//------------------------------//
// 175 - Smithing the Blacks 
// Story: New Endings, Old Starts 
// by David Silver 
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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."