//------------------------------// // 41 - Coming Clean // Story: New Endings, Old Starts // by David Silver //------------------------------// 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."