had windows. Comforting darted up next to one and leaned over for a peek inside. Ponies! Lots of little ponies, seated at their desks. They were far closer to her size than most ponies.

Oh, there was Diamond and Silver, seated side by side, taking notes along with the rest, aw...

Crusaders, crusaders...

"Can I help you?"

Comforting squeaked, jumping back to see Miss Cheerilee watching her. "You're Comforting, aren't you?"

"Um, yes, ma'am." She squirmed in place, in the direct headlights of the matron of the school. "I wasn't trying to make trouble, honest."

Cheerilee poked the little chaosling. "I've heard a lot about you. You've been at the advanced school." She tossed her head towards what could easily be called more of a college experience rather than a grade school like the one she ran. "I need to get back to running class, but you need to not haunt the students here. If you want to talk, wait until after class."

"Yes, ma'am..." Comforting backed away slowly, ears wilted. "Sorry..."

Cherry closed in and delivered a head ruffle. "Don't sound so miserable. I'm not angry, but it is my job to protect them, even from distractions. Now, talk to you later, if you'd like." She set off at a trot back into the classroom. Other foal faces were peering out at Comforting, clearly noticing the exchange.

Having mucked that up, Comforting vanished into the nearest bushes, to find it was occupied. "Tough break." Discord had his arms folded. "But, I did try to warn you. Going to school to check out back ends will draw attention, even here in pony land."

Comforting tossed her hands up, which Discord was polite enough to catch and pass back to her. "I just want to know if they have their marks or not, nothing more than that."

"Don't have to convince me." He ruffled her head. "But that won't get you past Cheerilee. So... You could wait for them to come out, or...?"

"Or..." Comforting scowled. "I dont' want to use chaos for this one, since that might be why this is all confused for Amity. Let's just wait."

"Your choice." Discord rose to his full height, popping free of the bushes as a result. "I should go. My goldfish won't feed themselves." He vanished in a puff of magic.

"He has goldfish?" Comforting imagined Discord sprinkling feed over a goldfish bowl. "Aw... cute..." But that didn't get her any answers, so she sat to wait for school to be over, or at least lunch break.

Lunch break came first, all the foals exploding out of the school, rushing to get their food or just play. The crusaders were among them, chatting with each other and getting lunch out to enjoy.

They had cutie marks. Three different marks, though all related. They were the crusaders. They were united, but they were three different ponies. "Huh..."

"Huh, yourself."

"Stop sneaking up on me!" It was a bad day for ponies doing that to her. It wasn't Cheerilee that time. It was Diamond Tiara with her trademark smirk. "Hiya."

"Hey." Diamond sank down next to Comforting. "Why are you spying on everypony? Kinda sketchy, which isn't your usual MO. Something going on?"

"Sorry." Comforting blinked, realizing something. "Wait a moment. Um, did the crusaders getting their marks... affect you?"

Diamond frowned at that. "Sorta... But it wasn't some magical cure for my problems." She tapped at her chest. "Ugh, let's not talk about that."

Comforting wanted to pry into her and get more details... But it felt like the wrong time for that. "Sorry. Um. You know I'm here, right?"

"I'm the one that found you." She poked Comforting between the eyes. "So, yeah, I think I know."

"More than that." She swatted at Diamond's hoof. "I mean as a friend, and someone who cares about you a lot. I want to help."

"You can help right now by cutting out the whole spy angle." She leaned in with a chuckle. "You're awful at it, anyway. Way better when you're being upfront about things."

"Diamond?" Silver poked her face into the bushes. "There you are. Why are you, like, over--Oh, hey Comfie!" She waved eagerly.

Comforting returned the wave with a smile. "Hey Silvie." Nicknames worked both ways, right? "You two are very fancy foals. Ever had meat before?"

Silver inclined her head slowly. "Sure. There are, like, tons of super fancy dishes that have some meat in them. Why?"

"Fish?" asked Diamond. "That's the most common, but not the only one. In the name of prestige, ponies will put a lot of things in their mouth." She pointed at her snout with that. "You don't want to be the only pony not eating something. That looks bad!"

"Way bad," agreed Silver with a nod. "Why?"

Comforting grabbed Diamond by either shoulder. "Because I want to talk with you, girl to girl, about serious stuff."

Diamond brushed off one of those hands. "After school, maybe. Speaking of that, we should get back to it." She rose and walked free of the bushes.

Silver angled her head at her fleeing friend. "You know how it is." She fled after Diamond.

Comforting flopped back on her bottom. "Alright..." The crusaders had their marks. Diamond seemed like she could use some help. There was nothing stopping her from getting involved. But... She vanished.

She appeared, pulling back a blind to reveal Amity-tree. "Amity!"

"Comforting." Amity stepped into view with a mild smile. "My sight was wrong."

"You sound happy about that..."

"I am displeased at being wrong." Amity inclined her head at her discorded self. "But I am pleased you can now act. You want to, do you not?"

"I do!" Comforting grabbed Amity by the cheeks. "But are you alright?"

"No." Amity rubbed at her cheek. "One sense has dulled... but another has appeared. You serve as more reliable eyes. Are you alright with that?"

"What about my glasses?" Comforting snatched them from Amity's side and plonked them on the filly's face. "Don't they help?"

Amity adjusted the glasses on her face. "Wearing them is a reminder of your care and affection. I adore them. When I awake to a headache, they banish it." She left the glasses there on her face. "But that I missed their marks means my sight is not entirely restored. It is not my eyes, but myself. I am changing. Perhaps the world has changed. Friend Comforting, will you be my eyes? Your vision is unclouded. I once had many agents, now, just one, and I must ask them, and they must say yes."

Comforting recoiled at that. "What about the others?!"

"I can ask, or command, but they will act on what I know... and what I know is... I can't rely on that." She pawed at Comforting gently. "Friend Comforting, will you be my agent, even if I must ask before?"

Comforting grabbed up the filly and did a twirl, holding Amity close. "Silly, I already was one of those. Just one you have to ask, like you said." She tapped Amity on the nose. "An agent you have to ask, who tends to say yes, because they like you and not for some other gain, there's a term for that."

"Is there? Friend Comforting, what term is that? I will use it."

Comforting burst into fresh giggles. "You just did. We're friends." She set Amity down carefully. "As friends, you care what happens to me, and I care what happens to you. If either of us could help the other, well, we would, because we care."

"I do care." Amity was quiet in thought a moment. "I care about a lot of things, you included... Please help me, to help them. The Harmony that turned away from you, she is unburdened. The one that turned towards you, she has your loyal assistance, and can see clearly. I chose the most difficult route, I feel... But also the only route that leads to Friend Comforting."

"Worth it?" Comforting proposed, uncertain.

"I have accepted this price. Will you be my eyes?"

"I should answer that." Comforting tapped at the side of her head. "You can peek whenever you want, unless I tell you to stop, then you stop until I tell you it's alright. You can send me a message."

"Why do you never reply?"

Comforting blinked. "Reply?"

"To the message." With a ding, a new message appeared. "Like that one. You rarely send one back."

"I don't think of it?" Comforting tapped the icon in her vision and typed at the air in a quick reply. She mashed send and the icon went blank.

Amity smiled gently. "I understand that joke."

Author's Note

Comforting is back, and ready to help Diamond! But first, Amity time. Amity time is good time, I vote.

Oops. Discord, you are very distracting, just saying...

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119 - Polishing Diamonds

"Hey." Comforting sank down, perched on Diamond's bed. She hadn't asked to be there or entered any traditional way. "Got a moment to chat?"

Diamond flicked an ear back. "Is that what it was like when I found you?"

"A little... But a bush is way less my space than your own room." She looked around Diamond's room. It smelled of wealth, clean and proper. "Sorry. I can go if you'd rather I did."

Diamond trotted up to Comforting, looking up at her. "It was nice, when you were shorter than me."

"Sorry." Comforting casually shrank, still bipedal, but even then, shorter than Diamond. Reduced to a little doll of herself, Comforting offered her hands. "Wanna talk?"

Diamond casually grabbed tiny-Comforting and hugged her. "Ugh! You can't fix everything. You can't even always fix what you did, and this isn't something you did."

"Glad it's not that." Comforting hugged her big pony friend. "Tell me about it?"

"It's stupid." Diamond climbed into her chair and parked Comforting on her desk. "I do my homework." She waved a hoof over her papers. "I learn the stupid stuff she wants me to learn. I work really hard! But it's never enough!" She slammed a hoof flat first to the desk with a dull thunk. "And don't give me any school pep talks. This isn't about school. Mom wants me to do stuff besides that, a lot of stuff."

Comforting leaned in over the papers. They weren't from school. That school gave little homework to begin with. They were all about social circles and upper crust life. It was Rich Person lessons. "Your mom expects a lot out of you."

"And it never stops." Diamond thunked her head down on the table. "I only have... anything away from her." She snorted, still deflated and limp. "And they wonder..."

"Why you lord things over the other foals," finished Comforting. "Well, that's not good either, but you're my friend, and I want to help."

"You've said that before." Diamond sat up, peering at her chaotic friend. "How?"

Comforting stroked her chin. "I have one idea, but it's kinda silly..."

"Squeaky rubber nose, silly?" She pantomimed honking her own nose. "Or just kinda out there?"

"More the second." Comforting hopped up onto the desk, still small. "Wanna trade places?"

"With you?" Diamond leaned in, one brow high. "I'd do so many things..." She began to rub her hooves together with a dark chuckle. "You have so much power you just sit on... I could fix so many things... And show off while I did it."

Comforting envisioned Chaos Diamond, ruling over Ponyville with a gleeful cackle. "Not that, and not me." She pointed out. "You and your mom. Both of you may grow seeing the world from the other's point of view."

"Pfft." Diamond rolled her eyes. "She wouldn't even last half the day in my hooves."

"Sounds like a lesson learned." Comforting leaned in with a smile. "Do you think you can handle her life?"

"What? She spends most days just being snooty. Easy." She turned up her nose with some practice. "I can take care of that, no problem."

Comforting clapped her hands slowly. "Well, since you're so confident..." She dug out a button, much like the one she had used to hop realities. "I'll give you this. She'll get one too. If either of you presses it, it's over, back to your normal selves. But you'll be admitting, you or her, that you couldn't handle it for the day. Get to the end of the day to win, simple as that."

Diamond snatched the button and tucked it away into her side. "Please. I won't even need that." Not that she threw it away. "When do we start? I'm looking forward to her tears."

"Don't be like that." Comforting reached up and tapped Diamond on the nose. "You may be angry at her, but we don't want to make any ponies cry. That's why she has a button too."

"Which she will press way before me." Diamond flashed a cocky smile. "Well, go ahead. Adult me."

With a request like that, how could she refuse? "Press the button if you want to stop." Comforting reached across frames, high-fiving herself and getting a nod. They had briefed the mom on the matter. They swapped something glowing between them and Comforting let the frame snap shut. "Here you go."

Diamond took the glowing... something. "What is..." It sank into her hoof and she staggered back. "What? I..." With grunts and twitches, she grew rapidly, becoming an adult version of herself. With long legs and her tiara being a small thing on her grown head. "Woah..." She sank back to her haunches. "Am I really an adult now?" Even her voice was changed, deeper and scrubbed clear of its foalish qualities. "Wow... Wait, what did you give that... other you?" She waved a hoof at about where she saw that exchange happen.

"Your foalhood, of course." Comforting inclined her head. "And you got her adulthood. You'll swap after you're done." A loud giggle filtered in from elsewhere in the house. "I think she's enjoying being a filly again."

Diamond rolled her eyes powerfully. "Right. Well! Since I'm the adult now." She tapped herself on the chest. "I should make sure she's getting her work done." She strode from the room with her cocky smile at full blast. "This'll be fun."

"Can't make this too easy." Comforting giggled to herself as she jumped down and casually free of the house.

Diamond could hear a loud knocking from the front. A door opened. "I'll see if she's in." Randolph was still on duty. "Ma'am?" He came walking in towards Diamond, not at all surprised at her adult status. "Your friend has arrived."

Diamond cocked a brow at that. "What? Really?" She imagined a little foal coming to see her adult self. "Uh... Let's see." She went with Randolph to the front of the house, where a pony was waiting for her. It was not a filly. Silver was as tall as she was, adjusting her glasses gently. "Silver?!"

"Diamond!" Silver rose smoothly and approached with a smile. "Always such a treat to see you. You didn't forget our engagement, did you?"

"Engagement?" Diamond looked over Silver curiously, spotting a pearl necklace around her neck. That fashion hadn't changed. "What engagement?"

Silver swatted at Diamond. "You did forget. You are incorrigible at times." She nodded at Randolph. "I'll take it from here."

"Of course, ma'am." Randolph walked off to take care of things elsewhere in the house.

"What did... we plan?" Not that she recalled planning anything as the adult she had just become.

"Well, somepony has to be the pony with any taste in this town." Silver turned towards the door. "Come on, dear. Who else is going to bring a little refined light to that opening?"

"Opening?" Diamond sifted through her memories frantically. "That rose garden?"

"The rose garden," echoed Silver. "I knew you'd remember. The rose sisters will be beside themselves if we don't put on an appearance." She flipped her mane. "I know it's a small thing, but it'll mean so much to them."

Diamond wanted to angrily brush it off. Wasting her time for some little rose display with, like, what, ten roses? "Mmm... right..." She could handle it! "Let's see these roses."

"Marvelous!" Silver led Diamond out into the town where they were adults, and it seemed only Diamond was aware that something had changed. The rest of the adults were adults and the foals were still foals. Why had Silver changed? She had no way of finding out, and tried her best to push it out.

"You look really nice today." Diamond rubbed behind her head as she walked along with Adult Silver.

"You're trying to get on my good side," Silver Spoon sang. "Please, continue."

Diamond laughed nervously. "Say, mind if I ask why we agreed to this?" Not that she remembered ever agreeing to it.

"Diamond..." A reproaching tone there. "They said they were opening their little garden. Ponies with class and sway need to show their support, if we want more such things. We will be overrun by bowling alleys or something equally pedestrian if we don't show our support. You don't want that, do you?"

"N-no, of course not." She laughed, and Silver joined in, a shared adult laugh of snooty ponies. She was snooty laughing!

Elsewhere, Spoiled Rich twirled left and right in front of a mirror. "The bags, gone!" She clapped her hooves to her face, grinning at the young face that was smiling back at her just as eagerly. "My responsibilities, also gone! Just a foal." She let out a slow sigh. "It doesn't get much better than this."

"I know that feeling."

Spoiled twirled towards Comforting. "You're still here..."

"Funny how that works." She leaned forward with a smile. "So, to recap, if things get overwhelming, just press the button and it stops." She pressed an imagined button with a finger. "Simple as that. I'm not here to torture any ponies."

"Torture? This?!" Spoiled waved a hoof at her reflection. "I can stand to be so 'tortured' more often. Now, divested of all responsibilities, I think I'll eat some ice cream and retire for the evening."

Comforting rolled a hand. "Didn't you have things you wanted to do?"

"Adult things." She stuck out her smaller tongue at Comforting. "Which I'm not, thanks to you. I do mean that, thank you. I heard my daughter had made friends with a local chaos spirit... I thought nothing but trouble would come from it. I'm glad to admit, in this case, I was wrong."

Comforting hopped down to her feet, hands spread to either side. "It won't be a fair trade if you lock yourself up in your room and wait it out."

"Lock myself?" She laughed, a riotous noise, hoof at her chest. "I'm not hiding. I'm rejoicing!" She cantered in place, giggling with overflowing happiness. "How could I not?"

A knocking came from the door, someone clopping against it. "Spoiled!"

Spoiled flicked her ears back. "What, is... It can't be..." She turned to the door, trembling as the door opened.

A colt darted in the moment the door was open far enough to allow it. "Spoiled!" A colt version of her husband was grinning at her. "What're you doing in here? C'mon!"

Spoiled glanced back towards Comforting, who wasn't there anymore. "Wretched thing..." There were always prices in dealing with such spirits. "Come on where?"

Filthy waved excitedly towards the outside of the room. "A new movie's coming out and you said you wanted to see it."

"I did?" But she was already being ushered for the door. "Well, um..." If she said that, it would surely not be entirely awful... "Let's get going then, I guess?"

"No guessing." He laughed as he circled her. "We'll find out at the movies. Don't worry, I'm covering."

Spoiled had a flashback to the younger days, when Filthy had the bits, and she had none. She reached back into her pocket, finding a button, but not a single bit to her name. "Thank... you." They were just foals. They weren't married. Spoiled wasn't rich. "Very kind."

"So formal." He crashed against her side. "Lighten up! It'll be fun!"

"I'm impressed." Discord tossed some popcorn into his eager mouth, crunching. "You have a whole thing going on here. I must say, I like how you're keeping them on their little hoofies like that. Nice touch."

"Thanks." Comforting smiled at her dad, cheeks warmed. "My first... chaosing?"

"Your first intentional chaosing, which is even more important." He ruffled the top of Comforting's head. "I'm so proud I don't even have words." He tapped at his chin. "Should we pick out a trophy, plaque, or something of that sort?"

"We don't have--" She didn't get to finish, being rained upon by a wide variety of commemorative tokens for the momentous occasion. She didn't have it in her to stop her father's celebration.

Author's Note

I don't think this is done, not at all. What twists and turns do you see ahead for Diamond and Spoiled?

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120 - Absurd Monday

"I hear it's great." The coltish Filthy bounced from left to right hooves in eager dances down the road. "The special effects are out of this world!"

"You don't say." Her plans to simply soak in the delights of being young, ruined, Spoiled did her best to put on a brave face. "Could you please tell me what this movie is about?"

"Space!" He thrust a hoof up at the evening sky. "Aliens! Invasions!" Each word was more dramatic and with greater reverb than the one before it. "Explosions. Struggle!" His hooves shook with the building intensity of whatever imagined scene played in his little head. "It'll be great!"

"It sounds... like a lot." She forced that smile, walking along her husband, reduced as he might have been.

Filthy got her a big container of popcorn, and she even got some of that ice cream she had been dreaming of. "Want a drink?"

She smiled at that, some of her tension fleeing. It was... nice, being treated by Filthy. They hadn't gone out in some time. "I would love a drink, but I'm out of hooves to hold things in." She had an arm curled around the two things she already had. "Could you hold this one?"

"Sure!" He hopped up, demanding a drink for his lady-friend. Refreshments in hoof, or balanced precariously on Filthy's excited head, he waved for her to come along to the theatre. "Thanks."

"Thanks?" She was at his side, matching his pace as best she could. "What are you thanking me for?"

"For coming." He darted ahead, the drink sliding down into his waiting drinks as he dive bombed into a seat and slapped it down into the drink holder there on the seat's armrest.

She took up space with less frantic motion beside him, the drink between them. "You're welcome." She tilted the big popcorn tub towards him. "Want some?"

"Yes!" He snatched a hoof-full and got to crunching. "I know this isn't your kind of movie... Next one, you pick."

Spoiled smiled in the darkness. Her Filthy was such a nice pony, especially to her. She felt her eyes sting as she remembered what a lovely little pony he was. "Thank you."

"Don't cry!" He half-wiped and half-swatted her tears away. "It's just a movie."

"Yes, of course." She was being silly! The colt was right. It was just a movie. A little distraction in a small colt's life. She licked her cold ice cream and hummed in delight. Sweet, smooth... It hit all the right notes. "Filthy?"

"Hm?"

She extended the ice cream towards him. "Want a lick?"

He didn't answer, not with words. He just took a big licking chomp, and suffered the freezing price for his tomfoolery. "Good!" he cried despite that, sitting back with a big smile.

Filthy was such a little nutball when he was that young. Spoiled smiled gently, feeling more relaxed by the moment.

Then the movie started with an explosion. She sent popcorn scattering in surprise. "I'll protect you." He put a hoof on her arm and never took it off through the film. She didn't need protection from the movie. It was just pictures and sound, not even real.

But his touch was real. She smiled gently and chewed her popcorn. Coming to the movies hadn't been that awful in the end.

Diamond's face was flat, struggling against the scowl that wanted so dearly to appear on it. The Rose Sisters had done their best, and their best wasn't looking very good... It was a gazebo with spotted bits of flowers poking free of it in different random directions. There was no order, pacing, or reason, just random flowers. "Charming..."

Silver curled a hoof to her chin. "I expected more... roses."

Daisy was smiling nervously at her two most prestigious guests. "We thought we'd go for a new angle!"

Roseluck nodded her head in agreement while she adorned her face with an exact same smile. "Posies! Aren't they great?"

Lily's head shot up and down in a bobbing motion. "Oh, yes. A flower none of us are named after. Really avante guard, as they say." She leaned in. "Like it?"

"Mmm..." Diamond waved a hoof slowly over the gazebo. "It's not the posies. This." She tapped at the wood. "This wouldn't be better with roses."

Roseluck inclined her head. "What would make it better then?"

Diamond forced her best smile. She had to be the voice of reason! "It's how the flowers are being... used." Or abused. She avoided saying that, feeling proud of herself. "When a pony comes to a showing of flowers, they want to be--"

"--Bedazzled," cut in Silver Spoon, matching with Diamond's sync. Adult or not, the two were on the same wavelength. "With patterns. This... An excellent... try... but it has no pattern."

Diamond grabbed a flower by the stem and pulled it free, just to shove it a few inches to the left. "There." It was a tiny change, but it hinted at something that could be mistaken for an order, if continued. "I'm actually happy."

Daisy inclined her head. "You're happy? You don't... look happy."

"Oh, no. I'm thrilled!" Diamond's arm went up and down in a motion above the flowers that were spread around. "Since you showed us first--"

"--You can fix it," finished Silver. "Before anypony else sees it. That's why you called us, isn't it? For that discerning eye." She tapped just next to her eye, making her glasses jostle as she tapped them. "I really do want to see it, after you've had a revision."

Diamond fell back to all fours. "Yeah. I've seen better from you three. You just got..." what was the word?... What was the word? "Excited." Not the perfect word, but it'd have to do. "Take a breath. You're already working with new flowers, and they're fine. Nothing wrong with some reliable patterns. It's how you do them that makes them special."

Roseluck's torn face erupted into a fresh smile. "You really like it?!"

"They're great," lied Diamond. The flowers were flowers. "It's up to you to make them really shine." She glanced about the area. "Since you... went with this." She nudged against the gazebo. "Lean into it."

"Precisely." Silver looked it over with a fresh excitement. "Marvelous idea, like, make it a place ponies can recline in, enjoying nature and each other's company. That will be quite popular, I feel certain."

Diamond stepped from hoof to hoof, considering it all the more heavily. "Oh." A thought came to her, from the many sheafs of paper thrust on her. "Don't forget there are other senses."

Lily quirked an ear. "Other senses?"

Diamond put her hooves on either side of a flower's petals. "It looks nice, but it has a smell, too. Make sure ponies seated here can smell that, and it's a good smell. Um, so you have to think about how they all... mix."

Roseluck clopped a forehoof on her head. "Duh! We're on it! C'mon, girls!" They charged off in a great stampede to try revising the gazebo, but that needed additional parts.

Silver laughed richly as the florists fled. "See? And you wanted to skip this? They needed our help. Who else could have guided them?"

"I guess so..." Diamond frowned with a huff. "But I need to talk to somepony. I'm heading home."

"Already?" Silver threw her head. "We could do so much more."

"We've already done so much," assured Diamond with a tense smile. "Thank you."

"Hmmph, I can't force you... Still, tomorrow?"

Diamond raised a brow. Did adults have social engagements as often as foals? "Maybe." She fled before they could promise more.

The two arrived home, Spoiled first. "That was... interesting."

Filthy blew a thick raspberrry. "Aw, c'mon. You know you liked the part where that pony turned into jello."

Spoiled smirked at the memory. "That was... interesting." She raised a hoof to poke him in the chest. "Next time, I select the show."

"So there's a next time. Yes!" Filthy pumped a hoof, pleased, and darted into the house that they shared but weren't married yet in.

"Never change." With a sigh, Spoiled trailed after. The door had barely closed when it slapped right open again. "Who?" She turned to see Diamond standing there, much taller than her. "Oh..."

"Yes, Oh." Diamond kicked the door shut behind her with a sharp clap. "Hello, daughter." Oh, how delicious the wince she got from Spoiled. "Have you finished your work?"

"Work? My schoolwork is complete." She hoped? She had swapped long after that should have been done...

"Not that work." Diamond trotted past her. "You are a growing pony of significance. With significance comes responsibility." Spoiled had used the words before, and Diamond got to throw them back. "I expect you to be in your room before I get there."

"I'm still your mother!" Spoiled stomped her hoof, as feeble an attempt that was for intimidation at her size. "You will not talk to me that way."

Diamond turned in place towards Spoiled. "Is that so? You have the button. You can press it at any time if you're tired of being the foal. Until then, I am the mother. You." She leveled a cruel hoof at Spoiled. "--are the daughter. Your room. Now."

Spoiled gnashed her teeth with a simmering growl. "Yes... Mom..." She rolled her eyes and got to trotting to her room in a jog, to be sure she got there first. "Blast her..." She cleared her desk and hopped up onto her seat. "I already know all of this..."

She could hear talking. "How was your day?" asked Diamond in a far kinder tone.

"It was great!" She could hear Filthy bouncing with foalish energy. "We saw a movie, together." His voice dropped to a harsh whisper, "She got scared, but I was there."

"You are such a good little colt." Unseen, Diamond gently patted her father on the head. "What does she give back to you?"

Filthy inclined his head left, then slowly right. "She reminds me when I get dumb. And I like her!" Not there to learn a lesson that day, Filthy darted off with a big, radiant smile.

Diamond let him go, instead walking into the room. "There you are, in the right place." She pulled out a thick wad of papers and slapped it down. "Now, you're getting behind. You know the rules."

"But... I'm tired." Going to the theatre had taken its toll. Going to bed, as she originally planned, felt like a great idea. "Can I do it tomorrow?"

Diamond leaned in over her former mother. "How often would you let me get away with that request, hm?"

Spoiled sank with a suffering sigh. "But I already know this!"

"So it should be easy." Diamond tapped the first page. "Go on. Show me how good you are at this."

Spoiled muttered, but scribbled her answers on the first page with the scratches of her pencil. "Did you even do anything today, mother, or did you just laze around?"

"Since you asked." Diamond looked far too pleased at that. "I oversaw the opening of a rose garden with Silver Spoon."

"You looked at flowers? How... exhausting." Spoiled kept up the pace despite her acidic words.

"It was a mess." Diamond shook her head. "The Flower Sisters are eager, but easily distracted by what's not important. Remember that bit about harmony?"

Spoiled perked an ear at that. "Harmony of the senses? What of it?"

"They had none of it!" Diamond stomped the floor. "So I gave them what for, and pointed them in the right direction. I left them eagerly rearranging things. Perhaps, tomorrow... you can go take a peek and make sure they got it right."

Spoiled looked ready to argue that, but she remembered she'd be an adult then. "Perhaps I should... Dear things, but so easily distracted..." A small smile crossed her face as she worked on the following page. "I'm proud of you."

Diamond flipped her ears back. "What for?"

"Harmony of the senses." Spoiled wagged her pencil in the air in a slow circle. "You hated that topic when you began it, and today you gave a lesson on it."

Diamond's face heated with an angry grunt. "Get back to work!"

"Yes, mom." But Spoiled didn't grumble that time.

Author's Note

Are we done? I feel like one more chapter is called for, to end this swapping arc. On the other hoof, that might be a fine place to put a pin in it. Both got some needed perspective I think. Thoughts?

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121 - Seeing Eye to Eye

"Think they got anything out of that?" Discord took ahold of a small sausage, bringing it up to his mouth, where it was quickly consumed with loud chomping. "Or was that just fun to do? Not complaining... It was fun to watch."

"Well, let's find out." She swiped the image to the left, drawing the next part of things into view.

Diamond was a filly again, carefully grooming her mane and gazing into the mirror to inspect her appearance. "Perfect." She tossed the brush back and Randolph, without needing to be asked, caught it and returned it to its appropriate spot. "I am heading off to school."

"Of course, ma'am. Your mother would like to speak to you." Randolph remained completely still, not making a single move as he silently observed her.

Her graceful landing on the ground was accompanied with a questioning "Really?" from Diamond. "Let's see what she wants. Better not make me late..." Even though she was feeling apprehensive, she was determined to put on a brave face and go see what her mother wanted. She slowly walked through the winding hallways of the large house and eventually came across her mother sunken in the cushions of a soft couch, a newspaper lying by her side. "You called, mother?"

"I did." Spoiled sat up tall, looming over her daughter easily with a faint smirk. "Is it so odd for a mother to want to speak to her child before she leaves?"

As Diamond silently measured her mother with her gaze, an uncomfortable and tense stillness filled the air. "You don't usually, so what's the catch?"

Spoiled gingerly stepped down from her seat, the fabric brushing against her fur. "I hope you understand now. I give you things to do to improve you. To give you the tools you need. One day, you will be the only mare around for miles that anypony can rely on to talk some sense into them. You will be the representative of this family. One day, perhaps, you'll find the right pony, then you'll have a little pony of your own to guide."

Diamond steeled her footing. "And I hope you understand how annoying it is! It's not like I have an empty day to start, then you..." She took an unsure step back, Spoiled glaring at her. "You..."

"Hmmph. Neither of us 'won' that contest. We both lasted through the day. A pity..."

Diamond turned away at that. "Yeah..." She jumped as a hoof landed on her head. Twisting about, she could see Spoiled had her hoof on Diamond's head. "Um?"

Spoiled shook her head in a slow, deliberate motion. "I gave you the tools to be able to communicate effectively and I expect you to use better words than 'um'. Are you able to remain consistent and follow through with a plan if we make one? How would things turn out if... your extra studies were every other day?"

Diamond turned one of her ears back. "What's the catch?"

"The 'catch'--" She made quotes with her hooves in the air. "--is that you become a better pony, prepared to take on the future ahead of you."

Diamond took an unsure step back. "And on the other days? You'll leave me alone?"

Spoiled had a natural talent for turning up her nose in disdain, a gesture she had perfected over the years. "We strongly encourage you to take the time to rest and recover from your efforts, find some leisure activities, or whatever it is that you feel you need to do."

Diamond licked over her lips with obvious doubt on her mind. "Al...right. Fine. I'll ace those tests of yours, then you leave me alone."

"Precisely what I requested." She offered a hoof towards Diamond.

Diamond fled, rather than interacting with it. "Hmmph..."

Discord gave a nonchalant shrug in response. "Although this may not be a quick solution, it could still be a step in the right direction?"

Comforting stuck out her tongue at the frozen shot of Spoiled being denied that last bit of affection. "Some hurts take a little longer to be undone. But, yes. Exactly that." She waved a finger at her father. "A step in the right direction." She crossed her arms and sighed, reflecting on how the outcome could have been better and what she could have done to get it there.

"You're looking... Hm, been there." Discord ruffled the top of her head. "But they're ponies, not dolls, no matter how cute they may be. You can't just line them up and expect them to march to your tune. I've tried! I really have. They still tell stories about half of my attempts." He gave off a very confident and cocky vibe as he chuckled to himself in regards to that part. "Good times..."

Comforting picked up one of many trophies Discord had dropped on her, fiddling with its brassy finish. "But did I do anything?"

"Sure you did." He pulled out a remote from nowhere and rewound the scene back to the part he wanted. "Here."

Spoiled had a natural talent for turning up her nose in disdain, a gesture she had perfected over the years. "We strongly encourage you to take the time to rest and recover from your efforts, find some leisure activities, or whatever it is that you feel you need to do."

With a hint of a smirk, he gestured to the image with a raise of his thumb and said, "That. She backed off. Clearly she learned something. I can't promise it's all better now, but that's something at least."

Comforting considered the situation as she rocked slowly left and right. "You have a point. Now, I think, is the part where we need to get hands on." She wriggled those regained fingers of hers. "Chaos is fine and all, but Diamond needs a friend, a real friend, there with her."

"Atta girl!" He swatted her on the back, waving a penant wildly with his other hand. "They grow up so fast... Well, have fun with that." He casually zipped up all the things he had brought into a little baggie. "Later." No pause and no hesitation would be found, just him stepping through a curtain that was there only long enough for him to depart.

Comforting contemplated running after her father, but the thought only lasted a second, for he never stayed in one place for long... She closed her eyes and wished away the screen in front of her, whispering, "Dad... Thanks. But, there's another pony I'm not giving enough time to." With the mess cleaned up, she took a step to the left and was in front of her home.

She did a swift spin, but the only animals she saw were the ones that normally populated the area. Fluttershy wasn't there either, so she opened the door and headed inside. "Mom!" she called as she closed the door behind her. "I'm--" Screwball crashed into her, knocking her into the door she had come through. She let out an "Oof!" as her sister crashed into her, a collision that she would have rather avoided, but regardless she quickly forgave her, giving her a tight hug in response. "Hi there, having fun."

"Well, you're here, so I have to be," reasoned Screwball swiftly. "I never not have not any never fun when you're not here never!" She paused, trying to work out how many negatives she stuffed in there and if her meaning was clear. "Right?"

"Right." Comforting gently nuzzled her sister's cheek, releasing her to float away with a smile. "Where's mom? You see her?"

"She's on a mission." Screwball nodded with all the seriousness she could manage. "With her friends. The map sent them."

Comforting went stiff with surprise. "What? Really?" She thought of Harmony. "Why didn't she call me?" A new message appeared, the inbox taking up a small bit of Comforting's vision. "Oh." She reached up to tap at it and the message spilled out.

Greetings, Friend Comforting,

You were occupied with equally important work. It was of a smaller scale, but it was very important to the ponies involved. I approve strongly of your efforts. Her importance... to the story had waned, and I stopped paying full attention to her. This was unkind, perhaps, but I have a duty. You have a duty as well, and you are filling this void. She is lucky to have you.

As am I,
Amity❤️💝

"Aw." Comforting hugged the air in front of herself, not having a letter to do it to. A soft chime alerted her that her message had been sent, and in some way it got the message across. She was uncertain and perplexed as she searched for the sent folder and examined her own message. All that could be seen in the conversation were hearts and hug emojis. Upon seeing it, she was so amused that she couldn't contain her laughter and it just bubbled out of her. "Accurate..."

"Whatcha doing?" Unable to see any of that spirit mailing in progress, Screwball was watching Comforting with some confusion. "I'll be making dinner tonight! You better be ready, because I'm gonna, did, will, do..." She slowed with a frown. "I'm making it."

Comforting grabbed the floating filly in a warm squeeze. "It'll be great. Want some help?"

"Will you?" Screwball grabbed at Comforting, tugging her towards the kitchen. "Yes! Get this and that and those and this and that." She only pointed to an actual item about half the times she asked for something, making it something of a challenge to be of proper help. Comforting pushed onward, attempting to acquire objects for her enthusiastic sister, and Screwball continued cooking without abatement. From the aroma filling the kitchen, it was easy to tell that she was in the process of creating something delicious. Just good luck to guessing what it was before it was done. Comforting didn't even try.

In the end, they had something delicious, but also somehow both crunchy and squishy. It was sour and sweet and a little spicy. It teased the senses, but in a good way, Comforting decided for herself. A fine dinner, even if she didn't technically need it. Still, Screwball did, being a pony, she was pretty sure. "You're getting better at this. You could be quite the star chef." She could imagine Screwball creating such things in Canterlot for the delight of thrill-seeking ponies. "If you wanted."

"Ooo..." She looked back at her cutie mark, which has not changed. "Hm..."

Comforting watched that with growing confusion. "You already have a mark, silly. You'll always be Screwball. You can be so much more on top of that though." She fired double finger guns. "Which includes city chef, if you want. Just one option. There are so many waiting for you to pick through."

"Wow!" She twirled in the air, hooves pedaling wildly a moment. "Sounds like a lot of fun. Sister! Can I have permission to play with your puppy?"

Puppy? "I have one of those?"

Screwball pointed across to where a particular canine hybrid lived. "Yep. She's nice, but she said I can only hang out with her with your permission. Sister, may I have that?"

Comforting imagined the little Screwball and the great pedator. "If you listen to what she says and do your best to not bother her. She's very nice, but she's also very large, so don't bug her."

"I can't bug her. I'm a pony, not a changeling." She blew quite the raspberry at the absurd notion. "Silly!" Still, permission had been given, so she zipped to the door, threw it open, and rushed through the air towards her chosen victim.

"They'll be fine..." Comforting set her eyes on her next target. "School should be over... Watch over her." She hopped from here to there, aiming to intercept Diamond on her way home for a little chat between friends. It's what friends did, right?

Author's Note

And fin, of the arc. Not the story! We got so much more to do. Favorite part?

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122 - Counseling

"I'm so glad you could stop by today." Starlight's face was filled with a warm smile as she looked at her most chaotic student. "We really haven't had the chance to catch up in a while."

Comforting waved behind her, at the door leading into the office. "Hiya! What's up with the line? There isn't usually so many ponies formed up for a visit. Should I even be here?"

Starlight gave a wave of her hoof in a dismissive manner. "Pfft, I always have time for each and every student!"
She faked a smile, her cheeks tight with the effort, as her lips curved. "Now tell me how things are going. You made it back from your trip and you looked happy about it. Tell me more?"

Comforting nervously tapped the ends of her fingers together while she hesitantly said, "Well... I made friends, several of them. Oh!" She extended her arms and opened a shimmering chaos window. In it, she could see Diamond Tiara waving goodbye to herself. As one of them hopped into a portal, the other remained, leaving only one of them behind. "Phew! Alright. I really shoulda checked on that earlier."

Starlight slowly tilted her head. "Uh... Was that happening... now?"

"Nah." Comforting smiled with ease, one less burden on her shoulders. "I didn't see the other when I last saw her, so I checked back to when they were last together." She banished the magic window away. "I'm getting a lot more comfortable with chaos magic. I'm still sad I let down Twilight by dropping unicorn magic like I did..."

Starlight tapped at her chin. "If I could do that... I'd drop unicorn magic too, if we're being honest. It's probably for the best I can't." There was a knock at the door, as the bracelet that hung from her arm began to pulse and emit a soft, glowing light. "One moment," she called towards it. "I'm still with a student."

Comforting slid down to her feet. "I should go. You're really busy, and I'm not having an emergency."

"W-wait. Don't feel like you're being kicked out."

"I'm not." Comforting went around Starlight's desk to offer a hug. "You're a very good pony."

Starlight accepted the hug and returned it in kind, expressing her appreciation. "I... think I needed to hear that. Have a great day. Let's talk again, when the line dies down."

"You got it." Comforting fired a thumbs up and raced from the room, passing by a massive line of other students waiting their turn to speak to Starlight.

"Comfy!" Silverstream waved wildly for her attention. "Psst!" She was not being subtle. "Over here!"

Comforting went down the line to join Silverstream. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask the same, but since you asked first." She felt her cheeks flush with pleasure as her laughter filled the air at the situation. "My siblings are visiting and I need to describe a shower to them, but they live in water. How do you describe a shower without 'wet', which they are usually?"

"They aren't wet."

Silverstream blinked, stunned at this idea. "How are they not wet?"

Comforting wagged a finger negatively. "Wet is what you feel when you're only kinda covered in water. Once you're all covered, you stop being wet. Wet is the difference between dry and watery. If there is no difference, not wet. Underwater creatures are never wet."

"Woah..." Silverstream felt like her head was spinning, the heavy thought weighing her down as she sank back on her haunches. "But how do you describe it then?"

"Imagine..." Comforting thought hard about it. "You come up from deep underwater into the air and the water runs down you. It's that sensation, but you don't have to swim to get it, and the water's nice and hot, running over you. You can make it as hot or cold as you like, even steamy, and it won't hurt. It'll wash away dirt and leave you nice and fresh!"

Silverstream stepped off the line, tapping her quill to her notebook. "Huh... Thanks! That gives me something to work with." She hurriedly scribbled as she wandered away, muttering something else about how to greet her aquatic kinfolk.

Comforting twirled in place. "One less visitor for you." She couldn't make all the others vanish though. Well...
"I could..." However, it would not be very kind to do that. Rather than wait in the line, she chose to go for a jog and just as she made her way out she crashed into a pony. "Sorry."

"You should be." A blue unicorn turned in place. "Wait..." Trixie squinted at Comforting appraisingly. "You're that chaos spirit that isn't Discord."

"That's me!" Comforting saw no reason in even trying to hide that. "Hiya. Sorry for bumping into you."

"No no... This may be perfect timing..." Trixie got a devious look. "Got a moment?" She tossed her head and began walking. "We should talk."

Comforting walked alongside Trixie. "What's up?" She knew Trixie, at least, as a person from the show she knew long ago. "You don't work at the school, do you?"

"Trixie is considering it." Trixie looked pensive a moment, but that passed. "That's a problem for future Trixie." She led Comforting on a walk. "She was going to have a nice picnic." She gestured to a simple blanket set up with a tea kettle and trays of snacks. "But Starlight is driving herself into the ground. You know Starlight, don't you?"

"Yep." Comforting hopped to take a seat on the blanket as Trixie pored out two cups. "It's really nice to meet you, Trixie. Are you as good at magic tricks as I'm hoping?"

Trixie started, ears pricking on her head as she sat up. "Trixie is both great and powerful. She is one of the best magicians in the land!" She buffed her chest with obvious pride. "You are a fan of mine? Of course you would be!" A moment of doubt, dispelled. "I'm not doing a show today though."

Comforting clapped with a bright smile. "Just a little? I'd love to see it."

Trixie pouted as if put out, but her smile couldn't be denied, perhaps enjoying being fawned over. "Very well... Just this once. Do you have a favorite trick, or shall Trixie select one for you?"

Comforting considered that just a moment. "You pick. I'm already being a bother."

"I appreciate you understand that." She reached for a sandwhich and opened it, revealing its mundane toppings. She closed it and re-opened it, allowing streamers and a loud explosion to erupt from it. "Ta da. A meal with a bang." She winked dramatically at Comforting. "Be careful sinking your teeth into that."

Comforting snickered, applauding the magic trick. She hadn't seen Trixie's horn glow, which made it all the more impressive. "Real magic."

Trixie perked one ear off, the other to the side. "What do you mean, 'real' magic? As if Trixie would perform any other kind."

"Well..." She pointed up at her changeling horn as it glowed with the promise of magic. "Can you see that?"

Trixie looked up at Comforting's horns. "You have horns. Should I be impressed?"

"Not that." She pawed at Trixie without touching her. "Unicorn magic. You didn't use it, which means you did real stage magic. I'm impressed."

Trixie leaned in, fluttering her lashes. "I'm impressed you know the difference. The ponies around here? They have no idea! I use magic. I use stage magic. It's all 'magic' to them! You have no idea how irritating that is! They are not the same thing." She stomped a hoof down and swigged her tea angrily. "Seriously..."

"I can understand that." She reached behind her back and drew out a magic wand, all black and shiny with brilliant white tips. "My magic is like stage magic. Misdirection is how you get a lot of it done, so I feel, I don't know... a kinship?" She waved the wand at Trixie, watching her eyes follow the tip of it. "Nice flower, by the way."

"What flower?" Trixie reached up and knocked a brilliant red rose from behind her ear. It fell towards the ground but she caught it in her magic. "Nice..." Trixie could appreciate a fellow bit of stagecraft, smirking at Comforting wickedly. "But you aren't here to compete with me, are you?"

"I would never!" Comforting clasped her hands together. "That would be mean, and I respect you. Besides, I'm not a showman."

"Showman?" Trixie perked an ear anew at that. "What is that?"

Oops. "Showpony? Showcreature." Yep, creature, she was one of those. "Not one of those."

"Oh, right." Trixie snagged a new sandwhich to chew on. "You're like Discord, but easier to get along with. Can you do anything he could do?"

"In theory." She wobbled a hand in the air. "But he has thousands of years more experience. I'm still pretty new! I'm getting the hang of it, but let's tip our hats at our elders. Don't call him an elder. That'd upset him."

Trixie snickered at the mental image. "I would imagine. Alright, baby Discord it is then. Baby Discord, can you banish Starlight's students so she can hang out for a little while?"

"I could." Comforting crossed her arms. "But I won't. That would be mean. I'm a nice baby Discord, so don't ask me to do mean things, or I might do a mean thing to you to show you a lesson."

Trixie huffed. "Then make them forget where Starlight's office is for a day. That isn't too mean, hm?"

"Less mean..." Comforting tossed aside her previous idea for punishing Trixie. "You really care about her, huh?"

Trixie colored sharply. "She is... Trixie's best friend." Her voice got weak towards the end of that, sagging. "She is... Trixie's only real friend... Well, that isn't fair... Sunburst is pretty great, but she has the #1 spot, and Trixie barely gets to spend time with her! Or Sunburst, now that I brought him up. All the other ponies get to be with their friends! Why not me?"

"I can't... fix that." She offered a hand towards Trixie. "But I can be a friend?"

Trixie reached out, just to swat the hand away. "Trixie appreciates it, really. Nice to meet you. But Starlight is hurting herself and she won't be happy until that's fixed! Now, seriously... Can we address this?"

With a chime, a message arrived. Comforting held up a hand for patience as her other reached up to tap that icon only she could see.

Hello, Friend Comforting,

Trixie isn't wrong, I think. Assisting her in assisting Starlight would be good for the order. Can you help? I would appreciate it, and so would they. I may be wrong, but I think you want to help anyway, so consider this more of me granting permission instead of making a request, but it is a request.

Please,
Amity

"What are you staring at?" Trixie couldn't see what Comforting was reading. "Is there a sign behind me?" She turned her head, but saw no billboard of interest, coiling back to Comforting. "What is it?"

"It's alright." Comforting tapped away with the hand that wasn't making placating gestures.

I'm on the case! 🫡

She hit send and reached for the teacup. "You make pleasant tea, by the way."

"Oh, thank you." Trixie floated hers over for a fresh sip. "Starlight showed me how... If only she had the time to come enjoy it with me..." She snorted softly. "Whatever... Baby Discord--"

"Comforting."

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Sorry... Come to think of it, Trixie would be just as annoyed if somepony kept getting her name wrong. Comforting. Do you have any ideas?"

Comforting clapped her hands. "A few! Let's not be mean, but she needs a little poke in the right direction." She waved a scene into existence, showing them Starlight in her office, dealing with pony after pony. "Poor thing..."

"They overwork her!" Trixie threw a tantrum in place. "It's not fair, and she doesn't even see it!"

"Not fair." Comforting watched the scene play out. "We have to show her the magic of--"

"--Friendship?" Trixie made a face. "Gag me."

"Well, that, but more work-life balance. Almost as good!"

Author's Note

What's this? Smells like a new little arc of trouble. What trouble will Comforting cause and/or prevent?

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123 - Counsel for the Counselor

Comforting's face lit up with a scheming expression as she rubbed her hands together in anticipation and said "Okay! Let's go over the basics. Starlight is trying to be a good counselor. Props for her."

"Yeah, props." Trixie was not at all convinced by that thought and her expression showed her disagreement. "And it's running her into the ground, and keeping her away from me."

"Right right. She's trying her best, and she's made it clear to everycreature in there--" Comforting gave a wave in the direction of the school, which appeared to be tranquil and organized from a distance. "--that they can come bother her with anything, from the smallest thing, to the most world-endingest thing they got. And they listened!"

"So she just has to... tell them to go away?" Trixie made a shooing motion with her hooves. "That sounds simple enough."

"She won't do that," sang out Comforting. "She wants to do right by this job, so just sending everything away? She won't."

"So... You're saying we should just sit back and watch her be miserable then?" Trixie cocked a brow. "For a sorta-Discord, that's a boring answer that doesn't help." She rose to her hooves. "Or! I can just march in there and give her a piece of my mind. Just a little piece should be enough. Trixie's mind is also great and powerful, you know."

Comforting could easily imagine Trixie dropping on the scene like an angry, and magical, weight. "Let's work backwards."

"Backwards?" Trixie rolled her eyes. "Trixie would prefer to march forwards right into that little office of hers."

Comforting bounced towards the school, facing Trixie and going backwards. "Let me do a little spying first. We'll save crashing into her office as a last resort."

Trixie shook herself out with a distressed whicker. "She promised to come tomorrow and learn how to make this cake with Trixie. Do you think she'll be there? And if she is there, what are the odds she'll stay there? This is for Maud's party! We both like Maud..." She looked off at that. "Even if she is very confusing to Trixie."

Maud?! Comforting knew her, from a distance. She never met Maud, in person, and the urge was strong to want to fix that since she was brought up, but... "I'll go look. Let's fix this, together." She offered a hand.

Trixie did not meet it with a hoof. "Go on then. I'll hope for the best, but Trixie expects the worst."

With permission secured, Comforting darted into the school. It was mid-class, so there shouldn't have been anyone in the halls, and yet... There was a handful of creatures waiting for their turn with Starlight. Comforting landed at the back of the line and tapped the pony in front of her.

"Yeah?" The stallion peeked over his shoulder. "Oh, Comforting. What's up?"

She didn't know him, not personally. Still, she was famous enough that random people knowing her name wasn't that surprising. "Hello! What are you in line for?"

"To see the counselor, duh." He inclined his head towards Starlight's door. "It's taking forever."

"Yeah..." Comforting leaned far to the left to see all the ponies and other creatures waiting. "They only have one counselor. She must be super busy, seeing so many every day."

"Every day?" The pony blinked, clearly surprised at the idea. "I only came today."

"It was like this yesterday, and the day before, and..." Comforting rolled her hands with each repetition. "There's no stop!"

"Wow... That sounds hard." The pony rubbed at his cheek. "Why don't they get another counselor?"

"That's a great question." Comforting could think of no good counter to it. "Only Twilight could know that. Maybe Twilight can't afford it? Or there aren't other counsel-ponies around?"

"Poor Starlight." He stepped off the line. "I guess it isn't that important."

Comforting grabbed for him, getting a leg before he got too far away. "Wait, one question really quick. If she started setting regular hours, would that upset you?"

"Hm?" He turned to face her properly. "No, why would that bother me?" He pointed at her door. "I was kinda surprised she's even here when the school's closed, to be honest."

Comforting clapped her hands. "Alright!" The stallion looked confused at her excitement and went on their day. "Now I wait..."

Waiting wasn't fun. Fortunately, so long as she kept it to herself, summoning a handheld game or two to pass the time was permitted by the universe. She couldn't share it with the other waiters, but it helped her, at least. Alas, there were limits to her chaotic magic. She slipped inside the office, taking note of the lack of an hours sign.

She fell back against the door, closing it. "Starlight!"

"Comforting." Starlight was smiling behind her desk. "I thought I'd have to wait a lot longer before I saw you again. Is something wrong? I'm here for you."

"I know you are." She reached up and casually locked the door. The door didn't have a lock a moment before, but Comforting wasn't rushing to remind anyone of that. "You are a good pony. Too good. I think it's time for an intervention."

"A what now?" Starlight inclined her head at the approaching Comforting. "Hold on there. Are you mad I had to cut our last session short?" She began to sweat with worry. "I didn't mean to! We can have a session right now!" Her anklet began to pulse in time with a knock at the door.

"That? That's not good." She pointed back at the door. "Not for me, you, or anycreature--one else." She shook her head with a frown at her slip. She was getting in bad pony habits! "Noone that comes in here can expect you to give them time, because you're out of time. You gave all you have, then kept giving!"

"Somepony has to be here!" squeaked out Starlight, cringing back into her chair. "Who else is going to do it?"

"Nobody, if we keep this up." Comforting hopped up onto Starlight's desk. "I happen to like you, a lot. You know that, I hope, right?"

"I'm glad to hear that." Starlight let herself relax and looked up towards her upright client. "I would be pleased to understand what I can do to aid you today."

"By helping me help you." She reached out, booping Starlight on the nose. "You don't deserve this."

"W-what? I work very hard to be the best counselor I can be!" With a surge of energy, Starlight stood from the chair she was seated in. "I may--"

"--Not like that," cut in Comforting, waving wildly. "You're great! You don't deserve this unfair treatment. The ponies don't deserve to see you suffering. You're not giving, or getting, your best. Nobody is winning."

Starlight side-eyed Comforting suspiciously. "You have a different point of view from most ponies I know. I attract ponies like that... So, tell me." She folded her arms across her chest. "Tell me what you see. What do you think I should be doing?"

Comforting weighed her words carefully. "You want every pony, dragon, or other creature to be able to come in, talk to you, and walk out with their problem fixed, right? That's the idea."

"Of course." Starlight sank back into her chair. "Sit. You're making me nervous having to look up at a patient."

Comforting clapped her hands, causing Starlight's chair to shoot up until she was a little above Comforting. "You're the patient right now. Alright. You can't do that. As soon as..." As if timed, Starlight's bracelet pulsed in time with a fresh knocking at the door. "Busy," called out Comforting. "As soon as one comes in, the next is already pounding on the door. This is not sustainable, for anycreature involved."

"Alright..." Starlight didn't sound at all convinced. "What's your proposal, Comforting?" She reached with her magic, grabbing the lever to allow her chair down with a hiss. "How do we fix it all?"

Comforting reached across the divide to cup at either of Starlight's round cheeks. Ponies had such grabbable cheeks. It was a horse thing. "You set boundaries. You're here for x to y. No exceptions. You set a schedule. Somecreature needs your help, they reach out, and you set a time to talk to them, a time nocreature else is allowed to bother you. It's all about them and nothing else in the whole world." She worked a hand in an arc with the mention of the world, vast and round.

"But... But... What if there's an emergency?" Starlight rubbed behind her head nervously. "If a student is having a meltdown, who else can help?"

"You're not the only faculty in the whole building!" shouted Comforting louder than she had planned. She colored in shame, realizing her error. "Um, sorry... But really... If it's that bad, and you're busy, than they should talk to one of the other teachers. They all love us!" She hugged herself so hard, a little heart popped free and floated over her head. "They all want to help. Let them help a little, until you get a moment."

"But..."

"You saw what I just did?" Comforting hiked a thumb at herself. "You're going to do that to a student when they need help the most. Do you want that?"

"N-no! Of course not! That would be... terrible." Starlight sank miserably in place. "But I can't just... do that. The students will be so mad at me, and disappointed, for a good reason!" She pressed both hooves to her chest. "They rely on me!"

"It's time to respect your best student, the one that relies on you the most."

Starlight looked around, as if some pony would just leap into view. "Which... pony is that?" But it clicked. "You mean me, don't you? Look, it's not that bad." She gently shooed Comforting off her desk. "You don't need me today, you've made very clear. Let's allow the next student in, hm?"

"But..." Starlight's stern look left no room for argument. "Alright..." Comforting slipped out the door, allowing a new pony to rush into the void she left behind. An audible growl escaped her lips as she clenched her teeth together. "Why don't we visit another close friend of ours?"

She casually slipped free of a stage hat Trixie was mid-reaching for. Trixie squeaked in surprise, dropping the hat and Comforting to the ground. "Where did you come from?!"

"Sorry." Comforting rapidly grew to her usual size, dusting herself off along the way. "I talked to Starlight, and did a little investigating."

"Did you now?" Trixie reclaimed her hat with her magic. "Then you've seen how much of a mess she's making?"

"It's a big mess," sighed out Comforting. "I tried to just tell her, but I'm not sure she's listening. She's all in on being the bestest counselor ever, even as she fails at that."

"That does sound like a Starlight thing to do." Trixie tapped at her chin with a hoof with considering noises. "She won't back down until something explodes. Trixie admires her attitude, really. But it's bothering me, so I hate it." The conflict in that statement was entirely missed by Trixie. "Trixie's been there! Really, I have... I was once ready to end Trixie's great and powerful career when I was feeling really down and just wouldn't take 'let's wait a moment' as an answer... I get it... I hate it... but I do get it..."

"I have an idea!" Comforting clapped her hands together firmly. "What if we have so much fun, she gets jealous of us and wanders away from work for a change?"

Trixie waggled her brows. "Devious! Trixie likes the way you're thinking, Comforting. She has to remind herself sometimes that while you are a nicer Discord, you're still a Discord. Very well! Let us begin a new show! Now, how, exactly, do you propose we convince her of how much fun we are having?"

Author's Note

Starlight declines the easy solution. Let's get clever about this!

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124 - Comforting Tricks

"Sorry I've been busy, but today I'm all yours." Starlight walked in step with Trixie, matching her stride as they made their way along. "So let's see that list."

"There is no list." Trixie hmmphed softly, turning up her nose. "Trixie already learned how to make the cake. It'll be ready in time for the party."

Starlight gradually came to a halt. "Wait, really?! But I thought... you wanted to do that together?" She waved a hoof between herself and Trixie.

"Comforting lent a hand. She has two of those, conveniently. It's a nice cake. You were too busy--" She didn't even get to finish, Starlight's anklet strobing and beeping urgently. "--too busy with your students."

Starlight laughed nervously. "It'll just be a moment. Be right back!" She popped out of existence.

Trixie huffed at the space that once held Starlight. "Are you sure this'll work?"

"It has to." Comforting stepped free of nothing with an unsure expression. "I hope. What's this party for?"

"The spring solstice. Don't you know about it?" She peered at Comforting oddly. "Hmmph, well... since you're helping Trixie, she can invite you. Warning! Maud is a bit odd, and her boyfriend isn't any better. So... be ready for that."

Comforting tapped her fingertips together with a big smile. "That sounds fun! Alright, but Starlight... We need to--"

Starlight reappeared with a pop. "Alright, so as I was... oh, hello Comforting." She hiked a brow. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I'm in the middle of a friendship exercise!" She even had an official Amity-given quest, but she didn't mention that part. "Twilight will be grading me when I finish. Welcome back! Will you be joining us for longer than a minute?"

Hearing that, Starlight's face fell and her shoulders slumped. "I'm doing my best. Look, at the very least... the school is closed for Solstice and most of the students are going home. That should give me some time."

Trixie approached with a scowl. "Very nice. You were supposed to help Trixie prepare for that solstice! What help have you been? None! That's how much help you've been!"

Starlight's anklet pinged for attention. "Nnng, one moment." She vanished with a magic pop.

Trixie turned on Comforting. "Trixie doesn't think this is working."

"We did get a nice cake out of it..."

Trixie eyed Comforting with a flat expression a moment, though a smile did return. "It does look like a nice cake. Trixie appreciates that part. But it should have been made with Starlight. You, while a nice enough creature, are not Starlight. Will she even take solstice off? She claims she will, but Trixie has her doubts."

"I don't want to replace her." Comforting looked to the deceptively calm school. "We both want Starlight rescued."

"She needs to rescue herself!" Trixie stomped towards the school. "And the only way Trixie will get any time to talk to her is going there."

Comforting's words died in her throat. Might it be helpful to allow Trixie to have a go? Deciding to take a seat, she waited patiently for Trixie to come back. Maybe with Starlight? No. When she came back, she was by herself. She wore a pleased expression and seemed to be happy. "How'd it go?"

Trixie went up to Comforting and poked her in the shoulder. "Trixie should have done that to start! She told Starlight how it was, and she listened! She even told one of her precious 'students' to go away and take care of their own problem. Ha! It was wonderful. She will be there for the solstice."

Comforting cringed at the mental image. "How did... the student take that?"

"She looked upset, of course." Trixie waved that away. "Whatever. See you tomorrow for the solstice!" She trotted away with a big smile on her face. "Trixie should have handled that herself in the first place."

On the plus side, Starlight was free. On the negative... "Poor thing." Comforting willed a window open and spread it with her hands. She could see her favorite water/pony being shooed away, crestfallen and sad. "You are now my project."

With a pop, Comforting stopped being there, and found herself in a forest. "What?"

"What?" Silverstream looked over her shoulder. "Oh, hey Comfie! When'd you get here?" She was still walking right along. "I was on the way to the castle."

"Which one?" Comforting darted in next to Silverstream. "You alright?"

"I'm better than alright!" Silverstream assumed a confident look. "Starlight was right. She's busy, and I need to handle some things on my own. So! I'm going to take care of my project before my siblings get here, and then everything will be fine!"

"Huh..." That was less distressed than Comforting had imagined by a few steps. "Sounds good. What's your project?"

"I'm studying a wild critter! I found this cockatrice, she's nice!" Silverstream rubbed her hands together with a smile of future fun. "I'm writing a report about her."

"A cockatrice?" Comforting searched her memory for those. "Don't those turn you into stone?"

"Only if they're upset, or scared." Silverstream emerged near where Amity stood in silent vigil, but she wasn't going to Amity. She was headed for the castle beyond, tall and stately. "I'm good friends with this one. She's not, um... a pet... but we have a thing going."

"You tamed one? Neat!" Comforting grabbed Silverstream in a one armed hug, getting one in return. "That's super cool. Taming a wild animal is not easy."

"It wasn't," sighed out Silver, shaking her head. "But I managed! If I can finish this project, then everything will be great."

"This is..." Comforting looked over the castle. "The, uh... two sister palace, right?"

"Is it?" Silverstream shrugged with ignorance. "It's where I meet her. Oh, her name's Edith. She is just the best. Edith!" She whistled sharply and clucked her tongue, soon drawing out a curious cockatrice. Rather than anyone being petrified, they crashed together with hugs and nuzzles in clear shared fondness. "Edith! Meet my friend." She waved at Comforting. "Her name is Comforting and she's super nice."

Edith clucked in greeting, which was as much of a greeting as one could expect.

Comforting reached out a hand and held it there until Edith closed the distance and gentle petting could begin. "What a lovely murder hen you are," she giggled out. "Nice to meet you. So, how long will this take, do you think?"

"Hmmm...." Silver tapped at her beak. "A few days?"

"Alright." Comforting floated back away from Edith. "When's your family showing up?"

"A day." It was at that moment Silverstream realized her mistake. "Oh..."

Comforting hadn't even been trying to do that! "Someone needs to tell them you're here then, right?"

Silverstream clapped her hands on her face. "And pick them up from the station, and get them comfortable, and..."

Comforting put a hand on the hyperventilating friend. "You have a Comforting friend right here. I can pick them up."

"Would you?!" She grabbed Comforting up in a fierce hug. "You are just the best!" She dug out a new slip of paper. "Here's where they're coming and when. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget." And yet, she had forgotten. "Did I mention you're the best?!"

Comforting read over the place and time. "I'll be there, promise." With her hand raised, she jabbed at the things that only she could see, setting an alarm to let her know when she needed to arrive. Having an interface like that was incredibly convenient in certain situations. "Alright! Now, your friend." She looked to Edith, who was watching them just as curiously. "Need any help with that, or just for me to get out of the way?"

"You're already doing enough." Silver put out an arm and Edith landed on it without other prompting. "I can handle this. Oh! Don't wander around the forest right now. There are other cockatrices, and I can only promise Edith is super nice."

"Huh, good advice." She fired a thumbs up and scrambled from the room, leaving Silverstream to her work. "Amity!" She hurried across the clearing, free of the castle, towards her friend. "Nice to see you."

Not-Comforting, the spirit Amity, stepped free. "It is nice to see you."

They met in a gentle hug. "I'm doing my best, promise."

"I can see that. Starlight is not an easy pony to redirect. I have tried before..." Amity considered in a moment of quiet thought. "It is that very nature that made me use her as a tool before. She was good at that."

"She got a map quest?" gasped out Comforting. "It worked out?"

"It worked out." Amity nodded gently. "One agent against another. Celestia was served well in the end."

"Celestia?!" Comforting almost hopped back in surprise. "What did she need?!"

"She and her sister had many unresolved things... There may be more work ahead of them." Amity focused, bringing her vision directly on Comforting. "But today we worry about Starlight. I can feel you making changes. Were you not here, it would have gone differently, but I can't tell how. I can't say if it's better or worse... But I know you are trying your absolute best. You are a friend."

Comforting grabbed her little filly self and spun her around in a fond hug. "I am! I promise... I think I just stopped a bad thing from happening."

"Did you?" Amity slid to the ground easily. "I was not watching you when you came here. I thought I should be ready, in case you visited. I was correct." She inclined her head at Comforting. "Here you are."

"Here I am." Comforting considered a moment. "Silverstream, silly girl, forgot her family's coming after all that effort being ready for them! I swear, if her head wasn't attached, she really would leave it behind. On the other hand." She waved that other hand at the castle. "She made friends with a cockatrice! Edith is her name and she's very sweet."

"I had not been monitoring her. That sounds delightful. The power of friendship spread ever further, to think even a cockatrice could become entangled." She paused a moment. "I have caught even me in its snare. Friendship is a terribly potent force. It is good it is being used for good causes."

"Friendship is Magic," sang out Comforting, a rainbow bursting into being over her head for just a moment. "Same friendship got me here, trying to fix the whole Starlight thing. Alright, I just have to pick up Silverstream's family from the station." She tapped and brought up the appointment, sending it onwards to Amity. "Here."

Amity's vision shifted faintly as she reacted to the incoming message in her own way. She did not reach to click things, it just... happened. "I see. That is on the border of Equestria. Travel safely. Oh. What about your solstice party?"

Comforting slapped a hand over her face. "The party! Now... Before we panic." She slapped one hand against the other. "I am a chaos spirit. I have a few options most don't have. For one, I could be in both places at the same time, and who'll stop me."

"You will." Amity leaned forward. "You'll get dizzy if you do that for long. You were getting a headache when you did it with Diamond and her mother."

"Ugh..." Having two cameras on at once was disorienting. "Trixie's been abandoned so much recently... But Silverstream's family needs a helping hand!" And there she was, having promised to help both, at the same time. "Dang it, I went and got myself in exactly the same problem Starlight's in! And I don't even have a job!"

"Only the ones you accepted on yourself." Amity touched her nose to Comforting's cheek, rearing up to do it. "Be calm and think about it. You will find an answer. I have faith in you, Friend Comforting."

"Right..." She had to not be a silly pony and lose her wits in a panic. "I can do this!"

Author's Note

The canon has been shattered, but you knew that already, right?

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125 - Scheduling Conflict

"Let's... be an adult about this." She was, at least, half an adult, right? Half chaos spirit, half adult, still in a filly's bipedal shape. "Trixie wanted Starlight. Trixie has Starlight." She counted on fingers as she went over the facts. "So, if that doesn't change, Trixie will be happy. Not having me will be minor points off, compared to that at least. So! Maybe I should just... be honest?"

Amity inclined her head. "Honesty is one of the virtues I am currently aligned with. I agree with its use."

Comforting gently ruffled the top of Amity. "It's a good virtue, as virtues go. So, I'm thinking I go to Trixie, tell her what I'm doing, and I can, honestly, tell her this is stopping things from going out of control and getting Starlight distracted. I'll be a hero, small scale." She held up two fingers close together. "But I will miss the party, and that sucks... But that's what I get."

"Friendship is not free, but it is worth the price." Amity put a hoof on her chest and extended it towards Comforting. "Our friendship has been comforting... and terrible... but I think it is worth the effort."

"You've paid more than I have..." Comforting thought back on her friendship with Amity, once Harmony. "Sorry for that."

"Friendship is not a contest." Amity wagged her tail with a sudden bit of energy. "If it was, I declare us both winners of it."

"Aw." Comforting dropped to a knee to hug Amity gently. "Alright, I gotta get to fixing friendship problems of my own making." With a final wave, she stepped back into... a cave? "Trixie?"

Trixie jumped in surprise. "Nice Discord! I mean... Comforting." She finished her turn towards Comforting. "What are you doing here?"

"I would also like to know that." There was Maud, watching her with an even gaze. "This is my home." Her tone was even and flat, but that was her style. "Not yours."

"Sorry." Comforting waved her hands placatingly. "I just wanted to give Trixie a quick update, then I'll get out of the way, promise."

Trixie motioned for Maud to stay composed, although she never seemed overly agitated in the first place. "Trixie knows Comforting. She's nice. She even helped make the cake!"

"Oh." Maud inclined her head faintly, considering Comforting. "What are you?"

Comforting pointed at herself. "I'm a chaos spirit named Comforting Shade. Speaking of that, this is a lovely cave." Well, as caves went. It was clean and fresh and lived in warmly. "Nice to meet you, Maud."

"I didn't say my name." Still, she offered a hoof in a little clop. "Hello. What is your update?"

Comforting turned fully on Trixie. "I went to make sure Starlight's student wasn't getting in trouble, so you could have a great time, and because I felt bad." It was more the second, but she didn't feel the need to emphasize that. "And she was getting into trouble."

Trixie clopped a hoof on her head. "Figures. You took care of that?"

"I am taking care of that. I need to go pick up her family and get them safely to Ponyville, so I may be late to the party, but Starlight won't be bothered."

Trixie shrugged at that. "Get here when you can get here."

Comforting froze a moment in surprise. "Not upset?"

"Should Trixie be?" Trixie inclined her head. "No offense, but Trixie barely knows you. Thanks for the cake! But other than that..." She rolled a hoof slowly. "Get here when you can. Besides, you're helping Trixie by making sure Starlight doesn't get distracted! Oh, I asked her about what you were talking about with her."

Maud looked between the two of them. "This is my home."

"Sorry!" Comforting lifted up, as if not touching the ground made it all better. "What did..." She was grabbed.

Maud had taken hold of both of them, one hoof to either, and walked out of her caves, dumping Trixie and Comforting on the ground outside. Without a word, she walked back inside.

Trixie dusted herself off. "Seriously, Maud... She's nice, usually... I think she doesn't like that you just appeared in her house like that. It scar--startled Trixie the first time you did it to her. As we were saying, now that Starlight is listening to reason, she saw you were just talking common sense, so she should have things less... crazy, in the future."

"I'm super glad to hear that. Also... how did she do that?" Comforting rubbed the spot that had been held by a hoof, somehow...

"Trixie has learned not to ask. Earth ponies have magic, and Maud has it in spades." Trixie adjusted her hat back to straight. "It is a mysterious and potent force. She and Pinkie are drowning in it. It's best that they like us, in the end." She smirked at that. "Now, you have things to do, do you not?"

"Tomorrow!" Comforting rocked in place. "Actually.. Since I'm here, today... If Maud isn't too angry, can I meet her properly?"

Trixie peered into the darkness of the cave. "Fine... You've done Trixie a favor. I'll go see how she's feeling. Wait here." She descended into the earth, never to be seen again. At least for a minute or three.

She was not alone, Maud walking at her side. "She wants to talk to you." Trixie was pointing ahead at Comforting. "She's good friends with your sister, and she's the daughter of Fluttershy if that helps?"

"It doesn't." Maud stepped out of her cave, eyes on Comforting. "Hello. What did you want?"

"You, mostly." Comforting smiled at her maybe future friend. "Hello! I'm Comforting, as Trixie said. I was hoping to meet you, without annoying you..."

"We've met." She was quiet for a time, the conversation dying. "Before." She pointed back in the cave.

"We did that... Sorry." Comforting rubbed behind her head. "Sorry." It took some adjusting to try to approach things from the way Maud was putting out. "I've heard you are quite the gem collector."

"I don't collect them, I study them. I'm a rocktor, according to my sister." Her expression was flat, her motions few.

"Rock doctor!" Comforting clapped at the idea. "What's the most insteresting rock you've found?"

Maud actually smiled, just a little. "Since you asked." She reached back into herself and drew out this pale blue long rock. "This is the only of its kind I have encountered." She began to run down its properties, from its salinity to its density, and its makeup. "No other rock has perfectly matched it. What conditions caused it to form? I am still endeavoring to figure it out."

Comforting peered at it critically. A little window popped open in her view, revealing its secrets. She could have shared those secrets, but... To do that felt like it would just be snatching away Maud's work. Well... "If you could just... know that answer, would that make you happy?"

Maud curled a hoof, tapping her chin in slow thought. "If I could do that with all rocks, I would accomplish a lot, but if I could only do that once, I would save it for a more important rock. This one is a curiosity." She stuffed it away, hiding the status box with it. "Pondering and hunting for it is half the fun." Not that she looked like she was having fun, but she wasn't the sort to express that. "Trixie said you were like Discord. Discord is very loud, and sometimes rude. Are you also that?"

Comforting colored at the question. "N-no... I try to be a nice creature."

Trixie waved at Comforting. "Nice Discord, I've called her that before, also Baby Discord. She prefers Comforting though."

"Way better..." She awkwardly rubbed behind her head. "Who else is coming to that party?"

Maud perked. "Oh. Trixie, Mudbriar, Sunburst..." She pointed at herself. "Me."

Trixie nodded at Comforting. "Maybe you, depending on when you're free."

Maud cocked a brow. "You didn't ask me."

Trixie smiled with what could almost be mistook for shame. "She made the cake, remember? You wouldn't keep her out, would you?"

Maud looked away from Trixie, back to Comforting. "You can come."

Comforting bounced with obvious joy. "Thank you for inviting me." The thought arose. "Should I come in the front door." She pointed to the cave. "Or do you mind if I just... skip it?"

"I don't have a door." Nope, no door on that cave. "Should I get a door?"

Trixie nodded. "Mmhmm. If you had a door, you could lock it. It'd also keep rain from coming in. Trixie agrees with the door idea."

"Hm." Just like that, Maud tossed it aside for later consideration. "Now that I know who you are, you can come in the way you like coming in." She inclined her head faintly. "But it is my home. I could be indecent. It will be your fault if you see what you do not want to see."

Comforting blinked slowly. "You're a pony..." Did ponies even come in an indecent flavor?

"Yes." And that was that. Maud was not offering any other details.

"Alright, my fault then." Comforting had no idea what the potential worst case scenario could even be. Well, there was the human level of indecency. She just hadn't seen any ponies displaying that. They were simpler and pure beings that didn't have to deal with those things. It was likely for the best.

Where did baby ponies come from?

If she wanted that answer, she'd have to ask Fluttershy, and that might make her mom uncomfortable, or not. That was a part of the natural cycle, and she was kinda into that, so maybe she'd give a big detailed explination of how that worked.

Comforting just had to ask. That was another question for another day. "It was nice meeting you. Can I hug you?"

Maud offered an arm. "Pinkie doesn't usually ask."

Comforting came in and they embraced. She discovered that earth ponies could give really tight hugs. Fortunately, chaos spirits could also take a tight hug, even if there were a few pops and snaps involved. "Wow!"

Trixie shook her head slowly. "Maud gives... really big hugs. Are you alright? That sounded... painful."

"I'm fine," got out Comforting, voice cracking as she shook herself back into one piece. "Big hugs! Sounds like we have something in common. I don't like unannounced hugs either."

Maud nodded in silent agreement. "See you tomorrow, maybe." She turned and headed into the darkness, leaving them behind.

Trixie snickered softly. "I think she likes you."

"How can you tell? I'm happy! Just... how?" She waved with each part of the statement. "It'll take a bit to tune into that."

"It's subtle," agreed Trixie with a nod. "Alright, good luck with whatever you're doing. Trixie has things to do too!" She threw down a smoke bomb. When the smoke cleared, she was gone, leaving Comforting alone.

Comforting reached up, pulling down the schedule of where and when she needed to be, "Let's check it out." She flew up and came down on a train station platform. "Nice." There were more griffons and hippogriffs there, with only a few ponies in sight. They really were at the edge of the nation of Equestria. She wandered up to the front counter with a smile. "Hi there."

"Hey." The hippogriff leaned in over the counter. "Woah, what are you? Sorry, that's rude." He sat back with a cough. "Welcome! How can I help you today?" He glanced about. "How was that?"

"Perfect." Comforting hopped up, dangling off the counter. "New?"

"First week," laughed out the hippogriff. "Still learning the ropes, but I'm ready to help! Want to get a ticket?"

"Tempting, but I'm here--" She pointed up at the dense sign of arrivals and departures. "--To pick someone up, tomorrow actually."

"Tomorrow!" He slapped a palm against this forehead, his shapeshifting pendant jangling in the motion. "You're early! Do you need to get a place to stay for tonight?"

"You are so helpful!" She decided that hippogriff was a nice person. "But I'm alright, promise. So they arrive over there?" She pointed off.

"That's the one." He nodded. "Technically, they come and go there. You would wait here." He pointed far closer. "And creatures coming off can come through the gate and meet you. Have fun! You sure you're alright?"

Author's Note

Let's go meet some hippogriffs! Disaster, mostly avoided? Trixie seemed alright with it.

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126 - Mount Aris Station

Comforting appeared in a burst of pixels. She didn't have to, but making it different felt nice, and none of the creatures there seemed upset by it, though a few were surprised. She waved at them with a smile and things settled almost instantly. She wasn't some terrible monster.

There was a problem, she realized. "How do I recognize them?" She had no idea what they looked like... at all.

But, an idea! She pulled out a sign wider than she was that read 'Silversteam's family!' with a few hearts and smiles on it. "This'll get their attention." She held it up and waggled it about as she waited for the right time, hoping whoever was coming would spot her.

The hippogriffs passing by her looked curiously at her sign, but largely just let her be, at least until one came up to her, wings flapping. "Hi... You know sis?"

Sis? "Are you related to her?" Comforting waved the sign at the boy hippogriff. "Hi! She sent me to meet her family here."

"Neat!" He landed in front of her and offered a hand. "I'm Terramar! I thought she'd be here herself. Is she alright?"

Comforting accepted the hand with her own, casually forgetting the sign, which was polite enough to forget itself. "I'm Comforting. Nice to meet you. She's fine, just busy doing student stuff. Are there any other hippogriffs or anyone else we should be meeting?"

"Just me." He looked Comforting over curiously. "Nice to meet you too... Will you be upset if I ask what you are?"

"No." Such a common question, really. "Chaos Spirit, like Discord. Nice, promise. You didn't come from the train?" He had flown in from outside the station entirely. "I thought you would be?"

"Why would I?" He pointed back the way he had come in from. "This is where I live." He pointed at the train. "I'd use that to go somewhere. I was supposed to meet Silverstream and take her home for her break. I... Well, it's good to hear she's being serious about her studies, but now I don't know what to do..."

Comforting pondered that problem. "Are they expecting you back right away?"

"Yep." But he could see she was scheming something. "What are you thinking?"

"Well! I could bring you to Ponyville, if you want? They're having this spring solstice party and I could ask if you could come too."

"Ooo! That sounds fun." He clapped giddily. "But I should tell my parents before I vanish on them. That'd be super Silverstream of me to do."

Comforting didn't know Silverstream as a verb, but that made enough sense. "Go ahead. You said it's not far?"

"Nope! Be right back." Terramar lifted on his wings and zipped off to make sure people knew where he was planning to go.

Comforting whistled a little video game track she remembered as she rocked in place, waiting impatiently for his return. Fortunately, it didn't take too long. "Already?"

"I told my dad, and he can tell my mom, so we're all good!" He gestured to the station. "We getting on a train?"

"Nope!" She reached for him and he allowed her to get a grip, yanking him into a hug and obscuring his vision just long enough for them to be in front of a cave's mouth. "Now, wait here. I'll go make sure it's alright that you're here. We don't want to surprise anyone." She could still remember Maud's ire at appearing in her cave when she didn't know who was doing the popping. "One moment." She vanished with a puff.

She appeared with a fresh puff beside the table with the cake. Several ponies made a surprised sound. Trixie and Maud were not shocked. Trixie even looked pleased. "You're fast! Trixie thought you'd be much later, or even not coming. Everything taken care of?"

Mudbriar inclined his head at the sudden Comforting. "Trixie mentioned you assisted with the cake."

"That's me! Maud." She twirled towards the owner of that cave. "I came with Terramar, a hippogriff, brother of Silverstream. Can he come too?"

Maud rubbed at her cheek. "I did say you could bring your plus one."

Mudbriar raised a hoof. "I'm her plus one."

Starlight looked between the Trixie and Sunburst, as if not entirely sure.

Trixie rolled her eyes. "I invited myself, Starlight. If anything, you are Trixie's plus one."

"Okay!" Terramar wasn't her plus one in any romantic way, but it meant she could bring him. "Be right back." She ran instead of teleporting, emerging from the cave. "This way!" She waved him in excitedly and led him right back through the tunnels to the bright center chamber. "Meet Terramar!"

Terramar waved at the collection of ponies. "Hello! Wow..." He turned slowly in place, taking in the decorations. "I've never seen this holiday before. Spring Solstice?"

"Technically." Mud Briar leaned in. "It's spring equinox, but the name of spring solstice stuck."

With an extravagant flourish, Trixie motioned to the cake. "We have a cake that I made for the event. Want a slice?"

"Ooo!" Terramar grabbed a plate and offered it to Trixie, wings hovering him excitedly. "Yes, please!"

Sunburst closed with Comforting. "Wow. I've never been this close to a draconequus that it did not scare me would turn me inside out if I said the wrong thing before."

Comforting waved that away. "I'm not like that, promise. Hello! Sunburst, right?"

"Yes." He leaned in, snuffing at Comforting curiously. "And you are Comforting. Nice to meet you. I have a thousand questions, but I don't want to be rude."

"You're not being rude." Comforting casually lifted up and landed right on his back, petting the back of his neck like the good pony he was. "Ask away."

"O-oh! Um..." He colored, not used to being mounted like that so casually. "I heard you were a pony, originally. That must have been quite a difficult transition."

"It was!" She flopped across his back, using him as a pillow. "But I did get used to it. Being this is kind of fun." She wagged her long griffon tail above her with her joy. "And I like it. Not that being a pony was bad. I don't regret pony time, or this time."

"That's good to hear." He went to the cake and began cutting out a slice with his magic. "I also heard you helped with the cake."

"Mom's been showing me the tricks of cooking well." She knew some tricks from her human time, but who could say no to some Fluttershy tips? "Did it come out well?"

"You didn't taste it?" He offered the slice on a plate up, floating in his magic towards Comforting. "Take this one then."

She pierced it with a fork, carving out a bit for proper chewing. "Mmm! You can... taste the love that Trixie and I put into it." She cheerfully took a new chomp. "You're friends with her, right?"

"We both love stage magic." When the conversation shifted to something he was familiar with, Sunburst's face lit up and his mood improved. "She's very talented at it."

"She is!" cried Comforting in enthusiastic agreement. "I want to see one of her shows."

"Not today," cautioned Trixie. "Trixie is enjoying a holiday off. She will send you a card the next time she's doing one though."

Terramar was chatting animatedly at Maud and Mud Briar, proving to be the life of that interaction. Fortunately, they seemed to be alright with it, and he was agreeable with their stilted social approach. "You're a couple? Neat!"

"Technically, I'm one pony. But I am her boyfriend."

"I am his girlfriend," Maud agreed sedately. "I enjoy studying rocks. He is a stick fan. Do you have an interest?"

"I love seeing the differences between land and sea." He moved his hands up and down between the two. "Though today is a land day."

Mud Briar turned to point at a strange stick with flowers pasted to it. "Today is not a stick day."

Maud inclined her head at the stick. "You don't like it?"

"It's not a flowering stick." He grasped it and revealed the shoddy job that had been done in gluing the flowers onto it. "So, technically, it's not the right kind of stick. I should have gotten one."

Maud curled a hoof to her chin. "Trixie did her best."

"It wasn't good enough." Mud oofed as Maud elbowed him sharply in the side. "I'm certain she tried..."

Terramar was joyfully oblivious to any friction. "What's a real flowering stick like? Do you have one?!"

"Unfortunately, I do not. Starlight and Trixie said they would bring one." Mud Briar shook his head with the poor news. "Maybe next year. I'll take on that responsibility."

Comforting sat up on Sunburst's back. "My turn for an awkward question! Are you and Starlight friends, 'friends', or 'friends'?" She waggled her brows with meaning on the last, biggest, version of the word.

Sunburst went red. "Oh! Um... Friends?"

Starlight grabbed Comforting in her magic. "Do not make him explode." She put Comforting to her own feet. "I'm not in any relationship like that, if you're asking. We're friends, nothing more, but that's more than enough. Friends for life! That's a big deal."

"It is," she agreed with a smile. "A very precious thing. Sorry, wasn't trying to say it wasn't. I should act my age." She was a filly. Getting all nosey about romances was past her age. "This is a fun party though! Thanks for letting me be part of it."

"No problem." Starlight sat with a little smile directed at Comforting. "Since you brought it up... You only rarely strike me as an... actual filly. Sorry if that's an off thing to bring up... But how old are you, actually?"

Sunburst rubbed at his cheek. "She was a filly before she became a chaos spirit, and that wasn't that long ago. How could she be anything but filly aged?"

"It's complicated." Starlight rolled her eyes slowly. "But I've been here and talked to her. I've learned things! What do you say?"

Comforting considered that. How much did she trust Starlight with that sort of information? "Well..." Was it worth keeping a secret? "I don't want ponies to look at me differently."

Starlight shorted into a smirk. "Right... Comforting, hate to bring this up, but you're a chaos spirit. Ponies already look at you differently."

Sunburst laughed awkwardly. "She's not... wrong. Not in any bad way! You seem very nice, but you're still a chaos spirit, a draconequus." He waved over comforting. "You even have the dragon and pony parts, as the name implies."

"Right..." Comforting swayed front and back, considering. "Right... Okay! Okay... Starlight?" Starlight perked at her name. "You've been a good counselor so far. Ever hear of the idea of a past life?"

Starlight sat up on her haunches. "That thing where a pony says they were something before they were a pony?"

Comforting pointed at herself. "I was something before I was a chaos spirit. And I was something a step before that, and maybe before that, but I don't remember before that."

"I can... confirm before chaos spirit. I can't argue that step..." She was slow in her speech, musing as she went. "What was this step before the pony I met?"

Sunburst listened intently with ears up and alert, completely engrossed in the conversation.

"I was a biped, like this." She waved at herself. "But without much fur except on the head and a few other spots." She didn't go into detail on that. "And I lived a long life and I died. Then... Harmony, now Amity, worked through Celestia to snatch me from the nothing I was headed towards, and I became Comforting."

"You're still Comforting," noted Starlight. "No matter what's happened so far, you didn't stop being Comforting."

"Thanks." Comforting hopped up to land a peck of a kiss on Starlight's cheek. "But I am an adult and a child and a pony and a chaos spirit all tangled up in one confused but loving package."

Sunburst's eyes widened with the story. "You met Celestia? Um, I did before... She's amazing! Is she... Do you... talk to her?"

"No... but I get the feeling she and her sister are coming up soon."

But that was another chapter.

Author's Note

Damn you, Comforting, and your fourth wall breaking powers.

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127 - Sister Sister

"Mmm..." Celestia stood properly in her courtroom, just in front of her throne.

"I know that 'mmm'." Luna inclined an ear. "What's wrong?"

"I feel... disconnected." Celestia kept her expression carefully neutral, lest she worry her little ponies. "It is difficult to explain, but I have long been guided... I don't know what by, but it has wanted the best for me and all ponykind, so I bear it no ill will, and now... it feels like it's gone."

"Is that why you accept such strange things in stride?" Luna looked towards a window as if the answer was waiting just past it, but it was not, alas. "What changed, besides how you are feeling, sister?"

"Hm... Nothing locally... I... Oh. I'm being silly. There's a good chance I have the answer."

"Glad to hear." Luna nodded along with that. "Who or what has the answer? Let's get to the bottom of this."

"We both know a pony." Celestia's neutrality was broken with a serene smile. "She's usually at the center of trouble, if I'm not already."

It clicked. "Twilight?"

"I'll send her a letter." With a magical glimmer, a scroll appeared with a quill to write on it. "Let's see if she's seen anything."

Luna reached up, putting a hoof between the paper and the quill. "Thank you for reminding me. There's already something curious near her, and it may be related. Recall, sister mine, that filly you divested onto Fluttershy? The one you didn't remember doing that to?"

"But what would a filly have to do with this?" She paused her quill with a thoughtful scrunch of her face. "She was just a lost filly... Certainly Fluttershy could handle that?"

"I am not speaking of Fluttershy's abilities." She brushed the scroll aside. "But, mayhaps, we should start there. That is the first of the oddness, is it not?"

"Odd things have come and gone since then... Let's not forget the magic stealing incident." She snorted in memory of Cozy Glow's actions. "What makes you so certain?"

"I'm not." Luna stood up. "But, we can inspect that ourselves and not even bother Twilight."

"You have a point there... Luna, since you seem interested, would it be a bother for you to chase this lead?"

"You're not coming?" Luna turned slowly in place on her hooves. "I thought you would be."

"I'd love to... But I have a nation to run, sister. And that has no breaks. Your work, at least, comes in predictable waves. So, if you're feeling up for it?" Celestia rolled a hoof with the last of that. "If not, I can write Twilight."

"No! No... I can handle this." Luna fluffed up at almost being gone past in the process. "That will not be required." She strode from the room with growing determination to see it done.

Celestia nodded at her parting sister. "I knew you could do it."

Luna called for her personal guard and stepped onto the chariot, borne through the sky on their dependable wings to Ponyville. Well, technically, the outskirts of Ponyville, where Fluttershy's cottage rested.

A large canine figure was just across from it, watching Luna and her entourage appear and approach in the sky. Luna inclined her head at the creature. "It's been some time..."

Cracked allowed her tongue to lol into the air, panting softly. "It has been. Princess Luna, you still draw breath."

"I do." Luna stepped free of the chariot, descending on wings towards the ground. "As do you... The sight of you would have aroused quite a bit of worry, in the past, but you hardly seem to be hunting ponies."

"I hunt what does not ask me not to hunt it." Cracked looked Luna over. "Have you also changed?"

"I have!" Luna looked proud at that. "I am now the guardian of dreams, in addition to guarding the night."

"My sleep is undisturbed." Cracked stretched powerfully enough to cause a few pops in the process. "You must be doing your duty well. Hm. There was a time we'd already be locked in battle."

"I remember them..." Luna could cast her memory back that far, before her banishment, when creatures like Cracked were a real problem for ponies. "I thought all of you and yours were... removed."

"Starswirl had his way with me... It is only by the kindness of another pony that she invited me back to this world." Cracked huffed softly. "Did you come to see me? I'm flattered."

With a loud clatter of metal against metal, Luna's carriage arrived accompanied by her guards. "Ah, you can all stay here," she bade them. "I have business inside." She turned to the cottage.

"Wait." Cracked took a dangerous step forward. "She is under my protection. What do you need with her?" she asked with a low growl building.

"I only wish to speak to her." Luna turned back to the agitated hound. "Are you two that close?"

"She is my savior." Cracked leaned in closer to Luna, hot breath washing over the princess. "I will not allow her to be harmed in my presence." She paused. "Though... there is little that could harm her..."

Luna's guards had freed themselves from the carriage. As one, they drew spears and assumed a ready stance to battle with the great canine/pony thing. She spread her wings, forestalling them. "I am happy to see you have gained an attachment. I will not harm her, this I promise."

With the situation handled for the moment, Luna proceeded towards the house. "She is just a filly," she muttered to herself on the way. "Surely many things could harm her, not that I'd want to."

Cracked settled in front of the guards. "What manner of ponies are you?" She inclined her great head. "Like pegasi, but... not birds." She reached out a hoof and casually brushed one of their furry and leathery wings. "A bat?"

The guard scrambled back away from the petting, unasked for. "We are lunar pegasi, ma'am! We protect Luna!" The others called out in agreement with that. "We will not let you hurt a single hair on her body."

Cracked hummed gently. "Then we agree. We both have a mare we'd see kept safe." She didn't look very threatened by the guards, spears or not. "Lunar pegasi, hm... Cute." She reached for another guard, petting their tufted ears.

Luna knocked on the door and sat on her haunches. The door opened an instant later, a floating filly there with swirling eyes and a big smile. Was that... "Hello."

"Hi!" Screwball waved wildly. "Ooo, you're big!" She darted out of the house to circle around Luna curiously. "Hello!"

"Hello." Luna didn't turn with Screwball's orbits. "I am looking for the one called Comforting Shade. Are you them?"

"Wow! No... That'd be neat. Do you think I could be a good Comforting?" She darted in just in front of Luna, but upside down. "I'd try my best, promise!"

"Then you are not." With that decided, she moved on. "Are you... Do you live here?"

"Yes." Screwball hovered in front of Luna. "With my sister, Comforting, and my mom, Fluttershy. They're super great!" She threw up her hooves to emphasize that. "Maybe the best."

Luna cocked a brow. "Fluttershy is a good pony..." But the best? Really? "Are either at home? I would care to speak with them, especially Comforting."

"I'll check!" She zipped inside, leaving the door hanging open.

"Well..." Luna advanced past the unguarded door, willing it shut behind herself. "Hello?"

Comforting appeared with the sound of a bubble popping. "Hi! Oh! Luna!" She excitedly bounded up towards the princess of the night. "Luna! Wow..." She was even prettier than Comforting remembered her in the pictures of her past life. "You are amazing."

"Thank you?" Luna inclined her head at the strange amalgamation that was Comforting. "Are you Comforting Shade?"

"Yep." Comforting put a hippogriff's hand beside her snout. "Screwie! I found her."

"You did?" Screwball hurried from the back, floating along as quickly as she could. "Yay! Here's Comforting. Should I look for mom too?"

Luna shook her head. "Allow me to speak with Comforting first. Good afternoon, Comforting. Have you time to talk?"

"Yes." Comforting sat in a chair that hadn't been there a moment ago. "How can I help?"

Luna sank to her haunches, the chair all ponies brought with them. "You were brought here by my sister, is this not correct?"

"Ye...s. She did that." She remembered Celestia bringing her, confused, to Fluttershy's door. "Tell her I said thank you. This is a great place to be."

"She did not mention you were... This." Luna wobbled a hoof over Comforting's exotic form. "Did she forget that part?"

"That happened later. I'm alright, promise." She crossed her heart to show how serious she was. "And it's not Celestia's fault. My bad, and a little Discord. Um. I'm not making trouble..."

"I doubted you were, or Twilight would have been prompted to action." Luna reached out for the child, patting her carefully. "How curious... You're certain you feel alright? You are not a pony."

"No, but I'm something else that's kind of cool." Comforting shrugged at the comparison. "And I still like ponies, a lot."

"This is good to hear. Now... You may not know any of this, but you are a safe place to begin. My sister, she is visited by a guiding presence. Often in her dreams, actually. Do--" She paused, seeing Comforting flinch. "You know something?"

"Yeah... Not sure if I should say anything..." She reached up for her mail menu, but before her finger could get there, a chime said a new letter had arrived. "Oh!" Though Luna couldn't see it, Comforting went ahead with pulling up the new letter.

Hello,

I was watching you, so I saw this happening and thought I'd write to you as quickly as possible. That is Princess Luna. She is not a direct agent of mine. You know her relationship with Princess Celestia. Please help her as far as you can. She is a good pony. Oh, and you are free to tell her my new name.

Please,
Amity

Comforting sent back a smiley face quickly. "Alright! Looks like I can tell you."

Luna blinked, entirely ignorant of that exchange, just seeing the curious motions of Comforting's silent communication. "That... is good? Then, please, tell me. What do you know of what troubles my sister, and how can we address it?"

"We have to rewind a little." Comforting quickly wound back with her hands as if working an unseen casette tape. "In the time before me!" she boomed far louder than her small form should have allowed, with the proper reverb for effect. "When ponies were a confused and disparate people, a young force came into being, the best of ponykind, driving them ever onwards."

Luna inclined her head. "I... see? How does this involve my sister?"

With a call of "Okay, fast-forward a little...", the sound of a VHS tape being sped up filled the air. "Celestia is without a sister. She is trying her best, but... it is a lot. With the chaos all around, the force came to her with portents and clues. A helping hoof, it shows what must be done, and Celestia does them. Equestria thrives under their shared love and care."

Luna clapped slowly. "I... see? So why did that stop working? My sister is quite upset."

"I happened," admitted Comforting with a little deflating. "I was dying, but I was Harmony's friend. That was her name back then. She rescued me, and, with Discord's help, I became this." Many signs appeared, arrows pointed at Comforting. "And with that... things broke a little... Harmony couldn't see very well, and her connection to her agents, like Celestia, got frayed really badly..."

Luna flattened her ears back. "Are you saying your very life is so against the order?"

"Let's not get that extreme!" Comforting waved warding hands at Luna. "But it threw things off. I'm helping Amity, that's her new name. She's doing way better, but she's working differently. I'm her agent."

"And my sister is not..." Luna slowly inclined her head. "This is a lot to take in."

Author's Note

You were warned the sisters were on the way. Warnings were given! Luna knows the truth of things, but what will she do with that knowledge?

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128 - Putting Things in Order

"I see..." Luna rose to her hooves. "Allow me to ask this plainly. Do you act in the interest of ponykind?"

"I hope so?" Comforting lifted into the air. She had gotten used to being at or above pony vision with her bipedal stance. Luna was throwing that off with her impressive height. "I like them. But I like a lot of creatures, if you get down to it." She waved over herself. "Even my body is a big love letter to the creatures I'm good friends with."

"Is it?" Luna looked Comforting over, leaning left and right for other angles. "Do you love them?"

"Romantically, no." She tapped at her chin. "I don't really have a lot of romantic drive. I'm a filly! But as friends, yes, a lot. They are precious to me and I want to be their friends. Part of me wants to offer that to you, but we just met... So that'd be kind of a creepy thing to do, the more I think about it. But nice to meet you anyway."

"A pleasure." Luna circled Comforting on slow hooves. "You do not appear to be a dangerous creature. But we've had to deal with creatures with innocent faces. Were you not there? I seem to recall you, thinking on it... When we captured Cozy Glow."

"Yes..." Comforting thought back to that moment. She was still a filly then, entirely a filly. She had felt so impotent, trying to help her friends against that destiny-foretold event.

But she had broken it.

She had destroyed the grip of destiny on the world, for better, or for worse. She could help them, if something like that came again, but it'd also be her responsibility if it all went wrong.

"Are you alright?" Luna leaned in close. "Did I ask an impolite question?" She reached a hoof, brushing a single tear threatening to spill from Comforting's eyes. "I apologize. That wasn't the goal, I assure."

