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// 4 - You Show Me Yours And... 
// Story: Amber Starts, Comforting Endings 
// by David Silver 
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Comforting followed into each room and space. "This place is wonderful." She clapped at each one, marveling at the splendor of the brighthouse. "So different than mine, and not in bad ways."

Amber cocked an ear at that. "You have a home then? Can we visit it?"

"I'd love to see that." Sunny arrived, closing the door behind herself. "If you're up for it."

Comforting swayed in place, coming in for a landing. "Well... You showed me yours..." She spread her arms wide. "Come here." The ponies closed with her, Izzy, Amber, and Sunny. "Hug!" She grabbed them in a fierce hug. They could see nothing but her warm fuzzy embrace.

At least until they could, in a new place. They were in a large room, two stories tall, with an upstairs on that second floor running along the outside. Amber recovered first with a gasp of amazement. "What's that?!" She was pointing at a statue of a big wolfpony caught mid-snarl, though, somehow, one could imagine it smiling. Happy, despite its menacing look.

Comforting squeaked. "Sorry. I didn't think to hide my keepsakes... I don't want to forget the things I had to leave behind." She floated over to put a hand on the shoulder of the statue. "Dear friends who aren't spirits."

Sunny pinned her ears back. "We didn't mean to bother you, I promise... Is this a bad time?"

"No!" Comforting got out a bit forcefully. "Now is now, then was then. If I hide because of then, I'll never have a now, and that stinks. They were very... very good, but their time ended." She sighed with brewing emotions, but she pushed that aside. "We're here for new friends."

Izzy pointed to a different statue. "Same thing?"

Comforting cringed at the statue of the older female pony, perhaps in her late seventies. "I... thought she'd outgrow me, and we'd drift apart." She took a slow breath. "But she dragged me along instead. I became an adult at her hooves, but she kept right on aging, and I cared... I cared for her until the very end. My lovely Diamond..."

Amber grabbed some cloth on the ground in her magic and threw them over the statues. "I'm so sorry. You invited us over and we're just rubbing salt in old hurts. Don't pretend we're not."

"Then I won't." Comforting tapped Amber gently. "But I'm the one that invited you. I'm not mad, not even a little." She hopped back away a few steps. "This is my home, my place of chaos... I don't plan to spend a lot of time here. It meant a lot to me, as a child, to have a place that was mine. Now, It's just where I keep some things, and I'd rather spend time with you all."

Amber flushed, embarrassed by her presumptuous action in trying to cover the statues without asking. But Comforting's calm response put her at ease.

"I understand...we all have mementos from times and loved ones past," Amber said gently. "They can bring comfort, keeping those memories close. But also sorrow, for what is gone."

She floated the shroud back off the wolf statue, letting it gradually settle to the floor. "How beautifully carved...I can see real affection went into this piece. What was his name?"

Sunny moved to Comforting's other side in quiet support, giving her a comforting nuzzle. 

Izzy piped up from across the room. "These boxes are nifty! Are they magic? What's in all of them?" Predictably, she had already grown distracted exploring.

With a watery chuckle, Comforting gratefully returned Sunny's gesture before turning back to Amber. "That is two, a wonderful pair of them. They were real friends." She trailed a paw fondly along the statue's cheek.

"They were lost in a new world of the future." Smiling softly at the memories, she added "And now... Now it's my turn." She touched her nose to the statue, just to twirl from it. "I can only hope you are just as kind to me as I was to them, and we can grow just as close together."

Sunny flashed a bright smile. "I love where you're going." She offered an arm. "A question, if I might. Alicorns... Did you know any, back then?"

Comforting perked an ear. "Well... Yes. I met several of them." She came in to hug Sunny. "But here's one right here. What a lovely alicorn you are. Are you a shining beacon of hope for your friends?"

Sunny colored darkly at that. "I, um..."

"She sure is!" Izzy grabbed her friend from the side. "She's not called Sunny for nothing!"

Sunny blushed deeper, scuffing a hoof self-consciously under the praise. "Aw shucks, I just try my best to lift everypony's spirits however I can. With a smile or a smoothie!" 

She returned Comforting's hug gratefully. "Though it seems you already have the whole 'comforting others' thing down pretty well yourself!"

A thought struck her and she drew back. "Say, you clearly don't HAVE to hide away here in your little realm of mementos. Why not come join us properly in Maretime Bay? I'd love to have your sunny personality around the city."

Clasping Comforting's paws eagerly, she met the ancient being's eyes. "And not just me! I know Amber is itching for magical tutoring. While Izzy..." A loud crash drew all eyes to the unicorn standing sheepishly atop a pile of haphazard boxes. "...could clearly use some supervision," Sunny finished with a chuckle.

"What do you say?" Sunny coaxed with a hopeful smile. "Will you come out fully to play with us newcomers?" 

Behind her, Izzy's head popped up from her messy pile, mane stuffed withtrinkets that she spat out one by one. "Pwleathe thsay yeth!" she lisped around the last gem before adding a pleading "Pretty please, new bestie?"

Comforting laughed richly at the sight and sound of it. "Silly ponies. I already came out. I don't plan to run back inside just yet, hm? I just wanted to show it to you, because I thought you wanted to see." She reached across the room to brush away some of the things Izzy had begun braiding, but not all of them. "No taking all of my things, please. Let's head back for now."

