//------------------------------//
// 13 - Beach Episode 
// Story: Amber Starts, Comforting Endings 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

The afternoon sun blazed hot above them, but neither one paid any mind to the warmth. They had settled under a large umbrella for their day's excursion, watching as the gulls and birds flew overhead. Seagulls called out from the sand and water, apparently intent on announcing their presence to one and all.

Amber sat beside her new companion, humming softly at the gentle sea breeze that wafted through. She took a deep breath, eyes closing for a moment.

Comforting jumped up to spike a ball, but an opposing pony thumped it back up over the net. They were laughing and having a grand time of volleyball in the sand. Some ponies liked to play frisbee on the beach, or collect shells. Other ponies spent their time building sand castles. They were all equally valid pursuits of fun.

"Amber?" Comforting jogged up, having ditched the volley ball court a moment, letting the others get back to their games. "Are you doing okay?"

Amber looked up to Comforting. "Better than okay." She crossed her arms as her magic grabbed some sun cream and began dabbing it over herself. "Here I am, on a beach, knowing my library's bringing joy to ponies. I couldn't ask for too much more." She paused. "Well, okay, I could finish learning magic, on second thought."

Comforting nodded at the librarian that had accompanied them, next to Amber. "You look relaxed."

"I am!" assured the stallion with a flick of the tail. "Thanks for inviting me. This is the best day off I ever had!"

Comforting hugged Amber from the side. "And you, my friend, are making great progress, but that's kind of a secret, hm?" She let out a little giggle, snuggling around the smaller librarian. "You seem to have gotten quite a bit of this done yourself."

Amber pushed a hoof against Comforting's muzzle. "I could do this part myself. Not all of us need a sunscreen buddy."

"You said I was the perfect sunscreen buddy!"

"I meant that you can turn invisible."

Comforting grinned at Amber with an insincere innocence. "I also have fingers." She splayed them to show them off. "Great for sunscreen." She looked past Amber to their stallion companion. "Offer's open for you too."

He cocked an ear. "Huh? Oh, thanks, but I'm fine."

Comforting zipped over Amber to peer at the stallion. "You don't have screen on. It's your choice, but I will laugh when you're walking funny tomorrow."

Amber peeked up over Comforting. "Is she right? Did you forget to put something on?"

"I'm good." He held his head high. "I never forget this stuff, so it's fine." He paused with a curious look. "Is that what you guys call sun screen? I guess I see what you're getting at."

Amber stared at the stallion with amazement. "It being in your bag isn't going to help you." She swatted gently at him. "Get it on, or let Comforting get it on. She is pretty good at it, and she offered."

"I'm fine," he insisted firmly, backing away. "Really. No need."

Amber shared a look with Comforting, but nodded, accepting that. "If you're sure, we won't bother you about it."

Comforting returned to Amber's side. "Some ponies are stubborn like that. It's not my job to rescue ponies from their own decisions. Say, want some ice cream?" She pointed to a vendor offering up the stuff. "Or I could soar over and grab one of Sunny's smoothies if you prefer?"

"Ooh! A smoothie sounds delicious right now." Amber giggled to herself. "I'm trying to get used to not wearing glasses now. It's just so different without them on."

Comforting nodded. "Be careful with that. If you can't see, don't feel bad. It's not a 'tough' thing to stagger around blindly." She lifted into the air, wind tussling her fur. "What flavor are you hoping for?"

"Strawberry. Any strawberry thing, really." Amber waved as Comforting lifted into the air.

"Coming right up!" Comforting waved with a smile as she zipped off to the Sunny's Smoothie stall. "You keep enjoying those golden rays while I'm gone."

She soared over the city, enjoying the sight of ponies going about their business on the warm day. Most of them weren't enjoying the same day off that the library happened to have a day off. A bird called sharply to her right, annoyed she was taking its air space. "We have to share." She stuck out her tongue at the critter and arced downwards to land just in front of Sunny's stand. "Sunny!"

Sunny gave a smoothie to the next pony in line. Comforting was the creature next to be served. "Comforting, nice to see you. What uncanny timing." She tapped her chin but once. "What can I get for you today?"

"Strawberry was the order, what orders do you have with that?"

Sunny considered. "Strawberry Sunrise, coming up." She got to throwing fruit into her trusty blender along with some ice cubes. "Enjoying the day? It's been quite warm, all things considered."

Comforting nodded. "Oh, yes. There's a lot to be done, but we're relaxing for a change, me and Amber and one of our new friends." She pointed back in the beach's direction. "A librarian's day out! Can you make that two?"

"Two it is!" Sunny got more going with little hums of a song. "Banana," she sang softly to herself. "Slippin' on a peel."

Comforting blinked at that. "What song is that?"

Sunny dug out her phone. With a few presses, she got the actual song playing out for anypony around to enjoy. "It's a silly thing I accidentally inspired." She laughed with a little blush. "I was bent out of shape at first, but I've gotten over it. It's funny, looking back at it."

She poured out two cups and sealed them up. "Two strawberry sunrises! Tap your phone here." With a soft chime, she knew she was paid. "Here you go!" She handed them over to Comforting. "Have fun with your pals on the beach."

"Will do!" Comforting hopped up, letting the magic carry her and the drinks. "And have fun selling these juicy smoothies." They shared a parting wave and Comforting soared back to Amber and their fellow librarian.

Amber sat up with a delighted grin. "Mine?" At Comforting's nod, she took her drink. "You're so good to me." She leaned in to bump noses with Comforting, the two sharing a moment.

Comforting reached over Amber to nudge their friend. "You want one? I got two," she sang out, jostling the smoothie temptingly.

The stallion sat  up at that. "Huh? I figured the second one was yours."

