The week rolled on towards the end. Amber kept doing her best to learn her library magic, while also fulfilling her duties as head librarian. But also, she practiced cooking a lot more than usual. How did these things go together?
Amber's horn glowed as sprinkles appeared and fell into the pot with a happy giggle. "This is going to be great."
Misty leaned in over Amber's shoulders. "Why are you in here?"
Amber jumped in surprise. "Oh, Misty! When did you get back?"
"Just now." Misty hugged her superior gently. "I didn't expect to find you in the kitchen. I figured you'd be out there, doing, you know, book stuff?"
Amber chuckled with a shake of her head. "I'm off duty. I'm making myself a lovely dinner."
"And, what are you making exactly?"
"Something new," Amber stated, voice ringing with pride. She conjured a few more spices to let fall into her pot. "It has a touch of magic in it."
Misty smirked. "That's nice, but what is it? The book part of me says to have ingredients before the cooking starts."
Amber laughed loudly at that, waving a hoof at herself. "I know what I want, but I don't have all the ingredients, but I can fix that, and it's getting easier. Trust me, it'll be so tasty." She bumped her hips against Misty's. "Want a taste?"
"Nah, it's alright. I already ate." She nudged Amber back. "So what are you making, or do you actually have no idea? Do you really know what you're doing or just having fun with magic?"
"I can do both." Amber pouted, her magic lifting her pot to the side as she ladled out a bowl of the stuff, sniffing at its rich scent. "It's a stew. I wanted to make a lovely potato soup, so I started with that, and then made a special magic version of the veggies for it. That was a lot harder. I really have to focus, but it's so worth it." She picked up the spoon and lifted a bite to her lips.
Her face turned to rapture as she savored it. "And so good. Mmmm!" She held up another spoonful, which was again accepted by her mouth, with moans of delight.
"Sounds like you really love it." Misty inclined her head. "Is it really that good?" She glanced away and back. "Maybe I'll try just one spoon?"
Amber giggled at that, offering up a heaping spoon towards Misty. "It was a theory of mine. Once something melts into the soup, it stops counting as something I made, so I can make more, and it won't vanish from the soup."
Misty had no idea what Amber was talking about but, before she could say anything, Amber shoved the spoon past Misty's lips, smearing her with the creamy substance.
It tasted like melted cheese. So very, very much. And onions, garlic, and something else, maybe mushrooms? There was also a touch of other veggies, with all of it layered on a layer of mashed potatoes that had been there for hours. Misty blushed slightly as she swallowed it down.
"See?" Amber clapped with obvious joy and pride. "It's so good, right? It worked exactly how I'd hoped. So now I can keep adding all sorts of things to it. Potatoes are so filling, you know. That's why they're good to put in soups like this. But I also added extra to mine."
Misty swallowed thickly. "Wow." That was all she could get out for a moment, processing the complex flavor. "Wow! That is actually pretty good. Is this how you used to make soup?"
Amber shook her head rapidly. "No, not at all. That's the funny thing. I always made soup with some simple stuff and not a lot of prep. And, of course, I had to use ingredients I had laying around, which weren't many, so, right?" Amber danced in place, taking another thick slurp of her soup. "Mmm. Comfs!"
With a soap bubble pop, Comforting appeared. "Yes? Mmm." She sniffed at the air curiously, nose twitching. "Soup, delicious." She peered in, taking in the sight of Amber's creation. "How did you make this?"
Misty grinned with a shrug. "She has no idea, but it's delicious." She stepped back, waving a hoof at her boss. "Tell her about your experiment?"
Amber glanced between Comforting and Misty with growing confusion. "I made food for myself to enjoy. We started with soup, then I used that spell, and added some chives, but once the chives got all mixed in there, I stopped feeling it, so I made more, and added that, and more, and more, and, pow, this great soup! Want some?" She willed a new bowl down from the cupboard, glowing with her magic. "Nice and fresh. You can try some. I really do think I figured this out."
Comforting plucked up the bowl with a warm smile. "Don't mind if I do. Thanks, dear. So, what have we learned about what spells do and don't do?" She grabbed the ladel sitting there and got herself a serving to enjoy. "Poor Misty."
Misty jumped. "What? Did I do something wrong?"
"Not at all." Comforting went in for a nuzzle before trying the soup with a loud slurp. "This is amazing, by the way. Wow, you really have improved!" She drank down a little more before turning back to Misty. "I just mean that I'm going to give this to you." She drew out a bookmark and offered it to Misty. "You'll need this, later."
Misty accepted the bookmark, though confused. "If you say so. Amber, I'm going to get to work, okay?"
"I'm so glad to have you back." Amber threw one arm around Misty before letting her flee. Amber turned back to Comforting, humming with pleasure. "It's nice to have her back, huh?"
