Amber Starts, Comforting Endings

by David Silver

3 - You've Got Mail

Comforting beamed. "One moment, getting some mail." Unlike a generation ago, both ponies just nodded, as if that were a normal thing. "You have mail too?"

Izzy and Amber both pulled out their phone, waving them at Comforting.

Comforting casually pulled out a phone of her own. "Well, if I don't need to look at my mail in my head anymore, I'm not gonna! You two just made my day even better." Buoyed with the fact that checking messages wasn't an odd thing anymore, she pulled up the message.

Good Morning,

I can feel you moving around, and it fills me with joy. You've come back right as a test is happening. A challenge is being faced. I can't say I had much influence over it, but just enough that I feel confident it will be passed. You are already making friends!

Did I mention I was proud? Friend Comforting, please find a new happiness in this new age. Though your old friends are gone, there are so many new ones eager to take your hands and begin new dances.

Oh, speaking of that, be gentle with magic. Perhaps a single spell? We both need to learn the limit of unicorns in this age. It is small and intuititive, so far. Let's not throw it off balance with ideas of what it 'should' be.
With Love,
Together

Comforting inclined her head. "Together? Dear friend, why do you change names so often?" She hugged her phone anyway and tucked it into her chest. "Now then! That was one of my friends, who's alive and well. But she prefers to be as she is. Email only."

Izzy waved forward as she began a walk. "It's time to make Sunny's day, c'mon!"

Comforting floated after her, Amber trailing behind. They cut right through the city along the main road, a curious procession.

"What. Is. That?" Posey stares at Comforting, eyes darting to Izzy over and over. "And why aren't you panicking? Seriously... Look at it..."

Izzy darted over to tackle Posey. "That is our newest friend!" Comforting waved gently. "See? She's harmless, mostly. I bet she could do a lot of things, but she wouldn't, because she's nice."

Posey laughed tensely. "I wonder at times if you even listen to yourself... None of that was very encouraging, other than the nice part."

Comforting thrust a hand at Posey. "Hello. She's not wrong. I would like to make friends, not hurt anything, promise."

Posey eyed Comforting's outstretched appendage dubiously. "Riiight. So you just...magic'd yourself into existence to make friends. Totally normal occurrence in this town."

Despite her sarcastic tone, curiosity glinted in her eyes as she circled the patchwork creature. "Hmm, at least you have style, I'll give you that. The whole asymmetrical look is very bold."

Unable to resist, she reached out to scritch under Comforting's chin with the gentle rubbing of her hoof. "And you seem sweet enough. As long as you don't go full chaotic monster like the legends of old!"

Izzy bounced around the pair eagerly. "See, Posey, I told you she's the best! Amber found an old book with ancient creatures and I guess she accidentally zapped this one back to life with her mind!"

Amber flushed, scuffing a hoof. "I really don't think I can take credit for this. Comforting clearly has a whole history of her own."

Comforting gently nuzzled against Posey's chin scratching. "You have no idea how long it's been since I got a good scritch. I could tell you, but you wouldn't believe me, so why bother?"

She playfully nipped at Posey before floating higher. "I promise though, no monsters here. I'm made of nicer stuff than that." Comforting winked down at Amber. "Now, let's go make this Sunny's day! She was always one of my favorites."

Izzy gasped at the idea. "You know her?"

"Oops!" Comforting slapped a hand over her face, concealing her snout as they continued. "Forget I said that," she murmured through her fingers.

Izzy cocked a brow. "So you don't know her?"

"Nope, who's this Sunny character you keep mentioning?" Comforting laughed tensely, doing a poor job of concealing anything.

"Okey!" Izzy took it at face value, going along like nothing was wrong. "You'll love meeting her! This time of day..." She turned off. "She's gonna be at her stall!" She pointed to a juice stall with a small line of three ponies getting their smoothies on. "Let's hop in line."

Comforting grabbed Amber and carried the squeaking unicorn to the end of the line before setting her down. "There we are."

Amber's breathing slowed as she wasn't being held up. "You didn't have to carry me. My legs work... just fine, promise."

Comforting gave her new friend some gentle petting strokes as they advanced in the line. The mistake seemed forgiven as they got to the front.

"Izzy!" Sunny smiled brightly as they got up to her. "And friends?" She nodded at Amber, then craned her head back to look over all of Comforting. "Hello?"