With a clap, Comforting escorted them back enough paragraphs to end up where they started, in the brighttower, minus some extra goodies Izzy had made off with. "That was nice, but my place is a bit quiet. Your place." Comforting twirled. "So alive. Yes, I like it better."

"Another day, another..." Hitch paused, seeing their guest. "Oh, um... hi?" His baby dragon babbled, reaching for Comforting curiously.

Comforting was unable to deny the little one, rushing up to nuzzle Sparky and dance with them in the air. "Who's a cute little dwagon?!"

Sunny came in at Hitch's side. "That's Comforting. She is quite harmless, and friendly. She's coming to live in Maretime Bay."

Hitch saluted at that. "Well! Then I'm your sheriff. So if you need anything, you call on me!"

Comforting snorted, nearly dropping Sparky in her mirth. "A sheriff? My, how times change!" She gave the baby dragon one last nuzzle before lowering herself and her scaly bundle down to Hitch's level.

"Back in my day, the sheriff was usually the pony you wanted to avoid!" she exclaimed with a wink to Sunny and the others. "All stern scowls and bluster about rules."

She set Sparky down and reached out to straighten Hitch's hat. "But you seem far too sweet for such gruffness. I look forward to getting to know the citizenry here...Sheriff." She threw in a jaunty mock salute.

Turning back to Sunny, Amber, and Izzy with a sweeping gesture, Comforting proclaimed "I officially declare this era the friendliest I've witnessed in ages! Such eager welcomes wherever I wander."

Clasping her paws together, she mused "Now, how ever shall I choose where to settle in and make my mark? A spirit could get overwhelmed by all the generosity and good will."

Pretending to swoon dramatically, Comforting allowed the ponies to catch her. Sunny and Amber held her up solicitously. 

"Careful now!" Amber fretted. "We just got you here - no leaving yet!"

Sunny clapped her hooves. "Oh! Amber wants to start a library. How do you like libraries? Maybe..."

Comforting's eyes glimmered. "What a fantastic idea. If Amber agrees..."

"I agree!" squeaked out Amber. "That sounds wonderful... A library with nopony in it would be lonely, but it looks like I'll have company."

Hitch coughed into a hoof. "There is paperwork if you plan to start a business with a, well, physical business place. I'll help you get that sorted out, tomorrow. For today, I suggest our new guests stay right here."

"I'm telling you, that color is not working for you, sis." Zipp pushed into the brighthouse. "Woah, company." She nodded at Amber, then got to peering at Comforting.

"Company?" Pipp landed next to Zipp. "Wow, company..." Her attention went right to Comforting. "What is that? I assume friendly, since there's not nearly enough screaming going on."

Comforting blinked bemusedly at the twins' scrutiny. "Well, I should hope not for screaming!" she exclaimed, waving a friendly paw. "Not when there are introductions to be made and connections to forge."

Darting forward cheerfully, she pumped each of their hooves in greeting. "I'm Comforting Shade, wandering spirit and magical mentor extraordinaire, at your service!" 

She gestured grandly at the gathered crew. "As you can see, your delightful friends here have already welcomed me most heartily into your fair community. So please, call me Comfort!"

When she leaned in conspiratorially towards Pipp and whispered, "Between you and me, I really could use some fabulous fashion tips from experts like yourselves," both twins perked up immediately.

"Oooh darling, fabulous is my middle name!" Pipp drawled, looking Comforting up and down. "And you have simply divine potential buried under all those...eclectic....layers." 

"Leave it to us!" Zipp agreed, whipping out a small notebook and pen to start sketching enthusiastically. "I can look up what was the in style and pass it to Pipp. What age are you from?"

Comforting clapped her paws eagerly. "How fortuitous! And such impeccable timing. I was just searching for the perfect place to settle in and spread both snazziness and magic across this delightful town of yours." She casually didn't answer Zipp's question.

Izzy did it for her. "She knew Twilight Sparkle, so around there?"

Zipp nodded firmly. "That's surprisingly useful." She strode off to get her research done.

Pipp inclined her head. "Wow, that's a long time ago... You are... going to love when I do your nails." She reached up her hooves, running them over Comforting's many claws and talons. "These are just begging for attention, and I have the salon for you."

She backed a step with a hum. "Silly question... But do you have any bits? Do you have a phone? Oh, merry me, a creature without a phone... I could faint."

Comforting pulled out her phone. "I have one of those!"

"Thank glitter." Pipp wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Then let me see it a moment." She took it and casually installed the proper apps needed for the modern day. "And let's check..." She started the money app and passed it to Comforting. "Either log in or make an account, either way!"

Comforting blinked owlishly before pressing her entire hand against the display. It chirped, accepting that as a login. A large number appeared a moment later with a symbol of a bit next to it. "Never... underestimate the power of compounding interest."

Izzy leaned in from the side. "Wow! You gonna buy everything?!"

"No." Comforting swiped the app away. "I'm happy as I am. It's good to know I have it, so I can afford to pay a new friend for an even newer look." She wriggled her claws at Pipp. "I surrender to your care."

"This is going to be so amazing." She booped Comforting gently. "But not tonight. I'm done for the day! What's for dinner anyway?"

The next day looked to be full of promise.