"S-sorry! Not you!" Comforting rubbed at her eyes with her arms. "I'm alright. It's... You're a princess."

"I am?" Luna inclined her head, confusion displayed clearly. "What of it?"

"So you know what it's like." Comforting smiled up at the large night princess. "I'm just realizing I have a lot of responsibility, and I brought it on myself. It's up to me to help my friends be safe and happy."

Luna offered a hoof, and soon had a Comforting to hold gently against herself. "I understand that. I feel my sister understands it even more keenly. That is why she is upset. She can no longer walk confidently, knowing she was doing her absolute best to protect her little ponies."

"Is she... mad?"

Luna considered that a quiet moment. "No, certainly not at you." She released Comforting to her own feet. "But she is concerned, and a little worried. Just like you. She wants to do what is best, but that doubt she's avoided for so many moons... It's back. She has to act on her own." She smirked as she rose to her full height. "Good, if you ask me. Her ramblings make more sense now, come to think."

Comforting backed a half step. "Ramblings?" That hardly seemed a kind word to use towards Celestia. "She wasn't rambling, I hope?"

"In a manner of speaking..." Luna wobbled a hoof in the air. "She spoke as if everything was decided, and, perhaps, everything was. This colored her view sharply. She was preparing to retire. Not because she had to. Not because she especially wanted to. Because it was what was to happen, and if she wanted that happy ending, she had to do it. She had to get her student, Twilight Sparkle." She pantomimed Twilight with middling success. "onto the throne she sits on currently."

Comforting mmmed softly, rocking left and right in place. "What does she want?"

"As if I could know." Luna paced away from Comforting, towards a window. "As if she could know. She was following a script set before her for so long. Perhaps, now, she can take up that quill for herself." She looked over her shoulder. "I admit, I am curious. There is so much of this modern world that confuses and fascinates me... I would love to explore it."

"So why not do that?" asked Comforting with a spread of her hands. "It's right there, waiting for you."

"I am a princess." She turned entirely back to Comforting. "If I leave, who will watch over their dreams? Chaos creature, loving or not, do not suggest you do it. You have your own responsibilities. Also, caring and loving or not, you remain a chaos creature. Not who I would select to be guardian of dreams. You are young as well! Enjoy that youth."

"Dreams are plenty chaotic," Comforting argued without a lot of force behind it. "But I'm not trying to do that..." She had things on her own plate. "Still... Here you are."

"Here I am." Luna sank closer to Comforting's standing level, which prompted the chaos spirit to land. "You know, though we are, technically, nearly identical in age, our experienes are vastly different. I do not feel the years as she does."

"You were trapped on the moon." Comforting pointed up, but hesitated midway at Luna's flinch. "Sorry... I thought... I was dumb."

"No.... No, this is common knowledge." Luna turned her ears back. "Perhaps we can trade? An awkward past for an awkward past. Tell me, Comforting. Share your dark past with me, that we can hold such a thing of the other in equal gravity."

Comforting sifted through the pile of her life, starting with the recent and working backwards. Her pony and chaos life was one, predominantly, of joy. She struggled to place a dark spot in it. Being hurt in the human world had been frightening, but not embarassing... "A few lives ago... I was born. They decided I was a boy, looking at me. I guess I can't blame that doctor. I looked like a boy, at that point..."

Luna tapped at her chin. "Most ponies are as they appear to be, regarding that... But there are some. A stallion with the manners of a mare, or a mare with the manners of a stallion. That is simply who they are, nothing to be upset by. But that is the pony way. I presume it was not such where you came from, in this former life?"

"Definitely not..." Comforting rubbed at her chin. "A 'stallion' wearing a 'mare's' clothes was a reason to get upset. They got upset over a lot of things that didn't really affect them... Like which two ponies fell in love, when neither of them were the person being upset."

Luna rubbed her cheek with obvious confusion. "Why should one... Oh! Was it a royal or a noble and a common pony? That could cause some commotion, especially back in the day. Sister has done away with a lot of that..."

Comforting pawed at Luna, more of a petting than any actual striking. "Silly! No... That would have at least made some kind of sense. Just a bunch of commoners, arguing over which commoner got with which other commoner."

"I fail... to understand. So, you, a stallion in shape, but mare of thought, were unwelcome?" Luna cycled her hooves as she worked through the idea. "The world must have been peaceful, were this the height of debate."

"I wish!" Comforting threw up her hands and herself, casually drifting to the fridge. "Want a snack? I feel like a snack."

"Since you are offering." Luna watched Comforting work to get a big bowl of salad together. "Well, you are no longer of that life, but, I would contend, you are still not entirely a mare."

Comforting dropped her tossing forks. "What?"

"You can't be, for many reasons." Luna stood slowly. "Impossible. You were something else, a confusing time it sounds. You knew what it was like to not be a mare. A mare otherwise does not know this. You are, now, not even a pony. How can you be a mare?" She raised a hoof to her chest. "Don't get me wrong. You are a valid and wonderful creature, from what I know, but a mare? I struggle to accept that. You're something else. Maybe better? Maybe. Certainly not worse. Something new."

Comforting put her hands on her hips. "I worked very hard and very long to be known as a woman, which I was from the start."

"A what?" Luna perked her ears towards Comforting. "What is that?"

Comforting covered her face with a hand. "Mare. A mare of what I was before. I had to fight people shouting, screaming, and willing to get violent over the idea that I was not."

"Unkind of them." Luna approached slowly, her magic taking the salad tossing forks and resuming the job on her own. "I would say you are not a mare, but equally deserving of our support. What is it they wanted to prevent you from doing?"

Comforting let out her voice in a groan of remembered discomfort. "That's a long list. Let's start with maybe the stupidest example. Go to the bathroom."

Luna started. "All creatures, of any kind, need that... What did they expect you to do?"

"Go to the stallion's bathroom."

Luna inclined her head left and right. She set the forks next to the bowl and reached for the dressing with her magic. "I fail to see what meaningful difference there is."

That was when Comforting remembered that ponies were not humans. They treated bathrooms differently, to the point that what they did in them remained something of a mystery. "May I ask a super dumb question?"

"Certainly." With a curled tail, she sat there at the table. "We are sharing secrets, are we not?"

"Don't take this the wrong way..." She pinched her nose. "How do I use a bathroom?"

Luna started, shocked at the question. "You could take a bath?"

"Besides that!" Comforting was bright red in her cheeks. "The other part. The part you'd need a toilet for." She had seen those! They existed! Surely they had a use!

"Oh..." She glanced off into the house, where the restroom resided and the other ponies. "Did... your parents never help you?" She raised her hooves to tap nervously. "How... do you not know? You are a chaos spirit now, so I suppose it's... optional... But you weren't before. What... Were... Nevermind." She rose up almost angrily. "Nevermind! It doesn't even matter.

"Did I make you mad?" Comforting floated up to grab the forks and put them in the sink for later cleaning. "Sorry."

"I am not mad. But you're long overdue for something that should have been taught before you even said your first word." She tapped at her chin. "I take that back, it can be often around the same time. Either way! This is past due. Come. This qualifies as your embarassing truth. Let's address it."

Comforting drifted after Luna. "Address it, how?"

"How else? You are past due for this lesson."

Luna held open the door for Comforting to drift past her. "Really... I am not casting shame. We both have something to be embarassed about, but this cannot stand to be left. You will learn its use."

She closed the door behind them and spent the rest of the day going over the ways and means of taking care of things the pony way.

At least some things were learned. Even if it spoiled Comforting's idea of perfect pony bodies that never needed to sully itself for any reason.

Better to know the truth, she decided, than to live a sweet lie of being comfortably wrong.

Author's Note

Oh dear. That got sensitive. Off to the land where the camera goes black. Likely for the best. You can decide for yourself how ponies handle that.

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129 - Relief

Comforting stepped free with a loud sigh. "I feel..." It was... "Like I had a pressure that I never knew I had until it was gone and now I'm glad it's gone." She twirled on Luna. "Has that ever happened before, with any other person?"

"Hm." Luna sifted through her long life. "Not to my recalling... But I am glad we've put that to rest. It does make me feel that you were speaking the truth."

"I don't lie as a rule." She struggled to think of when she lied even as an exception. "What did you think I was lying about?"

"You are too old." Luna leaned in. "By most rights I am aware of, a foal would have learned this. I speak this not in insult, but as a fact. You could not have been a newborn pony. You were something else. What a novel and unique creature you are. I suppose that is fitting of a chaos spirit."

"About that." Comforting's frown returned. "We really need to make that super crystal clear. I am a mare. This is not a point of debate."

Luna raised a hoof. "Are you a pony?"

Comforting looked down at herself. She was mostly pony? Also griffon, yak, dragon, changeling... Oh, and chaos spirit, couldn't forget that bit... And old-soul human if one wanted to be accurate.

"This clearly upsets you. But I don't understand exactly why. The word 'mare' has meanings to you that they do not to me. Tell me what mare means to you." Luna returned to the kitchen, to the salad they had created. "I am listening."

"Don't rush me." Comforting trailed behind Luna. "A mare is a female."

"That is one thing a mare is, yes." Luna turned towards Comforting, the salad tossing itself with her magic. "Is that all a mare is?"

"That's the important part?" Comforting trailed awkwardly. Wasn't that obvious?

"I cannot speak of whatever world you came from, but 'mare' means more than 'female' here. It has to. We have so many kinds of creatures." She tapped a hoof a moment. "Oh, look at you. You're a good example. A yak. Would you call a female yak a mare?"

That had Comforting lost. "What do you call a female yak?"

"Most ponies are happy with 'yak', and they don't argue it." Luna grabbed some plates and began setting them out with salad and implements. "You have a yak friend. You could ask her if they have a term they prefer. You, on the other hoof, seem to prefer mare. Do all female chaos spirits call themselves mare? I admit, I only knew one such being, and they were male."

"Still is," assured Comforting, if a little confused. "Wait... Were we arguing about what species I am? I wasn't even... That wasn't the point!"

"It's what I thought." Luna inclined her head. "Was it poor logic for me to start from? Still, I clearly upset you. I apologize for that. Still, at least we're on the same page now."

"Y-yeah... Okay... So, about your sister?" Comforting hopped up nimbly into a seat that was there because she needed it to be, joining the table at her plate.

"Yes, that is why I came. She is upset, as you can easily imagine, I hope. She does not wish to be severed from her guiding friend." Luna sat at the same table, lifting a fork of salad to her mouth to crunch a moment. "Can we fix that? Also... you've implied you speak directly with this presence."

"She's super awesome!" Comforting smiled with thoughts of Amity. "We're friends. I should... talk to her before I speak for her too much though. This is kind of a big deal. But I can say she's not hurt and she's not gone. I'll ask her how she wants to go from here." She tapped her fingers together, not eating that moment. "So... we're clear?"

"Even that information is enough, I feel. She will stop panicking, knowing things are still here, and being worked out." She reached for Comforting's shoulder, resting a hoof on it lightly. "Thank you. I appreciate your help greatly."

"Glad to help." Comforting tapped at her chin, eyes wandering over Luna. "So what am I?"

"Still a complicated question." Luna crunched a carrot with due consideration. "A mare, a yak, a changeling, a... Can we just say you're a Comforting Shade? That's a nice thing to be."

Comforting huffed with pouted cheeks. "You don't tell Discord he's a bunch of things, do you?"

"He's a Discord. Chaos spirit. If you are happy with that, I could go with that, but you prefer mare, I am told." She suddenly looked serious. "Has some creature, pony or otherwise, been mistreating you?"

"W-what?" Comforting waved over the area. "Mom would be so mad at them if they did that. And it's for sure not her! She's... great. What makes you ask that?"

"You behave like a creature that has been abused.." Luna leaned in, looming over the table and Comforting. "If it was somecreature around here that did it, I would have words with them. If not me, Twilight would surely have interest in anycreature making her student uncomfortable. You have friends and allies, Comforting Shade. Do not think you have to face things alone." She was an imposingly... supportive force, threatening whoever was making Comforting feel bad about things.

She clopped a hoof down on the table. "Has somecreature been telling you that you do not fit in?"

"No!" blurt out Comforting a little louder than she planned. "No... Ponies around here are nice, promise."

"I am glad to hear that..." Luna settled, her fur going smooth slowly. "But then what? Is this... I admit, this is somewhat new to me, but I am told you have lived a longer life than your appearance would imply. Then again, so have I. Perhaps we are not that different, at least in that way. Did some creatures..." She paused. "No, you told me that. They did. They attacked and berated you. You still carry those hurts forward, like lingering nightmares."

She sank in place. "I know that feeling all too well, lingering doubts and shames that refuse to go away... Did I make it worse? I cannot say sorry enough."

Comforting pushed her salad aside. It wasn't like she had to eat anyway. "It's... alright, if we're clear."

Luna pointed to the door. "I should go. I've bothered you more than required. Hm, I'll tell sister what you've told me, and that will put her at ease, I hope." She stepped around the table. "Allow me one more question."

"What's that?" Comforting kept her eyes on Luna directly.

"You are a chaos spirit." That wasn't a question. "You have in you the ability for great harm, but those I have met thus far regard you in a very positive light. Does this responsibility weigh on you?"

Comforting looked ready to snap a reply, but it failed to come out. It... was kind of a big deal. "But I like it..." She was the friendly neighborhood nice goddess! Sorta? "The hard part is knowing when not to get involved. I can't fix everything, even when I want to."

Luna turned slowly towards her. "You have proven it."

"Proven... what?"

Luna smiled gently. "You speak with a wisdom only one who has seen much of life can arrive at easily. No young creature can admit they can't fix something in need of fixing, save for lack of temporary ability. I am put at ease. Oh! You know Twilight Sparkle, do you not? She is your teacher, or one of them? I haven't visited that school..."

"You should," taunted Comforting with a smile. "They'd love to meet you."

"Perhaps, in time. But she has a way to send letters. You could use her, with permission of course, to contact me, should you ever wish to. Don't feel beholden. You owe me little." She sat and clapped her hooves. "Of course, you could send a letter through the mail. It will also reach me, but not as quickly. I wonder at times what route a mailed letter takes."

Comforting giggled at the near childish wonder in Luna's eyes. "You should ask them. I bet they'd tell you. They may even let you walk with them as they send a letter and you could see it for yourself. That sounds fun." It wasn't a curiosity she shared personally, but she was pretty sure she knew how letters worked.

"I wouldn't... want to be a bother," demurred Luna with an uncertain tone. "They look so busy every time I see a postal pony."

"They do have a lot of letters to deliver." Comforting clapped her mismatched hands together. "But if you ask nicely and stay out of their way, they may show you. Oh! Oh! Ask Cheerilee."

"Who?"

"Cheerilee, she's a local teacher, of foals." Comforting pointed off towards the school. "If you took the foals with you on a little field trip, they could learn about how letters work with you. They'd say yes to that, I bet. Then a lot of ponies, you included, could learn about it."

Luna's brows came down. "Are you..." She cut herself off. "We're already even... There are things you should know, that any foal would learn. It is time I accept the same failings in myself. If I can learn alongside the foals, I am still learning. This is a wonderful idea you've given me. I will consult with this Cheerilee and then many ponies will understand the mysteries of the postal service."

"Sounds fun." Comforting lifted into the air and zipped over to grab the door for Luna. "I hope everything's alright now?"

"Not entirely." Luna stepped through the door carefully, it being smaller than her. "But it is on the right path. Apologies once more." She suddenly snorted. "And now I feel silly." She went off with her guards, but was replaced a moment later with a big pony wolf.

"Did she bother you?" demanded her big friend. "She's still close enough to hunt, just ask it." Cracked growled low, but it wasn't directed at Comforting, nothing but adoration sent in that direction. "It wouldn't even be the first time we've clashed."

"What?" Comforting went up to grab Cracked by the snout, rubbing gently. "No hunting the princess."

"If you insist." Her tail slapped against the ground, perhaps enjoying the petting a bit overly much. "Was it a pleasant visit then? I smell your sweat."

Comforting flinched at that. "Dogs!" Talking dogs, the worst kind, that'd call you out when you lied to them. "It got tense... But she wasn't attacking me, and I wasn't fighting with her. It's fine. Besides, you're here, and it's hard to be mad with you here."

With a pleased grin, Cracked panted, her tongue slightly hanging out of her mouth. "Flatterer." She nuzzled Comforting to the ground and nosed her into it, drawing giggles from her chaotic friend. "If you say all is well, I will trust you." She sat up slowly. "This is odd to admit to someone so much smaller than myself... But you are my alpha, Comforting Shade. My elder sister. I trust you to have wisdom, and for me to follow it, knowing you will direct me in the correct way."

Comforting sat up with Cracked still half-pinning her by the lap. "That's a big responsibility."

"Mmm, not as much as once it was." Cracked licked Comforting across her entire front. "We are both adults, and food is not scarce. You are not guiding me in how to survive, but helping me to thrive. You are a friend I trust to have wise words." She inclined her head. "We don't even hunt together. I save that for the younger ones, and I am their alpha, when it comes to that." She smiled with growing pride. "And I enjoy teaching them and guiding them. They have so much to learn."

Author's Note

I don't know what to type here, so I'll just type that I don't know what to type here. That'll do, I hope?

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130 - Agents of Amity

Comforting spotted a specific chicken on her way. She touched the ground and reached out a hand. "Who's a pretty murder hen?"

The cockatrice hopped up onto Comforting's offered arm, clucking at her and cocking her head sharply in the way birds tended to do. "You don't live very far away, do you?" Not that the cockatrice had many words to share with her, but both of them seemed to enjoy sharing friendly words and motions. They were friends, even without that communication. "It's hard to be as spooked by the Everfree knowing you're here."

The cockatrice had a name, Comforting was sure of that. What was it... "Edith." It had come back to her. "Nice to see you again, Edith." She offered a snout and got nuzzled and nipped lightly by the murder hen. "You're too cute! How did Silverstream ever let you go?" Still, it was the right thing to do. Edith wasn't a domestic animal.

Did ponies deal with domestication the same way? Comforting didn't really know, but it felt right enough to gently set Edith down, pat her one last time, and leave her to scurry off into the bushes. "Good luck!" With that lucky meeting complete, Comforting dashed off to her real target, touching down within sight of Amity's clubhouse of a form. "Hello!"

"Hiya." That wasn't Amity. Smolder emerged from the clubhouse, descending to greet Comforting. "You like flying even more than I do, and I like flying."

"Smolder." Comforting came up at a skipping jog to the taller teen. Being a biped, she had height easily to overtake Comforting. "What are you doing here?"

"This is our clubhouse." She waved back at Amity. "So we come here sometimes, ya know? You come around? You want to take a room?"

"Nah..." She was comfy at home, with Fluttershy and Screwball. "But thanks."

"So why are you here?" Smolder leaned in with a smirk. "I got an excuse."

Oops. "It's a pretty clubhouse," lied Comforting. "Also I saw Edith."

"Edith?"

"Silverstream's cockatrice?" Even if saying she 'owned' the wild creature felt off. How would one put it better? "She was living her best little murder hen life in the Everfree?" She hiked her thumb back at where the meeting happened. "So I said hi and we caught up, as best as you can do that when neither of you talk the same language."

"Crazy." Smolder fired a thumbs up at least, approving of the meeting. "I never met them, but she did do a report on it. Don't tell her, but I might have fallen asleep during it. No fault on her, just not my thing. Hey! Since you're here, you can tell me, what is your thing, besides being kinda nice to everyone."

"What's yours?" Comforting counter-challenged.

"Since you asked." Smolder crossed her arms. "Being the #1 dragon around! Sorry, Spike. Learning cool stuff. Hanging out with friends." She curled a finger to point at Comforting. "That counts you. Getting good grades even when they don't expect me to."

"Who doesn't expect you to?" Did she have to give someone a talking to?

"My dragon pals." Smolder rolled her eyes. "Most of them think I'll super fail out. This 'isn't a dragon's thing'. They're waiting for me to give up and go home, but that isn't happening!" She winked at Comforting. "We dragons are super stubborn sometimes, and this is one of them. Not giving up."

Comforting lifted up to put their eyes on even level. "You're not stubborn."

"Then what am I?" Smolder looked ready to declare victory on the matter.

"Determined. Stalwart." Comforting counted on fingers as she went. "Trustworthy. Reliable!"

Smolder grabbed Comforting by the top of her head and ruffled mercilessly. "Those are just funny ways of saying stubborn. Heading back to town, wanna fly with me?"

"I just came from there!" A ready excuse, she hoped, to not fly away from Amity.

"Suit yourself." Fortunately, Smolder didn't pry harder. "Have fun." She flipped her wings out and took flight over the Everfree, headed back towards Ponyville.

"Thank you." Amity emerged with a mild smile. "She is not yet entirely aware of me. She may never be."

"Amity!" Comforting rushed up to hug her dear friend who looked like her old self. "We have things to talk about."

Amity returned the hug gently a moment, no words needed before she slid back to her little hooves. "About Celestia?"

"About her," agreed Comforting. "But not just that. We can start there."

"We can start there." Amity considered with a far gaze for a moment. "She has done nothing wrong. I have no desire to lose her as an agent. It was not my choice, Friend Comforting."

"So don't." Comforting swayed forward and back in place. "She doesn't want it and neither do you, so why do it?"

"I wasn't asked." Amity reached to poke Comforting in the belly. "Neither of us were. But what can we do now? I am not connected to her, as once I was."

"You can talk to her." Comforting pointed up towards the distant Canterlot. "Like you do with me. She's used to getting letters already. Send her one."

"She might confuse it for something Spike is sending. I would be confusing her. Never has she gotten a letter from me." Amity stepped in place with obvious uncertainty. "I don't wish to be a source of chaos."

"Even harmony spirits can be a little chaotic sometimes." Comforting leaned in. "But we can avoid it this time, and I know how."

"Do you?" Amity's features brightened. "You are full of ideas. Please, share."

Comforting clapped her hands in one meeting. "Easy! We make a letter, you and me, and actually send it by Spike. Then there's nothing to be confused about. We can warn her that you can send letters that way too, so the next time, she's ready for it."

"The answer is so simple, now that I've heard it..." Amity's little horn glowed as she conjured a parchment and quill to write busily on it with. "Dear Princess Celestia..." She smiled as she wrote. "This is the first time I wrote those words..." And many more words followed it, until she angled the parchment towards Comforting. "Your turn."

Comforting grabbed the floating paper and read over it quickly.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Hello, my name is Amity. I am exchanging letters with my friend, Comforting Shade. She is the one you retrieved from the astral plane. But she is not the focus of this letter. You are, and I. I am the presence that guided you these many years. Due to a mistake on my part, my connections with most of my agents was severed. I am attempting to reforge at least this connection. If you address a letter to me, Amity, then I will take it instead of it proceeding to Spike. Likewise, future letters will be sent from me directly. Here is Comforting Shade.

Comforting inclined her head. "Um... You covered all the important things. I'm not sure what I should write..." But, she tried anyway.

Hi! Comforting here. Thank you for rescuing me, and sorry for making a mess. It's at least partly my fault you and Amity got cut off like that. We're working together to fix that.... ......

She frowned at all the periods she was dotting the page with.

Sorry, I don't write letters a lot. I do talk with Amity in a way like this, but I send her smily faces like this 😄

Comforting actually drew the smily face in, quill scratching on the paper.

As a sort of shortcut? Sorry, getting distracted. Thank you for bringing me here. I love it in Ponyville, and in Equestria in general. Thank you for being a great princess.

She offered the paper back to Amity who rolled it up with her magic and sealed it properly. "Now we just need to have Spike deliver it. Can you do that?"

"I can." Comforting snatched it right back from the air. "Anything else before I do that?"

"One thing." Amity brought her hooves together quietly. "Play."

"Play?" Comforting tilted her head at her younger self. "Play what?"

"Play. I never got a chance to be young." Amity fell back to all fours. "Please play."

Comforting thought that over. "I wanted to play a lot when I got the chance again... I'd be mean if I was upset at you being the same." She went for a nose-touch. "So yes. Let's deliver this and I'll be right back!" With a shared grin between them, Comforting vanished to just before Twilight's castle. "One delivery!"

She skipped/danced up the steps and rapped on the door. "Hello!"

"Hey." The door swung open to reveal Starlight. "Comfie! With a letter?" She could see the hovering and sealed scroll. "What's that for?"

Comforting grabbed the scroll to wave at Starlight. "I was hoping to ask Spike a favor to have this delivered to Celestia, if he's up for it?"

"Oh, sure." She turned in place. "Spike," she shouted inside. "Comforting needs you." She turned the rest of the way around. "I'm sure he's on the way, but you have to tell me what that's about."

Starlight was not very in the know... "A friend of mine just wants to send her a letter." That was all true! "It should make them both happy."

Starlight snickered. "Oooo, a fan? I bet she gets a lot of those." Her color of magic popped around the scroll, casually snatching it. "But who are we to judge? Spike?"

"Yep?" He pushed the door open further, letting them both stand in it easily. "Hey Comforting." He waved at her with a smile.

She returned the gesture. "Hiya Spike! Can you send that to Celestia, please?" She pointed at the scroll in Strarlight's arcane grip. "Just a letter."

"No big deal." He puffed a little fire, sending it away in a cloud of sparkles. "Ta da! Spike, postal dragon." He rolled his eyes. "I have other uses, you know."

Comforting tapped at her cheek. "Well! Wanna play with a foal?"

"You?" Spike peered at Comforting curiously. "Sure, why not? You like comics? I know some good ones for a filly."

Comforting crossed her arms. "Can you believe Luna wouldn't call me a mare?!"

Starlight recoiled. "Oh... Oh... That sounds like Luna. You were a mare before. I doubt going chaos spirit changed your mind." She offered a hoof. "If it helps, you're still 100% mare to me."

"Welllll..." Spike wobbled a hand. "67%sh mare? Good enough." He snickered softly. "So, give me a sec to grab some comics." He dashed inside on his hunt.

Comforting grabbed the offered hoof, hugging Starlight by the captured arm. "You're a good pony, just to remind you."

"Aw." She colored faintly, but pulled her arm back all the same. "Flatterer. Now, why the sudden urge to play with Spike? Don't get me wrong! Spike's pretty great. If you want to hang out with him, sounds great. Just curious is all. You seem to prefer the company of teens, so I'm a little surprised, is all."

"Spike's great... But it's actually about another friend of mine. She's a filly, and she wants to play. So... I thought, since I'm here, and Spike is feeling a little used, I'd bring him along and we can all play and have fun." She got all that out with barely a breath, as if she needed to speak it all before she stopped.

Starlight slowly inclined her head. "Huh, alright then. If they like comics, Spike'll have what they're looking for. I hope you all have a blast." She leaned in. "Now, you're you. I know you can... do what you want, mostly. So I don't have to tell you to vamoose if you want."

"But I wouldn't," gasped out Comforting. "They're both hoping to have fun, and they're good people. I want them both to have a great time."

"Here!" Spike rushed out with a box of old comics. "Alright, where to?"

"This way!" She grabbed Spike's hand and yanked him between frames to where he needed to be, a chapter away.

Starlight blinked at the empty space that once held the two. "I will not get used to that..." No magical sparkle or sound. They were just gone. "Have fun." She closed the door and headed inside to other business.

Author's Note

Spike and Amity? What could possibly go wrong here?

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131 - Childish Play

Amity inclined her little head, peering at Spike. "Hello," she spoke, voice uncertain. "We have not met." At least in person.

Spike crouched down to get his box down carefully. "Hi... Comforting?" He looked between the two versions of the same pony, so far he could tell at least. "This is far out."

Comforting waved at either of her friends. "Spike, this is Amity. She looks like that because she wants to."

The confusion faded from Spike. "Oh! You're a changeling? Neat." That was it, just accepted.

Amity looked thoughtful a moment. "Would you be upset if I said I wasn't one, but that you're close enough?"

"Works." He reached into the box and drew out a slender comic. "I didn't know there'd be somecreature else, but I got a lot of comics! I'm sure we can find one you like."

Amity smiled gently at Spike. "You are very accepting."

"Comforting's right there." Spike pointed to the bipedal version. "She's cool, and she can do whatever she wants. If she's not worried, I'm not worried. Besides, you two are friends, right? That makes us friends, sorta. It'll be proper after we hang out and have some fun."

Amity's little horn glowed as she selected a comic from the collection. "Does it bother you, having a friend of a chaos spirit?"

"Why should it?" Spike plopped down on his bottom, comic in his lap. "Not even the first! Discord's a friend now and he's alright. Don't tell him, but she's easier to get along with. No offense or anything, but she has a lot less... demands. She asks first, and waits for an answer before she does things. Big plus."

Amity flinched with fresh guilt. "I am... still learning that. Spike, I apologize."

"For what? You didn't do anything? Oh! Is this about the comic?" He pointed to the one she was floating. "I brought them here to enjoy. Read up! No apologies required."

Comforting dug around the box, tail lashing in slow curls and flicks as she considered the selection. "Wow, you have a lot of these..." She picked one about a smiling milkman, er, pony. What was that about? She wanted to know, and reading seemed the way to do it. "Also, he probably heard that, so expect him to give you guff next time you see him."

"Figures." Spike snickered as he flipped to the next page. "Still, nice to meet you, Amity. Do you... live out here?" He twisted left and right from the ground, looking about the area of the treehouse. "Kinda out of the way."

Amity nodded at that, eyes on Spike directly, not far off. "This is my home." She didn't mention the tree beside them was actually her. Why complicate things? "Thank you for visiting me, and bringing gifts." She willed the next page with her glowing horn. "But, I do have a request."

"Yeah?" His eyes were on his comic. Surely he had read it before, but he was having just as much fun with a re-read. "What's up?"

"I want to play." Amity put the comic down carefully. "Thank you for sharing your comics, but I want you, and her." She pointed at Comforting to be clear about that. "I want to play. Will you play with me?"

Spike lowered his comic. "Huh? Oh, uh, sure?" He stood up, a little confused, but not turning down the idea. "What do you wanna play?"

Comforting pulled out a long bit of jump rope. "How about?"

Amity's eyes shined. "I never got to try that. Yes, may we try that?"

Spike caught the end of the jump rope that Comforting tossed to him. "Alright," he laughed out. "Wow, been a while since I played with one of these..." And yet, he stood ready to do it. "You want to jump first?"

"May I?" Amity advanced between the two, stepping over the rope and looking as ready as a little filly could be.

Comforting held her side, fingers curled around the bulbous end that was made to be easy to hold onto. "Ready!" With Spike's agreement, they got the rope moving, slowly at first. Amity leaped over the rope as it swung under it and the song began as they slapped it against the ground with the beat of the song, encouraging her to speed up and slow down with the flowing rhythm.

Being an orderly creature, once Amity was going, she could keep going like a metronome, without hesitation or deviance. It was only the changing pace of the swingers that posed a challenge to her, but that just made it fun. Their songs and cheers drove her on as she jumped up and down with each swing. Suddenly there was a second rope, thanks to a little chicanery from Comforting, and the ropes came twice as quickly, the beat changing as she had to do more of a skip than a full hop to hope to hit the ground fast enough to get up again.

Even she, orderly spirit she was, could only keep up for so long, and the rope crashed into her leg, bouncing off harmlessly, but ending the song all the same. But Amity was laughing, not bemoaning it. "That was fun! Did I do it right?"

Spike dropped his ends of the jumprope. "Yeah. That's most of it." He scratched at his cheek as he advanced. "Do I get a turn?"

Comforting giggled. "Sure, why not? You sure it's not too 'girly'?"

"Pfft." Spike assumed position at the center of the double ropes. "You ready, Amity?"

Amity rushed to where Spike had been, holding both of her ends with her magic. "Ready!"

Spike, being bipedal, could hop from foot to foot to keep up with the taps as the two fillies sang out in time to their attack. "How is this a 'girl' thing anyway?" he asked as he jumped. "Figure jumping's kind of an everypony kind of... thing, you know?" He mused this even mid-song, not that he was one of the singers. "Go ahead, faster. I can handle it!"

"You sure?" Comforting pressed faster, slowly increasing the tempo and making sure amity was with her, which wasn't really something she had to worry about. Synchronizing with her was right up Amity's alley and she joyfully went at the same pace Comforting was going. "We can get pretty fast."

"Right..." He had to hop and skip faster and faster, but he had a secret weapon! He just didn't come down, hovering right in the middle of the ropes. "Ta da!"

Comforting prodded him, her end of the rope still twirling. "That's cheating. Get down and face the music."

"Hey! Alright, alright." He touched down and stopped talking, his breath occupied with keeping up with the rapid taptaptap of the rope beneath him.

"And... end." Amity called it when Spike would misstep. That she was right made her even happier, clapping wildly in place. "This is so much fun. Thank you both for playing with me. Oh. Comforting, do you want a turn? You haven't jumped the rope yet."

Comforting put her end of the rope down. "Since you're offering." She took her spot in the center of the rope. "Don't go easy on me. I'm a wild chaos creature and you know I'll do silly things."

"Really?" Spike took up his end. "After you prodded me about cheating?"

"I'm saying before I start! Go nuts!"

"Okay!" called out Amity with obvious excitement. The tree they were next to, Amity, shook powerfully, loosing various acorns as Comforting began her hops, almost making her trip right at the start.

"Tricky!" Comforting got back on track though, dancing between dropped acorns and avoiding the oncoming ropes. "I wasn't expecting that." A trick worthy of a chaos creature! But she was in the game, dancing to their song. "Faster!" She felt like she could keep up. Her body was alive, young, and ready to bounce.

Fortunately or not, her playmates were happy to speed up, faster and faster by the moment. Spike whooped and cheered her on as they became almost a blur of rope-twirling action.

Comforting floated up, cheating much as Spike had, just for the rope to slap her across the head on the way past. "Hey!" She was forced back to the ground, her trick spoiled. The two twirlers giggled at the failed attempt.

Amity leaned forward. "Do you want to stop?"

Comforting considered that a moment and nodded, letting the rope gently come to a halt against her legs. "That was fun! Did you want to play something else?"

"Hm." Amity looked to Spike. "You pick one. I made you stop reading your books."

"Oh, hmmm..." He glanced over at his book of comics. "Gonna guess you want something a bit more... physical... Oh! How do you like cookies?"

Amity perked. "Cookies? How do you play cookies?"

Comforting giggled at the misunderstanding. "I think Spike means making and/or eating them."

"Exactly! I happen to be quite the chef." He assumed a proud stance with a smile. "If you don't know how, I can show you."

Amity pointed up into the clubhouse that was also herself. "I have a kitchen. Let's go there." She led the way inside, right to the kitchen she knew the location of as well as most people could find their right arm. "Food and supplies are here. Do we have everything we need to make a cookie?"

"We won't make just one." Spike darted around on his wings, gathering all the ingredients for a basic cookie. "Now, best part, you add a little more to make a cookie yours. Maybe some nuts, or gem dust..." He licked his lips at the idea of gem dust. "Or whatever else you think is yummy!"

He was willing and ready to show them the steps, to make dough, knead it, shape it, and add things to it as the oven warmed up for them. "This is fun and you get to eat something tasty."

Amity considered, swaying in place as her magic worked on her portion of the dough. "Will you be mad if I don't eat mine?"

Spike perked at that. "Why wouldn't you eat yours? What do you want to do with it?"

"Give it, to a friend. I would rather it be a gift." Amity shaped her cookies on a pan with a little smile. "That would make me happy."

"Aw." Spike giggled with a silly smile. "Well, that sounds fine by me. I plan to eat mine though." He shook a shaker at them. "They have some gem dust in here. I'm not letting that go without a taste."

Comforting dotted hers with assorted nuts instead, plunging each into the cookie at various angles that made it lumpy and misshapen, but still delicious looking, she decided to herself. "I'll eat one, but I know where the rest are going."

Spike put all three sheets in. "Advantage of the dragon life, we don't need baking gloves. Warning, you two are not a dragon, so wear mitts!" He pointed to where a set dangled. "Um, at least you." He looked from Comforting to Amity. "You can use your magic, but be careful. I've seen Twilight get burned with her magic before. I'm still not sure how that works exactly, but I've seen it!"

Comforting imagined Twilight's horn being singed. "That sounds... like an ow. Not sure how that works either, but I don't want any of my unicorn friends being hurt." She hugged Amity to make that clearer. "So are there gloves for unicorns?"

"Not that I know of." Spike shrugged helplessly. "Just have to not hold hot things for too long. Like if you have tough hands, but not fireproof hands."

"Thank you for warning me." Amity leaned in to peer into the glass of the oven at the baking goods, shrouded in dark. "Now we wait."

"The hardest part," sighed out Spike. "But once that's done, cookie time!" He was already putting things away and cleaning up after their exploits. "Hey, thanks for inviting me. This has been a fun day."

Author's Note

Spike and Amity are both precious in their own ways, and they got along yay! Would you skip rope with them?

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132 - Come Bearing Gifts

Comforting threw open the door, but it never banged on the far side. That'd be rude. "I'm home." She skipped in and kicked the door shut, for it to click quietly behind her despite the kick. "And I have something special for two special ponies."

"What is it?" came in, Doppler-shifted with her rapid approach. Screwie beamed at Comforting, excited and joyful. "What do you have? Is it shiny? Is it tasty? Is it both or none of those? Maybe it's soft and we can hug it!" She hugged the air in pantomime. "Does it have a name? Does it have a backstory?"

Comforting lifted up a bag from which teasing scents rose higher. "Some of those but not all of those. Is mom in?"

"She's outside." Screwie zipped past Comforting, slipping out a window to power away.

Comforting felt sure Screwball would summon Fluttershy, so she spent the time setting out a plate properly and putting her delivery of cookies on it with a smile. "There we go."

"There we go?" echoed Fluttershy, entering through the front door. "Welcome back." The two met in a gentle hug, one arm from her, two from Comforting. "What did you bring?"

"That's what I wanna know?" Screwball zipped over to float over the cookies. "Ooo! Looks tasty. Can I have?"

Comforting waved up at the few cookies on the plate. "I brought them for you. I already tried one! I made them, with Spike's help." She felt inordinately... proud of making those cookies. She knew, in her adult mind, cookie-baking wasn't some grand new achievement. Still, she had done it, and she had it to offer her family, and she felt... great. "Eat up!"

Fluttershy took a cookie on the edge of her wing and brought it for a nibble. "Mmm... Nut. Very nice." She took a larger bite, her enjoyment shown in her gentle smile.

Screwball was less reserved, grabbing a cookie between her hooves and chomping it down in an explosion of crumbs. "Mmm! You made this? You're good at baking. Show me! I wanna make tasty cookies too!"

Fluttershy hummed with reservation. "I'd like to be there, if we try that. But making tasty things for others is quite a delightful experience." She reached up to pat Screwball gently. "What kind of cookie would you like to make?"

"Oooo..." there were so many options... "Chocolate, vanilla, rainbow sprinkles! In the shape of a pony dragon stalking through reeds!" She clapped with building excitement. "Can you help me?" She leaned in from above at Comforting. "Pleeease?!"

Comforting launched up to clap a hand against Screwball's hoof, realizing something then. "Oh, part dragon..." She had a dragon hand, and arm. She could work without a mitt if she wanted to. "Neat. But yeah! We can cook, with mom. Not today though, we just had our treat."

"Aw, fine." Screwball powered away with a raspberry in her retreat.

Futtershy set a hoof on Comforting's floating shoulder. "That was a lovely cookie. Thank you for sharing."

"I owe you more than a cookie." She went in for a proper hug around Fluttershy's neck. "Thank you for being such a great mom."

Fluttershy held and gently nuzzled her child a moment before releasing her. "I've been meaning to ask, how do you feel?"

"Great." She landed in front of Fluttershy. "What brought that up?"

"Not today... I mean... in general." She wobbled, looking uncertain. "When you came, you were very lost. You don't feel that way anymore."

"That's good!"

"That is good," echoed Fluttershy. "You've grown into a wonderfully independent creature."

Comforting tensed. She could feel where that could be going. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No! No, of course not." Fluttershy shook her head rapidly. "I'm... so bad at these things. You've done nothing wrong. Comforting, you are... I love you. I wouldn't change a thing."

"But...?" Comforting rolled a hand, daring that statement to complete.

"But... You don't need me." Fluttershy worked her hooves together nervously. "If I wasn't here, you'd be fine."

Comforting paled at the idea. "You are here, thank goodness. Am I in the way? I can do more chores! I'll take over cleaning up the house." She swirled, dressed like a maid, duster in one hand. "I'm on it!"

Fluttershy leaned in, nose to nose. "Comforting, you are not loved just by me. You are a cherished member of the entire town." She waved a hoof in a slow circle. "Just across the street, a creature looks up to you. She was just as lost as you were, and to her, you are her mother, her source of guidance and love. Just down the hall." She turned where she was pointing. "Your sister adores you and always will. Foals from the crusaders and so many others admire and... But not just them. Even the students of the school see you as one of them." She inclined her head as she sat up. "Even spirits, chaos and order. They respect you. You are not alone. You are loved, by everycreature. You deserve room to grow even more, to have a space that is yours. You are kind to share with your sister, but you deserve more."

Comforting backed a step, head down. "Which... means I have to go."

"Don't phrase it like that..." Fluttershy awkwardly shuffled her hooves. "You'll stay in town. I'll gladly help you find the perfect house just for you. So would your friends, and you have so many to pick from."

That brought to mind Comforting's other self, the one that lived on her own. Had they shared a similar conversation with their Fluttershy? How had they took it? The end result had been visible, with a Comforting on her own. But that Comforting wasn't... the same. She didn't have the same friends. She was closed off, focused on doing what Harmony required.

Comforting, this Comforting, was Amity's friend, not an agent. She had friends... She had a lot of friends. A tear splashed to the ground and Comforting reached up to rub at her eyes. "Outside chance here, mom... What if... we just made the cabin a little bigger?" She spread her hands. "Then I can have my own room, and everyone's happy?"

Fluttershy perked up an ear. "But the cottage is already as big as it should be."

"I can make it bigger on the inside!" That was a chaos trick! She was sure of that. "It'll be just as big as usual on the outside."

"Oh... my." Fluttershy could imagine such chaotic tricks. "But..."

"I said it was an outside chance..." Comforting sagged with defeat. "Mom..."

"Yes?"

"What if I like being... a filly?" She cycled her hands over one another. "That isn't bad, is it?"

Fluttershy turned and pointed outside. "Have you met Pinkie Pie?"

"Yes?" Comforting straightened, confusion displayed openly. "What about her?"

"She will be a filly forever. She'll be a filly if she ever becomes a mom. She will be a filly in everything she does. She's a mature filly... but still a filly. That's just how she is." She set a hoof on Comforting's face so gently. "And that's fine."

"But she left home..." Comforting took a wooshing breath. "And I need to too... I... I get it... I don't like it... But I get it..." She kicked at nothing once. "What are we going to tell Screwball?"

"That's a mature question." Fluttershy set her hooves on the ground. "As you are, filly or not. We will tell her the truth. One day, she will move out too, when she's ready. You're not leaving her. You'll still be in town, right?"

"Right!" The idea of leaving Ponyville sent a tremble down her spine. She was not ready for that jump just yet. "So... just the truth?"

"Just the truth. It's not like she did anything wrong, or either of us are mad at her, or don't like her." Fluttershy rose to her hooves. "The truth will be fine."

Comforting let Fluttershy head off, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She wandered to the window and looked outside. There, she could see Cracked dozing peacefully. "Silly dog..." Sure, she wasn't really a dog, but close enough? Ponywolf was a mouthful. Still, actually... She darted outside and landed in front of Cracked. "Hey."

"Alpha." Cracked sat up, as if she hadn't been sleeping a moment before. "You are agitated. Does something need hunting? You know I'm ready."

Comforting took gentle hold of Cracked's snout, rubbing and petting, to both of their delight. "No... But I want to ask you something. When you got big enough, your parents sent you out into the world, right?"

"I did that myself." Cracked looked off into the distant past. "I wanted to hunt, and my parents were excellent hunters. There was never enough food for my growing appetite. I had to go further and further to find it... One day I just... didn't go home. I made a new den for myself, where there was food to hunt." She smiled, tongue lolling. "Such is the way with creatures like me." But she wilted just as suddenly. "Oh. Are you considering leaving?"

"I'm being kicked out," sighed out Comforting. "Nicely... Mom doesn't know how not to be nice... But still... being kicked out."

"You can stay here?" Cracked turned to point with her nose into her den. "You do not compete for my food. I would not be upset to have you as a den mate."

"You are so nice." Comforting grabbed Cracked's snout to hug it tight. "I won't go far. I'll still be in town, just not... there." She pointed at Fluttershy's cottage. "Wherever it is, you have dibs on the lawn if you want it."

"I am glad to hear that." Worry lifted from Cracked. "I was... I thought you were leaving. You look... agitated... If you are not moving far, why are you upset?"

She caressed her hands together and hummed in a dubious manner. Behind her, her tail curled in a question mark, the tip dancing in place. "Because I was comfortable. Because I felt safe. Because... I love this." She waved expansively at the house that had become her home. "Everything in and around it. That counts you too."

"Thank you for that." Cracked settled on her belly, nose gusting wind once at Comforting. "I am happy you are here. If you are not here, than I won't be either. You are why I am here. This new world... It is full of things to hunt. I could place my den in many places... But I would wish to keep an eye on my cubs, and I would wish to be near you. I am glad I can do both."

"Cubs?" It clicked even as she said it. "They would get mad if they heard you call them cubs," she laughed out, imagining an irate griffon and dragon. "But, to you, yeah, I can see that."

"It's relative." Cracked swerved an ear back. "Compared to you, I feel like a cub myself. You have seen more than I. You rescued me. You have the power to defeat me with a whim. If you wanted it, any prey would be helpless before you. On every level I know to measure, you are my superior... but you never make me feel small. You never threaten me. You welcome me, with open arms and warm embrace. You are more of a parent than a rival." She wagged her tail behind her, brushing the dirt with the motions. "I thought I was long past such things, but I am not unhappy, having a new parent. When you wish for me to leave, I will, but I will hope that time is long away."

"Maybe never..." Comforting rubbed at her chin. "Unless you wanted to go. I wouldn't want to hold you down."

"Is that a challenge?" Cracked reared up her back end, tail wagging above her, looking ready to pounce. "We haven't wrestled before. We should. Now?"

133 - On the Market

Comforting knocked on the wood door, but pushed it open afterwards. It was a business, and it was open. "Hello?" She poked her head in and looked around.

"Howdy," called a mare behind a desk. "Come on in!" She could see only Comforting's pony face, and her expression turned to surprise when Comforting fully entered. "Oh! You're... Hugs, no, Comforting, right?"

Comforting smiled at the mare, brushing the door shut behind herself with her tail. "That's me, Comforting. And you are good at finding the perfect home for a pony, right?"

"It's what I do," sang the mare with a happy smile. "And if you came here for that, you came to the right place!" She considered Comforting with all proper intensity. "Do... creatures of your sort have any preferences different from ponies? I admit, you're the first... of your kind I've helped." She hopped to her hooves, circling the counter. "Also, please don't take this the wrong way, but are you a foal, adult, or...?"

"That's a long story..." Comforting chuckled nervously. "But I am ready to get a house. I want one here, in Ponyville. If it can be near Fluttershy's cottage, bonus. She's my mom."

"I heard of that." The mare came in to sit right in front of Comforting. "Nice to meet you. Now... There certainly is room by Fluttershy's cottage, but that's half the problem. There aren't many buildings near Fluttershy's cottage. I'm fairly certain she picked the spot for that exact reason. She had it built when she moved into town. Speaking of that, are you hoping for an existing home, or are we building one for you too?"

It was at that moment that Comforting realized she could just... make a house, in theory. "I'm new to how land ownership works. If I can own some land, and put what I want on it, then everything's fine, really."

"You're new, but you sound like you know how it works." The mare curled a hoof up under Comforting's chin. "Are you just new to how it works in Ponyville?"

"Exactly!" Comforting snapped her fingers sharply. "What are the rules, here in Ponyville?"

"Well, thankfully, they're not all that bad." The mare rose back to her hooves and went to the large windows in front to point out at the town hall. "Assuming nopony else has dibs on the parcel you're interested in, you have to go there, tell them what portion of land you want, and they'll decide on the price. You pay it, and it's yours, minus any yearly taxes. Now, before you panic, there are a mountain of exemptions a pony could apply for! Many of the ponies in this town don't pay any taxes."

Comforting lifted a few inches, hovering after her. "What, mostly, decides if a pony pays taxes or not?"

"Good question!" She turned back to Comforting. "Celestia, long may she reign, has a very progressive tax policy, which trickles down to all the towns and cities in our lovely nation. If you don't make many bits, she doesn't want your last, and forbids local managers from reaching for them either. The more you make, the higher a bracket you reach." She lifted her hoof from the ground at different levels. "The higher the bracket, the more taxes, both property and income and most everything else. Do you have a job?"

"Not... one that pays?" Helping Amity didn't reap cash dividends, nor did being a student. "I'm a student."

"Oh! Well, students? They don't pay taxes," the real estate agent assured firmly. "So, all you need to do is cover the price of the parcel you've set your eyes on. Now, I don't want to be rude, but are you sure you want to just buy a parcel? Somepony has to actually build a house on it. You... don't..." She trailed off, just noticing Comforting was floating. "Can you?"

Comforting colored with a nervous giggle. "Sorry! Sorry." She landed, coming down a few inches. "But, yes. I think I can. Thank you for being so helpful."

"That's my job!" She pointed back at her cutie mark, where a house lived with a curl of smoke rising from its chimney. "By the way, doing what your cutie mark tells you to do? That lowers your bracket. Following my destiny nets me a tax break. Pretty sweet, huh?"

"That's nice." Comforting glanced back at her rump, where no mark could be found. "What about creatures that don't have a mark to follow? Are we just... out of luck?"

She hummed softly. "To be honest, I don't know. Real estate is my specialty, not tax codes, even if I know more than the average pony." She raised a hoof at the town hall. "But! If you're going there anyway, they'd be the perfect ponies to ask. They are the ones that collect it. I'd hope they'd know, or we're all in trouble. But, before you gallop over there, let's talk about your plans."

"Plans?"

"Plans!" She reached up and pulled down a map of the town. "You want to know where you hope to get a parcel, if you're so sure you don't want a house that's already built."

Comforting's thoughts went to the other Comforting, the one that was an agent of Harmony. They wouldn't have gotten a free house, lacking chaos powers. They probably had to buy a house. Was that why they weren't right near Fluttershy? "I still want one near mom's house. I'll check with her, make sure it's not messing up her area, or scaring the animals, but near her, close as I can."

"Well." She leaned in on the far edge of the map, where the road worked its way past Fluttershy's house and into the forest. "Plenty of room there, as I mentioned. It sounds to me like you should talk to her and figure out what will work for both of you. No parcels around there are claimed, that I can see." She tapped at the bare part of the map, just with Fluttershy's cottage. "So pick a spot, and head to town hall."

"That's... easy." She let it out like a sigh of relief. Pony world was so much simpler about that than the human world she had come from. "Thank you, again. You've been nothing but helpful."

"I do my best," sang the mare. "And if you happen to change your mind, let me know. We have some lovely houses already built and waiting for an owner."

"I will! Um, if I change my mind. Actually..." She hopped towards the agent. "I may want to look at them later, just to get a good idea of what I might want to build. Is that alright?"

"Yes... but also maybe?" She wobbled a hoof. "I'm writing that off as a charitable donation. That's still work, for me, but you won't be giving me any bits, but the writeoff.... Yeah, sure, I'm open for that." Her tax musings complete, she nodded firmly. "Just tell me when you're ready and we'll set an appointment."

"Great!" She paused in her retreat. "Oh. Is it alright if I bring a friend or two along?"

The real estate mare inclined her head. "There shouldn't be a problem with that. It's pretty common, especially with married ponies, but even the ones that aren't may bring a second set of eyes. Now, you have a great day."

"Already doing it." Comforting burst out onto the road with a smile. "That went well..." All she had to do was pick a spot! Oh, and visit town hall. That shouldn't be so hard? She lifted from the ground and zipped rapidly back home. It was still her home. Fluttershy had made it clear that it would always be her home, and she could live there while she got things in order.

Fluttershy was on her lawn, feeding some birds with flecks of seeds that sent them gladly searching and pecking. Comforting touched down some distance from the scene, smiling at all the cute birds getting their lunch.

A duck landed on one of Comforting's arms, peering at her.

"Hello there." Comforting reached into a pocket to grab some seeds and offer them to the bird perched on her. "Having fun?"

It quacked in an... amiable sort of way and pecked at the offered seeds, apparently accepting Comforting as a safe thing to be around. Comforting gently rubbed the duck over the head, stroking it as it enjoyed the meal. "What a nice duck you are." Birds of Equestria, nicer than the old Earth models. "I hope Cracked isn't bothering you."

The bird touched its beak to her snout and hopped down. Was that an answer? Not one in any language Comforting knew. Still, it was still there, and not avoiding the area, so... It couldn't be too bad?

"Welcome back," called Fluttershy, her task complete. "Did you already find something? Or did something come up?"

"I talked with a very nice pony." Comforting closed, not scared of scaring the birds. "She told me what I had to do. I want to be here." She spread her hands. "But I don't want to be in the way. Where would you want me to be, near here, where I won't be bothering things."

Fluttershy curled her neck, looking about slowly. "You really want to live all the way out here? I... like my space, but you seem to get along with others quite well. You could be a lot closer to a lot of ponies." She pointed into the town. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

Comforting lifted from the ground, propelling herself up a foot and letting gravity draw her back down. "I could live halfway across the world and still get back in time for lunch, mom. If I have to pick where I feel safe and happy, that'd be near you. Um, unless that's a bother?"

"Hm." Fluttershy curled a hoof to her chin. "Well..." She pointed at the river that ran in front of her cottage. "Just on the other side?" She walked out and tapped a hoof on the ground at the river's edge. "This is where my little slice of land ends."

Comforting clapped her hands. "Great! But I wanted to be sure I was putting it in a place that wouldn't bother you. No point moving out just to set up where you don't want."

"How large?" She raised that hoof high above her. "How tall? If it isn't very tall, I don't think I'll mind... You were never that loud. And you don't scare the animals."

Comforting jumped. Something had hit her! Looking down, she saw Angel Bunny glaring at her. "What?"

He squeaked and pointed off, glaring at her twice as hard.

"He says... Do you really think so?"

Angel nodded at Fluttershy firmly.

"If you say so... He says you should put it right there." She joined his pointing, but also took flight to flap over to the exact spot across the river, right by the road that led up to her cottage. "Here," she called out, barely audible in her soft cry.

Comforting joined her, landing beside her. "This is a nice spot." She could see Fluttershy's cottage, barely a minute's hike away. "If you like it, then I like it." She flopped over onto her back, feeling the grass of the spot. "Next stop, town hall!"

"Hm?" Fluttershy turned to Comforting. "Why there?"

"I have to buy this." Comforting patted the ground around herself, sitting up. "Then I can put a house on it. I'm going to take my friends to see houses to pick the kind of house I want."

Fluttershy smiled at the idea. "That sounds wonderful. Hm... Do you need bits? I have a few, to help." She produced a bag of jingling coins. "This may be far enough from town that they won't charge you anything. I didn't pay for my cottage's land. But I did tell them, um, well, Rainbow did... So nopony else would take it later. That'd be awkward..."

Entirely fee free land? She wasn't on Earth... "I'll check with them. If not, I can at least tell them I'm taking it."

Author's Note

Comforting picks a spot with Fluttershy's help. Next stop, some red tape, than grab some friends to go house style shopping!

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134 - Filly to Mayor Mare

Comforting landed with one yak hoof just in front of the town hall. "Next stop!"

"Why are you doing this?" Discord leaned in from behind Comforting. "You really don't need to. Are you just ignoring them now?"

"Ignoring who?" Comforting turned towards her father even as she backed a step.

"Them?" Discord hiked a thumb at the countless people beyond the fourth wall. "They've been talking to you. I know you can hear them."

"Oh." She glanced towards that fourth wall, but quickly back at Discord. "I learned to ignore them. It's better for me to focus on the world I'm in, and I'm not visiting theirs. I'm sure it's nice." Discord snorted as if what Comforting had just said was quite amusing. "--but it's not mine."

"Sure sure." Discord cycled a hand through the air, not entirely sincere in look. "But why? I thought you were pretty happy with Fluttershy. I expected you to fight a lot more. For that matter, I didn't really expect her to kick you out."

"She didn't kick me out." Comforting put a hand at her hip. "She just pointed out that I could live somewhere else. She never set any ultimatums. I made that decision, thanks, Dad. Besides... She isn't wrong."

"She isn't? Do tell." He leaned in, notepad in hand, wearing a news reporter's cap.

"Having some space to myself might be kinda nice... I have things, and I started... not getting more things, because I think of where I could keep any of it." She produced a candy bar from a pocket. "This is nice, but fleeting." She tossed the bar over her shoulder and forgot it, and it forgot itself, simply ceasing to be. "You have a house, dad. You keep things there."

"Sure! But I'm me. You're you." He pointed at himself, then Comforting. "Besides that, you really could just... live wherever, or nowhere. I prefer nowhere, but that's me."

"And I'm not you," countered Comforting with a confident smile. "I want a house. I want it done right. I want to own the land it's on and fill out all the forms and it should be official! If you like, you can blame the Amity in me."

"Since you're offering." Discord stuck a tongue out at his orderly rival, even if she wasn't there. "She's a bad influence on you, I swear... Well, if you're having fun, I suppose I won't stand in your way. Have a blast with the exciting task of..." He shuffled through a pile of papers to find the right one. "Here we are, 'filling forms'. I'll pass." He folded in on himself, popping out of existence.

"Back to business." Comforting skipped up the steps to the town hall and pressed inside. "Hello!" But most of the ponies beyond didn't even hear her. It was a big place, with a lot of ponies busily working to keep the town working. "Oh." She went towards a mare that had secretary written on a plaque on her desk. "Hi."

"Hello there." She smiled down at Comforting. "Comforting Shade, chaos spirit, right?" Comforting nodded. "What brings you in here today? I didn't think I'd ever be helping a chaos spirit... Still, thank you, for asking, instead of just... doing, whatever it is you had in mind."

Comforting pulled down a map of Ponyville that hadn't been there before and pointed to the spot just next to Fluttershy's cottage, across the little river. "I'd like to get this spot right here. Is that alright? And how much will it be?"

The secretary leaned in to have a look. "Oh. You already talked to your mom, I assume?" Comforting nodded. "Excellent. We don't want ponies bumping into each other. You wouldn't even imagine the complaints we got when Twilight's castle just... took up space without anypony being warned... Now, you'll want to talk to the expert on land management, who isn't me." She pointed a hoof at the right door. "Head in there. You will probably have to fill out some forms, just to warn you."

"Thank you." Comforting dropped a fancy chocolate on the secretary's desk and hurried to the door. It had a plaque that read, 'Assesor'. She knocked on it gently and waited.

It took a moment before it swung open, revealing a new stallion. "Hello?" He looked to Comforting, easily visible thanks to the wonders of bipedalism. "How can I help you?"

"I want to get a plot of land. I know which one I want." She pulled down the map of Ponyville to point at the exact spot. "Right here."

"Is this for residential? Commercial? Industrial? Mixed?" He wobbled a hoof with each word. "That area... Is zoned for residential only."

"That's what I want." No problems there! "Can I have it? I talked to mom, Fluttershy, about it already. She said it was alright so long as I don't build too big a house."

"I'm glad you did that, saves me the next question." He leaned in close. "How big of a property are you considering? This map doesn't have the lots drawn on them. Come inside." He turned inside and withdrew into his den of maps and papers. As soon as Comforting joined, he took out one that did have all the lots drawn on it, countless little segments of land. "And... here." He brought a hoof down on the spot Comforting had picked. "See the numbers? Tell me which numbers you'd need."

Each parcel had a number specified. "If you buy more than one next to each other?"

"Then we, assuming they're all of a shared purpose, combine the lots together. Which numbers catch your eye?"

"2871." She read out, one number at a time. "That'd be fine. How much is it?"

He pulled out a filing cabinet and leafed through it with a hoof. "Here we are... 2871..." He pulled a paper free. "That is in an undeveloped section of town, even with Fluttershy there. I have to read out a disclaimer: Being undeveloped, some services are not assured and assumed to be the responsibility of the pony or ponies living there. This includes water coming and going, and no electrical connection is gauranteed. Postal ponies will generally deliver your mail, but, technically, not assured. Still, they're nice ponies. On the bright side, that lot is without charge. The paperwork's small too. You mostly just have to sign for it."

He brought out a new paper and began filling it himself, putting in all the little details of which lot and when it was all being filled out and who witnessed the action and such. "Just sign here and read it over to make sure you agree before you give it back to me."

Comforting looked over the paper, taking the time to read it properly. There wasn't anything shady in there. Did ponies do shady? Of course they did, but not as a habit, and not in their basic forms. She was accepting the disclaimer he had just read to her. "That won't be a problem," she murmured to herself, drawing her name on the line with a little sketch of her old cutie mark. "Oh, I have a little tax question."

He accepted the form back. "I'd go back out to the secretary. My specialty's land, and you just finished that. Hello, new landowner!"

"Woo!" That felt... kinda good actually. She was a land owner, owner of land. "I'll leave it nicer than I found it, which is a challenge. It's already pretty nice. "Thank you so much! Do I get... a deed or something?"

"If you need one, for selling purposes, let us know. There will be another form involved. Other than that, it's on the records. We know, and that's all that's needed." He patted Comforting gently on the head with a hoof. "Now you run along. Um... Sorry for asking, but you seem... young. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Ready." She saluted sharply. "And I'll be right next to mom anyway."

"True." Reason enough for him to relax. A foal next to their mom was unlikely to get into too much trouble. "I know a mare that's great at getting a house, if you like?"

"I just talked to her! She's nice. I'll be going back to her. You have a great day."

"Thank you." He waved as Comforting closed the door to his office.

She hurried back across the town hall to the secretary she started with. "Hi again. I have a tax question."

"I may have a tax answer," replied the mare with a smile. "Did you get all the land things worked out?"

"All done!" She did a little dance right there. "You're looking at Ponyville's newest land owner."

The secretary gave a polite little clap. "Congratulations. What was your tax question?"

"Right." Comforting pointed at her rump. "I had a cutie mark. I don't anymore. I'm still following it and doing my best to help out. Can I still get that credit?"

The secretary looked upon the lack of a mark. "That will require an exception from a pony higher on the pole than me." She spotted the target pony moving hurriedly. "Mayor Mare, do you have a moment?"

"One never does." Still, she did come a little closer. "Is it urgent?"

Comforting smiled at the statesmare. "Hi! Just a quick tax question."

"She wants a deduction." The secretary pointed to Comforting's blank rump. "She says she's still following her cutie mark, even though she doesn't have one."

"I see." Mayor Mare curled an arm, hoof to her chin. "I heard about that. You were a filly, and you did have a mark. Tell you what. Bring a document with at least five signatures of those with cutie marks verifying your story and you can have it."

Comforting smiled so widely she squeaked. "That easy?"

"That easy." Mayor Mare inclined her head faintly. "We're not monsters. But we do want to do things properly. Now, I've heard you're reasonably popular around town, so this shouldn't be too difficult. Just bring that paper and give it here." She pointed to the front desk. "They'll get it to me, and that will be that, as they say. Now, I really should be moving. Is that all?"

Comforting thought quickly of things to ask the mayor while she had their attention. "Thank you for running such a lovely town. I love living here."

"I'm glad to hear that." Mayor Mare offered an arm and soon hugged Comforting gently. "Vote for me next time." She winked and moved off with her day.

The secretary waved at where Mayor Mare had been. "And that is that. Is there anything else?"

"I just need signatures." She drew out a paper, ready for those signatures. "Did you know I had a mark?" The secretary shook her head. "Thanks anyway. You've been great!" She charged out of the town hall on her quest.

"What a pleasant creature." The secretary got back to her duties.

Comforting quickly secured a signature from Fluttershy and Screwball. Neither offered a bit of hesitation, knowing she had one before, and still followed it.

"Sure." Sandbar brought down his hoof in a firm clop on the paper. "You follow your mark pretty good."

Rarity considered. "Hm. You certainly did have one, nothing to argue there. You still try to support anycreature you see. If I was going to give this to somecreature, you'd be on the top three." She wrote her signature with a floating quill. "There you are."

Twilight looked up at her desk in her office. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Comforting pressed inside with a shy smile. "Hello, Professor."

"You love calling me interesting things." Not that she was complaining, smiling even. "What can I do for you, Comforting?"

Comforting closed the gap quickly and slipped the paper onto Twilight's desk. "Please sign this. It means you know I had a mark before, and I'm still following it."

Twilight brought a quill over in her magic. "What is this for?"

The first pony to ask that specifically... "Just a tax thing, actually... I don't even need to pay taxes yet, but why not knock it out of the way?"

Twilight patted Comforting on the shoulder. "That's awfully mature of you. Well, I can confirm you had a mark. It was a hugged heart, if I recall. And you've hugged, and still hug, as many hearts as you can get your arms around." She drew a signature onto the paper with a sketch of her cutie mark afterwards to be double confirmed. "There you are."

Author's Note

Signatures, get! Comfie Cakes will get her tax exemption. That's the real meaning of friendship! 🥲

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135 - Gather the Gang

"I had to talk to you first."

Cracked inclined her massive head. "Why? You are moving. I will follow you. We discussed this."

"Yes, right." Comforting pointed past Cracked, then around slowly. "But! I'm actually taking you up on your offer."

"You're moving in?!" She sat up at that. "How lovely. There's enough room for you, my small alpha."

"There will be even more room." She clapped her hands, summoning the glimmering outline of lot 2871 to appear around them with a sparkling 2871 hovering above it to make it clear. The area included Cracked's den. "I'm going to build a house here, but this is your land first. I want the house to either be out of your way, or I want your den to be part of the house. Your choice."

Cracked turned in an almost spin to see where the line came down around them. "This is yours? You are so small. But you are claiming more den space than I, and I'm larger than you." She leaned in at Comforting. "Greedy."

"A little." Comforting smiled brightly, not upset at that. "It was the smallest single lot they had actually. So, really, you get to make that call. I stay out your way, or we make your den part of things. Which would you prefer?"

"If you own this land, then, by pony laws... You could demand I leave, could you not?"

"Technically..." Comforting rocked in place. "But you're also a super friend, so I wouldn't do that because that would be pretty mean. Also, not even kind of nice, since then I'd be taking advantage of just being the first to ask to make it official. I'm not like that! So, stay away, or be a part?"

"You are too nice, my little alpha." Cracked licked Comforting across her front. "It would not be that strange, for a parent to eventually chase their child away. Still... I'm not going to resist you any further. If you wish it, I would be glad to be part of your home. In return, I will defend it, as it will be our home."

"Fair." Comforting darted up to hug Cracked about the snout firmly, the two coming to an easy accord. "One warning, you'll probably have to move out while they build the house around you, but it'll be nicer when they're done. I'm going to get the others, all of them, to help pick the style of the new house. Wanna come?"

"I get to help pick what it looks like?" Comforting began to wag her tail like an excited dog. "How delightful! Let's get the others."

Comforting darted up atop Cracked and held on as the wolf-pony charged around town towards the school the others were likely hidden at, at least most of them. "Wait here." Comforting didn't imagine Cracked would fit well in the school itself. "I'll be back with them." She dropped to the ground and jogged inside energetically towards the dorms. "Everyone here?"

"A lot more than one," called out Silverstream. "Why do you say that?"

Comforting slid to a stop just in front of the confused Silverstream. "Oh... old habit? I meant everycreature. Hi!"

"Hiya!" Silverstream waved past herself. "Most of us are here, enjoying our time off. What's up?"

"Comfort." Yona lumbered over to grab Comforting in a firm but loving embrace. "Hello."

Comforting took a moment to greet each of them, even if they were missing a pony. "Oh, right. He lives in town?"

Smolder nodded from her bed, laying on it backside down. "Yep. He's not even away from home, so he doesn't have to sleep here if he doesn't wanna. Sometimes he does, sometimes he don't. What's up? You come 'cause something's up, every time."

Comforting wanted to argue that, but she couldn't that day. "You're looking at Ponyville's newest landowner! I wanted your input and help picking the style of the new house."

Yona looked properly confused. "Land owner? You own land? How?"

Silverstream burst into giggles. "It means she picks what creatures build on it. Neat! I wanna help!"

Smolder threw herself off the bed to her feet. "We have the clubhouse, you know. You could live there, if you're moving out on your own."

"True... But I want someplace to put Cracked too, and she's way too big for the clubhouse." An image of Cracked hanging from the side of the tree house, bending poor Amity over from the weight. "No, that'd be bad... Oh! You all know Cracked, right?" The predators in the room nodded at that. "She's with me." Comforting pointed outside. "So let's go pick a house!"

With a communal cheer, they all charged out to rejoin Cracked.

Cracked smiled at the sight of so many young creatures, some new. "A yak." She leaned in closer to Yona. "Your people were very strong. One of the few we didn't hunt."

Yona looked properly proud of that, but it hit her. "Wait. You try hunt yak?"

"Not me, personally... But others like me. They regretted it." Cracked wasn't subtle in her snuffing of Yona. "Long long ago. I have been taught. I will not hunt what asks me not to hunt it."

"Not hunt," ordered Yona, scowling.

"Then I will not," agreed Cracked. Such a simple system. "Not you. Today, hunt den. Den for me. Den for Comforting. Our den. You will help?" The students all gave sures and thumbs ups, where they had thumbs, at that.

Silverstream waved excitedly. "Let's get Sandbar first."

So they did just that, possibly alarming his parents with a big smiling wolf-pony wagging its tail on their lawn. But they assured that Sandbar was entirely safe, and secured him for the venture off to the original mare Comforting had started with. "I'm back!"

The real estate agent of a mare sat up, surprised as her office filled with creatures. "I see! Welcome back. How can I help today? Did you change your mind? I have many houses to offer."

Comforting pointed outside. "We want to tour the styles of houses. I'll be making a brand new one though."

The mare calculated. "Then you'll want contact with some quality construction ponies. I know a few! We'll get that house built in no time at all." She circled her desk and headed for the outdoors. "Let's start the tour!"

"Oh, before you ask, I do own the lot it'll be on."

"You went to town hall then? Goo...d?" Her words failed as she emerged to find Cracked there, smiling at her. "Am I going to be eaten, or is that... a friend of yours?"

"Do you want me to eat you?" asked Cracked as if a yes or a no were equally fine as answers went.

"No... please?" She swallowed thickly, but the wolf-pony sat back, seemingly accepting her answer. "Good..." She turned back to the others. "You all see this too... right?"

Comforting darted out past the others. "That's Cracked. She wants a good house too. She won't hurt any ponies. I want my house to include her den."

"How interesting." The mare tapped her chin, mind going towards consideration rather than dread. "You'll want a house wider than she is, at least. Though most ponies want a house wider than that, so that shouldn't be hard. Do you want her to be able to enter the first floor?"

"Please!" Comforting bounced in place, excitement building. "Oh, wanna see the land it'll be on?"

"That would be helpful, to--" She was there, in front of the glowing lot. "--know how... large?" She sat, stunned. "Chaos spirit... right..." As the shock diminished, she took on the size of the land with soft hums. "Alright. I think I can work with this. Let's--" She was back in front of her office. "Please don't do that without warning me!"

Silverstream giggled into her talons. "She does that. I don't know how exactly, but she's pretty good at it."

The mare took a few notes on a pad. "You... aren't going to need those construction ponies, are you?"

"Need is a strong word... Let's look at some houses!" Comforting pointed ahead, though that direction changed with the real estate mare's direction. "This way!" They toured houses, looking at big open spacious designed that could fit Cracked without needing them to wriggle about to take it up. They were two stories tall... but only had one story in them, making for a spacious cavernous interior. "Wow..." Comforting was enjoying what she was seeing, but.., "What do you think?"

Her companions had many votes. Each house had a whole new set. So long as it was easy to get into and not be squished, Cracked was easy to please. But she also provided the least advice on what else might be nice outside that.

"This one's a studio," noted Sandbar. "I think you'll want a bedroom, not just part of the living room."

Yona stomped on the floor and shook her head. "Not strong enough," she decided on another.

Smolder chuckled as she flew over the top of another. "Loving the gem studs... Is this your style though? I'd eat them..."

The real estate mare kept notes as they were given, filling her pad with them as they went. "I see, hmm... Yes..." She only went over the details of each, showing off its features, but not trying to sell them one. Not like they'd buy any of them. "I think..." They all turned to her. "This is the right one.." She led them on to a house that seemed unfinished. "This is the front part of a place Mister Rich has in process. You can see it's not complete, but, have a look. I think the layout will be just what you're aiming for."

They all headed inside. Cracked quickly confirmed that she could fit, and was thus pleased. Yona tested the flooring, which stood up to her stomps. It had space for rooms that could be bedrooms, or something else. It didn't have any gem adornments, which Smolder shrugged off.

Ocellus clapped lightly. "I like it. It could become anything. It's up to you what you turn it into."

Comforting nodded at her changeling pal. "That is a uniquely changeling way to look at it... and I like it." She turned to the real estate mare. "Do you have the plans for this? Or should we just... look really hard?"

"Filed away," sang the mare. "I'll have it sent over to Fluttershy's house. Will that do?"

"Perfect! I'll be there until I get the new one." She spread her arms at her friends. "Thank you all, for helping. When it's done, you'll help decorate it?"

Yona bounced in place. "Yes! Never decorate pony house." She paused, considering. "You not pony, exactly... Hm. How want decorate?"

Sandbar chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're overthinking it. Comforting likes pony stuff. Pony decorations would be probably pretty good."

"I do like pony stuff..." Comforting nahed loudly with only a brief thought. "But, I think, what I want, is a little of each of you. I want some Yak stuff, and changeling stuff, and pony and dragon and hippogriff and griffon stuff!" She waved a hand at the unfinished house. "The house already has a bit of Diamond in it, but she didn't plan it. I'll ask her to put something in that screams her and Silver Spoon. This'll be my friendship house."

They all cheered, and at least one howled, in victory, as things were decided on. The mare started back towards her office. "I don't need a teleport, but thanks."

Comforting lowered a hand. "How did she know I was...?"

Silverstream clapped her hands together. "Ooo, me! Do me! I wanna be that! Send me--" Comforting tackled her with a cloth, hiding her from view just long enough to fall on top of the nothing.

"She's back at the dorm," she assured the others. "Thanks for helping me today. This is going to be great."

Gallus buffed at his chest. "Me, I'd prefer something higher up, but that's hard to do, considering." He eyed the bulk of Cracked. "So this'll do. It's not bad... I'll get you something." He flipped out his wings and took off, the rest scattering in their own directions, chatting about what they'd get to add to Comforting's friendship house.

Author's Note

House shopping is so much easier for a chaos spirit, especially with friends. If you could add something to this new abode, what would you contribute?

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136 - What to Get a Draconeques

Gallus punched a pillow, but it didn't cry, or really react other than deforming with the blow. "What do... Hmmph." He sat on his bed with a scowl.

Smolder leaned over from the top side of her bunk. "What's all the commotion about?"

Gallus threw up his hands. "You're all so sure what to get her. She's helped me, a lot even... I don't want to come off as being a jerk and show up with nothing. Then she'll hate me."

Ocellus inclined her head from the lower bunk of the same bunk Smolder was on. "I thought you said you already had an idea."

"I said that! That doesn't mean it's true." He collapsed on his rump, hands supporting his heavy head. "How do you all know what to get her?"

Smolder drew out a pretty gem, dazzlingly purple and shaped like a heart. "Ponies love things shaped like hearts, and she's still a pony on the inside. She'll love it." She tossed it up and snatched it from the air. "Easy."

Yona clapped her cloven hooves with a big smile. "She like yak. Sometimes, think she wishes she were yak, but isn't yak. Can still give some yak things. Knitting traditional yak blanket for her."

Sandbar shrugged from his bed. "I don't know what she wants, so I'm gonna--"

"You're going to what?" Gallus rushed over, eyes wide. "You just said you don't know!"

"So I'll ask." Sandbar shrugged lightly. "We're both ponies, um, inside, so I'm not sure what she's looking for. I'll ask. Getting the wrong gift is awkward."

Gallus crossed his arms with an angry huff. "We're supposed to get her something that makes her house feel like us. If we ask, then we're just getting her stuff that feels like her. We can do better... I can do better." He paced away, tail lashing agitatedly behind him. "What about a perch?"

Silverstream perked at that. "Perch?"

"They don't have that?" Gallus peered at Silver incredulously. "You are at least part bird. A nice straight stick to land on? Nice place to hang out? Hardcore griffons even sleep on the things. Not my style, that part..."

Silver shook her head slowly. "Sorry... Sounds nice though! You get a stick!"

"What are you getting?" Gallus asked with a cocked brow. "You don't look worried."

"'Cause I'm not," she sang in a musical trill. "I'm getting shells. Lots of sea shells. You can decorate with those easy! She can put them where she wants them best."

Gallus crossed his arms. "But she's not a bird. She doesn't even fly with her wings. She doesn't need a perch... That's a stupid idea..." He kicked at the ground impotently. "I have to think up something better." He flew off to have his thoughts.

Comforting considered the empty lot of land ahead of her, and the blueprints in her hands. "This, to that..." She held up the blueprints between herself and the land. "Part of me wants this to be built... properly. Another says, just chaos it and be done with it."

"Chaos sounds faster." Cracked watched her alpha think about it. "I never had a friend with your powers before. You hesitate, so there must be a reason. What is the reason?"

"Chaos is powerful." Comforting put her blueprint aside and brought up her hands, wreathed in the power of chaos. "But fleeting. What I do could be undone... Not like order, which usually sticks around."

Cracked tapped a hoof in place, her hind-paw scratching at the ground. "Well... Can we do it with order then?" She flopped before Comforting. "I don't know how that works, to be honest."

"And... yet, that's a great idea!" She smooched Cracked on the tip of her nose, getting a smile from her canine friend. "I should ask my orderly friend. She's built a few houses already, and I'd love being in one of them. I wonder if I'll have to bring a seed over... Only one way to know. Wanna come?"

"You had to ask?" Cracked wagged her tail eagerly, rump in the air. "Where?"

Comforting quickly ascended and grabbed Cracked's shoulders, taking a riding stance just behind her neck. "That way, to the Everfree." They took off at what was a light lopping jog to Cracked. "I'll point the way. Look out for murderchickens."

"Murderchickens?" She turned an ear back to Comforting. "That sounds problematic... Oh, do you mean cockatrices?"

"Those." Comforting nodded firmly. "I don't want a big Cracked statue."

"Unless we run into an entire flock of them, I should be fine." Cracked left big paw prints in her trail through the forest, emerging out into the clearing of the clubhouse under Comforting's directions. "Here?" She went to the tree and sniffed it. "I could..."

"No!" ordered Comforting in a stern bark. "Bad. There's plenty of other trees back there."

"But this one is special... I can smell it."

"Thank you." The filly Comforting stepped into view. "Hello, Comforting. Hello, new friend."

Comforting slid down and rushed over to greet her filly self. "This is Amity, an order spirit. She's a big friend of mine, and I hope she'll be one of yours too."

"If you are as powerful as Comforting..." Cracked lowered to her belly, abandoning any ideas she may have had. "You look like a pony."

"I have looked like many things, through the ages." Amity smiled at Comforting. "It is good to meet your friends, but should I meet so many? I am a force. Not everycreature should say hello to the noon breeze."

"But I like this noon breeze." Comforting gently rubbed her nose against Amity's. "I have a favor to ask. Do you already know what it is?"

"I do," confessed Amity. "But the saying of it is important, and precious. Just because I know doesn't mean you can't ask."

Comforting mused the idea. "I guess that's true... We--" She waved up at the large Cracked. "My friends and I, we picked out the perfect house plan. I could wink it into being, but then it could wink itself back out of it again... Can you help? I want it to last. It'll be my friendship house."

"How... harmonious." Amity looked pleased at the idea. "I would be delighted to assist. Curious chaos spirit, friend Comforting... Few chaos spirits would willingly live where an order spirit builds, except to harm it." Her eyes turned up to Cracked. "But we are all learning new roles, aren't we?"

"Yes." Cracked had no large words for that moment. "Good roles, I think."

With a thump, a large acorn landed next to them, shimmering gently with the promise of future growth and possibility. "I am tempted to give a test. I tested Twilight each time I gave her such a thing. You have passed the tests I gave you. We are out of order, chaotic friend." She dipped her head towards the acorn. "Take it, and place it where you want it to grow. Speak out loud the names of your precious friends, sing your joy, and it will grow. So long as that joy has life within you, the house will reflect it."

With a fresh tear in her eyes, Comforting grabbed the acorn. "Thank you!" she got out, finding her voice slightly choked. "This means a lot." It was, quite literally, Amity. A bit of her. "Oh! Does this mean you can visit me whenever you want?"

"It does." Amity inclined her head, "Your house will be part of me. Does that bother you? This is your own doing, Friend Comforting. Twilight's castle, this tree... Your home. They are all me. I can be any of those three places."

Cracked looked back and forth between the spirits. "I feel out... of place. As if I stepped out of the bushes to find two gods discussing the working of the world..." Her tail went limp. "A wise creature would flee before they were noticed."

Comforting reached up, tickling under Cracked's snout. "I love you, you know that. Amity already likes you, but needs to learn more about you."

"Actually." Amity inclined her small head at Cracked. "I thought most of your kind was long removed."

"They were." Cracked sat up, as if that somehow relaxed her. "I may be the last." A thought came to her. "Do you know if there are others?"

"I can't say." Amity pointed at Comforting. "I already bend those rules for her, and my sight has become fogged. Whether I can see any or not, I will not say. You have not bothered me in asking, but I will not answer, sorry."

"That isn't a denial." Cracked's tail thumped gently. "That means maybe I'm not the last. That's a nice thought. Maybe I should mark some trees..."

Comforting swatted at her wolf-pony friend. "If you have to, where ponies won't see. They won't get why you're doing that... And it will bother them."

"Why?" Cracked looked around slowly. "Do you have any idea how many animals mark their presence all around us?"

Amity raised a little hoof. "Ponies do not rely on scent or leavings, instead words or signs in their language. That is the pony way." She considered Cracked, hulking over her filly form, but small to her tree form. "It is not your way."

"It is not," agreed Cracked with a tongue-lolling smile. "You are too young, or too old, to care, but I care. I'm not sure which it is, but that is not me." She shoved her big nose against Comforting. "We are not the same, alpha or not."

"Of course not..." The thoughts of Cracked's life compared to her own played in her mind, even if she was just imagining what she thought Cracked's life was like. "I don't want to be friends with a copycat anyway. I like that we're different." She turned to Amity. "So, Amity. This is Cracked. Cracked, this is Amity. You are both my friend, but neither of you are me, and I am not either of you."

Cracked nodded at Amity. "Well met." She sniffled at the little filly. "You smell a little like Comforting, but a lot like something else."

"I am a little like Comforting, and a lot like something else," agreed Amity, reaching up to poke Cracked on her big nose. "You have the seed that will become your home. You should plant it, unless you've changed your mind."

Comforting hopped up to atop Cracked. "Right! Let's get back home. Thank you, Amity." She waved in the brief chance she had, being carried away swiftly by Cracked's powerful motions. "We have a house to plant."

"And a song to sing, apparently." She turned an ear back at Comforting. "Is that also a pony thing?"

"I want to say yes, but any creature can enjoy it these days. Would you like to sing with me?" She gently ruffled the back of Cracked's head. "You have a nice voice."

"Now you're flattering..." Not that Cracked did much to stop it, carrying them smoothly to just across the small river to Fluttershy's home. "Who will participate in this home howl, besides us, or just us?" She leaned to let Comforting slide free. "I am ready when you are."

Comforting carried the acorn swiftly to the center of her new lot and placed it on the ground. It tipped over, nothing holding it up. "Hm... Well." She looked to Fluttershy's cottage, right there. "It's a nice thought, having my old home sing my new home. I'll get mom and Screwie if they're available." She lifted from the ground. "Keep an eye on that." She pointed at the acorn and zipped away.

Cracked sniffed the discarded magic nut. "Toy of things beyond me." She circled the strange thing. "You smell of new things..." Orderly magic, rich, with a touch of chaos. It stank of the two spirits that had conspired to created it. "A gift between them." She settled in front of it, one paw on either side of it. "Only a fool would touch it."

Author's Note

Amity is giving her house gift. Everyone's involved!

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137 - Housewarming Song

"What?" Fluttershy followed after Comforting, looking, perhaps properly, confused. "You got what?"

"Like Twilight's castle, but less... castle," reasoned Comforting out loud. "We have to sing to it. This is a gift of friendship, not a tool to save the world, or a reward for doing that."

"That does sound nicer..." She glanced aside at the hovering Screwball. "Do you want to sing?"

"Yes!" She grabbed Comforting in the air, hugging fondly. "If it makes my sister happy, I'll sing all day and night and even the middle times and sing sing sing." To her credit, she didn't drop the words as she eagerly spat them out, but her tempo remained high.

Comforting looped an arm around her, the two floating along. "Thanks. Oh! You can stop by any time, Screwy. You're still my sister you know." She moved in to poke Fluttershy. "That goes for you too. You don't stop being my mom."

Fluttershy smiled gently as they emerged and she could see Cracked guarding... something? "Is Cracked going to live near your new house?"

"Better!" Comforting threw her arms wide. "She's living in it." She powered forward, Screwball at her side as she rejoined Cracked. "Back! Everything safe?"

"I have not touched it, nor has anything else." Cracked inclined her head towards the glittering acorn, waiting where it had flopped on the ground. "Hello, Screwball."

"Hi!" Screwball waved excitedly at the massive wolfpony. "Nice to see you again. Can I get a ride after we sing?"

"I will be taking my new den then." Cracked hummed gently. "Tomorrow? We can ride then."

"Yay!" Screwball did tight circles, joy on her expression. "Let's sing!"

"What do we sing?" Fluttershy sat down near the others, glancing at the curious acorn. "Part of me is chastising the rest. My daughter is a chaos spirit. Why would she do things the normal way in this situation?" She swallowed nervously. "That won't grow... into anything as tall as Twilight's castle, I hope?"

"It shouldn't?" At least, Comforting hoped. She had no actual guarantee. "Amity is nice, and she knows you, so I'm hoping she doesn't do anything that'd make you upset, since that'd make me upset, and then everyone's upset."

Fluttershy nodded slowly. "Alright then. So, what do we sing?"

Comforting thought back. "We name all my friends I hold dear, I think that's my part to start. Then we sing about the new house and what it means to us." She snapped her fingers. "I bet that's a good part to bring up what you're hoping for. We're helping it grow into the perfect house."

Cracked stood up smoothly, assuming a true downward facing dog for a stretch on her way to being upright. "Then you should begin, alpha. We can only start after you."

Comforting took a long and deep breath. "Alright. Let's start with the big obvious one." She waved at Fluttershy. "My mom, Fluttershy. She took me in when she didn't have to, and showed me all the love." She turned the same wave right on Screwball. "And my lovable sister! Who I hope to have over a lot. We'll have fun!" Screwball cheered the idea even as Comforting went on. "Cracked, from a cracked past, to a whole future. Bigger and stronger than me, but whose wellbeing I value greatly. Dear friend, and soon to be roomie." She darted in for a nosekiss. Cracked had so much nose to kiss! "I welcome you to our home."

From a subtle gleam, the acorn brightened to a more intense throbbing, as if each name gave it strength in some unexplainable way, yet Comforting carried on. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They were just old enough to send a little filly away, but they took me in as a friend instead, and I love them so much. They encouraged me to learn magic, and gave me confidence when I needed it most."

With a sound like a tiny shovel, the acorn dug a hole halfway between scooping and drilling itself further down. "Professor Twilight! She's such a good magic teacher, and a unicorn teacher. Sorry I'm not either of those anymore, but you're still so precious to me. All the teachers of her wonderful school! They all looked out for me, and I love them all." She hugged herself so tightly, hearts popped free, each with a little bubble of a noise. "Here's to education." Not like she graduated from the school just yet.

"The crusaders! Lovely fillies that, without trying, led me towards this potential." She flinched, remembering the potentially deadly accident she had with them. "I owe them a lot. They have a clubhouse, but they'll be welcome here." She took a slow new breath. "And...my old friends." He voice dropped, barely being spoken. "I hope you're all doing well... It may have been a life ago, but you're still in my heart..." The acorn was gone, just a mound of dirt left behind where it had burrowed away. "I should mention all the lovely ponies of Ponyville, who've made my stay here so great."

Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Let's begin."

"Not yet!" She hugged her eager mom. "One more! The students! I can't not mention them. Dragons and changelings and yaks, oh my. Such wonderful creatures that I want to host parties for, and take tests with, and have fun with..." She danced in place. "And now... we can start."

Fluttershy began the song, voice raising to a heartful ballad of how Comforting arrived at her doorstep, and all the growing she did since then. "Every day was something new," she sang at the mound of dirt that glimmered with growing potential. "Every night I felt so warm..." Fluttershy professed her deep love of her filly, line by line, spilling free of her in a fond heartsong she didn't try to hold back.

Screwball waved excitedly. "I was lost, and then was found." She grabbed Comforting from above. "By my bestest big sister!" She sang songs of the first pony to really care about her existance in so long. The hospital visits, and then getting to go to school, growing and making friends, all thanks to one person caring. Her love was unending, if a bit uncontrolled, the dirt pulsing powerfully in sympathy to her outflowing emotions.

Comforting looked ready to sing, but Cracked took her turn first. "Lost and scared, not the only one." She nodded towards Screwball. "It only took the care of one. She bled so that I might stop. My alpha, you reign from the highest top." She sang of the changed world, wonderful and alien. She sang of the new friends she had made there, the new ways, strange, but one she wanted to be part of. "And now we howl." Just as advertised, she howled deep and long, shaking the ground with the force of it as she threw her head back. The ground erupted as the acorn began to grow upwards rapidly into a new shape, expanding rapidly and forcing them away.

Being the only one that hadn't sung, Comforting felt safe taking her turn. Her song was at Fluttershy's house instead. "Safe place, that I grew in." She spread her arms towards it. "I only hope my new house is half as warm. That the animals come and say hi. That all know it is a safe place. Pony, creature, critter. Like a tree, all are welcome under its branches."

With a great thud, the magic settled beside them, the house settling into being, though it hardly looked like a proper house. It was an acorn. It had grown from an acorn, to an acorn. Sure, it had windows and a door and a little sign that read 'Comforting Abode' on its mailbox. It was still a huge acorn, about two stories tall.

Cracked scratched at her snout with a hindpaw. "Curious... This isn't what you planned, is it?"

Comforting took an unsure step forward. "It's... Interesting?"

This didn't stop Screwball from bursting inside without a hint of hesitation. "Woah!" she exclaimed out from the inside. "This is super great!"

Cracked was stirred to action. She pushed open the door. It was a large doubledoor , allowing her to step inside without crouching down. "It isn't..." She trailed off, looking around with widening eyes. "How?"

Fluttershy and Comforting hurried in last. The interior of the acorn-house was not what the outside implied. They had stepped into a large space. It had two floors inside. The bottom floor was tall enough for Cracked to stand without issue. The top floor looked more standard, sized for Comforting. It was visible, as it ran with an open railing along the edge of the space.

Comforting bounced on the ground. "Ah ha! The good ground." At least that had made it from the plans. "Grown by us.." She hurried to check out the other rooms, finding the layout she had seen in the blueprints. "Amity... You are the best."

"Thank you." But Amity wasn't there, at least, no form of her was there. Still, Comforting had heard her.

"This is my friendship house!" Comforting threw her hands wide. "Built with the hooves and hands of all my friends. Oh! The students are getting things to really make it part of them."

"How delightful." Fluttershy raised a hoof to her chin. "I'm not sure what I can... offer."

"You can offer yourself. Just keep helping the animals, and being there. And stop by. I owe you a few dinners."

Fluttershy gently hugged her daughter and turned to Screwball. "You can come here whenever you want. Your sister already said it's alright, but I'm saying it too, as your mother."

"Yay!" Screwball didn't have fancier words, but felt sure that one did the job. She hugged both of her caretakers warmly and darted off to explore the acorn-house.

Cracked flopped and curled on the new ground, claws scratching lightly. "I like it... I will help guard it. Are there other tasks you would want from me?"

Comforting considered that from the second floor, leaning against the rail that seperated her and Cracked. "Cooking is out... How are you at cleaning?"

"I can help tidy down here." Cracked looked around the first floor. "I can't up there." She looked to comforting and the second floor."

"Then that." Comforting nodded. "Help keep the first floor tidy, and guard against bad creatures. Don't bark at new ponies though. That'll scare them. They can't hurt us anyway."

Cracked snorted at that. "I almost want them to try..." She smiled at Fluttershy. "We remain close to you, mother of my alpha. If you have need for what I may offer, ask."

"That goes for you too, Miss Cracked." Fluttershy waved a hoof at Cracked in a tut tut fashion. "I'm an expert at animal needs, and you are one of those. If your claws are feeling ragged, I can trim them down."

Cracked perked, sitting up at that. "Would you?!" Her tail swished left and right with growing excitement. "I have to bite them. It's not the cleanest, but it works. If you can do it better..."

"Oh, my, yes..." She drew out her nail clippers and went in for a better look. "I see..." Those poor claws had been tended to the best Cracked could. "I can make them better. Just sit still." She got to clipping away, littering the area with bits of claws.

"No furniture," noted Comforting, finishing her own round about at a slow walking. "I'll have to fix that."

"I'll help," called out Fluttershy. "You didn't let me help pay for the house... Which, I suppose, you didn't need... But I can give a few bits towards furnishing, at least." She nosed a pouch loose, still focused on her nail care. "You're still my filly, even if you moved out."

"I barely moved out," laughed out Comforting, jumping over the rail and landing next to the bag. "We still live together. There's just an extra wall in the way. We're still a family."

"We always will be." Fluttershy paused her work to offer a hug, and be bowled over, Cracked joining the hug, then Screwball.

Author's Note

Not quite the fin of this arc, don't be fooled! Gifts were promised.

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138 - Rumble of Draconequi

"Nice place."

"Yeah..." Comforting jumped a moment later, realizing someone had slipped in with the new chapter. "Dad!"

"Hey, kiddo." He ruffled the top of her head, mussing her hair. "Great little speech you had there, but you forgot a little creature."

"I did?!" Comforting began counting on fingers, working through all the creatures she knew. A bright light caught her attention. Dozens of glowing arrows were pointing at Discord. "Oh... Sorry! You helped! You helped a lot, actually..." What would that timeline even be if Discord hadn't been involved? "Sorry..."

"Mine isn't a name that should be involved with this orderly... thing." He waved it away and turned the other way. "Still, your own place? Congratulations on that. It's... grounded." He folded his arms across his chest. "Young lady, sometimes I worry about you. What's a chaos father to think, their child living in such a place?"

"I'm not you, dad." She booped him on the nose lightly. "I always was a half-way spirit." She hugged herself, hearts popping into temporary being around her. "Orderly chaos. Chaotic order. It's why I have Discord and Amity for chums."

Discord smirked with a new thought. "I see how this is. You're aping Twilight."

"What?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He shrugged. "She literally is the meeting of day and night, right in the name. She mended that bond, etcetera etcetera Destined to become the glue that holds the nation together, at least for a while, yadda yadda yadda... And here you are, trying to do the same for chaos and harmony."

Comforting considered the idea with a hum. "I never thought of it like that... but I don't dislike it."

"Figures." He waved at the acorn home. "Well, do you like it?"

"I love it." She wrapped an arm around Discord, hugging. "Did you want to add something to it?"

"Don't tempt me... I know she's in there."

"Yes." Filly Comforting, Amity, stepped out from behind the acorn. "Hello."

"Is this what it's like? When you have a kid with someone you divorce? You just wait. My gift will blow all those others out of the water." He saw himself out with a snap, vanishing.

Amity considered in silence a moment. "You are not my foal, nor was Discord and I ever romantically involved."

Comforting gently mussed Amity's mane, passing on the ruffle she had gotten. "He was joking. Nice work on the house. It's nice inside and out! Cracked loves it too."

Amity pounced Comforting, but it was more of a leap into Comforting's arms. Comforting giggled, gaining a little pony to hold and snuggle, and they did snuggle for a joyful moment. "Your friend is coming," noted Amity, hopping back down and vanishing behind the house.

"Comfie!" came the excited cry of Silverstream, hurrying on her wings, flapping in for a landing just in front of Comforting. "There you are! Look!" She presented a sizable clinking bag. "Shells!"

Comforting took a peek inside to behold the bewildering array of shells. Flat shells, cone shells, and all other sorts in all kinds of colors. "Huh! Nice! Wanna help put them around?" She waved at the house with a sweep of a hand. "Tasteful accents and all that."

"Already ready!" She produced a bottle of glue and with a joyful laugh, she attacked the house, inside and out, with her shells.

With a soft thump, the next friend arrived. Smolder fired two finger guns at Comforting. "'Ey! This doesn't look like the one we looked at. What happened?"

Comforting waved at the door. "It is on the inside, promise. I have rooms and Cracked has a big room for herself that we can both get to each other easily. It's great!"

Smolder clapped in one firm motion. "Awesome, but it's missing... something... Oh, what could it be." She rocked forward and backwards, a mischievous smile on her face. "Maybe... a little... this!" She pulled out her heart gem and held it towards Comforting. "Ta da!"

Comforting curled her fingers around the lustrous mineral, holding it up towards the sun to get the full effect. "It's... I love it..." She swung it about, dancing with the heart. "I just have to figure out where to put it... Oh!" She darted inside and put it right at the top of the mantlepiece. "Pow! Brings the room together, and it's a nice thing to have right here in the livingroom."