"Pfft, I have more." Comforting casually brought out a third one out of nowhere. "Take this one." She offered up that second, the real one. "If you want?"

"Sure!" He gladly touched a hoof to it and pulled it back, showing once more than ponies that day had strong hoof grabbing powers. With a big slurp, he smiled. "That really hits the spot. Thanks, Comfs."

Comforting paused as if frozen a moment. "Wow, it's been a long time since anycreature called me that." She giggled with a happy twinkle in her eyes. "That feels wonderful hearing that again."

"Huh?" The stallion tilted his head at her. "Your friends don't call you that?"

She booped the stallion on the nose. "One just did! Enjoy your smoothie." She sipped from hers, enjoying the chill even if the flavor was never exactly right, when she just conjured food from nowhere. "Now, going to guess, but you--" She was facing Amber again. "Are the kind of pony who will gladly spend the day at the beach reading a book."

Amber nodded with a giggle. "Most places, that's true. But on a sunny day like this, it feels like a waste."

Comforting snapped her fingers, producing a parasol from nothing. She plunked it down and parked herself under it. "So, if not reading, what would you like to do? I'm here for it either way."

"Um." Amber glanced at the water. "Swimming? That seems to be what some ponies are doing."

Comforting lit up with a bright grin. "That's an idea I can get behind." With a clap, she and Amber were garbed in a one-piece suit that covered their torsos nicely. "Let's get into that water!"

Amber scrambled up to her hooves. "And I guess it's now." She took one final sip of her smoothie and set it on the towel. "Alright, let's do it!"

As one, they raced to the water, Comforting actually using her hooves properly with great stomps each time a yak hoof came down.

Amber slowed, watching Comforting. "Why is that leg so much stronger than the other?"

Comforting came to a slow stop when Amber did. "Huh? Oh." she waved down at her mismatched legs. "I carry a gift from each of my old friends. This one." She pointed to the yak leg. "Came from a huge yak with a warm heart. She was powerful! And so is her leg."

"I never saw a yak before." She rubbed behind her head with amazement. "I bearly heard of them, in an old book. You are the most ancient book of knowledge we have."

"Gasp." Comforting was a book, just like that. "You read me like a book." She was back to 'normal'. "Now, about that swimming?"

Amber nodded, returning to the ocean waves. Comforting joined her and both dove in together. The stallion, as he did, didn't get into the water, sitting on the towels. "He can keep an eye on things." She bumped into Comforting as best she could with the water tossing her. "Let's swim!"

Comforting gladly followed her into the water, the two paddling out until their hooves didn't want to reach the ground, at least if they wanted their heads out of the water. Well, it was that deep for Amber. Comforting was taller, but played along, keeping all her limbs off the ground.

"So, what do you think?" Amber pointed towards the stallion. "You have a sense for this sort of thing. Is he in love with me?"

Comforting gave Amber a little head pat. "You are jumping to conclusions. You are his boss, his bossmare. He respects you, but keeps those feelings at home. Now, better question, are you looking for a stallion?" Comforting leaned in close. "I could start looking. We could find a lovely pony to trot at your side." She giggled with anticipation.

Amber turned a deep red. "Comforting! That is--" She shoved a hoof towards the water's surface, splashing it around. "None of your business!"

"It wasn't, until you just made it mine." She grabbed Amber in a brief but firm hug. "So tell me, should I be looking or not?"

Amber sank down into the water, getting her neck wet. She came back up, smoothing her mane back. "I don't think so. Having you look for me feels odd." She considered a moment before it clicked. "What about that mare? She was your special somepony, wasn't she?"

Comforting winced at ancient memories. "She was, a long time ago." She raised a hand from the water to properly wave to the distant past. "I loved her quite a bit. And she loved me back just as hard."

Amber inclined her head. "So, you like mares then?"

Comforting colored brightly in her cheeks. "Um, well, I guess I'd be lying if I tried to claim I didn't. But, at this point, I don't think I mind too much what a creature's hiding back there. It's what's on the other side." She tapped at her noggin. "That's the part I have to talk to, and I could change the other part if they're adventurous enough."

"You're like that." Amber considered that a moment. "I'm not ready for that."

Comforting blinked with surprise. "For me to change your bits, or you changing a partner's bits? Because I can't do that for you, if that's what you're hinting at."

"No." Amber frowned deeply, a slight pout on her lips. "I wouldn't ask that, and if you could do that, please don't. Ever."

Comforting chuckled sheepishly. "I was kidding! Kidding. Really! I wouldn't even if I could." She cleared her throat. "No, I mean, I don't mind a stallion." She suddenly winked. "And I could do that, but I wouldn't. Not unless--" She trailed off a moment and shook her head. "I doubt that. I haven't seen that yet. Ponies just don't do that, I think?"

"Do what?" Amber grabbed Comforting for a change. "I'm listening, promise."

Comforting held Amber as they bobbed on the waves. "Most ponies are pretty happy the way they are, and that's not bad. I haven't run into a stallion that wishes they were a mare or a mare that wishes they had been born a stallion. For that, I'd go ahead and make their dream come true." She let out a happy sigh, wistful in tone. "Without any regrets."

Amber nodded at that. "That sounds nice. I mean, if you can do that."

Comforting kissed Amber on the nose. "I can! You just ask. But, well, I don't want to take things too far for most ponies. That would be rude, to force my magic on somepony, to change things so permanent, and I think that's crossing a line for some of you. Or all of you? I don't know." She shrugged with a smirk. "Maybe for you, but I know you pretty well. Anyway! Back to the point, I'm not looking right now, are you? That's all I'm asking."

"N-no." But Amber sank, blushing. "I'm fine."

Comforting hugged her bashful friend. "If you change your mind, I'm listening."