Izzy waved to the large form of Comforting. "This is Comforting Shade. She gives good hugs, shook hooves with Twilight Sparkle, and knows all about the ancient past."

Sunny's jaw dropped. "I... Really? It's...." She tried to calm herself with varying levels of degree. "It's an honor to meet you."

Comforting rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks coloring slightly purple. "Oh gosh, yeah...about the past stuff. I may have embellished things a teensy bit." She shot Izzy a wry smile. "You know how legends grow with each new telling!"

Turning back to Sunny, she waved a hand dismissively. "I'm really no one special. Just a wandering spirit who found some wonderfully friendly ponies to keep me company today."

She leaned in to give Sunny's mane an affectionate tussle. "But Izzy tells me you're the real sunshine around here! Anyone who brightens days like you deserves the highest honor."

Sunny blinked in surprise, then laughed. "Oh my! Well, aren't you a smooth talker." She smiled warmly. "But truly, any friend of Izzy's is a friend of mine. Please, try my new blueberry blast smoothie - it's today's special!"

As Sunny set about whipping up creamy drinks for the group, Amber sidled closer to Comforting with a curious gleam in her eye. "So you really knew the historical Twilight Sparkle too? From my ancient texts?" she whispered eagerly. "You simply must tell me all about her!"

Comforting held up her paws with an awkward chuckle. "Ha, well, knew OF her is maybe more accurate? Like I said, I stretch the truth sometimes just trying to impress new ponies." She ruffled Amber's mane. "You understand, right? But maybe later I can share some tales of the old legends. Over something chilled and sweet from our new friend there!"

Amber's ears sagged, but she frowned a little with doubt. "Yeah..."

Sunny put down three blueberry blasts, one for each friend there. "Didn't we meet before?" She pointed at the brighthouse. "I remember you, you were looking for a library, weren't you?"

Amber brightened at that. "I still plan to make one myself! Oh! Oh. Comforting, please don't lie to me again, I don't like that... But magic. Please, please.... You weren't lying about magic, right?"

Sunny perked an ear curiously. "What about magic?"

Comforting smiled brightly. "I was not, but I forgot more magic spells than you remember, which is none... I will teach you a spell. Just one. We'll see how it goes from there, okay?" She laughed tensely as she grabbed one of those smoothies. "Now, I want to see how this is." She slurped softly, for a smile to erupt. "Wow... good! How much do I owe you?"

Sunny waved a hoof. "Oh please, smoothies are on the house for such intriguing new friends! Consider it a 'welcome to Maretime Bay' gift."

She eyed Comforting curiously as Amber pestered her about magic lessons. "You know spells then? Real ones from...well, whenever you might be from?" Sunny chuckled. "Forgive me, but you seem a bit of a mystical mystery yourself!"

Izzy slurped her drink loudly. "Oh she's gonna teach Amber allll kinds of awesome magic, you should see-"

A sudden thwap of a griffon tail across her mouth stopped the blabbermouth mid-sentence.

Comforting smiled brightly at Sunny. "Just an old soul with a trick or two still up my sleeves! But I believe magic learning is best done slowly, gently. Wouldn't want to overwhelm dear, cautious Amber here on her first try."

She leaned in with a wink. "But between you and me, if she has even half the talent I suspect? You'll have a truly gifted sorceress on your hooves before long!"

Amber blushed at the praise, scuffing a hoof shyly. "Oh gosh, I still have so much to learn first. But perhaps...." Her horn glowed softly as she levitated a flower over from a nearby stand. "I might finally bloom in my own way here. With a little guidance."

The flower wove its way into Sunny's mane as Amber smiled. "A small thank you, for being so welcoming to this stranger."

Sunny fluffed her mane where the flower rested. "Thank you, now, I have to get back to work. But! Why don't you three head up to the brighthouse, and I'll be along after my shift. I have questions." She looked between Amber and Comforting. "And I'd like to get to know these new friends better."

Izzy saluted. "To the brighthouse! Y'all don't even need me to show you there." She pointed to the rather light lighthouse with a rainbow firing up the top of it. "You'd need to close your eyes to miss that."

Amber giggled softly at the towering building. "Even I found that, and I'm about as new here as you are, Comforting."

Comforting zipped to the front of the group headed that way. "It looks wonderful..." She kept to herself thoughts of the elements of harmony, old relics those were. It was always on? What did that mean? She had a thousand questions, and few answers. "I'd love to visit it with you." She slowed to let the others catch up, walking along with them.