Cracked perked as Comforting dashed in and got to work with the new jewel. "Mmm... Ponies seem to enjoy shiny rocks." This was apparently not a shared thing with Cracked. "Does it please you?"

"It does please me. Smolder brought it."

"Yo." Smolder wandered inside, waving at Cracked. "What's up, big hunter?"

"Enjoying my den, little hunter." They met, fist to snout. "Do you wish to hunt later?"

"I wish to hunt now, if that's an option." Smolder flashed her teeth and claws in dangerous threat to unfortunate prey creatures. "Where's Gallus hiding?"

"Hello?" A soft knocking came with the voice as Ocellus peeked in. "Is this a good time?"

"'Cellus!" Comforting waved and rushed to greet her changeling pal. "Welcome!" She threw her arms wide. "To my house of friendship. As the name goes, friends are welcome here, and you are one of those."

Ocellus smiled at this declaration. "I'm glad to hear that... Wow, this grew from what we were thinking, but I like it... I got you this." She produced a crystal of her own, though far less heart shaped. It was actually fire-shaped, and was warm. "A house-warming gift." She showed how one could twist it to turn it on, making it produce even more light and heat. "I'd put it there." She pointed to the fireplace.

Comforting hurried it over to its new resting place. "I will think of you every chilly day, knowing you're keeping things comfie and cozy in here. Thank you!"

Smolder fired a thumbs up. "Nice. Hey, you see Gallus?"

Ocellus shook her head. "Nope, but I think Yona's coming."

The rumbling was a hint. Yona came through the open door with a big smile. "Comforting!" She went straight for them, pausing to look at Cracked. "No hunting!" With that firmly stated, she finished closing with Comforting for a proper hug. "I made you something."

Comforting gasped with eager wonder. "You didn't have to make it yourself... What is it?!"

Yona whipped out the blanket and wrapped it around Comforting like a warm cloak. "Traditional yak weave. You have bed? Put on top. If not, wear like that, works too."

Comforting turned left and right, admiring herself and her yak blanket cloak. "That makes two gifts to keep warm, and I love them!"

Cracked inclined her head. "Where are my gifts?"

Yona peered up at the large predator. "No hunting..."

"I said I would not." Cracked sat up properly. "She is the alpha... Does that mean only she is worthy of gifts?"

Ocellus frowned a moment, then pointed to the fireplace. "My gift is for the house, which you live in. You want to be warm on cold days too, right?"

Silverstream was busily placing shells along the banister. "And you can enjoy my shells. They're for the house too!"

Smolder raised a finger. "Mine's for the house."

Yona shook her head. "My gift for Comforting."

Cracked settled, mollified with the logic given. "Most gifts are for the house, some for the alpha. I can accept that." She brushed the ground with her tail. "I would like to get a gift... Maybe I will..." Her eyes were on the door, hoping some unknown visitor would arrive with her gift.

"Hey." Sandbar had arrived, peeking inside and walking in. "Wow, the gang's all here, mostly. Where's Gallus?" But everycreature else had a shrug for that. "I'm sure he's on the way. I wasn't sure what to get, but I remembered you have her." He pointed up at Cracked.

Cracked perked at that, tongue lolling and tail wagging all the more eagerly. "Did you bring me a gift?"

"I did." He curled on himself and pulled out an immense, thick cord with a bright metal heart danging from one end. "Try it on."

"Try it... on?" Cracked looked at it with obvious confusion. "How?"

Comforting grabbed the cord from Sandbar and quickly looped it around Cracked, pulling it into position. It was like a necklace, with a dangling steel heart. She floated in to examine the heart closer. "Aw!" The heart had words engraved on it.

This is Cracked. If lost, return to Comforting Shade. Will not bite if you ask her not to.

Cracked sat up, pawing at the new adornment with a hoof. "I... never really had... Hm. A gift, my gift." She leaned in at Sandbar, breath washing over him. "You have made me happy. How does it look?" She sat up, striking a proud pose.

Sandbar clopped lightly. "Perfect! Now ponies can guess you're nice, and not a monster that will try to eat them. I hope that helps."

How the dangling heart did that, Cracked didn't know, but the idea... "Good. I will not eat ponies. She asked me not to. Besides, they have better food than themselves." This reminded Cracked. "Alpha, do they have burgers or fries in this world? I miss them."

Comforting waved a finger at Cracked in a tut tut. "Keep being good and you can have them, as a treat. You're healthier not having them too often. Besides, I know you like hunting."

"No hunting!"

Cracked ignored Yona. "Yes, I do. But they taste different. I like different tastes. Don't you?"

"I do," admitted Comforting. "So, as a treat! Actually, as a welcome gift, how about I go get us all something to eat. Hayfries and burgers for everyone!" They cheered as she powered out to fetch them.

Cracked slapped the ground with her tail. "A second gift. Today is a fine day."

Sandbar considered the immense pony-wolf. "So... are you more wolf, or more pony?"

Cracked considered the bringer of her first gift. "Since you ask me... I would say more wolf. I hunt like a wolf. I wag my tail like a wolf, and have an alpha, like a wolf." She inclined her head. "But ponies have alphas too. I think most things that aren't alone have alphas. It's nice, having someone you can trust. Someone who usually has good ideas."

"True..." Sandbar tapped a hoof on his cheek. "You got a point there. So..." He turned to the other students. "Which of us is the 'alpha?'"

Yona assumed a tall stance. "Me."

"Ha, right." Smolder waved that off. "It's obviously me."

Ocellus shrank. "Not me..."

Silverstream lunged towards the conversation in a sudden step. "Me! Wait, what are you talking about?" She placed a few fiery shells around the fireplace, remembering her original task.

Sandbar shook his head. "It's not me, pretty sure."

"Hey," came a soft voice, Gallus entering with an unsure expression. "Where'd Comfie Cakes go?"

Cracked pointed past Gallus. "Our brave alpha hunts for the entire pack at once."

"Huh..." Gallus quickly decided that was likely not what happened. "Alright... Uh... Hey everycreature. I miss a party?"

Ocellus waved at Gallus. "You're on time! We're giving our house gifts. What did you decide on?"

"I didn't..." He slumped in place. "But I didn't want to hide either... That'd be worse than a bad gift. So, uh... hoping Comfie's as awesome as usual and doesn't get upset?"

"Ha," laughed Smolder. "Really? You couldn't think of anything?"

Yona patted Gallus gently, for a yak. "Good. Glad you not hide. Comforting wants you, not gift, more."

Gallus smiled at Yona's word and took a moment to examine the house properly. "Neat... Hey... Hey!" He drew a line with a talon. "She actually could use a perch!"

Silverstream placed her last shell, clapping with satisfaction. "I thought you said she didn't need any perches? What changed?"

Gallus waved his hands upwards. "Look at it! Her upstairs is all separated. Some walkways would be good."

"Food time!" Comforting landed at the door and jogged inside, burdened with bags of fast-food. "Gallus! Perfect timing. I got you one too and I was hoping you'd show up."

Author's Note

Gallus is back! He has an idea.

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140 - Fatherly Advice

Comforting was back at school! She was taking notes and asking questions. She was chatting with her fellow students between classes. She was living the student life, and it was pretty great!

"And that's how Baltimare was founded," explained Rarity. "It was quite a furor, wasn't it? But so many ponies of so many backgrounds and tastes really came together." She brought her hooves together. "Making it a fine display of the power of friendship, dears."

Comforting took fresh notes on that. "Ma'am?" Rarity looked towards her. "Is Baltimare a one tribe or lotsa tribe city?"

"Ooo, excellent question." Rarity's horn glowed as she flipped the black board. "When it was founded..." She slapped the board with a pointer held in her magic. "Earth ponies had the majority. Earth ponies, you see, were the most likely tribe to form cities in the first place. No offense to them, I assure, but they love company, and family, and a big gathering? Right up their alley, as it were. Pegasi came next, and unicorns? Still a minority to this day."

Smolder waved a hand excitedly. "Is Princess Twilight trying to fix that?" murmuring of curiosity rippled through the room.

"Funny thing about that." Rarity brought over a picture of modern day Baltimare. "But that isn't Twilight's responsibility. Princess Celestia is working on it. She would like to see more tribal unity, but without forcing the hoof of anypony involved. It's a slow process... I know, looking at Ponyville, it's easy to assume this is the way it should be, and perhaps it is, but even Ponyville's multi-tribal nature is a new thing. A wonderful thing, I dare say dears, but still new."

The class' discussion elevated with understanding and curiosity, but Rarity waved for things to move on. "We can't expect society to pivot on a bit, much as that would be nice, mmm, yes, but ponies don't work that way, and few other creatures do either." She looked across the room and met eyes with Ocellus. "Changelings are probably changing the fastest, but I bet even they are having difficulties with it, hm?"

Ocellus laughed nervously. "Um... yes. We changelings are still... finding ourselves."

Yona clopped her heavy hooves on her desk. "Change can be challenge for Yak." A communal gasp sounded. Did Yona just admit a fault in yaks? "What? Is true. Yak like tradition. Yak traditions best." She sat proudly. "Change is hard."

Rarity clapped once. "Very good. But, we can be on the side of change. I hope each and every student here will be just that. Let's be the change we want to see, darlings. Now, as we were..." The class continued on with the lesson.

Comforting hopped out of the room, Yona to one side, Ocellus on the other. "Wow, that was a good one."

Yona inclined her head. "What good?"

"That class." She hiked a thumb back at Rarity's classroom. "Good stuff. Change can be hard, but it's worth it!"

"I agree." That wasn't Ocellus, or Yona. "Change is the best." Discord leaned in over Comforting. "They shouldn't be so scared of it."

"Dad!" She swatted at his face, being in front of her and easily swatted at. "I'm at school."

"No you're not."

She wasn't. They were in front of Discord's house. "Dad!" Comforting stomped a foot down. "That wasn't nice."

"I have to warn you." He tapped her on the nose. "I've been busy. Your little stunt, it inspired me."

"Which stunt?"

"You know the one." He drew a square that became a screen, showing Diamond and her mother experiencing the other's day. "That one. I'm working on a little event of my own, for Twilight and her friends. Mostly Twilight. They'll learn so much! And, best part, it'll be fun!"

Comforting frowned with the thought. "What are you going to teach Twilight?"

"The importance of, you know, friendship and teamwork and all that." He rolled a hand as he went along. "It'll be a real challenge! And! And..." He leaned in with the smarmiest grin. "It'll be a return of their greatest hits! Oooo, so much fun." He clenched his hands, shivering with giggles. "When they get through it, they'll feel so good! And Twilight'll be ready for her next, big, step."

"Should I be worried?" Comforting struggled to think of a way his words wouldn't be worrying, and was failing to find an angle. "And how worried should I be?"

"It's already happening. I've been planning this for moons! In fact, you already ran into a little bit of it..."

"Wait, I did? What was that?!" She threw her hands wide. "Dad..."

"Don't tell her..." As if that was much an option. "But I'm pretty sure step one is why ex-harmony ended up ditching her old body. That guy really is... something of a brute when he gets in the mood. Rebellious..." He sighed with a smile. "I remember those days..." He snapped a picture of himself, dressed like a punker with an unamused expression. "I was awful..."

"I am... pretty sure that hurt! You--"

"I didn't do it," cut off Discord. "Not my fault. Sombra took things into his own hooves. A real punk, but off he went. He's not even done with his part yet. You'll be seeing that soon, trust me." Oh, and he looked so proud about it. "Looking forward to seeing how Twilight and the girls get past it. They'll grow so much." He looked as proud as one could be at his part in Twilight's growth.

"I have to warn--" Comforting didn't get far, trapped in a sudden splat of Gak™️. "Let me go!"

"Nuh uh!" Discord wagged a finger. "I didn't get in the way of your Chaotic Lesson. You don't mess with mine. Fair's fair. Can't have you hand-delivering spoilers to her."

Comforting groaned at her chaotic father. "Fine..." Talking him out of it felt unlikely. "I won't tell her."

"Promise?" He leaned in closer. "I know you. If you swear, you'll mean it. No ratting it out, and no getting in the way. This is for them to figure out, not you."

Comforting clenched her fists impotently. "Nng... fine..." She sagged. "But I get to tell you I told you so later."

"Yeah yeah." He casually banished her back to school. "That's only if it doesn't go right, but I know it will." With a childish giggle, he got back to his machinations.

Comforting did her best to not let her irritation show as she got through the rest of the day. She had to help! But she had also made a promise...

On the other hand... She reached up to press the mail icon that was floating in her sight when she thought of it.

Hiya, Amity!

Did you see that? I hope you did. Please let me know.

She pressed the send button and leaned back in her seat with a smile. If Amity had seen that, then she wouldn't have to break any rules talking to her about it...

A soft chime alerted her to a reply.

Hello, Friend Comforting,

Things became fuzzy when you were drawn into a place of thick chaos. I heard your father speaking of some design, and he mentioned me? Do you want to share?

With care,
Amity

Comforting flopped, face first onto her desk. Amity hadn't heard the important parts... And she wasn't allowed to tell her.

Hey,

I was just curious...

She pressed send with a lack of energy. So much for that easy way out...

Comforting went to Twilight. She was due for a check-in anyway. "Hey, Professor." She sank into her chair at the school-desk. "I have a question." Twilight brightened. "Um, not about magic." Some of that luster faded, but not all of it. "If you made a promise not to do something, but you're worried it might hurt somepony, what should you do?"

Twilight dropped the chalk she was holding, magic going limp a moment. "That is... a very large question." She stepped towards Comforting, looking her over. "And a fine reminder that you are not the little foal you appear to be at times..." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Not that a foal couldn't have a similar worry, but they probably wouldn't ask their teacher about it. Ahem, sorry..." She sat in front of Comforting's desk, their heads about equal in height. "That is an important question, worth asking."

"What would you do?" prompted Comforting with a hopeful smile.

"Pinkie would melt down. She takes promises very very seriously, and if this is one of her solemn vows... That would be an issue. As for me... That depends." She frowned with renewed thought. "Partially on what pony I made the promise to, I confess. A promise to Celestia and a promise to Missus Cake are not the same... Even if both are lovely ponies who deserve respect in their different ways." She coughed into a hoof awkwardly.

"What if the promise was to your mom or your dad?" Comforting inclined a feathery-ear at Twilight. "What then?"

"That would be difficult..." She tapped her hooves slowly. "You mentioned somepony being hurt. Is this a life or death situation, or a 'I got a flavor of cake I don't like' hurt? I think you understand that a simple 'yes' or 'no' will not suffice for this situation."

"No, it won't." Comforting sagged, but only a little. "Thank you. You're really... Thank you." Her question was being taken seriously, and Comforting could appreciate that. "You're the best. At being a professor that is." She had a lot of best ponies, each best in a different sort of way.

Comforting considered. Would anyone be hurt hurt? If things went the way her father hoped, she imagined not. Discord wasn't big on physical pain as a teaching medium, just uncomfortable situations... "I... guess it's closer to bad flavor of cake?" But it had already resulted in Amity losing her old form, but, to that orderly spirit, that was an inconvenience, not an actual death, or even an actual injury... "Yeah..."

Twilight patted Comforting gently on the shoulder. "Then it sounds like maybe the pony you made this promise to might be planning a prank. So long as nocreature gets hurt... it shouldn't be too bad. Rainbow Dash had quite a spell with that, and she did get a few ponies hurt... We had to bring an end to that. Keep an eye on them, make sure they don't go over that line. But!" She raised a hoof high. "But...If somecreature does, or is about to be, hurt, then I would consider that promise null and void. Better to hurt a feeling than to actually hurt somepony."

"Even if Celestia made you promise?"

Twilight tensed, tail flicking at its tip with agitation. "I would... hope she'd never make me...do that... I... don't know what I'd do." She rose to her hooves. "That would be a very difficult situation." She smiled though. "But I have friends. I would hope they could help if things ever came to that, though let's hope it never does."

"I'd help if I could!" Comforting slipped free to hover in the air. "Promise."

"And I trust that promise." Twilight offered an arm and the two hugged gently. "I'm here to help you with yours, if they get too close to that line."

"The. Best." Comforting twirled in the air. "Oh! Have you seen my house? You have to visit!"

Twilight inclined her head. "You have a house?"

"Right across from mom's." She waved back and forth as if to emphasize how close they were. "I own the land and everything." Still a point of pride for her. "And only one bit of chaosing in it."

Twilight hiked a brow at that. "Dare I ask which bit that is?"

"I... might have made a chaos fridge... It's very cold." She grinned with a wiggle. "Won't hurt anyone, unless they just shove an arm in there and leave it in there."

"A... regular fridge could hurt somepony if they did that..." Twilight shook her head. "I'd love to see this house, and this fridge."

Author's Note

The plot, it resumes motion, and the end of days is approaching us.

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141 - Submit

Comforting skipped down the hallway, mismatched feet tapping at the apex of each hop as she whistled in a cheerful tone. It was a pity this happy moment was disrupted with crystal shards exploding out of the door ahead of her. She darted forward, not bothering to land. "Is everyone alright?!" The inside of the classroom was eerily quiet.

It wasn't that the class was empty, far from it. Rows of ponies stood perfectly still, eyes glazed under some power. "Guys?" They didn't look towards her. They just marched past Comforting, ignoring her as if she didn't even exist. "Hello?"

A message arrived, the icon blinking in her view. She swatted it quickly.

Emergency. Please come here.

Comforting felt her blood run cold. That was missing all of Amity's usual niceties and mannerisms. At least she had said please? "Coming," she said and typed at once, and took a step to the left, arriving just in front of Amity's tree. "What's going on?!"

"We are called to watch." Amity waved Comforting closer. "We are called to witness."

"W-wait. This is the time to act, not watch!" Amity waved all the firmly, despite not moving any faster. "We are watchers. We are spirits. When change comes, we can reward, but we cannot be the actors." A sprout bloomed next to them, forming a small table, like a miniature cutie mark map. "This will show us."

Comforting sank behind Amity, pulling the filly-herself close. "But they need our help."

"We gave it." She inclined an ear back at Comforting. "We gave it before now. Now they use it. Trust them, or we already failed."

Comforting squeezed Amity with a shudder. "I trust them..."

"Then we watch." Amity waved at the table and an image appeared. Ponies across Equestria were being attacked and enslaved. "He has arrived. I have different names for such creatures. Antagonist, Inciter, Tester, Problem..." She pressed and scrolled with motions of her hooves, urging the view around the map of Equestria. "They are what we prepare our ponies for. They rise, or they fall."

"I don't want to watch ponies, or any creature, get hurt." She reached past Amity, directing the view around in broad sweeps. "Who's 'he'? We should be focusing on him."

"Why?" There was little emotion there, as if she was just asking why the sun would ever be cold.

The question, so short, stunned Comforting a moment. "Why? To stop him!"

"That is their job." Amity brought up images of ponies, from the mane six to others that may move in defense of Equestria. "That is not the job of a spirit, of order or of chaos."

"Then what do you plan? They're our friends!" Her voice raised into a shrill squeak and she blushed, hearing herself. "They are... We should be helping them..." She clutched tighter to Amity with one arm. "What's the point of being a god if we can't even keep them safe?"

"We protect them by guiding them." Amity leaned back against Comforting. "By setting good examples, and directing them to grow. So when this happens, we know they will not only survive... but grow further. We are called to witness."

"Who? Who made up this rule?" Comforting scowled at the map and its many images of suffering ponies. "What if I just went and helped anyway, what then?"

"Then you harm them." Amity slipped free of Comforting's grip. "And the next time, they will be less ready. They will expect you to save them. And you will. And they will expect it." She cycled her little hooves in the air. "And they will become weaker. They will shrivel instead of growing. Don't do that, Friend Comforting."

Comforting stomped from one foot to a big yak hoof. "Not fair! Not... fair... This is scary!" She found her student friends, staring blankly as they marched, slaves to 'him'. "How can they even fight this?"

"They will, or we already failed." Amity rose to her hooves. "We are called to watch. Should they fail... I will die."

"What?!"

"Not the way you just imagined." Amity turned to Comforting. "But I will be lost for a time. I will slumber and wait for when next ponies rise to where they can hear me. A new generation of ponies that I can try to do better with... The old me will be gone. I could only hope the new me would do it better. This is my job. This is my duty."

"How..." Comforting cycled her hands wildly a moment. "Has this already happened?! How many... what... cycles? How many times have you reset?"

"How could I know, Friend Comforting? The old me is gone. Only the new one remains. Ponies are certainly more than one generation in age... I watched them grow from disparate and squabbling tribes to this great nation... But even when I first stirred, there were ponies. I just wasn't there, but I was. There was an older me. I never met them. There can only be one of me at a time, Friend Comforting."

Comforting huffed and fumed, filled with rage with no clear target. "But... What about... Chaos? I'm not tied to them like that. Discord or me could tell you about past yous, couldn't we?"

"Aren't you?" Amity inclined her head. "Chaos was a new thing... It has visited ponies before, but never as a friend. I am proud to have ushered that... Even if now it has created a terrible new test for them. I remain proud... But will he last past the generation? I couldn't say, Friend Comforting."

Comforting waved at herself, motions becoming sharper as panic drew around her tensely. "What about me, then?"

"You are a pony," reminded Amity. "More than one, but still one, dear Friend Comforting. Even your princess denied that, but I know the truth of it. Once human, once pony, you will never be rid of either. You are tied to them with a certainty." Amity circled the little table. "And, as a pony, you watch the others. You cry... to see your fellow ponies suffer." She stopped and crashed to her haunches. "As do I."

"But..." She could see no spilling tears. But she could see something else, a lack. Amity's gaze was distant, back to not focusing. She was in full orderly spirit mode. A protective measure? "I'm sorry." Comforting sank behind Amity and drew her into a tight hug. "Sorry...That was selfish. You're hurting too, and I'm not being a good friend right now."

"We hurt, in different ways." Amity wriggled about to face Comforting. "A date."

"A date?"

Amity nodded. "We discussed it, but never did it. Comforting, will you go on a date with me? You know what I am. You know who I am. Will you date that?"

"Wait, who is he? Do you know?" Comforting didn't let Amity go. "Telling me that won't hurt."

"I suppose not." Amity sent the image flying to view a dark place where ponies with terrible masks marched. A figure cackled, cloak billowing behind him. "He doesn't even remember what he fought for, but that was not part of what I paid attention to. Perhaps I should have?" The image pulled in tighter, showing his flaring shadow-magic eyes. "Sombra, previous and current ruler of the Crystal Empire. He marches on Canterlot. This is an older image of him."

Comforting closed her mouth, her complaint about it showing the crystal empire answered before she could say it. "Sombra?" She knew that one... "Can't they use--" The image jumped, showing the crystal heart captured, along with the royals of Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart, all bound tightly. "Oh... Shoot." She bid the screen move around the crystal empire, taking in the bleak scene of the subjugated nation. There was no resistance, only servitude. "Well... that's bad..."

"Very bad." Amity hopped up onto the map. "This is a Test. The capital T was intentional." She paced around the edges of the map. "Such Tests do not come often, thankfully... Twilight faced the last several. Perhaps, she will rise against this one? Perhaps Celestia? She had wanted..." She trailed off, moving the image to find Celestia landing with Luna, facing a challenge by the Everfree, not at Canterlot. "Oh..."

Comforting waved a hoof wildly. "That's headed for my house!" Thorny vines, creeping in all directions from the Everfree. "Mom!" She could see Fluttershy, fighting bravely against the thorny menace. And it was gone. "What was that for?!"

"You must calm yourself." Amity hopped to the ground. "We are watchers."

"I can cheer for my side as I watch..." Comforting bid the image return. "I get it, not going anywhere... Not fair. That's my house, and my mom. Where's Screwball?!" She slid the image to find Screwball cowering with other foals. She seemed to be trying to cheer them up with animated words, too animated. She was rambling so quickly she was tripping, but she was trying her absolute best to improve the situation. "Screwie..." Comforting wanted to tackle her sister and assure her it'd be alright, but she couldn't... "This is so unfair..."

"It is." No real agreement or argument with its fairness. It just was. "We are watchers." She turned the images onwards to other parts of the ongoing emergency. "Do you wish me to call your father?"

"No. Wait." She scrunched at the idea. "He might have caused this!"

"Do you want me to?" Calmly stated, as if either was an alright answer.

"Better than just... watching." Ugh, being a watcher was kind of hard. "Dad!"

A zipper appeared in the air, unfurling to allow Discord free. "Yes?"

Comforting pointed to where Sombra cackled from atop the throne in Canterlot. "You did this."

"Me? How unkind." He puffed a cigar of bubbles. "Where's your proof, investigator?"

Comforting clapped her hands, conjuring an image of Discord cheerfully announcing he'd already started a plan. "That? You said you'd do something big. This counts!"

"You're too kind." He pinched her unhappy face. "Don't look like that. This is barely the preview. They'll tan his hide, I'm sure. Do you think he'll explode... again?"

"It is possible." Amity turned her head at Discord, but her eyes never focused on him. "Since you are here, will you tell us what the next step is?"

"Nope." He crossed his arms. "That'd be cheating! And I know you'd act on it, promises or not. That's one step too far." He pulled out some popcorn and offered it to Amity, then Comforting and one last for himself. "But, for now, we should watch. Then I have to get back."

"Back?" Comforting lifted a tufted ear. "To?"

"What, you think I don't do anything, Miss Busypants?" She was wearing pants then, because he said so. "You're not the only spirit with a day full of things to do!"

She yanked the pants off and tossed them aside. "Dad! These are all of my favorite things, living and not, and you're really making them scared. I don't like it, to put it as mildly as possible."

"You're not the one being tested." He tapped her on the nose. "But, come to think, you are. You're the one that signed the dotted line to join the Watcher club, so... welcome to it!" Confetti burst in all directions. "It isn't all fun. I mean... technically..."

"Technically?" She arched a doubting brow. "I doubt I'll like that, but go on?"

"Technically! A watcher could just go off, claim their own world, and just make it a perfect example of... whatever they like." Discord shrugged at the idea. "Sounds perfectly boring, if you asked me... Which you did. Can't recommend it."

"It wouldn't have the things I want..." Comforting sat next to Amity. "My friends wouldn't be there."

"One reason on a long list I wouldn't recommend it. So! If we're striking that idea out, we're left with working with the world we have... Which has ups." He lifted a hand high. "And downs." He put it to the ground. "And all the parts in the middle. So, buckle in, dear child. It only gets better."

Author's Note

There were some heavy feelings in that, or so it felt to me..

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143 - Make Some Friends

"What's that smell?" Prickle looked around curiously in the cavernous space that was Comforting's home. "I don't... mean to be rude... It's... odd?"

"I bet it is." Comforting reached to pat Prickle, just to abort the motion. Unwanted touches... "The predators are enjoying a meal they caught. Not that I imagine you have to worry about predators."

Prickle shied back. "That sounds scary."

Comforting lifted a tufted ear. "Does it? What could they do? They're nice, but you're as strong as anything could be, so far I can tell."

"Sorta..." She deflated a little. "I can lift and push and... I'm still a pony. If they... bit me, it would hurt, a lot."

Comforting put that together, understanding dawning on her. "Ah. You don't have the full superhero package, alright. Still, they're super nice. Even the largest one of them made a promise to never eat anything that can ask them not to eat them."

"What about ponies that can't ask?"

Comforting let the extended finger and the hand attached slump down. "Like... who?"

"Like a pony that can't talk? Young foals, or just adults that don't talk." Prickle reasoned with little gestures of her hooves along the way. "Would they eat them?"

Comforting cringed at the idea. "I will talk to her. I promise she's nice! But I'll go over that just to be sure."

"That would be a bad accident." And yet, she seemed pleased, perhaps with noticing that future problem before it became something worse. "You have a nice house. It's very large."

"It's for two creatures, and one of them is large enough to need it." Comforting lifted into the air. "Probably not, but do you like meat?"

"I never had a lot before." She sniffed the air. "Is that what I smell? I had fish before. I like that."

That sounded like permission. Comforting took Prickle out the front and around the house to the gang of three vicious predators enjoying a cookout behind the house. "What'd you catch today?"

Smolder waved from her perch on a sizable rock. "Hey. Who's the new foal?"

Gallus turned the sizzling meat over, one eye on the newcomers. "Hey, she's a foal herself. No reason she can't have foal friends. We're the odd ones, if you think about it."

Cracked was lounging on her side, waiting patiently for food to be served. "My alpha presents the most curious of situations. She, my alpha, wears the garb of a child, and has child wants and friends. But she remains my alpha. She could destroy everything I know, but a child she remains."

Prickle looked alongside at Comforting with a new light. "Creatures are scared of your strength too?"

"Scared is a strong word. Cracked, you're not scared of me, right?"

Cracked considered Comforting quietly. "No. I trust my alpha. She protects me. She loves me. Why would I fear that, even if she is so powerful? Your strength will turn towards things that make us unhappy, not me, unless I made you unhappy." She scratched at her chin with a hindpaw. "But you are a kind creature, alpha or not. You would tell me what was wrong, and I would fix it."

That was a fine reminder. "Right! Cracked, one little thing." She held two fingers close together. "If a pony doesn't talk, you would..."

"Assume they are frightened of me." Cracked lifted an ear at her small alpha. "I would move past them."

Comforting let out the breath she hadn't noticed she was holding a moment. "That works. I just want to be clear, just because a pony doesn't talk, doesn't mean we should eat them. Once one thing of something talks, that gets a pass for everything else like it."

Cracked wrinkled her nose. "So I can never hunt a rabbit?"

Comforting blinked at that. "You've seen a rabbit talk?"

Cracked lifted a hoof to point at Fluttershy's house, not that far away. "Your mother talks with hers often."

Comforting glanced to the house and its rabbit overlord. "Sort of... But you bring up a good point. Pets, being close to ponies, shouldn't be eaten. You will make a pony very sad if you eat their friend, whether they can ever talk or not."

Smolder laughed at the exchange, slapping the rock she was on in her giggling fit. "Yeah, wow. We would not hear the end of it if we ate a pet. Imagine how peeved Rarity would be if we grabbed Opalescence, not that she has much meat on her anyway."

Gallus prodded at the great slab of meat. "Look at us, gabbing away. Kid, you alright with this?"

Prickle Berry perked, suddenly brought back into the conversation. "I'm curious about that." She pointed to the slab of meat Gallus was pulling free of the flames and setting on a large serving dish. "So, you eat meat all the time?"

Smolder hopped down, landing on the other side of that dish with a dull thud. "Not all the time. I'm a dragon. A good gem's a fine thing to chew on."

Cracked began to wag her tail, smelling and seeing that food was about to be served. "Do you eat meat?" She was watching Prickle Berry with some curiosity. "Most ponies do not."

"I'm not most ponies..."

Comforting hummed. "True. Oh! Want to be impressed? I bet she could pick you up if she wanted."

Cracked scowled at her alpha. "She could not. She's far too..."

Prickle Berry had accepted the challenge, walking up and casually lifting Cracked with her hooves like it was barely a problem. She turned the big wolf-pony over in the process to hold them by the back.

Cracked yelped in surprised shock, dangling in the air. "How?!"

Comforting put her hands behind her head, giggling at the sight. "Pretty sure even she doesn't know, but it's very cool."

"It is..." Cracked failed to find a word for it. "Please put me down."

"Okay." Prickle gently let Cracked return to the ground, unharmed for the trip. "May I try a little?"

Gallus sliced off a little thin sheet and offered it up. "You just earned your spot. Have a taste. If you like it, we have more."

Prickle took the wobbly meat sliver. "Is it good?" There was really one way to know for sure. She chomped into it, and soon slurped up the rest, chewing thoughtfully as she colored more and more. "That is good. Thank you."

Comforting thought for a moment of a thousand reasons why Prickle might like meat, but put that aside. "I'm glad to hear it." She found something a new friend liked, and that was good enough all on its own, she figured. "Now there's a new member of the cookout club."

Smolder chuckled softly. "You're welcome aboard, but I doubt you want to hunt with us."

Prickle looked quite unsure. "How does that work?"

Cracked pulled a tray over that had a big chunk for her. "You are a pony. Ponies are not hunters, usually... To get meat, you must kill. My alpha has instructed me to only kill certain things, and not other things. There is plenty left to hunt." She directed a hoof at Prickle. "You will not be hunted. You can ask me not to, and you are a pony." She snapped up half the meat, seeming to fight with herself to keep the meat on her tongue a moment before she, well, wolfed it down. It was a struggle against her instincts to not devour it as quickly as possible. "Mmm, good cooking, Gallus."

Comforting considered her predators, one being an opportunistic little pony. "If she wanted, I bet she'd be really good at it, but I don't think she would want to."

"I don't want to hurt things..." Prickle glanced aside at the meat she just had some of. "What... was that?"

Gallus sat with his own plate. "Doesn't matter anymore, but I can promise it didn't talk, or anything else like it."

Prickle swallowed audibly. "I don't think I want to hunt..."

Smolder smirked as she chewed on her share. "Figured. But, if you want to share, you're welcome to it."

Cracked snapped up the second half of her share, laboring intensely to keep it around long enough to enjoy it before it vanished. "Hm... May I have another?"

"Sure." Gallus served Cracked a new portion. "Really like it, huh?"

"Yes." She sniffed at the prepared food, savoring it. "My talented little hunters. You know how to make it taste better."

Prickle shuffled in place, clearly uncertain, but she lost the internal contest. "May I try a little more?"

"Got it." Smolder took care of that one, giving a thicker slice over to Prickle. "Sandbar never joins us, so you get a thumbs up from me." A thing she could, and did, display. "Right on."

A thought occurred to Comforting. "You all have fun, be right back." She zipped over to Fluttershy's home, not very far away. Fluttershy was relaxing with a family of squirrels, letting them crawl over her, to her seeming satisfaction. "Mom?" Comforting came down a small distance away. "Have a quick animal question."

"My favorite kind." Fluttershy sat up slowly, as to not startle the squirrels. "How can I help?"

"If a generally herbivorous animal enjoys some meat... Is that bad?" Comforting waved off to the meat-enjoying filly, not that Fluttershy could know about that.

"Oh, that's a big thought." Fluttershy took one of her squirrels gently, petting it. "A wild critter may eat what it finds, but a plant eating critter won't find much meat. They're not good at finding or making it. It's fine for them, once in a very rare while. A domestic critter, a pet, should never be fed meat, if they don't eat meat already. We could give them far too much, and then they'd get sick, or worse. Their bodies aren't made to handle it." She let the squirrel jump free.

"It's like they say, dose makes the poison, and when you're the one deciding the dose, it's far too easy to go overboard and hurt your friend. You don't want to risk that, so don't feed a squirrel a meatball, even if they look hungry." The squirrels were pouting at her, as if they could understand her words, which perhaps they could. "Don't look like that. It's for your own good."

"Perfect, thanks!" She darted in for a big hug from Fluttershy and rushed back to the cookout. "That's your last one for today."

Prickle folded her ears back. "Why? Was I bad?"

"No! No..." Comforting waved her hands in wild denial. "But you are still a pony. You might like meat, but I don't want you going overboard. Your mom would kill me. One slice once a week at most." She turned to the predators. "You heard me."

Gallus saluted. "You got it. Once a week at most." He chomped at his share with a chuckle. "Poor foal, Comforting means it."

Cracked licked her lips thoughtfully. "You are not a carnivore." She flashed her teeth, deadly and sharp. "I am. But I would not live well to eat too many plants, and you, too much meat. Let's be careful, together."

Prickle stirred at Cracked's words, looking cheered. "Okay. When I have mine, you have a nice salad. We'll have our treat days together."

"Deal." Cracked licked Prickle in a great display of massive canine tongue. "Ponies are very good at making tasty salads. Will you make it? You make the salad while the small hunters prepare the meat. That sounds fair to me."

"Deal!" Whatever regrets she had were lost, shed in favor of the joy of the kinship she had earned with the massive hunter. "You're all... nicer than I would have thought. Sorry, that sounds kinda bad..."

Smolder waved it off. "Nah... Ponies are like that, but you stuck around and even learned we're alright. That's better than most. Now, I'd offer you a bit of mine... but I don't know any ponies that want even a little of a gem before they've had too much, so..."

Author's Note

Smolder has a hard time finding eating pals, at least when it comes to gems. Ah, the lithovore life.

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144 - Trying New Things

"Let me try." Prickle accepted the small ruby-like rock Smolder had, turning it around in her hooves and sniffing it. "It smells... earthy." Satisfied with that, she sat and looked to Comforting. "Am I allowed?"

"Just one." She held up a finger. "Let's not go testing how durable your insides are. And if it hurts, stop. This isn't a dare."

"Not a dare..." She popped it into her mouth and closed it, then her teeth. A loud grinding crunch filled the air as nothing could stand before those teeth of hers. Her movement was inevitable, and they were included. The ruby became uneven powder under the crushing force. Grinding chewing reduced the remaining chunks to join the first powder and she easily swallowed the mush she'd made.

Smolder's jaw fell. "That... was amazing! Wow..." She swatted the new pony friend on the shoulder. "Woah, awesome... You just went at that like a dragon, and, as a dragon, I tip my hat." She tipped the hat she wasn't wearing. "So, how was it?"

Prickle licked the inside of her mouth. "Mmmm, like a salt, but not as... salty? A little sour, but not bad. Does each kind of gem have its own taste?"

"Yes!" Smolder leaned in, a huge grin on her face. "Wow, a pony that can really taste a gem! You are something else."

"Sorry."

Smolder blinked, caught off guard by that. "For? I'm saying that's awesome! You are a gifted little pony, and you can stop by to hang out whenever you want." She burst into fresh giggles. "Not that we could stop you, but we wouldn't want to anyway."

Gallus snorted, approaching with a sly look. "You need a reminder."

"Of?" Prickle watched Gallus with some uncertainty. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes." He poked her in the center of the chest. "You're insulting my friend. She's awesome. Nope, won't stand for it."

"Oh... Sorry?" Prickle inclined her head. "Who?"

Gallus fired double finger guns at Prickle. "She's right there. Great little pony. I can't wait to learn more about her."

Cracked thumped her tail on the ground before swishing it vigorously left and right. "I concur. Little prey friend, visit as often as you please."

Comforting clapped with a radiant smile. She had made a friend, and her friends liked her friend. A complete victory. "Getting a treat." She zipped inside to get some sweets to cap off the meal.

That cookout was a merry day, celebrated with good food and good friends.

"I have never done this." Amity looked around, not exactly nervously, but lacking some of her stoicness. "Am I dressed properly?"

"Ponies don't wear anything half the time and that'd be fine." Comforting ruffled the top of her filly self's head. "It's cute." They were wearing a sunny yellow dress. "Now, did you have something in mind?"

"Yes." A paper appeared with a pop, filled with scrawls. "I picked this up from Twilight, but a good list really can be helpful."

Comforting reached for the paper, just for it to dart back, Amity's horn glowing in a twinkle. "No. It's a surprise, Friend Comforting. Our first stop will reveal much." She set off, leading the way through the bustling city of Canterlot. "I hope you are ready for some action."

"Action?" She looked about at the fancy ponies that occupied the city. "What kind of action?"

"The kind they keep at the edges." Amity led the way towards where the urban became suburban. There, a carnival waited for them, with delighted screams and ponies loudly enjoying themselves. "I present."

"It's wonderful!" Comforting hurried forward a few steps. "I didn't know this was here?! Ponies have carnivals? I suppose they should... I just never visited a pony carnival!"

Amity tucked the paper away into herself. "Your reaction is exactly what I was hoping for. Friend Comforting, let's go inside."

"Please!" They went together, side by side, into the carnival. Sure, they had to stop to get a proper ticket, but they was hardly a pause. Comforting only realized after they got inside. "Wait... Should we have paid for each other? That's a normal part of dating."

Amity inclined her head. "It can be. Friend Comforting, I know you are old enough to know better."

"True... We just didn't talk about it." She drew Amity closer. "Guess it's a silly thing. I don't think either of us are worried about cash."

"We are not." Amity pointed. "How good is your accuracy?"

"Mmm..." Comforting went where she was pointed to, a game of throwing a beanbag at a target. The prizes were many and dazzling. "Which are you hoping I get?"

Amity waved Comforting closer, to whisper, "You know these games favor them. You shouldn't promise me victory here."

"I could win." Comforting flashed a smile with the promise of chaotic power. "You know I could."

"But then you're not playing." Amity clapped gently. "Play. If you happen to win, we'll celebrate. If not, we will have had fun playing. We win either way."

Comforting pouted faintly at her orderly date. "You're not wrong. Alright, just play. One please." She set down a bit and got a beanbag in return. "No magic. No chaos, just me throwing this."

"Do your best," called out Amity, watching with a little smile. "That is all I request."

"And all I'll deliver." Comforting drew back the ball, eyes on the grand prize target. "And... Toss." She hurled it, but it bounced off the lip, missing.

"Nice try. Want another?" The pony working the stand floated a new bean bag over. "You got this. I have a good feeling."

"Mmm, okay." Comforting produced a fresh bit and prepared for her second attack. "I was a little left. So..." She tossed it with her experience, but the ball veered off despite it, that beanbag balanced differently. "Hey..."

"Close!" He grabbed a fresh beanbag. "Another?"

Comforting pointed to where the fallen old beanbag was. "Can I toss that one?"

The unicorn carnie shook his head. "Afraid you can't. I only collect those at the end of the day. Wouldn't want me to be hit with a flying beanbag, would you?"

The urge to make him get hit with a beanbag was there, but Comforting fought it down. "Amity, do you want to try?"

Amity sprang forward, her magic grabbing a beanbag and leaving a coin in its place. "I will try." She angled the ball left and right in her arcane grip, feeling it. "Fifteen left, ten forward, five back, seven right..." She twirled it around. "Five up and ten down. I'm ready." She drew it back and hurled it. It went right where she wanted, falling in with a little thump, not even touching the sides.

Comforting gaped at it. "You said no magic."

"I don't have fingers." She pointed at Comforting's digits. "Did you want me to throw it with my mouth? I can do that. Did I upset you, Friend Comforting?"

The carnie went over to peer into the hole, as if doubting the bag could really be in there, but there it was... "Huh... Little lady, you did it. What prize would you like?"

Amity pointed up at the larger prizes. "What would you like, Friend Comforting? I would like to give you a gift."

Comforting looked up at the selection, humming and frowning. "Let's go with the big Celly." And soon she had a plush Celestia to hold. "Adorable..." She waited until they walked away a little before she let out the questions. "Alright, how was that fair? It looked like you were using order. I didn't use chaos!"

"I did not force things to be. I only did my best." Amity raised a hoof. "I could feel the weights and compensated."

"You compensated..." Comforting tossed up her free hand. "I could feel it, but figuring out how to counter it perfectly..." She trailed off and started to laugh. "You did your best, and your best is pretty great." She ruffled Amity gently. "Such an amazing date I have."

Amity's smile returned as things clearly relaxed. "I did my best. When the rules are clear, order has an advantage. When the rules are uncertain, chaos has an advantage."

"Fair." Comforting pointed off. "But there are no rules to riding the teacups."

Amity considered the twirling teacup ride. "There are rules. Keep your arms within the..." She trailed off, seeing Comforting wasn't on the same page. "It isn't a game," she revised. "So there are no game rules."

"Exactly." She led Amity over and they were soon loaded into a teacup. "We both win, just relax and try not to get sick as you're twirled around."

Amity reached her hooves for the knob at the center. "It appears we could enhance the gravity being used. Should we?"

Comforting grabbed the other side. "That's half the fun! Let's twirl, but no damaging the ride."

Amity's lips moved as she performed calculations quietly. Her grip tightened, pressing her hooves to it. "I am ready."

The ride began, twirling them gently around. If one wanted, one could have a peaceful little twirly time. But there was a chaos and order spirit ready to have fun, so they didn't do that. They pulled in unison, at first. The teacup wildly spun in one direction, just to stop on a dime and go the other way, jerking left and right as Amity's horn and Comforting's hands pulled and tugged at it.

Other ponies gaped at their wild ride, but it had to come to an end. They slowed as the ride did, calming to a smooth halt despite their crazy gyrations. Comforting leaned out the side, feeling her insides wanting to be outsides, and she couldn't resist it, making a mess of rainbows across the ground. "Wow... That was fun." She flopped back, dizzy, but satisfied.

Amity dashed off to grab some napkins and return to Comforting with them floating along. "I miscalculating your tolerances. I'm so sorry."

"No. No!" Comforting grabbed some napkins to clean herself. "That was at least as much my fault as anything else. And I had fun!" She climbed out, freeing the teacup for the next pony. "We should do that again sometime."

"With less twirling?"

Comforting ruffled Amity gently. "Maybe more twirling."

"I do not understand you." Amity walked along despite that. "What about that?" She pointed to where a pony was painting other pony's faces, mostly foals, but some adults. They were both, at least physically, foals. "That looks entertaining. We can become art."

"Let's." Comforting lifted Amity from the ground, letting her dash along with her little passenger. "Do you want to be a cat?"

"I am a pony. I am a spirit. But today, I will also be art." She nodded, confident in her reasoning. "I hope I will be good art."

Comforting got a sudden idea. She waited on the line with a nervous giggle, her idea building as they got closer and closer. The moment it was their turn, she dashed up, leaving Amity behind. "Excuse me!" She grinned at the painting pony. "How much to borrow your paints?"

The mare blinked with confusion. "Little filly, why would you need my paints?"

Comforting pointed to the approaching Amity. "She wants to be art, and being art made by a friend will be even better. Can I borrow them and paint her?"

Amity gasped. "I hadn't considered that. Friend Comforting! I like this idea. Please, allow her to make me into art."

The art mare smiled gently at the two. "Well, she obviously is alright with it. I don't see much harm in that... Just don't go too wild with it." She waved a hoof to her collection of dyes and goopy inks. "Also, you... remind me of Discord. No offense, but do you need my ink?"

Comforting blinked softly. "You have a brilliant point. This is why they pay you the big bits." She paid anyway, then twirled on Amity. "Let's start."

"Let's! Transform me, please."

Comforting ran her fingers over Amity's face, leaving colors behind. "You're already a work of art. I'm just making it even more obvious to everyone else."

"Aw..." Amity went in and touched nose to nose. "I love you too."

Author's Note

Date time, at a carnival. What more could one desire?

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145 - Fancy Seeing You Here

They were wandering the carnival, soaking in the sights and distractions with pleased smiles and plenty of little hugs to share back and forth. "Come one, come all!"

Comforting lifted both ears towards it. "I know that voice..."

"None can resist the spellbinding power of the Great and Powerful--"

"--Trixie," finished Comforting, the two speaking the name at once. "I want to see this. Would you like to see?"

Amity blushed softly. "I am a bad audience for magic shows."

Comforting blinked. "What? We are magic. How?"

"That's part of the problem." Amity turned a hoof at herself. "I pay attention. It is hard to distract me. I see through tricks and ruin the fun. I don't want to ruin the fun."

Comforting rocked in place. "Then why can I do magic around you? My magic needs people to not pay attention."

"I can see it. I just let you."

Comforting blinked at this. "Then... Just let her."

"That's what I want to do."

Comforting casually hefted Amity up. "You can do that and be a polite audience member. We'll clap when she does tricks and be part of the crowd."

"If you're there, I will enjoy it." Amity curled in against Comforting. "Let's go."

Comforting took her date into the ampitheatre that had other ponies ready for a show. She found a spot near the front and sank onto a seat. She served as a seat for Amity, petting and hugging gently as they waited.

With a great eruption of smoke, Trixie appeared. "Let the show begin!" She spotted a creature she knew. "Look at that! Somecreature Trixie knows, so far away from home." She wagged a hoof at Comforting. "You aren't here to compete with Trixie, are you? Hardly fair, being a chaos spirit and all."

Comforting raised her hands. "Even a chaos spirit would have no chance against the Great and Powerful Trixie."

Trixie couldn't smile much harder than she was, squeaking with the effort. "Trixie was trying to be humble, but even a chaos spirit knows that was too far from the truth." The crowd was clopping and stomping at the whole thing, thoroughly amused. "Let's begin with a classic. You." She pointed to another mare. "Trixie summons you!"

She proceeded to cut the mare in half, then pull an impossible amount of cloth from her dazzled ears. "No wonder you can't hear Trixie with all this in the way." She pulled and tugged to free up the ear obstruction, the crowd laughing and cheering the whole thing on.

Amity reared up on Comforting, leaning in to whisper, "I know how she's doing that. Do you want to know?"

"The fun of magic shows." She tapped Amity gently. "Is accepting the magic. It takes skill and effort to put on a good show. She's not using magic, and that means it's all skill. Let's enjoy that display."

"Hm." Amity sat in Comforting's lap. "You have a point... I would need practice to be this good at such chicanery."

"Chicanery is her specialty." Comforting clapped at the next trick that somehow replaced one pony's mane with another, leaving the two with the other's mane color and style. "She's good at it."

Trixie whistled sharply. "Comforting! Trixie requires you."

Comforting pointed at herself, and Trixie nodded. She put Amity down and stood up, jogging up and hopping onto the stage. "How can I help, Great and Powerful Trixie?"

"You can stand perfectly still." She placed a top-hat on Comforting's head, and an apple atop that. "Trixie is going to show off her marksponyship!" She hopped back and made a motion as if drawing a bow, magic glimmering into a bow-shape, her horn glowing. The bow, at least, was a magical display. "Count to three."

"One..." Trixie drew the bow back as far as it'd go. "Two." Trixie lined up the shot, tongue extended with the effort. "Three."

Trixie released the magical arrow, but Comforting felt something solid crash into her chest. It didn't hurt, but it was like someone had lightly punched her. She looked down to see an arrow protruding from her. They had shot her? It didn't feel like she had been... Oh! She staggered back, clutching the lethal arrow. "You got me..."

"Trixie was not aiming for..." She trailed off as if just noticing her shot had hit Comforting and not the apple. "Have no fear, Trixie will save the day!" The crowd was gasping with shock and awe as she hurried to the play-acting Comforting. "Behold her Great and Powerful magic!" Her hooves glowed green, but there was no healing happening. Comforting wasn't even sure ponies had healing magic. But, for magic tricks, that didn't matter.

Trixie pulled the arrow free with a hoof as her glowing magic 'soothed' the pain. "Are you feeling better? Show the crowd."

Comforting turned to the crowd, showing off her miraculously-- Cloth was firing out of her as if she were somehow bleeding the colorful cloth at a prodigious rate.

Trixie clopped a hoof on her face. "Your chaos magic made Trixie's healing magic do that!" The crowd was losing it, but in a good way, and Trixie was eating it up. "You seem to be fine. Have a seat." She waved for comforting to step off the stage. "For her next trick, Trixie will--"

Comforting settled next to Amity, giggling at the silly magic trick she had helped perform. "That was fun."

"That was fun." Amity clapped in appreciation. "You reacted quickly. She did not inform you of the trick beforehoof, did she?" Comforting shook her head no. "I didn't think so. That was impressive, for both of you. I liked it."

They watched the show together the rest of the way, to Trixie's dedazzling finale that had her vanish from the stage in a fit of trickery, leaving the crowd cheering, but dispersing to find other distractions. "Let's visit." Comforting led the way around to Trixie's wagon and knocked lightly on it. "Trixie?"

"That's Great and Powerful." She popped open the top of her door and her sour look brightened, seeing who was bothering her. "Oh. What brings you by? And who's your friend? They've been staring at Trixie, and normally she likes that..."

Amity dipped the front of her body down. "Nice to meet you, Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie inclined her head. "A fan? Trixie is delighted to meet another of her many adoring fans."

Comforting rested a hand on Amity's back. "This is Amity. We're here on a date."

Trixie blinked. "A date?" She looked between the two young creatures back and forth. "A playdate?" Not many other kinds of dates made sense to her in that moment.

"You can call it that." Comforting lifted Amity up so her hooves rested on the edge of Trixie's wagon, the two almost face to face. "She's a s--" Her words died, somehow unable to speak. She hated it. But she also realized what it was a moment later. "Very close friend," she continued instead. "She has an eye for magic."

"An eye?" Trixie turned her head to direct an eye at Amity. "Are you a magician in training?"

"I'm not nearly as good as you are, Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie colored. "Stop that! Trixie very rarely goes by her full name. Great and Powerful Trixie, if you feel like being full and proper. Where did you even hear that name?" She glared at Comforting. "Did you tell her? Wait, when did I ever tell you!? Who is speaking of Trixie's name?!"

Comforting fired a fingerfun at Trixie. "A pony as famous as you, it shouldn't be surprising."

"That is not entirely wrong... But Trixie is the Great and Powerful Trixie. She does not advertise herself as Trixie Lulamoon." She sat back, crossing her arms. "She still suspects." She glared at Comforting, the most likely by her reasoning. "Is this revenge for the show? Trixie was playing! You heard them cheering us both on. Didn't you enjoy it?"

"I thought it was a great trick." Comforting nodded with a smile at the recent memory. "You really surprised me."

"See? Trixie can even surprise a chaos spirit. You know, Trixie has surprised that other chaos spirit before." She waggled her brows with a triumphant smirk. "Tricked a whole hive of changelings and got a medal for it." Her horn glowed as she brought the medal over to gloat properly. "Now all of Equestria understands how Great and Powerful Trixie is."

Comforting clapped at the sight of it. "Very nice, and well-deserved from the sound of it. You don't... fight changelings often, do you?"

Trixie made a face at that. "No! Besides, they're much nicer these days." She booped Amity, knocking her free of the door so Trixie could take the spot instead. "You're friends with one, aren't you? Trixie doesn't remember their name."

"Ocellus." Comforting helped Amity get herself upright. "She's very nice, but I'm not sure she ever saw your show."

"Which is why Trixie doesn't remember her. I know I saw her at the school." She trailed off. "Speaking of... Why do changelings have 'he' and 'she', anyway? They're whatever they care to be! That's their whole thing! They have this perfectly good chance to strike down the binary and they're wasting it."

Comforting blinked at that outburst. "Trixie... Are you... non-binary?"

Trixie cocked a brow. "Trixie has no idea what that is. She does think it's silly that changelings are boys and girls when they are both and neither, if you think about it." She leaned in over at Amity. "What do you think?"

Amity gave it due consideration. "Hm. I am still learning changelings, but it seems to be a marker of identification. They decide if they like being approached as a female or male. If the forced nature of the binary system bothers you, at least changelings get to choose which they prefer."

"But they don't have to prefer either." Trixie threw her hooves wide. "That's what I'm saying!" She clopped her hooves. "Ah ha, Trixie knows. They like to do what ponies do. Ponies have girls and boys, so they have to have girls and boys. Mares and stallions. They're just copying pony mistakes!"

"Maybe." Comforting picked up Amity into a hug from behind. "It was nice running into you."

"Feel free to stop by any of Trixie's shows." Her horn glowed, taking hold of her door to swing it shut. "Good night." It closed with a firm click.

Amity wriggled and turned to face Comforting. "She is an interesting pony. Not many are like her, I've counted."

The door swung open anew. "You did what?"

Amity lowered her ears. "You are the best magician I know of."

"Oh. Of course." Trixie buffed at her chest. "She appreciates you understanding this." She closed the door with a satisfied click.

Comforting took Amity a distance away to avoid more eavesdropping. "She's silly." She touched noses with Amity. "Did you have fun?"

"Today is a lot of fun." Amity nuzzled under Comforting's chin. "I knew you were safe, but seeing you hurt, even fake, was... tense... I'm glad that part is over, but I had fun."

Comforting hiked a thumb at herself, holding Amity firmly with the other hand. "An arrow couldn't put me down. Spirit, like you."

"I still don't like seeing you hurt." Amity inclined her head. "You wouldn't die, but arrows could still make you suffer, and I don't want that."

Comforting trembled and hugged Amity all the tighter. "You are too pure sometimes." She carried her date off towards the eating stands. "I say now's a fine time to grab some carnie dinner! Corndogs and fizzy sugar water for everyone!"

"Yay!" Amity considered a moment. "You know we don't have to eat either of those."

"We don't have to do any of this." She put Amity down on a stool. "But here we are, enjoying it anyway. Got a favorite flavor of soda or should I pick?"

"I want what you pick. Be my chaos, Comforting."

Comforting ruffled her head. "Be my order, Amity." The two smiled and she went to pick a fizzy drink and a corndog to enjoy.

Author's Note

Did you think the date would be over instantly? Though I feel like this might be a fine stop for the arc, but maybe...? Should we press on or move on?

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146 - Go Big or Go Home

Comforting felt it. What 'it' was, harder to nail down. But she was feeling whatever it was. There was something she could do and only her. Something she wanted to do. It... involved a friend, multiple of them. She conjured a window and flipped quickly from one to the next. Twilight? Nope. Silver Spoon? Nope. Diamond Tiara? Nope! One of the students? All safe and not in need of her interventions.

Not that she should fix problems. She'd learned that lesson. But that didn't mean she couldn't do anything. "I am a watcher." A tester, and a guide. She felt ready to do that, but which friend needed it?

What about the Crusaders? The got three windows in one, a view of each of the Crusaders as they hurried to their caretaker and asked them to accompany them, just to get shot down, each and every one of them. The girls met at the club house, the images combining as they came together to morosely share the news that they'd failed to secure adult supervision.

The big trip they'd planned would be ruined forever, and there was nothing they could do.

Comforting tapped at her cheek. She could volunteer to be said supervision, but that felt like just fixing the problem. No, the Crusaders deserved to grow into the best ponies they ever could be. With a certain grace and ease, she managed to navigate through the narrow gap, sliding between here and there until she emerged from between two planks of their floor like it was an everyday occurrence for her to wiggle free from such tight spaces. "Hi!"

The Crusaders jumped with surprise. Sweetie burst into giggles. "We have a door, silly." She waved at the perfectly functional door to their clubhouse. "What brings you by?"

"We can't find anypony," explained Apple Bloom with a little huff. "--to watch us while we go an'--"

"Did you already ask mom, or Twilight?" An image of either pony sprang over Comforting's head as she brought up either option.

Scootaloo waved a hoof. "Tried Twilight."

Sweetie rocked in place with a hum. "Well, I asked Fluttershy. She's really busy with a flower."

Scootaloo gasped. "Really? Twilight too. Acted like it was some kinda big deal..."

Apple Bloom threw a hoof across her front. "It ain't fair! If we were just adults, we could supervise ourselves an' be done with it!"

There it was. Comforting smiled brightly, her purpose clear. "Adults get to do all the important things," she sighed out in sympathy with the girls.

"And the fun things," added Sweetie with a pout. "But they don't have time to help us!"

Scootaloo smirked with thought. "If I was an adult, I'd just go to the fair myself and have fun." The girls nodded with yeahs to go around. If only they were adults.

"Such mature fillies." Comforting giggled with mischief. "I bet you could handle it, if you were adults."

Apple Bloom cocked a brow at Comforting. "Ya sound like ya got somethin' cookin' in that noggin' ah yers!"

"Nothing big..." Comforting rocked forwards and back on her mismatched feet. "I was just... thinking... You could be adults... If you think you're ready." That had the girls' attention, focused squarely on her. "If you're sure?" sang out Comforting, imagining the trouble that could arise, her tail swishing rapidly with the tickle of the chaos she was unleashing.

Sweetie smiled so brightly. "You can do that? Please!"

"Please," echoed Scootaloo. "We'll let them do their stuff and just take ourselves."

Apple Bloom nodded firmly. "We can watch each other. It ain't like there won't be nopony watchin'!"

Comforting lifted a tufted ear. That was... actually a mature thing to do. "Good. Shouldn't be any problems then." She took out an hourglass, shaking and rotating it about. "But how do we make the sands of time go faster?" She slapped it down, letting it sprinkle down. "They fall, because they have to."

The fillies were watching the hourglass, distracted by it quite successfully. They didn't even notice what happened to them. It was only with a startled yelp that they noticed, becoming fully grown ponies under the chaotic, if loving, touch of Comforting. She snatched the glass off the ground. "You're adults. Congratulations! Now you can do whatever you want. You can take care of it, right?"

"Right," all three called as one, their voices lower and more mature, even if they weren't any more mature than they had been a moment before. They raced off, ready for their adventure.

Or, at least, they looked sure of being sure. Comforting rubbed her hands together. "Time to test..." She took a step back, arriving at Amity's tree. "Amity!"

"Yes?" She stepped out from around herself. "You are positively glowing with chaos today, Friend Comforting."

"I am!" Comforting hurried up to to Amity. "Do you know what I'm up to?"

"A little?" Amity pawed at her cheek with a little hoof. "The more chaotic you're feeling, the harder it is to see. You were happy, that much I was sure of, so I was happy too."

"Aw." She touched noses with Amity. "I've given the Crusaders exactly what they wanted... But not what they needed. I'm going to follow them and make sure they don't get into too much trouble. A lesson or two will be learned, I hope."

Amity was quiet a moment, a bit too still, but it passed. "Ah. Friend Comforting, you are taking on your role well. Go. Test them. I am very proud."

Comforting grabbed Amity by the cheeks, ruffling and squeezing them fondly. "I'm gonna do that. Just wanted you to know. Let's grow some ponies!" She vanished with a pop.

"Her father would be proud..."

"I am."

Amity turned to face Discord, no shock displayed. "Are you going to watch her?"

"Duh." He smirked at that. "This should be fun, if nothing else. Someone has to make sure she doesn't get into trouble. She's a growing agent of chaos, after all!" With an explosion of confetti, he was gone.

Amity was alone, but that wasn't an uncommon fate."I should watch..." She didn't turn her gaze on Comforting. There were so many other ponies under her care, and they deserved attention too.

Comforting was sitting in a chair on a train. She had never gotten on the train, and certainly didn't buy a ticket, but there she was, wearing a long coat and a trilby on her head that concealed more of her patchwork nature. She held a newspaper that she kept up to conceal her face. As the train chugged along, she blended in with the other passengers, just another face in the crowd.

But she was close enough she could hear the girls singing with the joy of adulthood and all the power it brought to them. They sounded sure they could do anything in the world, having become so huge. Comforting snickered softly. She'd been so large, but also so small. Size wasn't everything, she'd seen that. "Let's see the measure of what's inside..." She tapped her dragon claws on the paper she held.

The first problem had already been struck before Comforting even got there. They were on the wrong train. Comforting blinked when she looked up and didn't see the girls anymore. They hadn't arrived in Appleloosa, she was sure of that. They were rolling through swamps, not a desert. "Where did you go?" Comforting hopped up, leaving her disguise behind as she vanished away to follow the girls.

She appeared in some bushes, peeking out as the girls lamented their bad choice. Would they press through the swamp, or try to get back on the train to finish getting to Appleloosa? Comforting considered. If she let them get back on the train, it wouldn't be much of a lesson learned. There was so much more she could do in that swamp... "I'll keep them safe." They wouldn't know, but she was there.

They went to the ticket booth and were scared right away by the strange pony they found there. Comforting whisked her touch away with a giggle. "Off you go. Time to adventure."

"Addictive, isn't it?"

Comforting jumped, coming down facing Discord. "Dad! Why are you here?"

"As if I'd miss out on your shenanigans." After observing closely, he folded a paper that appeared remarkably similar to the one that Comforting had been holding earlier. "Nice touch, pushing them on the path you wanted them to go on. Don't forget, you want them to find their own answers, or what was the point?"

"I know... Come on." She waved for him to follow as she poofed to the next spot she could watch them walking along. "They deserve my best."

"They are... agreeable little things." He watched them with a smile. "Like a certain other young creature I know."

"Dad!" She threw an arm over him, hugging gently. "Cut it out." Annoyed, but fond. Discord seemed entirely pleased with landing on that point. "Focus. Oh! I know... They think they're so adult now... Adults watch foals. Let's see how they do with..."

The crusaders ran into two foals and their pet, Bloofy. They were arguing about whether or not to take the pet to the fair, the very one the Crusaders were wanting to get to. What fortune. What chaotic fortune. Comforting rubbed her mismatched hands together with a grin. It was all coming together...

Being adult ponies, at least in their heads, the crusaders dispensed adult advice to the foals, but also used them for directions as they were all headed in the same direction.

Discord hummed softly. "Already tired of the swamp, are we?"

"I don't want them to be eaten by a passing cragodile!" Comforting pouted at the thought. "That's not a good lesson."

"It's your lesson. I'm just watching." He giggled as he followed her to the next vantage point where they stood side by side, fitting into the crowd. "Ooo." There were so many things to be distracted by. "Want some--"

"I was just at a fair, dad." She smiled though. "After they're settled, you'll get your turn, promise. Got a favorite snack?"

Discord giggled with erupting joy. "Well! Since you asked, I'm in the mood for a sour snowcone."

Comforting blinked slowly. "They make those?"

"If you know who to ask." Discord waggled his brows. "Now, you're in the middle of something, hm?"

"Right!" She refocused on the foals, of body and mind in different cases. They had apparently agreed to enter their pet into a contest, to the objection of one of the two new foals. "That's gonna be trouble..." Comforting grinned at the thought. "This is where things go wrong."

"I love the way you said that." Discord thrust a finger forward. "Onwards, to chaos, with a purpose!"

Comforting noticed something. "Where'd the Crusaders go?"

"You take your eyes off them for one moment." Discord turned slowly. "There." He pointed to the 'adult' ponies laughing and cheering as they enjoyed the fair without a care in the world.

"Points off." Comforting crossed her arms. "If they were there, maybe they could of cut off my trouble before it started."

"Where's the fun in that?" Discord chuckled darkly. "I want to see what you have in mind. Let's follow these foals and see what they cook up for the Crusaders to fix."

"I think that one's looking for them." The colt had taken off in the Crusader's direction. The filly went inside with their pet. "Hmmm... No. I'll leave that."

"A soft touch is best sometimes." Discord shrugged. "But what are you soft touching?"

"I was thinking of slowing down or speeding up how quickly he'd find the Crusaders." Comforting started with a skipping gait towards the pet show. "But I'm pretty sure this part will have good timing on its own. I'll leave it alone."

"It pays to keep your chaos for the good parts... And I think a good part's coming up. Are you ready?" He leaned in and around Comforting, coiling her with his snake-like body. "This is your big moment."

"It'll be great!" Comforting showed no fear. A little learning chaos, it'd be fun!

Author's Note

How many of you actually watched this episode?

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147 - Big Isn't Everything

Bloofy was a cute little critter. A shame it was also very stressed. So many new ponies, all being so loud and demanding, it was too much for the thing to keep up with. A new place, new people, new everything. Could anyone even blame it for adjusting poorly? It lashed out, but it lashed out its own way. It wasn't a pony, so it did it its way.

It blossomed into a great tornado of frustration and destruction to rampage through the stadium. Ponies fled in all directions from the little beast that had become a big problem.

Discord snickered at the sight. "Nice touch... It's always the little guy that ends up the biggest problem, doesn't it?" He launched a popcorn into the air, opening his mouth to catch it, thrown by the wild winds of the chaos. "But what's the next step?"

"There are already two of them... One foal was a bit naughty, but the other..." Comforting worked through the connections as quickly as she could, fingers wriggling as she thought it through. "The crusaders are officially over their head, and they know that. Lessons are being learned... We need an expert, maybe two, and it can't be us."

"Aw, why not?" Discord pouted at the rejection. "We could clean it up with a snap, literally. I suppose, more of a clap, in your case. Either way! C'mon, we get to be heroes!"

"Dad... We're watchers, settle down and watch. I know who..."

Two experts arrived at the train station at the right time. Discord brought a hand to his fine beard, stroking it. "Curious choice, but logical, I suppose... I blame Amity, corrupting my little child." He ruffled Comforting's head anyway, even if she was logical at times.

The Crusaders run into the two fairly quickly, this not too surprising, as the two were looking for them. "What happened?" Twilight looked over the transformed fillies with wide eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Oh... my." Fluttershy looked past them towards the noises of the developed problem in the stadium. "Is this related to that?"

The Crusaders insisted it wasn't, but maybe a little? Either way, they needed the real adults to follow them into the chaos. They led Twilight and Fluttershy to where Bloofy was lashing out at anything it could find. "What a rare creature." Despite any danger involved, Fluttershy fell in love immediately. "A whirling mungtooth. You don't see one of those very often..."

Sweetie waved at it wildly. "That's nice, Fluttershy. How do we get it to stop?"

"Well... If they've made good friends, their caretaker should be able to calm it down. Have they made such a friend?"

"Bloofy!" The other little foal rushed onto the scene.

Discord shook his head. "Hitting it right on the nose with that timing, aren't you?"

"If it works..." Comforting smiled as she watched the foal soothe her agitated pet. Hugs were involved, and soon Bloofy was safely tucked away in their carrier, safe from the chaos of the whole thing. "And now..." Comforting waved grandly at the two real adults. "We resolve."

"What have we learned?" demanded Twilight, giving the grown crusaders a stern look.

Apple Bloom shrank back. "It takes more than bein' big..."

Scootaloo rubbed along a leg with the other hoof. "We weren't being responsible, grown or not..."

Sweetie sagged with a sigh. "Being an adult is hard!"

Twilight smiled at the fillies. "All correct, now how did you even do this?" She looked over them. "At least, physically, you are adults... I'd say you were playing with the flower I was studying, but it's intact, thank Celestia."

Fluttershy spotted her, even if Comforting was trying to blend in. "Comforting? What are you doing here?" She hurried over to her daughter with a gentle smile. "Didn't you just go to a fair? Two in the same week?"

Comforting thought up a lie, a wicked lie. It was close enough to being true! "Dad deserves a chance to enjoy a fair too."

"Hi." Discord waved, standing right next to her. "Wanna come? It'll be fun!"

Fluttershy considered that duly. "Let's make sure the girls are on their way, then perhaps. That does sound fun..."

Unfortunately, Fluttershy chatting with them made it very easy for the Crusaders to spot them too. "She did it," ratted out Apple Bloom. "Comforting's the one that made us into adults."

Twilight approached her once-student with a reproachful look. "Is that true?"

They made the decision with their best interests in mind, even if it did not seem that way. Despite the truth of it, expressing that sentiment felt uncomfortable. The assessment in question was something that Twilight would almost certainly disagree with. "Sorry..."

Twilight hummed deeply. "If you're sorry, you should fix it. I feel certain you can, if you want." At least, she had faith in Comforting's chaotic powers. "Go on."

Comforting pulled out the hourglass from before. "What flows one way can go the other. It just takes an outside hand." She put it down the other way, the sand flowing the other way. The Crusaders shrank back to their original selves. "Ta da!"

"Hey!" The foals had issues with that. The Crusaders hadn't been adults at all! They'd been about the same age, talking down to them like they were adults! It seemed at least one more lesson was waiting to be learned. The Crusaders apologized for their lies, and soon a new friendship was made, without the lingering deceptions clouding up the air between them.

Twilight corralled the Crusaders towards the train station. "Time to get you all home."

"Wait!" cried Apple Bloom. "We're already here... Can't we enjoy the rest of the fair, please?"

Sweetie bobbed her head. "We're sorry, but we saved a long time to come here, please?"

"Please!" Scootaloo bounced in place. "We learned our lesson."

Fluttershy gave one of her gentle smiles. "Well, I plan to stay anyway."

Twilight started at that. "Really?" She looked between the foals and Fluttershy. "If you're here, it shouldn't be too much of a problem... Somepony has to get home and tell the others they're found and safe, so I'll get back home."

They met in a brief but warm hug. Fluttershy turned to the young ones, even if one was a chaos spirit. "Now, let's have a good time, but I want you all to stay where I can see you, please."

Discord ruffled the top of Flutter's head. "One less child to watch. I call dibs on this one." He brought down a hand on either of Comforting's shoulders. "You just keep the others in line."

Fluttershy smirked at her chaotic buddy. "Trusting you to watch over somecreature is a tall order..." She looked to the wrecked show, but they were already straightening up. They even gave Bloofy an award for being a unique critter. "Let's go." She became the leader of the herd, guiding them around the fair to have a nice, safe, day.

Discord swatted Comforting's back. "Now we get to try those sour snow cones I was talking about!" He zipped to fetch some with a happy giggle.

It promised to be a lovely day.

"And that's how it went." Comforting sat down in front of Amity. "I think lessons were learned!" Her tail swayed behind her, relaxed and happy. "How'd I do? Be honest!"

Amity rocked left and right with due consideration. "Lessons were learned... Next time, try to pull less strings. It takes practice, I'm not upset. But subtelty..." She trailed off with a little frown. "You are not me. You are a creature of chaos. I shouldn't judge you by my ways."

Comforting flopped forward, onto her belly. "I wanted to! I'm not just chaos. I'm chaotic harmony, don't forget. I'll practice, promise. But they learned and are better ponies, and I didn't fix it for them."

"That is the important part." Little Amity patted the larger Comforting on the head. "Good job."

Comforting giggled and touched noses with her mentor. "Thank you." She sat up and wiggled in an odd stretch. "That was fun. I wish, when I was a kid the first time, I could have tried that." She considered back to that time. "Mm... No, I wouldn't have been ready. I can do it now though." She could be any physical age she wanted to be, but was reasonably happy as she was. "Are you enjoying my form?"

"I am." Amity inclined her head. "Does it bother you?"

"No!" Comforting ruffled up Amity gently. "I'd say if it did. Besides, you'll move on eventually. Will it be one of the students? That wouldn't surprise me."

Amity's eyes glimmered with thoughts of that maybe future, losing some of their focus a moment. "I would like that. I want them to leave an impression, to do things worthy of that. They have so much more growing left to do. We must watch them, and guide them. Will you help me?"

"That's a silly question." Comforting twirled in place. "They're my friends too. Of course I'll help them."

"Good, that is my plan." Amity remained seated still, only her head and eyes following Comforting's movements. "You are key to my plans. You are best suited to help them when they will need it most. It will be a dark time, a scary time. You can't fix it for them, but you will be a light for them, a helping hand they can grasp."

Comforting flicked an ear back. "Is this related to dad's plan?"

"It is..." Amity's gaze slipped into the middle distance. "I don't think even he understands it all, and I certainly do not... I can't see it all, only hints. Only bits... You will be a great help, I know this... Friend Comforting, will you provide comfort?" She smiled then, a bright little thing. "I know I need not ask. You will do your best. That is all I can ask."

"All anyone can do." Comforting put a balled fist at her hips. "Until that happens, going to watch for other things I can give a little nudge with. I want all of my friends to grow up tall and strong, ready to grab life." She grabbed the air in front of her with her mismatched hands. "And look it right in the eyes!"

"A fine way for a watcher to see things." Amity nodded, eyes closing. "I am very proud of you. It is good to have another watcher, one I feel comfortable around. Hm. I just realized something, Friend Comforting."

"What's that?" Comforting crashed to her bottom, bringing their faces far closer together. "Share."

"I will." She looked Comforting over anew. "That is what you are, now. It may change... It already changed, but in a way, it did not. You were an educator, before."

"A long time ago." Comforting thought back to a lifetime ago. "Yeah?"

"You still are. Perhaps you always will be." Amity nodded with her thoughts. "You are a guider of creatures towards their best self. Comforting, is that why I selected you? You were a watcher already..."

Comforting went still, thinking back over that. "Wow... That is a little heavy. Where I came from, destiny was, at best, an iffy kind of idea."

"And yet, here you are." Amity reached up to boop Comforting on the nose. "The universe has a way. What it wants, it ultimately gets. It may take a while, but even we watchers can't deny that strength. We are servants. All we can do is please the universe, so it may know itself, and that this self is the best self we can present to it."

Comforting grabbed little Amity, hopping to her feet and twirling with the little filly that was also a god. "Then we'd better get to it, hm? This universe is a fine place. I'm up for reminding it of that."

Amity smiled in the whirling motions. "Friend Comforting, we will do just that." They met, nose to nose, and smiles shared in the warmth of a shared purpose.

Author's Note

That ending, a bit deep on some levels. I hope you liked it! That episode was silly. I don't think I made it any more silly with Comforting pulling the strings.

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148 - Silver and Diamond

"It's been way too long." Diamond sipped her colorful drink. "What's been distracting you so much?"

Silver chewed on a bit of French(Prench?) toast. "Yeah! Like, we don't bite."

Comforting tapped her fingers together, looking sheepishly ashamed. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to avoid you two, just caught up in other things. Speaking of that! It's your turn."

Diamond cocked a brow. "Our turn for what?"

Outright saying growth felt wrong. "To check in and love my friends, of course." She double finger gunned at Diamond. "How's mom been?"

Diamond cringed at the topic. "A little better, but not what I want to chat about over breakfast." She took a slow breath. "We made... a deal of sorts."

Comforting and Silver perked at that with mutual interest. The soft noises of the stirring Ponyville were nothing compared to that. Comforting leaned in all the closer. "You can't not tell us the details! What deal?"

Diamond tapped her hooves together, a gesture quite similar to Comforting's nervous finger tapping. "Just that if I kept getting good grades, she'd lay off a little... I still have to learn how to do her stuff, but only a few days a week instead of all the time, if I don't slack off at school."

Silver pumped an arm, though she had no fist to ball. Her hoof was, helpfully, pre-balled. "That's great news! You usually get good grades anyway. You're, like, kinda smart."

"Only kinda?" She smirked at her friend. "That's the best I get?"

"You know I didn't mean it like that!" The two burst into friendly giggles, not a bit of bad air between them. Silver fixed her eyes on Comforting. "I heard you did it, again!"

"What's I do?" Comforting looked herself over for anything obviously out of place.

"You made a foal into an adult." Silver crossed her arms. "Three of them this time. Is this going to be a habit of yours? Like, not sure I approve of that."

She was getting a lecture on her chaotic powers, by a little filly. Part of Comforting wanted to laugh, but another was ashamed. Silver did have a point..."Sorry..." How much could she tell Silver? "I was showing them a bit of the world by letting them experience things in an adult's horsehoes. They picked up it's more complicated than just getting what you want."

Diamond snickered, hooves rubbing with the visions. "So, they got into trouble, huh? I didn't get into trouble as an adult."

Comforting thought back to Diamond's time as an adult. "No offense, but you kinda did... You just got back out of it. It was fairly mature."

"Cursed with faint praise!" Diamond tossed up her hooves briefly. "Both of you today." She chomped her breakfast hay bacon in a display of anger venting via food.

"I didn't mean to." Comforting looked to Silver, who seemed far more amused than anything else. "How can I make it up to Diamond?"

"Well..." Silver tapped at her chin thoughtfully. "You can do, like, almost anything, right?"

"Almost?" Comforting worried about what wild thing Silver was dreaming up. "If it won't hurt things."

"Right right." She waved at Diamond. "There's this show that I know Diamond really wanted to go to, but it's way far away. Like, a whole other country away!"

Diamond scowled at Silver. "Stop dreaming. Even if she could get me there, the performance is so long, I'd never fit school into the same day, and it's on a school day. I don't want mom angry at me, again."

Comforting felt her heart swell at the display of maturity on Diamond's part. "Are they only doing the show once?"

"Once a year." Diamond held up a lone hoof. "And right on a school day. Bad luck.. In their country, it's a holiday, so anycreature that wants to go, can. Easy for them, not so easy for me."

Comforting got a sly look. One Diamond picked on quickly. "What are you thinking up?"

:"Just an idea that came to mind... And it doesn't even involve chaos magic."

Silver's ears wagged with wonder. "Really? What is it? Share!"

"No big deal.. But if this show is a big cultural deal for them, you could just... bring it up?" Was she just giving an answer? She felt unsure. "With your teacher. She might bring the class there to see it. Do you do field trips?"

Diamond tapped at her chin. "Miss Cheerilee would never, on her own, go that far just for us to see a show... On the other hoof..." Her own wheels were spinning, kicked into gear with Comforting's idea. "If mom thought it would be a step towards molding me into her perfectly cultural pony, she can and would put the right pressure on Cheeilee to make it happen, while helping fund the trip."

Silver threw up her hooves with joy. "Sounds like we get to see a show! I always wanted to see a minotaur play. I hear they take them super seriously."

"Don't count your Scootaloos before they hatch." Diamond leaned back with schemes in her eyes. "I have to actually do it first. Gonna guess Comfy's not gonna just make her do it."

"I would not." That. That would definitely be over the line to just giving an answer, and being a mean creature too. Nope, no casual mind control.

"Figured." Diamond casually tossed that option aside with a nod. "So I have to do it." She hopped to the ground. "Thanks for the breakfast, but there's no time like now!" She marched off with a purpose in her eyes.

Silver chomped her food, watching Diamond walk off. "Think she'll do it?"

"I feel certain she'll try." Comforting leaned in towards Silver. "Do you want her to?"

"Duh! I just said I'd like to see it. I wasn't lying. Daddy would pay for me to go, but he wouldn't want me to miss school either. So it school goes, that'd, like, be way better."

Comforting considered that a moment. "We'll have to hope. Meanwhile... Is this an adult play, or a child's play, or what?"

"It's the story of their nation's founding. We do plays about ours the same way, and it's just as big a deal when we do it." Silver rolled a hoof as she explained. "Theirs has a bit more violence in theirs, but it's not that bad if you're worried. I hear it's exciting, not grizzly. They have children too in those seats."

"Glad to hear that." Helping them go to watch something inappropriate wasn't the idea. "I didn't even know minotaurs had plays, but that sounsd silly, saying it. Of course they do... I wanna see it now." But, alas, she did not go to that foal school. She want to a grown school, with grown ponies.

Silver shrugged at Comforting. "Why don't you follow your own advice?"

"Huh?"

"Talk to your teacher, duh. Maybe they'll agree it's worth taking a trip for." Silver smiled with fresh calcualtions. "Even older ponies... They are there to learn about friendship, right?"

"Right?" Comforting leaned in a little, curious where Silver was going.

"So, learning to appreciate another creature's cultural landmarks sure sounds like a good friendship lesson, like, to me."

Comforting sat back. It all seemed so obvious, having had it said to her. "You are so clever." She grabbed Silver by the cheeks and ruffled with building joy. "Thank you. I'll try. They may say yes, or not, but I have to ask to find out."

Silver brushed Comforting's grabbing hands away. "Cut that out," she giggled, regaining her personal space. "That tickles! Well, there you go. I fixed it."

"You did." Comforting drained the last of her glass. "I won't find out how it'll go until I do it." She lifted from her chair, casually floating. "See you later?"

"Later! Hope we both get to see it, together. That'd be nice." She waved until Comforting vanished with the sound of an unclogging drain. "She's so strange." But she said it fondly, and got to finishing her own breakfast.

"Hm." Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin. "That is a curious proposition. You understand, their parents gave permission for them to come here, to this school, not to wander the world."

But where there was potential rejection, Comforting saw hope. "But you'd do it if you could?"

Twilight colored faintly. "I'd like to see it myself... As you said, it would be a valuable lesson to appreciate other cultures. But the minotaurs haven't even... joined the school. We don't have a single minotaur student. Taking the others there may make somecreatures upset..."

The struggles of field trips was not a new thing to Comforting. She'd been a teacher before. "So now we give the students permission slips to bring home and get signed. No signature, no going."

"Possible..." Twilight sighed softly. "Not every student has a loving parent, as much as I'd prefer it. Gallus.... for instance... may have difficulty securing that signature."

Comforting felt sure she could get hers. Fluttershy wouldn't stop her from that, right? "I'll help however I can, but he deserves the chance. Not even trying means he loses out for sure. Not very fair to the rest of the class either."

"Yes..." Twilight let out a slow breath. "Yes. Yes, you aren't... Right. Let me put things together, and I'll make an announcement when I'm ready. I hate to lean on your abilities, but if you could help the students get around faster? I know you can do that, and they are your friends, so maybe?"

Twilight, requesting chaotic assistance?! "I thought you'd rather they do it the old-fashioned way."

"I would, but if we plan to get there in time, that is barely an option if we want to see it this year. So... consider this permission. So long as nocreature gets hurt, help them get home and back swiftly."

Comforting saluted sharply. "Yes, Ma'am, Professor Twilight!"

Twilight burst into giggles. "This is hardly a military academy. Go on, I'll make the announcement to the school when I'm ready, promise."

Conmforting was the only student to not be surprised when the news came of an upcoming field trip. All they had to do was go home and get permission first.

She set up a sign. "Free rides to there and back again!" it read with glowing lights that pointed at her. She'd provide that answer. It was hardly a question, just a shortcut. One of those once in a while shouldn't just too bad, she figured..

Besides, she wanted to get to that show that year, and maybe get to see it with Diamond too? That'd be nice...

"Hey." Gallus hiked a thumb at the sign., "Can we do it like last time? It's a lot faster with---" Comforting grabbed his hands and they were in the griffon lands, standing in front of Gampa Gruff's house. "your help...?" He blinked, looking around and taking in where they'd ended up between frames. "Warn a griff before you do that. Uh, thanks though." He headed inside to chat with his grandpa.

Comforting pulled out a tablet to peek at the action.

"Sign this and I'll be out of your way." Gallus put down the paper near the grumpy elder.

"Ain't signing a thing without knowing what it is." Gruff snatched the paper and scanned over it dutifully. "Minotaurs? They barely know their backs from their fronts, and they're shady creatures besides that. Why would I let you go waste your time with them?!"

"So I can learn how dumb they are?" He smirked, perhaps proud of how he had phrased that. "Feels like every creature does a show or a story about how they founded. Perfect spot to learn why I should avoid them."

"Huh... And what's she want from me?" He shook the paper. "What's this cost me?!"

"Nothing, sheesh...." He hiked a thumb outside. "Getting there is Twilight's problem, not yours. She just wants everycreature to know before she does it."

"At least she has that..." He signed, grumbling the whole way. "You're going to be bored to death, but that's your funeral, not mine."

"Thanks." Gallus snatched the paper back and went for the door. "See you later."

Author's Note

Field trip! Ever have one? What was it like?

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149 - Founding

"Mom?" Comforting peeked in the door with a smile. "Screwie?"

"Comfs!" Screwie tackled her sister into a spinning hug that had the both of them giggling. "Hi hi hi!"

"Hello to you too." She smooched Screwie's forehead. "Where's mom?"

Screwie pointed. "Cleaning, washing. Cleaning mostly."

Comforting leaned to get a better peek. Cleaning her room? Well, everycreature had to do that once in a while, even Comforting, though she had cheats to get it done in a clap. "I have to ask her a little something." She gave one last hug and darted off to Fluttershy's room. "Mom, busy?"

Fluttershy looked up from a pile of clothing she had been sorting through. "Oh, hello there." She waved at her daughter with a smile. "Never too busy for you." She picked herself free, shaking herself as if the clothes had been clinging to her. "How are you?"

"Better now." She went in for a hug with her mom, enjoying a moment of affection. "Any time I get time with you is a good time." She produced the permission slip and held it out. "You know what this is."

"I do." Fluttershy took it with a wing. "I can't see many reasons I wouldn't sign this. You're an independent creature, and it isn't a bad thing... Not my taste... But that's half the point." She placed her signature with a swirl of that wing. "You always did like exploring new things."

"Bad habit." Comforting accepted the paper back and tucked it away. "But I also want to share it, with the other students, young and old."

Fluttershy perked at that. "Young and old? You're the youngest student there... Who's the oldest?"

Comforting picked up a shirt and got to hanging it up, helping in the cleaning she had disrupted. "I'm one of the older ones, in Pony College and all. The foals are trying to go too. I'm so proud of them. Diamond's working on getting her mother on board with making it a field trip."

"How wonderful." Fluttershy resumed cleaning, perhaps detecting it had become a group activity. "Was it your idea?"

"Part of it." Comforting waggled her fingers, making the clothes dance along with them in a conga line towards cleanliness. "Diamond already wanted to go. I just suggested maybe she could ask, instead of just being sad about it. I did way more to get us older students on the way."

"You are very productive." She threw a leg around Comforting in a brief hug. "I'm very proud. Now... There will be teachers there, of course... but I would ask a favor, if I may?"

Comforting perked both ears. "Of course you can. You're my mom, mom." As if that was in question. "What's up?"

Fluttershy raised a hoof at her. "Help keep an eye on them all. I know you can... But I also know you don't have to, and you may not want to... Chaos spirits have their own motivations at times... But please, for this. I don't want even a single student, young or old, to be lost or hurt. The thought of it..." She looked so very sad at the very idea of a precious student meeting a poor fate on the trip. "It's so very far away. I'll be so much... more relaxed if I know you're keeping an eye on them."

On one hand, that felt like asking the gods for favors. It was over the line. On the other... It was Fluttershy... Mom... "Mmm..." She didn't want to disappoint Fluttershy... What would Discord do? "If I see any of them wandering towards trouble, I'll be sure to let a teacher know." But it'll be on them to do something about it!

Fluttershy's tension abated like a lifting cloud. "Good! That'll be just fine. If you're even half as good as your father at keeping an eye on things, I doubt much will get past you." She considered Comforting a moment. "I have... a question, if I may...? They brought you to me, a little filly... But you weren't exactly a little filly, even then..." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Were you always a chaos spirit? I... Were you just growing into it?"

With a wave, she closed the closet, all the clothes put away. "There we go. That's an interesting way of looking at it, mom..." Comforting thought back on her time in Equestria. "Feels pretty valid depending on how you look at it... I could have become not a chaos spirit, but then I wouldn't have been the same Comforting you know now. If you believe in destiny, then yes. I was always going to be this, because I am now."

"That is one way to look at it." Fluttershy walked past Comforting, heading out to the main part of the house. "Want to stay for dinner?"

"I'd like something else." She landed on Fluttershy's back, hugging her warmly. "Up to visiting? I'd like to host you and Screwball, if you're up for it."

"Yay!" Screwball gave her vote with little room for confusion.

Fluttershy smiled at that. "If you.... If you'd like, certainly. Your home is less of a trip than your father's by quite a few degrees." She looked outside her window, to where she could see Comforting's home. "I think I can make that journey."

Comforting guided the two of them on the arduous few minute journey to her home and led them inside. Cracked perked a massive ear at their entry. "Ah, hello." She let her tongue loll a little. "My favorite little pest."

"My favorite big doggy!" Screwball attached herself to Cracked's snout, the two sharing a moment of affection. "We're here for dinner!"

"Join us." With a wagging tail, Cracked sat up. "Comforting will make it. I am not very good at preparing meals." She knew her limits. Hunting, she had that handled. Meal prep, best left to others.

It was a fine dinner for the family.

Comforting bounced just a little in her seat. They were on a train, rumbling beneath them as they powered along. "This is... exciting."

Silversteam inclined her head. "I agree! But I'm also a little confused. You've been places! You've been on a train. What are you excited about?"

Comforting giggled at the hippogriff. "You've been on a train before, why are you excited?"

"I get excited easily." Silverstream shrugged, comfortable with that fact. "But also the part after that will be even better! We get to sail on a pony boat, and visit the minotaurs! That sounds so fun!" She balled her fists with a squeal of joy. "I can't wait!"

Gallus tapped Comforting's shoulder from a seat back. "Thanks for the lift."

"No problem." Comforting fired a thumbs up, looking over the rest of her classmates. "None of the rest of you wanted any help. You got home fast?"

Yona nodded firmly. "Not cheat, not now. If go home and ask to see minotaur thing when not going Yak way, he laugh, then say no. Go yak way, be yak proud." She crossed her arms. "He say yes. Learn minotaur way, even if not as good as yak way."

Ocellus waved to Silverstream and herself. "We flew home."

That prompted Silverstream to flip out her wings, slapping Smolder in the face. She swatted the errant wing. "Watch where you're putting that. I flew back too. It was a trip, but nothing I couldn't handle. Why'd you need a pickup, Gallus?" But Gallus was being silent and sullen suddenly. "Bad question? C'mon!"

Gallus huffed... "Look..." He squirmed. "It's just..." He rolled his eyes, fishing for the right words, or maybe just the right feeling. "I wanted company..."

Comforting felt her heart swell. "I'm glad I could provide that. You did super well on your own. I just gave a quick ride."

"Knowing you were there..." He rubbed one arm with the opposing hand. "It made a big difference. So, uh... Thanks or whatever..."

Smolder reached across Silverstream to punch at Gallus' shoulder. "Softy! No wonder you asked Comforting. I would have laughed."

"Yes, you would have." He glared at Smolder. "So I didn't ask you. You're not so good at mushy emotional... stuff."

Sandbar waved from a few spots away. "I would have helped if you asked."

Gallus fired a finger gun at the eager pony. "Bet you would have, but you don't have wings, or crazy teleporting magic, so..."

"Yeah... good point." He didn't even have to leave the town to get his permission. "I was with you in spirit!"

Gallus chuckled. "Thanks for that, at least. Comfs, did you even get a permission slip?"

Comforting perked a tufted ear. "Why wouldn't I? I am a student."

"Sure, sure." Galus rolled a hand. "But... you're also independent. You live on your own. You own a house. Fluttershy's your mom, but also so what? Most of our teachers have parents, and you don't see them rushing to get their permission to do stuff."

Ocellus nodded with a hmm. "He's not wrong. You're almost an adult. A tiny and cute adult, but still... basically?"

Comforting felt a chilly grasp spreading from her core. She was an adult, in some ways, but... "I don't... wanna be. I like what I am, and that's still a kid... for now..."

Yona wrapped an arm around Comforting, hugging her close. "You say kid, you kid. When ready, then adult."

That yak... She felt like an old soul at times, but was also definitely still a growing creature, learning her place. "Thanks." Comforting nuzzled into that warm yak fur, nestling with the snuggly big warm mass without complaint.

Two teachers had come with them, Twilight and Applejack. "We've arrived," called Twilight. "Get your bags and form a line." She shepherded them off like eager ducklings behind herself. They hadn't arrived at the minotaurs, not yet. There was a whole ocean in the way. They could smell the salt in the air, having come to the docks. "Let's get to our ship." She waved the way with a wing as she walked, just to stop. "Oh."

"Hello there." Cheerilee smiled, closing in. "What timing. Were you a few cars back?" Behind her, a line of smaller students. "Headed for the same thing?"

Twilight waved back at her students and Applejack. "We're headed for the ship that'll take us to--"

"--The minotaur republic, I imagine?"

Twilight nodded. "Ah, then you are on the same trip. Well.. Then we could go together?"

"A lovely idea. Students." Cheerilee waved the foals forward. "These may look like older creatures, but this is a fine time to bring up that one is never too old to try something new. They are students too, going to see the same thing."

Diamond and Silver rushed up to Comforting with big smiles. Comforting put an arm around either neck, hugging them close as the three giggled, their plans succeeding flawlessly.

Gallus leaned a bit, looking at the fillies. "I've seen you with those two before, right? Friends?"

"Big friends." Comforting released them to twirl back to Gallus. "Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon." She waved to each with their names. "These are--" She pointed to each of the Young Six with a name attached with each gesture. "How have we gone this long without a proper introduction?"

Smolder leaned forward with a smirk. "You're keeping your big friends from your little friends?"

Yona shook her head. "She see us at school. We not see little ponies at school. Not see, not think. Not think, not say hi." She waved at the two new fillies. "Hello."

Silver giggled at the big creature. "Like, hey. Wow, you're... big."

"Yaks big." Yona nodded with this. This was a simple fact. "Nice meet." She offered a hoof.

"After me!" called Twilight to all the students, joined by Cheerilee as they got all their wards back on the path towards the boat.

Comforting marched alongside with her friends on either side of her. "This is... I'm not sure I can say best, but this is pretty good."

Author's Note

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150 - Sailing Fun

The students, of varying ages, stood in awe as the wind rustled through their hair, fur, and feathers while they watched the endless waters flow by. The soft lapping against the ship's hull was a gentle background sound to go with the squawks of birds that seemed to regard the boat as a fine landing point on their ocean voyages.

Mercifully for the students, the boat was massive enough that the rocking was mild, leaving them all free of any motion sickness. Diamond bumped lightly against Comforting. "This isn't the first boat I've been on."

Comforting gently mussed the mane of her wealthy friend. "That makes sense. Where'd you go before?"

"Daddums had a business trip abroad, and he brought me." She smiled the smile of pride. "He did well, of course, and I got to see things. It wasn't minotaurs though, different creatures." She waved that off as if it should be obvious. "This'll be fun."

Silver nodded from the other side of Diamond. "I'm already having fun. They have games on this boat." She fell to all fours, leaving the rail. "Want to play some?"

Comforting brightened at the idea. "Sounds fun. Which one do you have in mind?"

Silver considered with a frown. "Well! They have video games and dancing and shuffle board and swimming and..."

"I never understood that." The two fillies looked to Comforting. "What? We're surrounded by water, and you're going to jump into a little water on the boat? It always seemed so silly to me!"

Diamond prodded Comforting in the belly. "You're joking, right? We're not gonna jump in there." She pointed down at the larger waters. "Cold, full of fish, salty, and... pretty sure, not so safe."

"Pass!" sang out Silver Spoon. "I'm in the mood for, like, a little dancing. The music's bouncing, and soon I will be too. C'mon!" She waved for them to follow her towards the distant thumps of the music hall.

Comforting went instead to get her other friends. "Wanna dance?" she asked, coming up along Yona.

Yona quirked an ear. "Sure want Yak dance on boat?"

Comforting took a moment to process that, envisioning a traditional Yak Smashing good time. "Uh, hm... Can you dance without breaking things?"

"I'll show you how." Sandbar offered a hoof. "It'll be fun."

"Oh." Yona considered Sandbar for a moment. "Okay." And off they went to try some not-smashing dancing.

"Excuse me, sir." Smolder bowed at Gallus with far too much formality and a smirk too wide. "Can I have this dance?"

Gallus snorted at the display. "Do you even know how?"

"That's just mean." She folded her arms. "Come on and I'll show you."