"It is, indeed. So, that was your test." She smiled proudly at Amber. "You are so smart. It's been a busy week for you, hasn't it?" She sipped a bit more delicately at the bowl. "And I can taste the results. You thought outside the box, and tested where the limits were. And! And, you did it in a responsibly safe way, cooking some yumyums for everypony around you. Very thoughtful."
Amber giggled in a rush, blushing as she dipped her face to the side. "Aw, shucks, you're gonna make me blush."
"That was my plan, yes." Comforting set the bowl aside, floating in the air. "And seem to have succeeded. Now! I've been stuck."
"Stuck?" Amber looked at comforting with wonder. How did a godling get stuck?
"I want to get some benches, but I'm not sure which to buy. Shop with me?" Comforting unfurled a brochure full of choices, spreading out so that Amber could see. "There are so many options. What would be best? I'm very sorry to ask for so much after your test."
"A little shop therapy is just what I need." Amber looked over the options curiously. "But why are you buying a bench? We have plenty of seats in here."
"It's not for me." Comforting crossed her arms under her chest. "It's for ponies enjoying themselves by the tree. I want them to be nice and comfortable and it should fit the vibe already there. Don't you think?"
Amber clapped her hooves together. "Of course!" She motioned over to the door. "Let's go take a look." She trotted out of the door and Comforting followed close behind. The two headed out of the library where they could see the tree to be decorated. "Hm! I think." She pointed to a model. "This would look lovely under that tree. The colors match, the wood is a similar shade. It would just look like it was meant to be there."
"Hmm." Comforting tapped her chin. "Yes, I do like that one." She folded the brochure so just that one was displayed, holding it up as if to imagine the real bench right there. "Together will love it." She sighed with happiness at her future present. "And I hope ponies use it." She shook a finger. "And don't litter! The whole point of these things is to be nice to the earth, so she will be nice to us in turn." She flashed a wide grin to Amber. "But you don't litter in the first place. I'm talking to nopony."
Amber reached up to tickle at her friend. "You are very silly, but I did it! You said I did it. I mastered a spell, even past the obvious thigns. Does that mean I can learn another spell?"
Comforting stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Mmm, well. You said you were a conjurer, do you want to have another conjuring spell? Let me give that some thought. I'll see what I can cook up for you."
"Take your time." Amber was just giddy to start. "I've been practicing so much. I'm not as fast as you, but I'm sure I can figure something else out." Amber considered Comforting a moment. "You've been at this a lot longer, maybe it's not really a 'speed' thing." She shrugged, then blinked. "Wait, I don't mean to call you old. you're not old!"
"Yes I am." Comforting ruffled Amber's head, mussing her mane. "Ancient, but I'm okay with that. When I ruffled the mane of a grandma who'd I'd swapped diapers for, I had to just let that go. I'm old."
Amber smiled gently, reaching up to catch the hand of Comforting's that still rested on her head. "Does it bother you that you aren't aging?"
"Eh." Comforting took her hand back. "I'm exactly as old as I want to be."
Amber puzzled over that a moment. "So you could be my age?"
"I could be you." And thus Comforting was, a copy of Amber with only tiny differences that made it clear she was Comforting in disguise.
Amber jumped in surprise, taking a step back. "A little warning." But Amber was also curious. She reached up to stroke along her doppelganger's cheek, seeing how smooth it was, and how soft, yet strong. "Wow, it really is me." She reached over to take Comforting's hand in her own and was surprised to feel the magic aura there. "Oh, you felt like me. I'm impressed."
Comforting winked. "I know, right?" She took her hand back, twirling herself back to normal. "But I should be me." Comforting returned to appearing as herself, hugging Amber easily. "This me has hands, which are great for hugging you with. I also feel more like me. This body is yours, and it's perfect for you." She kissed at Amber's cheek, nuzzling gently. "We are both amazing ponies, just in different ways."
Amber pulled back with a sigh. "You're more than a pony." She nuzzled Comforting's belly. "And I love you. Now, you wanted a bench?"
Comforting perked. "Right!" She dug out her phone and got to dialing. "Better order that before they close. Oh, hello! I'd like to buy a bench, uh huh, 2839-a. Yep, uh." Comforting swiped at her phone, finding her number and reciting it. "Yes, I authorize that charge. Mmmhmm. Three days? Not bad. Thank you! Just park them around. Them. Yes them, I want more than one of them. Uh, three, make a circle around the tree for ponies to enjoy. Uh huh. Yeah, thank you."
Amber inclined her head with curiosity as Comforting hung up. "So you like to do things the old-fashioned way. You could have just zapped it into existence."
Comforting nodded. "I could have. It'll arrive in three days. When they bolt it down, it'll stay there until it falls apart, or something smashes it." She snapped her fingers, causing a copy of the bench to appear before them. "This will last until we stop looking at it, or the chapter ends, whichever is first."
"Chapter?" Amber blinked, only growing more confused. She looked back to the bench, but there was no bench, already gone. "Oh."