"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."