Another two, down. Comforting pumped a fist and looked to Ocellus, there by the pool's edge. "We're going dancing," she called, jogging over. "Wanna come?"

Ocellus looked up, wings fluttering, though they were hidden under her elytra. "Huh? Oh. Um... Is that alright? I thought those were for creatures taking a vacation."

Comforting shook her head with a smile. "We have all the rights to enjoy the boat while we're on it. Wanna go?"

"Oh..." Ocellus rubbed at her cheek, looking nervous. "I'm not sure how good I'll be."

Comforting adopted a flat look. "Yona is learning how to not smash while she dances. You can't be the most awkward thing in the room."

Ocellus giggled at the mental image that conjured. "Okay... Okay." She stood up with a little smile. "I won't be that bad. Um, no offense to her."

"I wasn't trying to badmouth her, either. Yona is great." The two shared a nod of agreement in the yak's greatness. "The best, she'd argue."

Ocellus' giggles raised in volume. "She would say that. See you there." She set off at a lively trot towards the dance hall.

A solitary creature remained. "Silver!" Comforting found her at the very front of of the ship, enjoying the rushing wind through her fur and feathers. "There you are. We're going dancing, and you're invited."

Silverstream blinked, coming out of whatever thoughts had been occupying her. "Huh? Dancing? They dance on boats?!"

Comforting bobbed her head. "They sure do. This boat's made for vacations, so it has all kinds of fun things on it, like a place to dance. Wanna come?" She offered a hand to Silverstream.

Silverstream accepted it with a smile. "Sure! Sounds fun. Who else is going?"

Comforting got to naming the others. "And maybe some other foals? Not sure if they invited each other like I did."

They hurried off to the dance hall to shake their bodies to the music.

"Here you are." Cheerilee had found them, several foals mixed in with the dancing teens and adults. She folded her ears back against the loud music that everycreature else was enjoying. "Must it be so loud...?"

Comforting twirled around the earth pony teacher. "You used to dance to music like this all the time."

"Well, yes..." Cheerilee nervously stepped in place. "But then I grew up."

Comforting zipped in to almost touch noses with the teacher. "If you can stand, you can dance. It isn't a contest." She waggled her brows. "But, I bet you could show them how to really cut a rug."

"You're just flattering..." Cheerilee paced in place a moment longer. "Very well... I can... at least try." She advanced towards the center of the room.

A message arrived. Comforting reached up to open it.

Having fun?

Amity

Short and to the point. Comforting replied with a 👍💖 quickly. "I'll have to visit her when I get back..."

Though, that hit her... She could visit her right then. What was stopping her? Well, she promised to keep an eye on all of them, to start. And she'd hardly be taking in the trip if she was hopping back and forth to Amity while doing it...

"Boundaries." She was away. Responding to work emails was a bad habit! Even if she did like Amity. She wiped her hands together. "No more of that. Be in the moment." She went to enjoy some dancing with Ocellus and Silverstream instead.

"I get the next one." Diamond grabbed Comforting and twirled her into a sudden new dance. "Having fun?"

"Lots." Comforting shook and flexed with Diamond to the tune of the music. Having a little body that could, and seemed to want to move energetically was a thing to be treasured. "You?"

"Better." Diamond swept Comforting into a diving spin, leaving her hanging precariously for a pause in the song. "Bet you didn't know I could dance."

"I really didn't." She twirled with Diamond's toss, moving around her with a little giggle. "You're good at it."

"I don't get to do it often..."

"But she's good." Silver Spoon joined them with a big smile. "She knocks my horseshoes off!"

Diamond snorted at that. "You are easily impressed."

"Don't be like that." She swatted at Diamond lightly. "You're good, really. Comfs agrees."

"I do," Comforting sang out, pressing the two fillies closer. "Why don't you two have a turn?"

But Diamond rebuffed Silver, pushing her away. "Love ya, Silver, but this is Comforting time. We can dance whenever." She closed with Comforting to resume the dance she'd started.

Silver stuck out her tongue, but withdrew, rather than press the battle.

Comforting was Diamond's, at least for the moment. Though having a filly make such a call was a bit new. "Not that I mind dancing... But why the urgency?"

Diamond hiked a brow at Comforting. "Do I have to spell it out in red?" But she offered nothing beyond continuing the dance with Comforting, moving to the music.

"Um... maybe?" Comforting hiked a brow. "Because I'm not getting it, sorry. I want to!"

"You are something else." Diamond swatted at Comforting. "Look, fine! Silver Spoon, she's great, but she's like a sister. Like a sister in basically every way." She leaned in, glaring at Comforting. "You aren't. You don't think of me that way, and I don't about you."

"Is that good or bad?" Comforting wobbled a hand. "I'm really not sure which way this is going."

Diamond chomped the wobbling hand. "It's both, dummy. Look! Ugh..." She slowed her dancing. "Let's get a drink." There were many drinks there, some powerful, but she grabbed a soft drink, as was proper for a filly. "You really didn't notice?"

"Notice... what?" Comforting rolled a hand instead that time, one over the other. "Explain it like I'm five years old."

"When I first saw you, I thought you might be five years old..." Diamond chuckled at that memory. "But then you talked, and you shattered that illusion. You've been breaking my preconceptions ever since. Comforting, even before you became this--" She waved over Comforting's chimeric form. "It was pretty obvious to me I was dealing with a very special, and mature, pony."

Comforting colored as she reached for a drink for herself, opting for a soft option herself with a lime sour twist. "Alright... What's that have to do with dancing?"

"Nothing!" Diamond blurted out. "And everything..." She folded an arm over her face a moment. "Look... Comfy. I like you." She raised a brow. "I like like you. I've been sending signals for moons and you never notice and now you asked so I'm just saying it! I like you, Comforting Shade." She stomped a hoof with a scowl. "Do you like me?" she demanded in a stern tone, as if challenging her.

Comforting reached back through her memories. "You did? What... did I miss?"

Diamond groaned out with the suffering she felt. "Seriously? Let's start with breakfast." She prodded Comforting firmly in the chest. "The only other pony I share breakfast with is Silver, and my butler, and only because he's serving it half the time. I let you in." She swallowed nervously. "Fine... Fine! I'll... admit... at first, I thought you might be kinda useful... But it grew past that pretty fast..."

Comforting stood still, pondering Diamond, and their relationship. "I... Shoot." She crossed her arms. "Uhm... To start, I'm still a little kid, clever or not. I'm feeling pretty turned off when it comes to romance." But that wasn't entirely true. Her brain helpfully reminded her of her recent date with Amity and she colored darkly for it. "Mostly... Um..."

"Do." Diamond took a step. "You." She advanced on Comforting another step. "Like." She raised a hoof to Comforting's side. "Me?"

Comforting swallowed nervously. There was so little room for skirting around the topic. "We're both fillies!" Ah ha, a technicality. "Are you alright with that?"

Diamond wrinkled her nose. "Now you're just playing with me. I don't care. Also." She raised a hoof up. "You, last I checked, are a literal manifestation of chaos. You can be a colt, filly, stallion, mare, dragon, or whatever else you feel like being at any moment. You could make me into a throw rug and take a nap on me. What does you being a filly right now matter, at all?"

Comforting buried her snout in her glass, as if drinking could smother her embarrassment, but it was doing a poor job. "Uhm..."

"So, out with it." She gave Comforting a poke, hoof rubbing at the end of it in an obvious affection. "Out with it."

Comforting grunted. Hiding was just not an option. "Alright! Alright... Cards on the table." There was a table. They were seated at it. Comforting threw her hand of cards out dramatically. The first card had filly Comforting on it. Amity. "First thing, I have a special somecreature. She's a spirit, like me. I love her a lot. We had our first date recently..."

Diamond peered at the card. "That... looks like your old self?"

"Yeah... She likes me enough she decided to be me." Comforting laughed nervously. "Just in looks. She's not me any other way, promise."

Diamond rolled a hoof. "Alright... Recently? How recently? You two going steady or what?"

Were they?! No such agreements had been discussed. "Uh..."

151 - Setting Cards Down

"We didn't do that officially," confessed Comforting, moving to the next card, a radial explosion of colors. "Second! I'm literally a god. Dating one of those is kind of awkward for not gods."

Diamond flicked the card. "Doesn't hold water. Your mom is dating one right now! Really, Comfie... I expected better arguments." She folded her arms with a victorious smirk. "You're playing distractions. Just say if you like me, or not. I'm a grown pony. I can handle the truth."

Comforting's house of cards fell to the table, falling apart. "Oh, true... yeah..." Ah ha! She turned over the next card that had a picture of her house. "I'm almost an adult, um, responsibility wise."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Are you about to play the maturity card on me?" She slapped a hoof on the card of the house. "I already own a house too. My mom drills me like I'm practically owning the business already." She turned her nose upwards. "Don't treat me like I'm some little baby foal."

"Sorry." Comforting brushed the third card aside, banished so easily. She was running out of cards! "Fine..." She sighed with defeat. "Fine..."

Diamond leaned back with a nod. "Good. So... Which is it? Like, not like?"

"You..." Comforting looked Diamond over, examining her face, her neck, her chest and back up to her face. "You are a lovely filly, physically and... you're still growing, but so am I." Comforting leaned closer. "Different growing, but growing. But it makes me feel awkward... I don't want to take advantage."

Diamond hiked a brow at that. "I've known more than you. I'm usually the one teaching you something. What advantage are you taking?"

Comforting reached for Diamond, and wasn't swatted away. She cradled the filly's face, fingers playing through the soft fur. "Diamond, I'm about a hundred years old at this point. You're... what..."

That got her to swat Comforting away. "Old enough. Me and Silver are getting close to graduating. We could join your school in a few years... What do you mean you're a hundred? You don't act like it."

"No..." Comforting looked guilty, called out on not acting her age. "If it helps, chaos spirits seem to do that a lot." A lousy excuse. She knew her other selves were just as happy acting their apparent ages without being a chaos spirit. "Do I like you."

"That is what I asked." She brought her hooves together. "And all this sidetracking is starting to sound like an answer."

"Right." Comforting gently brushed across Diamond's cheek with a few fingers. "You are lovely."

"And I scare you."

Comforting jumped at that. "What? No!"

"You're not hiding it very well." Diamond snorted at that. "Why am I scaring you? Be honest, with me and yourself if you can pull it off."

Comforting stood up, the table of cards vanishing without purpose, leaving Diamond to land on her hooves. "Because I don't want to mess everything up! Because I just got started with Amity, and could make her really sad if I make the wrong choice. Because I feel like a predator if I even think about you that way. Not because I don't like you. I like you a lot!"

Diamond shook her head slowly. "But not that way. Alright... Alright..." She half-turned away. "You just had to say that."

"Not... that way," admitted Comforting with a heavy sigh. "You are a filly I want to protect, and one I want to be friends with."

"But not one you want to kiss or hug."

"Hugs are good?" Comforting offered a hand. "You can always give hugs."

Diamond chomped the hand. "That means a lot, actually... You hate unexpected hugs." She shook her head. "I have a lot to think about." She walked off, the discussion over.

"Man..." Did she handle that right? She really wasn't certain... "Man..." A part of her wanted to flee, to go consult with Amity and share what was going on, but she had made promises. Promises were annoying like that. "Fine." She clapped her hands and appeared next to Twilight. "How are things going?"

Twilight jumped in surprise. "Oh! Comforting. I didn't see you coming. You... Look tense. Not enjoying yourself?" She waved at the loud room of bowling she was in. "They've split up. Some of the students are dancing, others are bowling. Cheerilee said she'd cover the dance hall."

Comforting took a moment to consider the young ones, grade school and college level though they were. None of them seemed to be about to shove a hand into trouble. "They're okay, I think." She saw Featherweight toss a ball into the pins, getting a strike with whoops of victory. "Aw, good going..." Comforting clapped gently at the image, doing no magic. "Twilight, professor... Can I ask you an awkward relationship question?"

Twilight started anew. "I wasn't expecting that. But, certainly. I'll try to answer as best as I can. What's on your mind?"

Comforting considered how best to phrase it. "You know, at this point, that I am both an old creature and a young creature, right?"

"Yes..." Twilight glanced at the students playing their games, but they seemed safe. "A curious case. What about it?"

"Great! Um..." Comforting rubber her hands together. "I was just propositioned."

Twilight blinked rapidly. "Come again?"

"Diamond Tiara has feelings for me, and she just spelled it out for me." Comforting wove an image of a smiling Diamond Tiara in the air. "And it's not like I don't like her, but I'm not trying to be a creeper hanging out with little children that way."

"Oh." Twilight frowned at the hovering image. "This is a lot more complex than I was imagining... There are moral and ethical questions. Fortunately, for you, not many legal ones."

Comforting blinked at that. "Really? None?"

"None." Twilight inclined her head at Comforting. "Legally, you are a foal. Legally, so is she. If you two get involved, that's between you two. Legally... You are also not a pony, but that doesn't change much, in this situation. But! This isn't about legalities. This is about the heart." She reached out and Comforting didn't stop her from placing a hoof on Comforting's chest. "And that's even more important in these situations."

Comforting cycled her hands. "Now you have me curious... If I'm legally a foal, then why did they give me land and they're alright with me having a house? A foal really shouldn't be doing that!"

Twilight inclined her head. "The laws of Equestria assume a lot of power in the raising of a foal to the parent of that foal. If your parent, Fluttershy, feels you are responsible enough to own property, then, by default, you are. Unless you show that you are not, of course. She could be wrong, but that isn't assumed."

Comforting wobbled in place. She was, legally, a little child that happened to own a house. And there were no objections... "Okay... But what if I was literally any other child and this was a terrible idea?"

"Then the ponies around them would take note." Twilight inclined her head at Comforting. "I knew, and I felt certain Fluttershy was not being foalish with this. A lot of ponies knew. They all judged, silently. If they thought the parent was endangering the foal, things would be different. Town Hall wouldn't have given you the land. Most other foals would be powerless to actually make the house. This wouldn't proceed very far, even with their parent's approval."

"I see..." Comforting put her hands behind her head. "So, not a law, more of the town raising the foals together."

"That, yes." Twilight nodded with satisfaction. "And even if you are a very special foal, we're still there, trying to help."

Comforting pounced at Twilight, hugging her around the neck. "And doing a great job! Thank you so much, Professor. I feel a lot better... But is it fair to even consider Diamond like that? I'm more than triple her age! She's great. Wonderful... But..."

Twilight hiked a brow. "I hear you've found a special somecreature."

"Yeah?" Comforting went limp, confused. "What's that have to do with it?"

"How old are they?"

Comforting frowned with thought. From the way Amity had gone on, they were... thousands of years old... "Oh." She fell back a step, laughing awkwardly. "Wow... I feel dumb..."

"We all do at times." Twilight advanced on the aisles of rolling balls. "But realizing you were being silly is a part of learning, and that's not a bad thing."

"No... No it isn't." Comforting hopped back with a big smile. "Thank you so much. You are such a good pony, and teacher."

"You're very welcome." Twilight looked over her shoulder to find Comforting wasn't there, gone. "A friendly Discord..." Just as disconcerting at times, if less irritating as a default.

Comforting didn't rush to bring it back up with Diamond, instead serving as the omniscient set of eyes for the students. Timely warnings sent the teachers scurrying to keep them all safe, and they arrived in the Minotaur republic with all hooves and hands accounted for.

The dock was a noisy pit of calls and carts. There was smoke in the air, not thick enough to choke a person, but enough to be quite noticeable compared to Ponyville, or the ocean itself. All the students filed down the gangplank with curious expressions, looking around with awe.

Twilight nodded at Cheerilee. "Here we are. We're staying at..." She drew out her schedule, which had that written at it. "Here." She displayed the address to Cheerilee.

The grade school teacher shook her head. "Mmm, that was too much to ask." She smiled. "But we'll see each other at the performance. Students!" They turned to her quickly. "Let's go!" She waved for them to follow her and led them off down the road.

That left Comforting with the friendship students. Twilight looked them over, doing a quick count. "Looks like everycreature is here. Now, I know you all want to go exploring, but this is a whole other country. You will, at all times, be with at least one other student." She curled a hoof to point at herself, then Applejack. "Even better is when you have one of us with you, but, at least, one other student. Let's go check in at the hotel."

Gallus chuckled, following but sliding in towards Comforting. "Twilight's looking ready to freak out if she loses track of any of us."

"So let's not do that to her." Comforting nodded with confidence at that idea. "Did you want to see something specific?"

"Look at them." He waved out at the creatures they were going past. "They got... What even are those?" He gestured at a passing car. It looked like it had escaped the 40s or earlier, quaint and old-fashioned, to Comforting. New and amazing to the other students. "There are so many of them!"

Ocellus shivered. "I don't know... I don't think I like them."

Yona shrugged. "Bet could smash."

"Bet you could." Comforting wagged a finger at Yona. "But you're here to be a nice guest, so no smashing."

"Aw." But Yona didn't fight it very hard.

They went into a hotel that looked older than the automobiles had been. Aging brickwork stood powerfully against the ravages of time. Inside, a smilling minotaur behind their desk nodded to Twilight. "Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's wings ruffled. "Oh! It's... Not often somecreature recognizes me with that title. I wasn't expecting it here."

"Would you prefer I didn't? Good to see you, ma'am. Your suite is prepared for you." He was well mannered and smooth in tone. "Would you like any help with your luggage?"

Soon those who had luggage had them loaded onto a cart to be pushed along by a much younger minotaur, the older one leading the way. "We offer all amenities here, ma'am. If you have any needs, just pick up the phone and it will go directly to the front desk, where we eagerly wait word of what can hone your stay."

Twilight glanced back at her students, walking forward. "Thank you. We'll settle in before we consider that, but that's good to know." She waved for them to head in ahead of her. "Everycreature in. We'll have a whole day to explore."

Author's Note

Welcome to the Minotaur Republic! They seem to be doing alright by themselves. Comforting has big thoughts, but what is the reasonable answer, do you think?

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152 - Exploring

"Wow." Smolder punched at Comforting's shoulder. "I thought you didn't care about that. Gonna be honest, I'm really not sure where you fall."

Comforting rubbed the punched spot. "Fall how?"

Smolder shrugged. "You're sized like a little pony." She held a hand up just as tall as Comforting had been when they first met. "You sound like one too. So, is this the part where I giggle at little kid crushes that probably won't go anywhere? So cute and all that."

Yona perked from her bed. "Not smash kid."

Smolder blinked softly. "Did I just get told not to smash, by Yona of all creatures?" She waved her hands in negation. "A crush is when a creature falls in love with somecreature else."

"Oh." Yona hopped down from her bed with a heavy thump of her frame. "Comforting have crush? Who?"

Ocellus buzzed her wings. "Really? Um... If you want to share..."

Comforting darkened, the entire room becoming interested in her little mess. "Um..." They were, at least, very much old enough to start considering such. "It's complicated. I'm complicated!" She threw her hands up. "I think I have it mostly worked out."

Gallus shrugged. "Hey, you've watched out for me. We're here for you, if you want it. Or just tell us to take a hike."

"Aw." Comforting smiled at the griffon brightly. "That was a very nice thing. I just have to work through it. Nothing's happened that needs an intervention."

Sandbar inclined his head. "This is Diamond Tiara we're talking about, right? She'll get bored."

Silverstream gasped in shock. "That's not very nice."

"Neither is she?" Sandbar shrugged at that. "No offense, but she goes through things she 'loves' pretty fast. I bet she was really surprised when you didn't just say yes."

Comforting gave Sandbar a glare, but it faded about as quickly. "I don't think it's like that... But also doesn't matter. That's not what's got me thinking." She laughed nervously. "And I feel strange talking about it!"

Smolder lifted her hands in a grand shrug. "Hey, we're friends. Talking about love troubles? Part of the package. In fact... I'm totally putting in for extra credit with Twilight. This better count!"

Gallus snickered at Smolder's objection. "Sign me up for that." He directed a thumbs up at Comforting. "Seriously, if you like her, and she likes you, who cares?"

"I like her like a wonderful friend." Comforting rocked on her feet. "I like her like someone I want to see grow into their best self. I want to play, and talk, and enjoy life, and..."

Yona shrugged with a soft grunt. "Sometimes, that enough."

"Huh?"

Yona inclined her sizable head at Comforting. "Know some yaks, just like being near. Talk, enjoy close. Nothing more. All need. Still love."

Smolder snapped her fingers. "Yeah. Not every love has to have sloppy kisses." She made a face as if she was not particularly hunting for such kisses. "If you want to be Gal Pals with her, do that. Not like a BFF is a bad thing."

"No. No, of course not." Comforting bounced a few steps back. "We were already that! I like that... She wants more."

Gallus wagged a finger. "If I'm getting what the others are putting down, she wants 'different', not more. And if you don't wanna, well, she can accept that, or take a hike." He waggled his brows. "'Cause, just sayin', I'm rating you as higher priority between you two. I barely know she exists, and mostly because you hang out with her."

"Comforting." Twilight emerged from the back. "I was hoping to ask a favor, if you have time. I think you'll like it."

Comforting twirled, not bothering to land. "What's up? Need me to watch?"

"Basically, but I'd like you to have fun, too." Twilight went to a nearby window and pointed out of it. "They have an ice-skating rink. We have enough time in the day to enjoy that, and I think--" The room filled with cheers. "--they will like that. Are you up to taking responsibility?"

Comforting inclined a tufted ear at that. "You are putting a lot of trust in me."

"I am..." Twilight curled a hoof to her chin. "I apologize for that. If this sounds like too much, I understand. Applejack... found other things to do." She buried her face in that same hoof. "Or I'd ask her to do it."

"Not to be rude, professor, but what are you doing?" Comforting leveled a finger at Twilight. "You're here."

"I am." Twilight smiled thinly. "But I need to make sure we go to the right place at the right time to see this play. I'm only just now finding out additional steps... The minotaurs are very particular about 'visitors' concerning this holiday, and I want to make sure it goes smoothly. I thought I had this all..." She sighed defeatedly. "Not the first time my plans fell apart... I'll take care of that, but, if it's just up to me, you all wait here tonight. I trust you, if you trust you, to handle this. I know they're a little stir-crazy staying inside."

"Ooo, yeah..." Comforting nodded, imagining snooty minotaurs and reams of red tape. "They didn't make it obvious, huh?" She looked to her friends, turning mid-air. "You all want to go skating?" They were all nodding and pumping fists and hooves. "Okay... Okay!" She rubbed her hands with a grin. "Get dressed."

The prompt had been given, the students scurried off to get ready. Most of them didn't get much in the way of actual clothing, though Sandbar and Ocellus had scarves to keep away the chill. Comforting fixed her gaze on Smolder. "Don't want one too? I know dragons don't mind fire."

"Eh. It wasn't that cold." Smolder shrugged. "Let's get to it."

"Onwards!" Comforting landed and took off at a light jog to the door. "All of you, after me. We'll head over there and have fun. None of you leave my sight." She pointed at one of her eyes.

Gallus ribbed Comforting on the way past. "The smallest, maybe youngest, is in charge? Crazy."

Yona shook her head, next past. "She is not normal foal."

Smolder fired fingerguns along the way. "I, for one, celebrate our new chaotic overlord."

"Stop that!" Comforting zipped out after them all and closed the door behind them. "One thing." She looked over her crowd of students. "Silly thing, maybe, but where is the rest of the school?"

Gallus tossed his head back towards the room they were leaving behind. "It cost enough just getting us here, and it was our idea. Next year, they'll take another class, or so I heard."

Yona nodded firmly. "Best class go first." She thudded alongside the other students and members of 'best class'. "Yak good skate. All know how?"

Ocellus raised a hoof. "I don't. Um, show me?"

"Yes!" Yona threw an arm over Ocellus, swearing to protect the changeling without saying as much. "Fun."

Silverstream giggled. "I never skated either, but it looks super fun! I can't wait to mess it up."

Smolder raised a brow. "Don't most creatures want to not mess it up?"

"You have to mess up to get good at something, duh." Silverstream rolled her eyes with giggles bubbling out. "So, can't wait!"

"Good attitude." Comforting waved them forward. "Let's mess up and get better!"

With a communal cry, they hurried out onto the sidewalk outside of the hotel, just for a wall to snap up in front of them. "Stop!" All the students turned to Comforting. "Remember those things they ride?" She banished the wall with a clap. "They're fast and dangerous." She pointed to a crosswalk. "This way."

So she showed them how to cross safely, a skill that was easy to miss if one never spent a lot of time in a big city. They reached the other side of the street and Comforting sped up, waving them along towards the dividing rope that seperated the rest of the world from that frozen lake. "There." She spotted a spot where creatures were filtering inside. "Let's get in line."

Most of the creatures on that line were minotaurs, to no great surprise. "Woah," gasped out a little minotaur bull calf. "Where are you all from?"

Smolder snickered, pointing back the hotel. "We're visiting to see that big play you're doing."

"Neat!"

Comforting smiled, letting them chit-chat. It was nice seeing them get along with the locals. "Excuse me. Sorry to bother, but is there a fee for getting to the lake?" She pointed to the frozen water.

"Nope." The calf looked so proud of knowing that. "Unless you need to get skates. That isn't free."

As one, all the students looked down to their feet and hooves, with no skates in sight. Well, except one pair. Comforting had some, because she thought of them in that moment. "I'll cover that." She clapped her hands, summoning a floating eye with sparkly lines coming from it. "This is me. Stay where it can see you." She hurried off towards what looked like a stand where one could address that problem.

She didn't 'see' through the eye. Seeing in two places was still a prompt for a headache. That sensor, in theory, would just tell her if something sudden or unexpected happened. Comforting landed at the end of the short line heading to the counter. It seemed most of the minotaurs came with their own supplies and didn't need it. Tourists, on the other hand or hoof... "Hello." She skipped up at her turn. "I'd like a few sets, please."

"A few." The minotaur cow leaned over to look Comforting over. "I only see one of you."

Comforting pointed off to the crowd, still safe so far as she could see. "It's for me and my friends." She pulled out a paper and slapped it down. "Here are their foot or hoof sizes." She didn't know their sizes, but that didn't stop her from making that paper. Ah, chaos... "How much?"

The cow slid the paper closer and looked them over with thoughtful mumbles. "It's twice for the ones that need two pairs," she noted. "We charge by the pair."

"Fair enough." Comforting gave her best smile. "Please."

The cow hiked a thumb at a sign that had the price per pair in big bold letters and numbers. "Good for two hours."

"That sounds fine." Comforting tapped her fingers, doing mental math. "So..." She dug out some bits and slapped them down. "Here we go!"

The cow raised a doubting brow. "Sorry. We don't take Equestrian currency." She showed a different type of money, paper. "Got any of these?"

Well. She didn't, but then she did, offering up a stack of them. "Is that enough?"

She coughed at the sight of it and pushed it back. "Too much! Just one of those."

Comforting seperated one from the rest and held it out, soon getting change back, and a pile of skates she hung over herself. "Thank you!"

That made her think of something. She clicked the mail icon.

Hi dad! I'm off on an education, as I mentioned before. Question! When we make money, does the money... How does that work? Are we making trouble? I don't want them to get fired because of me.

Not that she was returning the skates, instead surrendering them to the students and reclaiming her floating eye to tuck away. "Good job, staying out of trouble."

Gallus snorted at that. "We're not kids. We can manage a few minutes."

Smolder threw an arm around Comforting. "Nice." She worked a skate on with her free hand. "Now, one thing. No cheating. You fall down with the rest of us."

Yona nodded at that as she stepped into her skates, her weight pushing them into place swiftly. "Yes, learn for real. No magic."

Ocellus flared with a burst of heat, wearing skates when it was done. "Only magic I'll use, promise!"

Comforting snickered at her insectoid friend and ward. "I think we're alright with that one." It was their turn and they stepped out onto the ice. To their credit, only half of them immediately fell over.

Author's Note

Ice sports! How many of you have ice skated before?

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153 - Icescapades

When she wasn't using chaos to cheat, Comforting found her balance wasn't that great. "I've done this before," she complained to nobody as she wobbled and shook, trying to get the hang of things.

"Woah there." Sandbar slid in against her, offering his bulk to lean against. "You got this."

"Thanks." Comforting grabbed his fluffy fur and took a step against the ice. "That helps..." She took a slow breath. "Alright! Let's have some fun!"

"Yeah!" He started off, taking her with him. "Let's go!"

She had a thousand things to be distracted by, but her mind went elsewhere than the children she was watching. They were doing well. She reached out a window and flicked out her thumb, creating a little window. In it, a new room appeared at her will, showing all the little children in a room. Cheerilee was doing her best to keep them calm.

"Hi!" Comforting waved at the image with her other hand, which meant she wasn't grabbing Sandbar. She slid out onto the lake, momentum carrying her along. "Miss Cheerilee?"

Cheerilee looked up at the strange panel that had opened up in space itself. "Comforting?" She gestured for some of the foals to quiet down. "I didn't expect you to drop by, but hello. How can I help--"

A foal's face took up the entire window. Thankfully they backed up a step, allowing Diamond's face to dominate it, but more to be seen than her snout. "Comfie! Having fun?"

"Yes." She dug into her pocket and pulled out the spare skates she had, the ones that Ocellus hadn't needed. "Are you about this size?" She read off the number on them.

"Close." Diamond shrugged. "If they're from your other friends, they must be kinda small."

"They are." Ocellus was the slenderest of all the larger students she could think of. "If Cheerilee says yes, how about some skating?"

Diamond hopped out of the way, bringing Cheerilee back into view. One couldn't see the big grin she was flashing at her teacher.

Cheerilee sighed. "I'd say no... But I'm buried in adorable little foals right now. If you... I can trust you, go ahead."

Comforting inclined her head at the vision of the struggling teacher. "Want me to... take more than one?"

Hope. It burned in Cheerilee's eyes. "Would you? Can you? They're my responsibility. You're not even... Nevermind. Do you want to?"

Comforting twirled, almost throwing herself over. "Hey!" she called to the others. "Want to play with some foals too? They wanna skate too."

Smolder shrugged as she slid past. "Sure. No harm. You're still the Responsible One right now."

Yona crashed into Comforting, grabbing her in a big hug. "Want talk mare friend. Bring her."

Comforting pushed the great yak away, keeping her viewing hand up in sight. "We're ready to take on a few little ponies for some fun. Pick... Let's say six?" Six bigger students. Six smaller students. That felt fair... "I'll get them safely here and back."

"Me!" Diamond casually hopped through the window Comforting had created, landing in her arms, sending them, and Yona, sliding further.

"Um." Comforting got her hand back up. "Diamond's here. Who else?"

Cheerilee looked over the room full of eager little faces. "Apple Bloom?" That got all three crusaders looking at her. "I should have seen that coming... Let's not split up ponies. The crusaders and Silver Spoon."

"Is Prickle Berry there?" Comforting angled her view, trying to get a peek at the shy strongfilly. "Prickle! Let's go skating."

A head popped out of the crowd. "Me?" Comforting nodded firmly. "Are you sure?" Comforting nodded all the harder. "Alright..." She filed in after the others, vanishing through the window onto the great pile on Yona. Yona, at least, served as a willing landing pad for them all.

Comforting got skates into the reach of each foal as they came over. "Get dressed! It's time to skate, and probably fall over."

"Half fun." Yona helped with getting them all dressed up properly for the trip. "Show how to skate? Done before!" Her student was sliding around and not falling. Her last job was successful.

The crusaders exploded off in different directions without hesitation, the ice their domain.

Silver smirked as she circled around Yona. "I know how to skate, but, like, thanks."

"I know who doesn't." Diamond poked at Prickle. "No breaking the ice."

"I'll try not to," Prickle squeaked out, blushing. "Is this a good idea?"

Comforting hopped to the ground and grabbed Prickle. "Focus on sliding, not stomping. The whole idea is to slide around." She held Prickle there, touching the ice. "Feel that?"

Prickle almost fell over, scrambling to get her hooves under herself. "Yes. Yes, I feel that."

"Already almost there." Yona nodded with appreciation. "Become good fast."

Diamond twirled in place, kicking up ice flakes. "Look at me!" To her annoyance, Comforting was focused on helping Prickle get the basics down of skating without flopping. "Comfie..."

Comforting reached between here and there to casually pat and stroke down Diamond's back. "I see you, let me get her steady, then we can have fun, promise."

Diamond squeaked at the touch coming from a new angle. "Alright, sheesh." She swatted at the disembodied hand. "You are so extra sometimes." She powered off on smooth lines.

Comforting angled an ear at Prickle. "Looks like only one of you needs lessons." She saw Prickle sag at that. "Don't be like that! We're all new once. I'm not even 100%." She dared to release Prickle. "Go ahead, try a little on your own."

Prickle pressed forward. It was a bit of a shame a little push from her could be a lot. The ice cracked loudly beneath her in a spiderweb of destruction radiating from where her hoof had pressed down. "Oops!"

Yona's eyes widened and glimmered. "Wow..." She grabbed Prickle and slid away with her prize. "That good smash. Never see pony so good at that. Not even trying! How strong?"

"I just am." Prickle curled miserably in Yona's grasp. "Sorry."

"Why sorry?" Yona tossed Prickle up to catch. "Amazing! Yona like. Not here... When get back, Yona show, and see. Want see proper smashing! Ice, not good smash. Know good smash. Fun." She set Prickle down. "Push ahead, not down, not back. Um, like walk, but not lift hooves."

"Like walking?"

Comforting smiled at the interactions. The two seemed to be getting along well enough. She turned in place to make sure the rest were doing alright, then zipped to Diamond. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Diamond leveled a skate at Comforting. "You left on a rocky note. Did you really just pop in to say hi or did something change?"

Comforting went in for a hug, and wasn't denied it. "Right now, we're on pause. Until I talk with my other friend, I'd feel pretty bad making any moves. What I can say for sure--"

"We're friends?" finished Diamond with a raised brow.

"Yes?" Comforting let Diamond slide to the ice. "Is that bad?"

"Ugh... I suppose not." Diamond wriggled her nose. "I'm not a baby foal. I want what comes after."

Comforting froze at that. Was she? "Um... What comes after that?" It seemed better to just ask rather than make any assumptions.

"Hugging, kissing." Diamond rolled a skate-adorned hoof slowly. "Dates, gifts, anniversaries. Showing each other off to parents. Maybe moving in together? Depends on how we feel."

Comforting sagged with relief. All wonderful things, but they missed the edge that adult relationships often brought with them. They were an idealized foal version of having a significant other. Despite her complaints, Diamond was still a filly. A mature filly, sure... But still a filly. "Those all sound fun. I should talk to them though, to be fair. You wouldn't want me to go deciding that after we were a thing without talking to you, would you?"

Diamond pondered that for a moment, then shivered. "Ew. If I ran into you one day sharing smooches with some new pony, I'd be really mad!" Her temper faded as understanding arrived. "Oh, yeah... Yeah, that makes sense." She smiled up at Comforting. "You are a good chaos creature, in case nopony told you before."

Comforting smiled, genuine and relaxed. "Glad to hear it, all of it. I should warn! I am a chaos creature. I have odd friends. Are you sure you want to date something like that?" It hit her. Amity had said much the same thing to her, back when they were still considering things. Would you date a tree? As it turned out, Comforting was alright dating a tree... But the tree warned her first, because it was a good tree. She was warning Diamond, because Comforting wanted to be good too. The tree had allowed her to try... "I need to talk with her."

"You mentioned that." Diamond waved it off. "Are they alright?"

Comforting twirled to see Apple Bloom, Sandbar, and Ocellus had crashed together in an ungainly pile. "Oops! Responsible time!" She zipped off to help with that.

Silver brought herself to a smooth stop next to Diamond. "How'd it go? Did she say yes, or, like, is it time for extra special ice cream?"

"Nothing that dramatic." Diamond pushed ahead, skating along on all four legs working in tandem. "She needs to talk to her +1 before she takes a step. I can... understand that."

Silver slid up next to Diamond. "But she already has a plus one. Unless she ditches them, how can you be theirs?"

"I can't."

Silver blinked in surprise. "Wow, like... wow. You're taking that pretty well."

Diamond shoved Silver, sending them sliding away. "I'm not, but facts are facts. She got there first. I need to meet this pony, or whatever they are..."

"That's more like my Diamond." Silver curled with the momentum given her, turning back towards Diamond. "Let's make sure you win this!"

"I don't think it works like that." She put the blade of her skate under her chin. "If they're like Comforting, you can't buy them, and you can't intimidate them. You can talk to them and maybe convince them."

"Then, like, we'll convince them, duh." Silver rolled her eyes. "Just tell me when and where. You know I have your back."

"Yeah." The two came together to perform their dance, ending with sugar lump rumps. It was extra impressive, performed on the ice. "I know you do." Diamond smiled at her friend, her BFF. "We're stuck together!"

"Oh no," cried Silver. "The horror of it all." They giggled together and skated off, things settled for the moment.

Comforting clapped as she hovered up above the rest of the playing creatures, young and younger. "You all having fun?" The cheers she got back were positive. "Great! Little ponies, sending you back in about half an hour and we'll grab another set. Older creatures, you can stay or you can go, but let me know which you plan on doing." Some noises of dissatisfaction rose, but what could one do about that? "Not fair to not let the others have a turn if we can."

She touched down near the crusaders. "Hey."

Sweetie waved energetically. "Hi there!"

"Hey." Scootaloo skidded to a stop in front of Comforting. "We haven't hung out all that much lately... Um, sorry."

For? But it clicked and comforting grabbed the little pegasus in a firm hug. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I almost forgot about that. Besides, I like me, and without you, I wouldn't be this." She waved over her chaotic form. "So I should be thanking you. Thanks!"

Scootaloo rubbed behind her head. "Oh, uhm... Okay! That's good." She leaned in, hoof raising for conspirational whispers, "Is it true? Are you thinking about Diamond Tiara?"

Apple Bloom jumped forward, skidding on the ice. "Tell us!"

Sweetie nodded from where she was. "If you want to."

"Ah guess." Apple Bloom giggled, holding herself back. "But we wanna know."

Comforting put up her hands wardingly. "Nothing's happened. We're friends. You're friends. Are you more than friends?"

They looked at one another.

Author's Note

Ah, fillies. They have feelings! Who even does that?!

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154 - Curtain Raise

Comforting sent the little ponies home at the end of the evening. She walked back with the older students. "Phew!" She walked with her hands waving freely at her sides. "That was some day, but worth it."

"Yeah." Gallus had his hands behind his head, walking along with them. "Thanks for the mini-trip."

Noises of approval came from the others as they filtered into the hotel and back up to where Twilight was waiting for them.

"Ah, there you are." Twilight sat up, Applejack a bed over. "Welcome back. Are you hungry? We can order some food, then we should retire early."

The temptation of room service was far too great, and ice-skating had built up a desire for food, so they got some food with cheers and merriment.

So it ended with cheer the day, and they settled for a night of sleep.

Hi!

Having fun back there? I'll be back soon, promise...

Comforting was laying in bed, peering at the letters that only she could see. "Mmm..." She wanted to write more, but also, shouldn't she be not writing a single word?

Thinking of you,
Comforting

She pressed the send button, not entirely satisfied with a huff, but she couldn't think of what else to put there.

The next day, they headed out together towards their target, the great performance hall. The air was heavy with the scent of aged oak, and occasional whiffs of strong drinks wafted through the lively gathering of minotaurs in the open space. She scanned the crowd and noticed that nearly everyone was dressed formally in suits or dresses. The school members stood out as the most relaxed and informal group in attendance.

Comforting considered fixing that, but that felt a bit overmuch... She could dress herself, so she did, sporting a billowing dress that hadn't existed a moment before. the colors of the arms and legs were each different, matching with the parts she had underneath in a clashing, yet formal, ensemble.

Ocellus giggled at the sight. "Look at you!" With a flare of changeling magic, she was dressed like a formal changeling. "Ta da!"

Yona clapped at the two. "Not bring dress."

Sandbar shook his head. "Are you supposed to be all..."

"Stuck up?" Gallus rolled his eyes.

"Took the words out of my mouth." Smolder shared a firm high five with Gallus. "Don't know what they're all dressed up for."

A minotaur ahead of them turned with a scowl on his face. "Foreigners... This is a very important performance."

Comforting took a step forward with a big smile. "Can you tell us about it? We'd love to hear."

The minotaur was surprised, his face making no secret of it. To be brushed off or argued with felt far more likely. The foreigner had genuine interest? "You're just saying that..." His eyes went to the Responsible Adults. "Trying to look good for them?"

Comforting shook her head quickly. "We really want to know. This is the first time we got to see this. Sorry if that was ignorant, um, but we are. Tell us?"

The minotaur cracked a little smile. "Well... If you really want to know." He turned fully to face the students and their teachers. "Today is a day we celebrate the founding of the Minotaur Republic! Before it were lawless times." He pantomimed dramatically, getting into the tale quickly. "A minotaur eat minotaur world, where only the fastest, cruelest, and strongest had a chance of not being run over!"

Twilight perked, her attention grabbed by the sudden oration. "Ooo, please, do go on."

The minotaur bull waved behind himself, towards the front of the line. "I won't say the whole story, we're about to watch it, but the important part to know is that we clawed our way out of those dark times. It was a team effort! We, unlike some, don't pin all our hopes and dreams on any one lone genius." He snorted powerfully. "No offense... But you ponies have a bit of a hero complex."

Smolder cocked a brow. "Some of us aren't ponies."

"Yes, right..." His eyes wandered over the wild clash of not-ponies there. "Huh... This is quite the eclectic gathering, isn't it?"

Gallus shrugged. "If it helps, griffons aren't much better. We got our heroes."

Yona thumped her chest. "Yaks have great yaks, but all yak great yaks. No such thing as small yak." She nodded, sure in the confidence of her people. "Want see great minotaurs. Sound good story!"

"One of the best," laughed the bull. "You're in for a treat... Look, sorry. You all sound like you're actually here to listen... I assumed..." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sorry. I hope you enjoy the show." He turned back towards the front of the line. "At least the line's moving well this year. Last year was a mess."

Comforting inclined her head as she stepped forward with the line. "How bad was it? Did something happen?"

"A minotaur didn't do their job... Which made another behind, which... It was a chain reaction." The older bull huffed in the memory. "Everybull is important. It was a good reminder, but a painful one. Glad it doesn't seem to be happening again."

"For want of a nail," sang Comforting, remembering an ancient tale.

The minotaur's ear perked. "What? You heard of it then?"

Comforting froze. "Um, no? Lucky guess?" She laughed nervously. "I swear... Were they missing a horseshoe nail?"

"Actually, yes... An amazingly good guess." He laughed, but didn't turn back to them. "What a display... Oh, first scene. Keep an eye on the calf. They'll be important later. No spoilers, just keep an eye on them. Something you learn rewatching."

Smolder clapped. "Now there's some advice. I'll take it." She winked at her friends. "A little spoiling can help you know what to look for, I say."

Sandbar waved that off. "I'd rather go in fresh and be surprised."

Silverstream looked mystified at the both of them. "I don't get it..."

Ocellus nudged against her with a smile. "The more you know, the more you know to look for. The less you know, the more surprised you can be when things happen. They're both good ways to enjoy something."

Gallus squinted at Ocellus. "Well, guess we can stop arguing about it then?"

"Nuh uh." Silverstream shook her head vigorously. "Means the first time is great for being surprised, then you can watch it again and see new things every time! Wow, I never thought of it like that... I am ready to be surprised!" She clapped her palms on her cheeks. "Bring it on! I know nothing!"

Smolder elbowed the excitable hippogriff. "You know something, ya goof. You know it's about minotaurs. You know it's about them coming together. You even know to look for the calf."

"True..." Silverstream stroked over her beak with thought. "But that isn't much. Still ready to be surprised."

Applejack slid in next to Comforting. "Hey, sugarcube, just wanted to share something."

"Keep an eye on them?" Comforting tossed her head at the others.

"Nope." Applejack smiled gently. "Ya did yer part for now. Ain't fair to ask that. Yer here to enjoy this with the rest of 'em. So you sit back, and just enjoy the show. Trust us teachers to do our job. Yer officially off-duty."

Comforting smiled with a tension being released she hadn't noticed was creeping up on her. "Thanks." She threw an arm over Applejack, hugging her warmly, if briefly. "Try to enjoy it too, if you can."

"Ah'll do my best." Applejack tilted her hat. "But ah am on-duty, and keeping y'all safe is top of the list."

They presented their tickets. Rather, Twilight gave over the tickets for the whole class and teachers. "We're all seated together."

The minotaur cow looked over the tickets and ripped each in half. "You sure are. Do you need help finding the seats? It can be confusing for first-timers."

Twilight raised a hoof swiftly. "Please. Thank you."

"Enjoy the show." She looked to the next in line. "Next."

A bellhop hurried over. "Let me see that." He took one of the tickets for a quick scan. "This way, please." And so they made their way to their seats. They weren't ideal seats, but they weren't the worst either. Perfectly normal seats in the great place, on the second floor.

The show began with early minotaurs, living in towns, each an island of civility, each on their own. It was only when they fought their isolationist motions and unified that things got done. Sandbar rubbed at his cheek. "Huh... not that different from--" A chorus of shooshes got him to quiet quickly.

The Republic of Minotaurs formed when they had decided, as a people, that their power was mightiest together. A congress was formed, forged of those their people had duly elected from each province that made up their nation. The follies of the past would be set aside.

"What threatens the joy of any of us, threatens the joy of all of us," called one minotaur, the words echoed by others with a stomp of their hooves and a thunderous applaud from the audience. It had taken great trials for them to reach that point, but they had arrived. The Republic of Minotaurs would stride towards the future, together.

Twilight emerged from the darkness, giggling faintly. "That was great!" She whirled on her students. "I hope you all enjoyed that. I expect a writeup on your thoughts, to be shared when we get back."

Groans echoed through the students, but some smiles were mixed in there.

"Twilight." Cheerilee was fighting through the crowd with her foals behind her. "There you are. I didn't see you coming in. A fascinating tale, hm?"

"Indeed!" Twilight smiled at the little ponies. "Did you learn anything?"

Snips waved a hoof wildly. "You're better off making plans with other creatures that are on the same page."

Twilight let a hoof fall. "Uh, hm. Yes, technically valid..."

Featherweight lifted his camera. "They do not appreciate flash photography."

Twilight cringed at that idea. "I imagine not... But!" She pointed the way. "They have a souvenir stand right here. I see some excellent pictures waiting to be had."

Cheerilee chuckled at her students' answers. "We'll go over the story when we get back... But I think it was worth it."

"It was." Spoiled emerged from the crowd, nudging students ahead while she was at it. "An interesting story. We ponies had to learn many similar lessons, didn't we?"

Twilight bobbed her head. "Yes! That was the part that jumped out at me the most. It's fascinating to imagine other creatures having the same challenges we faced, from their own unique lens."

Spoiled prodded Comforting. "We need to talk."

Comforting went stiff as a board a moment. "Um... what about?"

"You know what about." Spoiled leaned in. "I leave it in your... hands... if that is before or after we return."

Comforting swallowed audibly. "After. Let's get everyone home first."

"Everycreature," corrected Spoiled with a mild shake of her head. "Now where did, ah, there." She went off to speak to Diamond and Silver.

Twilight waved towards the exit. "Well, that was some show, and long enough... Why don't we, since we're all together, go out and celebrate, together. We can exchange notes on the show and... also enjoy ourselves?"

Cheerilee brightened at the idea. "That sounds like a lovely idea." She coiled on herself and drew out her return trip tickets. "We're heading back tomorrow, you?"

"Same." Twilight paused. "Oh, how lovely. We're probably on the same boat. That will be nice. But--"

"--But," cut in Applejack. "First let's get all these fine foals some quality grub!"

The crowd of students, young and old, cheered at the idea and they all moved for the exit, chatting animatedly about the show they had just finished watching.

The Student Six closed round Comforting, gabbing about the specifics of how the minotaur show was similar and different. Each of them had a different part that stood out to them.

Author's Note

Show time! It was like the ponies, but also very much not theirs. A unique twist on a different culture, I hope.

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156 - Think Big

She had to talk to Spoiled, but she put that off. She had to go bigger. She had to go larger... Comforting took a slow breath, chest inhaling a moment. "Silly... You don't need that." So she stopped breathing. Her body was a comfy jacket. Her body had failed her, once, and she stepped beyond it, with the help of her father.

Her body had failed her once before, and she stepped beyond it, to the world of ponies and magic.

Her body had almost failed one other time... but she had kept it together, and gained a lifelong friend. Bodies were funny like that. It wasn't time for bodies.

She left her body behind, sitting there calm as a statue as she cast her thoughts out. She could see Ponyville, not actually floating over it, but watching it from afar, with no rooted physicality to tie her down. She simple knew Ponyville and all that was going on in it.

Ponies were laughing. Ponies were crying. Ponies were smooching and hugging and playing. Ponies were aging, and being born. She could feel every last bit of the life of Ponyville, as if she were right next to every pony at the same time, and the other creatures as well.

Though it felt like she were beside them all, picking any one of them was difficult. They were all in front of her at the same time, creating a bewildering pattern of living, intimate, and yet so far seperate.

"God mode activated," she thought to herself, or did she say it? She wasn't entirely sure.

Startling her, she felt warm fuzziness press against her. Cracked had curled around her, protecting her still form as she thought her big thoughts. "Aw..." A lifelong friend, surely, but she turned her attention back to Ponyville. She had to think bigger, eventually, but Ponyville felt like a good start.

A fading presence. Comforting followed the sensation. There was no travel, she simply did, and knew a pony whose time was coming to an end. There was no grand event. They weren't hurt, not in any way one could address in any normal way. The great mechanisms that allowed for the miracle of life had simple run their course. The shareware of existance was about to expire...

She could fix it. A little clap, the clock could be reset. Just like that, a sadness, avoided. But that wasn't her job. Not in the way that she begrudged the idea. Helping a pony to smile felt like a grand thing... But that was a temporary solution at best. She wouldn't always be there to keep kicking that can down the road.

She spread her thoughts, feeling where the pony touched others. They had a family. They had friends. None of them knew the pony was passing. That would sadden them when they later learned. It would be far too late, and that would make them even sadder. This too will pass, but it would be a cruel way.

So... She wouldn't revive the pony, but she would offer a mercy, to them, and to those they loved. She clapped her hands, and they knew. They knew, deep in their pit of pits, the center of their bodies. They knew they were needed. The why of it, they'd never know. They just knew they were needed, and some of them accepted the call.

That pony would not fade into darkness alone.

A chance at farewells had been given. She withdrew from that one sad tale. Ah, a brightness. A young pony worked feverishly with a pencil in her little mouth. She had come across something wonderful, a next step in the path trotted on by so many before her, paving the way forward. She was about to put down the next brick.

She wouldn't finish the road. She would just get down a brick, but she was working so very hard on doing that.

But she was also getting completely drained. Youth meant, sometimes, forgetting that one had limits. Comforting enveloped the pony in a tight embrace, though she wasn't there, and softly reminded them of their mortal failings.. "You will finish this tomorrow," she urged them. "You will... But care for yourself."

The pony grumbled to themself, wanting to finish, but they slid to their hooves anyway. "Maybe a little break..."

A little thing, but it would help. Comforting left them.

A pony sagged under the weight of a thousand guilts, playing in a feverish daydream. Comforting pressed into it and found another pony entirely.

"You." Luna frowned at Comforting. "What are you doing here?"

Comforting squeaked. She had a form. It was a dream form, but still a form. "Hi?"

"Hello yourself." Luna inclined her head. "My question, answer it. Why are you here? This is not your dream."

"No." How did she explain that? Comforting rubbed at her chin. "I come in peace?"

Luna leaned in and down, pressing her forehead to Comforting's. "Then you will say why you are here, or I will have to banish you. I am the guardian of dreams, you know this, I feel."

"I came for the same reason you did." Comforting fidgeted in place. "Which was a mistake. I shoulda guessed you'd take care of it."

"Truly..." Luna lashed her tail behind her. "To watch the dreams of my little ponies is my duty, and one I hold dearly. I will tend to this one."

"Wait!" Comforting hopped forward as Luna backed away. "Want to get one up on your sister?"

Luna hesitated at that. "You are taunting me, and we are not in any direct competition, no longer..."

"But would you?" Comforting had the biggest smile on. "It won't hurt anyone, promise."

"Little chaos spirit." Luna turned back to Comforting with a faint smile. "Let me tend to this dream. They need me. We can speak afterwards."

So Comforting left, tending to other ponies of Ponyville with little nudges and pushes to get them on better paths without fixing things for them. "I am creating harmony," she sang to herself as she tapped a mare on the nose that would never know she was there. In a way, she wasn't there. Her touch brought with it the gentlest reminder to not forget something the mare had been about to set aside. The mare could ignore it. The mare could still forget. But it was a little reminder.

She was God, and she spoke in soft whispers. It was up to her people to listen, and to respond. They didn't need her, but she would make their lives better, if she could.

She perked an ear. Luna had finished with that dream. She could feel it, in the general morasse of sensation of the entire town. She rushed back, appearing before Luna. "All done?"

"All done." Luna sat before Comforting. "Now what is this you were speaking of?"

Comforting conjured an image of Celestia. "Long has your sister had the helping words of a spirit. I know her, the spirit, nice person! But what if you could have one?"

Luna's ears danced with a startled expression. "What would that... entail? I do not need prophetic dreams. My nights are quite busy enough."

Comforting waved at herself, then Luna. "We're doing it right now. Celestia's spirit guide prefers a subtle touch, but you know me, and I know you. We can just talk. But!" She thrust up a finger. "But! Sometimes... I will get a bit vague. I can't say all the details. There are rules and things... But I'll never lie." She grabbed Luna's round cheeks. "Who could lie to such a cute pony?"

Luna swatted away the grabbing hands. "Stop that. I am not cute! I am imposing." She raised her head high. "I am regal!"

She was adorable, but Comforting kept that opinion to herself. "What do you think? A helpful spirit to warn you when things are about to go pearshaped."

"About to...?"

"Go bad," rephrased Comforting. "Or when something needs doing. You will be my agent, to help Equestria!" She clapped with building joy. "No forcing, to be clear. I'd just say what's going on, and you do it, or don't. I can't make you. What am I, your mom?"

"You are not that," answered Luna flatly. "But you will only speak when there are words worth hearing... Is that correct?"

"Yep!" Comforting hopped back and didn't bother landing, as if dreams had gravity if one didn't want it, even for those who weren't spirits. "Unless you just want to hang out. I wouldn't complain about that. I bet you're a pony that'd only get more fun if I knew more about you. Oh, hm, I do go to school, so not during that, sorry."

Luna inclined her head slowly. "A spirit that goes to school... You are a curious thing. Enough. I accept your proposal. You may speak to me of matters dire, and I will do with them as I decide it."

"Exactly." Comforting began to fade away. "I'm still learning how to be the best spirit, but here's to future world saving."

Luna blinked at the spot that once held Comforting. "World saving? Me...?" She raised a hoof to her chin. "I... would like a turn..." A little smile spread on her lips. "Perhaps I will enjoy this arrangement." She vanished with her own pop, off to other dreams in need of her presence.

Comforting opened her eyes, returned to one point of space at a time. It was warm, and fuzzy. She was being hugged in a coil by Cracked, who seemed to notice her waking. "Ah, you're awake." Cracked sat up, leaving Comforting to stand on her own. "You were... I wasn't sure. I thought to guard you until you recovered. Are you well?"

Comforting hopped and didn't come back down, moving to give Cracked a gentle hug around the snout. "I'm fine. I was... Out, doing things, but I was fine, promise."

"You hunt prey I cannot even imagine." Cracked licked Comforting across her entire front. "I am very proud." Behind her, her tail swayed with a canine's eagerness. "Can I help?"

"Uh, hm." Comforting considered her big ponydog friend. "No." Cracked looked crestfallen. "Because I want to help you."

Cracked perked, though seemed unsure. "Help me how? You've already done so much for me." She stretched, claws tacking on the wood floor. "This wonderful den, a fine pack of little hunters, a community that has learned to accept and love me... I owe you more than ever I could repay."

"All good things." Comforting put her hands behind her head, leaning back. "But you're missing something."

"I struggle to imagine what that could be." Cracked looked back over herself, as if she could spot it with just a little effort. "What am I missing?"

"Another of you." Comforting poked Cracked on the nose. "If you want one. If you don't, that's alright too, but if you do, I want to help."

Cracked scratched at her cheek. "You mean... a mate? Little Alpha, a mated pair of me would take up a lot of space. Are you certain you'd want that?"

"If it makes you happier, then yes." Comforting lowered to the ground. "Not even any doubt. Do you want that?"

"That is a large question. Larger than me, and I'm already quite large..." She settled, head on her forehooves. "They would need to be nice. A feral mate would cause too many troubles for the friends I've made. It would be... trying... if they kept trying to eat them. If they hurt a single hair on Prickle Berry, I would be forced to hunt them."

Comforting winced, but laughed with it. "Ouch, okay! Still, that's nice. I'm glad you two are getting along."

"Prickle Berry? Never have I seen such a powerful little pony. I admire her, and wish to see her grow. She is a fine friend, even if she needs to learn to enjoy her strength." Cracked nodded along with her words. "But a mate, hmm...."

Author's Note

What would a Cracked mate be like?

Is being Luna's spirit guardian a good idea?

Did Comforting make good progress as a god today?!

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157 - Mother of Problems

Practicing divinity was nice and all, but there were no tricks to the next problem. Well, there were, but most of them involved being a naughty little spirit, so Comforting just walked up and knocked on the door.

It opened a moment later, revealing Ralf, their butler. He seemed surprised, looking at Comforting, then their gate. The gate was still closed. This was hardly an impediment. "Can I help you?"

Comforting waved at the bewildered butler. "Hi. Spoiled wanted to talk with me. I'm Comforting Shade? The chaos spirit if that helps."

"Very good." He turned back inside. "Please, if you would." He led her inside to a sitting room and directed his hooves at a small table. "Please, avail yourself. I will check on the lady." He left, decorum intact.

"Good butler material." Comforting didn't grab a snack, instead a seat, getting comfy on it. "Now we chat..."

"Comforting?" Diamond peeked in from another door. "What are you..." She trailed off, seeing something around the corner and dashing away with a squeak.

Spoiled was upon the room a moment later, nose upturned, though that was baked in. "Thank you for coming." She bumped the door shut behind her with a sway of her hip on the way in. "I was starting to wonder if you'd lost your nerve."

"I was distracted." She didn't bother going into the specifics of spiritly things. "Hello! We never really met. Are we changing that?"

"That would be ideal." She took a bottle in her teeth and poured out two drinks. "These are safe for foals, before you ask." She set the bottle down. "Now, you are a spirit. You have no pedigree, but being one of those could be considered a pedigree of its own."

Comforting casually snatched the second glass, her arm retracting rapidly back to her side from its stretched state. "I don't try to take advantage of it. It's just a thing I am, not an exciting qualifier."

"But you've caught Diamond's eye." She arched a brow. "What is the nature of your relationship? Be blunt."

Comforting colored a little, old enough, on the inside, to think of a few naughty things. "Nothing but friendship, and maybe a hug once in a while? We share breakfast a lot, and chat. We enjoy each other enough to want to keep doing that." She sipped the drink, finding it to be a minty experience with some faint citrusy after-taste.

"Diamond wouldn't be trying this." She looked down on Comforting, helped by Comforting sitting in the chair as she was. "If she thought you were just 'friend' material. She has one of those. She has yet to try asking her to be a girlfriend or start courting." Her eyes rolled with a will of their own. "I would have had quite the conversation if she had."

"I want--" Spoiled was quite focused on her. "--for her to be happy." Comforting lifted from the chair, taking a fresh sip of that drink. "I won't cheat for her. But I will cheer her on."

Spoiled's snout wrinkled. "Define 'cheat' in this situation?"

Comforting left the glass to float on its own as she brought her hands together gently. "Like a nice clap and she has her own mansion. A snap and she's buried in bits. That sort of thing?"

"Which you could do, I surmise." She couldn't look down on Comforting as easily, floating as she was. "But you won't."

"I wouldn't." Comforting circled around the parent of a pony. "That's cheating. I have faith Diamond will make all the bits she wants to make, and she'll be so much prouder doing it without my shortcutting it."

Spoiled allowed a faint smile. "A mature take on it... But if she were to insist?"

"I'd tell her why I'm not doing it." She zipped in, nose to nose with Spoiled. "Then not do it."

Spoiled's eyes crossed a moment before she could back a step and get Comforting in a better position to look at. "Firm... You are, I hope you realize, a check with no written amount. Many would like to try penning their wishes on you, even if just to see if you might grant them. Does that bother you?"

"A little?" Comforting shrugged, the glass floating over for another sip. "I don't like arguing with people if I can avoid it." A thought came to her with a little smirk. "What would you write on this blank check?"

Spoiled recoiled. "Me?! I wouldn't presume..." But one could see the thoughts bouncing around. "There are a fair few ponies I'd... like some time with. I imagine, being what you are, getting me on their schedule would be foal's play."

"Easy peasy." Comforting inclined her head. "I wouldn't do that though. I could say hi?"

Spoiled perked her ears at that. "Even that would be a boon... Curious creature, I don't think you fully realize the scope of your abilities. Just being able to walk up to most ponies and 'say hi' is already more than many of us could manage."

"I'm still learning." Comforting considered Spoiled. "I admit, I expected you to be a little... more aggressive."

"Me?!" Spoiled frowned a moment, but it passed into a little smile. "Diamond told you that, didn't she? I am tough on her, because it will make her grow into the best mare she will eventually be. She has a family business to take up, and it won't be easy. She'll eventually wish she could deal with me instead..." Spoiled snorted softly. "Really... You, I think, understand this." She leveled a hoof at Comforting. "You could make life easier for her, but you don't. You want her to grow too."

"I do!" Comforting looked the mare over, some doubt in her expression. "But I don't think you're 100% innocent. You're playing nice. I don't mind someone being nice, but you have your own goals."

"Me?!" A shrewd expression grew as Spoiled leaned in. "Glad you noticed. Perhaps, you're not as clueless as I had feared. Still, I'm not entirely lying. She needs a firm hoof, or she'll just be another... forgive the pun, spoiled little brat with no idea what she's doing."

"Well, she is Spoiled's little brat," reasoned Comforting out loud, giggling at the pun Spoiled had put down in easy grabbing distance. "But no cheating."

"Impossible."

Comforting blinked at that firm denial. She put her empty glass down on the table it came from. "Why do you say that?"

"Because." Spoiled turned to keep Comforting ahead of her. "You are what you are. Your very existence is 'cheating', unless you landed--" She pointed to the ground. "--and stopped teleporting, and stopped doing many of the things you do out of habit. You, are a chaos spirit." She raised the same hoof just under Comforting's chin. "A kind chaos spirit, by every report, but still a chaos spirit. You will bring change, though it seems you're quite set on it being a positive. Still, a change. That hardly seems a thing you can change."

"I suppose not..." Comforting did land, cowed perhaps. "Are you still mad?"

"Livid." Spoiled snorted softly. "Really... It's only that I gave consent to it that prevents me from taking action." She leaned in at Comforting. "That consent is rescinded."

"Got it." Comforting hopped back, letting gravity draw her back down. "No changes without you saying alright ahead of time... Um..." Bringing up lessons learned felt awkward at best. "So... You're alright, with this?" She gestured between herself and someone else not there.

"No." Spoiled sat. "But I'm not a foal. Trying to deny her, now, would only make her run. She would flee into your arms, and you would catch her. You are a dangerous creature here... So, I move carefully. Now, my turn for a question."

Comforting nodded in quick jerks at that. "Sure." A question might tell her more about what Spoiled was thinking about. "Please, go ahead."

"Very good..." She brought up her hooves and trailed a pattern of Comforting's shape from the front. "Why? You are a foal. You act like a foal, a clever one... But your interests are that of a foal. You strike me as the sort of creature that'd rather enjoy a finely crafted ice cream cone over any amount of... physical affection of the sort girlfriends engage in."

That brought Comforting to a halt for a moment, considering. "That's a legit good question."

"I try to ask things worth asking." Spoiled seemed pleased with herself. "And your answer?"

"I have no interest in Diamond Tiara the way you're implying. I want to be her best friend. I want to hug her and treat her nicely. If she wants a girlfriend, I'll be a good one! We'll celebrate anniversaries and go on long walks and--"

"Diamond is not a foal, not a small one. She stands at the edge of adulthood." Spoiled tapped the ground. "With that, come certain expectations. What will you do when her needs go beyond your own?"

"We'll talk?" Comforting shrugged softly. "We'll talk, honest... I'll make it clear where the line is, and if she isn't going to be happy with me staying on my side, then we stop it. I wish her the absolute best luck, hope to stay her friend, and root her on when she moves on to some other pony, or creature."

"You..." Spoiled leaned in, a smile slowly spreading. "You just pledged your loyalty to your immature stance, but in the most mature way I've heard in some time. Be honest. You are not a rock. I dare say, chaos spirit, change comes naturally to you. How can you assure me she won't change your mind?"

"I can't?" Comforting wriggled in place, awkwardly shuffling. "If she convinces me... Is that a bad thing, exactly? So long as we both know what we're doing and we both agree to it and we both know the consequences of those choices, I can't really give more of a chance for consent than that, can I?"

"So, you would." Spoiled tapped Comforting dead center of her chest. "You are not opposed to it."

"I am." Comforting folded her arms, partially guarding from future pokes. "I am against it, but, as you just said, my mind could change. I'm happy being a little girl. She is a slightly older little girl. If she wants me to be a loving +1, I will love the ever loving heck out of her! She will never lack for hugs and holiday chocolates."

Spoiled snorted, turning into almost a titter against a hoof. "You remind me of Filthy when he was younger and not being a little stallion getting into trouble." She sighed, relaxing to almost a flop. "Very well... You've answered my questions. Now... If you do accept this, you accept me. That is one of the ways families operate. I think you understand this?"

"Yes, um, oh!" Comforting clapped her hands, conjuring a startled pegasus. "Mom!"

"Oh, yes?" Fluttershy quickly turned to Comforting. "Was that you? Please tell me before you, um, do that."

Spoiled looked between the two. "You have no physical similarity, but in action, you two are a lovely pair. Hello, Miss Fluttershy."

Fluttershy squeaked, twirling to face Spoiled. "Hello, ma'am!" She bowed low. "Sorry to interrupt. Is Comforting bothering you?"

Comforting huffed at the idea.

Spoiled shook a hoof. "I called her. She is not... But I understand why you are here. If I am entering her family, than surely you are entering Diamond's, which puts us in direct contact." She offered the same hoof towards Fluttershy. "We should speak."

Fluttershy touched hoof to hoof. "Um, certainly. A... pleasure to meet you." She curled her hoof to her chin. "We should meet somewhere, um, neutral? A picnic, outside. Um... What is Comforting doing?"

Spoiled blinked slowly. "You don't know?" She leaned in with a growing smirk. "Your little Comforting is about to begin courting with Diamond Tiara."

Author's Note

Did you forget about Spoiled? She didn't, and neither did Comforting.

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158 - It's official

"Hey." Diamond walked at Comforting's side. "I didn't expect to see you here. How'd it go... with her?"

Comforting raised a lone finger. "First, she's still a bit mad about the age swap." Diamond winced at the memory. "Not blaming her, but she agreed to it, which is why she said she can't be too angry." Comforting put out a second finger. "She knows about you and what you're asking me." She turned the two fingers to herself and a third finger went out. "She's meeting with Fluttershy, my mom, since if we get serious, both will be involved as loving parents."

"Loving, right." Diamond dramatically rolled her eyes at that.. "Wait." She leaned in so hard she almost knocked Comforting over. "Is there a thing for them to be involved in?!"

Comforting paused in her walking, turning to Diamond properly. "I think there is, if the offer's still--"

"--Yes!" Diamond colored brightly. "Sorry... Um..." She shrank back a step, dizzy. "Sorry. Please, continue." She did her best to regain her decorum.

Comforting put a hand on Diamond's fuzzy cheek. "You want to be my girlfriend, and for me to be yours. If that's still an option--" She could feel Diamond tense, ready to answer that. "Then I accep--" She didn't get to finish her words, being tackled and hugged by Diamond, knocked to the floor with a thump. "--cept?" The world was spinning briefly, having knocked her head, but it was no lasting injury. It took more than that to knock out a creature like herself.

Diamond buried her face into Comforting's neck, clutching to her with hooves pressed to Comforting's back. "Dummy..."

Comforting tried to sit up, but Diamond was quite insistent. "We are... a thing now?"

"Yes." Diamond slid off, sitting up properly. "Oh, just to be clear, I'm not a backwater hick." She waved over Comforting. "I don't care if you're a guy or a girl. Really, pretty sure you can be either, both, or none, if you want to."

"If I wanted to." Comforting remained what she was to start, for the time. She got up without further objection. "What I am is Comforting Shade, your new plus one. Which comes with questions. It didn't matter before, but now it does! I need to know what language of love you speak."

Diamond colored brightly at that. "Comfy! Bold! You're... moving faster than I thought you would."

Comforting giggled. "Not like that. Different people speak different languages of love. What makes you feel loved? Is love a gift of candy? Is love a written letter? Is love taking time to work on a project with you? Maybe love is a big hug! Love means different things to different people, and different people express it that way, and hope to get it. What is your language of love?" She leaned in with a smile, looming a bit over Diamond with her cheating biped stance. "I want to whisper it in your ear."

That didn't help Diamond's vivid coloring. "Comfie... Um, hm, um..." She danced in place. "I never had anypony ask me that before. I'll... I want... little gifts." She held her hooves up close. "Little things that remind you of me, that you think I'd like. Even if you're wrong sometimes. I want to know you're thinking about me even when I'm not there, and that's a way to show it, and something I can hold onto and treasure when you're off doing... whatever it is you do."

"Aw!" Comforting went in for noserubs. "That's adorable. Alright. Wish granted. I'll keep an eye out for things that remind me of my Diamond and bring them to her to consider. If she likes them, she can keep them. If not, don't. I don't want you to feel like you have to keep something just because I offered it. Let me know either way, so I can get better at finding things that make you happy."

Diamond giggled nervously a moment but cleared her throat and took a more serious stance. "I heard you, talking to mom. I won't do that. I won't take advantage of you." She lifted a hoof towards Comforting. "I... started off on that hoof, and I'm sorry... But we grew past that. You bring what you want to bring, when you want to. I won't be setting a timer. Now..." She turned in place, coming back to Comforting. "Your turn. What's your language of love?"

Comforting put her hands on her hips. "Well, I'm a filly, if you didn't notice. My language of love is a lot simpler. Ask me how my day went and actually want to hear the answer. Be happy to see me. Give a hug or a kiss. Shared meals and holidays... Yeah, that's most of it." She tapped her fingers together. "Mmm... Oh! If we can go out sometimes, just for fun."

"I'm technically a filly too," noted Diamond with a cocked brow. "Or did you forget?"

Comforting huffed. "It's not my fault ponies don't have more nuanced words for developmental stages!"

Diamond blinked slowly. "That didn't sound like a little foal. You are a creature of mysteries, Comfie."

"Sorry." Comforting coughed into a fist. "Anyway! You're an older filly. I'm a younger filly. I want simple things to make it clear that someone loves me. That's it. If you get me a gift, that'll make me smile, but that isn't my language of love, that's just a nice thing someone did for me, which I appreciate! But it isn't my language. Understand?"

"Sure, yeah." She reached up to fidget with her tiara a moment. "So..." She stepped forward and nuzzled Comforting's belly, an easy target at their respective heights. "What if I just say I'm happy to cuddle my new girlfriend?"

Comforting giggled, grabbing Diamond by her round equine cheeks. "I'd get happy and snuggle back." She ruffled the top of Diamond, making her tiara bounce. "But not right now. Our moms are talking and knowing that makes me feel a bit odd about heavy cuddle sessions. How about we get a snack and talk while we wait for them to finish?"

So they did that, entering a new stage of their relationship.

"Comforting," called Fluttershy at the entrance of her house. "Are you here?"

Comforting leaned out of her room. "Hello!"

Screwball was far less quiet about it, rushing for Fluttershy in a tackling hug. "Mom!"

Fluttershy hugged Screwball gently a moment. "I was hoping to speak with Comforting a little. Go outside and play a little. Have you visited Cracked today?"

Screwball appeared to be about to object, but mentioning Cracked changed their mind. "Good idea!" She zipped off to bother her favorite dog-pony.

Comforting came into the living room. "What's up, mom?"

Fluttershy closed the door gently and went to sit across from Comforting. "On one hoof, you've made it clear that you do understand these things, but on the other... You've acted both ways before. Do you understand exactly what you've agreed to do, with Diamond?"

Comforting spread her hands. "Show her love and adoration? Hug her and tell her nice things for as long as we enjoy it."

Fluttershy inclined her head at her small, maybe ancient, daughter. "And you're happy with that?"

"Very!" Comforting brought her hands together in a soft paff. "She's adorable and she really likes me, so I'm going to try to make her happy. I have no interest in how little foals are made, if you're wondering. Besides, if I wanted one of those, I could make one." With a flick of a hand, she was holding a tiny foal, too young do much but look adorable. She tossed the same infant away, gone before they even hit the ground, such was the lack of concentration put into its existance. "But if I really did that, I'd want to mean it, and for it to last longer than that. Not ready for that."

Fluttershy blinked numbly at the spot the baby pony had been and vanished. "Sometimes... Once in a while, you or Discord remind me how different we are." She cleared her throat. "Sorry... I just want to be sure you're... alright. I know you're an independant pony, and I respect that." She offered a hoof. "But I'm still your mother, and I care."

Comforting rushed into the offered arm, hugging with Fluttershy warmly. "Thank you. It means so much..." Even a little godling enjoyed having a mother. Comforting nuzzled against Fluttershy's cheek. "I'll try not to do anything too stupid, but you're always welcome to give me a poke if I start. I love you so much."

"I love you too." She stepped back and started for the kitchen. "You want to stay here this time?"

"Since you're offering!" Comforting hopped onto the couch. "Only fair to swap turns. Next time, my house!"

"This time, mine," gently agreed Fluttershy in an almost song. "Now, you have shown yourself to be quite resilient, even in bad situations... So be careful for Diamond. I'm not convinced she knows what she's signed up for. Try to not make her regret it." Sounds of pans and bowls could be heard as Fluttershy prepared for the process of cooking.

"I will. I don't want her hurt." Comforting tossed herself at the arm of the couch, flopped over it. "If I'm going to be her first romantic partner, I'm going to be the best one I can be! No sloppy kisses, but she will be loved. I won't leave room for her to even doubt it. If she learns anything from it, it'll be how it feels to be properly loved. Hopefully, it means she won't put up with not being loved with any future partners."

Fluttershy leaned back out of the kitchen. "You're already planning for it to end?"

"It has to eventually." Comforting shivered. "Ew, that was dark... Um. Probably though? She'll find someone she likes even better, or she'll want a grown pony, which I'm not ready to be, and won't give. I won't be mad if she dumps me. I just want her to learn things before she does, that's all."

"You don't sound like a little foal, right now." New noises, the cooking begun in earnest. Soft smells of the preparing food began to emerge, cooked over the flames. "You sound like an adult, trying to deal with a precious foal without hurting them."

"... yeah..." Comforting rolled a hand only she could see from that angle. "That is how I feel."

Things grew quiet, aside the sounds of cooking. "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Are you upset you have such strange kids?" Comforting flopped over to her back. "Neither of us are very normal by any way you measure it."

"That's not true." A pan slapped the top of the stove. "Screwball may be energetic, and floaty, but she is still a little filly with little filly thoughts and drives and she needs love. She gives it too. Such a sweet child, I have no complaints about her."

"But I'm not."

Things became quiet a moment. Fluttershy emerged from the kitchen, bringing a plate to the table Comforting was seated in front of. "You are not that, not all the time. You are sometimes a foal, and sometimes not. But you are always loving. Never have I doubted for even a moment that you love me, completely and from the middle on to the tips of your toes."

She waved a wing at the plate. "And, right now, it's time for dinner, with family." She smiled gently. "Family that I love very much." She folded a wing to her mouth and blew into it with a sharp whistle. Screwball came zipping in a moment later. "Let's all sit down, together, and enjoy some food."

"Yay!" Screwball, unburdened by such heavy thoughts in the room, floated over the table, reaching for the food but unable to reach it.

Comforting giggled, raising a plate of a serving into Screwball's reach. "There ya go." Sometimes, everyone needed a little hand.

Author's Note

They're a thing now! Comforting and Fluttershy have serious thunks though.

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159 - Amity Ball

"Amity Ball?" Comforting inclined her head at the news. "And it's for us?"

Twilight gently booped the nose of her smallest student. "It's for any creature that wants to come. We'll be having a best friend contest, a potluck, and plenty of dancing. It should be good fun, and a fine time to foster friendships all around."

"Neat..." She saw Sandbar approaching Yona and turned to see what was going on. The two chatted quietly, but Yona was not a quiet creature. That she was being asked to the dance was no secret by the end of it. She said yes, and Sandbar was delighted.

"Huh..." Comforting stroked her chin. "Guess I need a date too..."

But she had a marefriend! That had been settled not too long before. Going out with somepony else would be a betrayal, so that was out. She reached out and spread her hands, forming a window. "Diamond, sorry to bother you."

Diamond jumped in her seat, at school, and quite surprised to suddenly hear Comforting. She quickly calmed herself and turned an ear, but didn't turn the rest of herself. "I'd say to give me a warning, but I don't know what that would be. What's up?" she asked in a strained whisper, perhaps to avoid being overheard by the teacher still giving their lesson.

"Bad time?" Comforting could see she had made her call at an awkward moment. "Sorry, um... Dance, we're having one, mostly teens. Wanna come?"

"Su--" She never got to finish.

Twilight had waved through the window, evaporating it into chaos mist. "Comforting," she spoke in serious tone. "No chaos magic in class, and that looked like you were disrupting two classrooms at the same time." She curled a hoof to her chin. "Points for efficiency, but please save that for after school."

Comforting adopted her most innocent appearance. "Sorry." Still, she was pretty sure that was, well, a sure. She had a date! She reached up and tapped the mail button she had grown quite used to.

Hi hi!

Amity, were you watching? I realize I've been unfair. I never asked what your language of love is. How can I express my adoration? What are you feeling? Let me know!

❤️💖💗💝

She pressed send and got back to school. It wasn't until after it that a return letter arrived, the little mail icon bouncing in her vision with the message. From Amity, she presumed? She tapped it quickly.

Dear Comforting,

You are a precious being. You bring a smile to my face without even trying, and cause such confusion in yourself. You are young, even by pony standards, barely middle aged, but you treat yourself as if you're ancient, even when you stand before something that more deserves the title. What is my language of love? Silly thing... I never knew love before. You pushed that on me, and it is a thing I have accepted. But what is my language? When I saw you working so hard to watch over the little fates of the ponies nearest you, I felt my heart swell.

I was both proud and smitten. You could make a fine watcher, and you are already such a kind one. I would bid you continue. Cast those caring eyes across the ponies you adore and do what you can to guide them towards greater things. We've talked about this. Don't solve their problems for them, but direct them towards the best future for themselves and let their own hooves carry them towards it. I think you understand this.

As for your pony girlfriend, give her a kiss for me. Love her fiercely and passionately, for the time you two have. Cherish every moment. But... Don't play favorites. If you spoil her, she won't grow to be the best pony she could be. That isn't a good gift. If you care for her, you'll avoid that.

Sent with Love,
Amity

Comforting gazed on the words only she could see, feeling a bit dizzy a moment. It was a good dizzy. "My girlfriend the goddess... May she show mercy on me." Bursting into giggles, she made her way home, opening a new window in the air as she hiked. "This a better time?"

Diamond looked up form her desk. "Comfie?" She twirled around on her chair. "Way better. Don't call at school!" She waved a reproaching hoof. "A dance, huh? What do I need to bring?"

"Yourself." Comforting grinned at her younger partner. "Oh, it's a potluck. So if you want to bring something yummy, that'd be good too." Though it hit her. "You'd probably have that made?"

"I can cook," huffed out Diamond. "But I probably wouldn't... Why, are you cooking?" she pointed a hoof through the window at Comforting's hands. "You could clap up whatever you wanted."

"I could," sang Comforting. "But I won't. I think I'll cook something the old-fashioned way. Wanna help?"

Diamond leaned in on the mirror. "We only just became a thing... But I feel like you're hoping I'll say yes." She huffed softly. "Getting all dirty with my girlfriend. What I get, asking a chaos spirit out." She stuck out her tongue. "Alright, just tell me where to be. I'm bringing Silver Spoon."

Comforting blinked at that last bit. "Oh, okay. If she wants to help, that's fine. We're all friends. But I'll do less lovey dovey stuff with witnesses."

Diamond burst into snickers. "What, you're shy? You're a spirit! What do you have to be shy of?"

Comforting considered the other two spirits she knew. "Well! So far, every spirit I met has had their own hangups. They don't technically need them, but they have them. We have personalities, which means we have our own silly hangups. Don't be too mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, dummy." Diamond swatted in the window's direction. "Just calling you out. Silver won't get in the way of any smooches you're holding back. She'll probably giggle a lot." A thought seemed to come. "But no smooches on her. We are a closed pair, got it?"

Comforting raised a finger. "About that! Did you forget about Amity? The spirit I was already with when you came asking?"

"They don't count." Diamond stomped from hoof to hoof. "Spirits doing spirit stuff. But Silver's a pony, not a spirit. One pony!" She waved her hoof up at the mirror. "One creature. That creature is me." She curled that hoof back at herself. "And I only have one." She turned the hoof to Comforting. "And they're right there!

Comforting thrust her head casually through the window and kissed Diamond on her suddenly scrunched nose, pulling her head right back out afterwards. "Silly. Okay! I want to try something, mind?"

Diamond rubbed where she had been kissed. "Try... what? Are you going to transform me again?"

"Nah." Comforting tapped the mail icon and quickly got out a letter. "I just want to see what this is like, for a pony." She hit send, eyes on Diamond curiously.

Diamond waited patiently, or impatiently. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but her face began to darken with a blush. "That... Huh... What'd you do?"

"I sent you a letter saying I love you." Comforting clasped her hands under her chin. "Did it get there?"

"I..." Diamond tapped a hoof on the ground of her room. "I just felt extra sure that you loved me. I wanted to hug you so bad right then... That was so strange!"

Comforting took note of that. Spirit letters did not arrive at ponies, at least not in word format. That perhaps explained why Amity loved sending prophetic dreams instead, or friendship map hints. Things a pony could see and react to. "Sorry if that was... Did I hurt you?"

"No, silly." Diamond reached up to tap at the window. "Can you come over though? I want you here for real, not just talking through... whatever this is."

Comforting considered. She had no school projects in need of doing... "Let me check in at home, so nobody is worrying about where I ran off to. I'll stop by after that, promise." They waved at one another and she ended the call.

She stopped by at home. "Cracked! I'm heading to Diamond's house, just so you know."

Cracked nodded down at her small alpha. "Very well. I will protect the den in your abscence."

"I doubt that'll be needed too much." Comforting lifted up to hug Cracked about her large snout. "But I'm glad you're here to do it."

Cracked nuzzled her beloved alpha. "See you when you return."

"Yup." With that settled, Comforting casually ceased to be there. She was in Diamond's room, as if she had always been there, and the universe was just remembering that fact. "Diamond!"

Diamond jumped with surprise. "I have a door!" She waved a hoof at the perfectably usable, and closed, door. "But hi... Don't scare a pony like that." She giggled as she closed in, rearing up to be on more even facing. "That didn't take long."

Comforting took up Diamond in to gently hug and nuzzle. "I just had to say hi before I ran off." She smooched Diamond's cheek. "Good spirits try not to worry the people around them."

Diamond's cheeks, kissed, were also warming. "This is new... I like it." She squeezed Comforting back gently. "Hello, girlfriend. You know, if you were a boyfriend, my parents would be having a total conniption right now, knowing you were in my bedroom, alone..."

Comforting casually hopped onto Diamond's bed and flopped into its softness. "But I'm not a boyfriend. I'm a little girlfriend and I'm way more likely to compliment you on this soft bed than do anything they'd get upset about." She made snow angel motions on the bed. "This is really soft... Do you like soft beds?"

Diamond walked to her bed, watching her girlfriend enjoy it. "You are seriously just flopping over my bed."

"It's a comfy--" She paused with the thump of Diamond arriving, sharing the bed with her. "Bed?" She rolled over and pet over Diamond's side gently. "Did you pick it?"

"Nope." Diamond stretched under the stroking. "Parents picked it out. Next one though, I plan to do the shopping myself. You did all your furniture shopping, didn't you?"

"Mmhmm." Comforting set her chin on Diamond. "Why?"

"You can help then." She tapped a hoof on Comforting's head. "Come with me. It'll be nice, knowing what I pick has both our marks of approval." She grabbed for Comforting, pressing her hooves into her curious paramour. "This is kinda nice."

"Nice is the word of the day." Comforting nuzzled her girlfriend gently. "Are you nervous about the party?"

"No! Yes... A little?" Diamond wrinkled her snout. "It sounds like it'll have older ponies... They won't make it weird, will they?"

"You met some of them before." Comforting sat up slowly. "You all got along before. Oh! Remember the pony in our class? Sandbar?"

"Yeah. What about him?" Diamond shrugged. "Is he going too?"

"He is," sang out Comforting. "And... he has a date." She waggled her brows. "You'll never guess who with."

"Hm." Diamond tapped her chin with a hoof. "Is it... that changeling?"

Comforting inclined her head. "Ocellus is a pretty nice changeling, but no. He went bigger than that."

"The hippogriff? Oh, no, the dragon!" She curled her hooves in a bad attempt to mimic claws. "I wonder what that'd be like." She burst into giggles. "Not for me."

"You guessed every creature but the one he picked." Comforting touched noses with Diamond. "Only one guess left."

"The yak? Really?! Wow..." She shook her head slowly. "I guess I have no room to judge. Here I am, playing smooch-time with a chaos spirit, and I'm pretty happy about it, so... if he likes the yak and the yak likes him, good on him!" Brought up, she stole one of those smooches. "Guess we're not the only oddball couple in Ponyville."

Author's Note

Smooch time! Mostly cuddle time, and talk time. I've seen far less healthy relationships.

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160 - Party Night

Comforting had cheated, but it was for herself and didn't affect anyone else, so she didn't feel terribly guilty. That, and she'd done it before. She was garbed in glittering blue from top to bottom. There was no long trailing part on it. She had to dance! "Looking good," she gushed at Diamond with a bright smile.

Diamond was garbed smartly in far less chaotically dreamed up clothing. She adjusted the collar line of the outfit and reached up to fuss with her hat between her hooves. "You sure they won't make fun of me?"

"Why would they do that?" Comforting threw an arm over Diamond, guiding her forward. "And since when did you take that lying down even if they tried? That's not the Diamond I know."

"Ugh!" Diamond thumped Comforting away a step. "This is the first time I went to a dance with ponies so much older than me, but also weren't adults. I've been with daddy to some fancy places, but there I just have to be a 'good foal', which isn't the same, Comfie."

Comforting waved off the theoeretical terror. "Whatever happens, I will be there. If they pick on you, I will tickle them, to death. I can do that."

"That's... Is that possible?" She cocked a brow, but she was walking, and they joined the line of creatures, mostly ponies, headed into a large open hall. "I guess that's a silly question."

Comforting giggled, terribly unlikely to 'to death' anyone. "Alright! We're here!" She threw her hands wide over the dance hall, filled with creatures trying their best to awkwardly shuffle about. Some were doing it with more skill than others. "Want to get a snack to start, or do we get to shaking things?"

"Wow." Diamond spotted Yona, who was doing her utmost to look very pretty and extremely unlike her usual self. "She really wanted to make an impression tonight... If she can manage it, I can't be left behind." She threw a hoof at Comforting. "Let's dance!"

Comforting grabbed the offered hoof and twirled Diamond onto the dance floor. "I have a good feelings about tonight." There was an electricity in the air. Something big was happening. With a good ending? She could hope. She drew Diamond in for a warm hug, but it didn't last long, both moving with the music. Neither were masters of the art, but they were at least giving a decent showing and enjoying themselves.

The music was bopping thanks to the effort of "Scales 'N Tail", otherwise known as Spike, working the DJ booth. But the energetic music couldn't last long. "A classic," he called, starting something a bit more sedate. Like magic, the ponies seemed to know the dance. This included Diamond without a word, strutting in the pattern of the others like she had done it dozens of times before.

Sadly, Comforting had not. "Uh... You take the lead, never did this..." Comforting did her best to keep up with the clearly pony-origined dance number, not even having the right placement of limbs to do it perfectly.

Not that this seemed to bother Diamond, who took the lead and slowed herself to show each step as she did it. They wouldn't win any awards for the best dancers, but they were both smiling.

Comforting spotted trouble. Yona was about to trip, a future coming in rapidly, so close she saw it without looking for it exactly, a moment of intense meaning. She raised a hand as if to stop it, but pulled herself back. Into each life, some rain must fall. Must fall... She played off the wave as part of her adaption of the dance.

And Yona tripped, crashing and sending a punch bowl to rest perfectly on her head. Comforting may have had a part in not letting it spill all over her in that instant. But the fall had happened.

"Time to shake it up," called Spike. "Time for the Pony Prance!" The music hit a far more energetic tempo, and a new dance that everypony else there seemed to already know began.

Comforting's attention slid to Diamond, following her lead as best she could. There was a lot more hopping and bouncing in that one, which made her giggle. "This is fun!"

"It can be," laughed Diamond in return, the two moving to the beat as best they could, even if she had to teach Comforting the steps along the way. "Thanks, for not letting me chicken out. I should know better. I'm not Scootaloo."

Comforting blinked. "Scootaloo isn't a chicken?"

Diamond waved that off. "In-joke, sorry. Let's dance!"

A new inflection point. Tension was building. Yona would fall. Comforting would let her. She instead turned her gifts to Diamond. The blinded and stampeding Yona made the entire room tremble violently like a powerful earthquake, but at least one little filly was spared. Comforting avoided it entirely, floating a short distance from the ground. A few inches were more than enough to avoid the localized earthquake.

Yona crashed at full speed into the collection of potluck buckets, sending them flying in every which direction. Comforting felt less guilty, warding Diamond from the food onslaught. Twilight had done much the same for many others with a sudden shield of magic. She took some of the goop and licked it free of a finger. "Kinda tasty actually." Woulda been nice if it was still intact...

It also would have been nice if Yona wasn't running off in a teary mess. A big part of Comforting wanted to rush to help, but others were doing that, her friends of far similar state and less spirit-nature. "It will be handled," she assured herself, turning to Diamond. "You alright?"

"With you?" Diamond smirked at her spirit date. "I never felt safer. Poor yak." She offered a hoof. "Hope they get the music going again. We were really getting into a groove."

Comforting glanced over at where Spike was picking himself off. "That'll probably take a moment."

Diamond nudged Comforting lightly. "If you want to help, I won't stop you."

Comforting wrinkled her nose. Should she? Ponies were recovering from the maelstrom of the event. Lessons didn't feel like they were being urgently learned, there... "Alright... I'll lend a hand." She had two of them. What was one for a moment? She popped one hand free and tossed it to clean. It did a good job, wiping things clean with a skill that surpassed normal ponies. Nothing like a hand that just swiped in front of a pony and left them clean again.

Twilight was hurrying around the room, getting everycreature on their feet. "Sorry about that... Let's not allow this to entirely level the evening." She laughed nervously, tapping her hooves together. "We can... adjust..." More nervous laughter. Twilight looked ready to consider one of her fits.

Applejack tossed a leg over the tense unicorn. "Don't even worry 'bout it. Ya got plenty of friends and we're already all over this." She pointed with her other forehoof at the others working to clean things up. "Look, even got a spirit in on the act." She nodded at the disembodied hand banishing bits of mess as it went. "This ain't your fault, and we'll still have a plenty-fine party. Hey, Comfort!"

Comforting perked at her name. "Yeah?"

Applejack waved Comforting closer. "Ah know y'ain't gotta, and ah can't make ya... But..." She angled her head at the great ruin of potlock trays. "Could ya? Would be nice if Yona comes back to not see a big sign of her mess..."

Comforting scowled at the mess, her hand casually returning to the end of her arm. Was cleaning that alright? There were no lessons there, just work on what should be a fun night. "I don't want her to do that..." Yona was busy learning her lessons... Why rub salt in the wounds? "Diamond?"

"Yes?" Diamond was already at her side. "Go ahead. I won't be mad. It'll take you, what, a second?"

"Mmmm, nah." Comforting turned away from the food that was neatly back in their trays. No claps, no slaps. Her behavior was distraction enough to manage that. "But you only get one! If you let those spill again, you're on your own."

Applejack tipped her hat. "Mighty reasonable." She returned to Twilight, calming her down with soft words.

"Let's get the music going," called Spike, putting on a new record. "Got this one from Vinyl Scratch."

A far more lively techno beat got ponies moving far less in an organized way. There was no specific dance to do, so they didn't do them. That suited Comforting just fine, wriggling and grooving to the thumps. "Since the food's back." She grabbed a plate laden with various snacks and brought it over, arm retracting. "Can I offer you some?"

Diamond colored but giggled at once. "Well, since you're offering." They went to the side, taking a break from the dancing to let Comforting feed Diamond. "You know." She paused to chomp the next bit of food offered. "I can eat on my own." Still, she was eating as fed. "I'm not a foal..."

"You're my girlfriend, even worse. I want to spoil you, if you're alright being spoiled in this little way."

"You are the worst." She chomped down the next forkful. "Terrible." Diamond held up a hoof. "I had enough, but this is tasty... What about you?" She dashed off and returned with a smaller plate. "Your turn."

"But..." There were no arguments to be had. Diamond pointed at the ground firmly and once Comforting was sitting, the feeding went the other way.

"You like to pretend it isn't this sometimes." Diamond gently slid a spoon in to be slurped off. "But you are a foal. My lovely foal. So let me spoil you."

Comforting wrinkled her nose. "I'm not that little a foal."

"You are for right this second. Does my lovely foal want a drink?"

"Yes." Comforting crossed her arms with petulant pout. "But you're my girlfriend, not my mom."

"Good." Diamond set the plate aside. "Then no more feeding. Silly thing. We can both reach for our own food."

Comforting colored, called out. Maybe she also had lessons to learn. "Point, sorry..." They ate under their own power, exchanging little thoughts. "Think Yona's alright?"

"No." Diamond put her cleaned fork down. "She's not okay. But it looks like she has a lot of friends, so she can get okay... I only have two big friends." She shuffled a moment. "You're one of them. Silver's the other, if you didn't already guess."

"That makes sense." Comforting brought up two fingers close together. "What about not 'big' friends?"

"Well." She huffed with some annoyance. "I guess the crusaders count, but they're everypony's friends! Doesn't mean much in the end... But they're not-big friends. Speaking of that..." Diamond waved over the crowd of moving ponies. "Glad I didn't even think of trying to invite Silver to this. I barely fit here..."

"Why do you fit better?" Comforting ruffled to top of Diamond gently.

"Because I have you, duh." She stuck out her tongue at Comforting. "Having a girlfriend that fits the party helps a lot. Silver wouldn't have that advantage. She'd just be a little filly out of place."

"Comfs!" Gallus approached on all fours with a smile. "What are you doing, hiding over here." His eyes fell to Diamond. "Oh, your date?"

Diamond colored a moment, but quickly recovered. "She is my company, yes. She invited me here."

"She is showing me how to dance." Comforting did a little jig in place. "It's been a lot of fun. I'm surprised you're still here, actually."

Gallus inclined his head. "Sandbar took off. Pretty sure this is between them. They're grown enough to figure it out." He angled his head. "I came with Smolder."

Comforting burst into laughter, uncontrolled a moment. "Really?"

Gallus shrugged. "We both liked the idea of the free food. Looks like you do too."

Author's Note

What a dance! Yona tried her best, maybe not a complete win there... Sandbar will be there to help cheer her up. Yona is best Yak, jus' sayin'.

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161 - My Turn

With a chime only she could hear, a message arrived for Comforting. She glanced about to see if she was being watched specifically. Nope. She tapped the button.

Dearest Comforting,

You handled that quite well. While you enjoyed your romance, you sent some towards me, and I cannot express fully how happy I am. Was that intentional? Were you sharing your romance with me? Or was it just by 'luck'? Watcher, I know better. Thank you.

Seeing Yona and Sandbar express their feelings for one another, on my branches! I couldn't have asked for a better evening. It was truly a wonderful moment, to see ponies and yaks not only set aside their differences in this small way, but to celebrate them, for each to see the wonderful potentials and grand glory that lived in the other. Their love was pure and filled with awe, without any hint of jealousy.

May their love fully flourish and be long lasting, to gaze at one another for as long as their eyes have light. Love is not an emotion I understand as well as comaraderie. Friendship. They have honed me over the years to respond to friendship. The companionship in battle and the closeness of neighbors and the tight bonds of family. Love, romantic love, remains as yet a mystery, but one I can feel the radiant warmth of.

These two have it. I hope they keep it. Will you help to see this through? I feel foalish even asking. Of course you will. You are their friend. I needn't have even asked, but you did ask me, to ask you, so I am asking. Please. I can feel it, dimly. There will be threats to their new union. Forces will conspire to tear them apart. Maybe they will fight it off on their own. Maybe not.

A little nudge, a tiny push. A comforting presence, perhaps? You have learned when to push, and when not to, my dear young peer. Keep them in your sights.

"Comfie! Comfie!" Diamond shook her unresponsive date. "You alright?"

Comforting squeaked, waving away the image only she could see. "Sorry! Got distracted."