Comforting slowed her pace as they approached the colorful lighthouse, letting Amber and Izzy pull ahead. She gazed up at the rainbow beacon pulsing brightly atop the building, brow furrowed.

So much was wonderfully familiar here...yet changed. Modernized. Entire ages seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. It was jarring for one used to a slower pace of life.

Glancing back to see her new friends waiting expectantly, Comforting composed herself and floated up to join them. No need to dwell on the past when there was so much future ahead.

"My apologies, got a bit caught up in memories for a moment there," Comforting said breezily with a dismissive wave. "Now, let's head inside and you can give me the full tour! I simply must know all about how this lighthouse works."

As Amber eagerly led the way in, chattering about possible library spaces within, Izzy dropped back to poke Comforting knowingly.

"Soooooo, things sure look different from your era, huh?" she whispered with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "Go ahead, you can tell me allll your ancient secrets. I won't blab a word, feather's promise!" She drew a hoof across her mouth to mime sealing it.

Comforting just laughed, giving the exuberant pony a playful nudge towards the entrance. "Oh Izzy, let's just stay focused on the present, shall we? Plenty of fun to be had right here in your time without dwelling overly on history."

With an exaggerated gesture, Comforting waved Izzy ahead. "After you, my little tour guide! Show me all this lighthouse has to offer."

Izzy hopped forward. "You're not wrong, there is so much right here! Do you like building? Tell me you like building. C'mon!" She led the way to her workstation, where she could take any matter of junk and uni-cycle it into new wonders. "Ta da!"

Comforting clapped at the display. "Love it, love it." She took up a needle-nose plier. "You have so many little tools... Seriously, loving all of this." She put it down. "This is a new age, and I say hello!"

Author's Note:

They made it back to the brighthouse. So far, so good, eh? Comforting has to adjust her claims with Together's message. Making Together sad isn't the goal, after all.

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Comments

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Comforting is having to be very careful if she talks about the "olden times"? And there's a test coming ? Maybe she can distract herself by helping Amber with establishing a library in town.

[redmar]

This was another nice chapter. It seems that Comforting already knowsa things about the modern agebut isn't ready to reveal that yet.

[David Silver]

11805170
Comforting, originally, came from a modern Earth-like world. Woo, return of cellphones!

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

The beginning with Comforting finding out about phones now being commonplace was very cute, as was Together's message, and Comforting hugging her phone in response.

Speaking of which, it is indeed interesting that Comforting's fellow spirit keeps changing names over time...Harmony, Amity, and now Together.

Poor Posey. At least things worked out for her, despite her initial suspicion. It's a good thing Comforting is such a good egg.

I think a lot of interesting history conversations could be had if Comforting, Amber, Sunny, and Zipp wind up in the same room.

It's also interesting to see Comforting getting used to life in the future, and I look forward to more of it.

[David Silver]

11805524

The beginning with Comforting finding out about phones now being commonplace was very cute, as was Together's message, and Comforting hugging her phone in response.

She had just weened herself off Twitter too...

Speaking of which, it is indeed interesting that Comforting's fellow spirit keeps changing names over time...Harmony, Amity, and now Together.

Just which of the two is a chaos spirit, hm?

Poor Posey. At least things worked out for her, despite her initial suspicion. It's a good thing Comforting is such a good egg.

Comforting accepts pets and hugs from suspicious ponies.

I think a lot of interesting history conversations could be had if Comforting, Amber, Sunny, and Zipp wind up in the same room.

It's also interesting to see Comforting getting used to life in the future, and I look forward to more of it.

She also welcomes this strange new realm and its many creature comforts she doesn't have to chaos into being. There are a lot of plusses going on here.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11805539

She had just weened herself off Twitter too...

Ha!

Just which of the two is a chaos spirit, hm?

That's...actually a fair point and a really good bit of irony.

Comforting accepts pets and hugs from suspicious ponies.

That's really open minded and compassionate of her, which suits her.

She also welcomes this strange new realm and its many creature comforts she doesn't have to chaos into being. There are a lot of plusses going on here.

So many modern conveniences.

I agree that there really is something to be said for just *having* an internet and not having to chaos one into being while keeping it a secret from most people.

[Lord BLACKHUNTER]

Ok I have to ask is Comforting's house still around, and will she move it to Maritime bay? I know fro the maps of G4 and G5 both still show Sweet Apples Acres. So her house should still be around.