"I can see that." Diamond looked her chaotic friend over. "Need a drink? A sit down? You were just... staring. Everything okay?"

Comforting opted for the plain truth. "Spirits can send each other letters." She made a gesture as if holding one of those fancy scrolls. "No actual letter, but we can read it anyway. I was reading one of those."

"Oh! Neat? Good news?" Diamond rubbed at her cheek. "Or should I be really worried? Tell me the truth."

"Good news." Comforting touched noses with Diamond. "Sounds like Yona and Sandbar had a nice ending to the trouble. I bet they're coming back."

"Ah, that's good." The tension fled Diamond with the announcement that the world wasn't ending. "So... The dance is cooling off. Are we done? Did we finish?"

Comforting cupped Diamond's cheeks. "I think we're done dancing, but that looks like they're announcing something."

Twilight was giving out awards for various best ofs. A pony that was none of them got best dancer. Another got the best potluck pot award for the dish they brought. "Youngest couple." A light shone down on Diamond and Comforting. "Goes to this adorable couple!" The room filled with clops and stomps as everycreature there cheered for the two. "And, while we're here." She presented a smaller trophy to Comforting specifically. "For most improved dancing over the evening."

"It was a close one. We had so many great friendships here tonight." Twilight clopped her hooves with a big smile. "But the ultimate winner goes to Yona and Sandbar! They truly set examples for friendship." The cheers redoubled as they gave them their trophy, one of the larger ones.

Other ponies pressed in, asking Yona to show them a proper yak dance, a request she was all too happy to oblige. The room was soon full of yak stomping, and everycreature was having a good time of it.

Diamond waved it away. "Let them keep it. We're not friends."

"We're not?" Comforting quirked an ear. "I thought we were."

"Ugh, sure, yes. We're friends, like parents are friends and married ponies are 'friends'. Sure we're friends, but we're also past friends. I refuse to be jealous of ponies still at step one." She swatted at Comforting. "We're a couple. That's at least a step, if not three, past 'friends'. Now... they coulda not brought attention to being the smallest creatures here though..."

Comforting hugged Diamond from above, straddling her as if ready to ride her to victory. "We are young. But we're also winners. They liked us." She squeezed her thighs in on Diamond's sides. "And none of them made fun of us, not even once."

Diamond grew a wicked smirk. "As if they'd dare that. When's the last time Discord got made fun of to his face?"

Comforting considered that, tapping her chin. "Mmmm... Usually very quietly... But they didn't even do that with us. They like us. They like that we're small even."

Diamond swerved an ear back at Comforting. "But I don't like being small. That is not an invitation to hurry it along. I know you could do that... I'll grow the old fashioned way, and show the world how great I'll be, in time... That doesn't stop me from complaining about it."

"It does not." She nosed right in the middle of Diamond's tiara. "But tell me if you get serious. I'm here to help." Or give lessons. That was helping too, right? "Enjoy your time while you have it. You don't get to go back to being young." Usually? Comforting was proof that her own statement wasn't always true, and she knew it, striking her quiet for a moment.

"You in there?" Diamond curled on herself to look at Comforting easily. "I think this party's done. It was fun, but time to go. Wanna head to my place?"

Comforting hopped to Diamond's side. "Hm! What about mine?" She flashed a brilliant smile. "100% less parents, now with extra loving big wolfponies."

Diamond snickered at that invitation. "Sure. Do you... pony?"

"Have you not met Cracked?" Comforting gave Diamond's leg a little pull, getting her started. "She can't wait to meet you and she doesn't even know you're coming."

So they left the party and headed instead to Comforting's house. There, Cracked was watching the door sharply. When it opened, she lifted her head up and wagged her tail excitedly. "Alpha, you've returned. With a friend?" She snuffled at Diamond as the filly entered. "No, your mate."

Diamond blinked at the enormous wolfpony. "You can tell that by... smelling me? We haven't done much that'd... do that..."

Cracked inclined her head. "She has mentioned she has taken a mate. You smell of her." Cracked directed a hoof at Comforting. "You are either a very close friend, or her mate. Which is it?"

"Technically both," sang out Comforting, throwing out her hands so one pointed to either of them. "Cracked, this is Diamond Tiara. Diamond Tiara is my girlfriend. Cracked is my roomate and pack member. I hope you two get along."

Diamond offered up a comically tiny hoof to the large creature. "Hi... So... What are you?"

Cracked wrinkled her nose. "The last, perhaps. We still have to figure that out. But I am happy here. I have a packmate that is powerful and loving in equal measures. I am treated well." Cracked snuffled at Diamond. "I hunt well, and I raise little hunters, even if they share no blood with me."

Diamond craned her neck to behold all of Cracked. "Wow... Two of you would be... a lot."

"It would." Cracked sat up. "That is why I asked her if she wanted two of me. A mated couple would need space, and a family could result, which needs more space."

Comforting lifted up to give Cracked a scratch right by her ear where she liked it best. "Yes. I still want that, if you want that. Don't do it for me, but I'm not in the way. I will keep on loving you, and, I hope, any partner of yours is someone I'll learn to love too." She snorted, floating there. "Your kids get a free pass. I can't imagine not loving them."

Diamond laughed tensely. "Wow, yeah, wow... Any foal--"

"Pup."

"Pup of yours." Diamond nodded, correcting herself without a pause. "They'd still be pretty big. This is what I get! You don't get to date a chaos spirit and get all creeped out because their dog is a bit odd..." She dusted herself off, tossing her concerns aside. "No. I signed up for it. Hello, Cracked." She offered a hoof one more time, holding it there until Cracked came in for a little snout rubbing. "Nice to meet you."

"A pleasure." Cracked angled an ear forward. "Mate of my alpha, by most measures, you are above me in the family hierarchy. Your needs outweigh mine. Clever... I had considered, but she shows not a hint of interest, so I dared not risk her anger."

Diamond blinked at those words. "Are you..." She turned to the floating Comforting. "Did you hear that? Cracked would have..." She sank to her haunches with amazement. "Really?!"

"Why is this surprising?" Cracked angled her head at Comforting. "She is more powerful than I can measure. If she wanted, I could be her mate. If she wanted, we both could. If she wanted, the entire town would be helpless to stop her. That she doesn't is only a measure of her bottomless kindness, not any strength on our part."

Comforting colored at the direction things were going. "I'm not like that!"

"I said that." Cracked nodded, sure of her logic. "You don't because you don't want to, not because you couldn't. If you did want to, we would have to accept it."

Comforting held up her hands as she drifted towards the ground. "Okay, first, that's not... entirely true. If I did start that, the girls, Twilight and her friends, would super zap me, and I'd deserve it. I'd then be a statue, or blown apart, or maybe it'd just knock the sense back into me and I'd beg to be forgiven."

Cracked inclined her head slowly. "I can't imagine that. You could stop them, if you wanted."

"Which I don't!" Comforting stomped a foot down. "They're good ponies. I don't want to hurt any of them."

Diamond patted Comforting's side. "Easy. I think you two are arguing about agreeing really loudly."

Comforting forced her fur and feathers down. "But I would never..."

"Cracked said that, silly." She reared up to hug Comforting, calming them with the soft embrace. "We both know that. You wouldn't ever. She was just saying, if this was a different Comforting, who did want to... we'd be pretty helpless to do much about it."

Cracked nodded at Diamond in little motions. "Yes. You have chosen your mate well. She understands. I look forward to knowing her better. Do you like meat? Most ponies do not."

Diamond fell back to all fours. "Pardon? Is it a good cut?"

Cracked perked up at that, sitting up with surprise. "I did not expect that question."

Diamond waved a hoof. "If it's a good cut, prepared properly, sure. You don't make good impressions as a pony of means if you don't know how to eat fancy food, and enjoy it."

Cracked thumped her tail down in a rapid tapping. "I like her. You are invited to our next roast. Bring some meat of your own, if you have any."

Diamond perked an ear at that. "Please. Once you taste what I have, you'll see how much you've been missing." She brought her hooves together with a calculating smile. "You've been warned."

Comforting looked between the two. "You're going to have Randolph make it?"

"Duh." Diamond rolled her eyes at what should have been obvious.

Author's Note

Diamond and Cracked have their first nice chat, and the two seem to approve of the other... for now?

Happy endings and future food plans, yay!

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162 - Dark Movements

Comforting stepped out of her house, stretching for the sky high above, but not actually reaching for it. She felt certain she could high five a passing fluffy cloud, but it was doing its job quite well without her interference. "Let's see," she murmured to herself, tossing her mind free of her little form.

She felt over the town as a whole in a quick scanning, searching for what felt out of place, and what had the potential to be out of place, in a good way. There was a pony about to be on time to work, but if they just slowed down, they might meet who could become a great friend, or better. Comforting casually misplaced their hat with an unheard giggle. It would annoy the pony, but they'd run into the other, and that'd be nice.

Chaotic harmony... Comforting opened her eyes, back inside her form. She looked in the mirror she hadn't been holding a moment before, making sure she was presentable. "Still looking cute." She beamed at her reflection, content with the audacious and fantastical shape she had taken. She tossed the mirror away, knowing it's be gone long before any thought of littering would even be relevant.

"I do love the smell of chaos in the morning." Wait, that wasn't Comforting. Discord was standing there, adjusting the jacket he didn't need. "You are positively glowing today. What have you been up to?"

Comforting looked Discord over in kind. There was something... A shimmer? "Are you up to things too?"

"Like father, like daughter, they say." He leanead in, looming over her with a grin. "But the main show hasn't even started yet. Big plans! Big!" He clapped his hands. "And they say I'm no good at executing actual plans."

Comforting patted her chaotic father. "You just need the proper motivation."

"Exactly!" He burst into delighted giggles. "I had a feeling you'd understand, even if you do have an unhealthy obsession with harmony." He cocked a brow as he got to that. "That's going to fall apart eventually, just to warn."

"Everything will," countered Comforting. "Not a good reason to avoid trying something in the first place."

"Points for a delightfully chaotic answer." He let the sandcastle that had appeared just for sake of the visual joke fall apart. "Nothing lasts forever. Well, except incarnations of the concept of chaos. We're baked into the universe itself. It's hard to get rid of us!"

Comforting stroked her chin. "About that! You are Chaos itself. What am I? We can't both be the same... thing... can we?"

Discord put his hands on his hips. "I didn't think about it, truth be told. Listen, kiddo." He put his hands together. "Chaos, as a thing, is big. Bigger than either of us, shameful as it is to admit." He rubbed his hands slowly. "There's more chaos between these hands than a pony could even properly imagine." He threw his hands wide. "And there's a lot more space than just that." He crouched down in front of her. "Look, I'm just saying, there is enough for the two of us in this town." He adjusted her cowboy hat. "Partner."

Comforting grabbed the hat, tongue extended. "Silly, but thanks..." She hugged the hat, looking over her spirit father. "So Amity is just 'a' spirit of harmony?"

"Actually..." He danced a finger in the air. "She is the spirit of pony harmony. More specific, but she got the whole thing. Therein lies the rub. We are little echoes of the universe's entire chaos, and there's more chaos than even just ponies. We attached our hooks onto a much larger concept. It would be difficult for Amity to find a little helper."

Comforting hiked a thumb at herself, several lit signs popping into being to help point at her.

"Well, yes. I suppose she did find one." Discord ruffled the top of Comforting's head. "But you can't hide in her shadow forever. When are you going to get up to grand plans and mischief?"

"I have an agent." Comforting looked quite proud of that, smug expression worn. "Right at the top, waiting for word from me."

Discord sneered at that. "Don't get overconfident, kid. I have three, and they're already busy..." He burst into sudden giggles. "It'll be fun seeing how this turns out." The conversation was over. His vanishing made that quite clear.

"Hm." That made Comforting think of talking with hers. She casually ceased to be there, or anyway, at least physically. She was in the world of dreams, standing before the ornate gates of a particular pony's inner thoughts. "May I come in," she called through the gates, not touching them.

With a swirl of darkness, an alicorn manifested. "You are polite to ask and not to press in. I just went to sleep. Do I not deserve my rest?"

"Of course you do, Luna." Comforting smiled up at her great assistant of the night. "But I have an idea of what might be going on, and wanted to pass it on for you to do with as you see proper."

Luna waved, the gates to her mind opening with her consent. "Come in and speak of them." She led Comforting to a collection of pillows. "It is a curious thing, dealing with somecreature else as able to move in the dreamworld as I am."

"I'm cheating." Comforting hopped onto one of the pillows with a soft thump, getting cozy. "You're way more skilled at this. Okay! Agents are lining up. I don't know what they'll do, but there are three of them, and they will make trouble." She lowered the three fingers she had raised. "I would doublecheck your safeties and securities."

Luna considered Comforting a moment. "That is very... vague."

"I did warn about that." Comforting shrugged. "I'll pass on more info if I get any, but this is what I have, and I trust you'll see it done."

Luna rubbed her chin with soft hums. "Security, hm. Yes. I have a few ideas. Mine sister was considering it, but her ideas are inane, softened by years of peace. I will outdo her, and help fortify ourselves."

Comforting clapped with a big smile. "Great! That sounds fun, and productive. I knew I picked the right pony for this job." She zipped in for a Luna hug. "Goodnight."

"Good morning, you mean." Luna yawned widely. "But it is my night, I suppose..." She waved as Comforting left, her dream realm closing itself for her rest.

Comforting emerged in the waking world to find it was soft, furry, and moving. Cracked was scrambling to her feet, ground shaking beneath her in her sudden motion. "Alpha! Where did you come from?" Her surprise was melting to joy, seeing who it was that had surprised her. She went in for a nuzzle and a big full-body lick with her great tongue. "Good morning."

"Good morning," laughed out Comforting in return, batting helplessly at the friendly tongue. "I was just taking care of some business. What are your plans for today?"

"I had very few." She rose to her considerable feet, scratching the ground with her massive canine paws of her hindlegs. "I would like to help you. Make me part of your plans."

"Hm." How to incorporate her big dogpony friend into things... "What can you smell, besides tasty snacks?"

Cracked inclined her head a little. "A curious question." She pointed a hoof at her own nose. "My sense of smell is very sharp. Not as precise as vision, but just as detailed. I can smell your father visited. I can smell a pony on you that I don't recognize. The smell... of power, and mystery. They smell... of dreams? I never smelled that before, but it is the impression I get."

"Right on the nose." Comforting poked that big wet nose for emphasis. "Clever thing... Can you sniff out troublemakers?"

"Troublemakers come in many kinds." Cracked sat up fully. "I can't smell them all. We would have avoided many questions if I could."

"True... True." Comforting hopped back a step. "That is a bit vague." Even for a chaos spirit, she decided. "So, instead." She raised a finger. "I want you to do something for you."

Cracked's ears went up. "For me? I want to work for you. I want to help your plans."

"You will." Comforting spread her hands both at Cracked. "I want another one of you. Find one, or be fairly sure there are none to find. I'll take either. Hopefully you can find one, maybe more? Find them."

Cracked wagged her tail with cautious optimism. "I will try... How long should I look, before I return?"

"Good question." Comforting soared up and around, coming down on Cracked's neck to hug them. "Let's try a week. Your keen sniffer, and having the task, I bet you can find them, but I won't be mad at you if you don't, so come back when the week's over, found or not."

Cracked let out a canine bark, tail wagging with increased energy. "Successful or not, I will not abandon you." She lowered her head. "But you should get off, unless you mean to accompany me?"

Comforting slid to the ground. "I should do other things. You do yours. I'll do mine."

"Yes." Cracked rose to her full height. "The hunt begins." She took off at a canine gallop, leaving great pawprints and hoofprints behind her in a combination to confuse any would-be naturalists to find later.

Patting her mismatched hands together with satisfaction, Comforting turned back to her house, just to keep turning. "I should be getting something done..." But what? She'd scouted the town. She'd sent Cracked and Luna on missions. "Ah!" There was a pony she had poked her nose into but hadn't visited in a little while.

That pony opened the door a moment later. "Hell.. Oh. Hello?" Prickle inclined her head at Comforting. "I don't get spirit visitors often... How do you say hi?"

"Hi." Comforting reached out and wasn't fought on giving a gentle headruffle. "That's it. Nothing fancy. How are you doing?"

Prickle dared a cautious smile. "I'm doing well. Maybe you can help."

Comforting perked at that. "Oh, did I have good timing?"

"Yes." Prickle made a motion as if lifting something heavy. "Bulk Biceps heard I was strong... I didn't tell him... Now he wants to challenge me to a lifting contest. I don't want to, but I don't want to hurt his feelings either."

Comforting tapped at her cheek. "Hm. You can... lift whatever you want, right?"

"I haven't run into something I couldn't lift... so far..." She colored with shame. "I don't want to make him feel bad. He works very hard to be strong. I don't... It's not fair... He deserves to be strong, not shown up by some little filly..."

"You are not 'some filly'." Comforting hugged her upset friend. "But! Why not lie?"

Prickle inclined her head sharply. "Lie? Mom said I shouldn't do that... That would be bad."

Comforting barely held back her gushing. Such a pure and innocent filly! "Your mother is right. Lying about things isn't a good habit. But, in this case... Just pretend you're having a hard time and let him win."

Prickle grabbed Comforting. Her kinetic telekinesis was quite firm, holding Comforting with the flats of her hooves without any measurable effort. "Like... this?" She lifted Comforting slowly, making noises of effort, but it was so smooth. She was just picking up Comforting slowly, not actually showing the effort.

"You are amazing." Comforting kicked her feet in lazy swiming motions from the air. "But you're not selling that you're trying hard. Let me down."

Prickle rapidly set Comforting down, watching her intently..

Comforting shook out her arms until both were thin noodles. "There, very not strong." She looked around and dashed to a rock. "Watch me, closely. See how I move, sound, everything. This is what being weak is like." She grabbed the rock and tried to lift it. Her noodle arms were very much not up to the task.

At least she could show off what it was like.

Author's Note

Prickle's still here. Who ratted her out to Bulk Biceps?!

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163 - Show of Arms

Ponies crowded together, calling and cheering with wild stomps on the ground. They had gathered for the two ponies in the center. Prickle Berry and Bulk Biceps sat on a weight bench each, with a heavy set of weights hanging on a bar for each of them, waiting for them to lift and show off their ability..

They reach put their hooves on the bars. "Alright, let's keep this clean." They had recruited Rainbow Dash to play the referee. "We'll start small, and our helpers will put a weight on each time you finish a push. The first to not be able to lift the bar, loses. Simple. Got it?"

The thought of throwing the match when there was one little weight was there, but Prickle tossed it out. Comforting had coached her. Throwing the fight with no... fight... would leave Bulk doubting she had even tried. He would press her for a rematch, and he wouldn't even be wrong!

She took it with slow and even breaths. She could press the bar. She could press the bar with the little weight. Prickle made it a point to show she was breathing hard, effort ramping. The crowd's excitement reached new heights as the two competitors successfully lifted bar after bar, each one heavier than the last. Rainbow Dash was orbiting around them, watching their motions and cheering them both on with the crowd. "Let's see some pep! C'mon!"

Another weight. Another. Prickle felt... Nothing. She could lift those weights. She could lift all those weights. She could push them, and Bulk Biceps, and his weights too. She was a freak. Prickle took a shuddering breath as she purposefully slowed down, as if the weights were too much. They pushed another bar into place and she faked her struggle to get the bar back up. Bulk was grunting with effort, but he was still pushing.

She barely got past one more, another weight, and she gave up, pushing and heaving. She knew she could keep going. Maybe forever? What a strange filly she was. She hated it. With tears stinging in her eyes, She accepted the help of the spotter and rolled off the bench with a nervous smile.

The crowd cheered for Bulk, watching him go past her. Another weight, another, but he was working. He was putting real effort into it. He'd worked so hard to get that strong. She hadn't. She had just been born that way... a freak... An undeserved freak that had been just given that power and did nothing to earn it.

She was glad he could take that victory. She walked through the crowd, away from the contest she had lost. She bumped into something soft. "Mm?" She looked up to see Comforting's smiling face.

"First, good job." Comforting gently ruffled the top of Prickle's head. "But second... you look like you really need someone to sit down and listen, so... volunteering."

Prickle danced in place, awkwardly shuffling. "Um... Well... Um..."

Comforting crouched down to Prickle's height. "I'm not here to judge you. I think you're a lovely pony." She paused. "That was a judgement, sorry. A good one?"

Prickle cracked a little smile. "You are very silly."

"Yep." Comforting reached and with no objection given, she hugged Prickle gently. "And you are a hurt pony. Can I help?"

"It hurt." Prickle glanced back at the still cheering crowd. "Can we go somewhere..." They weren't there anymore. They were at Comforting's house. Cracked wasn't there, a thing Prickle picked up quickly. "Where'd she go? She's usually here..."

"She's on a mission," spoke Comforting with the dreadful weight of the matter. "One that she wants, and I want. I hope she succeeds, but she's still coming back even if she doesn't. But! Today is about you." She pointed at Prickle at that. "You looked really sad. And it wasn't because you lost."

"No..." Prickle rubbed one leg with the other hoof. "I wanted to lose. Thank you for helping me do that... It's... I'm so strange. It's not fair."

"It isn't." Comforting waved over her hybrid of a form. "This isn't fair either. I can do about anything, what's fair about that? It isn't fair."

Prickle inclined her head at Comforting. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Why should it?" Comforting flopped to her bottom. "We're all given unique gifts, or curses. It's up to us how we use them. We can make them a wonderful thing, or a terrible thing. You don't strike me as the pony that'd do the latter. So, fellow gift-wielder, let's think about how we can make our gift a blessing, for us, the world, everycreature we can lay our eyes on." Her eyes flashed different colors with the last remark. "We have gifts others do not. It's up to us to put them to creative uses to make the world better than we found it."

Prickle huffed softly. "Even if... Even if... I did that." She rolled a hoof, looking quite unsure. "I'd still make ponies who work very hard look silly. He doesn't deserve that. He never hurt me, or anypony. Why should I outshine him like that?"

"It doesn't have to be a contest." Comforting flopped to her belly, facing Prickle. "Next time he asks, gently decline. You're not there to compete with him. It isn't fair, we went over that. Why rub it in his face? Just be. Be strong where it can help ponies. You already know you can win, so why bother?"

Prickle flopped to her haunches. "You make it sound so easy!" she burst out, huffing and red in the face. "I just want to be a filly... I want to be a little pony, and get my schoolwork done, and maybe... get a job when I grow up..."

Comforting sat up slowly. "Sorry."

"Huh?" Prickle perked an ear. "What are you sorry for?"

"For assuming." Comforting smiled at her guest. "You don't have to rush out and throw your gift around if you don't want to. I like doing that... It makes me happy... But you're not me."

Prickle smiled suddenly. "Can you match me?"

"Match you?"

Prickle put out a hoof. "Push me. You can do anything. Make me lose."

Comforting's mismatched ears danced. She hopped forward and put out a hand of her own, flexing her draconic fingers. "I can try. Sure." They met with a thump of flesh and hoof and both suddenly looked quite busy. They were pushing with a fervor neither realized they even could do. Two unstoppable forces were vying. The pressure was creating strange sparks from the point they met as immense force rippled back up their arms.

Neither could move. Comforting was smiling, and it was growing by the moment. "Wow!" Even her chaotic powers were helpless in a direct match with that filly. She had one gift, but it felt... absolute. She was an unstoppable force. "I... love it."

"I'm making you look silly." For all their conflict, neither was actually so much as panting. They were equally opposed forces, but not straining ones. Like two opposed magnets, they just pushed and pushed without any sign of a stop. "You can't beat me. Shouldn't you be able to?"

Comforting reached out her other hand, waving it gently at Prickle. "Do you want to lose?"

"No... yes? Maybe?" Prickle's eyes were locked on that waving hand, though her strength didn't flag. They were even, perfectly matched at infinity. "You can't win."

"Okay..." Comforting reached out with her avian hand and ran her talons in delicate tickling motions along the filly's side with a grin. "If you say so."

Prickle exploded into laughter. "Stop that! Stop!" Her strength was absolute, but her focus was not. She swatted at Comforting, but the contest was over. She wasn't pushing against Comforting's hand anymore. "Oh..."

Comforting spread her hands. "Sorry. You're not perfect, and neither am I. I bet you could beat me, just not directly."

Prickle looked at her hoof as if something had happened to it, but it seemed unharmed for their match. "I lost..." She slowly smiled. "I lost."

"It was a good match." Comforting leaned in to put nose to nose. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, actually." Prickle rubbed one hoof with the other. "Yes... It's... strange, but I feel better, not being the winner. I can be beaten." She punched the air, causing a ripple of displaced air to project from herself and scatter against the opposing wall. "I'm not the strongest. Good."

Comforting gently stroked the filly down her back. "You are a good pony, and a good friend. And we happen to like that you're strong. So... don't feel nervous about being strong around us. But don't feel like you have to be either. Just be yourself, whatever that is, or becomes. we'll be cheering you on the whole way."

Prickle smiled, sitting instead of really reacting to the petting, but she didn't complain about it. "You're a very nice spirit."

"I've been told that." Comforting put her hands on her hips. "But, sometimes... it's hard to just accept that."

Prickle blinked. "Why? You're always nice."

"But..." Comforting waggled a finger. "I could be nicer. I could be fixing problems, lots of them, all of them? At least a lot of them... But I fix almost none of them. I know they're there. But I don't fix them. Is that nice?"

The thought was a lot for Prickle. She rubbed her cheek thoughtfully. "Um... Hm. I'm not a spirit. How do you choose which ones you'll fix and which ones you don't?"

Comforting lifted into the air. "That's the challenge! I have to pick which ones will do the most good without messing things up." She extended an arm and finger at Prickle. "You have to do the same. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you always do, or we wouldn't be here talking. I'd be off babysitting all of Equestria. That wouldn't be good for them or me, but it would be nice."

"Would be nice," she echoed, thoughts ringing in her head. "Um... I think I understand... I think." She rose to her hind hooves, standing bipedally. "We have gifts..." She rubbed her hooves together. "We can share them, or not... Um, we just have to think about how we do it."

"Exactly!" Comforting landed beside Prickle. "Yours is amazing. I love it so much. And you. I'm still learning you, but, so far, every bit is wonderful. You're not strange in a bad way. You're strange in a fantastically good way." She hiked both thumbs at herself. "Like me!"

Prickle allowed an unsure smile. "I suppose, if anyone was going to not be upset... It would be a little nice Discord."

Comforting ruffled the closest cheek of Prickle, enjoying the feel of the fur running through her fingers. "Don't say it like only I like it. Cracked liked it. The teens liked it too. There's a lot to like!"

Prickle swatted gently at Comforting. There was no malice there, almost playful, almost. "Why doesn't it bother any of you? A little pony shouldn't be this strong."

"But she is, and she's nice." Comforting waved at herself. "A little creature shouldn't wield the power I do, but I'm nice, so who's really upset about it? Not many. We're nice little strange things. We could do a lot, but we'd never hurt anything on purpose, ever. I know I wouldn't, and I think that's true for you too."

"Never," gasped out Prickle, appalled at the very notion. "Only bad ponies hurt other ponies on purpose... But what if..." She trailed a hoof on the ground. "What if I make a mistake? I could hurt a pony on accident. What do I do then? I can't make it better... You could. You could... But I'm not you. Strength wouldn't let me make a pony stop hurting if I do something bad."

Comforting brought her hands together gently. "You're not wrong. You could hurt a creature... But you'd never do it on purpose. Anypony could hurt somepony else. You apologize, you do what you can to make it right, and you learn from it, so you never do it again."

Author's Note

Prickle has... concerns. Some of them are very valid, I say. She's still adorable and deserves all the love we have to offer, I say.

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164 - Making Use of Agents

"I'm glad you came." Comforting landed in front of Prickle, both just in front of Comforting's two story house. "I didn't invite you to play or have fun, which I'd rather we be doing if we're being honest."

Prickle angled an ear at Comforting. "Alright... What did you call me for?"

"Great question!" Comforting pointed to herself. "I'm a spirit, locked in a spirit contest of sorts. My dad's up to something naughty, but I don't know what it is. I just know it'll be naughty, and I have to do what I can to do two things." She raised a finger. "Prepare ponykind to be ready for it as best they can be." She raised the other finger. "Trip him up so it's as least bad as possible."

Prickle gasped softly. "Wow... Discord.... He's very powerful."

"At least as powerful as me." Comforting nodded with the thought. "More than me, he's had way more practice. We're both chaos spirits, but I'm new, and nice, and he's old, tricky, and can be not-nice. I like him when he's nice, mind, but he knows and tolerates a bit of not-niceness, to his advantage here."

Prickle nodded slowly, taking in the gravity of the situation. "I want to help, but I'm just a little pony. What could I possibly do against a spirit like Discord?"

Comforting smiled and put a reassuring hand on Prickle's shoulder. "You may be a pony, but you're my friend. And your strength is special - I have a feeling it could come in handy."

She started pacing as she continued explaining. "I've already got Luna preparing extra security. But Discord knows how to get around stuff like that. What I need is a wild card that he won't expect."

Comforting stopped and met Prickle's eyes. "That's where you come in. I thought maybe you could help fortify important buildings and landmarks around town. Make them a little more...chaos-proof. Just in case things get crazy."

Prickle's eyes widened at the idea. "You really think I could do that? I've never tried using my strength like that before."

"I know you can do it," Comforting said confidently. "You're stronger than anypony I've met. Together, we can protect Ponyville and maybe throw a wrench in whatever Dad's scheming."

She extended her hand again. "So what do you say, partner? Want to out-chaos the master of chaos with me?"

Prickle looked unsure for a moment, then determination flashed in her eyes. She grasped Comforting's hand in her hoof. "Let's do it." She laughed nervously. "But... how? How do I push something to make it not-chaos?" She made a pushing motion against the air. "I can push and pull, but how does that help?"

Comforting grinned, happy to have Prickle on board. At her question, the chaos spirit tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"You're right, just being strong isn't enough here. We need to be clever too." She snapped her fingers. "I know - let's go scout out some areas and brainstorm. I bet between your strength and my chaos know-how, we can figure out some unconventional ways you can use your talent."

Comforting floated up and beckoned for Prickle to follow her. "For example, you could compress dirt and stone to make barricades. Or maybe compact the ground so tightly that it's harder for chaos magic to take hold. Ooh, if we find weak spots in structures, you could literally force the walls and supports to be stronger."

She was getting more excited as ideas flowed. "The point is, your gift isn't just pushing and pulling. It's controlling physical forces. And we can use that to fight chaos in all sorts of creative ways! What do you think?"

Comforting looked back eagerly at Prickle, curious if her on-the-fly plan made sense. She was willing to keep brainstorming and finding innovative ways for Prickle's strength to counter Discord's impending chaos. With their powers combined, they stood a chance of protecting Ponyville.

Prickle gave an emphatic 'eh' of a sound. "You are throwing things at the wall."

Comforting blinked, some of her joyful energy dimming. "What?"

"You're scared." Prickle sat. "You're scared and you want to help and you're ready to try anything... I can understand why." She rubbed at her cheek softly. "Discord... How do we go against him?! He could do anything... He will do anything."

Comforting frowned with the picture Prickle was painting. "Yeah... Yeah." She sank down, sitting on her bottom. "Maybe I am getting a little carried away. But you do have strength, strength I'll need." She dared a little smile. "I need you to be strong in a different way that only you can be."

Prickle's ears perked up. "What way is that?"

"Ponies around you will be scared." Comforting flopped forward on her belly. "They will be shaking and confused and terrified. I need an agent, you, that will stand strong no matter how scary it is. I need somepony who will never show fear, even if they're scared, on the inside. I know that's a lot to ask of a little filly... I know..."

Prickle listened intently, her expression growing serious as Comforting explained. When the chaos spirit finished, Prickle was quiet for a moment.

"You're right, that does sound scary," she finally said. "I don't know if I can pretend not to be afraid if things get really bad."

She met Comforting's eyes. "But...I don't want anypony else to be scared either. Somepony has to be brave for them."

Prickle stood a little taller. "I can try my best. When it really matters, I won't show any fear on the outside, no matter how I feel inside. And I'll help anypony who needs it, however I can."

Her voice grew more confident. "My strength isn't just for lifting things. I can also stand strong emotionally when everypony is shaken. You can count on me for that."

Comforting broke into a relieved smile. "Prickle, you're the best. I knew I could trust you with this." She bounced back up eagerly. "Okay, so here's the plan. I'm going to keep preparing Equestria behind the scenes. But in public, I need you to act like everything's normal. Reassure anypony who seems really worried. And be ready to step up once chaos strikes."

She held out her hand. "It's a scary mission. But together, we can face this fearlessly. Are you with me?"

Prickle slapped her hoof into Comforting's hand without hesitation. "I'm with you."

Comforting grabbed up the little filly and the two twirled in the air in a great whirling hug. "Thank you." She set Prickle down carefully. "Now, this has inspired me! You are my second agent." She beamed at Prickle brightly. "But I need more. You will stand tall and strong with the foals." She put out a finger. "And the earth ponies." She put out another. "But who do we have for grown ponies? Who do we have for griffons?! What about changelings? This threat could be bigger than any one of us, but..." She leaned forward over Prickle. "There's more than one of us, together."

Prickle smiled at Comforting's renewed enthusiasm. "You're right, we need all creatures to stand together." She tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"For grown ponies, maybe Twilight Sparkle? She's powerful and ponies look up to her." Prickle suggested.

"Ooh, and for griffons - Gallus!" Comforting interjected excitedly. "He's one of my good friends at school. I bet I could get him on board."

Prickle nodded approvingly. "Perfect. Now we just need somecreature to unite the changelings..."

Her face lit up. "Wait, I know! How about Ocellus from your class? She's so kind - other changelings would listen to her."

Comforting bounced on her toes. "Prickle, you're a genius! With Twilight and Gallus and Ocellus, we'll have all ponies, griffons and changelings ready. Their friendship and teamwork can overcome anything."

She did a little flip in the air. "This is really coming together. With Luna preparing security, and you leading the foals, and now agents for the adults too, I think we can do this!"

Comforting floated back down and pulled Prickle into another quick hug. "Thank you for inspiring me and pushing my ideas further. Now let's get out there and recruit our team!" She curled an arm, drawing her fingers to her chin. "Just one little thing... The creatures from school aren't technically adults. They're teens. Almost adults... They'll have to work extra hard to get the adults to even listen to them."

She laughed suddenly. "I'll have to work extra hard to get them to listen to me about shadowy threats in the future I don't have details on. I have a lot of work ahead of me..." She nodded at Prickle. "But you! You did your part for today. You did your part and so much more. Thank you for being such a great little pony."

Prickle smiled at the praise, tail swaying behind her. "Do you mean that?"

Comforting inclined her head. "Why wouldn't I mean that? You were great before you even got here, but you were even better after our chat. Okay! Okay..." She huffed, calming herself. "Okay... I have to think about this. But we have a plan to work with. Thank you so much, Prickle. Did I mention yet that you're the best?"

"At least once." Prickle smiled a little demurely, unsure if she should accept that returned praise. "You know where I live. Um, don't teleport inside. That'll scare my mom."

The two waved at each other as Prickle headed off for home, their plans set for the time.

Before approaching any of her classmates, Comforting called a meeting with a teacher instead. "Hello, Professor." Comforting sat in her magic-learning desk, rocking her dangling legs. "Thank you for seeing me."

"So formal." Twilight nodded at her student-come-chaos spirit. "If you called, I presume it's because you have a question, which I'd like to answer, or because it's something I need to hear, which I want to hear. Either way, please, tell me."

Comforting clapped with a smile. "Good! I know you're older than me."

Twilight perked her ears. "Am I? I admit, I'm uncertain. How many moons old are you, if I may ask?"

Comforting wriggled a bit. "To start, I still don't know exactly how long a moon is... But we're getting distracted! You're the teacher, I'm the student. Even as a chaos spirit, I accept that relationship, gladly. I love having you as a teacher."

Twilight smiled at the praise. "And I love teaching creatures, especially about things I'm passionate about, like magic... or astronomy, or, more recently, friendship. Does this involve any of those?"

Comforting nodded. "It does actually. Friendship most of all."

She leaned in a bit closer. "I don't want to worry anypony unnecessarily, but I have reason to believe Discord is planning something that could disrupt harmony."

Twilight's eyes widened in alarm. "What? Are you certain?"

Comforting raised her hands placatingly. "Nothing confirmed yet. But I want us to be ready, just in case."

She met Twilight's gaze. "As a chaos spirit myself, I may be able to predict Discord's actions better than most. And I believe the strongest defense will come from the Magic of Friendship that you and your friends wield."

Comforting smiled reassuringly. "I know it's a lot to ask. But I was hoping you could help rally Ponyville and prepare everycreature to respond with friendship and unity if things get chaotic."

Twilight considered for a moment, then set her shoulders determinedly. "Comforting, I've already told them to do that. Ponyville will stand ready, should something happen."

She smiled back at Comforting. "I'm glad you came to me with this. Please keep me updated on anything else you learn about Discord's plans. What you've told me doesn't give me much to work with, unfortunately."

Twilight extended her hoof. "We'll get through this the same way we always do - together."

Comforting grasped it eagerly. "Together." Even if she didn't know what would come against them, she knew she had Twilight at her side. Her thoughts went to her classmates. She hoped that conversation would go as well.

Author's Note

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165 - Calling the Young Six

She found Sandbar first, pouncing atop the pony and sliding her legs down on either of his sides. "Valliant steed!"

Sandbar whinnied in surprise. "What?!" He curled to look at Comforting. "Oh, um, hi?"

"Hello!" She squeezed him gently with her thighs. "Where are the others? Sorry to be so, um... to the point."

Sandbar inclined his head. "Is something wrong? They're probably in class. It is class time. I'm just going to the bathroom."

Comforting colored with a laugh. "Sorry." She lifted from Sandbar's back. "I don't mean to get between a pony and that." It was classtime? She looked about for a clock, there. Yep... She was missing class. On the positive, she had just spoken with Twilight, so at least... Maybe they would excuse her?

She was being a bad student. "For Equestria," she muttered to herself. "Oh, but thanks." She hugged Sandbar gently. "I'll let you get back to that and bother you all after school."

Sandbar smiled and returned the hug with one arm. "Glad to help. See you later, okay? You should get back to class too." He went on his way to take care of his business.

Comforting darted to the class she should have already been in. Sure, she had to apologize to Applejack for being quite late, but she took her spot and did her best to be a model student for the rest of the day.

Almost vibrating with anticipation, she zipped off to the dorm hallway to wait for the others to return.

Comforting paced back and forth in the dorm hallway, unable to contain her nervous energy. Finally, the door opened and her classmates arrived.

"Hey Comforting, what's got you so worked up?" Gallus asked, eyebrow raised at her obvious agitation.

"Yeah, you seem super stressed. Is everything okay?" Silverstream chimed in, hovering close with a look of concern.

Comforting took a deep breath. "I need to talk to all of you. Let's go somewhere private."

The students exchanged puzzled glances but followed her into their dorm room. Once the door was closed, all eyes were on Comforting.

"So here's the thing..." Comforting quickly summarized her suspicions about Discord sowing chaos and the steps she had taken so far.

"Whoa." Smolder leaned back against the wall. "Discord going rogue again doesn't sound good."

"How we help?" Yona asked earnestly. The others echoed similar sentiments.

Comforting smiled, relieved by their willingness to assist. "Just keep your eyes peeled for anything odd. And be ready to come together with friendship and teamwork if things get chaotic."

She looked around at each of them. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I believe that together we're strong enough to face any disharmony Discord conjures up. Will you stand with me?"

One by one, her friends nodded solemnly.

"We've got your back," Gallus said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Comforting's heart swelled at their support. With these amazing friends by her side, she knew they would make it through whatever lay ahead. "I know I'm being super vague." Comforting rubbed one arm with the opposing hand. "But I don't know much more! He's up to something... And it's something big..."

Yona rolled a hefty hoof. "We talking... Cozy big?"

Gallus cringed. "Ugh, are they going to try to steal all the magic again? Did they store away those magical doodads?"

Smolder smashed her hands together. "Or just destroy them."

"Yona likes that idea." She nodded with satisfaction. "Smash, then can't hurt anything."

Comforting waved her hands wildly at them. "Not that... I don't think? Good idea though." She pointed at Yona. "Check to be sure they're safe, just to take that off the list of things it could be."

Yona saluted and marched off with heavy stomps. One could be sure she'd take care of it with finality.

Comforting watched Yona depart with a small smile, despite the seriousness of the situation. She appreciated her friend's enthusiastic willingness to help.

Turning back to the others, Comforting continued strategizing. "Even if it's not about magical artifacts, anything you notice out of the ordinary could provide clues. I wish I had more details to give you all."

She sighed, but Ocellus buzzed over to offer an comforting pat on the back. "It's okay, we know you're doing your best with what you have."

Comforting gave her a grateful smile. "I'm going to keep digging for more leads. In the meantime, just keep your ears open and be ready to bring our different tribes together."

Her expression became determined. "Discord thinks he can divide us with his chaos magic. But our friendship is stronger than any trick he can pull."

One by one, her classmates nodded.

"We won't let him ruin the harmony between our kinds," Silverstream declared, an uncharacteristic fierceness in her voice. The others voiced their agreement.

With her steadfast friends by her side, Comforting felt confident they could weather whatever storm Discord whipped up. As long as they stuck together, his chaos didn't stand a chance. "There's one thing in the way." The teens perked at her. "You're not adults."

Smolder's brows fell as one. "Wow, low blow, coming from a little kid. I didn't think you had it in you." She smirked as she leaned back against a wall. "We're old enough to know what's going on, and to do stuff about it. What aren't we old enough to do, hm?"

Comforting shook her head quickly. "I don't mean it like that! It's just..." She cycled her hands a moment with a grunt of frustration. "If you have to talk to adults about this, they may not take you seriously, even if they really should. This is their flaw, not yours, promise."

Smolder pushed off the wall, wings giving a little flap as she walked towards Comforting. "Good save." She ruffled the chaos spirit atop her head. "And you're not wrong. A lot of dragons would laugh at me if I started preaching about unity all of a sudden..."

Gallus cringed. "Yeah... I'll say it, but how many griffons would listen to it?"

Ocellus waved excitedly. "I bet mine would!"

"And mine," echoed Silverstream, the two sharing a high-five over their species' different attitudes.

Sandbar shuffled nervously in place. "If ponies get really scared, I can't be sure they'll listen to me..."

Comforting clapped, getting their attention. "That goes for everycreature here... They could all get scared, and that goes for changelings and hippogriffs." The two looked a bit sheepish at being called out. "But, if it comes to that, we need to be there. We need to be the ones talking the truth and getting them on that right page."

Gallus considered Comforting with a piercing stare. "You're taking this really seriously... Is this happening tomorrow?"

"It could happen today." Comforting shrugged. "It could happen next week, or next month, er, moon, or maybe a few years from now. I don't know! All I can do is be ready." She flopped, but was floating, so she flopped to her bottom in the air in a casual ignoring of physics. "I'm really sorry I'm not giving better information, but I don't have it and this is really kinda stressful and I'm the only one that can help, and--"

Silverstream put a hand on Comforting's side, tracing an arm. "It's okay," she spoke in a voice gentler than any of them were used to hearing from Silverstream. "We're here."

Comforting started in surprise, realizing she could barely see who was touching her. She blinked away the tears and rubbed at her face. "Sorry..."

"Don't be sorry." Silverstream nuzzled her crying spirit friend. "Like you said, this is a lot. If you need to cry, cry." She giggled, her mirth returning just as suddenly. "I have to do that sometimes."

Comforting took a deep, steadying breath as Silverstream's compassion calmed her rattled nerves. She offered the hippogriff a small, grateful smile.

"Sorry about that...I don't mean to fall apart when so much is at stake," she said a touch sheepishly.

Smolder waved a hand dismissively. "Hey, even heroes need to vent sometimes." The others murmured agreement.

Bolstered by her friends' support, Comforting floated back to her feet. "You're right, there's no time for tears. Discord could make his move at any moment."

Her voice regained its previous strength. "We all know the stakes. But with you guys at my side, I know we can protect the harmony between our kinds, no matter what tricks Dad pulls."

At that moment, the door burst open to reveal a triumphant Yona. "Secured artifacts! No stealing magic this time." She puffed out her chest proudly.

Comforting beamed. "Great work Yona! That's one concern down."

She turned back to the group, hands on her hips. "So here's the plan. We'll each think of ways to convince our tribes' adults to keep an open mind and not give in to fear. Next meeting, we'll share ideas and make it happen."

Her friends nodded firmly, newly emboldened. Together, they could weather any storm.

"Alright team, let's do this!" Comforting cheered. No matter what came next, their friendship would light the way forward.

They met with hands and hooves, unified in their purpose. "I'll keep planning." Comforting vanished, going strangely inverse and fading away like someone had made a tragic mistake with a graphical editing program or a malfunctioning monitor.

Gallus snorted at the spot that once held Comforting. "Every time, it's like she has a different way of teleporting each time. Starlight and Twilight both do it the same way each time. So strange..."

Yona shrugged. "Comforting strange. Is what she is. Still friend."

Smolder folded her hands outwards in a shrug. "I hate to be the one bringing this up, but what if... Just hear me out, but what if she is the one pulling a chaos on us? She is a chaos spirit too. She could be playing a joke." She clucked her tongue on her sharp dragon teeth. "Just what if?"

Silverstream swatted at Smolder. "Cut that out! We all know her. She wouldn't joke about something like this. She may give you a candy that's really sour, or tell a silly joke, but lie, about this? I doubt it."

Gallus hiked a thumb at Silverstream. "Gonna have to go with her on this."

Smolder held up her hands defensively at the swat from Silverstream. “Okay, okay, it was just a thought! Don’t need to get your tail feathers ruffled.”

She sighed. “You’re probably right. Comforting’s a good egg, even if she is chaotic.”

Yona nodded sagely. “Trust in friends. Friends help friends.”

“Exactly.” Gallus smiled and patted Smolder on the back. “Besides, we’d know if she was pranking us. She’s not that subtle.”

The others chuckled in agreement. The tension diffused, they got back to brainstorming ideas for how to best mobilize their tribes.

Ocellus suggested appealing to the changelings’ shared desire for love and connection. Silverstream proposed a rally celebrating what all tribes had in common. Before long, they each had the inklings of a plan.

“Alright, next meeting we’ll polish these up and get ready to put them into action,” Sandbar said confidently.

The group shared determined smiles. Whatever Discord was plotting, their unified friendship would prove more powerful than any chaos he conjured up.

With their spirits lifted after doubts had been raised then overcome, the students split up to enjoy the rest of the day, ready to unite against whatever threatened harmony when the time came.

Comforting landed in front of her house and jogged to the door. "I'm home!" she called to nobody, pulling it open and stopping. There was someone there. Somecreature, if one wanted to be proper.

"Alpha." Cracked fell down, lowering her head to Comforting's level. "I had been hoping you'd return soon. I have great news for you, and a request."

Comforting rushed up to her beloved dogpony, hugging Cracked on the snout. "Welcome back! Did it go well? Did you find any others? You're back early, so...?"

"So, yes, I have news." Cracked sat up slowly on her haunches. "It is good to be back, but let's start with the news."

Author's Note

Cracked, we're in the middle of something... Well, since you are the best doggy around, guess we should listen.

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166 - Doggie!

Cracked's tail gave a single wag, but didn't continue swishing. "Start big. Found, but could not reach." She frowned, reaching up one of her great hindpaws to scratch a sudden itch on her pony snout. "It was very frustrating, but also wonderful. There they were..."

Comforting bounced forward with wide eyes. "They? Are we talking more than one of you, or just not revealing if they were a lady or a fella?"

"The second one... But I was not trying to conceal things from you, Alpha." Cracked crashed to her belly, far closer to Comforting's level, as close as she could get. "I found one. Female. We won't make litters, but it was another. I had to rush back and tell you."

An idea jumped into Comforting's head, but she shook that same head quickly. Strange chaotic answers to her friend's problem wasn't what was being asked for. "So why couldn't you get to them?"

Cracked's ears drooped slightly. "She was on the other side of a great chasm, one too wide even for my mighty leaps. I called out, but the distance swallowed my voice before it could reach her."

She scraped a hoof on the floor anxiously. "I searched and searched for a way across, but the canyon sides were too sheer. In the end, I could only watch helplessly as she disappeared into the shadows of the caves on the far side."

Cracked met Comforting's gaze. "I have failed you, Alpha. I found one of my kind, yet could not make contact. My failure pains me." She lowered her head in shame. "I understand if you are disappointed in your servant."

Though crestfallen, a flicker of hope remained in Cracked's eyes. Perhaps her Alpha could find a solution to this seemingly insurmountable obstacle? She awaited Comforting's wisdom, ready to undertake any task to complete her quest.

Comforting inclined her head. Gravity had been the issue? "Okay!" She hopped up and didn't bother coming down. "If you could..." she trailed off, frowning. "How far away can you see?"

Cracked sat up slowly. "Never measured that before, alpha. How do we check?"

Comforting zipped away from Cracked to the far side of the room. She put down an eye chart and slapped it with a pointer she hadn't been holding a moment before. "Time for an exam! Cover one of your eyes and follow along with what I'm pointing at."

"A, C, R, T..." Cracked nodded with each letter, but the difficulty was going up rapidly with each line of letters becoming smaller than the last. "E? Y O..." Her tail began to wag slowly behind her as she pressed on, eager to show her best for Comforting. "Q? No, O... Wait, no, C. That is a C."

Comforting inclined her head. "What about this one?" She advanced to a fresh letter further down the same row. "Can you see that one?"

"That is..." Cracked squinted a little. "R, no, E..."

Cracked folded her pointer. "I see..."

"Alpha, that is not an I or a C." Cracked nodded, completely certain of that fact. She looked pleased to have helped.

Comforting burst into giggles. "I said I see. I--" She pointed to herself. "See." She pointed to her eyes. "Not letters. Okay, your detail vision goes down pretty fast..." Was that normal for a dog? She didn't remember. Was that normal for a pony?! She didn't know that either. Still... "That means you weren't picking up a lot of details from very far away."

"No."

Comforting inclined her head. "I thought you'd argue that a little more, so what did you see, exactly? How did you know they were a lady?"

"They were large, even from very far away." Cracked stepped from one massive paw and hoof to the next. "Their tail, I think it was their tail, it moved the way I would expect. But, most importantly, their smell." she wrinkled her snout. "It reached me, carried on the wind. She is a she, I could smell that. She is one of me, I could smell that too, even if I couldn't see her as well as I would have liked. Even if I couldn't reach her."

Comforting clapped with a bright smile. "Okay! This is making sense now." She could imagine what happened, with Cracked spotting some familiar shape, chasing back and forth along the ravine. The scent had reached her, and told her the important parts. "Well, what if I just carry you over?"

Cracked inclined her head. "I would think that is a strange idea, but, alpha, you have powers beyond what I can even imagine. If you say you can lift me, I trust you. I would only ask that you do it carefully."

Comforting hugged her beloved dog-wolf housemate on a leg. "Of course! I would never hurt you, on purpose at least..." She stroked her chin a moment. "Okay, enough of that. Show me where this big pit is and we're getting past it! It must be far away..." Equestria didn't have any valleys so deep and so wide that even Cracked couldn't get across it, Comforting felt sure. Then again, there was a whole world out there past Equestria.

Cracked led Comforting through the wilderness, retracing the path she had taken previously. After hours of travel, the wolf-pony paused, gazing out at the landscape ahead. There in the distance was a yawning chasm, stretching as far as the eye could see to either side. Cracked had set quite the pace, loping easily across vast distances. If Comforting couldn't fly just as quickly, it'd be a challenge for most anyone to keep up.

"There it is, Alpha," Cracked said solemnly. "I ran along the edge for miles seeking a way down, but found none."

Comforting approached the canyon's sheer edge, peering into its depths. She turned to Cracked with a confident smile. "No problem! Just hop on and I'll fly us both across, easy as pie."

Cracked nodded and gingerly climbed onto Comforting's back, hanging off of the tiny little helper. The young spirit rose into the air, Cracked's giant form weighing her down only slightly. With a few powerful flaps of her wings, even if they were just for show, they were gliding over the divide.

Cracked's eyes widened as she took in the sweeping expanse of the canyon beneath them. "Incredible..." she breathed. "To soar as if on the wind itself - what a gift you have, Alpha."

Comforting just chuckled, angling them towards the opposite cliff face. She touched down gracefully on the other side, allowing Cracked to dismount. "See? Nothing to it." Even if Dismounting was just stopping clinging to the relatively tiny form of Comforting.

Cracked nuzzled Comforting gratefully. "My quest can continue, thanks to you." She raised her nose, sniffing the air. "And her scent lingers still..."

With Comforting's aid, the strange wolf-pony's goal was within reach at last. Comforting followed after Cracked, floating along as the great ponywolf snuffled and moved erratically. Tracking? Comforting guessed they were tracking, or trying to at least. She didn't interfere with that. Getting her across the ravine was already cheating enough.

Cracked perked up suddenly, ears alert and snout thrust forward. "There." She burst into a gallop, rushing to a mountain range a short distance away, at least on Cracked's galloping range. "Here." She yelped and barked excitedly. "Here. Hello! Hello? Hello!" She paced nervously back and forth. "I come peacefully, please don't be angry."

Comforting floated in over Cracked, looking around for any other wolf-ponies, but didn't see any right away. "You sure this is the right place?"

"Yes." Cracked nodded firmly. "Near... I know it for sure, Alpha. She is here." Cracked tossed their head at the mountainside. "In one of those caves, I'm sure of it. I don't want to go in after her. That would be rude."

Comforting nodded thoughtfully as she scanned the mountainside. "You're right, bursting into her home would be quite rude. Let's see if we can get her to come out instead."

She cleared her throat and called out in a friendly, singsong voice. "Helloooo! We come in peace! We were hoping to meet you."

Silence greeted her words. Cracked whined anxiously.

Comforting patted her reassuringly. "It's okay, she's probably just shy."

Closing her eyes, the spirit focused her awareness, sensing for any sign of life emanating from the caves. There, on the eastern face - a lone presence.

Comforting locked onto it and projected her voice directly inside. "Please don't be afraid! We traveled a long way just for a chance to meet you."

For a moment all was still. Then a head poked out from the shadows of the cave. A wolf-pony, one of Cracked's kind. She studied them warily.

Cracked waved a hoof eagerly. "It's alright, we won't hurt you! I'm so happy to finally meet another of my kind."

The stranger glanced between them uncertainly. Then, slowly, she stepped out into the daylight. Up close, Comforting could see she moved with a slight limp. But her eyes were kind, if cautious.

"Let's start nice and easy," Comforting said gently. "Cracked has been eager to find more of her kind. What's your name?"

The wolf-pony hesitated, then replied in a scratchy voice unused to speech: "I am called Lily."

Cracked's tail wagged excitedly. At last, contact had been made! "I am Cracked." She directed a hoof at Comforting. "This is Comforting. She is my alpha."

Lily sat with confusion clear on her face. "Your alpha?" She squinted at the tiny chimera floating in the air. "Why? She is tiny, small, weak. Why would you call her alpha? Are they even grown, for whatever they are?"

"No," quickly shot out Comforting. "I am not. Nice to meet you. I'm comforting." She clapped her hands once, but hesitated on the second of the applause. "Are you hurt?"

Lily regarded Comforting warily. "Why do you ask? My limp is an old injury, nothing to be done for it now."

She turned her gaze on Cracked. "You let this child order you? I don't understand."

Cracked smiled patiently. "I was alone, scared and confused when Comforting found me. She gave me a home, a purpose, acceptance. She cares for me as no other has."

Cracked met Lily's skeptical eyes. "Her youthful appearance is deceiving. She holds great power, though she uses it only for good. Judge her not by size alone. She is my alpha, and I follow her willingly."

Lily looked thoughtful. "Power comes in many forms. If she has earned your loyalty, perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye."

She addressed Comforting. "My apologies if I gave offense. These mountains have made me wary of strangers."

Comforting waved it off. "No offense taken! I know I'm an odd one." She floated a little closer. "But I care a lot about Cracked, and I want to help if you're hurt or need anything."

Lily smiled slightly. "You have a kind heart, little one. My leg pains me sometimes, but I survive."

She turned her gaze to the open sky beyond the mountains. "Though I admit...the thought of open fields and warm dens is an appealing one..."

Cracked's tail wagged eagerly. "You could join us! Comforting would welcome you, I'm sure of it. Right, Alpha?"

She looked to Comforting hopefully. Perhaps their unusual pack could gain another? Comforting went to smooch Cracked's nose, a signal enough that had Cracked almost vibrating with hope.

Comforting zipped to hover in front of Lily. "I have a question. What stopped you from leaving?"

Lily inclined her head. "Didn't you see the hole? It goes everywhere." She turned in place, a full circle. "Everywhere. I am trapped."

"How?" Comforting dared to land on the new wolfpony's snout, sliding down to mount it. "You weren't born here, were you?"

"No." Lily crossed her eyes to keep a view on Comforting. "I was sent here. They banished me with magic." She started. "Is that why Cracked follows you? Do you have magic beyond your size?"

167 - Easy Paths

A flashing alert icon appeared in Comforting's field of view. She reached up to tap it, summoning the mail it warned of.

Naughty child,

While my affection for you is large, my displeasure is not inconsiderable. Please come see me. Put Cracked somewhere safe. Do not move Lily.

Yours,
Amity

Comforting blinked at the hovering letters. "What is she mad about?" Was she watching even then? There was a decent odd of it. "Sorry?" But she wasn't sure what she was apologizing for.

Still, a command had been made. "Cracked, we have to go."

Cracked inclined her head left and right. "With Lily?"

"No." Comforting wriggled uncomfortably. "Lily, sorry. Wait for us?"

Lily gave a wry smile. "Waiting is something I have grown much used to. Strange small alpha, I will wait longer still."

Comforting hefted up Cracked as if she were many times smaller and they were gone, slipping sideways back to their home. She put Cracked, dazed, back to the ground. "I'll be back."

"Wait!" Cracked wheeled on Comforting. "What was that? Alpha, please... Tell me. Did I do something wrong? Why did you leave her?"

Comforting cringed back a step. "No! You didn't do anything. Maybe I did? I don't know. Let me go find out, please."

Cracked sat up, calming. "Go. If you must, then you should go. Sorry for standing in your way."

Comforting gently pet one of the legs of her great roomie. "Be right back." And she was gone, whisked away to Amity's tree. "Amity?" she called out. "I'm here."

"I see that." Amity circled around her tree self. She wore the form of young Comforting, expression blank, gaze ten miles distant. "You don't know what you did." She stepped closer on silent little hooves. "I will tell you. Lily was not trapped by a simple ravine. If she were, she would be dead, life claimed by the passage of time. Her people are not that long-lived."

Comforting inclined her head. "But Cracked found her. If she isn't hidden behind a canyon, what is she hidden by?"

"Cracked found her." Amity smiled up at Comforting. "But she didn't know what she found. She smelled Lily, but never actually saw her. She was fooled, but you were making it real, without thought, without pause." Amity cycled her hooves in the air. "You were granting her wish, and stepping over every line. Even Discord would blush at how brazenly you were violating those rules. Perhaps, he is proud, to have such a chaotic child... To undo things without even considering, without even being aware."

Comforting pinned ear and feather tuft back. "But... What about Lily then? How is she trapped?"

"I had forgotten her." Amity let out a distant smile, eyes still so far away in their focus. "She was captured long ago. When her kind used to be a nightmare to ponies, one brave unicorn and his friends stood up to them. They defeated them, one by one." Amity clopped her hooves with slow finality, each ponywolf crushed under the pony defenses. "Ponies earned peace, for a time. It was not a peaceful era... These warriors yet live, against most odds."

Comforting frowned with thought. "So... Lily was trapped in a pony magic prison... Which..." It clicked and Comforting started. "I helped Cracked reach her. We were in my magic."

Amity nodded with a growing smile, her eyes focusing sharply on Comforting. "Now you see. Little chaos spirit, the world is as you make it out to be. There was no ravine, but you did carry Cracked across it. You pierced the barrier that held Lily, thinking it very little. Cracked was baffled by the magic, and never would have made it."

"I cheated."

"You cheated." Amity tapped Comforting gently. "But this can be fixed."

Comforting perked. "It can?! How? Do you even want me to? You sounded kinda upset..."

"Only because you overplayed your hand..." Amity offered a hoof. "Lily is no threat, not to modern ponies. But you cannot be the one to throw off her shackles. You cannot do that. You, watcher, have assembled fine agents. Have you considered using them?"

Comforting clapped her hands with rebounding joy. "Yes, agents, yes... Okay!" She smooched Amity on her little nose. "You are wonderful. Sorry for breaking rules... I'll free her, but not directly. I know some agents that could use a field trip." She rubbed her hands with schemes building. "But first, I have to tell Cracked what's going on. poor thing must be so worried."

Amity raised a hoof. "In part. Our secrets remain our secrets. Tell her what can be told and no more than that. Friend Comforting, I am trusting you with the safety of Equestria."

Comforting took the chance for one last hug. "Alright." She vanished with a loud bubble pop, moisture exploding in a fine mist.

Amity landed on the ground lightly. "Good luck, chaotic harmony. I look forward to seeing how this unfolds."

Comforting arrived back home in a splash, finding Cracked anxiously awaiting her return.

"Alpha! You have returned." Cracked rushed over, sniffing Comforting for any signs of injury or distress. "Are you well? Is everything alright?"

Comforting smiled reassuringly, giving Cracked a pat. "I'm just fine. Sorry for worrying you." She sighed, gathering her thoughts on how to explain. "So, about Lily...it turns out the situation is more complicated than I realized. There's old magic keeping her trapped that I can't undo directly."

Cracked's ears drooped. "Old magic? But you are so powerful, surely you could free her?"

"I wish it were that easy." Comforting took Cracked's large paw. "But this magic was cast long ago for serious reasons. It's not my place to tamper with it alone." She gave Cracked a hopeful smile. "But don't worry - I have a plan to get Lily free, with help from some wise friends. It will just take a little time and cooperation to do it right."

Cracked still seemed confused, but visibly relaxed at Comforting's reassuring confidence. "If you believe your friends can help her, then I trust your judgment, Alpha."

Comforting playfully ruffled Cracked's fur. "Thanks for understanding. I know it's not quite the happy ending you were hoping for yet. But working together, we'll make sure Lily gets treated fairly soon."

Bolstered by Cracked's faith in her, Comforting set off once more, ready to enlist her allies' aid in undoing an unjust imprisonment - the right way that time.

She zipped from one sentence to the next, landing just in front of Yona. Yona recoiled in surprise. "Comfort! Where you come from?" She reached out for the little chaos spirit, patting her. "Not sad to see, just surprise."

"A good surprise, I hope." Comforting spread her arms in an invitation for a hug. "It's time for your first mission."

Yona pressed her snout between those arms, nosing Comforting in a thud of affection. "Mission? What mission?"

Comforting smiled so brightly. "You are one of my agents, so are the others. I--" She pointed to herself. "Am a spirit. We get things done through agents. Chaotic spirits, also like me, sometimes reach our hands in directly, but it's still better when an agent or three is involved. This world is for the creatures that live in it." She pointed at Yona. "Like you. Not like me."

Yona blinked, sitting up slowly. "Oh... Comforting..." She looked overwhelmingly sad. There were no tears, or sniffles, just that her entire demeanor was downturned, as if considering the gravest of news. "Sorry..."

Comforting hopped back a step. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."

"You died. When you got in accident. You died. Yona sad for that. Yona sad she didn't notice." She shook her head vigorously. "Not blame Yona. You good at hiding it."

Comforting blinked softly. "Technically? I mean, technically... But I'm still here." She twirled in place. "I died and became a spirit." It was as if she was just noticing that herself. "That's the natural order, yeah. Now I'm haunting Equestria, but I'm a very nice spirit, so don't be scared."

"Yona not scared of friend," she declared. "Don't be sad either. You here now, that what matters."
She set Comforting down and nodded firmly. "Yona ready for mission. What need doing?"

Yona listened closely as Comforting explained the need to help Lily break free of her magical imprisonment.

"Yona ready for mission!" the yak declared when Comforting finished. "What first step?"

Comforting hesitated. "Well, the most important thing is that all of you discuss it together and decide what needs to happen. I can't be the one to actually free Lily."

She met Yona's eyes. "But if the Young Six use their wisdom and harmony, I'm sure you can find an answer. Will you gather the others so I can explain?"

Yona nodded eagerly. "Yona get everyone! Meet back here."

The yak rushed off, and Comforting smiled. She had to place her trust in her friends now, resisting the urge to intervene directly.

Soon Yona returned with the students in tow. Comforting quickly summarized the situation for them.

"So in summary - Lily needs help, but it's not my place to be the one who frees her," she concluded. "I'm leaving that decision in your capable hooves...and claws, and talons."

The students exchanged thoughtful looks.

"We'll need to do some looking around first to understand what magic trapped her and why," Gallus said decisively. "But together, we'll figure something out."

Comforting smiled proudly. She had assembled the right team for this mission. Now it was up to them to uncover the path to true harmony. "I'm counting on you." She gave a sharp clap and casually banished herself back home. "They're on the case," she announced proudly to the anxious Cracked. "Hopefully, soon, we'll have Lily."

Cracked inclined her head. "We need to talk with her. She is from my past. She is from a different time. I had to learn. She will have to learn. Seeing ponies and not eating them is a new idea to her."

Comforting recalled when she first met Cracked, in that dirty building, as a frightening ghost of a thing. "At least she's in one piece..."

Cracked winced at the memory. "Don't remind me of that... This is a kind world. It has changed, a lot, but... In good ways, I think... I will be her mentor. I will show her the goods and bads and, hopefully, we can celebrate these better times, together. But, Alpha, we have a question, between us."

Comforting perked at that. "We do? I'm here. What's on your mind?"

Cracked nodded at her smaller superior. "If we free her, and she grows used to things, do you want her here?" Cracked directed a hoof at their shared house. "It will be cramped. There is not enough room for us all... Where else would she go?"

Comforting blinked as she realized Cracked raised a good point - their current home wasn't built to accommodate multiple large wolf-ponies.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, you're right, with three of you it would get pretty cozy in here."

Comforting snapped her fingers. "Ooh, I know! I could use my chaos powers to expand the house. Add some new bedrooms, expand the main areas...I bet I could double the space without it looking too crazy from the outside."

She hesitated. "But I probably shouldn't just warp the house without asking first. We're friends with our neighbors after all."

Comforting smiled at Cracked. "How about this - while we wait for Lily's situation to get resolved, you and I will talk to our pony friends about the idea of expanding. And we'll make sure Lily knows she has a place here with us, if she wants it."

Cracked's tail wagged at the solution. "Yes, Alpha, that is wise. Always better to include the pack in big choices."

She nuzzled Comforting affectionately. "However this unfolds, I am glad to have you guiding us. Your patience and care for all creatures is a shining example to follow."

Comforting blushed at the praise. "Aw, thanks Cracked. Now let's go spread the word about potentially supersizing our home!"

Now, it aught be mentioned, Comforting leaning in close to the page. "I'm not expanding the house from the outside. That'd be silly. But I will doublecheck that I'm not breaking any rules. I don't want Amity cross with me, again. Uh, since I'm here, any other things I'm missing? You all seem to be clever people."

Author's Note

We haven't had one of these in a while. Comforting has her face pressed against the fourth wall and is eagerly soliciting your advice. I will respond to comments below for her.

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168 - Visiting Ponies

Comforting appeared with a pop and dropped onto the soft bed. The owner of that bed was not there, but the soft scents she left behind remained. Diamond Tiara was a pampered filly, and her room made that clear, in scent, sight, and even sound. Comforting spotted the sound of it, a little statue of a rocky formation that had water trickling down it in a burbling celebration of the tranquility of water. "Neat..."

But there was no Diamond. "At school?" The odds were good. While teenaged school was out, little foal school was still going. Popping in on that felt rude. Unless she wanted to attend? No... She was in the teen school, and she owned a house, and a big big dog pony... And was trying to save the world. No, she couldn't pretend to be a little filly all the way like that...

Comforting hopped from the bed to her feet. The door clicked open. There was Randolph, looking at her with muted curiosity. "Ma'am?" He stepped inside. "The lady Tiara is at school."

Well, that answered that... "I was coming to visit." Comforting rubbed her arm, feeling guilty before the elderly butler. "I'll come back later."

"Very good." He nodded at Comforting, not at all phased by the visit by a chaos spirit. "She should be home in a few hours, ma'am."

"Awesome!" That answered another question. "I'll be back." She flipped herself inside out, vanishing away.

"Hm." He went about cleaning, not minding the brief visit.

Comforting pondered where to go next after leaving Diamond's empty home. She considered checking in with the Young Six to see if they'd made any progress on the Lily situation, but hesitated - she wanted to give them space to handle things themselves.

Who else could she visit while waiting for Diamond to finish school? Cracked was probably occupied with her own daily activities. The CMC often had crusading missions after class let out.

"Maybe I'll go see if mom's home," Comforting mused to herself. It had been a little while since she spent quality time with Fluttershy.

With an excited grin, the young spirit popped over to Fluttershy's cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Sure enough, the pegasus was just tidying up inside after a busy morning of animal care.

"Comforting! What a delightful surprise," Fluttershy said warmly as her daughter appeared.

Comforting hugged her adoptive mother happily. "Hi mom! I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by to see you."

The two settled in at the table, catching up over tea and baked goods. Comforting enthusiastically told Fluttershy all about the dance, chatted briefly about her new relationship with Diamond Tiara, and the quest to free Lily.

Fluttershy listened attentively, offering gentle wisdom and encouragement throughout. She was always glad to lend an ear when Comforting needed one. "I've had to, um... save things before." Fluttershy worked her hooves together slowly. "It can be a little scary. Though, it sounds like you won't be doing the scary things yourself, how lucky for you."

Comforting rubbed at her chin. "Not sure how lucky it feels. It means I can't do things. I can't make it work... Just hope and trust the people I gave the mission to do it, and don't get hurt." She flopped against the table. "Ever have to do that?"

"No..." admitted Fluttershy with a little sigh. "Afraid I haven't. But I can imagine, at least. That would be a little scary... Still... You helped mentor them. You helped them be ready. Are you confident in them?"

"Yes!" Comforting hopped up to her feet on the chair. "They're awesome! I just wish I could help... But I can't do that easily without cheating all over it all."

"Why not?"

Comforting blinked at the question. "Because I'm a spirit?"

"Have you tried, um... Not doing spirit things?"

Comforting blinked all the harder at her mother. That was an option?! Well... "Of course that's an option..." She didn't spirit her way past all the problems in the day. "I'm being dumb... But... Even if I don't directly reach out and do spirit things, I still know more than they'd have a chance of knowing. Just being there, talking, could be cheating."

"Maybe." Fluttershy smiled impishly. "So think of how Discord would handle it. He never tells us anything he doesn't want to, even when he's involved. He can be right next to when big things are happening without solving it for us, even if we ask him to very nicely." She rolled her eyes. "We've tried, I promise."

Comforting burst into giggles, easily imagining Discord stubbornly refusing and changing the topic quickly to something else rather than even discuss saying what he didn't want to say. "Dad does know how to get certain things done... Maybe you're right. I should channel my inner Discord and just not say what doesn't need to be said."

"And then." Fluttershy rested a hoof on Comforting's head. "You can go with them and see what happens, even if you don't give them the answers or do it for them."

"You are a genius." Comforting darted in past Fluttershy's arm to grab her in a big hug. "I love you so much I don't even have words." The two squeezed each other with equal love. "I'm going to go see what they... No..." She dropped from her flight, aborting it. "I told Randolph I'd visit Diamond today. She'll be super sad if I don't show up."

Fluttershy smiled warmly as Comforting caught herself, putting Diamond's feelings first. "That's very thoughtful of you. I'm sure she'll appreciate you stopping by."

Comforting nodded, though she still glanced out the window with a hint of restless energy.

Fluttershy placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "I know you want to check on your other friends, too. Why don't you visit with Diamond first, then see if you can meet up with the others? The day is still young."

Comforting's eyes lit up. "Hey yeah, I can visit Diamond, then pop in on the others after! You're the best, mom."

She hugged Fluttershy tightly once more. "Thank you for the advice - and the snacks!"

Comforting vanished the empty plates with a wave before heading for the door. "I'll let you know how things go with the Lily situation soon!"

Fluttershy smiled as she watched her daughter zip off into the afternoon sun. She was proud of the kindness and patience Comforting showed while waiting for her friends to take action.

With higher spirits, the young spirit set off to visit her special somepony. She would check on the Young Six's progress soon enough. But first, it was time for some well-deserved quality time with Diamond Tiara. She went in the front door that time. She even knocked.

Randolph answered with a nod. "Welcome back, ma'am. The missus would like to speak to you first."

"Missus?" Comforting got the idea Randolph didn't mean Diamond. "Spoiled?"

"This way." Randolph walked away, leading towards a small room not too far inside. "In here." He opened a door and waved inside. "Have a pleasant visit."

Comforting nodded at the elder butler pony and walked past him into the room. She saw Spoiled Rich nibbling a cookie somewhat impatiently. "Hello."

"Hello," echoed Spoiled, one brow raising. "I have a few questions for you. Diamond seems serious about you... You seem serious about your relationship with her, but you are a chaos spirit, to put it bluntly. She is not. She is a filly. You are not."

"Hey."

Spoiled leaned forward. "Let's not mince words. You are a spirit, not a pony. You cannot be a filly. Now, as I was saying, Diamond is quite sincere in her affection towards you. I don't want to make that create another rift between us... But I am worried. I know... It may feel otherwise, but I am her mother. I do care..." She took a slow breath. "You frighten me."

Comforting inclined her head. "I appreciate the honesty. I thought we talked though."

"We did, and we did not." Spoiled pushed a bottle of soda towards Comforting. "I'm still worried. You represent an existential threat to her, to me, to everything I know and love. I've seen your power, and felt it. You could probably snap your fingers and just make me forget I was ever worried... Thank you for not doing that."

Comforting's ears drooped slightly at Spoiled's candid words. She understood the pony's concerns - to an outsider, her abilities could seem frightening and dangerous.

"I know spirits like me aren't always easy to trust," Comforting began slowly. "Especially when we can do things normal ponies can't. But I promise, I'd never use my powers to control or endanger anycreature against their will."

She met Spoiled's gaze earnestly. "I care about Diamond a lot. I'd never intentionally hurt her or take away her freedom of choice. And I'm still learning how to be responsible with my magic - that's why I have mentor keeping me in check."

Comforting smiled hopefully. "I don't expect you to stop worrying completely. But I hope over time I can prove myself trustworthy by my actions. All I want is for everycreature to be safe and happy."

She slid the soda back towards Spoiled. "You're a good mom looking out for your daughter. I understand your concerns, and I'll work hard to earn your trust. Even us spirits have a lot of growing up to do."

Spoiled studied Comforting thoughtfully, seeming to weigh her words. "Even a spirit can show humility," she finally conceded. "Perhaps you do mean well. I can think of one way you could show me."

Comforting perked at that. "How?!"

Spoiled leaned forward and directed a hoof at her head. "One horn. A little thing."

Comforting blinked at that spot, where Spoiled did not have a horn. She was an earth pony, who did not have horns. "You're not a unicorn..."

"But I could be one, and I think you could make that happen. One little horn, and so many barriers would crumble to so much dust before me." She blew on that imagined ashen wall, knocking it over, at least in her mind. "So many of the highest social barriers in Equestria stand tallest before earth ponies, you understand. Princess Celestia preaches solidarity, along with Twilight, but it falls on many deaf ears, especially among the ponies that count."

Comforting cringed at that, wringing her hands. She was positive just turning Spoiled into a unicorn on command would count as a misuse of her powers. Doing it for fun, or to show a lesson? She could probably get away with that, especially temporarily... But just like Spoiled was asking? "It's not that simple."

"It never is," sighed out Spoiled. "It never is... Tell me then, what stands in the way? You could do anything, that must is fairly clear."

Well, yes... "In order to be a spirit you can trust, I have to accept that while I could, I shouldn't, and especially, won't." She counted on her fingers as she went. "You are an earth pony. If you want me to look into how you could change that, if you really want, I could dig around, but you'd have to do it, not me, for you."

Spoiled considered Comforting's words, looking thoughtful. "I see. There are rules, even for one such as yourself." She sighed. "Perhaps that was too brazen a request. You have made it clear you intend no ill towards my daughter, and that is what matters most."

Spoiled met Comforting's gaze. "Very well. I shall take you at your word, for now. But know I will be keeping a close eye on your relationship." Her expression softened slightly. "Truthfully, I cannot recall Diamond being this happy before. Whatever mystical force has brought you two together...it seems to have been a positive one thus far."

Comforting smiled, relieved that Spoiled seemed willing to give her a chance. "I really care about her. All I want is for Diamond to be able to follow her heart and find joy." She hopped down from her seat. "Anyway, I should let you get back to your day. I know you're just looking out for Diamond's wellbeing. Thanks for hearing me out."

Spoiled nodded. As Comforting turned to leave, the pony spoke up once more. "One more thing..."

Comforting paused, looking back curiously.

"While I may never fully understand your ways, I can at least tell you this..." Spoiled almost smiled. "Take good care of my daughter."

Comforting beamed. "I will. You have my word."

With the air cleared between them, Comforting went off to finally spend time with Diamond, her steps a little lighter.

Author's Note

Time for some Diamond Comforting time! Yay! Then we check in on some Young Six.

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169 - Bathing in Diamonds

She did it. She got the hug she was aiming to get. With arms around Diamond and an arm returned, the two were enmeshed in the best possible way. "Good to see you."

"Clearly." Diamond glanced around before she smooched the top of Comforting's head. "I wasn't expecting a visit, so you get two for the price of one."

Silver Spoon snickered, clopping her hooves. "Don't stop just because I'm, like, here."

Comforting released Diamond to zip over to Silver. "Hello there. I don't mean to just leave you hanging."

Silver snorted softly. "Yes, you did. She's your girlfriend." She pointed to Diamond. "And I'm not. I get that."

"But you are a friend." She grabbed for Silver and soon had her in a warm embrace, though it was one sided.

Silver laughed, eyes on Diamond. "She's doing this, not me."

Diamond smirked at the sight of the two. "You think becoming my +1 makes her not your friend? Hug her back, or tell her to stop it. Either way, there's no reason to stand there looking awkward."

Silver Spoon hesitated, then slowly returned Comforting's hug.

"Alright, we're friends I guess," she relented. Silver glanced at Diamond uncertainly as she pulled away. "So, is this gonna be a thing now? You two being all lovey-dovey around me?"

Diamond blushed but rolled her eyes. "Oh please, it's not like we're gonna smooch non-stop in front of you."

She paused, glancing at Comforting. "Um, we won't, right?"

Comforting giggled. "No way! I just wanted to say hi to both my friends."

She floated back over to Diamond happily. "But I'm here to spend time with you today. What should we do?"

Diamond's eyes lit up. "Ooh, there's a new cafe in town I've been wanting to try! We could have a nice lunch date there."

Silver made a show of waving goodbye. "And that's my cue to give you two some space. Have fun lovebirds!"

"You know you're welcome to come too," Comforting offered.

But Silver was already on her way out. "Nah, I'll let you enjoy your romantic outing. See you later! Really, lunch date in the evening..."

The door clicked shut behind the spectacled pony. Diamond sighed in relief. "Finally, some privacy."

She smiled slyly at Comforting. "Now, where were we?" She leaned in for a tender nuzzle.

Comforting caught up with what Silver had said. She was right, it was late afternoon at best. Doing 'lunch' was terribly unlikely, at least that day. "Was that a code?"

"Code?" Diamond perked an ear at Comforting. "Oh, sort of? We weren't being secret. We were making future plans. We'll have lunch. Not today." She waved a hoof with each part of that. "We understood each other. Sorry, I shouldn't assume everypony knows us like we know us. We're BFFs for real... Now." She rest a hoof on Comforting's nose.

"I don't want you to think that puts you two in competition, besides her wanting to watch us enjoy kissy times." She wrinkled her nose. "I swear, she needs to find her own boyfriend. Or girlfriend? I can hardly judge her on that front, considering." She reached for Comforting, rubbing her sides. "I have an exotic girlfriend of my own."

Comforting grabbed either of Diamond's shoulders, squeezing a little. "I have a lovely girlfriend too. It must be going around. So did..." She paused that thought. She had a lot of projects lined up already. She didn't need to add matchmaking for Silver Spoon to that list, even if it sounded like an adorable thing to be doing. "So what did you want to do?"

"This doesn't count?" Diamond rubbed her snout to Comforting's, drawing her closer.

Comforting giggled, returning Diamond's affectionate nuzzle. "Of course cuddles count!"

She gently guided them both to sit comfortably on a cushioned seat. Diamond settled against her side with a contented sigh.

"Mmm this is nice," the pink filly murmured. "Just you and me and nopony else."

Comforting nodded, idly stroking Diamond's soft mane. Simply basking in each other's presence filled her heart with joy.

After a few blissful moments, Comforting spoke up playfully. "Not that I don't love snuggles, but we should do something fun too, like you wanted."

Diamond perked up. "Oh right, duh!" She tapped a hoof to her chin. "Hmm, we could go for a walk in the park? The weather is perfect today."

Comforting smiled brightly. "A walk sounds lovely!"

She helped Diamond to her hooves, giving her one more quick nuzzle. "Lead the way, my dear."

The two set off hoof in hand, diamonds glittering in the sunlight. Though simple, their time together brought deep contentment. With Comforting by her side, Diamond felt like the luckiest pony in Equestria. But that could turn so quickly. Her girlfriend was, by nature, ephemeral. She knew that, in her head. But her heart didn't. The dissonance between the two was making the trip a bit harder. "Comfie."

"Yes?" Comforting leaned against Diamond a little. "What's up?" She looked around the cooling colors of the evening. There was a squirrel, proudly claiming a nut.

"You're... a spirit."

"Sure am." She squeezed with one arm around Diamond.

"Which means you do spirit things." Diamond inclined her head. "And you'll be away sometimes, doing them."

"Yep." Comforting scratched in little fond motions along Diamond's far side. "Sometimes... Just think of me like a special someone that's working."

Diamond perked up. "That... is a good way to put it." She choked a laugh awkwardly. "I'm being foalish... You're a spirit! You could... send me a letter, possibly a hug."

Could she send a hug? "I never even thought of that. Good idea." Comforting dug out a piece of paper. "Let's try."

Diamond watched curiously as Comforting scribbled something on the paper. With a "presto!" the spirit made it vanish in a puff of sparkles.

A moment later, Diamond jumped in surprise as she felt ghostly arms embrace her in a warm hug. She looked around in astonishment but saw nothing.

"Whoa! That felt so real," Diamond exclaimed, rubbing her tingling coat.

Comforting grinned, clearly delighted her experiment had worked. "Spirit mail can't send actual letters. But maybe I can send other sensations!"

Her eyes widened as an idea struck. She hastily wrote another note and sent it flying.

Diamond yelped as something cold and wet touched her nose. "Hey!" She crossed her eyes at her damp snout. "Did you just send me a lick?"

Comforting bounced giddily. "It does work! This is so cool."

She leaned in and gave Diamond a real nuzzle. "Now we can keep in touch no matter what spirit stuff I'm working on."

Diamond returned the nuzzle happily, spirits lifted. Their relationship had its unique challenges, but together they would find ways to overcome them.

"C'mon, let's keep walking," Diamond said, taking Comforting's hand again. "I can't wait to see what other tricks you come up with." She inclined her head. "But, just to check, what about actual letters, that I can reply to?"

Comforting jotted a quick note and tossed it away from Diamond. It bounced off Diamond's head from the far side, as if it had gone off the screen and looped all the way around to find Diamond. Diamond squeaked in surprise, but grabbed the crumpled paper and unfolded it.

Dearest Diamond,

Love you lots!

Thinking of You,
Comforting Shade

Diamond smirked at the words. "Okay, you can send a normal letter, but how do I reply?" She tapped at the paper. "I can't do that thing you just did."

"Easy," sang out comforting. "Just write what you want and throw it the other way. The paper still has my chaos magic all over it, until we forget about it."

"Forget about it?" The workings of chaos magic were a curious thing... "Well..." She curled on herself and pulled out a quill, quickly scratching a little reply. "And..." She hurled it where it had come from, and it was gone. "Huh..." She turned back to Comforting to find her already holding the letter, reading it. "That is freaky."

"Aw." Comforting hugged the letter warmly. "Looks like we're on the same page." She casually tossed the paper over her shoulder and it was gone a moment later, purpose complete. "This is great. We can trade hugs, kisses, and letters. That's way more than other ponies get when they're away."

"I can't argue that." Diamond rubbed where the phantom lick had been. "Crazy, but kind of nice..."

Comforting smiled, happy to have found ways for them to stay close even when apart. Though a thought nagged at her.

"There's just one thing," she began slowly. "I don't want you to feel like you constantly have to reply whenever I send spirit mail. You should focus on your own life too!"

She took Diamond's hoof gently. "I want to share our experiences, but not distract from them. Does that make sense?"

Diamond nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's really thoughtful of you."

She bumped Comforting playfully. "But you better send me at least one sappy love note a day!"

They both laughed before settling into a comfortable silence as they walked.

After a minute, Diamond spoke up again. "It's nice, figuring this stuff out together. We don't know what the future holds, but...I'm happy right now."

She smiled softly. "Even with all the chaos in your life, you help keep me grounded. So thank you for that."

Comforting's heart swelled at her words. "Aw, you do the same for me."

Their steps fell into sync as the path wound onward. For now, both were simply grateful to be present in the moment together, come what may.

Almost literally glowing, Comforting darted to the dormitory of the school. Seeing her girlfriend had been great, but she had some business to tend to. Were they even there? She knocked on the door even as she opened it. "Anycreature home?"

Yona turned in place ponderously. "What timing." She nodded at the spirit. "We talking."

Gallus fired fingerguns. "About that mission you gave us. Still kinda freaky, by the way. Not the first mission a spirit gave us... That not-Twilight gave us a test or two. We just didn't expect one from you."

Ocellus shook her head. "Not that we're mad. Saving a creature in trouble sounds like a good thing to do."

Silverstream was bouncing in place with boundless energy. "The hard part is just figuring out where to start! Maybe a big bone?" The others looked at her. "What? Dogs like bones. Why wouldn't that help?"

Smolder snickered. "Yeah... no. Love the energy, but no." She pushed off the wall and stalked towards Comforting. "We need to know where to look first. Got a clue for us?"

She couldn't just say the answer... But... Even Amity had at least said where to start. Surely that wasn't cheating. She reached out and pulled out a map of the world, even beyond Equestria. It twirled slowly, being a round globe in the air rather than a flat sheet of paper. "We are... Here." She tapped at their starting location, the globe stopping with the pressure of her finger.

The students gathered around the hovering globe, watching intently as Comforting indicated their location.

"Okay, we're here in Equestria," Sandbar said. "But where is this Lily ponywolf you want us to help?"

Comforting pondered how to provide a clue without giving away too much. She focused and summoned a faint magical aura around a distant mountain range halfway across the globe.

"Somewhere...in this general region, there are answers about the magic imprisoning Lily," she hinted cryptically.

Her friends peered at the mist-shrouded peaks. Gallus scratched his feathery head. "That's still a lot of ground to cover. Can you narrow it down any more for us?"

Comforting shook her head apologetically. "I wish I could say more, but you'll have to take it from here. All I can offer is a ride to get you started."

The students exchanged determined nods, buoyed by even this small lead. "We'll figure it out from there," Ocellus declared. "Just get us to those mountains and we'll handle the rest!"

Comforting smiled proudly at their resolve. With a wave of her hand, a swirling portal opened before them.

"Your chariot awaits!" She gestured grandly at the mystical doorway. "Good luck, Young Six. Something tells me you're going to help a lot of creatures with this quest."

Full of anticipation, the group stepped through the portal with Comforting. Though the path was uncertain, together they would light the way forward.

Author's Note

Diamond time!

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170 - Rescue Operation

Crackling with chaos magic, the Young Six arrived in various battle-ready poses. Not that anything tackled them the moment they appeared. Well, except one thing.

Sandbar squeaked as he was tipped over by a huge tongue. "Help!"

Smolder burst into laughter at the sight of it. "Cracked, were you waiting for us here?"

"No." She directed a hoof at Comforting. "I smelled her in a strange hole. I went through it and I found her." She nodded at Comforting. "There."

Comforting clapped gently. "Good, you're all gathered. You know the mission ahead of you. I've given you transportation, but the rules say I can't do much more than that. Even giving you a lift is stretching the rules, so no asking for anything more than that."

Ocellus inclined her head. "Huh... Okay, um, at least you're more upfront about it. I've heard Headmare Twilight talk about the times she tried to ask Discord about things."

Gallus was looking at Cracked. "So, what do you know?"

Cracked's ears perked up as she sniffed the air. "I smell...another like me?" She turned to Comforting with surprise. "Are we near Lily?"

Comforting nodded. "Yes. There's another like Cracked. Her name is Lily. She's been captured by a... pony, I think. We're here to set her free."

She gestured to the Young Six. "My friends have all agreed to help with the rescue mission."

Cracked drew herself up resolutely. "Point me to this fiend that imprisons my kin. I will tear down any barrier between us." A low growl rumbled in her throat.

Comforting gently touched Cracked's shoulder. "I understand you want to rush in, but they're in charge of this mission. You're playing backup this time. Your nose will guide the way."

Cracked took a deep breath, calming her fury. "Yes, wise Alpha. I will not fail you or the one called Lily. Your plan is sound." She dropped to her belly, looking at the ones that would lead that mission. "Little hunters, we meet again. We hunt our largest prey so far today."

Smolder flashed a thumbs up as she turned. "Biggest, but least tasty. Chomping another wolfpony sounds like a bad idea. Now, I'm no expert... But that looks suspicious." She pointed to what looked like a ruined castle on the side of the hill before them. "What do you think the odds are we need to be there?"

Cracked sniffed at the air, circling a moment before she took a powerful step towards the hill. "Yes. I can smell her."

Gallus lifted on his wings, swooping in to perch on Cracked's back, sliding down onto her neck. "You can smell something big like you? Shouldn't we... you know.. see her then?"

"I smell her. I don't see her." Cracked inclined her head upwards, sniffing anew. "Yes. I smell her. This way." She pointed with her entire form at the ruined castle's direction.

Gallus ruffled his feathers as Cracked started lumbering towards the ominous castle ruins.

"Well, I guess that settles it then." He glanced back at the others. "Time to put our rescue plan into action!"

The group headed towards the crumbling structure, keeping a wary eye out for guards or traps. As they drew near, Yona cracked her knuckles.

"Yona ready to smash bad pony and save friend!"

Sandbar held up a hoof. "We want to avoid, um, getting rough if we can. The goal is freeing Lily unharmed."

Yona grunted reluctantly but nodded. Sandbar then spoke up.

"Ocellus, Smolder and I will sneak in, see if there are any guards. Silverstream and Gallus, you two fly up and try to locate Lily from above."

The pair saluted and took wing. Sandbar continued, "Yona, wait until, um, unless you hear fighting inside, then smash down the front gates."

Yona grinned and stomped her hooves, ready for some smashing. Comforting was nowhere to be seen.

Sandbar turned in place. "Perfect. And Cracked?"

The massive wolf-pony turned an attentive ear his way.

Sandbar pointed to the gate. "Once Yona breaks through, follow Lily's scent straight to her. We'll handle any bad ponies."

Cracked dipped her head. "As you command, little pony."

Smolder gestured at where Comforting had last been seen. "Where'd she go, anyway?"

Gallus shrugged. "You know her. She's wherever she wants to be. She gave us the mission, and she's acting like she has to follow a dictionary of rules this time, so guessing she had to go and not help us more than she already did, right?" He elbowed Silverstream hovering beside him. "Let's go."

The pair launched over the castle, but it was just as ruined from above as it was from the front. They could see the gate still stood tall and imposingly, and there were a few smaller structures still standing inside. Aside that, it was abandoned and ruined. Even the buildings that stood had their share of holes and rubble. Time had not been kind to the place.

Silverstream pointed back at the gate. "Look!" She dived at it, and the heavy wooden bar slid into place to keep it closed. "Couldn't we move this?"

Gallus came to a fluttering stop beside her in the air. "Yeah? Pretty sure. Looks kinda heavy. I'll take this side."

They took opposing positions and lifted with frantic flaps of their wings and grunts of effort.

Outside, Yona inclined her head. "That sound like trouble." She could hear the grunts, muffled and distant. "Yona help!" She charged the gate, crashing into it with all the power yaks were known for. She collided with it just as they were getting the bar free, knocking the gate open and sending both flyers sailing to the ground in separate arcs. "Gate smash!"

Yona looked around for trouble, but saw no bad ponies, or any other creatures in need of smashing. Oh, there they were. She tromped up to Silverstream, the closer of the two. "You okay?"

Silverstream sat up with a groan, rubbing her head where it had impacted the ground.

"Oww... yeah, I'm okay," she said, a little dazed. She blinked a few times then flashed Yona a reassuring smile. "Just wasn't expecting to go flying like that!"

Nearby, Gallus was already back on his feet, brushing dust from his feathers. "Quite an entrance there, Yona," he chuckled.

Yona looked down bashfully. "Yona sorry, thought friends in trouble."

Sandbar trotted up and gently patted her arm. "No worries. The important thing is you got the gate open." He peered through the entrance. "Now comes the hard part..."

"Right!" Silverstream sprang back into the air with recovered vigor. "Operation Wolfpony Rescue is a go!"

The group hurried into the abandoned castle courtyard, keeping a wary eye out for guards. But the place was eerily silent.

"Where is everypony?" Smolder wondered aloud. "This feels too easy..."

Ocellus hopped forward, wings buzzing. "Oh! This is... Not a fighting puzzle." The others looked to her curiously. "This is that thing Twilight mentioned. This is... arch... archee... Archaeology!" She waved a hoof over the ruined buildings around them. "We have to be gentle and search for clues."

Cracked inclined her head. "Lily is trapped by archees?"

Gallus clapped his hands together. "No, I get it. These buildings, what's under them, all of this. That's the clue. Um. Your friend. Do you know how she's trapped? If we're looking at stuff this old... How old is this Lily?"

Cracked considered with a frown. "Hard to say. I am very old, but most of that was in another world, in many pieces... Did that time even count?" But it seemed to dawn on her. "Maybe Lily is trapped out of time, like me. Maybe she is broken. We have to fix her!"

She thought back to the time, under Comforting's magic, they had met Lily. "She was limping. She is broken... Little hunters, please help find her."

Yona stomped the ground. "We find large wolfpony. We rescue!" She charged for the nearest ruined building to have a look inside.

The others trailed after her, not as ready to charge blindly. Ocellus spread her wings, buzzing into the air. "I'll check that one." She lifted, just to come down. "Actually... Cracked?"

Cracked looked over at what wasn't a little hunter, but one of her friends despite that. "Yes? Do you have another idea?"

"I do." Ocellus smiled nervously. "Your nose." She pointed up at Cracked's enormous snout. "That's the biggest hint we have. We should use it. Track Lily."

"I tried last time..." But Cracked's vision had gotten the best of her, the last time. She had never even gotten past the gates of that fortress. Still, at her little friend's suggestion, she began snuffling anew. "Closer... Yes... closer." She began to prowl around in widening circles, then veered off. "This way."

Smolder snapped her fingers just before a clap. "Great! Um, that isn't where Yona went though."

Gallus hiked a thumb. "I'll get her. Rest of you, stick with Cracked."

Gallus flapped off to retrieve Yona while the others trailed after Cracked. The massive wolfpony prowled with nose to the ground, following an invisible scent trail only she could detect.

After a few twists and turns, she led them to a crumbling watchtower on the castle's far side. Cracked circled it slowly, then tapped a pile of stones with her hoof.

"Here. She is underneath."

Silverstream, Ocellus and Smolder immediately began clearing away the rubble. Before long, an opening was revealed leading down into stagnant darkness.

Gallus and Yona rejoined the group just as they finished uncovering the passageway.

"Any luck?" Gallus leaned in over the new pit.

Smolder jerked a thumb at the hole. "Seems promising. Cracked says Lily's down there."

Yona frowned uncertainly at the ominous blackness within. "How Cracked know?"

Cracked tapped her nose with a wolfish grin. "The nose knows. My kin is below, though I know not what state we will find her in."

Her expression became serious. "Stay alert. And call if you need my strength."

The students nodded firmly, then descended single-file into the passage guided only by Smolder's flickering firelight. The air grew dank and heavy as they went deeper.

Before long, the tunnel opened into a small chamber. Sandbar shuddered. "Anypony else feel like we're being watched?"

Two statues of ponies stood there, watching them unmovingly. Between them hovered an onyx ring of gold framing. The ring hadn't faired much better than the place it was residing in, a long crack running down its face.

Sandbar accelerated at the sight of it. "Great! Um, think that's it?" He went for the ring, reaching a hoof towards it.

A thunderous clap sent him flying back into the others, knocking most of them down with grunts.

"They are held for a reason," came the voice of some older pony. They sounded grumpy. "Do not interfere. It took me moons to track this one down and capture her."

Silverstream tapped her fingers together as she stood up. "That voice... Isn't that... that Starswirl pony? The big wizard?"

Gallus rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, that guy. He solved most problems back in the day, and made a thousand new ones for creatures in the future to figure out." He hiked a thumb at the hovering ring. "Like that."

Yona ran a hoof over the ground as if preparing to charge. "Smash?"

"No smash." Sandbar moved in the way. "You might hurt the ring, and I think we want the ring."

He turned back to the ring. "Starswirl was... a bit of a specist. Maybe a pony has to ask permission."

Gallus shrugged. "You're the one that set off the trap in the first place, remember?" He coughed suddenly. The musty smell of dust and ancient ages wasn't helping anything.

"Yeah, but I didn't try asking." Sandbar approached much more sedately then the first time. "Hello, Starswirl, um, sir? We were wondering if we could have that?" He pointed to the ring as he circled cautiously. "We'll be careful, promise! They won't hurt anypony." Sandbar gave his best smile, but there wasn't sure if it'd be enough.

Author's Note

Nothing like a little vault exploring.

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171 - Springing Traps

"Starswirl, um... Things are better now." Sandbar tapped his hooves nervously. "Am I talking to a recording?"

"I'm not a recording."

Sandbar inclined his head, ears going flat to either side. "Okay... So is this the living Starswirl?"

"I hope I still am, but maybe I'm not." The voice issued from all around them, Starswirl's voice. "This will remain whether I am or not. Pony, why are you still here? This will cause chaos and ruin to ponykind. Have you taken leave of your senses?"

Sandbar smiled hopefully. "Starswirl, a pleasure to speak to you, or a represenative?"

"Close enough," grumbled the voice. "Why aren't you leaving? Do I need to put a lightning bolt on that rump of yours?"

"Please don't," squeaked out Sandbar, shuffling in place. "We need that." He pointed to the ring. "We'll be super extra careful with it, promise."

"This wolfhorse is dangerous." Starswirl's voice thundered with meaning and dire warning. "They will gobble you up the moment they are able."

"I won't eat them," came Cracked's voice, trailing from above.

"Is that a wolfhorse?" One of the statues' eyes glowed a menacing red shade. "You're already in danger."

Sandbar waves wildly at the statue. "Woah woah woah! She's a friend. A friend. Promise."

The other students nodded quickly in agreement. Yona pointed upstairs. "She good friend. Trust."

"Fools." There was quiet.

Sandbar scratched at the side of his head with a hoof. "Are they... thinking?" He waited nervously in the silence following Starswirl's dire warning. Finally, the voice returned.

"Hmph. Perhaps you are not a fool, but merely naive. You claim this wolfhorse is a friend? Preposterous."

Cracked's voice rang out gently from above. "It's true, we're friends. I don't want to hurt anypony."

The statue's eyes narrowed. "Lies. Deceit. Your kind lives for chaos and destruction. Only filling your belly carries any meaning for you."

Silverstream flew up to join Cracked. "That's not true! Cracked is the nicest wolfpony ever."

Ocellus added her voice too. "She uses her abilities to help creatures, not harm them."

The others chimed in with affirmations of Cracked's good character. Finally, Sandbar stepped forward.

"Starswirl, times have changed. Ponies and non-ponies live in harmony now. This wolfhorse is our dear friend." He gestured to the ring. "That's why we want to free her - so she can see the new world too."

There was another long pause. The group held their breath.

"Harmony, you say?" The voice took on a thoughtful tone. "And you would endanger that harmony with such a dangerous enemy? Foals, the lot of you."

Gallus dared a step forward. "We might be idiots--"

"--You are."

Gallus rolled his eyes at the insult. "But it's our world. You're old. Shoo." He made a dismissive brushing with his hands in the air. "Go on. It's our world to mess up."

"On your heads then! I hope I'm not around." Starswirl's voice grumbled with clear dissatisfaction. "It's broken anyway. No idea why you want it so badly."

They all cheered, except one. Ocellus stepped forward on little hooves. "Sir?"

"You're not even a pony."

"No..." Ocellus rubbed one leg with the other hoof. "I'm not, but I know what it's like, when everything feels like it changed overnight. It's... Not... It's hard, really hard."

Starswirl was silent for a long moment after Ocellus' empathetic words. Finally he spoke, his voice softer.

"A hard truth, that change comes whether we wish it or no. Perhaps in my efforts to protect ponykind, I failed to protect ponykind from myself. A pity my words mean little. I'm just a spell."

Ocellus smiled gently. "It's never too late to start."

The glow faded fully from the statue's eyes. "You have wisdom beyond your years, young one. Very well, I relinquish my vigil." A drawn out sigh echoed through the chamber. "May you build a better future than I envisioned."

The ring detached itself from where it had hovered and floated down towards them. Sandbar caught it gingerly in his hooves.

"We won't forget what you tried to do for ponies, even if you made mistakes," he said solemnly.

There was no response. Starswirl's spirit had departed, leaving the room still and quiet with no guardian spell on it.

Silverstream placed a comforting hand on Cracked's shoulder. "Ready to save your friend?"

Cracked stood tall, hope and determination shining in her eyes. "I am ready." She nodded to each of the little hunters that had helped her. "Thank you all..."

No more words were needed. Together, they all poured their magical power into the damaged relic. Rainbow energy filled them, coloring to each of their specific qualities. They were the new agents of Amity, even if they'd been recruited by a Comforting spirit. It was the concentrated potential and good will of their various species, gathered and combined onto that ring in a dazzling display.

Cracked had to turn her eyes away from the brightness. But the smell drew her right back. It was suddenly far more intense. There, in the fading light, was a large wolfpony, like herself, though a clean white in color. Lily had appeared.

"A dream?" Lily stood up, only to crash to her haunches, then her belly, wincing in pain. "Not a dream... Ow..." She looked up from where she had fallen, to Cracked. "Sister, we are not of the same pack. You owe me nothing, maybe less than nothing, if this is your territory."

Cracked rushed to Lily's side, heedless of her wary words. "Hush, sister. Any debts between us are erased."

She helped Lily sit up, examining her with concern. "You're still hurt. Stay still, let me see."

Lily watched Cracked tending to her with veiled astonishment. "You show...kindness? To me?" She looked past Cracked to the gathered creatures. "And not just wolfponies. Your pack is diverse."

Cracked smiled. "The world has changed much while you slept, sister. Ponies and non-ponies live in harmony. These friends helped free you."

Lily studied the patient, smiling faces surrounding her. "I see trust and care, not fear or hate." Her ears flicked thoughtfully. "Perhaps there is a place for us here, after all."

She met Cracked's earnest gaze. "Very well. Show me the ways of this new world, and I will walk them with you, sister. There remains one question." She lowered a hoof to her belly that rumbled with hunger. "If we don't eat them, who do we eat? I am ravenous."

The students backed away with, perhaps, well-reasoned caution. Yona did not, glaring at Lily. "Not eat Yak. Yak smash!" She turned up her head with a huff. "Go home, then eat. Hunters have lots food for hunters." She pointed to Cracked, Gallus, then Smolder.

Smolder fired a thumbs up at that. "She's not wrong. Let's get back and have a wicked barbeque. But first..." She rolled a hand, eyes wandering over Lily. "You look kinda messed up. Can you even walk?"

Cracked licked the snout of her new kin. "Can you? We will help you. Do not fear telling us the truth. Weakness is... allowed in these gentle times."

Lily sat up slowly. "Strange times."

"Very strange." Cracked touched nose to Lily's cheek. "But I like them. They are good times."

"They sound good... What's the catch?" Lily tried to be upright, but her right back rump twitched and she yelped in renewed pain, staggering.

"Sister." Cracked sniffed at the injury as if smelling it would fix it. "Can we help?"

"I was sleeping... For what felt like forever." She reached a hoof back to the injured rump. "In the dreams, I was dying, slowly. That broke. It stayed broken, even awake. I don't think it will heal. Sister, you are being kind to one who cannot hunt. You are being kind to one who cannot help the pack. Who never will."

Cracked flattened her ears back. "I. Do. Not. Care," she got out, one syllable at a forceful time. "You are my sister. You are the only sister I have in this entire world. Unless you have given up on life itself, I will carry you home if I must. I will care for you. I will hunt for you."

Lily inclined her head slowly. "These... are very soft times." But a canine smile spread over her mouth. "Perhaps I'll learn to like it. Where is this home of yours? Is it close?"

Gallus coughed into a fist. "Yeah, about that... No, it's pretty far away. We got help getting here. Um, so... How do we call Comforting?"

Lily sank to her belly. "You keep mentioning this Comforting. Are they a... Who and what are they?"

Cracked paced in place with an excited smile. "She is my alpha. Do not be deceived by her size. She is a cub that could win any battle, should she choose. It was by her power that we are here today."

Gallus nodded at the description. "Sounds right. She's really small, but she's also pretty nice."

"Huh." Lily forced herself back up, slowly inching herself. "Can we call her? A howl?"

Cracked slapped the ground with her tail. "I never tried that." She looked to the students. "Howl with me? The more of us, the more likely she will hear us."

The group exchanged eager glances, then as one turned their muzzles skyward to unleash a cacophony of howls, roars, and cries calling out for their absent pack member. Hands clasped hands and hooves, all of them forming a circle of howling unity.

The ruins echoed with the strange yet joyful noise. For a minute the ritual continued, until their voices gave out.

"Think that did it?" Smolder asked, massaging her throat with a frowning wince.

A popping sound answered her as Comforting blinked into existence before them. "You rang?" She darted towards Lily, but was intercepted.

Cracked bounded forward to affectionately nuzzle her petite alpha, nearly bowling her over. "You came!"

Comforting laughed and returned the nuzzling. "Of course! When my pack calls, I answer." Her gaze landed on Lily. "And you must be the new pack member."

She approached Lily with a welcoming smile. "I'm Comforting Shade, a chaos spirit. I see you've met Cracked already. Welcome to our family!"

Lily dipped her head respectfully. "Greetings, Alpha Comforting. I am called Lily. Your pack has shown me great kindness already." She winced slightly, injuries still causing her pain.

Comforting's eyes shone with sympathy. "Then let's get you home where you can rest and heal."

She turned to the students. "All aboard the chaos express!" With a snap, everyone found themselves transported back to Ponyville in an instant.

Lily looked around in wonder. "Magic..." she breathed, only to collapse to her belly with a muted yelp.

Comforting gently helped support Lily's injured side. "Don't worry, you're safe now. Let's get you settled in." She twirled in the air towards the students. "You did it! Without me. I'm so proud right now." She blew kisses at them all with a happy smile. "You're heroes."

Ocellus blushed at that. "We didn't do that much... Um... But is she gonna be okay?"

Smolder eblowed Ocellus. "As if you even have to ask. Lily's in Comfs' pack. She can fix her. Snap, just like that." She snapped her fingers, but lacked any magic to make that mean something.

Comforting laughed nervously. "Um, I have to check on that... For now, you all did so good. You have my thanks, all of it. I have to see what I can do." She went up to reach for a nice hug of congratulations.

"Cracked?"

The wolfpony perked at that, ears trained on Comforting. "Yes, Alpha?"

"Tuck Lily into the house." Comforting pointed the way. "It should be big enough inside."

"Hm?" Cracked loped over in a few easy steps and shoved her head inside. "Oh. Alpha, your power astounds." She came rushing back out to Lily's side. "There is room for you, sister. Let's go." She began nuzzling hard against her new kin, working her up until Cracked could walk slowly with Lily draped over her.

"Welcome home." She vanished without a sound.

Cracked shook her head at where Comforting had been. "Come." Not that Lily had a choice, being carried along by Cracked. "This will be your new home. If you need anything, ask. The little hunters." She paused. "I should not speak for you. Little hunters, will you--"

She didn't get to finish. Yona stomped mid-step. "'Course we help! If Lily nice like you, we help."

Gallus nodded, following along. "Welcome to the club, Lily." He chuckled softly. "Tell us what your favorite cuts are. We'll cook you up something good."

Lily smiled from atop Cracked. "I don't know what they're talking about... But I look forward to finding out. What a strange time you live in."

"We live in," corrected Cracked, carrying Lily inside.

"Where did your alpha go?" Lily slid heavily to her paws and hooves, just to sink almost immediately, her legs unable to keep her upright. "I saw her only briefly."

Cracked helped Lily back up as best she could, almost propping her new friend up. "I don't know. But she goes as she is needed..." She took a slow breath. "Maybe she can heal your injuries."

Lily's ears perked up in fragile hope, before drooping again. "Surely it cannot be so simple for one such as I..."

Cracked met her sister's defeated gaze. She yearned to promise Lily would walk again, but the words caught in her throat.

Outside, the sky darkened as clouds rolled in. Cracked glanced out the window, a feeling of foreboding growing.

Lily followed her gaze. "A storm comes..." She shivered, fur bristling as a crash of thunder echoed.

Cracked pulled Lily closer protectively. But in her heart, she wondered - could even Comforting heal such ancient damage? The day's victory suddenly felt tenuous.

Lily met Cracked's doubtful eyes, both fearing this new world's hospitality had limits. As the storm raged outside, uncertainty howled within.

Author's Note

Welcome home, Lily! Yay! But there are questions here...

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172 - May I?

"No."

Comforting had just arrived at the glittering tree that was also Amity. "No? I didn't ask anything."

"You didn't need to." Amity, wearing the form of the original Comforting, inclined her head slightly. "No. You can't heal her, not like that. Discord has healed Granny Apple's hips at least six times, but nothing has changed."

Amity approached slowly. "Chaos is very powerful, but it is not good at growth, only change. Change is not ideal for healing. A little, a touch, but the body..." She trailed off, frowning a little. "The body is a place of harmony. It looks chaotic from the outside, but it is a shining pillar of harmony. Death is when that harmony is sundered. When it can no longer hold itself against the tides of chaos that assail it. Chaos will not heal this."

"I wasn't going to ask that..." Comforting threw a hand limply.

Amity reached up, getting a hoof on Comforting's hip. "Then what were you going to ask? Friend Comforting, did I read you badly?"

"I wanted to know..." She fell to her bottom, which brought them far closer together. Comforting welcomed Amity to her lap for a gentle hug. "How did I do?"

Amity nestled in with Comforting. "Oh... I should apologize. You used your agents well, and backed away to let them finish. You were a little heavy-handed, giving them the transportation there and back, but you did let them handle the problem without your help. For your first mission..." Amity nosed at Comforting's chest gently. "You did very well."

Comforting huffed softly. "All you do is give them a place, and they have to do it all."

"It is for their growth." Amity flipped one little ear back. "Learning what the problem is becomes part of the journey, their own journey. They fix it and grow from it. Two problems are addressed at once, and they learn less to rely on a spirit to address their problems."

Comforting nodded slowly as she considered Amity's wisdom. "I think I understand. It's not about solving their problems for them, but helping them learn to solve problems together."

She smiled down at the pony-formed spirit in her lap. "You're such a good teacher, Amity. I still have a lot to learn about bringing harmony."

Amity returned the smile. "As do I. Harmony is an endless journey - the destination moves as we approach it."

She nuzzled against Comforting affectionately. "But the company makes traveling joyful."

Comforting laughed and hugged Amity close. A flash of worry then crossed her face.

"I wish I could heal Cracked's new friend Lily. But you're right - forcing it with chaos could do more harm than good." She sighed. "I'll have to tell Cracked I can't magically fix everything."

Amity touched a hoof to Comforting's cheek. "Being honest, even when it pains us, is harmony too. Your compassion speaks well of you, dear one."

She let her hoof fall. "Come. Walk with me a while under the sun. No puzzle today, only each other's company."

Comforting slid upright, taking one of Amity's little hooves. They began a slow stroll away from, well, Amity the tree. "How far can you be from yourself?"

"It's not a set distance." Amity hummed with gentle thought. "The further I am, the more it feels like there is a pillow pressed gently to me, risking being drowned in fluff. No real risk, but it can slow me." She tossed her head, ears dancing in the motion. "We're not nearly far enough for it to be a problem. Places where I have a strong connection reset the distance, so I can visit your home without a problem."

"Ooo!" Comforting smiled brightly. "Then where do you have connections? There's the map?"

"The map certainly counts. Its existence lets me visit the school, Twilight's school, easily." She drew her little hoof from Comforting and trotted properly on all four. "Being a school dedicated to my values, it would have been easier to approach, at least a little. But the map, right next door? I can go there easily."

Comforting easily kept up with Comforting on their stroll. "So you could visit mom, since my house is right there."

"I could." Amity peeked over her shoulder at Comforting. "But there is no need."

Comforting's face fell slightly. "Oh...I just thought, since she's like family, you might want to visit her again." She fidgeted with her hands. "But I understand if that feels strange to drop in unannounced."

Noticing Comforting's change in demeanor, Amity paused and turned back. "Dear one, please don't misunderstand. I cherish my friendship with your mother. But she is not a spirit." Amity curled a hoof at herself. "I am. To visit her is to distort her."

Comforting's eyes widened. "But I visit her."

"And you distort her." Amity smiled as she sank to her bottom. "But you are her child. That distortion is to be expected. You are also a chaos spirit. If they did not distort a little... that would be stranger for them. I... am not a chaos spirit. To tend from afar and gently encourage, that is my purpose. A purpose you have learned in part. I am very proud." She gave a single clop of her hooves.

Comforting considered Amity's words carefully. "I think I understand. You and I affect the world differently."

She sat down across from Amity. "As a chaos spirit, it's natural for me to cause some ripples by visiting others. But you're right - direct involvement wouldn't be harmonic."

Comforting smiled sheepishly. "I'm so used to popping in on my friends and family, it's where I live! I don't want to put myself away, like... you or dad.

Amity returned the smile and touched a hoof to Comforting's knee. "You are learning beautifully. And your care for your mother shows a gentle spirit. You are not me, or your father. You are learning your own way, Wonderful Spirit Comforting. Neither Discord nor Amity. Your place is your own."

Her expression became tender. "In time, after careful consideration, we may find a way for me to properly meet her. But the way of harmony is patience, not impulse."

Comforting covered Amity's hoof with her own. "You're going to get along so well when that time comes. She's already friends with one spirit, and you're so much easier to get along with, no offense to dad."

They helped each other up, hands and hooves clasped.

"For now, knowing she raised such a thoughtful daughter is enough." Amity nuzzled Comforting affectionately. "Come, walk with me and share more of your delightful chaos spirit perspectives."

Comforting laughed brightly. "Where do I even start?"

"I gathered this, with the little hunters." Cracked directed a hoof, following Gallus and Smolder as they approached with a tray of meat, wafting with steam and delightful aromas. "But they prepared it. They are very good at it."

Smolder chuckled as she lowered the tray in time with Gallus, getting the tray in front of their new front. "Team effort, right? We all like eating it, so pitching in to get it works for me."

Gallus reached up to lightly pat the injured wolfpony on the snout. "Open up. Food's here!"

Lily blinked at the two little hunters. So long ago, when she was healthy, such little hunters would be chased away. They were competitors, all of them, but here they were, feeding her instead. "Such strange times." She stretched her... better leg. "I can eat."

Lily leaned in and snapped at the pile. She didn't get the hunk she planned on. The meat had been cut into slices, so she only got a few slices, the rest sliding free and flopping back onto the tray. Still, she got some and she inhaled it, chewing thoughtfully on it. "Mmm! Mm?" She shook her head slowly. "These tastes... They are new, but not bad..." She scratched with a hindpaw at the ground. "And you enjoy this often?"

Cracked wagged her tail quickly. "Very often, thanks to them. The little hunters are wonderful."

Lily's ears perked up with interest as she listened to Cracked praise the young creatures. She leaned in for another exploratory bite of the prepared meat, savoring the flavors.

"In my day, such tender morsels were for the young and weak alone," she remarked after swallowing. "Yet you share freely. Fascinating." She flinched, realizing a moment later. "Oh... I am the weak..."

Gallus shrugged. "We aren't fighting over scraps anymore. Plenty to go around these days."

Smolder nodded, holding out another slice. "And friends share food. That's like, Friendship 101."

Lily sighed, but nodded. "Then I shall strive to be worthy of such friendship," she declared. Lily bowed her head respectfully to the young duo. "You have my thanks."

Cracked made a happy rumbling noise. "You learn so quickly, sister!" She turned to Gallus and Smolder. "Tell me, what other lessons should I teach Lily about this new era of harmony?"

The two exchanged a grin. They began listing off important modern concepts like indoor plumbing, dentistry, and soap operas. Lily listened in bemusement but open curiosity.

Smolder winced as thunder shook the house around them. "Hope that storm eases up. It's been going wild. Wherever Comfs ran off to, she must be soaked."

Gallus rolled his eyes. "Hope the others got back to the school alright."

Smolder prodded her griffon friend. "They ran off before the thunder rolled in. They're fine." She turned to the two big wolfponies. "Well, we're stuck here until that stops."

Cracked leaned in, touching her nose to Smolder. "You are welcome here, little hunter. Having a friend stay a little isn't a bad thing. Is it, sister?"

"It is... a new thing." Lily raised an ear at the two little hunters. "Having 'visitors' at one's den is not something I did before. Especially welcome visitors. But I am lowest. Injured and weak, I would dare not question you. This is your den, not mine."

Cracked frowned at those sullen words. "No. This is our den." She rose up to hooves and paws. "Even weakened, it is yours too. Alpha is the one that shares, with us. But she does share. It is all of ours."

Lily's ears swiveled back in surprise at Cracked's insistence. She studied her sister's stern but caring face, realizing how deeply these new values ran.

"Forgive me," Lily said, bowing her head. "The wounds of my past remain fresh. I will try to see this world through your eyes."

She met Cracked's gaze again. "If this den is ours to share, then I welcome the little ones gladly." Lily turned her snout towards Smolder and Gallus in a gesture of acceptance.

Cracked's expression softened. She stepped forward to affectionately bump her head against Lily's. "You have been alone too long, sister. But you are alone no more."

Lily closed her eyes, savoring the contact. For the first time since emerging from her centuries-long slumber, she felt the glimmer of belonging. There was a place here for her yet. "Have you thought of--"

At that moment, a sodden figure stumbled through the doorway, drawing startled looks. The figure shook his pointed hat, sending water flying. "Finally, I have located it." Starswirl had arrived. "The source of the disturbance."

Smolder lifted into the air, startled by the sudden appearance. "Star? What're you doing out in the middle of that storm?"

Starswirl scowled at Smolder, tromping in with a purpose. "That storm is of my own doing. It is a spell to help me find something of dire importance." His attention slid onto Lily, then Cracked. "Two of them? This is even worse."

Lily growled low and deep, the room shaking with the menace. "You've returned, to attack me again? I'm not entirely defenseless." She rose to her hooves and paws, but her hips shook with pain. She did not have the strength to stand, but she was forcing herself. "I won't lose again."

The two met with equally hateful glares.

Author's Note

Oh dear. This needs to be dealt with, sooner rather than later, I imagine.

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174 - Paging Doctor Fauna

Lily winced as Doctor Fauna gently manipulated her injured hind leg. Even the lightest touch sent spikes of pain shooting through her body. She dug her claws into the wooden floor, fighting back a snarl.

The vet's brows were knit in focus as she carefully examined the extent of the damage. The leg was crooked, the joints stiff and swollen. Muscles that had atrophied from centuries of disuse now spasmed and twitched unreliably.

"Can you try standing for me?" Fauna asked.

Jaw clenched, Lily slowly shifted her weight to bring her front paws under her. She barely made it a few inches off the ground before collapsing with a yelp, leg giving out.

Fauna nodded to herself, features grim. She met Lily's gaze somberly. "I'm afraid this is beyond my abilities to heal. The damage is too severe and ingrained."

Despair flooded through Lily. For a brief, beautiful moment she had dared to hope. Now that fragile dream was snatched away.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Cracked pleaded, eyes shining with tears.

Fauna turned to address them both. "There may be a way, though it won't be easy. With intensive physical therapy and care, perhaps some mobility could be restored over time. But full recovery is unlikely."

Cracked nuzzled Lily, who stared numbly at the floor. The wolfpony's voice was hollow. "Then I am doomed to remain a cripple."

"Don't say that!" Comforting protested. She flew over to squeeze Lily's paw reassuringly. "It's going to be okay."

But inside even the ever-optimistic spirit wrestled with doubt. Was this wound too deep for any power in Equestria to mend?

Fauna tucked her tools away. "But, before we get mired in thinking about complete recoveries, there are things we can do, right now."

Cracked and Lily perked up in unison, ears pricked forward intently. Hope flickered in their eyes for the first time since the dire diagnosis.

Fauna smiled gently at the two wolfponies. Though massive and dangerous by nature, their shared distress made them seem like frightened puppies seeking comfort.

"There are mobility aids available," Fauna explained. "Ponies have to use them too, and though larger sizes will be needed for you, the principles are the same. With the proper braces and support, you could get around again, Lily."

Cracked leaned in eagerly, warm breath ruffling Fauna's mane. "With these aids, will Sister be able to walk properly again? Hunt?" The word escaped before she could stop it. Cracked amended "I mean...get exercise and fresh air?"

Fauna smoothed her windswept mane and opened a pamphlet to show them. "Your front legs are still quite strong and functional. The mobility aids would stabilize and support your back end. You may not regain your former speed and stamina, but you could have independence again."

Lily studied the illustrations, hardly daring to hope. "You really think these contraptions could allow me to move freely, even run?" She stretched her front legs, envisioning herself dashing over open fields beside Cracked once more.

Fauna hesitated. "With intensive exercise and therapy, I believe you could build up to moderate activity. But you may need assistance your whole life."

Lily's ears drooped, but her eyes remained bright with fragile hope. Some mobility was better than none. She turned to Fauna with sincerity. "Your expertise has proven wise, pony. I will follow your guidance, wherever it may lead."

Comforting clapped with a smile. "Wow."

Fauna inclined her head at the little outburst. "Is something wrong? Are you my next patient?"

"No! No." Comforting waved that away with a light-hearted giggle. "It's just I had a backup plan in my head, and you just reached in there and yanked it out. What I get for thinking I was outsmarting a professional in their field."

Fauna tipped her hat, or made the motion a bit dramatically. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now, I suggest these." She pointed at what looked like wheels with metal juts that ran up a creature's legs and connected together. "You can then pull yourself on your front hooves, and keep the pressure off your back paws. With practice, I've seen both ponies and critters get quite good at moving around with one of these."

Lily sat up slowly, using her front legs for most of it. "How do I gain such wonderful devices?" An idea lit in her eyes and she turned her head at Comforting.

"Will you perform magic?"

Comforting held up her hands. "Chaotic answers aren't enduring answers." She turned back to Doctor Fauna. "So how do we get one of those, large enough to fit Lily?"

Fauna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I have connections with specialty craftsponies who make these mobility aids. With some advanced notice, I'm sure they could fashion a custom set for Lily's size."

She turned to Lily with an encouraging smile. "It may take some time to get properly fitted, but once we do, you'll be on the move again in no time."

Cracked wagged her tail eagerly. "You hear that, sister? Soon you will run free once more!"

Lily allowed herself a small smile. "For the first time in centuries...I feel hope." She bowed her head humbly to Fauna. "You have my deepest gratitude. I will repay this kindness one day."

Comforting beamed, bouncing on her toes. "This is so great! Don't worry Lily, we'll all pitch in to get you mobile again."

Forgotten, but still there, Smolder nodded along with the back and forth. "Alright, cool... So, uh, the hunting pack gets bigger?"

Cracked thumped the ground with a sharply wagging tail. "Yes! The pack grows larger."

Gallus nearly tumbled from his perch, feathers ruffled. "Hey, give a griffon some warning next time!"

Cracked looked abashed. "Apologies, little hunter. I am simply overjoyed at the thought of Lily joining our hunts once more."

She turned back to Fauna. "But yes, an important question. Will these wheeled contraptions be noisy? Subtlety aids the hunt."

Fauna nodded thoughtfully. "It won't be completely silent. But with proper maintenance..." She glanced at Comforting. "Keeping the wheels clean and free of debris will help muffle any sounds."

Comforting brightened. "I can help with that! No problem keeping it running smooth." She bounced excitedly at the prospect of assisting without overstepping.

Gallus yawned loudly from his perch, feathers still ruffled from his rude awakening. "Great, it's settled. Now can we finally get some sleep?"

Cracked dipped her head apologetically. "Of course, we have kept you long enough. Rest, and tomorrow we will begin Lily's journey back to strength!"

The young griffon was already snoring, dead to the world. But Lily was wide awake, visions of running free beside her sister already dancing in her mind.

Fauna chuckled gently, grabbing her bag of supplies. "Don't get ahead of yourself. It will take some time for this to be built. In the meantime, take care of your sister. You seem to love her very much, and she will need that care. It's on the way, so don't be sad, but these things don't happen overnight."

Cracked nuzzled Lily, who managed a weak smile despite her obvious disappointment.

"It's coming," Lily murmured, trying to encourage herself. "I will be patient."

As Fauna headed out, Comforting waved goodbye then turned to the others. "Well, it is getting late. Maybe time to call it a night?"

Smolder rolled her eyes and flicked one of Comforting's ears as she strode past. "You're not my mom." She disappeared into the kitchen, calling back, "I'm getting a drink first."

Comforting just giggled, unbothered by the dragon's mild defiance. She hovered over to squeeze Lily's hoof supportively.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you until those wheels are ready. And I'll do my part to keep them running smooth."

Lily nuzzled the tiny spirit gratefully. After so long bereft of hope or kindness, these strange new allies are gifts beyond measure.

Cracked guided her sister to a pillow nest she had crafted, easing her down gently. There was much yet to overcome, but surrounded by caring souls, the future seemed brighter for Lily than she had dared to dream in centuries.

"Huh." Diamond slipped down from her chair. "And here I was, just getting school done. You got another wolfpony? And you aren't even going to share one? You don't need two." She rolled her eyes with a little snort. "Greedy."

Comforting giggled at that. "I didn't think I'd be lectured on the nature of greed, especially here."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Diamond clopped down a hoof. "You're awfully cheeky today. I demand a hug until I feel better."

Though an immature request, Comforting happily obliged, sweeping Diamond into a warm embrace. The irritation melted away as they held each other close.

"Feel better?" Comforting asked, nuzzling Diamond's cheeks affectionately.

"Mmm, maybe... You'll have to keep hugging to be sure," Diamond murmured, nestling into the contact.

They both laughed, simply enjoying the closeness. After a moment, Diamond spoke up again. "But seriously, another wolfpony? Where will you fit them?"

Comforting glanced away evasively. "Oh, the house is bigger on the inside now..."

"You used your chaos magic to expand it, didn't you?" Diamond concluded with a dramatic sigh. "That's kind of hot...Dating a spirit with such power..." A sly gleam entered her eyes. "Knowing you could do anything to me, and I'd be helpless to resist..."

Comforting pulled back, eyes wide with alarm. "Diamond! I would never abuse my abilities like that."

Diamond just smirked and booped Comforting's nose. "I know you wouldn't. You're far too sweet for that. But the fact remains, you hold all the power in this relationship."

Her expression softened. "Yet you choose to be so gentle and loving. That means everything to me." She pulled Comforting into another warm hug. "My caring, chaos girl."

With a firm clap, Diamond staggered, bipedal and strange. "W-what did you do?!" She curled her arms upwards and gaped. "Those are not hooves." She had hands. She was the human version of Diamond Tiara. "Comfs! Why'd you do that? I was just complimenting you on being a good spirit."

Comforting drifted closed with a giggle. "I'm still a caring chaos girl... But weren't you curious? I'm sure human-you told you stories about herself. Here's a chance to just feel it. This is her, but you."

"Funny way of phrasing that." She reached out an arm and used the other hand to feel over it slowly. "Wow... My, uh... These things?" She wriggled her new fingers, not having the word for them. "They're so sensitive. I can feel everything!"

A sudden sly look overtook her as she dropped her hands. "I can feel... everything."

With the last word, she jumped, pouncing Comforting to the ground with a loud thump and a pair of squeals as the two wrestled and played with juvenile bliss.

But Diamond also had other plans. She touched. She touched and felt and stroked over Comforting. She had fingers, and she planned to use them on every part of Comforting she could reach. "This is kinda great. You have so many textures that I never really thought about."

Comforting slowly pushed Diamond back, giggling at the ticklish explorations. "Cut that out! Am I that fun to touch?"

"Yes?" Diamond wiggled her fingers dangerously. "You gave me these. You have only yourself to blame. Seriously, you're scaley and fuzzy and feathery and it's like a dance as I brush you."

"Alright, I think that's enough human time for now," Comforting declared. With a snap, Diamond was back to her pink pony form.

"Aww..." Diamond looked at her hooves ruefully, but her eyes shone with mirth. "That was really fun! We'll have to do it again sometime."

She pulled Comforting into a tender nuzzle. "But for now, I suppose I'll just have to appreciate your unique textures as a pony."

Comforting hugged her close. "Sound perfect to me."

She bounced back a few steps. "But, for today... I vote we go out and paint the town."

Diamond hiked a brow. "Are you being literal? I know you could be being literal right now."

Author's Note

Good news is on the way for you, Lily! Have you seen such devices on dogs or cats?

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175 - Smithing the Blacks

The bearded pony stroked that beard as he looked over the plans. "Nope."

Comforting gaped. "Nope? But... You make these all the time, I thought?"

"Nope." He tossed the plans aside. "They don't scale up that way. If I use those wheels, it'll fall apart before I'm even done putting them together."

Comforting took a moment to glance around at the workplace. A furnace rumbled with heat and tools were spread on the wall, ready for all manner of metalwork. That a blacksmith worked there felt clear enough.

"So, what do you suggest?" Comforting pointed to the dropped plans. "We really need something like that."

"Something like that," echoed the blacksmithing pony. "I can do something like that. Expect the wheels to be far bigger, and wider. They gotta be strong to hold up against that kinda weight."

Comforting clapped with rapidly rebounding joy. "Oh, sure! You make it however it works. Thank you!"

"Don't thank a pony before it's even done." He waved her away. "An' that ain't happening until I get to work."

Comforting nodded sheepishly and made her way out of the workshop, leaving the burly blacksmith to scrutinize the plans.

She squinted as she emerged into the sunny streets of Ponyville. The job was in capable hooves now - all that was left was the waiting. Patience had never been her strong suit.

Comforting peered into the windows of the shops she passed, searching for a distraction. Perhaps she could find a little gift for Lily to cheer her up while the mobility device was being constructed.

At Sugarcube Corner, a display of beautifully decorated cookies caught her eye. Lily had a voracious appetite after her long captivity - maybe some sweet treats would lift her spirits!

Comforting entered the bakery, breathing in the sugary aroma. Pinkie Pie waved eagerly from behind the counter. "Heya Comforting! What can I getcha?"

"A dozen of those flower cookies please! They're to help a friend feel better."

Pinkie's grin widened. "Ooh, sharing yummy cookies to spread smiles? I love it!"

She boxed up the order and added a generous hoofful of extra confetti sprinkles with a wink. "There ya go! Happiness guaranteed."

Clutching the goodie box, Comforting made her way back across town, spirits rising with every step...until she arrived home and beheld the disastrous scene within.

The living room was utterly demolished, furniture smashed and floorboards clawed apart. In the center of the destruction stood a sheepish Spike, rubbing his head.

"Heh...sorry about this," he said with an awkward grin.

Comforting couldn't even form words, gaping at the devastation. Her eyes darted around the room - where was Lily?!

Perhaps more pressingly, how was Spike involved? "What happened?!"

"Well..." Spike made a rewinding cycle with his hands. "I came over. Heard about you had a new dog. I ran into both of them at the same time." He chuckled softly. "And they had opinions."

Comforting hiked a brow at that. "Opinions don't leave this kind of damage. What kind of 'opinions' were these?"

"Promise not to get mad," Spike got out in a hurry. "I just wanted to play. I've played with Cracked before. She's fun."

Comforting smiled, imagining Spike and Cracked playing. "Sounds harmless..." She waved at the destruction. "So how'd it turn into this?"

"Well..." He rocked in place. "I invited the new dog to play, Lily? Um... That mighta been a mistake... But she looked sad, just watching us play..."

Comforting flinched, clearly imagining the sad Lily, left out at first. "Did she do this? Her claws are..." Comforting clapped her hands, banishing the mess away and restoring order to her house, even if that was a bit of not-chaos. "She can barely walk, how'd she do this?!"

Spike winced as Comforting swiftly cleaned up the destruction with her magic.

"Well, she didn't exactly run around wrecking stuff herself," he clarified. "It's just, when I tried to include her in fetch, I tossed the ball and she lunged for it, way faster than I expected..."

He gestured around the newly-repaired room. "Next thing I knew, furniture was getting knocked over and ripped up in the scramble. Cracked joined in too once the game got going. I tried to get them to stop, but they were too into it!"

Spike shrugged helplessly. "Guess wolfpony reflexes are just wired for that level of...intensity. So I wanted to apologize for riling them up. I know Lily's still getting settled."

Comforting took a deep breath, letting her irritation fade. As chaotic as the results had been, Spike's intentions were good.

"It's alright, no permanent harm done. But maybe lower-key activities next time?" she suggested with an amused quirk of her mouth.

Spike chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, definitely should've thought that through more..." His eyes lit up. "Ooh, maybe storytime? I could do voices for all the characters when I read to them!"

He clapped eagerly at the idea. Comforting smiled and ruffled his scales affectionately.

"They'll love that. Thanks for watching out for our new pack member." Her eyes widened. "Oh! That reminds me, I have a surprise for Lily!"

She grabbed the cookie bouquet and rushed off to find Cracked and Lily, her impatience renewed now that the distraction was resolved. Their special delivery awaited!

"You must be feeling better, taking part in that," she mumbled to herself, hunting for a giant wolfpony. That she didn't see them felt like a hint, so she darted outside of the house entirely.

"Lily, Cracked! I'm home!" she shouted into the great outdoors.

"Comforting?" Fluttershy was a short distance away, in her own yard. She was grooming a critter's nails carefully. "They're over here, waiting their turn."

"Their turn?" Comforting lifted and darted over to find a great line of critters waiting their turn for claw trimmings, including Lily and Cracked. "Oh. Lily, how did you even get over here?"

Cracked gently leaned against her sister. "I helped."

"That makes sense." She went in to scratch Cracked behind the ear where she knew the wolfpony liked it. "Be careful. When she gets her wheels, she'll be able to get around more. Until then, we don't want her getting hurt."

"I'm not that delicate," huffed out Lily. "Weak... and it hurts when I move, but better than sitting still and doing nothing. I have not had my nails groomed in... I'm uncertain I ever did it on purpose. I wish to experience this."

Comforting nodded understandingly. "Of course, I know you're eager to be active. Having your nails done just sounded like a big excursion."

She turned to Fluttershy. "This was really nice of you to include Lily and Cracked. Are you sure you don't need any help wrangling these big pups?" she asked with a playful smile.

Fluttershy waved a hoof. "Oh no, they've been absolutely perfect gentlewolfs. And it's good practice for if I open my own grooming salon someday." She leaned in conspiratorially. "I think they rather enjoy being pampered."

Lily and Cracked's slowly wagging tails seemed to confirm Fluttershy's theory.

"Well in that case, I have a pampering surprise too!" Comforting declared. She presented the cookie bouquet box with a flourish. "Ta-da! A sugary treat for Lily as she recovers."

Lily's nose twitched curiously as she examined the gift. She glanced at Fluttershy. "May I?" At the pegasus' nod, she gingerly extracted one of the ornate cookies and crunched it down.

Her eyes widened in delight. "Such flavor...what are these?" she asked in awe.

Comforting beamed. "Cookies! I got all your favorites." At Lily's blank look, she amended "Er, favorites for most creatures I know anyway. We'll figure out your specific favorites soon!"

Cracked nuzzled her sister happily. "Aren't they thoughtful? Treats and grooming in one day - you're being thoroughly spoiled."

Lily smiled, savoring another cookie. For all the trials still ahead, with her new pack, today she felt truly cared for. "They are small, but very tasty." She snapped the next, almost inhaling it rather than chewing it to any real degree. "Interesting."

Comforting grabbed one cookie and held up the baked flower. "Only doing this once, warning." Both wolfponies watched her intently.

She brought it up to her mouth and blew in it, as if she were inflating it, and it inflated rapidly, growing larger and larger by the moment.

Once it was wolfpony sized, she offered it to Lily with a big smile. "Here you go."

Lily's tail wagged with clear joy. "Why wasn't it this large already?"

Cracked nudged against her. "It was made by little ponies. It is their size."

"Oh." Lily leaned in and snapped at the cookie, crunching it with deliberate enjoyment. "Mmm... This is... Mmm...." She lost herself in enjoying the cookie.

Cracked sat up with a wagging tail. "Alpha knows how to fix these things. May I also try a large cookie?"

Comforting raised a lone finger. "I said just once. You can have a big one from the next batch."

Rather than being upset about the treat lost today, Cracked's eyes shined thinking of that future cookie. "I look forward to it, Alpha. Oh, my turn."

She rose to hooves and paws. "Sister, you are next." She advanced to sit in front of Fluttershy.

Fluttershy could see the massive scale of the job she had agreed to. But it was a bit late to back out of it. She laughed nervously as she put away her comically tiny nailclippers. They were great for a squirrel or rabbit.

They would not do for a wolfpony. "One moment." She darted inside to get a far more serious tool for the job.

Fluttershy soon returned lugging a massive set of clippers nearly half her size. "Let me just get these set up..."

She fumbled to position the oversized tool, tongue sticking out in concentration.

Comforting hid a grin behind her hand. "Here, let me help."

With a subtle gesture, the giant clippers became feather-light. Fluttershy effortlessly lifted them into place.

"Oh my, that's much easier! Thank you, dear." Fluttershy leaned in close to inspect Cracked's formidable claws.

"Hmm, where to start..." She carefully aligned the clipper and made a tentative snip. Cracked's tail thumped at the sensation.

"There we go, nice and neat," Fluttershy said in satisfaction, moving on to the next nail. Her strokes grew more confident with each one.

Soon Cracked's pedicure was complete. She examined her trimmed claws curiously. "Most odd...yet pleasant. You have a gentle touch, friend Fluttershy."

Fluttershy blushed at the praise. "I'm just happy to make your claws more comfortable. Now let's get your sister looking just as pretty!"

Lily hobbled over eagerly, settling in front of Fluttershy. As the pony set to work filing and clipping each giant nail, Lily's eyes drifted closed, tail swaying in contentment.

Comforting's heart swelled watching Fluttershy care for their newest pack member with such kindness. Her mother's love knew no bounds. "Hm."

She landed on Lily's back, though put no pressure on it. "You know, even knowing your wheels are coming is really perking you up. You're moving a lot better than when we first ran into you."

Lily turned an ear back to Comforting, but her eyes remained closed. "I feel better. You, my entire new pack, has shown me little but care and love. Even our neighbors..." She wiggled her claws as Fluttershy labored under her. "They do such nice things, without even being asked. I find myself feeling better about this strange new world the more of it I see. There is room even for a hurt wolfpony."

Cracked leaned against Lily, helping her be propped up and rumbling with canine happy noises. "There is room, but, Sister, you are more than a 'hurt wolfpony'. You are my sister, one of only two wolfponies. That makes you very special."

Lily hummed softly in new thought. "Shouldn't we try to fix that?" She looked over her shoulder at Comforting. "Alpha, you have powers far beyond your size. Can you find us a mate? Somewolf powerful and ready to raise a grand pack, with many pups, that wolfponies don't fade away."

Author's Note

Smithing the blacks also blackens the smiths. The circle of life.

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176 - Stars and Wheels

A message arrived with a chime only Comforting could hear. She turned away from the others, enjoying their cookout to reach up and press that button.

A pony who once was my agent, in ages past, is now speaking to a pony who is my agent. They speak about a creature who is your agent now.

Oh, I'm being rude. This is Amity.

I thought you may wish to be involved in this. You are aware of where Twilight Sparkle lives.

"Is my agent now?" Comforting twirled in place. The students? Why someone would come along and discuss the students, especially in a way Amity would want to warn her, felt odd.

She could only think of one way to find out. She exploded. Pixels rained down across the area, but she was already gone.

She re-resolved herself in front of Twilight's castle. There weren't any ponies or creatures there, so she darted for the door and knocked.

Spike opened it a moment later. "Hey? Oh, Comfs!" He waved at her with a smile. "We're swapping."

He paused at that. "You're not here to make a mess and make things even, are you?"

Comforting giggled at the thought. "That wouldn't be very nice to you or Twilight. Or Starlight, come to think. She lives here too, right?"

"I sure do." Starlight leaned in over Spike.

"Hi!" Comforting zipped in and grabbed both of them in a warm hug. As much as she didn't like getting surprise hugs, giving them was clearly allowed.

Fortunately, both receivers were fine with it, returning them in what became a group embrace.

Starlight snorted softly. "Lovely as that was, what's this about?"

Spike hiked a thumb inside. "Is it about Starswirl?"

Comforting clapped, which turned into two pointing fingers at Spike. "Good guess! I heard he's having a chat with Twilight."

"Sure is. He looks... grumpier than normal." Spike shrugged a bit. "No idea why."

Comforting's eyes widened. "Oh no...I think I know what this is about."

She rushed inside, Spike and Starlight exchanging a puzzled glance before following. Sure enough, there was Starswirl looking even more tempestuous than usual as he confronted Twilight.

"...and furthermore, I cannot believe you would allow such volatile creatures to run amok!" Starswirl was saying heatedly. "Have you learned nothing from my chronicles?"

He turned as Comforting entered, bristling. "Ah, speak of the devil! This chaos spirit of yours claims she has everything under control. Surely you cannot condone keeping savage beasts as pets!"

Twilight held up a hoof placatingly. "Please, let's all take a calming breath. I've met Cracked myself. They don't mean any harm these days thanks to Comforting and her friends helping acclimate them."

Starswirl scowled. "The word of a chaos creature means little. Who knows what anarchy her so-called 'friends' will unleash!"

Comforting stepped forward earnestly. "Starswirl, I understand your worries, but Lily and Cracked have come such a long way already. My friends have been actively guiding them on better paths."

She met his eyes hopefully. "I know the past is full of hurts. But won't you give peace a chance?"

Starswirl stroked his beard, conflict clear on his face. "Your sentiment is noble, spirit. But some rifts take more than words to mend..." He raised a hoof at her. "Besides, words are words. Actions are actions. She is a monster, with teeth and claws both that can severely injure a pony, even by accident. One moment of excitement or agitation could have lasting harm. What do you plan to do then?"

Twilight rubbed at her cheek. "I haven't met this Lily yet... How has her adjustment been going? She only just arrived recently, if I heard correctly?"

Starswirl scowled. "And you're already speaking on her defense? Why? Don't you prioritize the safety of your fellow ponies?"

Comforting raised up in front of Starswirl, putting their eyes even in height. "Lily allowed some...pony to climb on her, in pain, and do a thorough examination. If she was just some unthinking animal, she would have torn them in half. It hurt. Only careful thought and restraint let her calmly accept it and wait for it to be over, knowing the price was worth it."

Twilight clapped gently. "That is more than I'd expect from a 'monster'. I'd like to meet this Lily. She's an endangered species, by the very definition. One of the last two, hm..."

Comforting dropped to the ground. "Only two we've found. She's really nice!"

"What a chaos spirit calls nice..." Starswirl sank to his haunches. "Can be quite concerning to the rest of us."

Twilight thrust a hoof at Starswirl. "Comforting has been doing her best, and that best has been quite exemplary so far. I will not attack a friend of hers out of fear! Also, she isn't a pet."

"Then what is she?" he asked, each syllable stressed and as tense as he was.

"I just said." Twilight flashed a smile. "A friend. They could leave her any time, but they don't, because they like her. She likes them. Am I wrong, Comforting?"

Comforting beamed and shook her head. "Not at all! Lily's part of our family now."

Her smile faded as she turned back to Starswirl. "I understand your concern. Really, I do. Lily could be dangerous."

She met his eyes earnestly. "But she chooses not to be, thanks to the kindness shown by those who freed her. Isn't that worth celebrating?"

Starswirl hesitated, conviction wavering.

Sensing his doubt, Comforting pressed on. "How about we organize a welcoming party for Lily? That way everypony can see she isn't any threat to ponykind."

Twilight nodded enthusiastically. "What a wonderful idea! A party is the perfect way to help Lily feel at home."

Spike chuckled, proving he had arrived quietly. "Yeah, plus Pinkie Pie would freak if she heard there was a new Ponyvillian she didn't get to celebrate yet."

Starswirl scowled, but with less ferocity than before. Their optimism was infectious. Still, uncertainty lingered.

"Very well..." he conceded slowly. "I shall attend this gathering, if only to ensure this 'friend' of yours does not reveal her true colors. But at the first sign of danger-"

"She will remain safely in the hooves of her caring allies," Twilight finished firmly. "Right, Comforting?"

Comforting bounced excitedly. "Absolutely! This is going to be so great - you'll see Lily is really sweet once she comes out of her shell."

"Fine." Starswirl turned for the exit, which had Spike in the way. The young dragon scrambled away as Starswirl strode towards it. "I will be ready, should this come crashing down."

They let him tromp off with clear agitation.

Twilight put a hoof on Comforting's shoulder. "I'm very proud."

Comforting smiled brightly. "Happy to hear that, but what are you proud of exactly?"

"You stood up for what you believe in." She leaned in, nose inches from Comforting. "Without using your magic or losing your cool. Now, what brings you by?"

Comforting pointed at where Starswirl had gone. "Him, mostly. Now that we've done that... I should check to see how Lily's wheels are coming along."

Spike hiked a brow. "I wanna see that."

"Then come!" Comforting zipped over and grabbed Spike, lifting him into the air. "Be right back!" They faded away like the film of the camera was being exposed to too much light.

Twilight waved a hoof through the air that had once held her student and her assistant. "Not sure I'm getting used to that..." Still, she trusted Comforting enough to continue her day and trust that Spike would return safely.

Comforting materialized outside the blacksmith shop with Spike in tow. She set him down and with an eager bounce, flung open the door.

"Any progress on those wheels?" she asked hopefully.

The burly blacksmith pony emerged from behind a pile of parts, brow glistening. His expression brightened when he saw Comforting.

"Ah yes, your strange giant dog contraption! I was just finishing the last touches." He gestured proudly behind him, where an enormous wheeled harness lay.

Comforting let out a squee of pure delight. Spike grinned and began excitedly circling the cart-sized mobility aid.

"This is so cool! Our new friend's gonna zoom around in this thing?" He tried to hop up onto the frame but his tiny build was lost against the great contraption for any purpose other than a jungle gym perhaps.

The smithy chuckled. "Not quite zooming at first. She'll need some practice maneuvering around. But glad y'all like my handiwork."

Comforting nodded enthusiastically, already picturing Lily wheeling free. "It's perfect! Oh, we're planning a party to welcome her to town. Can you deliver this then?"

"Sure thing, little miss," the burly pony agreed. "I'll be there to get her on her wheels."

Comforting clapped with building joy. "One thing... How do we use it?" She waved over the great harness and its various straps and buckles. "You'll show us?"

"Isn't that what I just said! I'll deliver it." He pointed to the cart, then away from it. "To her. Then I'll put her in it, and we'll all get to see her moving around with it. You'll all see how it works when I do it!"

Spike called from the top, where he had climbed it like the gym it appeared to be. "Sounds great!" He spread his wings and glided back to the ground. "Feels good too. Solid!"

Comforting let out a joyful giggle. "Great! You're the best. Oh, what do we owe you?"

The smith looked confused. "Hm? Doctor Fauna said it was for a hurt critter. I don't charge for that."

Comforting rocked forwards and backwards. "Aw! That's super sweet... But I can't lie. Lily isn't a critter. She's a creature."

"A creature?" The blacksmith peered at the large device he made. "A creature that big? How haven't they taken over the world already?!"

Spike huffed with a smile. "Any creature Comforting likes isn't the kinda creature that wants to take over the world."

"I try to avoid the bad ones." Comforting ruffled Spike, the two not that different in height. "Like Spike, super adorable and nice, so I love him."

Spike squinted. "My heart belongs to another."

"Not that kind of love." Comforting rolled her eyes. "I'm already Diamond's special somecreature, remember?"

"Oh yeah... About--"

The blacksmith cleared his throat loudly. "If that's everything you need from me, I'll see you at that party."

Comforting squeaked. "Sorry! We'll let you get back to work." She hurried outside with Spike. "About what?"

Spike fidgeted once outside. "Well, I just wanted to say...I've noticed you and Diamond Tiara seem really happy together lately."

He sighed, glancing off into town. "To be honest, I guess I'm a little jealous. You're about the only creature around my age who's actually found romance."

Comforting's expression softened with understanding. She gave Spike a gentle, reassuring pat. "I get it. Seeing other folks pair off while you're still single can stir up complicated emotions."

Spike nodded, scuffing a claw self-consciously. "Pretty much hits the nail on the head. Everypony assumes I've still got that childhood crush on Rarity...but I'm not sure what I feel anymore."

He managed a small smile. "But I am happy for you and Diamond. Maybe someday I'll have what you two do. For now though, can we talk about something lighter maybe?"

Comforting swept Spike into a quick, comforting hug. "Of course. No need to dwell on it." She smiled brightly. "Now, ready to start party planning? I wanna make sure Lily feels so welcomed!"

She slowed. "Wait, are you not in love with Rarity anymore?"

Spike colored sharply. "I didn't say that! I'm not sure... I don't know..." He kicked a rock that had the poor fortune to be near. "I don't know. How do you know?"

Comforting grabbed for his closer hand, cradling it between both of her own. "Spike. There is exactly one thing I can say."

"What's that?" he asked, his voice so small and vulnerable.

"You take your time." She pressed her nose to his forehead. "There is no rush here. You take your time and figure it out. There's no grade on this test, and we're here for you whatever you decide."

Spike smiled with some of the tension ebbing. "Y-yeah... Yeah. Um, so let's get this party planned!"

"Did someone say party?" Pinkie descended from a nearby roof. "Because I'm here for it!"

Author's Note

Somepony smells a party...

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177 -Did Somecreature Call for a Party?

Pinkie pronked towards Comforting with her great grin growing. "Good thing you have the best party planner in Ponyville right here."

Comforting couldn't help but smile at least half as powerfully in the infectious cheer. "I'd love to have your help."

Pinkie landed and tilted her head. "But?"

"But!" Comforting raised a finger. "The party-getter is shy. Like mom, but worse. They don't get what's going on, and they're used to being by themselves, and they're huge."

Pinkie blinked at that last part. "How huge are we talking?" She raised her hoof a few inches, then even with her head, then even higher than that in a stretch as far as she could go.

Comforting grabbed her hoof and stretched the attached leg upwards as she went up as tall as Lily was when standing up. "This huge."

"Wow... That is kinda big." Pinkie pulled her leg back with the winding noise a retractable tape measure would make. "Okay! I understand. So... Small party?" She put her hooves close together. "Small party for a big creature!"

Spike nodded as he clapped his hands together. "Exactly! She has a pack, uh, with Comforting in charge." He waved at her as she came in for a landing. "So them and maybe the girls?"

Pinkie hiked a brow. "What about you?"

Spike laughed. "Wow, uh, yeah. She knows me."

Pinkie clapped her hooves with an excited clopping noise. "Alright, on the case!"

Without asking for confirmation, she bounced off to plan the party.

Comforting watched her go with amused affection. Pinkie's enthusiasm was a force unto itself.

She turned back to Spike. "Well, she's got this covered I'd say."

Spike chuckled. "Yup, if anypony can plan a party to make a shy giant feel welcome, it's Pinkie Pie."

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Hopefully having just Pinkie's friends does keep things small like you suggested."

Comforting bounced lightly. "It's sweet of her to be considerate about Lily's anxiety with crowds." Her smile turned impish. "Buuut a few extra guests probably wouldn't be the end of the world if a certain party pony gets carried away..."

She nudged Spike playfully. "Might be better not to remind her though. Surprises can be part of the fun after all!"

Spike rubbed his hands eagerly. "Ooo, maybe she'll have one of her signature pony piñatas!" His excitement dimmed slightly. "Er, hopefully a wolfpony-safe one..."

Comforting brought her hands together with a clap and brought them apart, a huge piñata forming in the space she made. "Since this only has to last a little while, this feels safe." She held up the wolfpony-sized thing. "They'll have fun with this."

Spike peered at the massive thing, brightly colored and rippling with papier-mâché. "Huh... I forget sometimes you can do that. Well, Pinkie's on the case, so I say we leave her to it."

They returned to Comforting's house just to safely tuck the big toy inside to wait for the party.

Spike hiked a thumb at it, hiding in a corner. "Won't it, you know, vanish? The stuff you and Discord makes usually vanishes right?"

Comforting twirled in place. "This is my house. What I put in my house stays until I actually get rid of it. It's my little space. Dad's space works the same."

"Alpha." Cracked spotted, or perhaps sniffed, Comforting's return. "You're back, with Spike." She snuffed at him in loud sniffs. "Welcome."

Spike gently patted the side of Cracked's immense snout. "Hey there. Lily's welcoming party is coming along."

Cracked wandered over towards the new, large, object with her tail wagging. "A curious creation, Alpha. Some form of toy?" At Spike's nod, she sniffed at it eagerly. "Most intriguing smell..."

Spike chuckled. "It's for the party, to celebrate Lily coming here."

"A fine notion!" Cracked's ears perked up. "We must tell Sister the good news."

She bounded over to nose Lily awake from a nap. The white wolf pony blinked groggily as Cracked gushed, tail waving, "Alpha is preparing a celebration, just for you. A welcoming party."

Lily hesitated. "A party...for me? Among ponies?" She shuffled her bad leg uncertainly. "Sister, I lack grace currently to properly greet guests..." She flicked an ear back. "And guests is still a new idea... How do you manage this, Sister?"

Comforting floated gently up to squeeze Lily's shoulder. "Don't you worry about that, not everycreature gets a chance to meet a magnificent, gentle wolfpony like yourself. Just being your wonderful self is the only greeting they need."

Cracked bobbed her head. "The ponies already like us, so long as we don't threaten them with our teeth. They like riding us, or being hugged, or just being friends." She scratched suddenly at an inch, backleg working vigorously. "Mmmf."

She paused then awkwardly. "Sister..."

Lily sat up slowly. "Yes? Is something wrong?"

Cracked waved a hoof back at her paw. "When I itch, I scratch it. When you itch... How can you? Your legs are... Poor sister, have you been suffering this whole time?"

Lily blinked slowly as Cracked posed the question about her inability to easily scratch those hard to reach spots.

"I suppose I have grown accustomed to small irritations..." Lily mused. "My greater focus has been regaining any mobility at all."

Her ears drooped. "Though I confess, an unreachable itch can drive one quite mad."

Cracked whined sympathetically. Then inspiration struck. "Fear not, sister! I shall serve as your scratcher whenever needed. Simply tell me where it itches."

To demonstrate, she angled back towards Lily, wiggling her claws. "Now, does anything trouble you this moment?"

Lily's muzzle curled into a smile. "You are too kind, Cracked." She tilted her neck thoughtfully. "Though now that you mention it, the base of my left ear has been bothering me..."

"Say no more!" Cracked leaned in and diligently began scratching with one of her hind paws, tongue lolling happily.

Lily's eyes drifted closed, tail lightly thumping the floor at the relief. "Mm, yes, right there...you have a special talent for this."

Comforting watched the tender scene, heart melting. "This will be great!" With everything settled, they had but wait for the party.

Pinkie did not keep them waiting long. Just a few days later, she had a nice big space just outside of Ponyville. The decorations were of hanging paper cutouts of happy wolves and ponies caught frolicking and dancing about.

The food consisted of a variety of candies, but also hayburgers and not-hayburgers for the party-goers of all dietary needs.

There was laughter and good cheer as all the creatures were gathered around Lily, happy to see her.

Applejack whistled softly. "Ah thought one big doggy was enough, but ya done an' got two of 'em!"

Lily looked down at the curiously-speaking pony. "I'm sorry?"

"Ain't nothin' to be sorry fer!" Applejack swatted Lily gently, thankfully not on her leg. "Not like ya chose how big ya got. Ya seem like a right nice creature, so welcome to Ponyville."

A chorus of agreement rose from the other girls.

Smolder thrust up a thumb. "You already know we're cool with you." She was with the other Young Six, the predators of them clapping with her words. "Hey, Comfs, where's the--"

Comforting clapped a hand over Smolder, darting just in time to cut her off. "On the way."

Lily blinked at the exchange. "What are you talking about?"

"This." Comforting was gone, her afterimage holding up their hands a moment before vanishing. She whistled from where she was hanging up the oversized toy up at Lily's sitting up height.

Lily peered at the brightly colored object as Comforting hung it up. "What purpose does this large and silly shape serve?"

"You'll see!" Pinkie bounded over holding a stick ceremonially. "It's time for a super special wolfpony tradition - the piñata game!"

She passed the stick to Lily who eyed it dubiously. "I whack it with this? Why?"

"To get the goodies inside! Candy, toys, surprises..." Pinkie grinned eagerly. "Go ahead, give it your best swing!"

Still uncertain, Lily grabbed the stick in her jaws and reached up with it and batting weakly at the dangling piñata. It barely swayed.

Cracked nudged her supportively. "You can hit harder, sister! Like tackling troublesome prey."

Heartened, Lily reared up and delivered a mighty overhead blow. The piñata exploded in a shower of sweets and celebration, everyone cheering.

Pinkie burst into giggles. "Silly! You were supposed to use the stick. No matter!" She wasn't one to be that upset about a game that resulted in fun, even if played wrong. "You knocked out a lot of the goodies, but I still see more. Pass the stick!"

Lily blinked slowly. "What a strange game..." She dropped the stick from her mouth, letting it clatter to the ground. "Who is next?"

Gallus grabbed the stick. "I'm taking a whack!" He flew up with a sneer. "You're going down!"

Silverstream intercepted him, tackling him. The two tumbled in the air until Gallus emerged with a blindfold on. "What's the deal?!"

Silver giggled. "Silly. You're not supposed to be able to see it. That's too easy."

Lily flicked an ear back. "Did I do it wrong?"

Cracked nudged gently against Lily. "You did not. They are being kind. You already have a harder time. Gallus does not. He will wear that. You..."

"Can't walk," finished Lily with a sigh. "I see. That makes sense... I don't like it, but it makes sense. Go, Little Hunter. Strike true and well."

She perked at a curious noise. "What is... that?" Her words trailed as a large object wheeled into the clearing, dragged by a burly earth pony.

The smith nodded at Comforting. "Here you go. And there she is." He looked at Lily curiously. "She's just as big as you said."

Comforting clapped with giddy joy. "I hope you're ready, Lily." She zipped to the pony. "This is a party for her. Want to join? You'll get to see her trying it on."

"Sure?" He noticed a wrapped candy by his hoof and kicked it up to snap in his mouth, wrapper and all. "Mmm, not bad..."

Lily stared in bewilderment as the large contraption on wheels was dragged over. "What is this strange device?"

Comforting fluttered with excitement. "It's your very own mobility cart! The blacksmith custom built it to your size."

She grabbed one of Lily's paws eagerly. "This is going to let you get around again while your legs heal!"

Comprehension lit up Lily's face. She turned to the burly pony with sincere gratitude. "You crafted this wondrous gift...I cannot thank you enough."

He shrugged amiably. "All in a day's work ma'am. Now let's get you saddled up!"

With Comforting's help, Lily was carefully positioned into the harness as her friends looked on eagerly. The blacksmith secured straps and showed her how to use front legs to propel herself. "Just pull yerself, and trust your back end will keep up with you."

"It'll take some practice but soon you'll be zipping all over!" He gave Lily an encouraging pat and stepped back. "Give it a try!"

Trembling slightly, Lily began rolling herself forward. The wheels creaked, moving slowly at first. Then her confidence grew. Her strokes quickened into a smooth glide as a delighted smile spread across her muzzle.

Lily threw back her head with a vibrant howl. Cracked and Spike whooped excitedy. The rest were quick to join in cheering Lily on as she circled around the clearing, joyfully moving with returned mobility. "Sister, Alpha, look! Look, I'm moving!"

Fluttershy patted Comforting on the back. "It's always such a treat, to see anycritter, big or small, so happy to have such a disability fixed..."

"It really is." Doctor Fauna, who had been there but quietly. "She's taking to it just as quickly as I'd hoped. Her front legs are just as strong as I thought they'd be. She should be fine."

With a sudden crash, Lily toppled over with a yelp of surprised pain.

Cracked was on her in an instant, helping her get upright.

Rather than crying, Lily was laughing. "I got too bold, Sister. This will take some getting used to... But I'm moving." She got right back to pulling herself. "I am not a cripple. I am not useless!"

178 - Whirling Stars

Twilight tapped a set of papers together against the table, held in her glowing magic. "As you can see, reports of injuries are negligible, especially once you filter out the few times she got herself injured."

Starswirl rolled his eyes. "Do you not understand? Even the fiercest beast can hold themselves back for a time, if they know acting quickly will get them nowhere. Wolfponies, and I hate that name, are vicious and cunning. They enjoy pony flesh, and are quite good at getting it."

"Not fair!" Comforting floated just in front of him with a glare. "Cracked and Lily are reformed. We're not hunting dad down anymore. People make mistakes, but those are in the past."

Starswirl hiked a thick brow. "And I am from there. Just because some creatures show some ability to change doesn't mean we should give every murderer carte blanche."

Twilight slid a hoof between the two, separating them. "Calm down... I am actively monitoring the wolf..." She paused. "You mentioned you don't like that name. Is there a better one?"

The wizard stroked his beard. "Lupes Equus, or 'wolves of horse form' in the old tongue. Unlike 'wolfpony,' it carries no false implications of domesticity." His eyes narrowed. "They remain as wild and dangerous as their teeth suggest."

Twilight nodded diplomatically. "Very well, Lupes Equus moving forward." She tapped the paperwork. "As I was saying, officially recorded incidents are-"

"Lies!" Starswirl slapped the table angrily. "You cannot quantify the lingering trauma and loss their monstrous kin wrought!" He jabbed an accusing hoof at Comforting. "And this chaotic whelp coddles the beasts as pets!"

He turned on his heel, robes swirling furiously. "May Celestia have mercy on you, for when blood again stains their pelts, I shall bear witness - I TOLD you so!"

Comforting darted in front of him in an instant. "Hold up! That isn't fair."

"Life is hardly fair." Starswirl glared at her. "Let me past, chaos-spawn."

"Compliments will get you nowhere." Comforting stuck out her tongue. "For real, what will it take to prove they're not secretely plotting to hurt anyone?"

Star's horn glowed with the promise of untold ancient magics, but it faded without bringing it out. "Why Celestia thinks having not one but two chaos spirits in her nation is a wise idea... Very well." He sank to his haunches. "Since you are asking in good faith... I suppose I should return the favor."

Comforting brilliantly smiled. "Great! Good. So what'll it take? We're not trying to cause problems, honest."

Starswirl's gaze remained steely, but the anger dimmed to a simmer. "You wish to know what it would take for me to accept wolf...Lupes Equus as allies?"

At Comforting's eager nod, he conceded gruffly, "It shan't be easy, chaos sprite. Those demons' treachery sank its fangs deep." His hoof strayed absently to an unseen old scar.

"But..." Starswirl's stare grew distant. "You were right in one regard. Any being merits a chance at redemption." He shook off past phantoms.

"As such, I propose a trial period. One year among ponies without incident - attacks, intimidation, or property damage." His eyes regained focus. "Accomplish this without magic influence, only their self-restraint."

Starswirl leaned forward sternly. "Then, and ONLY then, shall I acknowledge peace may persist between our kinds. But they must earn my trust themselves."

He glanced between Comforting and Twilight. "Well? Is one year of civil cooperation too much to ask of former child-eaters?"

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but Comforting beat her to it. "We accept your challenge!"

Comforting burst into giggles. "Technically... We already did that." She waved a panel into being, displaying Cracked and Lily playing with the Small Hunters. "Cracked has been their friend forever, and Lily already wants to be her friend, so she isn't going to do anything that gets her in trouble."

Starswirl let out a weary sigh. "I set that bar too low." He rose and turned in one motion to Twilight. "I turn this on you. An entire year has passed, and you saw no problem with this?"

Twilight laughed tensely, hoof behind her head. "I've... learned to have some amount of faith in Comforting. As crazy as things can get, she seems to have harmony at the center of her thoughts. She was a pony before she was a chaos spirit, I remind."

Starswirl blinked in surprise at Comforting's eager insistence, then scowled. "Do you take me for a fool, witchlet?"

He paced in agitation. "Have you been lax enough to allow over a year without proper supervision or record-keeping of those beasts?!"

Seeing Comforting shrink back, looking stricken, Starswirl checked his tirade with a sigh. "Still, I see you were merely overeager, not duplicitous."

He leveled a stern look at Twilight. "This only confirms closer monitoring is required. We shall establish a formal annual review process tracking any problematic incidents involving the Lupes Equus."

Turning back to Comforting, Starswirl conceded begrudgingly, "Should they uphold model behavior under documented scrutiny, I shall acknowledge your chaotic compassion bore positive fruit."

Twilight advanced with a growing smile. "That is entirely reasonable. As large and potentially dangerous creatures, we should watch out for both their safety and that of their neighbors. They need a little more attention than the average pony, for all creatures involved, ponies or not."

Starswirl snorted, but a little smile crept in. "You turned this into a matter of friendship." He turned for the door. "How like you." He started for that door at an easy pace. "I don't understand everything you do, Princess, but I can't suggest you change it. It seems to be working for you." With a glowing horn, he opened the door to leave.

Twilight waved at his parting form. "If you ever get in the mood..."

He paused, peeking over his shoulders.

"Um..." Twilight paced nervously, words lost. "Just... If you have a moment, and want... I'd love to compare magical notes. I'm certain you have knowledge otherwise lost to us, and I'd love to compare!"

Starswirl chuckled at that. "Sagacious teacher, eager student. No, do not change, Princess." With a final nod, he departed.

The door closed behind him with a resonant thud.

Comforting loosed a relieved breath she hadn't realized she was holding. There was still unease between Starswirl and the Lupes Equus, but for then, at least, an uneasy peace would hold.

She met Twilight's eyes, both smiling proudly. Lofty ideals were well and good, but cultivating true understanding took tenacity and care beyond projected harmony. Their patience had won a small victory today.

Twilight reached out an arm and soon had a Comforting to hug. "Very well done."

"You helped," chimed Comforting, nuzzling her teacher joyfully. "But we did it. No angry mobs or archmages storming down any doors."

Twilight huffed softly. "This town is only large enough for one archmage," she said with a thick accent as if she were in a Western. "And that one's me." She made a noise as if spitting, but did not spit.

Spike burst into laughter, emerging from the kitchen. "I can believe that. Hey, Comfs."

"Spike!" It was a fine time to hug a dragon. "How long have you been here?" She waved the floating panel away, removing the moving image of the playing hunters.

"I live here." He poked Comforting on the nose. "Silly. When I'm not here is the strange part. Good job with Starswirl, I know he can be... stubborn."

Twilight gave them both an affectionate glance as she tidied scrolls into a careful stack. "Having you two around certainly keeps things entertaining. But hopefully, we can expect a little more peace and quiet with tensions easing?"

Spike and Comforting exchanged impish grins. "Yeahhh, about that quiet..." Spike began.

A distant explosion rattled shelves, a pink blur zipping past the windows cackling with glee, trailing rainbow streamers.

Comforting turned in surprise to follow the colorful blur. "What in chaos was that?"

Spike chuckled anxiously, grabbing a water jug. "Oh, that? Well, I was kinda hoping this would make it fizzle out..."

He splashed water out the window. There was a sizzling noise, then Pinkie Pie poked her head inside, mane frizzed out and blackened.

"Aw man, sorry guys! That last batch got a little out of hoof," she giggled sheepishly.

Twilight surveyed the rainbow scorch marks with bemusement. "Dare I ask what exactly you were testing, Pinkie?"

"Extreme confetti poppers OF DOOM!" Pinkie enthused. "I overdid the chaos aura enhancer..."

Understanding dawned on Comforting. "You've been borrowing magic from Discord?" That could explain the uncontrolled explosion of color and mischief.

Pinkie waved a hoof. "Oh no, I ordered a vial special from the magic catalog! Gets a little crazy though." She grinned impishly as her mane slowly re-inflated. "Buuut, I bet with some help I could get the mix juuuust right..."

Twilight firmly shut the window behind Pinkie with her magic. "I think that's enough experimenting for today, Pinkie Pie. Let's let the neighbors rest."

Comforting laughed at the whole thing. "If you needed some chaos dust, you know a friendly source." She hiked a thumb at herself, then another, then another, and another. She kept going until she was a dense cloud of thumbs pointing at herself. "Have you met her?"

Pinkie tackled Comforting, banishing the thumbs in the process of hugging Comforting. "I didn't want to bother you with my silly experiments. It wasn't like it was a big big big deal or anything. I was just trying new things. Ya gotta try new things to have more things ready when you need things."

Spike nodded at the logic. "Makes sense... If Twilight only practiced her magic when she needed it, it'd be too late."

Pinkie's eyes lit up. "Ooh, yeah! All researchy and responsible-like." She flounced over to tug Twilight's hoof eagerly. "We gotta be ready for a super big mega spectacular event, with dances and songs and laughs and games!"

Twilight raised her brow in amusement. "Did you have something specific in mind?"

"Something specific..." Pinkie tapped her chin then gasped loudly. "Twilight's Princess Coronation Day! It's soon!"

She squeezed Twilight's hoof, bouncing giddily. "We gotta make it the bestest most wonderfullest celebration in the history of EVER!"

Twilight blinked at that. "Wait, I'm being coronated?"

Pinkie clopped a hoof to her forehead. "Sorry, that's at least half a season away, silly me. Nevermind."

"What?" Twilight shook her head and started towards the stairs. "Enough for one day. Call me if you need me."

Comforting let her go, her attention on Pinkie. "Pinkie, can we talk?"

"Hm? Silly." Pinkie pranced in place. "We're already talking."

"True." Comforting fired a finger fun at Pinkie. "But I meant more than that. I want to talk about maybe secret stuff."

"Ooooo." Pinkie bumped her forehead against Spike's "Sorry! You have to go, secret."

Spike did not budge. "I live here," he noted flatly.

"Oh right." Pinkie giggled and headed for the door. "Then we should skedaddle for our hush-hush rendezvous!"

She gestured eagerly for Comforting to follow. "C'mon! Let's have a super sneak symposium!" She glanced around shiftily as if spies lurked in every corner.

Comforting laughed brightly as she trailed the colorful pony outside. The moment they were outside, she waved the door shut. "Seriously." Comforting stepped around Pinkie, not even floating. "Serious time."

"Serious face." She waved over her face, adopting a serious expression the moment her arm passed. "Begin the serious conversation."

That was a fairly serious Pinkie. "Good, so..." Comforting points at you and all the other readers. "Can you see them?"

"Who?" Pinkie looks off in about the same direction, squinting a moment. "Oh, hi there!" She waves at some other reader that caught her eye. "Yeah, I see them sometimes. They're funny. What about them?"

She gasped through ten octaves in a sharply raising crescendo. "Wait! That means you see them! Wow. I thought I was the only one." She clopped a hoof to her cheek. "I'd tell you more, but the chapter is ending."

Comforting sighed at that. "Living in a written story can be hard sometimes."

Author's Note

What fourth wall? I didn't see nothing.

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179 - Meta Fiction

Pinkie snort-giggled. "At least they're kinda nice today." She returned waves at the unseen figures waving at her. "So! How long have you been seeing them?"

Comforting turned left and right. "Hm, not too long after getting chaosified?" Her eyes swirled colors at the mention of chaos. "Now I can always see them, but I try not to pay too much attention. I have a life here." She pointed at Pinkie and swept up to Twilight's castle. "Worrying about other realities too? Too much!"

"That makes sense." Pinkie nodded sagaciously. "Me too, come to think. They're funny, but they're not gonna help me get my baking done in time and they only rarely remind me of a birthday."

Comforting spread her arms. "Well... but it's still nice. It's nice to not be alone."

"I get that!" Pinkie rushed in for the offered hug, squeezing Comforting close. "One thing thing... I feel like 'season' isn't quite right, and yet, it feels like that's totally right, at the same time. Any ideas?"

Comforting blinked at the meta question. "Um. You brought that up, not me." She reached for the edge of the page, peeking at herself in the future. "We're written."

"𝒲𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒?!" Pinkie bounced in place, then squinted at what she said, still hovering there. "Neat... ռɛǟȶ!" Pinkie began clapping, giggling fitfully as she did so. "Guess we are."

Comforting grabbed a floating bit of words and crumpled them up. "Can't leave these just laying around."

"Sorry." Pinkie bounced around Comforting. "I had no idea! I guess, being a chaos spirit, you have a front-row seat on what's going on." She leaned in, eyes bulging outwards at Comforting. "So spill the deets!"

Comforting gently pushed Pinkie back. "No spoilers."

"Aw..." Pinkie snapped her fingers. She had no fingers, but she made the motion and the sound happened. "Be that way!"

"But you asked me something I want to know. When did you start seeing them?" Comforting pointed at Pinkie almost accusingly.

Pinkie gasped. "I didn't do it!" She paused a moment. "Oh, wait, yes I did. Um... Right around the first season." She frowned. "Which I still don't get. Books don't have seasons!"

"No, but this is a book about a show." Comforting rolled one hand over the other. "You were from the show first, which had seasons. Now you're written. So you had seasons, and now you have chapters."

"Oh! That... is silly. I love it." Pinkie giggled with renewed energy. "But that makes sense."

Comforting floated several inches into the air. "You are a good pony."

Pinkie smiled so hard her cheeks squeaked. "Aw, what makes you say that?"

"Because it's the truth." She darted in. "Mom's better, but she has mom points. Hard to top that."

"True." Pinkie tapped at her chin. "My mom's pretty great too... So! Any other awesome secrets you want to share, or...?

Comforting waved towards her house in the distance, near the Everfree. "I'm heading home to tell them everything's okay with Starswirl. Wanna come with?"

"Tempting! A visit to a chaos den... I'd totally take you up on that." She inclined her head into town. "But the bakery needs me! Who else is gonna do it if I don't? The Cakes? They're already overworked. Nope! Pinkie to the rescue." She trotted off, which turned into bouncing part way.

Comforting waved at her departing friend. "Good luck!" Then she vanished, appearing in front of her house.

She rushed up to the door and swung it open to see Cracked and Lily already mid-conversation.

"Our alpha could do whatever she wants." Lily huffed gently. "She could just make us mates and that would be that."

"She could, but she would not." Cracked heard the door open. "There she is. Alpha, I don't think you would... but would you create mates for us if we asked nicely?"

"I would not." Comforting floated up to be on equal level with the great wolfponies(who were still wolfponies even if that bothered Starswirl). "That's cheating, at best."

Cracked nodded firmly. "I thought so. The hunt continues. We found you, Sister. Surely we can find anything else we set our pack on."

Comforting floated up to meet the wolfponies' gazes. "You both know I want to help however I can. But forcing relationships through chaos would only lead to sadness."

Cracked nodded sagely as Lily sighed. "I understand, Alpha. Part of me still laments our kind dying out..." Her ears perked up a bit. "Yet with Cracked's fierce devotion, I feel less alone than ever."

The two nuzzled affectionately as Comforting looked on tenderly. "If destiny intends mates for you, they shall emerge in due time. Until then, cherish having found one another."

"Well said!" boomed a voice from the doorway. The ponies jumped, realizing Discord had invited himself in. "Creating something so momentous could have grave consequences..." His devilish smirk didn't match the sage warning.

Comforting facepalmed as chaos erupted. Of course her father couldn't resist stirring up trouble!

"What mischief are you peddling now?" She waved away his 'gifts' of chickens and cheesewheels materializing everywhere. Some chaos spirits had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer!

"I love the idea." He looked between the large wolfponies. "Back in my day, they tore through the hills, hunting anything stupid or slow enough to let them catch up. Fearsome creatures..." He waved at Cracked. "Now your loving pets. My how the mighty have fallen."

Cracked snarled, a low growl issueing deeply from within her. "You are insulting us all. I am no creature's pet. We are a family."

Lily pulled herself and grabbed Comforting from the air in her hooves. "My new alpha is a caring and loving alpha. But she does not own me. No alpha owns. They lead. They are followed because they speak wisely."

Comforting wriggled free of the grab, giggling. "I love them both. Do you have an idea how they can find what they're looking for, Dad, or are you just here to poke fun and make trouble."

"I do like doing that..." He rubbed his chin, stroking his beard along the way. "Always a good time, but I'm not like that." He clapped his hands together with a charming smile. "Not with my little girl. So if you want your little puppers to have a full family..."

All eyes were fixed on him, even if Comforting sighed. "I know you're not going to just give us an answer."

"What would the fun be there?" He darted over to flick Comforting on the nose. "And you can't even be mad. You just did the same thing. But, I can give a hint." He gestured off in wavey motions. "Across a sea, in sand and sun, where the ponies come big, so too may the dogs."

Cracked's ears pricked up. "Truly? We need only journey to this fabled land and more of us may roam its plains?" Excitement colored her tone at the thought.

Comforting pondered the cryptic clues ruefully. Getting a straight answer seemed unlikely as always. But the seed of hope was planted...wherever massive horses dwelled... "Saddle Arabia?"

Discord frowned at that. "Was I too blunt? I was trying to be mysterious! You guessed that way too fast... Ruining all my fun." He pulled a door open that hadn't been there a moment before. "What I get for trying to help." He slammed the door behind himself, all vanishing from sight.

Lily perked with a bright smile. "You know where he was talking about?"

Cracked licked Comforting in a grand display of warm wet tongue. "Our alpha is wise. She knows many things. Where is this 'Saddle Arabia'? How do we reach it?"

"I... have no idea." Comforting lowered to the ground, shaking herself dry on the way. "But I know who to start asking. This is a case for my loyal young agents."

"The small hunters?" Cracked lolled her tongue. "They are skilled and clever. If you are trusting them, I will trust as well. They will surely find an answer for us."

Lily nosed against Comforting, her large wheels turning behind her in the motion. "Alpha, will you chase us away when we have families?"

Cracked perked an ear. "I don't think she would do that. Would you?"

Comforting grabbed Lily's unsure snout and hugged it warmly. "You already have a family right here. We're just trying to make it larger. If your future mates are polite, I have no problem with them being here. They just need to not terrorize the creatures around us."

Cracked nodded, looking vindicated. "Our alpha is too kind for that. So long as our mates show the same kindness, all will be welcomed."

A knock drew their attention to the door as Gallus entered. "Oh, hey." He waved at them all. "Didn't expect you all to be here. Comfs, weren't you busy?"

Comforting went to give Gallus a hug of greetings. "I was checking in on Starswirl. All is good there. No more emergencies. But! Good timing. We have a new quest for you."

Gallus hiked a brow. "Huh... Twilight gets hers from that map. Having mine come from you has its ups and downs." He tickled her belly, making her wriggle for just a moment. "Lay it on me. Who, or what, are we saving this time?" He hiked a thumb at Lily. "Does it involve a big dog?"

Lily sat up with a huff. "I am not a dog."

Gallus waved it off. "Yeah yeah, wolfpony. So?"

Comforting waved up at Lily. "It does involve them, or things like them. Saddle Arabia. There may be some there. There might just be one? I don't know! We need to know how to get there, then to get there and search for wolfponies."

Gallus blinked in shock. "Wow... Can't you... clap us there, like last time?"

"That was cheating." Comforting huffed as she crossed her arms. "Won't do that again. I told you what has to happen. How is up to you and the others."

"Figured." Gallus turned back for the door. "If I didn't already like them... Uh... One thing." He turned right back around. "They aren't Cracked or Lily. What stops them from eating us when we find them?"

Lily spoke up gently, "If cousins remain, the same potential for compassion lies within us all. Had I never known Cracked's warmth, perhaps I too would still snap in fear."

She met Gallus' worried gaze. "Have hope, little one. Any of our kind may yet walk in light, if shown patient guidance."

Comforting smiled proudly at Lily's wisdom. "Have some faith."

Gallus gave an unsure nod. "Alright... So if huge hungry wolfponies are coming at us... just be patient. Got it." With an unsure laugh, he reached for the door. "I'll tell the others. We're on the case, but if we get eaten, this is your fault."

Comforting waved as he headed out to spread tale of the new quest. "I think that's better than a cutie mark over a--"

She paused, a message appearing. She reached up to make it finish scrolling out in her vision.

Comforting,

Please don't insult my way of doing things. I try not to intercede with your own. There are many parts about it I would rather not see, but it is your way. We are different creatures with different ways. My way works for me, and your way works for you.

With Patient Love,
Amity

Comforting flicked the message away, colored brightly. "Sorry..." It was so easy to forget she was being watched. "You two!" She turned sharply to her big wolfponies. "I'm going to visit Diamond. The small hunters are on the case. So, relax, have fun. Maybe go on a hunt?"

Cracked perked at the idea. "A hunt? A lovely idea. Lily, are you up for it?"

"Always." Lily's tail wagged excitedly. "Now that I can move, let's hunt.

The two raced out of the house with a chorus of joyous howls that sent the less brave prey species scrambling.

Author's Note

A new quest begins! Young Six, to action!

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180 - Diamond Quest

Comforting grabbed Diamond from behind. She had made no sound in the approach. This was a dangerous thing. Diamond lashed out her back hooves with a squeak of startled surprise.

It was only when she whirled about that she saw she had kicked Comforting across the room. "Comfs! Warn a filly... You okay?"

Comforting peeled herself free of the wall with a giggle. "Sorry, my bad." She darted in to hug Diamond from the front. "Heya."

"Hey yourself." She rubbed cheeks with Comforting. "I wasn't expecting you, not that I'm complaining." She pointed. "Homework's done, not that Cheerilee gives a ton, but I even got Mom's extra stuff done. I was about to call Silver, but here you are."

Comforting grinned as she grabbed Diamond's cheeks. "So, we both have the rest of the day to do whatever we want. What do you want to do, my beloved filly?"

Diamond smiled, eyes half-lidding. "I like it when you call me that..." She leaned against one holding hand. "But, alright... Gotta think of something. Are chaos powers on the menu?"

"If you want." Comforting released Diamond from her grip and hopped away. "Why? Did you want to take a swim in the deepest trench?" She squinted with thought. "What is the deepest trench on this planet anyway?"

"I have no idea." Diamond tapped at her chin. "Tempted to go find out... But I don't feel like getting wet today."

Diamond pondered the limitless options offered by her whimsical partner. Part of her itched to explore realms beyond comprehension...but trouble had a way of following cosmic forces.

"Hmm...maybe just some chill quality time instead?" She wound a hoof down and across Comforting's tail casually. "Whattaya say to us sitting by the lake chatting and cloud watching? We can ponder life's mysteries without actually getting involved in them for a change."

Diamond gently booped the hovering chaos spirit on the nose. "Mundane can be nice too sometimes. Besides, I like just being with you, powers or none."

Comforting lit up, touched by the simplicity of that wish. No grand cosmic excursions needed when love powered their adventures. "Cloud shapes and cuddles by the lake sound perfect." She swept Diamond up bridal style. "One express trip to relaxation, coming right up!"

She hopped off one animation frame. The next was by a lake, the evening sun doing its best to slowly set. Comforting set Diamond down on a blanket that hadn't been there before. "And..." She flopped next to Diamond, eyes on the sky above. "Ready!"

Diamond giggled and stretched out. "That was fast. Who needs a cart when you have a chaos ride?" She flopped to the side to smooch Comforting's cheek, then rolled back. "So, how's your day been? I don't ask often, and I should... Do any chaos stuff? Do any not-chaos stuff? Tell!"

"Well..." Comforting ran back through the day in her mind. "Hey, why didn't you come to the party?"

"The one for your dog?" Diamond twitched an ear, but laying on her back, they couldn't face Comforting easily in their squished state. "Pinkie didn't invite me."

Comforting blinked. "What? I... Why not?!"

"Ask her?" Diamond shrugged. "Maybe she thought I wouldn't fit the vibe? Whatever..."

"No..." Comforting rolled over to hug Diamond close. "Pinkie!"

"Yep?" Pinkie came running up. "What's up? Besides me, compared to you two." She poitned at Comforting and Diamond, flopped over, hugging. "Aw, evening hugs can be great!"

Comforting bit back her irritation, not wanting to spoil the gentle mood. But exclusion hurt, especially Diamond.

"Was just wondering why you didn't invite Diamond to Lily's little gathering too," she said, aiming for casual.

Pinkie smacked her forehead. "Omigosh you're so right, I can't believe I spaced on that!" She swept Diamond up in an effusive hug. "I'm super sorry! Wolfpony brain was in high gear and I didn't think."

She squished Diamond gleefully. "But you're absolutely invited to the next shindig! In fact..." Pinkie perked up, struck by inspiration. "We need a duet for Twilight's coronation musical number! You and Comforting HAVE to help me!"

Diamond giggled, Forgiveness easily won. "It's a party plan! But you're not a Wolfpony."

Comforting beamed, crisis averted by that irrepressible bubbly joy. She shot Pinkie a grateful smile. "Thank goodness. Mistakes happen." She casually reclaimed her girlfriend. It was her job to deliver hugs! "What help did you need? We were just enjoying the evening."

They settled down where they started as Pinkie sat next to them. "Well!" Then she blinked. "I did it again! That isn't for a while." She clopped at her head. "I have to stop doing that." She leveled a hoof at Comforting. "I slip when you're around. You're making me even more chaotic than usual."

She leaned in, whispering consiprationally. "And I'm already pretty chaotic."

Comforting reached up and yanked Pinkie down to join them on the blanket. "Sorry, I'm not trying to chaos at you."

"It's okay." Pinkie waved it off like it was a little thing. "But now I'm the one getting in the way. You two can't be all lovey-dovey if you put me between you two." She looked left at Diamond and right at Comforting. "You do want to do the lovey-dovey things, right?"

Diamond smirked at the trapped pink mare. "You are a crazy pony... But so is my girlfriend. So what's the deal, anyway? Are you a chaos spirit too or what?"

"Me?" Pinkie directed a hoof at her own chest. "No! I'm a pony, with a lot of chaos... Oh! You've met Screwball, right?" Both nodded on either side of Pinkie. "Like her, but less loopy up here." She tapped at her head.

Diamond snorted softly at that. "Yeah, that's up for debate... Okay then, you're a pony filled with chaos, but not a spirit." She propped up to see Comforting. "You're a chaos spirit." She flopped down. "And I'm just a filly dating a chaos spirit."

She shook her head with a wry smile. "What even is my life right now? Mom would freak if she knew half of what you can do."

Comforting pulled Diamond down into a nuzzle. "Hopefully one day she'll see I just want to make you happy, no matter how weird our relationship seems."

Pinkie nodded sagely. "We're all a little weird here in Ponyville! But weirdos or not, you two make an adorable couple."

She made kissy faces until Diamond tossed a small pillow Comforting had left there. Laughing, Pinkie bounced away to give them peace once more.

Diamond settled back happily against Comforting. "So, got any wild goose chases or magical missions calling you away this time?" She grinned impishly. "Or can you spare an afternoon for little old me?"

"More of an evening." Comforting looked to where the sun was almost done. "Also... your mom isn't nearly as clueless as you're suggesting."

"Yeah?" Diamond reached up to play with her tiara. "What makes you say that?"

"She knows I made her a filly again that one time." Comforting extended a finger. "She knows I'm a chaos spirit." She extended a single finger. "She also mighta asked that I give you all the favors." Comforting rolled against Diamond, snuggling. "Also, she asked to get a horn."

Diamond recoiled at that. "A horn?! Mom..."

Comforting nosed at Diamond's cheek. "I said no."

"Figured." Diamond raised a brow. "I'd notice if my mom was suddenly a unicorn. I swear, she's so..." Diamond grunted. "She's scared."

"Scared of?" Comforting held Diamond gently.

Diamond pointed up, to the city on the mountain, Canterlot. "That. Unicorns are still the very top of things. She wants in on that social circle. She's an earth pony, and she isn't confident to make that final step as one, and they aren't rolling out the carpet for earth ponies up there, so..."

Diamond snuggled closer under Comforting's chin. "I think their judgement hurts more than she lets on. But she'd never admit it."

Comforting gently stroked her mane. "No wonder she pushes so hard for perfection. That pressure is brutal."

Diamond gazed up at the emerging stars in thought. "I wish she could see herself how we do - strong, beautiful, fiercely devoted..."

She managed a small smile. "Think your chaos could whip up a spell for that?"

Comforting laughed softly. "I'll see what I can do. But inner change starts from within."

Comforting slid in close, warding away the growing chill of the night with her own warm body. "Your mom needs our support. Not chaos, just support. I think... she thinks she's pretty alone." She smooched Diamond's cheek. "Your dad's busy running his business."

"And she is busy chasing after me." Diamond wriggled her nose. "Right?"

"Sorta..." Comforting wobbled a hand in the air. "She thinks she has to fight you, a lot, to get you to see things the way she sees things... I think? She's alone. From her view. I know you're there... What's the last thing you did for her, just because you felt like doing something for her?"

Diamond tapped her hooves softly, trying to summon some event, but none were coming up. "Um... No fair!" She squeezed Comforting like the answers would pop out, but none did. "What would I even do for her?! All she tells me is about growing up to be the pony she has in her mind."

Comforting sniffed gently at Diamond. The filly smelled of gentle perfumes and cleanliness. She was a rich filly and every part of her radiated that. "That's the challenge. Get to know her. Ask what she does. See what her interests are. I bet she has a few hobbies."

"Hobbies?!" Diamond's snout wrinkled. "What kind of hobbies would she have?!"

Comforting booped Diamond playfully on the nose, making the wrinkling worse a moment. "Bet if we sniff out her secret hobby or talent, it could bring you closer and ease her social fears, too. Moms have hidden depths!"

Diamond cracked a reluctant smile. "Alright, oh wise one, we'll try it your way. Operation: Get to Know Mom is a go."

She snuggled into Comforting's embrace as the stars glittered brighter overhead. "But you're helping me navigate this! Last thing I need is more ammunition for her to critique my interests."

Laughing softly, Comforting promised faithfully, "Don't worry, we'll figure her out together." For Diamond, she'd move the stars themselves to brighten her darling's dark clouds of worry.

Comforting flopped to her back, one arm holding Diamond close as they gazed at the stars. "No magic though."

"Ugh, then how do you plan to help?" Diamond buried her face in Comforting's warm fluff.

"Like anycreature else." Comforting rubbed at Diamond's far side. "By talking, looking, and listening. We'll dig and find what's under the first few layers of your mom. It may surprise you, in a good way."

"I hope," Diamond muttered softly. "Comfs? Can we just... shut up a moment and enjoy the night?"

Comforting thought of a few things to say, but they all fizzled. She instead responded by drawing Diamond as close as the could, fingers running through Diamond's fur as they watched the stars slowly turn above them. One shot across the sky in a brilliant streak.

Comforting grabbed it. She drew it close, still glittering and rubbed over it with her fingers, doing.... something.

Diamond blinked at the whole thing. "What?"

"Here." Comforting draped a necklace over Diamond's neck, letting the glittering star jewel dangle there against her chest. "This isn't even half as wonderful at the pony wearing it..."

Diamond colored fiercely. "Comfs!" But she felt over it with both hooves. "I love it... It's our star."

"Our star." Comforting nuzzled in warmly against Diamond's cheek and neck. "Wear it and smile, forever."

An alert appeared in her vision. Mail had arrived. Comforting waved it away. Spirit matters could wait... "I'm glad you like it. It's getting cold. Want to head back?"

"No." Diamond sighed gently, sitting up. "But I will anyway. I should get some sleep. School tomorrow, you know how it works." She shook herself out. "Visit again."

"Gladly." Comforting gathered all the things she had brought into a ball. "Good night, beloved."

Diamond darkened. "Good night..." She frowned, kicking at nothing. "I love you. Why can you say it so easily?!"

Author's Note

Three of the hardest words sometimes...

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181 - Proper Prices

"I'm glad you came." Amity inclined her head. "The final days are soon on us."

Comforting paled at that. "The world's ending?!"

"No. Yes? One ends, another may begin. A new ending, an old start."

Comforting dared a little smile. "That's the--"

"--I know." Amity reared up on her small hooves. "But it may be the end. Of one story, of all that we can see... Even you, chaotic one, can't see past this point. What lurks beyond it, I could not say. If this is the end, I could not say. I feel it, close, closing..." She fell to all fours with a small clop. "I am not displeased for our time."

"It's too sudden." Comforting scowled. "I'm in the middle of something, with Diamond. We're trying to get Lily and Cracked their family... There's still the big thing Dad has planned. We have a lot to do."

"Very few." Amity walked away, hooves silent on the grass where once they had clopped. "Very few creatures face a possible end with a smile and acceptance. Most... would rather delay it." Her eyes burned with eternity. "But such is not how things are. Even I. Even. I..."

Comforting raised a brow. "So long as there's... entropy, I'll be kicking."

"Unlikely, dear friend Comforting." Amity circled around Comforting, just to be gone, poking her nose free from one of her many branches. "One day you will grow tired and bored, and there will be no more Comforting. That will be a sad day. I will probably not see it. When the last pony breathes their last, I will fade, but I will hardly be alive when that happens."

Comforting stomped a hoof down powerfully with all the force the yak hoof could give. "Why are you getting all... sad? Did something happen? Tell me. You know I want to help." Tears stung at her eyes, unaging or not. "Just tell me."

Comforting stood in numbed shocked as Amity portended somberly, "The final days approach."

Was this the end for them? But so many plots still dangled - Lily's future, her father's chaos, Diamond...

Amity smiled sadly at Comforting's distress. "Few face the end with grace, always seeking to delay it." She faded into a tree branch like a ghost. "But all things must pass, even harmony."

"I'm not letting entropy beat me!" Comforting protested, though Amity's stark truths unnerved her chaotic spirit. When had smiling serenity abandoned that ancient soul?

"One day this world shall fade, and I with it." Amity looked small and vulnerable, as if already fading. "As will even bright Comforting's light..."

Aghast, Comforting brought her hoof down hard, blinking back tears. "Don't talk like that! Tell me who or what made you this sad, I'll make it better!"

Amity simply smiled sadly, the weight of eons shining in her eyes. "What is owed cannot be dodged or paid. But while we yet shine...come. Let us enjoy this fading spring."

She stepped soundlessly through the cheerful woods. If the end drew near, she wished to spend what glimmers remained with the one who had revived color in her monochrome existence.

Comforting grabbed her, hugging her tightly around the middle and hefting up the little filly form that was Amity's. "No." She squeezed and tickled at Amity. "No. Stop giving up. I will not end like that. You just said it was coming. Even if it's soon, I won't sob my way into it. That's too sad. We're just learning to smile."

She put Amity down, facing her. "So smile. We'll greet each day we have, every single one." She glanced away and back. "I died once... I can do it again..." Comforting thrust a finger at Amity. "But I won't do it like that. Until the sword's mid-slice or the meteor's falling from the sky, I'm going to keep on living."

Amity inclined her head left, then right. "Hm."

"Hm?" Comforting leaned forward, hands on her hips. "All that, and we get a 'hm'?"

"Hm." Amity smiled faintly. "Hm. Maybe I am being too fast. What feels soon may be a day, or a moon, or a year... or a century or ten... Maybe..."

Comforting's expression softened. "Maybe. We won't know until we're there. Let's not get all bent up until then, okay?"

Her fervor drew a faint grin back to Amity's wan face. "Perhaps...you are right. A dark whisper came, but whispers may lie." Light flickered back into her eyes like a guttering candle revived. "This cherished world cannot be so close to fading after all..."

Comforting swept her into another impulsive hug, joy regaining ground. "That's the spirit! No more moping - we'll make the most of whatever's left!"

Amity nodded firmly, a hint of wonder returning. "Who knows truly what the tangled threads of fate yet hold? But no thread lasts forever..." She trailed off uncertainly.

Comforting simply squeezed her closer with a laugh. "Then we'll just have to weave our own destiny! C'mon, today's too nice to waste on gloomy thoughts."

Amity gently poked Comforting. "Thank you for coming. But you have a mortal to romance and aid."

Comforting turned her ears back. "Right! I do... But that's tomorrow. Do you need me right now? I'm here, and so are you."

Amity nuzzled at one of Comforting's legs. "I love you."

Comforting blinked, as if shocked by the statement. "Is this what diamond felt?" She dropped to her knees, putting them closer together. "I love you too." They met, nose to nose. "So say the word and I'm here all night."

"I feel..." Amity nudged Comforting back, and she landed in bed. It was the morning of the next day.

"Cheater." Comforting growled softly as she hopped up to her feet. "Dirty pool!" But that had been quite the firm dismissal. "Fine... Diamond time."

When school was out and Diamond returned home, there was a smiling Comforting waiting for her in her bedroom. "I'll take this over surprise pounces." Diamond turned to nudge the door closed. "So, got any great plans?"

"Well..." Comforting swayed her feet off the edge of Diamond's bed. "Boring option, we could just ask."

Diamond's brows fell as one. "And you think that'll work?"

"It might." Comforting rolled onto her belly. "She may be so surprise you are asking without a catch she'll tell you a thing or three. But you have to really ask because you want to know, no other reasons. No secretely thinking 'ha ha, this is how I win one over on you!' or it probably won't work."

Diamond huffed softly. "That's a big catch..."

"Yup! Want to try, or...?

Diamond folded her arms. "I will not be scared that easily."

"Thatta girl!" Comforting pulled herself free of the bed to float towards Diamond. "Then go on. You don't need my help for that, other than cheering you on, which I'll be doing."

Diamond leaned in to smooch Comforting's floating cheek. "Alright, alright... Wish me luck." She turned for the door she had just closed, opening it anew and walking out. "Now where is she...?"

Diamond headed out to locate her mom for an honest chat, no hidden motives or judgments. Comforting watched her go with an encouraging smile - even prickly parents could surprise you if genuinely engaged.

Wandering downstairs, Diamond found Spoiled Rich relaxing on a divan, idly paging through magazines. An odd flutter of nervousness filled Diamond's stomach. When was the last time she had really talked to her mom, daughter to mother about unimportant things?

"Hey Mom, whatcha looking at there?" She edged closer casually, as if making small-talk with any old pony rather than the intimidating force of nature that was her mother.

Spoiled arched one perfectly manicured brow in surprise. "Oh, just the latest issue of Modern Mare. I'm considering updating the foyer and wanted inspiration." She eyed Diamond curiously. "Did you...need something, darling?"

"What, I can't just see what my fashionable Mom is up to without needing something?" Diamond grinned with feigned nonchalance. Operation Understand Mother was underway...

Spoiled's raised brow fell with the finality of a blade. "Fashionable?"

Diamond swallowed thickly. Fashionable?! What had she been thinking? "Sorry... I meant you know your stuff. You know how to... impress ponies."

Spoiled brought her hooves together, letting her magazine fall to her lap. "Diamond Tiara, what did you do, and how much will it cost me?"

Diamond cringed at the sharp edges of each word, as if each could cut her. "N-nothing, I swear! Nothing's wrong... I..." She grunted, half-turning away. "Mom, I just... want... to talk to you."

Spoiled smiled, a calculating smile. "What about? Did you need something? How much will that cost me?"

Spoiled regarded her daughter skeptically as Diamond tried bonding over fashion and impressing ponies. But she remained guarded, suspecting ulterior motives.

"What do you want, dear? If you've made some mess, best tell me now so I can handle it."

Diamond fought back frustrated tears. Even reaching out sincerely, her mother assumed duplicity and expenses.

"I just want to talk, Mom! But everything has to be about problems and bits with you." She shoved down the crushing familiar hurt. "You know what, nevermind. Forget I tried."

She turned to flee, humiliation burning in her cheeks. What had she expected from baring her heart to cold ambition?

"Diamond, wait!" Spoiled uncharacteristically hesitated over her words. "I...apologize if I was dismissive. Your interest merely...surprised me."

Diamond peered back uncertainly as Spoiled composed herself.

"We rarely speak outside specific needs these days." Spoiled patted the seat beside her. "If you simply wish to talk, I am here now and happy to listen."

Wary but daring to hope, Diamond edged back and settled in. "T-thanks, I think?" Diamond dared a faint smile. "So... how are you? Really... Not just, um... really... How are you?"

"Surprised." Spoiled smiled wanly. "but not in an entirely bad way..." She reached a hoof and drew Diamond against her side. "What has gotten into you? I don't... mind... exactly, but this isn't like you, Diamond. Is everything alright? I don't mean anything involving money... But if you're not feeling well...?"

"Thanks... for asking." Diamond worried her hooves together. "But I want to learn you, mom. Not like... something to get around... but as my mom... As somepony in my family. Like... I want to know you. I want to know you. What you like... and hate, and what makes you smile."

She burst into nervous laughter. "And the more I talk about it, the stranger it sounds. A pony should know these things about their mom... And here I am, asking, only now. I'm such a--"

Spoiled put a hoof over Diamond's mouth. "If you feel you are a failure in this, I must share at least half the blame, Diamond. What you don't know are things I never informed you of. My darling, I have hardly made myself accessible for heart to hearts," Spoiled acknowledged ruefully with a slow breath.

"You should not feel foolish for not knowing what I intentionally obscured." Spoiled lifted Diamond's chin, gazing upon her with solemn affection. "You are no failure of a daughter. If anything, I failed to nurture intimacy between us, spellbound as I was by appearances and ambition."

She gently bumped her forehead to Diamond's. "But what matters now is creating understanding, if you yet desire it. What part of me is it you wish to know better?"

So Diamond asked. What was Spoiled's favorite color. What was her favorite kind of music. What was her favorite holiday. The more she asked, the easier it came, until she was a waterfall of questions, and they were answered, one after the other.

The smile, it grow on either side. "Me too," admitted Diamond a few times, shocked that she had anything in common with that mare that had been a thorn in her side. "I'm..."

Diamond leaned back, frowning. "I'm glad I didn't try to learn this a stupid way."

Spoiled snorted softly at that. "I fear to imagine what ways those might have been." She placed a hoof on Diamond's head. "But we've avoided them. In the future, come and ask."

Author's Note

This chapter felt nice to me, especially Diamond and Spoiled.

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182 - Saddle Up

"Gonna be honest." Sandbar stepped off the boat. "The biggest surprise so far is that Headmare Twilight even let us do this."

Gallus looked out over the sands of Saddle Arabia. "Well, we are seeing a whole new place..."

"And we have to write a report on it." Smolder shrugged her shoulders with a puff of smoke. "So we're, technically, still learning something."

Yona stomped onto the sand, looking down at the curious surface as it moved around her hooves. "Okay! Let's find wolfpony. Bring back friend for Cracked and Lily."

Ocellus landed on Yona's back. "And not get eaten along the way..."

"Forget being eaten!" Silverstream peered with wide eyes at the ponies going past. They were huge! They were, if one wanted to be equine-specific, horses. They were so much taller and larger, walking with long stately steps. "Wow..."

Silverstream fluttered eagerly around an especially towering brown mare. "Oh I hope we make lots of new buddies! Maybe I can ride one of these giant horsies!"

Smolder facepalmed as Sandbar tried corralling the exuberant hippogriff. "Whoa now, let's maybe not annoy the mega-ponies right off..."

As the others dispersed, Gallus sighed but smiled wryly. This mission already promised to be a hoof-ful keeping everyone safe and on task! At least the desert views were spectacular.

Comforting looked down at a globe of their world. A few glittering dots were her loyal agents. "Please don't get hurt." She looked up at Amity. "How do you deal with it?"

Amity inclined her head. "I cheat. I plan. I know enough to be absolutely certain what I ask can be done." She rubbed at her cheek. "That is part of what frightens me about the end I see. I don't know what is past it. I can't plan for what I can't see, Comforting. After you ascended, that was everything for a while.

Comforting remembered Amity, then Harmony, being quite shaken and scared. "Sorry..."

"It isn't something you chose to do." Amity went over to sit before the globe in Comforting's lap. "And we have grown past it. Blindness simply returns again... I will accept it gracefully this time."

The little filly that was Amity's current form smiled gently. "I have a very dear friend this time. Hoof in hoof, we will step ahead, together."

"Aw..." Comforting touched noses with Amity. "You got it! Now..." She looked back to the little dots. "I could lean in closer...But helping is cheating, right?"

"You already helped." Amity crossed her small arms. "You are the reason they are there at all. Trust them to do well. Have faith. If they are not worthy of it, you already failed them long before today."

Comforting cringed at that specific phrasing. "You can be awfully cold in your encouragement sometimes, Amity."

"Sorry." Amity was quiet a moment. "I'm not trying to be. I would like your agents to succeed as well."

She stood up. "Staring at those dots will not ease your burden."

Comforting rolled the planet off her lap and stood up. "What do you suggest then?"

"Go to school." Amity inclined her head. "Your agents have a reason to be absent, you do not. Your notes may be helpful to them."

"Oh... That's actually kinda... I love it." She vanished, popping like a soap bubble.

Amity willed the abandoned globe up and twirled it slowly in her magic. "If your things didn't vanish, you'd be quite the litterbug, Friend Comforting." She released the globe, letting the universe forget it.

She turned her gaze in a new direction. "Time to play my favorite game." She slid her eyes behind Comforting's, to see as she saw in that school.

Comforting popped into her seat as if she'd always been there. It helped that her teachers knew of her at that point, and few seemed to get upset by it.

Applejack was giving a lesson on teamwork, classic AJ material. "There ain't much yer gonna get done on yer own." She slapped a picture of the Apple Farm. "If ah had to run this on mah own, well, there wouldn't be no farm!"

She smiled at the crowd. "But ah wanna bring this home. So your assignment for the rest of class is to list things you've done that got better, or coulda got better, with a helping hand, or hoof, or three."

Unsure sounds echoed, but Comforting was already writing busily.

Applejack wandered over curiously. "You look like ya already got somethin' in mind. Got me curious, what're ya thinkin' 'bout?"

"I have agents." Comforting continued her writing with a big smile. "They are doing what I can't, and I have to trust in them, my friends, my family, to make it happen."

Applejack clapped softly with a clopping sound. "Lovely. Sounds like ya already got in mind what ah'm tryin' ta teach. Now..." She glanced to the empty desks. "This wouldn't happen to have somethin' to do with why we're short a few?"

Comforting darkened. "Well... Professor Twilight said it'd be okay!"

"Ah know she did." She pat Comforting's nearer shoulder. "She does talk to us other teachers. Ah'm ribbin' ya." Applejack raised a brow. "And ya trust this rowdy bunch to handle themselves without ya?"

"I have to believe in them," Comforting said fervently. "It's time for their training wheels to come off on the path to destiny."

Applejack chuckled. "Ya sound jus' like Twilight talkin' about provin' we're ready fer things way back when." Her expression softened. "An' ya know what? We rose to it then thanks to the faith she showed in us."

She waved at the empty seats. "So I reckon yer friends'll do the same thanks to you puttin' yer trust where it belongs - in them."

She tipped her hat back. "Sounds like ya don't need ol' Applejack's lecture then if ya already know when ta lend a hoof an' when ta stand back an' let em soar."

"Nope." Comforting set her pen down, but didn't vanish. "I'm here to take notes, for them. They're helping me, and Equestria. The least I can do is take good notes for them."

"Well, Ah know somecreature's gettin' an A on this one." Applejack wandered off to help other ponies with their writing.

Comforting giggled, happy with her A, but turning her efforts to a new paper. "Notes notes." She began writing what she could see on the board and what had been said. "I won't let you down, guys."

A message, blinking in her field of view. Comforting frowned at it before reaching. Was it Amity? That could be nice. Her frown turned to a smile as she pressed the little icon.

Hey kiddo!

Just letting you know I'll be taking the next step soon, and it'll be a doozy! You're going to be so proud of me. I can barely wait! I hear you have agents of your very own, how exciting. I wonder if our agents will butt heads. Will you win? Probably not, you are going against me. Still, worth being amused at.

Trick or Treat,
Daddy Discord

That hadn't been Amity. Comforting mused on what the words could mean exactly. She lamented not finishing the series. Maybe that would have given a hint on what her father was up to. "Chaos for good and chaos for evil..." she muttered to herself, finishing her notes on AJ's class. "Chaos is chaos."

She pocketed her notes and handed in her paper to AJ when she went past. "Go on to yer next class." AJ tipped her head towards the door. "Ya got this one down."

"Thanks." Comforting hopped up onto her desk and down off of it, only to pause as she turned to the rest of the class and its many students. Instead of leaving, she went to help a student that looked like they were struggling.

Applejack snorted softly. "Already gave ya an A, silly thin'. Don't need not one bit of extra credit..." She didn't fight it though, returning to her desk instead. "Ah swear..."

Only when the class properly ended did Comforting emerge in a floating zip. She looked left and right before she remembered where she had to be and hurried off to Rarity's class next.

"I'm glad you're here." Twilight entered through the door Fluttershy had opened. "I have questions I think only you can answer."

"Oh, okay?" Fluttershy stepped aside to let Twilight in and close the door behind her with a brush of a wing. "How can I help? Is something wrong?" She looked around for the source of the danger.

"Nothing today." Twilight stepped up onto the couch and sank on it. "It's about your daughter."

"Screwball?"

As if summoned by her naming, Screwball zoomed in. Fluttershy caught her with a raised hoof, stopping her. "You should be at school."

"Oh." She went right back the way she came, into her room.

Twilight blinked at the exchange. "There's no school in there..."

"I learned to stop asking." Fluttershy smiled gently at Twilight. "Did you mean her?"

"I meant Comforting. I know she's become a liberated adult... But she still loves you, and everypony else, fiercely."

Fluttershy brightened at the description. "I did my best to raise her, um, properly... But she did most of the work on her own. I'm very proud. What about her?"

Twilight rubbed behing her head. "It's a curious situation... But I feel, at times, she isn't... one of us. I feel... like maybe she never was..." She took a slow breath. "She was given to you by Celestia, wasn't she?"

"Oh, yes." Fluttershy directed a wing at the front door. "She showed up right there with Comforting. Little thing... I couldn't say no to her." She smiled with memories. "I never regretted it, not even a moment."

But Twilight rubbed her head uncertainly. "I know she cherishes us deeply, but have you ever felt your daughter was somehow...apart?"

At Fluttershy's blink, she elaborated delicately. "It's just, her astonishing talents exceed what I've observed even studying under Starlight. It's as if Comforting inhabits two spheres at once - our world and one peering behind the veil..."

Fluttershy bristled, a protective wing extending. "Whether born of chaos or harmony, Comforting is every bit my cherished child! She may be an old soul, but her heart overflows with love."

Chastened, Twilight touched her hoof gently. "You're absolutely right, I spoke out of turn. Please forgive my invasive speculation."

Twilight smiled gently. "I wasn't trying to imply she was anything but loving. That she cares for us, all of us, is quite obvious. Even when you gave her permission, which she didn't technically need to ask, to build her house there, she followed each and every rule. Nopony could have stopped her."

Fluttershy cringed faintly. "And that's what you're worried about."

"To be blunt... yes." Twilight leaned in closer. "Not because I think she's a bad creature. She isn't! She's... in fact quite a good one. But she isn't..." She worked her hooves slowly. "She's something else. She's called Discord 'father' before. Do you know why? I feel that's...quite an important part of this puzzle."

Fluttershy blinked at that. "Oh, well, I'm her mother... I thought she was... just being friendly, since we're... together often. Like calling somepony 'uncle' even if they aren't an uncle. It was harmless... so I didn't stop her."

Twilight tapped at her chin. "I don't think that's it... I don't think... I could be wrong." She stepped down to standing. "I have few hints to work with, but I haven't done the obvious thing."

"Oh, what's that?" Fluttershy remained on the couch, watching Twilight.

"Ask her." Twilight smiled gently. "She seems fond of me, and most other ponies I've seen her around. Asking her may yield the information I seek. I feel silly for not trying that earlier. Sorry for bother you, Fluttershy."

"N-no! You're no bother." She hopped to her slow wings to the door to open it for Twilight. "You're always welcome here, Twilight."

"See you later, in school." They shared a brief hug, and Twilight continued on her way at a lively trot.

183 - Direct Questions

Twilight smiled from the front of the room. The room had all of one student, a cheerfully smiling draconeques. "Comforting, I'm told you've been working extra hard, taking notes for all your friends."

"Yes." Comforting pulled out a thick notepad and slapped it down. "For each of them." She spread the book, causing several more to appear, copies. "It's my fault they're away. The least I can do is help them with these notes."

Twilight wrinkled her nose. "Hm. When I'm sent on trips, nopony..." She bit back her complaint, shaking her head. "That's very good of you. I did want to ask, if I may? What is the purpose of this trip? You already said it was important to harmony, and I took you at your word... but, please?"

Comforting considered a moment how much she could tell. "Well, you're not on the mission... Telling you shouldn't hurt anything." She floated from her seat and drew a square in the air that became a panel. In that panel appeared Cracked gently encouraging Lily along. "These are wolfponies."

Twilight smiled at the image. "Aw, look at them... The family love is powerful, you can feel it from here. That one." She pointed at Lily. "Is clearly wounded and, from a practical viewpoint, a liability. But it doesn't bother Cracked at all. Anycreature that can care that deeply..."

"Exactly my thoughts." Comforting landed between Twilight and the floating animation. "But those are two lady wolfponies. The students are on the hunt for one of the last guy wolfponies around. Hopefully they'll get along..."

Twilight cocked a brow. "Comforting."

"Hm?"

Twilight waved a hoof between the two wolfponies. "Even if that works out entirely well, the odds of a successful rebound for this species is quite low if you start from a population of three. They're far too... large... for ponies to help, even if they did find one that was interested." She rubbed behind her head softly. "I think you may just be improving their life, and prolonging the end of their race."

Comforting set her hands on her small hips. "One step! I'm still a chaos critter, don't ask me about way future steps. We need guys and girls, so we're getting guys and girls. Then we can worry about the next step."

"I see..." Twilight tapped at her chin thoughtfully. "Well, conservation efforts are still worthy, so I'm not trying to discourage you, just putting a realistic lens on this."

Comforting was suddenly in Twilight's face, eyes to eyes. She didn't look angry, but the look was intense, her eyes swirling with colors. "'Realistic' lost its meaning a long time ago, Professor."

Twilight gently pushed Comforting back. "Point... Which leads smoothly into what was really on my mind." Twilight took her attention entirely off the image of the cute huge wolves being adorable. "You. You are not a pony. I don't say that in any offensive way."

Seeing ruffled feathers, she quickly clarified "I don't mean that negatively! But evidence piles up that you're...something more." Twilight tapped her hooves gently. "Who delivered you here originally if I may ask?"

Comforting tilted her head curiously. "Princess Celestia brought me to Mom as a tiny baby foal. Why?" Sudden wariness darkened her swirling eyes. "You think I'm too chaotic for Ponyville?" Had resentment secretly festered among those she cherished most?

Twilight waved her hooves placatingly. "No no! But Celestia doesn't ferry foals lightly. And your talents exceed even my gifted students..." She met Comforting's gaze earnestly. "I just want to understand your unique role better."

She offered a hoof, smiling. "You inspire with your compassion daily. But you inspire questions too. Will you help me solve those riddles?" Twilight let out a soft sigh. "You were a curious foal, but after this..." She waved over Comforting's form. "It was like you... hatched. I want to say hatched. You emerged, as something different. Still you, but also something more."

Comforting twirled left and right. "Well... Um..." Dang it. There was the downside of being a spirit that hung out so close. Questions, they came, and how did she answer them? "Twilight, I respect you, a lot."

"Good?" Twilight rubbed at her cheek. "But is that a prelude to not telling me?"

"It's a prelude to an offer." Comforting returned to her seat and sank into it. "I can tell you, but it will change you. I guess all knowledge does that... Do you really want to know?"

Twilight took one step forward. "Yes! Please?"

Comforting smiled at that. "I doubted you'd say anything else. If you had, I'd wonder if I was really talking to Professor Twilight... Twilight, I'm dead. I was dead before I got here. It just took a while for me to remember I was very dead." She tickled herself along her throat, claws scratching. "I lived, I died. I was a spirit, fading away, tired and spent."

A paper appeared with a pop, a floating quill taking notes furiously. "And then?"

Comforting chuckled gently. That Twilight was doing that, somehow comforting. "Another spirit, of this world, noticed. She sent an agent to rescue me. I think she was lonely. That agent brought me to Fluttershy, where I knew life again. And it was a wonderful and dear life..."

Twilight blinked, though the notes continued. "Are you implying Princess Celestia is a spirit's agent?!"

A message arrived, icon flashing in Comforting's view. She sighed, reaching for it. Was she in trouble?

Tell her.
--Amity

Oh. "Yes. Not... directly. She is only visited in dreams."

Twilight clopped her hooves with a look of understanding. "That explains so much!" The notes redoubled in intensity, including her thoughts and musings. "I don't have prophetic dreams, so I assume I am not an agent."

Comforting didn't correct Twilight on that one. "I lived and learned to laugh and play and just... live. But then I died again."

Twilight rubbed her hooves lightly together. "As all things do eventually, but you were still a filly. You certainly didn't die of old age."

"No, it was my fault. I got myself squashed flat." Comforting snorted, remembering that absurd series of events. "Oops... But Discord took hold of me and yanked me free. I was a spirit, but not fading and grey." She waved over her chimeric form. "As you can see! I am a spirit. I look Discord and that other spirit in the eye. I'm... a force of nature, but one that smiles and loves ponies, and other creatures. Seriously, the creatures of this world are 100% adorable and I love them."

Twilight sank to her haunches. "Well... I had thought just asking might get me answers. But this far exceeds my expectations."

Twilight ruminated over truths that redefined her perception of the cheerful student before her. "So you became an immortal embodiment related to Discord himself, yet your heart remains gentle despite wielding such power..."

A startling possibility sparked to mind. "Have you perhaps communed with the phantasmal sphere before? Glimpsed worlds beyond ours through the veil?" Her scholarly instincts buzzed with intense curiosity.

"Constantly, once I learned how," Comforting confirmed cheerily. "But I'm not sharing things you don't need to know about. Your life is better without that."

Galvanized by stunning insights, Twilight catching her quill mid-air without even glancing away from her fascinating informant. "Can other spirits do this?" she pressed eagerly. "Could you teach me to perceive past that barrier as well? Oh, just imagine what secrets we could unveil!"

Twilight bounced in place, mind positively cartooning with epiphanies and theories on magic's deepest nature thanks to this unprecedented wellspring. She had to share these truth-quakes with Starlight at once!

"Thank you for illuminating your story's mysteries," Twilight praised fervently. She levitated Comforting into an impromptu hug.

Comforting returned the hug gently. "You're welcome, but I just said I'm not telling you things you don't need to know. That wall is there for a reason. You have a lovely world right here." She smooched Twilight on the end of her nose. "Let's make the best of it, hm?"

She dropped to the ground. "And now... the hard part..." She shrugged softly. "I still want to be a kid. I want to learn and do homework and tests and things."

Twilight inclined her head. "And date Diamond Tiara?" At Comforting's coloring, Twilight leaned in. "All I've heard is that you two are a picture-perfect little children couple. But... part of me wonders, if you are actually what you just said, doesn't that feel... odd? You're dating someone not even half, possibly not even a quarter of your age." She brought her hooves farther apart with each time increment.

"It does." Comforting twirled in place. "But not a bad odd. I like her, a lot. I want her to grow into a wonderful mare. Maybe, at that point, I'll grow too. Not sure yet. Maybe we'll drift apart, or stick together. Don't know. Right now, I'm a filly. Please treat me like one. When I do something dumb, tell me, chastise me. Don't treat me any differently."

Twilight rubbed at her cheek. "I... think I'll pass on informing the others. They don't need to be fully aware of what they're leading classrooms for."

Comforting winked at that. "Now you understand a little of why I'm not telling you some things. It's not because I don't like you. I like you a lot!" She bounced back several steps. "Thank you, for listening, for not panicking... For just being you."

Twilight ruffled the top of Comforting's head with her magic. "Of course... Goodness, this brings up so many more questions... but I've bothered you enough for one day." She arched a brow. "When you asked me things, were you asking just playing the part of a filly, or did you...?"

"I asked questions of things I wanted to know." Comforting rocked on her feet forward and back. "The first world I'm from wasn't like this one. Closer to the one Equestria High is from, but not that either. I try not to ask questions I already know the answer to, unless I think asking them will get someone somewhere they need to be."

Twilight smirked gently at that. "Spirits... Go on home them." She shooed Comforting off. "Thank you again." She pensively began sorting her notes with fresh motivation. She had students to inspire on seizing each day's potential. What new realms might open by simply unveiling imagination's hidden doors? She couldn't wait to guide them seeking out their own worlds of possibility!

"Who said this was a good idea?!" Gallus ducked under the glistening barb of the scorpion's tail. "Because it wasn't!"

Silverstream grabbed the same tail, wrestling it as it thrashed around in her grip. "Yona! Smash!"

"Smash!" Yona crashed into the side of the oversized scorpion, knocking it clear onto its side.

The students cheered as one as they fled, the disabled scorpion unable to follow them for long enough for them to be gone. Ocellus landed beside Smolder. "So, you're sure we're headed the right way? The wolfpony's somewhere around here?" She waved out across the vast desert. "I don't see them."

The dragon winced guiltily. Earlier bravado over sniffing their target out had clearly backfired in this trackless void.

Before Ocellus could continue, Yona grunted irritably. The heat and fruitless plodding through sandy wastes wore her patience thin.

"Why we wander blindly?" she grumbled. "We ask big ponies for help yet?" In their zeal to prove themselves, the painfully obvious path had gone ignored in favor of repeat missteps.

The group exchanged chagrined looks. In their eagerness to follow cryptic clues solo, the most sensible route had been overlooked - simply asking a local guide!

"You're totally right," Sandbar sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "No clue why we didn't just do that to begin with. Maybe one of those towering horses knows where we could find more, er...big wolves?"

Silverstream clapped excitedly, their humbling stumbles instantly forgotten. "Ooh and they could give us a ride to speed up the search!"

With restored enthusiasm, the reoriented team struck off anew with hopes rising.

Author's Note

Comforting comes clean, and the Young Six are still on the case!

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184 - Wagging Tails

"Of course." The large Saddle Arabian even offered a ride to the giggling Silverstream. "I have heard of such things. We plan our routes around them, so we are not harmed."

Smolder poked the horse, flying alongside him as he walked. "And you're okay with going there now?"

"You will protect me." He turned an ear at Yona. "Or I will outrun you. Either way, I will live another day."

Gallus chuckled, dangling off the horse's saddlebag. "Harsh, but fair. At least the guy's honest, points for that."

The merciless Saddle Arabian sun beat down as endless golden dunes stretched to the shimmering horizon all around. Hot winds blasted grit against their faces as the mammoth equine guide plodded onward, weighed down by his unusual passengers yet showing no visible strain.

Yona dozed atop the swaying bags, head lolling with the rocking gait, finding the repetitive motion oddly soothing. Ocellus and Smolder huddled gratefully in what little shade their lumbering transport provided.

Sandbar gazed ahead fixedly, already ruing the extra laundry awaiting his grimy poncho back home. But he daydreamed of cool sparkling waterfalls to distract arid thoughts. No ambient noise existed but the whistling wind and creak of leather tack.

As the featureless ochre vista lurched by under pounding hooves, it felt they were suspended in time's web with neither past nor future, only the eternal slogging present. Gallus helped sustain morale by sharing fantastical stories from Griffonstone's history.

Just as doubts arose whether their stalwart guide was himself lost, the first welcome signs appeared - weathered bones and an abandoned but conspicuous nesting ground along a sheltered cliffside overhang. They had reached the hunting periphery of their elusive quarry at long last! Adrenaline tempered weary relief as the true challenge loomed nearer...

It did not keep them waiting. With a howling bay, several sets of stomping steps approached. Their ride turned without hesitation and fled the other way, leaving his rides to tumble to the ground in an ungainly pile as he abandoned everything of weight along the way. "Best of luck!"

Yona scowled at the receding form, but turned away from the Saddle Arabian. "Sound big, sound many. Be ready."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Gallus flexed his hands into balls. "But... we do have a plan, right?"

The team exchanged uneasy glances at the prospect of confronting more savage beasts like Lily and Cracked. Sensing their nerves, Ocellus adopted an adorable wolf cub guise, hoping to appear non-threatening.

"Aw, nopony would bite something so cute!" Silverstream cooed, hovering around the fluffy cub.

Smolder facepalmed. "Yeah, let's not bet our lives on that. We need an actual strategy here." She glanced meaningfully at Gallus. "Didn't you mention some griffon tactics for approaching wild creatures?"

Gallus ruffled his neck feathers importnantly. "I did pick up a few pointers back home. We send the smallest in as bait to distract while the heavy hitters get into position."

At Smolder's shocked look, he laughed. "Kidding! We make ourselves look bigger to seem scarier. Then back away slowly while yelling alot if they charge."

Sandbar cringed. "Yeah making ourselves look threatening is kinda the opposite of what we want here..."

"Enough talking - we go!" Yona suddenly bellowed. Grabbing Ocellus-cub, she began trundling directly toward the heavy thuds and hungry canine noises. Jaws dropped, her friends scrambled after her with renewed alarms towards this mission's sanity!

Just over the next rise, the first canine-equine emerged, ears erect and forward. They saw Yona and snarled, but they saw Ocellus behind her and came up short. "What?" he asked in a deep voice. All the wolfponies had deep voices, but that was the first male one they had met, and his was lower still. "Little one, are you playing with your food?"

Ocellus adopted the cutest appearance she could. "They're friends, not food. Please don't eat them."

"Child..." Other adult wolfponies came, another male, two females. They all stopped near the first, watching with him and not speaking. "Come here. Where did you come from?"

Still wary, he beckoned the young changeling to safety while eying the odd delegation. "Explain yourselves, little morsels. Why do you dare our domain?"

Before another juvenile snack quip occurred, Smolder intervened. "We're pals with some loners of your kind - Lily and Cracked? They've got a nice den back home but no company."

She gestured casually over her motley crew. "So naturally we volunteered to sift through sand for a few weeks tracking your pack down to extend an invite back. Wasn't our best idea, admittedly."

The wolf ponies exchanged uneasy glances as Smolder rambled on about modern amenities. Their body language remained tense, but curiosity at least temporarily overrode hunger pangs.

Ocellus spoke up sweetly from the alpha's sheltering foreleg. "We just want to help them be less alone. Won't you come meet our friends?" She unleashed the full power of pleading baby wolfpony eyes.

One of the female wolfponies huffed softly. "You speak of nice places, but what proof have you? The world is cruel."

"And vast," added another female.

"We've been chased," added a male, looking shy. "Chased from all the good hunt lands. We were once kings, now we are..."

The leader barked and they fell silent. "Your 'friends' are lucky to have such allies that would wander this desert, looking for us." He snuffed at Ocellus. "Your looks are perfect. Your sound, perfect. Your smell... off. What are you?"

Ocellus squeaked softly, shying back, but he caught her easily under a large paw. "Um, well... Sorry?" With a rush of flame, she became her natural, much smaller, insectoid self. "Hi?"

"Hm... What are you? What trickery..."

Gallus patted Ocellus gently. "She's Ocellus, a friend. Your friend maybe." He kept a hand on Ocellus' back in silent support. "So, you know, we're not food. In fact, we hunt with them."

"Sure do." Smolder hiked a thumb at her chest. "They call us the 'little hunters'." She rolled her eyes at that. "We're not little, you creatures are huge. Seriously..." She trailed off under golden-eyed stares. "Aaaanyway, bottom line - we can all get along and we've got room for more back home."

The alpha studied Ocellus but allowed no visible reaction. "Assuming we believed these outrageous claims, what possibly awaits us in lands already dominated by ponies and tamed beasts?"

His fierce gaze bored into them. "We bow to none. Our fangs remain sharp and our freedom paramount over luxury, whatever this 'home' of yours may offer." He paced closer, voice dropping ominously. "Perhaps your precious friends sent exotic snacks unable to evade us on four...lucky...legs..."

The students bunched together as burning eyes and savage smiles surrounded them. Perhaps finding desperate kindred had only accelerated their own demise. Lost for options, Sandbar met Ocellus' terrified gaze. If these were truly their final moments, they would face the end proudly side-by-side...

Yona lowered her horns. "We not weak!" she thundered out, as if trying to reach the easy levels of the wolfponies. "Safe with friends. Eat good with friends. So much food they have food parties. Uck, not food Yona likes, but wolfponies like. Little Hunters like."

The leader chuckled softly. "One of your prey is the loudest. I am... amused." He licked over his lips. "And hungry... You keep speaking promises of food, unfair." He dug at the sound with a low whimper. "This desert is... short on food. Some approaches, but claims we should not eat them. Unkind... Very unkind." He sat, tail brushing the sand. "Names."

"Willow."

"River."

"Donner."

The leader nodded along with the names of each of his companions. "I am Orion. This is my pack." He growled softly. "Would you have me bow my head to another? I am the alpha here."

Smolder met Orion's piercing gaze. "Look buddy, we get it - top wolf doesn't wanna kneel, gotta roam free, all that stuff. But don'tcha think it's time to try something new?"

She swept a claw over endless barren sands and carved cliffs.

"Cuz no offense, but this territory blows. Lily and Cracked found a fresh start...maybe you could too." She extended a daring hand. "Whaddaya say, big guy?"

Orion eyed Smolder pensively, pride warring with cold reality. Their range had indeed become increasingly desolate...perhaps these odd envoys presented a path back from the abyss...

Still the choice loomed frighteningly absolute - abandon a home or accept enigmatic vassalage. As chief guardian, where did duty truly lie?

River cautiously broke the standstill. "Alpha, surely some fact-finding cannot hurt? We might return better prepared after..."

Willow and Donner rumbled agreement. Orion remained stonefaced, but their words resonated undeniably. They at least deserved to assess options before fate's die landed...

Gallus flew up towards Orion's face. "Hey, come here." He waved the alpha wolf in closer. "Got a secret, shh." He flew in so close his voice was barely a whisper for Orion to hear and none others. "Now, get this. We already told you, but you weren't listening over your grumbling stomach. We got two ladies, waiting for you. They sent us here because they want the company of a guy wolf. You know, like you? You're an alpha, right? You said so."

"I am," rumbled Orion, making no secret of his words. "You offer food of every kind... Tempters. You are either offering a promised land, or we will make you into lunch. Either way, the day improves."

The others rose smoothly to their paws and hooves, detecting movement would be needed.

Sandbar waved a hoof quickly. "Um, sir. Sorry to bother you, but could we get a ride on the way back? You don't want to have to wait for us to plod all the way there."

Orion wrinkled his nose. "Actually... That's a great idea. If you're on our backs, we will know exactly where you are. There will be no escape."

He surveyed his grim pack, outline of ribs peeking through dusty pelts marking their shared deprivation. "Come - we journey towards whatever bait or trap these small ones spin. I would glimpse the truth behind honeyed words."

Relief swept the team at securing safe(r) passage, if still under perpetual threat of becoming dinner. But the towering alpha seemed swayed by tempting possibilities beyond barren wilds...for the time.

Comforting burst into a wild cheer, punching at the sky and down at the ground with whoops and dances.

Cracked inclined her head at her alpha. "Are you alright? Should I do something?"

"She seems happy." Lily pulled herself closer. "What is the good news, Alpha?"

"They're on the way." Comforting giggled with building joy. "They're coming home. I think they have good news. I didn't check, but they're safe and on the way home. I'm so happy right now." And the happiness only grew as both wolfponies licked her in great wet slobbers.

Comforting squealed and batted at them, but she wasn't fighting all that hard. "Looks like you two are happy too."

Cracked nodded firmly. "Why would we not be, Alpha? To have the Little Hunters again would be wonderful. The hunts... I did not think it would be true, but the Little Hunters are quite skilled and useful. They were a true aid to me. I didn't realize until they were not there." She leaned in. "They are far better than either of us at cooking, we both knew that already. I am spoiled, Alpha. I want cooked meals again."

Cracked's tail slapped happily at the long-awaited news. "At long last our small but mighty allies return! Oh, I cannot wait to hear their epic tales!"

Lily chuckled softly at her sister's unrestrained enthusiasm over their odd comrades. She had briefly met the boisterous team already herself. Would triumph or failure grace their unlikely faces upon stepping through the door?

Sensing old doubts plaguing Lily's still-healing confidence, Comforting swept both giant muzzles into an impulsive hug. "No matter what news they carry, we'll greet our dear friends with arms wide open and tongues pre-dampened!" All three of them lolled their tongues, ready to use them.

Author's Note

They're coming! Guys! They're coming!

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185 - A Weak Swirl

Starswirl was seated at the crystal map table. With a glowing horn, he held several documents up in front of his face. "Hm... Hm." He tapped at one. "Not a single injury?"

Twilight crossed her arms and shook her head at once. "There was one time Cracked tripped over a pony in an eager rush. She apologized and hurried the pony to care. No longterm injuries resulted, and she stayed by their side until they were entirely recovered. I believe they are friends now."

Starswirl stroked over his beard. "These are different times..." He let out a slow breath. "In mine, they were pure monsters, hungers with teeth and a fondness for pony flesh..." He set the papers down miserably. "Now, tamed. The ponies of this new age, joyfully domesticating them."

Twilight hummed, bringing the papers in her own magic. "This is almost entirely Comforting's fault. She did this. She found the first banished to a whole other world, and nursed them to health, here. The kind act of chaos."

"Kind act indeed." Starswirl shook his head slowly. "But I am being stuck in my ways. I don't want to be... If you are certain they are safe, I will turn my attention elsewhere." He sighed deeply. "Maybe explore the wonders of this new age. You have so many."

Twilight brightened at that idea. "What a lovely notion. I can suggest a few places, if you like." She wagged a hoof. "Or, if you're up for it, we could go over magical theories. There are so many you left the most interesting notes on but I never had a chance to go over them with their primary source."

He stood up. "Tempting, but I should go." Rather than face the many questions of Twilight, he started his leave. "I will send letters."

Twilight huffed at where he had been. "Figures." She cleaned up the many notes that had been involved. "I'll have to do it myself."

At least the wolfpony thing was settled. Not that she had any idea that population was about to get larger.

The soft trembles that grew louder was the first hint that something was amiss. Comforting lifted into the air, twirling around, there! She saw them and began waving wildly as they came closer. That wasn't one wolfpony, or even two. An entire pack of four?!

She kept herself in the air, about eye level with the newcomers. "Wow, look at you."

Orion approached first, studying the strange creature that hovered there with no working wings. Well, she had wings, but they weren't flapping. "What is this?"

"This is Comforting." Comforting twirled. "Where are, oh, there you are." She waved to the group of brave adventurers napping on one of their backs. "If they're asleep, how'd you know where to go?"

Orion tapped at the side of his snout. "I could smell others. I followed it the last of the way."

"Are we, hey! We're here!" Smolder hopped up, wings flapping. "Awesome! Comfs, look, we did it!" She waved grandly at the collection of large wolfponies they'd gathered. "And they didn't eat even one pony."

Yona sat up, stirred by Smolder's motion. "Mmm? Oh. Hello." She slid off Donner to the ground.

Orion assessed the odd floating creature curiously. "We followed whispered rumors across the wastes to this place. I presume you to be the 'Comforting' referenced?"

At her nod, Willow stepped forward. "Is it true there are...others here? Like us?" Bated breath colored her words, scarcely daring to hope.

"There certainly are!" Comforting reassured with a bright laugh. "In fact..." She turned and bellowed, "Cracked, Lily, come meet the new pack!"

Moments later, the two emerged, shock and awe writ across their faces as they beheld hardy survivors where once barren sands reigned.

Orion went to inspect them, sniffing, looking, even pawing at them. "They are plump." That wasn't spoken in an insulting way. "And this one." He pawed at the great wheels that let Lily move. "She is injured, crippled. But she is well-fed... What luxuries do you know...?"

Lily colored at the intense inspection. "I was injured... But they have had only love for me, and they help. My new sister, Cracked, the little hunters, and Comforting, our alpha."

Orion curled, wheeling on Comforting. "Then it is true? You have taken this small thing as your alpha? Why?" He sniffed at Comforting with out huffs. "She is so... small, weak. What wisdoms does she hold?"

Comforting's eyes widened, sparkles dancing. "That was the perfect question. That makes me so happy." She clapped her hands. "I was worried a moment you were only worried about strength. I have the wisdom to help them fit in this new age. They are friends of ponies, and the ponies make good neighbors." She waved down at the students. "Even other creatures, friends all."

Orion inclined his head. "We tolerated them, but our bellies howled... Stop teasing us, local alpha. Prove it. Feed us."

Gallus rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Dude we just crossed a blazing desert to grab you guys!" But Smolder waved him down. Their friends' suffering ran deeper than mere miles traversed.

"C'mon," she beckoned, leading the towering crew towards Cracked's den. "We got a whole feast ready for this big reunion!"

Cracked cut Comforting off. "Not in there. There." She pointed a hoof at where the smoldering pit they often used was. "Little Hunters, show our new friends your cooking skills."

Gallus clapped his hands. "Now we're talking. Comfs, save us some time and get the good stuff out of storage. We'll get the fire going."

Smolder puffed some fire, taking care of that in an instant. "Some of us have the fire built in, yo." She clicked her tongue, firing a fingergun wtih it at Gallus. "We are going to cook up some tasty treats for all of you!"

Yona nudged against Sandbar. "Not for us. We go."

"Yeah, probably a good idea." Sandbar shook his head slowly. "Not my kind of food. Have fun!" They both waved, but made their way home.

Lily guided nervous kin to makeshift log seats, soothingly answering the barrage of questions about their improbable sanctuary. Comforting retrieved slabs of well-marbled meats to the salivating delight of hollow bellies too long left yearning.

Soon sizzling strips filled the air with beckoning aroma. Smolder flipped portions masterfully between dexterous claws to uniform doneness. As Cracked and Lily praised choice morsels, flickers of brightening hope dawned in once-skeptical eyes at the rainbow students' pride in providing first friendship, now sustenance so freely to former outcasts.

Cracked broke the question nocreature else had been wondering. "While we wait, you can answer, why do I see no cubs?" The new wolfponies turned to her. "You have males." She nodded to Orion and Donner. "You have females." She nodded to Willow and River. "Why do I see no cubs?"

Orion grunted softly, lashing his tail fitfully through the grass. "You see no cubs because we had no food. Why have cubs when we can barely feed ourselves? That would not go well..."

Lily wheeled forward. "Then we can have cubs now. We have food." She inclined her head at the feast available for all hungry teeth. "We have a wonderful den." She paused at that. "Alpha, are they welcome here? Can we share our den? Is it... large enough?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Comforting flitted to land on Orion's surprised nose. "Just one thing. We only feed and house friendly wolfponies. You can't hurt any creature that could ask you not to. No ponies, no yaks, no changelings, no griffons, no dragons. Nothing else like that, just critters."

Cracked flashed deadly teeth. "I can show you where the larger critters roam. The hunting is good. We change hunting spots, so the prey renews itself." She angled her head at Orion's legs. "They are strong. They got here. We may have to roam, but if we follow the rules, we will always eat well."

Excited conversation wandered between them, perking up as things seemed to be turning in a better direction. Orion nodded, Comforting still straddling his nose. "This is a small price. We will hunt 'critters'. Cracked will show us which those are."

He pointed a hoof at the delicious meal. "If they taste like this, they are worth hunting."

"They don't." Cracked smirked faintly. "They only taste this good thanks to the little hunters. I never knew the wonders of cooked food until Comforting showed me, and the little hunters began doing it. I could never go back." She snapped up a slender slice, chomping it down with a satisfied hum. "Mmm, so good..."

Orion began to salivate a little, but none of the residents seemed to mind... so he snapped up a new chunk himself. "Spicy, but in just the right ways... This is... I feel... like you are trying to buy me, with food." He sank to his belly. "The worst part is that it's working..."

Willow leaned in from the side against her alpha. "This is so much nicer than the desert..."

Orion huffed at that. "That is an easy competition..." He rolled onto his side ponderously, tail gently slapping the ground. "Pack, what do you think? This is... I don't know, and I don't like that... I can't guide you."

The other three stared a moment. Such words were tantamount to an alpha stepping down.

River looked to Comforting. "You are their alpha."

"I am." Comforting lifted into the air. "I do my best to keep them safe and happy."

"She does a good job." Lily wagged her tail with boundless joy. "She brought us friends, when I thought there were none to bring."

River leaned in, snuffling at Comforting. "Will you be our alpha? May we join your pack?"

Donner yipped hopefully. "We will follow your directions. One thing. One." He pounced on the deflated Orion. "Take him too. He is a good friend, and has been a good alpha. He always led well and faithfully. Don't abandon him."

The humbled former alpha found voice again, wisdom forged from pain shining anew. "I shall not stand between my family and kindly fates. If thou would shield what blood remains of our lineage, I am thy servant, little alpha Comforting."

Comforting squeaked. "No! No no no. You are not my servant, none of you." She whirled about at each of them. "You are my friends and family. When I give instructions, it's only because that will keep you safe. Not because I think you owe me anything outside that."

River licked Comforting, making her wobble in the air with the great wet gesture. "I like this one. She is a wise alpha. Lead us, with that wisdom, and that kindness. You are well named, Comforting. I feel comfort already."

Willow was snuffing at Lily. "What hurt you? Should we get revenge on it?"

"It is dead." Lily pulled herself around in a wide circle. "We defeated it, and that is why I am free."

Cracked nodded. "There is nothing left to get revenge on. Friends, new brothers and sisters..."

Smolder raised a hand to remind that she was still there. "Little Hunters?"

"Ah, Little Hunters too." She leaned in, giving a warm nuzzle to Smolder and Gallus' sides. "Today we are a new pack, and I am overfull with joy. Tomorrow, we greet Ponyville." She pointed a nose at the sleepy town a short distance away. "We will say hello to them and let them see us. They will be surprised, but they will be happy."

Lilly bobbed her head. "Move slowly, and let them explore. They will sniff and touch as you did with us. Be patient, and we will have many new friends and allies."

Comforting brought her hands together with a happy squeal. "Oh. Cracked and Lily have been here longer. If I'm not here to give advice, listen to them. They want you to be happy too."

Just like that, a hierarchy was formed, and the wolfponies seemed to accept it without hesitation. It was one built out of wisdom and care.

What was there to complain about?

Author's Note

Ponyville wolfpony population: 6

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186 - Talking Changes

✉️ appeared in Comforting's vision. She held up a finger and wandered away from the happy celebrations to check it.

Hello, Dear Friend Comforting,

I don't want to be only the source of bad news... But...
Thinking of You and Your Actions,
Amity

Comforting pinned an ear back at the ominous sounding message. "I'll be right back." And she hopped up, landing in front of Amity, the tree. "That's scary. What's wrong?"

Amity circled around herself in her filly form, wearing Comforting's old form. "You have learned. Such skilled use of your agents. I am proud." She inclined her head. "But to what end? There are not enough of them. They will fade."

Comforting cringed at that. "I wasn't... Genetics is a thing in Equestria?"

Amity prodded Comforting in a leg. "They do not know it, yet. The wolfponies are too large."

"Too large?" Comforting flopped to her bottom. "They are pretty big, but how is that involved?"

"Too large," repeated Amity in the same tone. "They cannot turn to anything else. If they were a pony sized, they could make friends with ponies."

Comforting colored faintly, imagining what sort of friends Amity was referring to. "Could we... make them smaller?"

Amity brought her hooves together silently. "Then they aren't wolfponies. You continue to work... But somethings were already finished long before you got there."

Comforting huffed. "Not fair... We should ask them. Maybe they'd be alright with it."

"Would they?" Amity rocked left and right. "To survive only because a god took mercy on them. To be as small as the Little Hunters, as they call them..."

Comforting cringed, imagining that. "I won't know until I ask."

Amity poked Comforting on the nose, somehow without floating to do so. "Friend Comforting. You have done all you can. Perhaps had you been there, ages past, you would have guided them down a different path. I feel certain, watching them, they would have been good friends to ponies. Perhaps they would even become them, in time."

Comforting huffed, looking ready to argue, but it hit her. "They'd just... turn back, wouldn't they?"

"Chaos is poor at enduring changes, Friend Comforting." Amity inclined her head. "You would follow them, changing their size just when it is most required? This is a lost cause..."

Comforting couldn't help but laugh a little, imagining how silly that'd be to have her floating after her wolfponies, adjusting their size on demand. "Well... What about you?" She pointed at Amity. "You're orderly. You can do enduring changes."

"I am order." Amity inclined her head. "So I will not. That is the delicate balance. Those who would change, cannot. Those who would not, can."

Comforting grunted with rising frustration. "Then this was for nothing?"

"Not nothing." Amity smiled, a subtle reflection. "You have made them happy. You have granted them a more peaceful end, if nothing else."

Comforting threw up her hands and vanished, appearing back at the joyful cookout, even if it felt a bit bitter, at least to her. "All taken care of."

Smolder raised a hand, meeting in a high-five with a loud clap. "Awesome. The wolves are exploring their new place." She tossed her head towards Comforting's house. "I think they like it."

"Good." Comforting forced her smile, just to lean in suddenly. "Do you think they'd be really upset if they had to get smaller?"

Smolder blinked at the strange question. "Uh, probably? They're pretty proud of being huge." She spread her arms to emphasize the sizes involved.

"Anyway, since you're back." Smolder kicked some dirt on what had been the cooking fire. "I should head back. Good luck with your doggos."

Comforting waved at the departing Smolder before zipping into the house to see to her new pack.

But things were happening. Ponies began to fracture and seperate. "Man..." Comforting frowned at the meter of disharmony, inching upwards steadily. "What even..." But she had agents.

She clapped her hands with a grin. "Time to put them to work."

She waited until after the schoolday, then appeared before them. "Time for a kind chaos mission!"

Sandbar jumped in surprise. "What? Does this involve getting more giant wolves?"

"No..." Comforting rubbed behind her head awkwardly. "Remember what I was worried about? It's happening. Ponies are falling apart." She pointed at Sandbar. "You get to work on the ponies." And onwards to the others. "And you all, go home, and talk to your people. Make sure they're still ready to help ponies. They'll need it."

Sandbar inclined an ear. "Mom said something odd... But is it really that big of a deal?"

"Yes." Comforting hugged Sandbar gently. "Be brave and talk to your fellow ponies. They need your powers of friendship."

Smolder fired a thumbs up, lifting into the air on flapping wings. "I'm on the case. Bet I'll get there before you."

Gallus scowled, the one being looked at. "Please, my town is closer." They took off in two slightly different directions.

Ocellus lifted on buzzing wings. "I'm on the case." She saluted, and darted away.

"This is so exciting." Silverstream clutched her hand with an excited giggle. "We get to save the day! Oh, do you think this is extra credit?"

Comforting snorted at that. "I'll ask Professor Twilight. This is a friendship problem you're facing."

"Best. Mission. Ever." Silverstream took off with a big smile.

Yona shook her head. "Better get moving." She marched away, not very fast, but woe unto any creature that got in her way.

That left Sandbar. "Oh boy..." He raised a brow at Comforting with obvious doubt. "I'm not the, uh, head pony on any level I know of. You sure you should have me doing this? Why not ask the teaches? They're way more influential."

"I'm sure they're trying their best." Comforting hopped back once. "But you can lend a hoof, right?"

Sandbar sighed softly. "If you say so. I'll give it my best shot."

"All I can ask." Comforting waved as Sandbar headed out. She waved a panel into being, showing icons of each of the Young Six as they raced along. Well, except Sandbar. He was just heading into town.

She swiped to the left, showing Sandbar specifically. There were no pegasi. There were no unicorns. Only Earth ponies remained. "Worse than I thought..." How had she not noticed? Well, Fluttershy wasn't leaving, and she mostly hung out at home and at school. It wasn't hard to imagine.

Comforting clapped the window shut. "I'm going to drive myself crazy. Trust..." She stepped to the right, casually moving farther than her stride would imply to arrive at Amity. "Amy?"

"Amy?" Amity walked around herself. "That is not my name."

"Nickname." Comforting clicked her tongue as she fired a fingerfun at Amity. "You see what's going on?"

"A test has arrived." Amity was silent a time. "Hm." The quiet returned. "Would you care to stay here while we wait for our agents to succeed or fail?"

Comforting threw up a hand. "And you're not doing a thing."

"I already did things." Amity inclined her head. "Now I wait to see if they worked. There is little else to be done now. My agents ride out to battle." She smiled faintly. "They are not riding."

"Just a saying, right." Comforting rolled a hand. "Doesn't the fact that ponies fell apart already mean something went wrong?"

"Yes." Amity closed her eyes. "It does. I love my little ponies, but they are so easily scared. They will bolt away from each other, when they are strongest together."

"Yeah..." Comforting sat next to Amity. "They do that... Why don't you work on making them braver?"

"Step by step... But also... Too brave, and are they truly ponies?" Amity opened her eyes. "I will work with what I have. They have always been brave when required."

Comforting clapped twice with soft paffs. "Let's watch them be brave again." She waved an image up, showing her mother, Fluttershy. She was with Rarity, wandering through a largely abandoned Canterlot.

"The seeds of chaos find such fertile soil in ponies." Amity sighed softly, but didn't move, not one inch. "How are your agents doing?"

"Ah, let's see!" Comforting clapped, changing the image to Sandbar, speaking energetically to a group of scared earth ponies. "He's doing his best."

"Good. But he is one agent. Did you only send one? I find that unlikely at best." She remained facing forward, watching the screen quite determinately.

"Of course not." With a clap, she switched to Silverstream. She was talking to Queen Novo, making an impassioned case.

Queen Novo leaned in, fingers pressed together. "The ponies rescued us when we needed it... We should return the favor. Get the army prepared for mobilization!" Several guards saluted sharply and swam away. "Thank you for letting us know, niece."

Silverstream did her best to salute as the guards had done. "You betcha!"

Comforting smiled. "Silverstream had it easy. It pays to have royalty as a contact." She clapped, switching to Gallus. "But you, dear griffon..."

Gallus tried a yelling match with Granpa Gruff. That had limited success at best. "Nevermind." Gallus waved him off and stomped outside. "I know who to go to..."

So he went to a griffon that had been infected by pony cooties. No, not Gabby. Gallus had limits. "Gilda, got a moment?" He landed next to her, wings folding. "Got something important you can help with."

Gilda hiked a brow at that. "Yeah? What do I get out of it?"

Comforting snorted. "Be good." Not that Gilda could hear her.

"It's the ponies. I need to get the word around to help them." Gallus lifted his hands. "Life will suck even harder if we lose ponies to trade stuff with."

"Yeah..." Gilda pushed off the wall she had been leaning against. "I want Rainbow and Pinkie to owe me a favor. Whattaya need?"

Amity clopped her hooves in an enthusiastic applaud. "Your agents are doing well. The ponies will not stand alone in this struggle."

With a snap, the panel was banished. "We creatures love our little ponies." Comforting swayed her griffon tail with a smile. "But this is on them."

"Yes. Exactly." Amity hummed. "Good that you recognize. We set the pieces, but if they win or fail is up to their own actions." She hopped up on small hooves. "Would you still like me, if I wasn't a pony?"

Comforting blinked quickly. "That came out of nowhere."

Amity pointed at herself. "Pony. If I wasn't one, would this bother you?"

"You'd still be you." Comforting grabbed the filly and pulled her in for hugs. "So I'd still like you."

"There will be times, when I am quiet. Trees do not talk. I am a tree." She inclined her head faintly. "I will remember this, eventually, and become quiet."

Comforting scratched at her cheek softly. "I could remind you, to talk."

"Please don't." Amity gently nuzzled Comforting's cheek. "Trees don't talk."

Comforting clenched her teeth at her orderly friend, insisting on the proper order of things. "You should know better than giving commands to chaotic creatures."

"You will obey, because I asked, and because I want it. As my friend, please obey it." Amity hopped free of Comforting's lap. "Trees don't talk."

"Not fair..." Comforting let her hands fall to her sides, arms limp. "But... You're not just a tree."

"I am not." Amity tapped at her head. "Speak to me as a spirit."

Comforting smiled at that. "Oh! If I can still send you messages, that isn't nearly as bad. I'll miss giving you hugs though."

Amity flashed a brief smile. "I knew you would. I gave you that cutiemark for a reason..." She reached up with her little arms. "If it helps, I will miss it as well, but trees do not hug."

Comforting perked up a brow. "Is this why you didn't mind Diamond?"

Amity was quiet for a time.

"Sneaky." Comforting ruffled Amity's head. "Always planning. Always plotting. But that is your thing..."

Author's Note

So, I have covid, but the words must flow.

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187 - Test Grades

Amity turned away from Comforting. "The test is complete."

"It is?"

"It is." She pointed off. "Go. You have a test of your own. Only you can take it."

Comforting frowned with thoughts of what test awaited her. "Let's see what this is." She hopped between places, arriving at a grand meeting of... just about everycreature! It also looked like a pitched battlefield, but the smoke was clearing, and they looked happy overall.

The battle was over, and they had won.

Discord was speaking with Princess Celestia and the others. That felt important, so Comforting zoomed over to pop up among them. "Turn them into statues," was suggesting Discord. "That'll teach them. Why, look how well it worked for me!"

Comforting looked past them to who they were discussing, where a frumpy bunch of sore losers awaited their punishment. "Is that Cozy Glow? Wasn't she sent to Tartarus?"

"Comfie!" Discord grabbed his wayward daughter. "Just in time. You wouldn't beleive it. Some crazed fool let her out."

Twilight coughed into a hoof. "Aren't you that crazed fool?"

"And she helped make all this mess!" Discord waved around at the battlefield around them. "Quite a thing... Thankfully, friendship prevailed!" He took on quite the dynamic pose. "Ah, to be on Team Good this time."

"Dad." Comforting crossed her arms, griffon tail lashing. "Dad! You let her out, now you're telling them to hurl the biggest book they have at her?! She's a little kid! A... troubled one... But a kid! There are steps you try before you go there!"

Celestia smiled gently at Comforting. "Though I had forgotten doing so for quite the time, I feel certain now that it was I that brought you gently into this world, and now you come around to dispense wisdom in kind. Comforting Shade, shadow of my dream, shadow of my perception... What do you think of the others?" She angled her head left. "Queen Chrysalis. She has been offered mercy before, and declined it, thoroughly. She has attempted to hurt, possible murder, before... It is difficult to offer kindness towards that one."

Comforting stopped with her father, giving Chrysalis a proper examination. "I can't stop you from... doing whatever you want with her. She made her bed in this case. If a stoney jail is really what's called for in this situation, then yeah... That other one. Tirek was his name right?"

"That's my name," grunted Tirek, getting to his emaciated legs. "And you are?"

"Comforting Shade." Comforting zipped over to the dreamed centaur. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I am a captive audience." He rolled his eyes. "Go ahead."

Comforting clapped her hands, and they were alone. Tirek was seated on a couch long enough to luxuriously stretch his equine lower half. "Cookie?" She offered a steaming tray. "I'm here to grant a wish! One use only, no asking for extra ones. What would that wish be, and why? Both are important."

Tirek sighed softly. "I... Seriously?"

"I try to be serious." Comforting crossed her arms. "I want to know what you want."

"What I want? Ha. I want power!" He flexed an arm that had no muscles to show off. "I want the world to see it. I want... my father to... know... I'm not a failure."

Comforting could hear the vulnerable pain there. "Oh, I'm sorry... Have you tried talking to him?"

"The last time didn't go well." Tirek scowled at her.

"How long ago was that?"

Tirek pondered it, "Hm... a few tens of hundreds of moons ago? I hadn't returned. I figured there was no point until I could show him, prove... That he was wrong... That I wasn't..." He slumped. "But I did... I failed... He was right..."

"Sorry." She snapped her fingers, and he was back among the three, and she, back with the others that would serve as judges and executioner. "He needs therapy, really badly... He's in such a bad spot. I feel awful for him."

Luna curled one ear back. "He is hardly alone for having suffered barbs in our past. Why should he be--"

Comforting poked the night princess in the nose. "Because even ugly brutes deserve a chance, and not just super cute moon ponies."

Luna colored at that. "Hmmph."

Discord sniffed gently. "My daughter, everypony. I raised her so well." He blew into a handkerchief. "It does me so proud..."

"Dad." She glared anew at him. "And how were you involved in all this, really?" She dragged him away to hear his side of the story, and how the final season of the show had fun, outside the reach of her comforting hands. "Dad! Seriously... Dad... They should be talking about turning you back into a lawn ornament, not the rest of them!"

"Hey now, that's just mean spirited." He folded his arms. "You should know we chaos spirits don't like the idea of being locked up like that."

"I haven't been a statue before." Not that she was aiming to fix that. "Go to your corner."

"But--" She pointed all the more firmly, sending Discord to stand a short distance away. "If Chrysalis is really that bad, I won't stand in your way. Cozy Glow and Tirek need caring, but firm, psychologists to untangle whatever they have going on. And Cozy Glow I have some skin in this game." She tapped one arm with the opposing hand. "She really messed up the school with me in it... and the world I was in at the time... I'd still rather see her fixed."

Twilight waved Comforting closer, just to grab her in a sudden hug. "I am so proud of you."

Comforting flashed a brilliant smile at that, that unexpected hug she was actually alright with. "Thank you."

"I agree." Twilight nodded. "Chrysalis should be dealt with in the most severe fashion we have available. The others given one more chance." She emphasized each of the last three syllables. "Comforting, you have an interest in this, but... arguably more importantly in this case, you are uniquely posed to make sure those two don't escape before you declare them ready to try entering society anew."

Celestia brought down a wing gently upon Comforting. "Do not feel pressured. You have already been so brave, bringing us this far. How do you feel?"

"I feel." Comforting put her hands at her hips. "Like the doctor is in."

So it was the Professor Twilight Sparkle became Princess Twilight Sparkle, not of friendship, but of all of Equestria. She took Spike as her advisor, but he wasn't alone, for he also had a friendly chaos spirit that came with the softest call, or just when she was bored. Chaos spirits were like that.

"Why am I here?" Discord was rocking one leg impatiently in the small classroom. "They didn't put me in here."

"I put you in here." Comforting slapped the greenboard with a pointer. "You were all naughty, in different ways You all have lessons to learn. You don't want to end up like Chrysalis."

All three of them cringed, remembering how that went. "I thought not. Cozy!"

"Ma'am?" Cozy hopped up onto her seat. "What's up?"

Comforting floated a golden star to press into one of Cozy's wings. "Star for being attentive and ready. But sucking up won't pass the class, so! I want to know more about you. You're such a mystery. A box with who knows what inside. I hear none of them had time for you during all that, but, lucky you, I do." She leaned in closer. "So, today is Cozy day. Let's learn all about her."

Cozy's eyes widened. "R-really? You're not just... messing with me?"

"Go on. Start with your name, your real name, and where you're from. Who was your dad? Your mom? Got any siblings? Tell us!" Comforting gladly waved for Cozy to go on. "Every bit of it."

"Well... Since you asked." Discord and Tirek groaned, but neither had power in that classroom. "It all started..."

It would take quite a while for Cozy to get through her personal story. When she did, she was huffing for breath, but sitting back down. "T-there... All of it, um, except the part where I lost and you were there for that part... Um... Okay?"

Comforting offered a tall glass of water. "You did very good. Thank you for sharing, and extra star for not commenting badly on the others while you did it. I expected that..." She floated a new star to adorn the other wing. "How do you feel?"

"Teach, I have a question." Cozy rubbed at her chin softly. "I hear... you like having friends."

"Love it!"

"Cool! Me too." Cozy batted her lashes. "Golly, but I don't have any... Wherever could I find my first one?"

Comforting poked Cozy on her nose. "You're being manipulative. One star." She plucked off one of the wing stars. "If you want to be friends, just ask, directly."

"Aw..." Cozy watched her star drift away, clearly saddened. "So... wanna be friends?"

"You wouldn't even be the first powerhungry filly friend I've had." Comforting adopted a wry smirk. "Diamond would chew you up and spit you out."

Cozy sat up sharply, ears tucked back. "Golly! She sounds... I kinda want to meet her..."

Comforting hopped away. "I'll tell her, maybe she'll stop by one of these days. Or, you can finish here and then you can meet her almost whenever. Now, next course! Taking 'no' gracefully." She whirled on her dad. "No!"

Discord flopped over his desk. "I didn't even ask anything yet!"

"You were thinking it." She wagged her finger at him, and he remained melted, knowing that he was, in fact, thinking of many things that needed a good 'no' in response to. "As caring members of this society, sometimes we'll get yesses, and sometimes we'll get a no, and we have to accept either answer. It goes both ways. Sometimes you'll say yes, and sometimes you'll say no. Knowing you can, and that others can, and you'll take it, and so will they, is how we all get along, even though we all want different things."

Tirek took a few notes with an uncertain noise.

Comforting lifted up and backwards. "I know! It feels like a big thing, a scary thing... You're not alone. That's the point of all this. You're not alone."

She felt ready to take all the time it'd take to get the job done with those three.

She had forever, in theory. Surely it'd take some amount of time less than that. Right?

Author's Note

The story is over! Wait, no, Comforting is whispering something. Ah, she wants me to note that her adventures will continue! Just not in this book. It's heavy and swimming through them is making her arms tired. She looks forward to seeing you in the next one!

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2 - To See and Learn

"Now you say sorry." Fluttershy was frowning at her rabbit. "And where did her cookies go?"

He looked at Comforting right in her eyes and pointed into his mouth. The smug look on his face as he rubbed his belly was too much.

Comforting felt a rush of rage and sorrow, mixed in with a big dose of self-doubt. Why was she being so emotional about cookies she didn't even pay for that had been literally abandoned by the person who did? That rabbit had been a jerk, but she wasn't actually hurt. "Thank you."

Fluttershy and Angel looked at her in shared confusion. "Thank you," repeated Comforting. "I shouldn't have eaten all of those." It had been way too many cookies. She sniffed softly, still worked up, but coming down. "Are you going to get sick?" That had been a lot of cookies, especially for such a small rabbit.

As if prompted, his belly began to make a most unwholesome noise. He tipped over with a pitiable sound, finding the consequences of his actions before him. Fluttershy sighed softly. "You deserve that... a little." That didn't stop her from gathering him up to provide succor. "Relax..."

Comforting headed towards the back, but a hoof went in her way. Fluttershy was looking at her expectantly. Comforting perked an ear. "Do you need help with Angel?"

"I have that under control." Fluttershy curled the hoof, drawing Comforting closer. "Are you alright?"

Comforting wiped a fetlock over her face. "I'm better now. Just... overreacted, I guess."

"We all have feelings sometimes. It's alright to feel them." Fluttershy sat tall over the filly. "But I'm glad you're feeling better. Now, a little filly like you shouldn't be idle." She brought her hooves together quietly. "Which is why I think I should bring you to meet Twilight. She's a very smart pony, and she'll know just what to do." She rose to her hooves. "Let me make sure Angel is settled in."

It wasn't long before they set out into town. Fluttershy was at the front, the little filly behind her. "Now, she lives in that tall building." She pointed to the big crystal tower. "I know it looks a little... intimidating, but she's actually very nice."

But Comforting was not scared. Twilight Sparkle was not a scary pony by any measure she knew. "I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"That's lovely." Fluttershy was smiling, relieved to hear her ward wasn't intimidated. "Now, let's see if they're at home." She walked up to the door and clopped a hoof against it. "Hello?"

The door opened a crack, allowing a furry snout to appear, but it wasn't Twilight. It was Starlight, looking over Fluttershy, then past her to Comforting. "Hey, Flutters. Who's the filly?"

Comforting waved at the new pony. "Oh, hello there."

"Hey yourself." Starlight emerged from inside with a coy smile, her eyes largely on Fluttershy.

"This is Comforting Shade." She waved at the little filly beside her. "And we were hoping to talk to Twilight about her schooling."

Starlight perked at that. "She's a little thing." She leaned in, measuring Comforting. "Not even a cutie mark. Shouldn't she... Wow... Live long enough to be the monster you hated." She applied a hoof to her head. "But really, shouldn't she be in regular school?"

Fluttershy inclined her head. "Maybe. That's why I wanted to talk to Twilight. Comforting is an unusual case."

"Yeah?" Starlight hiked a brow. "Well, this is an unusual town, kid, so you came to the right place. What makes you interesting?" She smiled wickedly, leering at the filly.

"Starlight, this is why people think you might be evil." Comforting realized her mistake an instant after saying it, clapping her hooves over her mouth. "Sorry!"

Starlight blinked slowly, stunned a moment. "Wow. Alright, you're in the right place." Her smile was returning, a cocky grin. "Seriously though, who's busy thinking I'm a bad pony? I've saved Equestria." She tapped herself on the chest. "And wrecked it a few times, but those don't count!"

Comfort burst into giggles even as Fluttershy looked confused.

Starlight, however, wasn't smiling anymore. She had a brow raised. "How did you get that joke?" Oh no, a trap!

Comfort squeaked, sitting bolt upright and stiff.

"Who's at the door?" The named door swung open, revealing Twilight. "Oh, hello Fluttershy." She nodded at her, then saw the filly. "And a new little pony. Hello there."

Starlight scooted past Twilight to go inside, but shot Comfort a last meaningful look before vanishing. Twilight didn't notice it, smiling at her guests. "What brings you two by today?"

Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Comfort, drawing her closer. "This little filly is smarter than she looks. I was curious what schooling I should provide her."

"Provide?" Twilight's eyes danced between the two. "Fluttershy, when did you have a foal?"

"Since Celestia."

"Oh." That was it. All the explanation needed. "Well... Hello. Tell me about yourself."

Comforting sat up tall. "Yes, ma'am. I know the basics already. I know how to read." She had checked. Equestrian words looked right to her eyes, thankfully. "I know how to do math. I can read a map and balance my bank account."

Twilight blinked rapidly. "You have one of those?!"

Comforting recoiled a little. "I mean balancing my budget, ma'am."

"Ah, yes, of course." Twilight raised a hoof equal to her chin but didn't make contact. "How adept are you at history?"

"Lacking," admitted Comforting. "I know the big parts, but none of the small parts." She held up her hooves close together. "I'd like to learn, about this world, current and past."

"See what I mean?" Fluttershy tossed her head at her small ward. "It's hard to decide what to do with her. I want her to get what she needs. She's very nice."

"I'm glad to hear that." Twilight sank down to be more on level with the filly. "Now, a serious question, and no answer you give will bother me. What is 7 times 5?"

Comforting blinked. That had not been what she had been expecting! "35?"

"Hm. You realize, if you come to my school, you will be surrounded by creatures that are older than you are. You can't be older than... Hm, not even a proper teen. The youngest other students are teens. Does that bother you?" Despite her dire words, Twilight was smiling gently. "I don't want you to come into this not knowing. Also if you owe 5% interest on a hundred bits, how much will you owe at the end of the year?"

Comforting jerked at the math whiplash. "105, if I didn't make any payments during the year, which would be silly of me to do. Why do you keep asking math questions?"

Twilight lowered a hoof to rest on Comforting's horn. "Does your aptitude extend here?"

Comforting colored brightly. "No... I don't really know how to use that. Can you help?"

Twilight gasped loudly. "I've never taught a foal how to use their horn before!" She clapped both hooves on her cheeks. "May I?"

She was looking at Fluttershy, who was not resisting the idea. "Of course. If you two get along, that sounds like a delightful idea. I can't offer much advice on how to use a horn." She lacked that part. "But about the school?"

"Yes, of course." Twilight coughed into a hoof softly. "Now, the school will not offer classes related to that. Our students already have basic mastery of their... well, basics. They don't come here expecting us to teach them how to fly, or use their horn." She gently tapped at Comforting's horn. "Which means that would have to be an extra class on the side. Are you alright with that?"

Comforting smiled brightly. "I would like very much to know how to use that." She looked up, eyes crossing a bit to get a lock on her spiraled horn. "And magic. I opened the door just before, but then I couldn't when I tried again."

"Perfectly normal for a young unicorn still getting the hang of it," assured Twilight as a parchment floated into view for her to scribble at with a floating quill. "We'll have you past those awkward first steps. Now, the other students are generally friendly. We encourage that, but they will still be larger than you. We teach teens, young adults, and even some entirely adult ponies here. You will be the smallest pony here. Is that alright? Please, be honest. It'd be completely understandable if that sounded scary."

"It does," admitted Comforting, but she didn't look all that scared with that smile on her face. "But everything new is scary at first, ma'am. I'll get used to it." She was old enough, on the inside, to be used to the idea of something one had to get used to. "Does it bother you to have such an odd student?"

"Looking forward to it." Twilight made another scribble. "If you want to learn, I want to teach. It doesn't matter, to me, how large or small you are, provided you follow the rules and you come eager to learn."

"I will do my best." Comforting had a hoof on her chest over her little beating heart. "If you'll have me."

"So well behaved." She folded up the scroll in her magic and tucked it away. "And well spoken. Now, Fluttershy." She was looking at her pegasus friend. "Are there other parts of our new student I should know about?"

Fluttershy, to her credit, tried to hold it back, squirming with little ums and hms. "Well... Comforting... seems..."

"It's alright." Comforting stood up. "I was trying to be quiet about it. Twilight Sparkle, daughter of Twilight... Velvet? And... I forgot your other parent." She frowned at that gap in her knowledge. "You earned Celestia's attention when you hatched a dragon egg that maybe never was meant to hatch when the Sonic Rainboom surprised you."

Twilight's eyes grew wider as the words spilled out. "That wasn't... Um, I mean, that is largely correct... Huh..." She sank a few inches. "Can you explain how you know that?" But Comforting offered no answer. "Should I be worried?"

"I hope not." Comforting offered a hoof. "I want to learn, ma'am. I don't want to hurt anything."

"Glad to hear that." Twilight nodded at Comforting, sliding along to Fluttershy. "Your filly is very curious, but she seems eager and emotionally advanced. I have no objection to her enrolling. Comforting, how soon do you see yourself joining us?"

Comfort's ears pricked up. "Thank you, for asking me. Do you ask all your students that?"

"Well, no, but most don't join us mid-term, which is where we are right now. If you wanted to wait for the next, that would be fine. If you want to join now, I'll get things moving. It depends a little on how quickly you want to join."

Fluttershy came in, head just to the side of Comforting's. "If you want to wait, that's alright."

"You teach here, don't you?" Comforting turned in a half-shuffle to Fluttershy. "I want to see what your class is like."

Twilight burst into giggles. "Aw, your little filly wants to see you do your thing."

Fluttershy colored at the implications. "My... thing... is often more related to animals than ponies, but teaching ponies about animals, and how to be gentle and kind to one another, that I enjoy doing too."

Comforting nodded firmly. "I want to learn from Fluttershy, and the other girls, like you." She pointed at Twilight. "And the others."

"Who you know?" asked Twilight in an unsure voice, just to get a nod. "I see why you were trying to keep that quiet. I won't tell the others, but you are free to do so, if and when you feel comfortable doing so." A brief pause. "The teacher most likely to be voted most fashionable?"

"Rarity."

"Most competitive teacher?"

"Rainbow Dash." Comforting nodded firmly, sure of these answers. "You have the most book learning."

"Thank you." She colored despite that likely being the truth. "Well... See you tomorrow then?"

Author's Note

Welcome to school, mark 2, now with more magical ponies!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

3 - Expanding Student Body

"She knows too much." Starlight sat on her side of her desk, peering at Twilight. "You are way too--"

"I already know that." Twilight waved a hoof at Starlight. "I don't know how, but, yes, she seems to have information about us all."

"Was I in that book? I don't think I was." Starlight folded her arms. "How she could know about you, easy. You published that."

"I did, but..." She rolled a hoof at Starlight. "You're implying she has knowledge beyond that?"

"Way beyond that. Information all of three creatures total, ever, anywhere, should have a hint about." Starlight clopped a hoof down. "She wasn't surprised when I said I destroyed Equestria a few times."

Twilight folded her ears back. "But..."

"Exactly." Starlight hopped down from her seat, circling her desk towards Twilight. "That wasn't written down. That wasn't shared. That was a secret, a super super secret."

"About as secret as it gets." Twilight sank to her haunches. "But she really does seem nice."

Starlight applied a hoof to her face. "Yeah, I got that. Nice enough, just knows... things. Do I have permission to interrogate the hay out of her?" She smiled sweetly. "I'll be nice."

"She's a foal." Twilight rolled her eyes as she turned for the door. "Unless she does something wrong, I don't want her being harassed. She's here to learn. Help her do that."

Comforting smiled nervously at the front of the class. "It's g-good to be here." She blushed at her stutter. That hadn't been the plan, but... "I'm Comforting Shade." She didn't recognize all the students. She hadn't paid enough attention in the later seasons, which was biting her in her new furry bottom.

Applejack waved towards an available seat. "Go on and have ah seat. Now, Comforting may be the smallest of us, but she's a student, same as the rest of y'all. Don't roughhouse too bad, but she's here to learn. Treat her like ya would any other student."

"Hello!" The incredibly large, for a child, yak was beaming at her. "Yona not know such small ponies could join. Must be very smart." She tapped at her head meaningfully. "Not know Yak things. Yona show you. Later."

"She's not that small." There was the other filly in the room, with curly mane that she was puffing up. "Hey there. I'm Co--"

"Ah know yer all excited to meet the new filly." Applejack was smiling at the class. "But we got a class ta get to, so settle in. Let's get started."

Chat in the class died down as the lesson started properly.

Comforting recoiled in surprise, a note landing on her desk. She reached for it, mashing it flat to read it.

Hiya!

Golly, it's nice to not be the only filly in class. We gotta look out for each other. Look for me doing lunch, K?

Big hugs!
Cozy Glow

A sketch of Cozy's smiling face followed after it. Comforting giggled without thinking about it, only to color, mashing up the letter and stuffing it away. It was quite handy that ponies had pockets.

The bell rang through the school. Applejack nodded at the class that was already rising to their hooves and paws. "See ya tomorrow. We're gonna head outside fer some practical-like lessons, so look forward t'that!" The class cheered, but her eyes were on Comforting, who looked less certain.

"Do you know where yer next class is?" Applejack closed with the filly. "We're all new sometime, don't even sweat it. Ah'll show ya the way." She walked alongside Comforting at a slow pace to match the stride of the small filly. "Ya gettin' 'long? Ah know it's yer first day an' all, but ah know I'd be nervous if Apple Bloom came here when she was your size."

"She'd..." Comforting trailed off. She wasn't sure, she realized. "Thanks, Miss Applejack."

"Yer quite welcome." Applejack tipped her hat, only to remove it, sweeping towards a door. "And here we are. Yer next class is with Rarity."

Comforting perked at that. "Oh, interesting." and in she went, in pursuit of further education.

"Nice little foal." Applejack started off back on her own schedule.

Lunch time prompted a rush of eager students, which Comforting was half-washed away in until the tide let her down near the cafeteria. "Huh." Well, that was where she wanted to go anyway, so she trotted the rest of the way to find the school's many students enjoying themselves.

It was at that point that she saw Twilight had not lied. The students came in all shapes and sizes and ages. From teens on up through adults, though no older adults were in view. "Are you lost?" There was an adult, watching her. "You look a little lost."

Comforting shook her head quickly. "I'm alright." She spotted the curled mane she had been seeking. "I was just looking for someone." And off she hurried to join Cozy Glow and other foals of various ages, tending upwards into their teens, gathered around a table, eating. "Hello!"

Cozy flashed a bright smile. "There she is. There's the little unicorn I was talking about." She waved for comforting to come closer. "Behold, a pony competing with me for smallest." That got giggles around the table. "First day, right?"

"Yes." Comforting slid up next to Cozy, sitting down and looking about. "Where's the nice... Yak right?"

Cozy inclined her head. "You aren't, gosh, scared? She's big, and she stomps! She could squish us flat without even thinking about it."

The other students there agreed with the potential threat that being around Yona presented. Comforting didn't seem immediately swayed by that. "I bet she would never do that on purpose."

Cozy rolled her eyes. "Tell that to the doctor. Your ribs were broken, on accident, so they should get better real quick." She and the other ponies laughed at the idea of it.

Comforting stood up on her seat. "I'll take my chances." She hopped down and walked away, looking around slowly. A dull thud that shook the ground was the hint. There was Yona, with other students, smiling and bouncing in place. Each time the yak hit the ground, it trembled with the force. Yona had a lot of mass, Comforting had to admit. That part wasn't off.

"Hey, it's that new filly." A blue griffon had spotted her, and was eyeing her with some skepticism. "Why aren't you with the other students more your age?" He hiked a thumb at the table Comforting had just left.

A pony, the only one there, beckoned Comforting closer. "Hay, if she wants to hang out with us, cool."

"Thanks." Comforting climbed up, not next to the pony, instead next to Yona. "Your name is Yona, right?"

"Yes." Yona nodded eagerly. "Nice meet little Comfort." She patted Comforting perhaps one step too hard. "Hungry? Good food here. Not as good as Yak food, but close?" She shrugged as she pointed to the front where the food was served.

"Sandbar," offered the pony.

"Gallus." The griffon hiked a thumb at himself.

"Smolder." They had a dragon, and she was grinning, her fangs on display. "You don't act like a little kid your age."

"Silverstream!" The hippogriff girl was waving super eagerly. "Nice to meet you. What's your whole name again?"

"Comforting Shade." Her ears fell a moment before they sprang up. "And I am a little hungry, but that looks like a crowd."

"Ocellus," offered the... Comforting wasn't sure what a reformed changeling was, so she had no idea. "And I got it." She lifted on her buzzing wings and flew towards the front.

Sandbar poked the new pony. "We're all dying to hear your story. Tell us you're more talkative than Cozy is."

Gallus rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ugh, she didn't tell us a word about where she's from. What about it, kid? Up to sharing?"

Ocellus had returned, announced with a tray slipping in past Comforting to land in front of her, burdened with food.

"Ooo!" Comforting leaned in, eyeing the bounty. "Thank you so much." She took a big bite out of something like bread, but so much more interesting in flavor. "As for... my story, it's complicated a little, but, to keep to the basics... Celestia gave me to Fluttershy to take care of."

All eyes were on her, a few jaws hanging loosely.

"And... she, Fluttershy, brought me to Twilight, who said I could go here." She tried her best smile.

Smolder ribbed the new little filly. "Wicked. Not many can just casually name drop the head horse like that." That got her a snort from Sandbar, not that this stopped her. "Now, me?" She hiked a thumb at herself. "I was brought here by the dragon lord, ha. So we both got vetted by the highest we got." She offered a hand.

Comforting met it with a hoof, as close to a high five as they could get. "You are a nice dragon."

Smolder's smile dimmed a little. "What, you expect me to be some kinda jerk?" But then she shrugged, a smirk on her face. "Yeah, most of us are. Gallus, and me are the 'we're not jerks like them' club."

"Not like yaks." Yona nodded sagaciously. "Yaks are best at dip... diplom..." She frowned. "Diplomacy!" There was the word.

Gallus rolled his shoulders. "Well, this is the school of friendship. If everycreature knew how to be friends, we wouldn't need it, right?"

Ocellus waved a hoof eagerly. "I know how to be friends, um, but I want to know more... There's a lot changelings don't... get, me included."

Comforting blinked. That was not how changelings looked! At least the ones she knew... "Aren't changelings black?"

Ocellus blushed brightly. "Oh, no... Unless they want to be?" She waved at herself. "Most of us are pretty bright colored, since we stopped working for Chrysalis."

Sandbar inclined his head at Comforting. "You didn't hear about that? How?"

Comforting realized she had failed a current events skill check, shoot... "I've been trying to read more newspapers." That only got odder looks. "Is there a better place to look?"

Yona burst into deep laugher, grabbing up the little pony and hugging her. "Yona like this one, she's funny." She set the frazzled Comforting back down on her bench. "Not know many creatures our age that read papers a lot." The others nodded with soft uh huhs. Reading the news was not high on their to-dos.

Gallus fired a wink from across the table. "Don't worry about it. I like a good newspaper once in a while. You're new in town, right?" As soon as she nodded, he went right on, "I'll show you where you can read the paper without even payin' fer it, if you're a fast reader."

Sandbar snorted at that. "Don't pay attention to him. Ask Fluttershy and she'd get you a paper, I'm sure."

Yona nodded quickly at that. "Fluttershy is very nice. Is what she teaches." As if that just made it all come together. "And animals."

Comforting brought her hooves together. "When is her class?"

Smolder chuckled softly. "Eager to see your mom? Let me see your schedule." Out came a slip of paper that Smolder snatched as soon as it was visible. "Let's see here... Oh, she's next, ha! What luck is that? I'm in that class too." She thrust the schedule back at Comforting. "Let's learn how to be nice, together."

Comforting's expression brightened. "That sounds great. Can you show me the way?"

"Ain't a problem." Smolder pointed at her food. "But you should eat before you run out of time."

"Oh!" Reminded, Comforting got back to chomping down her food with happy little noises at the discovery of each new Equestrian taste, most of which clearly agreed with her.

Gallus watched Comforting a moment before shaking his head. "Don't get it."

Yona stuck out her tongue. "Not up to us to 'get'. We help." She set a hoof on Comforting's head. "Help friends."

Author's Note

Hello Young Six! Welcome to the story.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

9 - Diamond on the Road

Freedom! Comforting trotting along from the school into the town proper. The sounds of ponies and some calling birds did much to calm her, her smile returning to her. It was a nice town she lived in... next to? "Hey." She looked towards the voice and saw a familiar pony, but without their usual company. She swerved towards them. "How was school?" asked Diamond Tiara as Comforting got close enough for easy conversation.

"I like it, most of it." An ear folded back as she thought of that awkward last conversation. "How was yours?"

"We went over some dumb theory." Diamond rolled her eyes. "Why would you need to measure a triangle anyway?"

Comforting clopped her hooves. "Oh! I know that one. It's useful, once in a while..."

"Right." Diamond sounded doubtful of that. "Are you a nerd?" When Comforting began to shrink, Diamond laughed. "Relax. I'm not making fun of you. You're the first nerd that didn't drive me up a wall, so that's a good thing." She pointed down the way. "You busy?"

Was she busy? Technically, nothing demanded her attention, but she did want to try those horn trainings, hm. "I shouldn't, but it was very nice to run into you, Diamond."

"Nerd." Despite her word, she threw a leg over Comforting and hugged her close. "You have fun doing whatever geeky thing you're doing."

Comforting hiked a hoof up towards her little horn. "I'm getting better at that."

Diamond released Comforting. "Oh, that's different. Why didn't you just say that?" She snorted softly. "If I had one of those, I'd want to be good at it too. Go ahead and knock 'em dead!"

Comforting blinked, surprised by the sharp 180 in support. "Thank you! I'll show you when I can."

"You gonna try to be a wizard, or sticking with the basics." Diamond had such a smile herself. "They say nerds make the best wizards."

Comforting blinked with wide eyes at that. "I was thinking about it. Casting spells is..." Well, she was from a world without magic. The idea of actually wielding herself was pretty exciting. "I have to get the basics first, then find out how hard it is... But I want to."

"Then I am completely behind you." Diamond nodded so firmly her tiara jostled.

"You're the best." Comforting gave her a brief two-armed hug before she began trotting off towards home. "See you later!"

Diamond curled a hoof to her chin, a little chuckle escaping her. "It'll be nice to have a wizard in the circle. Mom never managed that."

Fluttershy was outside, so she saw Comforting as the filly approached. "Good afternoon," she called, most of her attention on an animal she was inspecting. "Now you look alright. You just have to stop eating everything you see. Some things will give you a tummy ache."

"Hi, mom!" Comforting inclined her head a little. "Hello, piggy!"

The boar snorted softly at Comforting, examining her a moment before it began to trundle off, the visit concluded.

Fluttershy offered an arm, and that was enough to get Comforting. She hugged her filly gently. "How was school? You looked happy enough in my class."

"Your class is one of the best," assured Comforting with a giggle. "I like learning about the animals, and each other. I feel very safe when it's time for your class."

"Aw." Fluttershy gently nuzzled the top of her head before letting her go. "Now, you want to practice your horn?"

"Yes!" Comforting bounced with eagerness. "Miss Sparkle showed me a new thing to try."

Fluttershy pressed her hooves together silently. "How wonderful." She froze a moment. "Oh, don't forget your chores."

Comforting paused mid-step. "Right! Thank you for reminding me." And she detoured to knock out her chores before any horn practice could begin.

She cleaned up and tended the little house animals, to their delight. A mouse scrambled up onto her hoof. She eyed it a moment. "Oh, you." It was the same one that had woken her up at night. "I hope you are doing well, but don't do that again, please."

The mouse squeaked at her. A yes? She could but guess. It hopped back down to rejoin its family. Her chores were complete! She could... wait... "Mom?"

"Yes?" Flutter peeked in from outside. "I'm still... not used to being called that." But she hadn't told Comforting to stop it. "What's wrong?"

"I need to talk." Comforting worried her hooves together. "I was talking to Twilight, and we went over some of my, you know, past? And I don't want her to be the one that brings it up first."

Fluttershy slipped in entirely, clicking the door shut behind her with a raised hind hoof. "Was it bad?"

"I don't think it was." Comforting smiled up at her gentle caretaker. "Remember when Discord pulled that old, um, thing out of me?"

"Yes." Fluttershy frowned a bit, thinking back on it. "What was that?"

"Me." Comforting pointed at herself. "Still is, technically. She's just back in here." She tapped at her head. "I've... I'm a very old little filly... I still want to be a filly, your filly."

"Well... you are just that." Fluttershy sat down in front of Comforting with a little smile. "But you looked so old. You want to be a child, if you're that old?"

"That's not nice." Comforting folded her arms with a little pout. "But you're not wrong exactly... In this world, I don't know a lot of things. I'm alright going back to square 1." She pointed at herself, square one, filly. "And I was... tired. Really tired... Just letting that weight fall off... That's what I want. Are you alright with that?"

Fluttershy leaned in slowly, nose twitching. "Well, you look like a filly to me." She inclined her head. "You smell like a filly."

"Fillies have a smell?!" Comforting raised an arm to snuffle into it, failing to detect whatever smell was filly.

"They do," calmly assured Fluttershy. "You act like a filly... sometimes. But, most importantly, you are one, and you're happy being one." She touched her nose to Comforting's cheeks. "I know some other fillies that couldn't say the same. I'll take an old filly that wants to be a filly over a young filly that is already an adult, so far as she's concerned."

Comforting sat back, tension fleeing her. "I'm... Thank you." She rose up. "Are you alright with... me not always being a pony? I mean, in my past?"

Fluttershy giggled softly. "I wasn't always a pony. I was a breezie before. That was fun." She pointed past Comforting. "Now you go and practice. I know you want to. I'll have dinner ready." It was a dismissal, but a kind one.

Comforting was welcomed, just as she was. With a great smile, she charged into her room and dove onto her bed. It was time to practice that horn!

Though she practiced that muscle, those muscles really, trying to get them stronger, curiosity proved a powerful force. With her horn lightly aching from the workout she gave it, she flipped forward to see what other mysteries were in the book.

A FOAL'S FIRST SPELL

Comforting's eyes widened. They had a spell! A real spell! She began to giggle uncontrollably, but forced herself to calm. "Read!" Yes, reading. Read first before doing anything. She didn't want to make trouble for any of the wonderful people around her.

* Warning: This should only be attempted by foals that have completed the rest of this book and can confidently lift a moderate amount of weight without shaking or effort. This section also assumes your talented foal has completed the primer on arcane notation in the last chapter, without which this will be of little use.

Oh! Right... Of course. That explained why all the squiggles and icons that followed were... confusing. She didn't know the language of magic. Which was right there in the same book! She began to giggle anew, flipping back to the start of the chapter just before that one. "Time to learn!" She wasn't practicing, or training. She was learning. Straight up academia, with magic. The best kind of academia, if one asked her.

There was a trick, of course. There was always a trick. To learn the letters of the magical alphabet, she'd have to form them, with her horn, which was sore! "Boo." She was in no condition to try that after her horn workout routine. As tempting as trying anyway was, she held herself back. Hurting her horn would set her back, weeks, months? How long did it take a horn sprain to heal? She decided to avoid the possibility. That didn't mean she couldn't read!

Even if she couldn't properly learn each letter, she could read about how they worked, together. How they were supposed to flow... "I'm going to have to go over this again," she muttered to herself, still reading anyway. "But reading twice will just help me get better at it." She tapped at her horn. "Maybe I shoudn't have worked you." But then, if she didn't get stronger, what would learning magic be worth? She couldn't do both at the same time, alas.

"Dinner!" came a melodic cry.

"Coming!" Comforting slid her book off to the side and threw herself to the ground, trotting right out to the set table. "Mmm, smells great! Thanks, mom!" She hopped up onto her side and sat on her chair, tail wagging eagerly. All the work she did had worked up quite a hunger, which she could feel with the food right there, reminding her that it'd sure be great to get some of it in her mouth. "Do ponies say grace?"

"Grace?" Fluttershy inclined an ear at her curious child.

"Saying thanks." Comforting waggled her hoofs aimlessly. "For the food. Um, I'll do it." She dipped her head in reverence. "Thanks to my mom for making this food, and the farmers that grew it."

"You're very welcome." Fluttershy giggled softly. "I'll pass your thanks on when I go shopping at the market. But first, you should eat it and enjoy it."

With grace out of the way, they both enjoyed the meal, chatting gently about nothing important. "How is your training going? Don't push yourself," advised Fluttershy. "You'll grow at your own rate, not anypony else's. Some foals pick up the basics really fast, and some take their time, and neither is a bad thing." She spread her wings wide. "Just like flying. I was not a fast learner when it came to flying... not at all... Unlike Rainbow Dash." She giggled at the thought. "She was zipping around the very instant she could. I was a little jealous, but mostly scared..."

It wasn't hard for Comforting to imagine the little Rainbow filly, darting about a concerned Fluttershy. "Aw, that must have been so cute!" She came up short. "Am I that cute, when I practice magic?"

Fluttershy considered with a soft hum. "I would say... yes. You are very endearing when you're putting your all into it." She reached over the table to deliver gentle pats to the top of Comforting's head. "Are you done?"

"All done!" Comforting pushed her plate away, about 80% cleaned. "Thank you again."

Fluttershy didn't raise a fuss about finishing what was there. "If you're happy, that's a thank you." She worked her wings under both of their plates, raising them up so she could carry them to the sink. "Now be sure to go to sleep on time. We both have school in the morning." Sure, one of them as a student, the other as a teacher, but they both had school to go to, and others would expect them to be rested.

"Yes, mom!" cried Comforting in a joyful almost-song. "You're the best, by the way."

Fluttershy began to glow as she did the dishes. The food wasn't wasted. She nudged the extras into little bowls that the animals would take care of promptly. Food waste was not a thing in the Fluttershy house. "You're the best daughter I ever had."

That was not a high bar, and yet Comforting dashed off, a trail of giggles behind her.

Author's Note

Diamond's pretty sure she can outdo her mom in this way, little schemer that she is. Who knew making friends with the new kid would pay dividends?!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own written here at atreon!

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23 - First Spell

Comforting clapped her hooves excitedly as Twilight took her spot. "You look ready." Twilight was smiling gently at her eager little student. "I don't see many foals quite that excited for their first, especially without a talented parent to take after."

Comforting had Fluttershy, who did a poor job encouraging magic. Could anyone blame her? She was a pegasus. Her mom had done more to encourage flight in her gentle ways, but Comforting would never do that, just enjoy the occasional flight on her mom's back.

But she wasn't a normal filly, was she? "I would like to learn magic, please. I can do a lot more with it than without it." Also it was cool! Cool counted for points, right? She was fairly certain it did for that purpose.

Twilight nodded as her magic pulled over a blackboard covered in runes. "Then let us begin with a refresher and to see how you're doing. This is the magic alphabet, which I'm sure you're familiar with at this point."

Comforting had seen it before. "Yep! Do you want me to name them?" She kinda hoped not. She only had some of them memorized in terms of names.

"That won't help us. I need you to perform them, from the top left to the bottom right." She waved a hoof at the runes in the same pattern. "Flow smoothly from one to the next, to show you can. If you can complete that, we begin with the first spell. If not, no shame, just means we have to work on that. Magic spells will require precise control like that, a lot, so this isn't a step we can skip."

"I can... do that." Comforting sat up straight in her chair as she focused on the arcane letters. Her horn began to glow, even if only she could see it. Twilight could feel the letters? She wondered if she could ever do that. It felt like the kind of thing that'd pop up because Twilight couldn't see the magic. Since Comforting could see it, she probably would learn the appearance of the letters on a horn long before she figured out the 'feel' of them. Maybe she'd never figure that out. That was a superpower that only talented unicorn wizards had, for lack of magic sight.

The first to the second, slipping to the third. Comforting went through the arcane alphabet with her magic as smoothly as possible, though a new thought tickled. She was casting a spell, though it did nothing? Did they put those letters in that order on purpose, so they wouldn't do anything if cast just like that? She tripped over the 8th one, grumbling as she rewinded to the seventh and resumed.

Ocellus hadn't been wrong! Practicing with her eyes was very applicable. It wasn't exactly the same, but so close that learning one did bleed onto the other. It was like her horn was her eye, um, well, she could see it. She shook her head as she pressed onward, arriving at the last letter with a triumphant smile.

Twilight nodded in a short motion. "You still have some work to do." Her horn glowed as she drew on the board. "You get a C+, which is still very advanced for your age and time spent. Only time and practice can make that better." She tapped at the board with her magic. "You should have a copy of this in your book. Keep going over it until it feels natural to go from the start to the finish. Now, as for names --" Comforting went rigid "--You really should know them, but they are not required for reading and casting spells."

Comforting let herself go with a sigh. Twilight probably learned them all! She was a nerd like that. Comforting smiled at her studious teacher. "I will try. It hasn't been long, as you said."

"As I said." She nodded and flipped the board suddenly, revealing a specific spell. "And this will be your first spell, perhaps. Forgive the theatrics." It wasn't that theatrical, but it was surprising all the same. "I want you to try this, while focusing on this." She nudged forward a small metal ball.

Comforting angled her head at the ball. "Is that so... I won't hurt it if it goes bad?"

"Essentially, yes." Twilight cradled the ball carefully in her hooves. "I've used one before. A metal ball isn't likely to complain if you do anything to it, making it ideal. Any non-living matter will do, really. A metal ball just tends to last, so you can keep it around for the next time you want to experiment." She put the ball back down with a light thunk of contact. "Are you ready?"

"Ready to try," Comforting sang out with a big smile. With a glowing horn, she started with the first letter and on to the second. She could feel things were different right away. Those letters did something, and the soft warmth of magic was building rapidly as she went through them. It was a pity she tripped over a letter about a third of the way in, and it turned the sphere a plaid pattern in result. "Oops?"

"Oops." Twilight's horn glowed with a spell and the ball returned to looking like they made it of iron, and not painted. "Mistakes are a part of the process. That was a lesson I had to learn for myself." She laughed in almost a wheeze of painful memories. "I... thought I was failing, as a pony, the first few magical failures I had. I am glad to see you don't seem to have that reaction."

Comforting lowered her eyes to the ball and began casting the spell anew. "Just... relax..." She could feel the power building in her, in her horn specifically. She did not know what the spell would do, but she was aiming all her attention at the orb. She'd do whatever it would be to that ball. It would be so enchanted with... something.

But she reached the end, and nothing happened? "Huh?"

"Much better." Twilight didn't seem upset at all. "You cast the spell properly, but a little slowly. Were you trying to be extra careful? I've done that before." She waved it away like it was nothing. "Still a vital part. You did it, now do it faster. A spell done too slowly won't have any effect, as you can see."

It meant she was close! Comforting clapped with joy and started from the top. Nobody said being a wizard was easy. Nopony either, come to think of it. Most ponies failed at becoming a wizard. She was succeeding in a notable way, so did it matter if it took her a few tries to get it right? "Too fast." Twilight inclined her head. "Slow down just a little. You tripped over yourself trying to hurry. Da-da-duh-da-dumb." She was singing a beat. "That is how the magic should flow."

Comforting repeated the pattern to herself out loud as she glowed right along with the beat. The ball suddenly exploded in a variety of flowers in all directions. "Eee! Did I mess up?"

"Nope." Twilight patted a long-stemmed daisy gently. "This means you did it successfully. Congratulations, you cast 'Flower Carpet.' It works on basically anything, even living things. On a pony--" She gestured to herself with a smile. "--You will give them some flowers poking out of their fur and mane and tail. They can pull them free without pain, just possibly some annoyance. I'd ask permission before doing that."

"That would be rude." Comforting was too busy smiling at the ball of flowers. She made that! She created those flowers! "I did it... A spell!"

"You did." Twilight patted the shoulder of her student, smiling herself. She had succeeded at teaching an adolescent mind from nothing to casting her first spell. Pride swelled within her at the feat. "Now, the less fun part. You need to practice that. You need to be able to cast it without the spell here for reference's sake." She brushed the flowers clear of the ball, but lifted it with her magic to set heavily on Comforting's desk. "This is yours. Practice on it. I want this to be your first mastered spell."

Comforting brought up her hooves to cradle the ball. It was heavy, as if someone had made a sizable ball of iron. Who would even consider such a thing? "I thought it was hollow." No, it felt full.

"Its heaviness is part of its use." Twilight nodded at the ball. "It tends to stay where you put it and it doesn't break easily. Go ahead, make it sprout again." Comforting sat back, looking at the spell on the board. Her mouth moved without words as she practiced the magic in her head.

"Alright." Comforting waved her hooves at the ball as if telling a fortune. "Let's do this." She cast the spell that was becoming more familiar, but she tried to concentrate on... yes! Purple lilies were the dominant flower, sprouting up all over the ball in all directions. "You can change the flowers."

"The flowers are you." Twilight shook her head. "Not in any abstract way. They are your will manifested. The spell simply says, in laypony terms, 'I want some flowers to cover this thing.' It doesn't specify what kind of flowers, or how large, or much of anything else. The spell plucked all of those details from in here." Twilight tapped at Comforting's head. "The first time, you weren't even thinking of flowers, which is why they were so random."

"Oh!" Comforting sniffed gently at the purple lilies and found they smelled exactly as she imagined they should smell. This made sense if they were literally... exactly what she was thinking when she cast the spell. "Wow, that's great. But that means you could get distracted really easily."

"You could." Twilight chuckled as she turned away, tail flicking at the memories. "I've done that a few times... As a new magician, you will do that yourself. Don't panic!" That was hint enough that Twilight might have panicked a few times. "This is a natural part of learning this."

Comforting tried to lift the ball from her desk and grunted as her magic struggled with it. She could nudge it around, so she did that towards her waiting hooves. She went with the ball, falling right out of the chair with a surprised squeak. The ball rolled out of her grasp across the floor and came to a halt, mocking her.

But that hurt. Comforting sat up, rubbing where it stung the most. "That is very heavy."

"It... is..." Twilight had, perhaps, underestimated how physically immature her student was, despite any amount of mental advancement. "Leave that there." She reached with her magic and hefted the heavy ball out of the way. "Use this instead." And out came a rubber ball instead.

Comforting could cradle the rubber ball without issues. "Will it work?" Only one way to be sure! She covered the rubber ball in sunflowers, thick and many. She hadn't really focused on a color, so they were all kinds of colors. "Oops?"

"Oops?" Twilight inclined her head at the sunflower-covered ball. "Did you not mean for that kind of flower? They look lovely."

"In retrospect, I just kinda assumed they'd all be yellow." She nuzzled into the prismatic collection. "A lesson was learned."

"A lesson was learned," echoed Twilight with a smile. "You seem to be grasping this well. Take that home and practice with it. You can advance to the iron ball when you can comfortably lift it. Hurting you is not part of the lesson plan!"

"I hope not!" Comforting tucked the ball in her pocket. "Thank you, Professor Twilight."

Twilight darkened quickly. "O-oh! I... suppose that's correct. I admit I'm used to being called 'Teacher', 'Teach', or 'Princess' these days."

"Did I mess up?!"

"Professor is just fine." Twilight set a hoof on her student. "I look forward to hearing of your progress, but don't hesitate to come back if you want some help."

Author's Note

Her first spell! What spell would you want to learn first?

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38 - My Specialty Is

"I want to know!" She had spouted it before really thinking about it. "Will magic that matches it be easier?" She pointed to her rump. "Does this help?"

"It does, actually." Celestia examined the hugged heart of a cutie mark. "A vital clue, because it tells us where you, as a pony, are already pointed towards. An embraced heart? Now, were I to guess, I'd say social circles is where you prefer to be."

Comforting colored faintly. "Small social circles. When I can help someone one on one, that feels really nice... Big parties, not so much..."

"Ah, you would know better than I, in this case. It is your cutiemark. I'm glad to hear you understand it well." Celestia set a hoof on Comforting's right rump without resistance. "That is still useful information. You are not social, more... mental, hm. That can still take many forms, both physical and not, but comforting, not attacking, or entertaining."

"Just like my name!" Which she got from... somewhere. Where did she get that name from? "Silly question."

"I doubt you are capable of such a question." Celestia gently nodded at the little filly. "Please, do go on."

"Where do ponies get their names from?" Her tail curled into a poor subsitute for a question mark. "I didn't pick mine."

"Few do, but some... As adults, do decide on a title for themselves. For the rest, it comes to mothers in their sleep." She inclined her head towards Fluttershy. "Though she is your mother, you were never in her belly, so she had no such dream, and you already had a name."

"So you must have had the dream." Comforting blinked at the great alicorn she was talking to. "Is that how you found me?"

Celestia returned the blink, struck dumb a moment. She had a dream. At the end, a pony named Comforting had entered the world. She burst into merry laughter. "From the mouth of a foal, those are wise words. It worked out that way, didn't it? I dreamed the name, and so it was."

Fluttershy looked around Philomena, who took up much of the real estate in front of her, resting on her arms. "Um... What dream?"

Comforting tensed, realizing she had gone into another place perhaps she shouldn't have. "She said they came from dreams, and if not you, then who... else could it be?"

Celestia extended a wing partially. "And she is not incorrect. I had the dream, of your name, and your arrival. Hm. I would not wish to compete with Fluttershy, but this makes you, on some viewings of things, my filly." Both Comforting and Fluttershy went rigid. "Please, relax. I know you two are quite close. Think of me as a caring aunt, if you would."

Comforting bobbed her head at that, ears flopping in the motion. "An aunt sounds alright." She looked to Fluttershy, who was already nodding. Aunt could be lived with. "The test?"

"Yes, the tests." She folded a wing and her horn glowed as several strange objects floated free of her, making a circle around Comforting. "Each of these represents a specific 'focus' of magic. Broad strokes, if you will. There are countless even more specifics in each, but they give us a starting point." Celestia put a hoof on the bowl that rested between herself and Comforting. "Start with this one. This is a bowl of seeing. Fill it with water while yearning for knowledge, then stare into it quietly until that knowledge appears. How quickly and clearly that knowledge comes is a hint. I should warn, trying to see something too well guarded will pit your magic against the will of the one being spied on, so I suggest something public and unguarded."

Comforting reached for the bowl, Celestia's hoof withdrawing as she brought it closer to herself. "Hm." It was a clay bowl, not even remarkable at a glance... "It's enchanted?"

"It is." Celestia inclined her horn at it. "And I've been using it for many years, with many foals. Go on, fetch some water."

"While thinking of something I want to see..." Comforting left the bowl behind on her way to the sink. Something came to mind and she filled the pot with water, returning to the bowl. "And just pour it out?" With Celestia's nod, Comforting poured the water out with soft splashes until it was about three quarters full. She set the still heavy pot aside and sank next to the pot, staring into its calming surface. "And... wait?"

"Think of what you want to see, keep that." She lifted her left ear. "Ah, actually... You can see magic, can you not?"

"Yep." Comforting was watching the water, waiting. "Does that help?"

"Try to make your horn glow a little, as if you were doing magic, not to glow. Your magic is a part of this. It's what we are testing."

"That makes sense..." Comforting flexed things to get the magic flowing, though she couldn't focus on specific letters, as she knew no spell involved with it. She could see the off-brown glow at the top of her vision that told her she was doing it without actually looking up at her horn. "And... wait..."

It was good, perhaps, she had an older mind. It took too long! She could feel her impatience growing and growing. She wanted to move, or to do anything really, but she kept denying her subconscious request. No, she would sit, and wait... What felt like ages later, the water stopped being water. She couldn't see the bottom of the clay pot anymore, instead darkness. "Huh?"

Celestia inclined her head. "What were you trying to see?"

"The pond." Comforting pointed the way, still looking at the darkness. "Just outside."

"It is growing dark, speaking of which." Her horn glowed as she tended to her duties, setting the sun to sleep. The light came into being in the picture, only to go away into even deeper darkness, but then it wasn't dark.

Lights, little specks. Stars! And a moon! They all reflected off the surface of the pond. They were looking down directly at the pool. Comforting began to clap eagerly. "Ooo! That's really nice. Does this mean I'm good at this kind of spell?"

"Yes and no... That took a long time, but the result is good. With practice, you could become good at these kinds of spells, likely one by one. I don't think this is your specialty." She gently willed the heavy bowl up and emptied it into the pot it had got its water from. "Still, we are getting closer. Now, have you had supper? I don't want to be in the way of that."

Fluttershy released Philomena to find a new perch. "I was just about to start that when you arrived. Um... would you... like some too?"

"That sounds delightful." She raised a hoof to her chin. "If you have the supplies, make enough for my guard. He's just outside. I will gladly recompensate."

"Oh, no! Don't even worry about it." Fluttershy fled into the kitchen. "Two guests extra, you got it." One was a royal guard, and the other was a big alicorn. She got to making plenty of food for everypony.

"I'll make sure she gets something." Celestia winked at Comforting, clearly meaning to make things even, even if Fluttershy was ready to write it off. "Now, let's try this one." She set her hoof on a strange metal fork with very wide tines. "This is like... a tuning fork. Have you ever seen one?" Comforting was quick to nod. "Very good. Like a tuning fork, it can harmonize with energy. In this case, we will be harmonizing with electricity. Imagine the zap you'd get on a nice dry day when you touch your hoof to a doorknob. Focus on that, right into this as you hold it. The brighter and bolder the spark you make, the closer we are."

Comforting clapped her hooves in on it from both sides and held it up in front of herself, horn glowing. Magic was a part! She was pretty sure that remained true. Spark. Spark! Like lightning, krakow! Shaking the sky in its fierce crackle.

A thin line jumped from one tine to the other with the smell of ozone and an audible zap. "Very good." Celestia nodded softly. "You got that very quickly, but it isn't a very large jolt. Can you try for a larger one?"

Comforting did her best, but the spark wouldn't get much larger than it had started. "You control is excellent." Celestia gently pulled the fork away with her magic. "Commendable. With practice, you could get good at it, but it is not your talent." She set the fork where it started.

"How did Twilight do?" Comforting sank to her haunches. "Did she do great at all of them?"

Celestia smiled gently. "You would think so... But no... She was nervous, very nervous... Poor thing almost failed all of them until I calmed her down enough to proceed, then she did well, but not excellently, at all of them. It was quite a showing for a filly her age. You are doing quite wonderfully as well. Not as good as her, but her cutie mark is magic, so we'll forgive that."

And so it went with the next few strange trinkets. She tried to create butterflies from nothing, feel the life within herself, put up a shield in a glowing bubble, and even influence Celestia's mind.

"You are tickling me, which is still something." Celestia brought in a wing to tickle Comforting right back. "But that is not your specialty."

Comforting pouted as she looked at the few left. "I'm running out of things to try."

"Which just means we're close. Try this one." She brought down her hoof on a cube.

It was a cube of marble, smooth and cold to Comforting's touch. "Ooo, it's pretty. What do I do with it?"

"It is attractive, but it could be more... Hold it up, and imagine it was something else pretty." Her voice remained calm and even, a caring matron figure as she had many years to cultivate. "I know you can do it."

Comforting willed the cube into the air, studying it. She perked an ear at Philomena doing a musical call and her thoughts went to the phoenix, pretty as she was. The marble shuddered and changed. Before their eyes, Comforting's eyes shifting colors as it happened, the cube took the shape of Philomena, though it was still marble.

"Excellent!" Celestia leaned in, studying the new statue from different angles. "It has the gross details down quite well. Hm, I think we've found what you're good at. Have you had any work with spells that change things? Physical things. Say the color of something, or even its shape?"

Comforting flipped her ears back. "Yes! I had an accident... I turned my friend to stone. It was an accident!" Sure, she had already said that. It bared repeating. "She's alright now."

"Oh my. I didn't hear about that." Fluttershy was listening as she set the table. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Do you want to call your friend in?"

"Good idea." Celestia rose to her full and tall height. "I'll get him. He'll enjoy a nice homecooked meal with us. Comforting, turning any pony to stone is a feat. That you managed to do it at all... I should have asked, it would have saved us quite some time. This is clearly your specialty. You are a transmuter."

Fluttershy applauded the news. "How wonderful. I think Discord will be happy to hear that."

"I'll be happy to hear what?" Discord was right behind her, taking a place at the table he hadn't been invited to. "What's the good news?"

Comforting couldn't care at that moment. She hopped up into the chair across from him in a spritely bounce. "I just found out what my specialty is. I'm a transmuter!"

Author's Note

I legit forgot I had to do this today... oops. But here it is!

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51 - What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Ocellus shook her head quickly. "Sure, though that would probably cause a magical feedback loop and destroy the whole school!"

A new voice joined them, sweet and thick. "Destroy the School of Friendship?! Oh, dear! Chancellor Neighsay was wrong about a lot of things, but I guess he was right about all of you!" There was Cozy Glow, casting an accusing hoof at them with a large portion of the student body with her to witness the event.

Cozy mashed her cheeks with her hooves, feigning shock. "After everything Twilight's done for you, why would you want to destroy her school?"

Gallus scowled at her. "We don't! You're the one using these artifacts to drain magic from Equestria!"

Cozy Glow pointed at herself with an O of disbelief on her face. "Me?! We all just saw you with your claws all over them!" She gasped sharply. "It all makes sense. These creatures want magic gone from Equestria because it's the only thing ponies have that they don't!"

Ocellus hummed, one brow raised mildly. "Technically, there's a magical component when Silverstream and I transform."

Yona shouted in defiance, "And Yona's friends' friendship is magic! Twilight said!"

Cozy Glow shook her head with faint tsks. "And you repay her by sending her to Tartarus on a wild goose chase so you could destroy everything she built! " She gasps as she points. "They've even trapped Starlight in that-that thing! We have to defend this school!"

The students charge with angry shouts. Sandbar advances with pleads for them to not listen to Cozy Glow, but to very limited effect.

Comforting sideglanced at the various artifacts. Touching them could explode everything, or fix things. But none of that mattered if her friends got trampled. She focused on Gallus, who had just gotten his tail trapped by a pegasus, trying to will him to be stronger, but her magic had long since faded.

Gallus was able to free himself, crashing into a crystal in the roof and bouncing right down into the orb that held Starlight, trapping them both. The others of their group gasped with alarm and charged to help, creating a chain event where each was drawn in trying to save the next. "No!" Comforting threw herself at Occelus, knocking Ocellus out of the way of the grasping hand that it seemed only she could see.

"We have to help them." Ocellus waved wildly at her friends. "Come on."

Comforting nodded in a shallow motion. "We do..." There had to be a smarter way, but she couldn't think of one in that moment. She was just a little filly, without magic. But she had friends in need of saving. "Follow me." There was one power she had. She could see the grasping hands. She darted in at the sphere, ducking and jumping around those with squeaks of alarm.

Ocellus did not need to copy her squeaks, but she did, as if that helped her copy the jinks and dodges in following Comforting. "Why are we doing this?" She couldn't see what they were dodging, making explaining why she was doing those odd motions quite difficult.

Comforting lunged forward, bouncing off one hand to arrive at the base of the sphere's magic column. "Ta da! Now we're..." She turned to see Ocellus in the grasp of several hands, being drawn into the sphere. "Here..." All her friends had gotten gobbled up, most of them trying to reach the other of her friends. "There has to be something..." She could hear the students and Cozy arguing about something, but they were too far away and the sphere over her was quite noisy on its own, so she ignored them for the time being.

"It is soon my time," spoke Harmony in her pricked ear. "You did not need to be here, but you are trying, and willing. I appreciate it."

Comforting could just sit back and wait? No. She had to help, somehow... She swatted at a reaching hand, ducking around it. She couldn't help if she was in that orb. Colors!

So many colors... The sphere was a bright mass of magic, but familiar shades crept over the room in a wave of friendly magic. Something was happening, though identifying it was beyond Comforting's abilities. The magic overcame the trapped creatures and casually lifted them free, glowing with so much power that even the other ponies could see, gasping in awe at the event.

It was Harmony's turn. Comforting could do little but watch as the students landed and quickly made for the artifacts, yanking them away at the same time. The other students vacated with cries of terror. That could destroy the school, with them in it! With a great contracting, the magic hit a critical point and did explode, releasing the magic in a harmlessly expanding sphere.

Comforting began to giggle wildly. The world, it was colorful, so colorful! Her eyes danced, trying to follow the infinite motes of magic that swirled around her. One landed on her horn, which began to glow with her brownish magic. "Yay!" she called out, clapping happily.

Starlight hit the ground, but stormed right off to see to the proper apprehending of a certain trouble-making filly.

Gallus suddenly poked Comforting. "What were you doing? Props for trying to help, but, really, what were you doing?"

"I was avoiding the hands." The looks they gave her was confirmation enough. "That you really couldn't see. You did notice being pulled in, right?"

"Hard to miss that," squeaked out Ocellus. "But I didn't see anything, just felt it."

Sandbar mussed Comforting's mane. "Thanks for trying. In the end, we made it."

Even if Comforting hadn't really helped that much that day. A fact that prickled in her throat. Still... happy ending? "I'm glad you're alright, all of you." She had gotten another bit of confirmation. "You do know you work for Harmony, right?" Another series of clueless blinks. "The colors?"

Smolder shrugged. "You mean when we were all glowy? Kinda trippy, right?"

Yona sank to her belly with a dull thud, causing the area to vibrate from the impact. "Comfort serious. What mean?"

Comforting pointed at them all in a wave that ended back at herself. "We all work for Harmony. Um." Ah! "You know the Tree of Harmony, right?"

Silverstream bobbed her head quickly. "Yeah! It's all sparkly and awesome!"

"And alive, in every way you could count it. It's magic. Um..." How to explain... "Magic does funny things. It has a spirit, Harmony, that wants to help make the world a better place."

She wasn't facing the Young Six anymore. She was in a car, driving it. How did ponies drive cars? She swerved at the thought of it, but relaxing caused the vehicle to calm down. She was driving. This was a known fact. "What?"

"We should talk." There was someone in the car with her. A glance revealed who it was, Harmony had taken the form of a friend from so long ago, arms crossed over their chest. "This is why I usually only tell ponies a little bit."

A friend from untold years ago, in another world, in another life... Now they were staring ahead with those unfocused eyes. "Why do you look like that? I thought you just copied things from this world."

"I am." They waved at Comforting, drawing attention to the fact that they had fingers. They were a human, driving a car. That made more sense... "Things from this world."

"Wrong world and you know it." Comforting shifted lanes gently. "Did I make you mad?"

"Mad? Angry?" They went quiet, as if considering. "No. Concerned. Stop telling them things that won't help them. I can see what is likely ahead, and you are making it more difficult for them. They cannot be fully aware of my nature, not at this time. Maybe later... Maybe."

"You should have more faith in them." Comforting slowed with the flow of traffic. "They're smarter than you think, and capable."

"If I did not have faith in them," countered Harmony in those even tones. "I would not use them. Their future is bright. It is my job, if such a term fits, to help ensure that future arrives. You are making it more difficult. Friend, you called me that. It is a nice label. I like it, but you make my task more difficult. why would a friend do this?"

A witty barb came to mind, but Comforting fought that down. "Friends should be honest with each other, and they are my friends too."

"Even when it could hurt them?" Harmony in the form of the friend from long ago was in front of Comforting, even if there should have been a steering--oh. They weren't in a car anymore. They were just standing in a formless void. "Honesty is a virtue worth celebrating, but to heed it blindly can be just as damaging as ignoring it."

Comforting scrambled back up to the hooves she had again. "All the virtues are like that."

"Truth. Any virtue can become a problem in excess. Hm, your mother needs a lesson in taking her kindness too far."

Comforting paled at the end of her snout. "You leave her alone!"

"Why? It will help her grow. She will be thankful when it is over." Harmony, taking the form of Twilight, leaned in far over Comforting. "Do not interfere."

Comforting scrambled back, only to take a slow breath, even if she couldn't feel air rushing past her teeth or along her throat. "You can see things from a perspective I can't even... It's past me."

"Does that scare you?"

"You want me to say yes." Comforting took a step forward. "It would be a lot easier if I was just another scared pony. Then you could hide from me."

"You are scared."

"A little." Comforting smiled gently. "But we're still friends. It just means I have to learn. You're not a god."

"I thought I was, from your perspective." Harmony raised Twilight's hoof to her chin. "What would you call me?"

"A parent." Comforting circled around Harmony slowly. "A parent that wants the best for their children, even if that sometimes means scaring them or making them work. They'll be stronger in the end. Maybe they'll thank you, or maybe not. A good parent will do it anyway, which is what you are."

Harmony's ears swiveled to keep Comforting in focus, but she looked straight ahead, her favorite place to look. "Fluttershy does not do what would hurt you."

"True... But she's soft. You know that already. You want to fix it, you just said that." Harmony flumped to her haunches. "And I was trying to stop you... I don't like the idea of mom being hurt... but if it will help her in the end... maybe I'm being the bad parent."

Harmony was facing Comforting. She never turned, she just was facing the small filly. "She is your parent, not the other way."

"That doesn't mean I don't feel those things." Comforting waved it away. "I want her to grow and be better too... Even if she's in charge of growing me."

"Then you will not interfere?"

Comforting sat back, looking up at her orderly friend. "I will have some faith... You haven't, and I bet you won't, ever do something you could see would just hurt anyone, at least in the long-term..."

"I appreciate your cooperation." Harmony bumped noses with Comforting, and that ceased. Comforting was instead looking at the Young Six, who seemed perplexed.

Gallus was snapping his fingers in front of Comforting's face. "Maybe all this excitement was too much?"

Sandbar sat up. "I'll take her home, like I said I would in the first place. As brave as she is, she's still a little foal."

Smolder nodded firmly. "A brave foal, but still a foal. Oh, she's back, I think?"

Comforting blinked softly. "What happened? You all alright?" Then she was hugged. Yona was crushing her, with love.

"We thought you hurt! Glad wrong." Yona set the little filly down on Sandbar's back. "Go home. Rest."

Author's Note

And end arc! I hope you enjoyed it.

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65 - Behold

Author's Note

This is just a reveal of the look. More story is coming going over this on the usual schedule! But we got it drawn(by the same person who did the title image) and wanted to share.

71 - Showing the Class

Comforting darted from the house, holding her lunch in one hand. Soaring just above the ground, she could zip and dart about, but didn't raise any higher than she'd get if she was walking. She didn't spot Diamond or Silver having breakfast. They weren't always out. But there was Sandbar, enjoying the morning by the river in front of the school.

"Hey!" she called, coming in for a landing next to him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning yourself." He was smiling despite his slightly sardonic tone. "You sound really cheerful."

"I learned some new tricks." She wriggled all of her fingers at him. "And I won't hide that I really kinda want to show off."

Sandbar turned fully towards her. "Well, don't let me stop you. Wow me."

"Brave!" She considered a moment and stuffed a hand into her pocket. "Ever... hold a gameboy before?" She drew out the small entertainment device and offered it towards Sandbar.

Sandbar blinked softly. "What is that?" He leaned in at the strange rectangular... thing... "Never saw it before..."

Right, gameboys were not a pony thing. "Do you know what a videogame is?"

"Of course." Sandbar pointed off. "We have an arcade with some games in it, real popular with some ponies, mostly foals."

Comforting realized she was about to mess with things. She casually tucked the gameboy away and instead pulled out a gumball. "Ta da."

"That I recognize." Sandbar accepted the gumball and popped it in his mouth. "Mmm, my favorite flavor. How'd you know?"

She had just imagined pulling out his favorite flavor. That it worked was a nice surprise. "Anything for a friend."

He ruffled the top of her head. "Don't get carried away with that or somecreature will take advantage of tricks like that."

"Hey." Smolder was walking up towards the school. "What's the haps?"

Sandbar waved at Comforting. "She got a chaos trick or two. She can fly." He tapped his hooves with each thing. "And she can pull stuff out of nowhere."

Smolder wriggled her nose. "Get out. Alright, if you're so good at that, how about a light red ruby?"

Comforting put her mind to work imagining such a ruby, light red in color. She clapped her hands and pulled them apart, revealing a small ruby between them. "Like this?"

Smolder howled with laughter even as she snatched up the ruby. "One last test..." She popped it in her mouth much as Sandbar had just done, though the ruby involved a lot more crunching than the gum did. "Mmm, not bad. Not great, but not bad. You're still getting used to it."

Comforting didn't have a lot of knowledge about rubys and gems... "Sorry..."

"Sorry nothing." Smolder swatted at her shoulder. "That was awesome. Now what's this about flying? You got your wings figured out?"

"Not exactly." Comforting lifted into the air. Just because they were mentioned, her wings gave a little flap, but they were clearly not what was holding her up. "Ta da!"

Smolder lifted on her own wings. "Welcome to the club."

Sandbar stuck out his tongue. "Showoffs." Alas, he was quite planted on the ground. "So, uh, now that you're... this... do you still need school?"

Smolder shrugged dramatically. "Yeah... if I had that, skipping out on school would be awful tempting."

"No way!" Comforting landed on her feet. "There's still a lot to learn, and besides, if I did that, I wouldn't be with you."

"Aw."

"Aw," echoed Smolder, throwing an arm over Comforting, only for a moment. "You're nicer than I am." She fired a finger gun at Comforting. "See you in class, alright?"

Comforting and Sandbar waved as Smolder headed inside. Sandbar turned an ear towards the chaotic filly. "That has to be kinda odd... You could do almost anything, once you learn how."

Comforting considered that a quiet moment. "Mm... Well..." She pointed off towards home. "Discord is the chaos spirit of the last generation, helping Twilight and her friends and big friends with Fluttershy. Maybe I'm the new model."

Sandbar inclined his head. "But we haven't saved the world."

"Yet." Comforting raised a finger. "Yet... And I'd be so proud to be a helping hand when that happens."

Sandbar snorted softly as he rose to his hooves. "Well, if we're getting a chaos spirit friend, I can't think of a much nicer one, so I'll take that. See you in class, alright?"

He headed inside, much as Smolder had, minus the flying. "'The Last Generation'?" Discord was casually standing next to her. "I prefer the next one, since you're asking."

Comforting jumped away from her suddenly appearing chaos father. "We need to put a bell on you."

He shook the bell he hadn't been wearing a moment before. "Meow." He pawed at the air, snorted, and put his hands on his hips. "Back on topic. You almost messed up, but you recovered nicely, kudos on that. We can pull things out that don't exist here, but they tend to be shortlived, and can give poor ponies a headache considering them. For the sake of others, keep that to a minimum."

"Do not use chaos to try to kickstart the local technology level... got it." She was blushing, caught. "Sorry."

"Don't say sorry to me. We get too much technology and creatures will get upset. Really, ponies with phones? Can you even imagine? There'll be rioting in the streets." Discord threw his hands wide at the dramatic scenario. "We don't want that, now do we?"

"Since you're here." Comforting floated up to be at eye level with him. "I wanted to talk to you, about Harmony."

He made a face at that. "What about her?"

"She could really use a friend, someone who can see the big picture like she does." Comforting clasped her hands together. "You're already coworkers. Why not be friendly?"

Discord rolled his eyes. "She already has 'friends'. Dozens on hundreds of little ponies she puppets as she sees fit. Ghastly, if you ask me." He pointed to Comforting's lack of a cutie mark. "Which I rescued you from. You're welcome."

Comforting folded her arms. "You know me better than that."

"I do," he admitted with a miserable tone. "Really... Look, kiddo, you need to get going to school." He hiked a thumb at the school of friendship. "Maybe I'll talk to her, maybe."

Comforting gave her chaos daddy a parting hug and zipped into class.

During lunch, a large form loomed over her. "Is time." There was Yona, looking determined and happy. "Come." She led Comforting out of the building and pointed to a lonely tree. "See? Show." She charged the tree, head down and angled to bring one horn against it with a great slamming bash when she hit it.

Comforting blinked softly. "You... want me to do that?"

"Yes." She raised a cloven hoof at Comforting's big yak horn. "Use it."

Running headfirst into a tree didn't sound fun... But she also didn't want to let Yona down. Making the big lovable yak sad? Who would do that?! "I'll try..." She reached behind herself and pulled out a helmet that fit her head perfectly, slipping over changeling and yak horn and providing some cushioning. "There..." She didn't want to end up in the hospital again!

Yona shrugged at the helmet. "If make feel better. Now go!"

"I am really hoping..." Her yak horn would be strong, like Yona, right? She could but hope. She took off at a jog towards the tree, arms pumping as she lowered her head into position to have her big yak horn first. She shouted a war cry, as if that might help, and smashed into the tree.

And bounced.

She ended up on her rump, dizzy, but intact. "Ow...?"

Yona nodded at Comforting. "Not bad, but not there. Again!"

Comforting covered her head with her hands. "That hurt!"

"Only hurt because new." Yona leaned in. "Practice, not hurt. Then have fun. Lots of fun."

Comforting lowered her hands with a frustrated grunt, eyeing her large and violent friend. "Lots of fun?"

"Yak fun, best fun." Simple logic, from her point of view. "Again."

Comforting flew away and landed lightly. "Alright... one more time!"

"One more time," eagerly echoed Yona. "Go!"

Comforting roared as she charged, earth pony hoof and yak hoof pounding the ground as she gained speed, until it was all gone. Smashing against the tree, the world spun, but she heard something breaking. The tree fell over away from her, yielding to the great blow she had delivered. "Yay?"

"Yes!" proclaimed Yona far more jubilantly. "Smash good. See, yak horn is ready. How feel?"

"Not... as bad." She rubbed at her helmeted head gently. "That... Hm." It was hard to put a finger on... but smashing the tree did have a tinge of good feeling. But also she smashed a tree. Poor tree. What had it done to deserve this? Conflicted emotions warred within her. "I think I would rather smash things that are not alive."

Yona shrugged softly. "Plenty other things to smash. Big, small, hard, easy break." She wobbled her hooves in an attempt to pantomime the things she was thinking of.

"Like?" Comforting pulled out an ornate vase and set it on the ground.

"Ooo!" Yona circled around the vase like a predator considering its prey. "Yes, like that. Belong to you, you smash." She backed a step and waved at it with a bow, submitting the right to smash to Comforting.

Breaking the vase had a lot less moral worries. She had made it herself, so no crafter was being put out by it. It wasn't alive. It was a perfect smashing target. Comforting skipped away from it, tail lashing near the tip. "Alright. I think I can handle this one."

"Yona believe! Do it!" She began clapping eagerly with her eyes set on Comforting.

Comforting didn't run, opting instead to fly right at the vase. She slammed into it, and it yielded long before Comforting did, erupting into ceramic bits and pieces that exploded over the area with the sound of smashing and tinkling bits of falling vase bits. "Woo!"

"Yes." Yona nodded with appreciation. "That look fun."

"It was." Comforting picked herself up and started dusting off the bits of ceramic. "We should get back to class though. Lunch isn't forever."

Yona walked back inside with Comforting. "Get better. Yona proud."

"I want to show you." Comforting sat up in her seat, beaming at Twilight. "I can do things now."

"You've regained your magic? Lovely." Twilight smiled at the idea. "I thought it'd take longer."

"Oh, not that," admitted Comforting, shrinking a little. "Chaos magic." She lifted free of the desk, hovering over Twilight. "This, for one."

Twilight considered the floating Comforting. "Starlight would understand that mode of flight..."

"She's a chaos spirit too?"

Twilight's eyes widened. "Goodness, no. Unicorn, but she has mastered flying with magic. It looks very similar to that." She waved a hoof at Comforting's suspended form. "But you were saying there was more?"

"Yes." Comforting came down to sit on the edge of her desk instead. "I can make things, and it's a lot of fun."

"Make things?"

Comforting considered, but opted with asking. "Name a nice snack."

"Oh... A nice carton of hay fries would be nice." Twilight licked her lips, considering the fast food. "Maybe..." She trailed off, with the carton of hay fries being waved right under her nose by a grinning Comforting. "Oh! Hm, how interesting." And by interesting, she meant delicious. Her magic plucked one little horseshoe of a fry and chewed on it with a happy sigh. "Well made... Did you cook this?"

"Made it, yes. Cooked it?... That's stretching a bit." Comforting leaned back, hands behind her head. "Dreamed it up is closer to how that works. I can dream up things, and then they're there."

"Fascinating..." Twilight raised a hoof to her chin. "Would you be opposed to my measuring this phenomenon?"

Comforting imagined what that would be like. "Would it hurt?"

Author's Note

Yona gets to watch somecreature learn the glories of smashing! Twilight has questions... What would you make if you could just pull things out like that?

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72 - Science and Magic

"I have learned from my mistakes." Twilight looked quite proud of herself as her glowing magic gently prodded and checked over Comforting. "Are you comfortable?"

Comforting tried her best to look at her head, but the angle was wrong, at least until she realized it was suddenly fine. Oh, her eyes had casually left her body for a better look at herself. She wore a strange suit that covered her entire body in blinking lights, even her long tail. A helmet of sorts, more of a colander, rested on her head. She pulled her eyes back in with a thought. "This is better?"

"The first time I tried something like this...." Twilight turned to point to a large machine. "I had Pinkie stuck standing in one specific spot. With this suit, you retain your mobility, and hopefully it's also comfortable?"

"It's alright...." Comforting tested each limb in turn. She was, indeed, mobile. "Is it... helping?"

"I am getting so much data." Twilight clapped with joy. "Now... I am trying to temper my expectations. If you are a chaos spirit, measuring you and what you do is going to be difficult, at best. Still, you are a very friendly chaos spirit. So I'm hoping you may help me. Why don't you go ahead and make something small?"

"Alright." She considered where to pull from. Ah, why be complicated? She slapped her hands together with a muffled jingle of her worn gloves. Drawing her hands apart, she saw nothing there. "Oh..." She had failed? Maybe her gloved hands were a bad spot?

Comforting reached for Twilight, producing a large apple from behind her head. "Ta da!"

"Were the holes intentional?" Twilight took hold of the apple from Comforting, twirling it around. It had holes, like Swiss cheese.

"No..." Comforting frowned and crossed her arms. Why was she having a hard time?

"Still, thank you." She trotted quickly over to a lenghtening sheet of paper, looking over the results there. "Fascinating... Go ahead and lift in the air a little. I'd love to see how it compares to Starlight."

Comforting grinned at that. "You got her to wear this?"

"I did." Twilight turned back to Comforting. "There were some complaints, which I've improved on... I hope..."

Comforting hopped up... and came back down. She frowned and jumped up and down, oh there it was. Like the ledge of that other dimension was slippery and she had to get a good grip on it. She hovered several inches from the ground a moment before she fell back to her feet. "Hm..."

Twilight joined in the curious noise. "Is the suit pinching anything that needs to move?" She reached with her hooves, inspecting Comforting curiously. "I can adjust it if you feel restricted?"

Comforting started, ear and feather going up. "I think I get it!"

Twilight sat back. "Oh, that's good. What's wrong? You seemed to have flying well under your control before."

Comforting waved over the getup she was wearing. "This is Attention. Your measurements are attention. Wearing this? I'm being watched. Watched chaos has a hard time chaosing. Half the job is to distract things so I can get something done between the lines." She held up two fingers close together. "But I'm wearing a thing that I can't distract."

Comforting giggled. "And if I distracted it, you'd be very sad, finding a gap in your readings just at the good part."

Twilight scowled, imagining that hole in her readings. "That is... infuriating..." Still, her magic wrapped around Comforting's helmet, lifting it free. "Thank you, for trying. I can't say this is your fault. You're barely more 'experienced' than I am in this field. But mmmf!" She thumped the ground in a futile stomp. "How frustrating!"

Comforting saw permission and got to wriggle free of the rest of the suit. Once it was flopped on the ground, she could easily lift into the air. "Sorry... I want to help, really."

"I know you do." She rest a hoof on the shoulder of the floating chaos filly. "I'm not mad with you, just the situation. The very idea of a phenomenon defined by its invisibility... No wonder Discord always gave me the side eye whenever I brought it up with him. I thought he was just... being Discord." She flopped to her haunches. "For once he was being practical..."

"Not gonna say I toldja so." Discord grabbed Comforting by either shoulder. "I need this. Later!" And he withdrew from view with her with a pop.

Twilight was left alone, just like that. "What...?"

Discord dropped Comforting in the middle of the air. "Here you go, now stop complaining."

"Yay!" Screwball zoomed in and hugged Comforting tightly. "There you are."

Comforting blinked, dragged from one place to another. "Hi Screwie. Um, what do you prefer, actually? Screw, Screwie, Screwball?"

Screwball inclined her head. "That you're even asking means so much... But I'm actually alright with all of those." She floated back and away from Comforting, clapping her hooves. "I did it! Just like you said!"

"What did I say?" Comforting said a lot of things... Wait... "You can pull things out?"

"I can pull things out," joyfully shouted Screwball. She curled a hoof and stuffed it right into her own forehead, drawing free a comically large candy bar that she offered right up to Comforting. "Ta da!"

Comforting applauded in a rapid clapping of her hands. "Wow, great! You did it!" She took the candy bar and turned it about. It had a picture of Screwball with her swirly eyes, smiling at the viewer. "What's it taste like?" She unfurled the foil wrapping and tried a bite. It was like, well, chocolate, but there was something else. Oranges? Lemon? A citrusy hint that worked well to create a unique flavor. "Not bad."

Discord rolled his eyes lightly. "She would not shut up about getting you here."

Comforting turned an ear back at Discord. "Why didn't you just bring her?"

Discord crossed his arms. "Look, if I just unleash her on Ponyville, Twilight will have words for me, and Fluttershy will be dissapointed. It'll be a whole thing."

Comforting could see Screwball sniffling, tears stinging at her eyes. "What if... I did it? She can't be too mad at a new chaos spirit, still getting the hang of things."

Discord smirked softly. "You're picking up my bad habits... bravo. Well, far be it from me to get in the way of a good mistake." He swerved off to his house a short distance away. "Have fun!" And he closed the door from inside, gone from view, at least until he appeared at the window, waving briefly.

Screwball clapped her hooves together in one firm motion. "Can you? Only Discord knows how to get in here, or out of it..." She turned to the floating rock with the mailbox. "Poor postpony gets lost trying, a lot..."

Comforting hadn't done it yet... Still! "It can't be that hard." She grabbed Screw's left front hoof. "Let's try." With a cheering chaos filly, Comforting pulled them along towards the ground. "I just need to make a way home..." She withdrew her hand and reached ar-oops! She fell over, burdened with the sudden weight of an entire door.

Doors were heavier than she remembered! Sure, she hadn't picked up a lot of doors that weren't fixed on a hinge. "Alright..." She scrambled back upright and struggled the door to a stand. "This is our ticket out of here. Discord does it all the time!"

Screwball gave an appreciative 'Ooo' as she floated around the door. "How's it work?" She pawed at it gently with a hoof. "Show me, please."

"Like any door." Comforting grabbed for Screwball, drawing them in close as she threw open the door with her other hand. She jumped through without even looking. Looking would just complicate it.

She was standing in a hallway. She released Screwball to resume floating. "Where?" The walls, ground, and floor were made of crystal, so... "Either Twilight's castle, or we ended up way north..."

"Twilight has a castle?!" burst out Screwball with undisguised amazement. "Is this it? Wow!" She zipped up towards a picture. squinting at it. "That's Celestia."

"Twilight likes Celestia, a lot." Comforting shrugged at that. "But I think that makes it more likely we landed in Twilight's castle, which means we're in Ponyville. Welcome!"

"No way!" Screwball looked about wildly before she spotted a window and vanished right through it. She turned slowly, eyes glistening with window. "Woah..."

Comforting joined her silently, floating up beside her. "Better?"

"Better?! You rescued me!" Screwball squeezed Comforting tight. "I never thought I'd get back here... Um..." She put a hoof to her chin. "Not sure where I should live though."

Comforting inclined her head. "Where did you live before... all this." She waved at Screwball widely.

"I didn't."

Comforting blinked slowly. "Uh... You were homeless?"

"Not exactly?" Screwball shrugged softly. "I think Discord kinda dreamed me up or something."

Comforting squinted at Screwball. "I... am not sure that's what happened. You forgot yourself. This is awful." She threw her hooves wide. "We should check if anyone lost a foal about when Discord came back, then we can maybe find your parents."

"Clever!" Scewball started lowering, floating towards the ground. "Let's go! I wanna find out if I have a mom and a dad. Will they remember me? I don't remember them at all."

Comforting frowned with new thoughts, landing gently on the ground. "If... you have them, they've probably already shed a lot of tears, and... we'd make new ones, finding their foal, but with no memory of them..." Would that be the nice thing to do?

"You are a chaos thing now."

"Like you," joyfully cried Screwball with a big smile and unfocused swirling eyes. "It's so nice to have a friend. Or a sister? What are you?"

Comforting crossed her arms with a thoughtful hum. "That's a good question... Consider me like... an older sister. And as your older sister, you have to listen to what I say." She smiled though. "You just have to listen though. If I'm talking nonsense, you listen, and then you ignore it, but I'm going to try, as your older sister, to say things that make sense, for your benefit."

"You've been nothing but great so far." Screwball tried to stand as Comforting was, but she couldn't land, hooves wildly flailing for the ground that denied them. "Not fair..."

Comforting took a hold of Screwball and tried to push them to the ground. "Here." But they were like two magnets of the same pole. The closer they got, the stronger the push became. Comforting could not put Screwball on the ground. "That's odd..." It clicked though with a snap of her fingers. "Is that how you fly?!" It wasn't how Comforting flew, but when did Chaotic things have to all use the same thing?

"Is it?! Neat! You're already figuring stuff out." Screwball looked way too happy for the discovery. "Why is that pony watching us?"

Comforting turned to see Twilight in the door of her castle, staring at them. "Hi!" She waved at Twilight. "Why are you hiding way over there?"

Twilight slowly stepped down from her stairs. "Who is that?" Her eyes were on Screwball. "She looks familiar... and not in a good way."

Screwie hid behing Comforting with a squeak.

"This is Screwball." She stepped to the side, waving at her little sister. "And she needs my help. She was lost in Discord's place for.... uh... years... and now she has to get used to Ponyville again."

Twilight blinked at this new information. "I see... Well..." She considered the nervous Screwball. "That is a pony... You understand that, I hope... A young pony." She offered a hoof towards Screwball. "A confused young pony." A little smile hinted. "Like yourself, come to think... This may be more responsibility than you are ready to accept."

Comforting folded her arms firmly. "As her older sister, I am not abandoning her! What are you suggesting?"

Author's Note

Hello, Screwball. What exactly is Twilight suggesting? Was any of this a good idea?

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87 - Mall Visit

With coins in hand, Comforting was ready to game! "What do you like playing?" she asked of her larger, and paying, companion. "I'll play a game with you."

"Oh, thanks." Sunset gently patted Comforting on her head. "You don't have to. You look ready to run off."

"I am." But she wasn't doing that. "You've been really nice, as Rarity reminded me. The least I can do is play with you a little. Unless you'd prefer I didn't?" She didn't look hurt at that idea. "Either way, I'm up for it."

"That's a mature take on it." Sunset rose up to full height, turning to gaze at the many games on offer. "How are you at platformers?" She hiked a thumb at one. "That one has two player, cooperative. Let's see how far we can get." She made a few pew pew noises, finger guns blaring. "And blast a few baddies on the way."

Comforting clapped firmly. "Sounds fun!" And off they went to rescue a third, imaginary, world from an alien invasion. The layers of abstraction didn't bother her, and they cried out with victory and defeat as they fed the machine quarters to keep going.

A hand came down on their outer shoulders. "Darlings, you two look adorable and all, but we did come to shop, hm?"

Sunset performed a last minute jump to avoid a brightly colored pellet of doom. "Alright, no more quarters then. We're on our last set of lives."

"Sounds fair!" echoed Comforting, just as her little digital avatar exploded. Oops... "Last life..." But she soldiered on.

But, alas, all good things have an ending, and their attempt to save the world ended in a game over screen. Sunset laughed as she turned away from the console. "Phew, that was fun. Alright, let's stop teasing Rarity and get you something nice to wear."

Rarity pointed the way with a ruthless smile. "Onwards!" She valiantly led her war-band of three out of the arcade. "You two were really rather engrossed. I would think... knowing where you're both from, you'd be less... I'm being rude. Sunset, you've been here far long enough."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "I know how video games work, Rares."

"Me too." Comforting put her hands behind her head as she walked. "That was fun."

"Yes, but how?" Rarity peeked over her shoulder. "Ponies don't have video games, do they?"

"Not really..." She saw a few things that could pretend the job if one squinted at them just so. "But I've been to more than Equestria."

"Hm? Odd, but here we are." Rarity gestured at the boutique they had arrived at. "Let's get you looking your best." Rarity was more than pleased to show Comforting the local styles, both in admiring them in hand and eventually trying out no few sets. "Such a cute thing, it's like having a living doll." Which meant Rarity was all the more pleased to keep the fashion tour going.

Sunset hovered, keeping an eye on Comforting, but not really shopping herself. This fact was noticed by Rarity. "Darling, why not get a little something for yourself?"

"I'm fine," she assured, hands up wardingly. "I promised I'd keep an eye--"

"Dear, really." Rarity inclined her head at the changing room Comforting occupied. "She's a little angel. I'm taking care of her for the moment. Have some fun. I won't let anything happen to her, I assure."

Sunset hummed. "Are you sure?" But the nod was firm. "Alright... Just a little while."

Rarity seemed pleased, watching Sunset actually browse a little instead of just hovering there. "I'm mature enough to keep a single polite child in mind. Speaking of that." She knocked just next to the fitting room door. "How's it going in there?"

"Almost!" Comforting popped out a moment later in a bright blue number. "Ta da!"

"Darling." Rarity clapped with approval. "I must say, it's nice to shop with someone who seems just as eager as I am." She crouched in place. "If we're being honest, I thought I'd get more resistance."

"Why?" Comforting admired the person she saw in the mirror, clearly finding them worthy of approval. "I love it!"

"Well... You are new to... this. I figured..." She shrugged. "Nevermind that. You're having fun. Now, which of the little numbers most appeals to you, dear?"

Comforting did a little twirl, enjoying how the frilly ends swirled in the air behind her. "I love them all, but... gonna say this one."

"Why is that?" No judging could be heard in her voice.

"Because I'm wearing it." She patted herself straight. "So it's my favorite, right now."

"Hm, I can't really argue that logic." Rarity stood back up. "Well, since it wins your approval, let's get it."

Comforting froze. "Um..."

"My treat, dear." She gently patted the girl towards the register. "I didn't come in here expecting a little child to pay for it. Though, you are a mature thing, even worrying about that. You can pay me back by looking your best."

She guided Comforting to the front. They pulled over the tags on it long enough to scan them. "Want me to cut it off?" With her nod, the salesperson snipped each free, so she could keep right on wearing it as she seemed eager to do. "Enjoy!"

Rarity lifted her bag. "I have your old clothes right here. Let's see how Sunset's doing."

They found her not trying on a new outfit, but she did find a new hat she seemed to be favoring. She turned it left and right. She skewed it one way and the other. She was so engrossed in it, she jumped when Rarity touched her. "Oh! Hey." She looked from Rarity to Comforting and back. "All done?"

Comforting pointed up at the new hat. "Nice."

"Isn't it?" Sunset pulled it off though, holding it in both hands. "Maybe later. You're looking good." She fired a thumbs up, other hand tossing the hat back on the hook it came from.

"Doesn't she?" Rarity tittered with satisfaction. "Wouldn't do for her to be stuck in just a school uniform for her visit, really. Now... our little excursion doesn't have to end." She looked between her two companions. "We've played and shopped, so there's clearly one little thing to do to make any proper mall visit complete."

It was but a moment later that Rarity was able to wave over the offerings. "We eat!" They were just in front of the food court. Various tasty smells reached them from both within the stalls and the tables of others enjoying their meals. "If you prefer vegetarian, Romaine About It is quite the treat." She pointed to the salad themed little booth.

Sunset elbowed Rarity. "Appreciate the thought, but..." She was pointing at Comforting's wondering eyes. She was clearly not fixated on the vegetarian option alone. "She has a human tongue and a human belly and it all smells good, I bet."

"Yes." Comforting rubbed her hands together. "And it's super nostalgic..." How long had it been since she was last in a mall food court? It felt like forever. "How about that?" She pointed at what looked like Chinese food of sorts. It wasn't exactly Chinese food. Did they even have a China? Whatever it was, she wanted a taste.

"Ooo, Asian. Certainly." Well, they had an Asia at least. "Let's get in line. Sunset?"

"I'm feeling a burrito." She left them to get her choice of food.

"Clever girl..." She gently ruffled Comforting. "Looks like this is on me too." Rarity saw Comforting flinch. "Oh no, dear, don't look like that. I'm quite happy to lend a helping hand. We'll both get something tasty and enjoy it like the cultured ladies we are." She waggled a finger. "I am showing some trust here. Don't get your new dress messy that quickly, hm?"

Comforting squeaked at the theoretical mistake. "I will be extra careful."

"Thank you." And that was the last complaint she had. She ordered them both something that sounded vaugely familiar and walked her over to a table where sunset was already parked, chewing her burrito. "Here we are." Rarity waved to a seat that soon had Comforting in it. "Let's enjoy ourselves." Rarity sank into her seat, placing Comforting's plate in front of her. "This has been a fun little outing, well worth the time."

With companionable energies, they devoured their foods, two of them being extra careful about it. Sure, one of them already had a habit of it, but both Rarity and Comforting finished with nary a mess to be found. Not that Sunset was messy, and just a touch of a napkin was enough to get her looking proper. "Now, hate to bring it up, but I do have homework." She slid to her feet. "Don't regret today though, it was fun."

"Eagerly agreed." Rarity joined her in standing. "Now, one thing was bothering me." She directed a finger at Comforting. "Where is she staying while she's here? We can't have a small child just..."

Comforting flinched at the imagined ways she'd have to get by as a small child. None of them were especially great...

Sunset plonked a hand down on Comforting's head. "Why are you looking nervous? I told Twilight I'd watch you, and I will. The only getting out of it is throwing you right back through the portal." She threw a thumbs up at Rarity. "So she's coming to my place."

Rarity clapped briefly with a smile. "Fantastic, dear. I'm sure she'll be well cared for in your hands." The problem, dismissed in her trust of Sunset. "But if you get overwhelmed, we're here for you. I'm speaking for them, pardon me, but I feel certain any of us would be quick to help if called upon."

"I appreciate it." She was already nudging Comforting towards one of many exits of the mall. "But she's been great so far. This shouldn't be a big deal."

They shared mutual waves, the group seperating for each to head home. "I'm not that far from here." Sunset waved comforting along and they arrived at a small one story house. She shoved a key in the door and soon had it opened to a dark interior. "Welcome."

Comforting dashed inside, just to stop and blink. "Sunset..."

"Yeah?" Sunset closed the door behind them and her hand flailed at the door until she hit the switch, lighting the area.

This also made the horror more clear. "Sunset... Do you need help cleaning?"

"It's not that bad." Sunset began to glow in embarassment, called out on her little place.

"You are great," started Comforting, waving at the small cluttered place. "This place isn't. I'm not blaming you, I'm offering to help."

"Am I being intervened by a little kid?" Sunset was smiling at how ridiculous the situation felt. "Room's over here." It wasn't very far to find her room with the bed being the primary spot that wasn't occupied with something or other. "We'll have to share, but I'm cootie-free, promise."

"I'm not worried about that..." Comforting picked up an abandoned sock. "This is your place, so it's your choice... But can I help, please?"

Sunset put her hands on her hips. "It's not that bad," she repeated firmly.

"Think of it like... I feel guilty just mooching off of you. Being able to help out like this would make me feel better, even if it's not all that bad." Comforting gave her best, brightest, smile. "So, humor me?"

Sunset applied a palm to her face. "If it makes you feel good... But no throwing things out!"

Comforting winced, imagining what she could get done without throwing anything out. "I'll make a pile of things I think could go out, but you can decide what stays or not. Is that alright?"

"Ugh! Fine. Deal." She thrust a hand at her small guest. "You can be awfully bossy for a kid your age... Whatever age that is."

Author's Note

Sunset! Poor girl's a bit overwhelmed.

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Distraction - School Photograph

Author's Note

Comforting in human mode! School uniform go! Drawn by the talented Ponyfinder artist, Waxraven, she's awesome.

139 - Furnishings

Gallus took the two things being offered to him. In one hand, a hayburger, er, fishburger, really. In the other, hayfries. "Seriously. A few walkways, up there." He wove his fingers along imagined lines. "I'll get one."

Comforting took a bite of a crispy hayfry. "Enjoy your hayfries. They're best fresh." Soggy old fries? No thanks. "Oh, actually. Mom gave me some bits to go furniture shopping. Want to do that later?"

Gallus inclined his head with the skill of a bird. "Well... Do pony furniture shops have perches?"

Comforting shrugged cluelessly. "We'll find out together. You may see other things that I'd miss while we're at it. For now, we eat."

Ocellus nudged Comforting with a hoof. "What's it like? I never had my own house before... It looks... overwhelming, in a way."

"In a good way." Comforting considered how to, or even if she should, mention she'd owned a home before, a life away. "A good way. I am very very happy to have this friendship house, with friends included." She hugged Ocellus gently, driving the worry from the changeling. "Enjoying?" she called up at Cracked.

"They go so quickly." She had none of the burgers or fries left, having eaten them. "But they are so delicious while they remain. Thank you for the treat. Little hunters, do you wish to hunt?"

Smolder flew up with a rapid bobbing of her head. "What or where are we prowling today?" She glanced at Yona. "Besides yaks."

"No hunting," huffed out Yona, to make sure that was known.

Gallus swatted Comforting on the upper back. "I'll take a raincheck. I'm furniture shopping."

Smolder snickered. "Yeah yeah. Have fun! Let's go." She darted through the Cracked-sized double doors, Cracked not far behind her. It was time to hunt.

Yona nodded at Comforting. "Good place. Will see later. You have thing to do."

Comforting shared a warm and powerful hug with Yona, as if Yona gave other kinds. "Take care!" She waved at her departing friends, leaving her with Gallus. "Wanna go now? I'm too excited to just lay down anyway. Besides... Friendship house, running low on friends." She fired a hopeful smile.

Gallus rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah yeah. You still have at least one." He waved for her to come along. "Let's go shopping. One thing though. You could make whatever furniture you want, so why not... that?"

"I want it to last longer than a scene." She skipped along merrily at his side, the good day saved. "So--"

"Scene?"

Oops. That was not a word that made sense for normal creatures. "A moment. If I make it, it could go away as easily as I made it, and that's pretty easy. The moment I take my eyes off it, it may be gone."

"Huh... Wild. So you could make all the money you want?"

"And it'd probably vanish not long after." Comforting shrugged at this envisioned scenario. "Easy come, easy go. Why I'll be using the bits mom gave me, and what I earn for myself."

This seemed to make enough sense for Gallus. "I... get it. Crazy, but I get it. Alright. First stop, Quills and Sofas. Wild name..."

They pressed inside to find Davenport, the owner, approaching them with a smile. "Hello!" He hesitated a moment, taking measure of who his customers actually were. "What fortune!"

Gallus squinted suspiciously. "What fortune? We just walked in."

"We just got a load of new sofas." He gestured at a row of almost a dozen sofas crowding the room behind him. "And you look like you have a hunger for a good sofa. Also, I have something just suited for an avian of fine tastes." He trotted off to a cushioned perch to gesture at it. "They said I'd be sitting on this forever, but I knew Twilight's presence would draw discerning eyes in no time at all."

Comforting hop-skipped over to look from one sofa to the next. "So many styles..." But which would be right?

Gallus squeezed the perch with a hand, testing its texture and give. "Wow, this is a luxury perch..." He lifted it, or tried. With great heaving effort, he got it over his head. "Solid... Not bad." He got it back to the ground with a woosh of breath. "Where'd you get this?"

Davenport smiled with subdued smugness. "A true merchant never gives away his sources. Would you like a perch?"

Gallus grabbed Comforting by the shoulder and turned her towards the perch. "Eh?" He tossed his head at it. "For your upstairs."

"Mmm..." She closed with it, grabbing it in both hands. "Soft." She squeezed it, but it only had so much give. "Strong..." It had a nice color and feel... "How much is it?"

Davenport quoted the price without hesitation.

"Just checking... Does Fluttershy get a discount? She's my mom."

Davenport shook his head at that. "Not even Twilight gets a discount, and she's one of my best customers. I already do my best to keep the prices low, ma'am."

"No harm asking." Comforting snapped her fingers, that small attempt, failed. "But this may be a good idea, Gallus. This'll be out of Cracked's way, but be a nice thing to sit on."

"And connect some of that open space you have up there." He pointed upwards, even if Quills and Sofas had not much upwards to point at.

"That too." She fished out the bag of bits her mother had given to her. "I'll take it."

"Not yet." He went up to the perch and pressed in on one end of it, causing it to dramatically unfurl. "Hang that and you can use it as a hammock, too!"

Comforting and Gallus shared a moment of wide eyes. Comforting pressed the bag against him. "Taking it."

"Sold." He took the bits from the bag and returned it to Comforting. "Where do you want this dropped off, or will you be taking it yourself?"

"I'll take it." She rolled it back up tight and stuffed it away in a fit of chaotic power. "But, thanks for asking. Appreciate it."

"Of course." He dipped his head at Comforting. "Can I interest you in a quill?"

Comforting had been ready to decline that, but... "Actually... Do you have ink and paper to go with it?"

"We sure do." He led her over to the quills portion of the store. "Everything you need to get writing. Even a few writing tables if you like."

Comforting grabbed a quill. A quill was a quill, right? They seemed pretty standardized. She grabbed an ink pot to go with it. "I'll need ink." Davenport directed and she grabbed a bottle of that. "And..." She tapped the desk everything was on. "A desk."

"Of course." He retreated and returned swiftly with a desk over him, weighing down each struggling step. "Will you--" She grabbed it and stuffed it away. "That'll be--" He quoted the price and bits were exchanged. "Enjoy!" He waved at the two as they left. "Today... is a good day." He had sold a quill, writing desk, and sofa. Surely that was a quality day. "Quills and Sofas, who would ever need those two things?" He had proven them wrong!

Gallus cycled his hands in the air. "That perch is something else. I never saw a perch you can unfold like that."

"Me neither." Comforting took a moment to imagine it, properly installed. "That'll be great! You had a really good idea." She danced ahead of him. "Thanks for the gift."

"Gift?" He looked Comforting over. "I didn't pay for any of it."

"No, but I wouldn't have gotten it without you." She hopped up to give him a firm hug. "So it's still your gift. Thanks." She slid back to the ground. "Now... Do you know where they sell beds? The hammock is super neat, but I want a bed bed for nightly slumber."

Gallus colored faintly as he was embraced. "Y-yeah, over here." He led her onwards to a new store, filled with beds of all shapes and sizes. "Hey, so... Don't take this the wrong way, but I get the impression, a lot, that you are not a little foal."

Comforting perked an ear. "Wha? Did I do something odd?"

"Not odd, exactly..." He waved over her as they wandered around the store. "It's everything put together... It's hard to put a finger on it, but I... You know too much about some things, and not enough about others. It's odd... Not bad odd, just odd odd." He smirked as he worked through it. "Figures, for a chaos spirit."

"I am one of those." She jumped up onto a bed, bouncing on its springs. "I like this one."

"You did it again." He waved over the bed. "This? It's big for a foal." He leaned in to look at the sign on it. "Princess sized? Wow, go big or go home."

Comforting flopped on it, belly first. "What if I want to go big and go home, what then?"

Gallus snickered softly. "Then you buy this, apparently. Seriously, this is sized more for... two ponies, and you're barely one."

Comforting rolled over on the bed, there being plenty of room to do that. "But I like it..."

"Your bits." He shrugged. "And your house. If you like it, you like it. Don't forget a blanket though."

Comforting sat up sharply. "Good idea!" She flagged down a sales pony to amass the things together needed to complete her bedroom. "You are such a great shopping buddy."

They bounced from store to store, making good use of the bag Fluttershy had given, and draining it steadily. It was a fine day to shop, and shop they did.

Cracked returned home with a loud yawn so wide her jaw cracked from the force of it. "A fine hunt."

"Yeah." Smolder went up to the closed doors. "Huh, so Comforting actually does close these sometimes." She pulled them open. "Knock knock!"

Cracked went to enter, stepping over Smolder on the way. "We have..." She trailed off, the house transformed with furnishings. Not many in the livingroom, where Cracked would reside and likely knock over any furniture that got in her way. But she could see so many new things in the kitchen, and what was that? She poked at the new strange stick parked between two bannisters. "Things have... changed..."

Smolder flew in with a laugh. "Wow, they really went all out. You know what this means?"

Cracked inclined an ear at smolder. "I do not."

"You could guess." But Smolder didn't pry further. "It means we can cook here. Comfy ain't against good meat, and it's closer than our secret cave."

Cracked wagged her tail with sudden joy. "That would be lovely, to prepare our food right by my den? I am being spoiled..."

Smolder went to scope out the kitchen, to discover they occupied it with one Comforting, mid-baking something. "Hey, Comfy! What are you working on?"

Comforting waved eagerly and glanced at a clock. "About ten minutes to pie. Did Gallus finish the perch?"

"I didn't see him." She leaned back out and looked up. "That's the big post with a thing draped out of it, yeah?"

"Draped... Oh!" Comforting zipped out and up, floating up until she was over the hammock to find Gallus napping peacefully in it. "Aw..."

"Aw," echoed Smolder, just next to Comforting and able to see it too. "You two must have had quite the day. He looks wiped out."

"Look at all we got!" Comforting threw open the door to her room, then another that would serve as an office. "He was super helpful. How'd your hunt go?"

"Great! Even if I'm going to send poor Cracked to get the meat and bring it here, if you don't mind."

Comforting inclined her head and started. "Oh! A fridge... Actually..." She hissed with thought, landing outside the kitchen. "On this one... I will cheat." She rubbed her hands together as if it were cold, fog misting the air in front of her. "A cold place." She exhaled chilly winds and it gathered into a strange nexus of chill. "This is my fridge, for keeps. What you put in there, cold and safe."

Smolder peered at the swirling cold nexus. "Wow... You held in that chaosing for the last thing, huh? Cracked! Let's get to it!" They had to put their first thing in that 'fridge'.

Author's Note

This house is officially warmed, and also chilled? Hm. Everycreature involved seems pleased with the result at least. I think that's a fin for this arc.

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142 - Discord Solves It

"Oops, I hear my call." Discord stepped halfway through a sudden portal, just to be grabbed by his daughter. "I really gotta go, kiddo."

"Go where?!" She glared at him, fire in her eyes, more literally than she planned. "You made this mess."

"And I'm going to help." He popped through the portal, gone.

Comforting waved at where the portal had been. "Why does he get to help?!"

"He won't help." Amity seemed sure of that. "He's acting as a guide. The rule of watching will not be broken."

It was then that Comforting stood up straight. "Wait. I thought your future-seeing was broken. Did something happen? Are you feeling better? That'd be nice at least."

"Sort of..." She brought up her hooves to touch them gently. "This event, I knew it before. Its reasons have changed, and its order has changed... But I saw this event before. I thought it might have changed more, but it has begun."

Comforting pulled up a window on her father. He was talking quite dramatically to the Mane Six. Then he got shot by magic and flopped to the ground, equally dramatic. He even had dramatic words to say. "Wow... faker."

"He is only a passable actor." Amity nodded in easy agreement with the skills being displayed. "But it is enough."

The Mane Six were rallying around Discord, but ultimately they didn't get any help from him. They had to defeat Sombra on their own, and they did. Comforting suddenly pressed the rewind button that hadn't been there.

"We could really use some--" Twilight was speaking, arms curled and eyes desperate. "--all powerful Lord of chaos power right about now!"

"Moi?" Discord placed a hand on his chest. "Oh, I couldn't possibly..." He waved it off as he turned away.

Amity reached past Comforting to pause the display. "See? He is a watcher. Though he set up this Problem, he is still watching. It is not the way I would have done it... but I accepted him as a Watcher. If any is to be blamed, it would be me."

"What?" Comforting waved grandly at the screen. "You made him a Watcher? I thought he was... He's immortal, isn't he?"

"He's unaging." The two were not the same, and Amity knew the difference. "Am I immortal? A new me will almost assuredly replace me. The old me will be gone. Amity, the force, will endure, but I, as a person, as you like to say, will not. The universe abhors permanence. Even it won't abide it in itself, but that is at a scale far too long for any of us to even start to worry about."

Comforting waved as if she could erase the words. "We're getting distracted."

"You are." Amity bid the video forward, showing Discord assisting in the defeat of several guards. "See how guilty he looks. Even he understands he has weakened them. He hoped they would act without him."

Discord swatted aside Sombra's magic with ease and the little snaps as he talked with the Mane Six, chastising them for relying on him. But maybe that was what friendship was? A final blast that would have hit Fluttershy instead hit him, sending him flying. They had arrived where they started, with the Mane Six gathered around the fallen Discord, poorly acting his defeat.

"This would not have gone the same, had you been there. Your relationship with them is different. They would not expect a guardian role."

Comforting folded her arms. "And that'd be good, right?"

"If you were going to not directly do their work for them." Amity inclined her head. "I cannot say entirely for sure, but I think you would have, if you were there. Ah, the students are passing."

"What?" Comforting whirled in time to see the Mane Six gathering their power to blast Sombra away. They didn't have the Elements, only friendship. But wasn't that magical enough? Acting with Twilight as the focus, Sombra didn't stand a chance before their unified presence. He was but one creature, and they were many.

"Test passed," breathed out Amity, sinking to her belly with a tired sigh. "But another Test brews." She waved a small hoof at the image, flickering to another place, a cave, where an angry goat shouted at other villains of the girls' past. Evil laughter was shared among them as they promised to face down Equestria as a team, later.

Comforting frowned at the collection of jerks, turning away from them. "So... Not going to do anything about that, I gather?"

"I will do a lot about it." Amity stood up. "But I will not fix it for them. We are watchers, teachers, and guide. Friend Comforting, will you guide alongside me? We have so much to do, if my memories of this are true..." She took a sudden step back. "Harmony forfend," she gasped out, little eyes wide. "It makes sense now..."

"What does? And..." She rolled a dragon's hand slowly. "Weren't you Harmony?"

"I was. I still am. A different name." Amity sank to her haunches. "Your form. It is perfect for this. It is entirely perfect. We will need to work with every part of you, all the creatures that Twilight and her friends has forged friendship witrh. This may test your friendship with yours. The students will need you. You can't fix this for them, but..." She was focusing on Comforting, eyes sharp, recovered from the Test. "Will you, Friend Comforting?"

"On one condition." Comforting held a finger high.

"That is?"

"Date." She tapped Amity on her nose with the same finger. "You asked, I'm just saying yes."

Amity jumped, leaping right into Comforting's arms. "Today has been a wonderful day, in hindsight. Do you know what manner of frivolity we will take part in?"

Comforting considered the little pony in her arms. "You asked, which usually means you get to decide. Be romantic, or we can just chill. Either's alright by me." She squeezed her future-date. "If it involves you and me, it'll be fun. No Watching business, just us being us."

"That does sound... relaxing." She sprang to the ground. "Today has been tiring, even with its good parts. You will want to check on your friends and family. I will leave you to it. Expect a message when the date has been decided on."

"Right!" Comforting turned for where her house would be, but went right past it. "First step, Screwie! I know mom's alright." She had seen Fluttershy, being quite fine. "See you later." She jumped forward into a dark and tight space. "Screwie?"

"Comfie!" An unseen object crashed into Comforting, knocking her a step as Screwball hugged her tightly. "Are you here to fix things? Is it already fixed? Was it broken? Did I break it? I didn't mean to break it. Sorry!"

Comforting drew a flashlight out to light the little hideaway of foals, looking up at her with hope and fear. "It's alright." Many of them relaxed. "Twilight and her friends took care of it." Cheers rippled, easily accepting that Twilight+pals could pull off something like that. "Is everypony here alright?" She didn't see any not-ponies among the crowd.

Screwball gave the biggest smile. "I kept them safe. All safe, not one ouchie." She wagged a hoof at Comforting, bouncing with excitement. "Did I do good?"

"Very good." She smooched her sister on the forehead. "So good. Alright, let's head out." She led the swarm of little ones out form beneath the school. The school was quite heavy, being an entire building, but one of them could just... lift it, like it was no big deal. "Wow."

Prickle Berry blushed vividly at the attention. "Sorry!"

"Why are you sorry? That's amazing." Comforting reached up to help hold the building up, drawing a jack with her other hand to keep it propped at least for the moment. "I don't think we met."

"No..." Prickle sat back down, the building holding itself up with Comforting's help. "I'm Prickle Berry..." She considered Comforting a moment. "Why aren't you at school?"

"Prickle Prickle Prickleberry!" sang out Screwball, dissolving into giggles a moment. "My sister." She waved at Comforting excitedly. "She goes to big pony school. She's small, but she has big thoughts." She threw her hooves wide, trying to encompass the bigness of those thoughts.

Prickleberry climbed out from under the school, the last aside of the two chaos sisters. "Um, nice to meet you."

Screwball darted out next, and Comforting last, taking the jack with her and letting the building down carefully. Comforting ruffled the floating Screwball. "Very nice. You... feel like my mom, and I mean that in the best way possible."

Prickle darkened at the curious praise. "We're both fillies..." Neither were going to be the other's mother, at least. "How do I remind you of her?"

Comforting dropped to her bottom, putting her on Prickle's level. "You're shy. You have so much inside you, potential for days, years! But you feel like you don't want to share it."

Prickle awkwardly danced in place, which only got worse, seeing what pony was approaching.

"Hey, Comfs." There was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "Didn't expect you to drop by."

Silver Spoon looked between Comforting and Prickle. "Why are you hanging out with her?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Comforting countered. "She'd odd... Just like me." She reached for the confused Prickle Berry, who offered little resistance to being snatched and hugged. At least, until she did, and it wasn't even a contest. Blushing wildly, she casually shoved Comforting back as far as her arm could extend with not even a bit of effort in the motion. "Sorry?"

"Sorry," echoed Prickle. "You... made me nervous..."

Comforting clapped gently. "That was my fault. I don't like being hugged without warning either. So, sorry, from me, and it sticks this time. That was all me."

Diamond shook her head slowly. "Prickle's like that. Super strong, super shy. It's just her...thing." An idea came to her. "Say! You still have that 'get better at things' spell? What would it do to her? Can she get even stronger?"

Comforting did remember that spell. "I don't think she needs it." She held out a hand. "Put your hoof here, please."

Prickle touched hoof to palm. "Like that? Why?"

Comforting pushed gently, and Prickle's arm bent easily. "Push back, try gently."

Prickle pushed, and Comforting could not deny it. It didn't feel like she was being punched, just that the hoof was moving, and she was entirely helpless to stop its motion. It was an inevitable motion, and she was just in the way. She tried pushing against it, harder and harder, but that hoof was moving, and it would not be stopped. "That is so amazing... Prickle, you have a real talent!"

Prickle drew back her hoof, looking quite uncertain. "It's... odd. Little ponies shouldn't be that strong."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "They shouldn't, but you are." She threw a hoof towards Comforting. "And I know that look. Unless you're against it, you're being adopted by another thing that shouldn't be, but is."

Prickle waved her hooves wildly at Comforting. "I have a mom! She's really nice. Um... You can't take her place..."

"I wouldn't want to." Comforting put a hand on her chest solemnly. "I hope you two keep getting along. But, I'd love to be a friend."

"Oh..." She was quiet a moment. "Why?"

Screwball came in as close as she could, the ground repelling her. "My sister loves making friends, and being nice. Be her friend, and be mine!" She bounced in the air. "That sounds fun! Ooo, she has a house, did you know that? It's really hers, not her mom's! Who's my mom. We share moms, being sisters. But it's her house!"

"I do... But I don't want to brag about things. I do want to make a friend though." Comforting offered her mismatched hands. "I think you're pretty neat. I'd like to learn more about you, if you want?"

Author's Note

Foreshadowing of the future, but also Prickle Berry. We know which is more important. You read the first story I wrote about her?

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155 - To There and Back Again

"A hero's journey," sighed out Comforting, long tail curling and flicking gently behind her as she watched the infinite little ripples of the ocean passing them by. "That was fun."

Gallus tossed up his hands. "Just kinda curious." He elbowed against Comforting. "You could just be home. Why are you hanging around? You already did this part."

Comforting reached up, tapping the griffon on the side of his beak. "Because we're friends? Because being with those on a trip is half the trip. We saw the show, but I didn't go just for the show." She threatened him with imminent tickles, but got a hard declining glare. "Fine... I was just playing."

"You don't like surprise hugs." He tapped the top of her head. "I don't like surprise, or very many other, tickles. We got our boundaries."

Comforting giggled at that. "True, sorry. It goes both ways. So... can I bug you about something?"

Gallus hiked a brow. "Since when did you need to ask me permission for that?"

"Just being polite..." She rocked against the rail of the boat. "How do griffons handle romance?"

Gallus colored in a slow spreading across his face. "Woah, um... Right for the throat... You know where babies come from, right?"

Comforting flashed a too-wide grin. "I know about that. Griffons lay eggs, right?"

"No! Sheesh..." He patted down his fluffed feathers. "Only changelings lay eggs, of the creatures I know anyway... Anyway... You know the rest then, sounds like?" He got a nod from her. "Good... You know, Comfs, you are hard to nail down. Sometimes you feel like a foal, sometimes a teen like us. And sometimes it feels like I'm talking to something bigger than anycreature else I know. It's a bit confusing, just saying."

"What about dragons?" countered Comforting with a grin. "They lay eggs, don't they?"

"Okay, two." He held up two fingers. "Most don't, um... We're getting off track. What were you asking?"

Comforting turned in place, leaning her back on the rail instead of her chest. "Well, it's like you said. Sometimes I feel like a foal, or a teen, adult, or even 'I am too... much for this universe...'" She rubbed at her cheek softly. "For a chaos spirit, pretty sure that's super normal, really. But here I am, living it. I have a little filly following me with love in her eyes, and I like her, a lot. I want the absolute best for her... But... She's, for sure, a filly."

Gallus curled a finder under his beak. "Is that why that older mare was giving you that look?"

Comforting squeaked. "Yes... That's her mother. She's on this boat, right now... We have to talk, after we get back... But I'm not worried about that specifically. I'm worrying about... ethics and morality and things."

"Heavy." He crouched, getting her on his level. The two being bipeds, Comforting was shorter than him. "Now you're feeling older. Okay, so... Diamond, that's her name, right?" He got a quick nod. "She likes you." Another nod. "And you like her."

A pause. Comforting curled her tail around part of the rail she was propped against. "I like her like a best friend, but she wants to be liked romantically. I will not mince words. She's young enough she's pretty sure that just means hugging and chocolates and... maybe some sweet talk."

Gallus shrugged. "Are you ready to give that? What she thinks romance is, I mean."

"I'd already do that!" Comforting drew out a big heart of a box, popping it open to reveal a bedazzling array of chocolates. "Ta da."

"For me?" Gallus snatched a chocolate and popped it in his mouth. "Thanks, shouldn't have."

Comforting tossed the box into the ocean, not that it had long to keep existing. "Stop that... But what are you trying to say?"

Gallus stood up properly. "I already said it. If she wants hugs and chocolates and sweet talk, alright. Is that something you want to give her, or not? Seems pretty simple, to me."

"Simple." Comforting frowned a moment. "I... In some ways... But she's growing. She'll want more than that, maybe soon?"

Gallus shrugged. "And if you want to give it, you do, and if you don't, you don't. What's she gonna do, tell your mom on you? That's not gonna work well..."

Comforting cracked a little smile at the idea of Diamond tattling on her to Fluttershy about that of all things. "No... No it would not... I just feel guilty, is all."

"About the future." He tapped her on the head. "The future is the future's problem. Right now, she wants hugs and for you to call her a girlfriend. You up for that?"

Comforting clenched her teeth. Why was he pretending it was that simple?! But... maybe it was. The baggage of another world, and another life, didn't have to weigh her down. "If that's all she wants... There's no harm in that. I wouldn't... mind at all calling her nice things and treating her extra special..." But the future, part of her cried. Was she grooming a child?! "No, stop that," she huffed at herself. "Um, thanks, Gallus. You've been a really great ear to bounce this off of."

"No problem." He fired a big thumbs up. "You've been there for me when I... had things to feel." He rubbed at one of his shoulders. "Happens to the best of us..." He hiked a brow. "Now, not proclaiming love or nothing, because we don't have that going, but do you feel that way about us?" He turned his hands towards himself. "We're, what, peers, aren't we? We literally go to the same school!"

Comforting looked ready to argue, but it deflated in the end. "Point..." She wasn't a teen, but if she kept drawing arbitrary lines in the sand, well, then no one at all would be alright for her to like more than just hugging. Not that hugging was bad... Twilight? She was Comforting's teacher, but besides that? Visions of all her teachers and random other adults of Ponyville came and left, and it left her giggling at the thought of it.

"That the sound of you coming around?" Gallus took a step towards the inside. "I'm going to try out some of the games. Wanna join?"

"That sounds great." Comforting jumped off the rail and zipped after Gallus, the two fleeing the gentle breeze of the ocean.

Comforting appeared with a soap bubble of a pop. "Amity!" She rushed the tree that was also a spirit, and her girlfriend. "I have so much... Amity!"

Amity stepped out from behind herself. "Comforting. You forgot."

Comforting slowed to a quick stop. "Forgot what?"

"I can see you." Amity pointed to the playing table Discord had left behind. "I can play you. You are my favorite character."

Comforting colored brightly at that. "You were riding me the whole time?! Um..." That spared a lot of explaining, but... "Um... So... You have opinions?"

"Some." Amity sat, smiling at Comforting. "But not the ones you fear. This body." She curled a little hoof at herself. "It is young, very young. A foal, younger than Diamond Tiara. You had no hesitation. Why do you now?"

Comforting blinked slowly. "Um... You..." She pointed at Amity. "Are a spirit of harmony, at least a thousand years old. Whatever body you're in, you don't stop being that."

Amity nodded lightly. "This body means nothing to me." She turned a hoof on Comforting. "That body only means something to me because it means something to you. Chaos spirit, your body is a favorite jacket. You appear before me with it often, but if you wore another, you would not cease being my friend. Our relationship would not end."

"Oh..." Comforting sank, flopping to her bottom. "Wow. Okay... So how does that relate to the whole Diamond Tiara thing?"

"It is times like these." Amity approached with a gentle smile and a look in her eyes that spoke of those untold years. "You are but a mewling child. Diamond... She will die. She will be gone. If you are distracted with her and it brings you joy for a time, good. I would wish well on you, or I would be a very poor partner. We are gods, in your words. Your dalliance with a mortal does not bother me. How would you put it..." The little Amity tapped at her chin. "It's a phase. This too will pass. And you can still be my friend and girlfriend while you do this, I hope? I will not keep you from her, but I would ask you do not abandon me."

The morality of the situation, blown clear off the board. "You... are just stomping the whole thing."

"I am." Amity inclined her head. "Are you upset?"

Comforting reached out a hand and Amity came to it, to be hugged close, cradled in her lap. "I'm still young as 'gods' go, and thinking of myself in that lens is... new. Besides, then, now... Now I feel like Zeus picking on some mortal."

"You don't have..." She frowned faintly, resting against Comforting. "I thought I had it. Share your people's tales? I would hear them."

Comforting rubbed at Amity's back in gentle strokes. "I can only say so much from memory... But if you want?"

The rest of the day became tales of Greek gods and heroes and the various troubles they got into. "So violent..." Amity stroked at her own chin. "But interesting thoughts... I would not wish for ponies to live that way, but they weren't ponies, and you walk the fine line between." She curled to look at Comforting directly. "If you must be a Zeus, then be a kind one, who asks, explains, and does not cause mischief as they grasp for what they desire. Your father had to learn similar lessons. Still, he struggles..."

"More of a Loki situation there," laughed out Comforting. "But, I get it... I'll tell her the whole truth and if she still wants to be spoiled by a goddess, well, then I'll make it rain chocolates for her when she's sad."

Amity smiled at that. "Would you do that for me?"

"Any time you wanted." She pressed nose to nose with Amity. "Are you sad?"

"It is difficult to be sad." Amity returned the nuzzles gently. "With you here."

"Aw." Comforting hugged Amity tightly. "Oh! Um, should I bring her by?"

"You should not."

Comforting blinked at the firm rejection. "Is... Did she do something wrong?"

Amity poked Comforting in the chest. "Chaos spirits do not seem to care, speaking freely to any that would listen. Orderly spirits prefer to not press a hoof directly when it is not required. She has no need to speak to me, so she should not. You can speak of me, if you wish. That we are bound is not a secret to any that know you." Amity sat up. "Besides, I am jealous."

Comforting pinned her ears, feathery mass and tufted pony-like one. "I thought you said you weren't."

"I am not mad. But I am jealous." Amity smooched Comforting on the throat. "Any gift you give her is time not spent with me. I am not upset with her, or you. This too will pass, but I am jealous." She put a hoof to her own chest. "You would prefer my honesty, I hope?"

"Yes. Yes, please..." Comforting stroked along Amity's sides, considering the little filly that was a god. "I don't want you to be upset. How can I help?"

"Show me." Amity hopped suddenly clear to the ground. "Show me we are partners. Show it in action and deed. Let us bring harmony to Equestria, and I will stop feeling this. I will understand how silly it is to even worry about it. If my partner in harmony, chaotic harmony or not, wishes to show their love for ponies more directly, maybe that is a small thing, nothing in the grand scheme."

"Show me."

Author's Note

Amity plays the God Card. Well, she isn't pretending.

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173 - Distractions

She didn't mean it, but she also couldn't help it. "Distractions?" She could see the chapter header, especially being so close to it. Was that what had distracted Amity just a chapter ago? "Distractions from what?"

"We are having a delightful day." Amity hummed a nameless song to herself. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

"Yes, we are." Comforting reached to ruffle Amity's head gently. "But you're avoiding something. What are you distracting me from? No lying. Lying isn't nice."

"Lying can be quite unharminous," agreed Amity, not lying, but also not answering the question entirely. She had a very good poker face, which was, itself, a hint. She wasn't looking at Comforting, but some point far beyond her.

Comforting poked her co-spirit between the eyes. "Stop that. I should... get home. I have a new wolfpony to check in w--" She cut off, Amity suddenly dashing in front of her as she turned. "Amity?"

"You cannot leave."

"That's a lie." She vanished to appear a few feet away. "I can leave."

"But you must not leave." Amity sighed gently. "Your friends... They are undergoing a trial."

"In my house?!" Comforting threw her hands wide in either direction. "That involves me."

"Only if you return." Amity sat slowly on her haunches. "Which you won't, please... Let them learn. Let them grow. You have the answers, so do I. Simply shouting them won't make them grow."

Comforting clenched her teeth firmly, hands balled in fists, but she sagged in the end, hands going limp. "If they get hurt..."

"Growing can be hard. Friend Comforting, I wish well of your friends. Many are my own agents. I have their best interests in mind, this I promise." Amity circled around Comforting. "You may not feel up for it, but I was enjoying myself."

Comforting let out a strained laugh. "I trust you. You were, but it's hard to just... forget my friends might be in trouble, right now, and I can't help them. Can we watch at least?"

"We can watch." She raised a hoof to the air to find Comforting's hand met it. Together, they summoned the window that would let them see and watch what was going on back at Comforting's house.

At the house, Gallus raced between the two glaring parties. "Hold up! Starswirl, um, sir? She's our friend."

Starswirl raised a shaggy brow. "Is she? More the fool you are then. At her hooves, the blood of countless ponies have flowed. A ruthless hunter, a hungry predator, she didn't care who her eyes found first, only that her hunger was sated, for a time."

"And mine as well." With her lips peeled back over dangerous teeth, Cracked approached with one step, tail back and straight. "But Alpha has taught me to live in this time. Ponies are my friends, to be treasured, not devoured."

Lily trembled, her body steadfastedly reminding her that she was in no state to stand. "Are you... better? Hunting a crippled creature." She suddenly fell to her belly, the ground shuddering under the massive weight. "Maybe I should let you. I would have hunted such an obviously incapable target. An easy meal..."

Starswirl scowled, unmoved by their words. "Do not try to deceive me with claims of 'friendship.' I know the savagery that lurks in your hearts."

He aimed his horn threateningly. "I will end this threat to Equestria before you bare your fangs again!"

"No!" Smolder darted between them, wings spread. "We won't let you hurt our friends."

Gallus joined her shielding Cracked and Lily. "Yeah, back off! The only threat here is you."

Starswirl hesitated, startled by their defiance. Cracked took the opportunity to speak.

"Your caution is wise. Our past is bloody, I cannot deny this," she conceded solemnly. "But we follow a new path now in this era of harmony."

Lily raised her head. "If I am fated to fall, so be it. But I ask you give me a chance to prove we can change." Her ears drooped. "Please...I wish to see the sun again."

Starswirl wavered, moved by their sincerity. But fear gripped him. "Pretty words, yet how can I trust them?"

Gallus stepped forward insistently. "We trust them. Isn't that enough?" He stomped a paw. "They're under our protection now. Hurt them, you answer to us."

Smolder cracked her knuckles. "And we've got a chaos spirit on our side. Wanna meet Comforting?"

Starswirl bristled, but their united stand gave him pause. "A chaos spirit?" His brows came down together. "Do you have any idea how incredibly dangerous this all sounds? I'm not being a very thoughtful guardian of ponykind if I leave any of this alone."

Smolder leaned in with a smirk. "No offense to you, Star m'man, but you aren't a guardian of ponies anymore."

Starswirl blinked, caught entirely off guard. "What?"

"Duh." Smolder rolled a hand in the air. "They got new guardians. Twilight, her friends? They're doing a good job. They trust Comforting. They trust Cracked." She hiked a thumb at the great ponywolf. "Maybe they're wrong, but it's their job, not yours. You were fired for... Why were you fired again?" She shrugged, not entirely sure on that one. "I forget."

Starswirl huffed with clear annoyance, though the angry swirling of his magic was ebbing. "I wasn't 'fired'. I was simply misplaced in a... You wouldn't understand... He twirled in place, robe swirling around him. "I will bring this up to Twilight then. Some guardian she is, tolerating this."

They all watched Starswirl storm off. Cracked turned back to her sister, tail slapping the shut behind Starswirl. "You are safe. Even the little hunters would fight for you."

Lily laughed, a strained noise. "That I need such little predators to take my side is not as comforting as you make it sound... I hate being this weak." She kicked out weakly, even that motion proving uncomfortable. "I hope your alpha has a solution... I have survived, but I do not know if I can call this living."

Cracked's ears drooped sadly at Lily's defeated words. She moved closer and laid down beside her sister, providing support and comfort.

"Do not lose hope," she implored. "Our alpha will find a way. She is wise beyond her years."

Cracked nuzzled Lily reassuringly. "And know this - no matter how long the journey, I will walk it by your side. We are pack once more."

Lily managed a small smile and rested her head against Cracked's sturdy frame. "Thank you, sister. With you near, the path seems less bleak. But why do you speak as if we were a pack before? We were not..."

Their moment was interrupted by Smolder stretching and yawning loudly.

"Welp, I'm beat. That crazy wizard took a lot out of me." She flashed a toothy grin. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm gonna crash here tonight. Cool?"

Cracked chuckled at the bold dragon. "You are welcome in our den this night." She turned her snout toward Gallus. "Will you stay as well, little hunter?"

Gallus shrugged amiably. "Sure, why not? It's still storming pretty hard out there."

Lily poked at Cracked. "You didn't answer."

Amity clapped her hooves together. "They handled that quite well."

"Yeah..." Comforting frowned. "But they still think I'll fix it... But I can't..." She huffed with growing ire, but it came to her. She snapped her fingers. "What if... we don't use magic?"

Amity's small ears went erect. "I like the idea. Friend Comforting, will you share the rest with me?"

"You'll see with everyone else!" Comforting grabbed the edge of the page and vanished onto the next one, out of sight.

Amity chuckled at where Comforting had been. "Like father, like daughter... I hope your idea works well." She rolled over backwards and casually ceased to be.

That wasn't entirely true. The tree that was also Amity still stood there, patient and serene. It would wait however long it needed until it was needed again. Unlike some chaos spirits.

"Doctor Fauna!" Comforting hit the ground and bounded up to the desk where the mare was seated. "We never met before, but I need your help."

Doctor Fauna, a light yellow earth mare, blinked at the new... creature. "Well, you're more vocal than most of my patients. Where does it hurt?" She couldn't see any obvious injuries, other than existing as the crazy mish-mash that Comforting was. "The more symptoms you can tell me, the easier my job gets."

"Sorry, I'm not the patient." Comforting laughed a little at the confusion. "Sorry. She's a wolfpony."

"Wolf... pony?" Fauna rose to her hooves. "One moment." She trotted briskly into the back. She returned a few moments later with a book she dropped from her mouth to the counter. "Here we are. Exotic Fauna of yesteryear!" She flipped it open with a hoof and nosed through it. "I know... Here we are." She turned the book around towards Comforting. "This?"

There was a picture of a fierce and deadly wolfpony. It was drawn as a monster, which they were, technically. A pony was drawn in there, for scale? They were clearly terrified of the great beast. "Technically, that is not a creature or a critter. That is a monster. Monsters can be quite difficult patients... I like not being eaten." Doctor Fauna sat where she started. "As for you."

She pointed at Comforting. "You're Fluttershy's adopted child. She told me all about you."

"You know mom?" It hit he a moment later. "Of course you know mom... You two are basically peers."

"Exactly." Fauna nodded with understanding. "She's more of an animal-care specialist, and I am an animal doctor. Related, but not the same. Close enough that we bump into each other often. Darling pegasus, that one."

Comforting clapped her hands with growing hope. "The wolfpony I'm talking about is nice, and hurt. She won't hurt you. Her leg is hurt, The back ones." She pointed down at her own legs. "Maybe both, but one definitely worse. Can you look at her?"

Fauna flipped an ear back. "I can't... ignore the plight of an animal in pain." She smiled gently. "Be they a critter or creature." She reached across the counter, pressing a hoof to Comforting's nose. "Smart, coming to a vet. A pony doctor would have no idea what to do." She slid to the ground and moved towards the window. "Let me close things up and we'll see how our patient's doing."

Comforting bounced with joy as Doctor Fauna agreed to help. She waited eagerly as the vet gathered her supplies and locked up the office.

Soon they were on their way, Comforting leading the doctor through town. Ponies gave them curious glances along the way.

At Comforting's home, Cracked sniffed the air and gave a startled "Woof!" as they entered.

"It's okay, she's here to help," Comforting reassured. Cracked relaxed as the vet approached Lily.

Lily was not as easily calmed. "You are not a hunter."

"Sure I am." Fauna set her modest field tools down. "I hunt pain, disease, and whatever else makes anycritter feel bad. I hear I can get a big helping of it right here. Now... Since you can talk, we should start with introductions." She pointed to herself. "Doctor Fauna. And you are?"

Lily dared a little smile. "I am Lily. You can make it stop hurting?" Her tail lashed but once, a hint of hope. "Please..."

"I will do my best." Fauna stepped up to the immense beast that was her patient. "First, a warning. My inspecting may hurt... I'm not doing it for any other reason than trying to help. I need your promise that you won't snap me in half."

Lily considered the small earth pony. She could snap Fauna in half, or just gobble her up... She'd probably be tasty... But... "My new alpha and my new sister would both be upset if I acted that way. I will be patient, this I promise. Even if it... hurts... If it means I can be cured, it will be worth it."

Fauna nodded. "Alright, let's begin. We'll start with the top leg." With Lily laying on her side, one leg was the top one, and she went to give it a looking at. "Let's see what we can figure out..."

Comforting cheered Fauna on, silently. She made all the gestures, but she said nothing, lest she get in the way. She had a backup idea, if this one failed... But it'd be nice if that one worked.

Author's Note

Doctor Fauna to the rescue. She doesn't show up in many fics, does she?

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