New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

108 - Best Laid Plans

"Comfy!" Gallus spotted her and rushed to match her pace away from the school. "I was hoping I'd run into you. Talking to the teach?" He hiked a thumb back at the school. "Still learning magic?"

"Not as much anymore." Comforting shrugged, floating alongside him. "I kinda have all the magic I dare to have."

"You... sound almost dangerously confident there." His brows went up. "But forget that! I brought Cracked and Smolder over to our secret cave. Um, don't be mad about that."

Comforting looked far more confused than angry. "Oh? You showed them the machine?"

"I did. Cracked didn't get it, but she's big and strong. With her brawn and Smolder and I's brains, we got it working the way we wanted it to!"

Comforting applauded with joy, drifting over Gallus as she did it. "That's great!" That they'd done it without her direct assistance, she penciled down as another victory. Cheating with chaos wasn't a lasting solution. "Can I share a victory of mine?"

"Huh? Yeah, go for it." He reached up to swat a passing hand in an impromptu high-five. "What'd you do?"

"Remember when I was gone?" She waved off to nowhere in particular.

"Yeah?"

"I learned, or re-learned really..." She worked her hands together. "If you really want something, it'll hurt, but that blood and sweat can bring something lasting. Cheating past it is fun! But not for forever fixes." That there was literal blood, Comforting didn't go into detail about.

"Huh." Gallus shrugged at that. "Well, alright, got a point there. You were trying pretty hard to 'cheat' it, but I feel like what we did is for the long haul. Good job, by the way." He took flight next to Comforting, with more flapping involved. "Glad you took Cracked from wherever she was. She's pretty great."

"Isn't she?" snag out Comforting with a big smile. "Glad you're all getting along. I have to report in to mom." They shared a little wave and Comforting zipped ahead to get to her house. "I'm home!" she announced as she slapped the door shut behind her.

"Sis!" Screwball came hurrying out in an energetic hover to crash into Comforting in a warm hug of shared joy. "Welcome home!"

"Hello." Fluttershy joined the rest of the family with a gentle smile. "Did you have fun with Twilight?"

"I did." Comforting released Screwball to float joyfully away. "But I got a message from Harmony to visit her, so I was going to do that, but wanted to check in first."

"Thank you for doing that." Fluttershy hummed softly. "I... did you know you have an uncle?"

Comforting started. "I do?! I was just talking--"

"--With Discord, yes. He mentioned it to me." She went to a dresser and fetched a picture of another pegasus. "My brother. We... don't always get along..." She held out the picture of Zephyr Breeze. "But I care about him and want the best."

Comforting took the picture in her hands. "Wow." He was one of the few ponies she'd seen with that... specific look. "How does a pony get a stubble?"

"I... never thought about that before." Fluttershy curled a hoof to her chin. "But it's what he always had since he became a grown pony. Some ponies grow all kinds of interesting facial hair, mares and stallions alike, though usually stallions." She patted at her own snout, with average length fur all across it. "Nothing fancy here, sorry."

Comforting patted her own face. "Same here. Dad wins for the most interesting beard in the family."

Fluttershy giggled at the thought. "He wins that hooves down." She took her picture back. "But have a good time with Harmony. Will you be back for dinner?"

"Good question." Comforting twirled on Screwball. "You stay here today. I'll try to be back for dinner, but don't panic if I'm not." She could fix that problem if needed.

"Alright then." Fluttershy grabbed Screwball with a wing as she walked past, taking both towards the kitchen. "Have a pleasant walk."

"Thanks, mom!" Comforting hurried through the door and shut it behind her. Hopping to Harmony was a temptation, but she had just promised to have a nice walk, so she got to walking instead. "No harm getting a little motion in these legs."

But another creature had spotted her walking off. Their steps were deceptively quiet when she wanted them to be. Cracked leaned in over Comforting from behind. "Where are you going? You look like you have your eyes already set on a prize."

"Cracked!" Comforting reached up to tickle the bottom of Cracked's snout, getting a canine noise of approval from that pony snout. "I'm just visiting another spirit, no hunting here, sorry."

"Ah, fine." She shook out entirely from front to back. "But if you need protection, I am here."

"You are just the best." Comforting grabbed Cracked's snout to bring it in for a little smooch. "I'll be alright."

"You are far more capable in this world." She waved a hoof under where Comforting was casually floating. "This world is like that... I was a pale shadow in the other. Thank you for helping me."

"Super welcome." Comforting came in for a landing and resumed her hike. "Have fun!" She waved as she departed. Fluttershy's cottage was right on the edge of the Everfree, so there was nothing else in her way from passing into the forest. None of the monsters there bothered her, either for not being there, or not wanting to start a fight with her.

She did spot a cockatrice, but the chicken of stone was busy chasing after a large worm it desired far more than Comforting, so she left it to its business. Light returned as she emerged from the forest, near the old castle and the treehouse that held Harmony. "Harmony!" she called out, hurrying towards the tree.

"You came." But there was no pony to go with it, just a voice.

Comforting hiked a brow at that. "Trees don't talk. You said so."

"They normally do not," agreed the voice. "But I need all of my energy to make this offer. Friend Comforting, come and listen, then accept or deny. Ask, you requested that."

Comforting hurried closer on her short legs. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, but perhaps it could be more right? Only by looking can we know which is true. Do you remember the vision I shared with you?"

"The... other me?"

"That one." There was a moment of quiet. "Would you like to visit your other self? You have visited other places that could have been, but never were. One more? I would like you to meet your other self."

Comforting rocked left and right, considering the offer. "I've missed a lot of school. I don't want to become a trouble student."

"Harmonious chaos," sang the nothing that was Harmony. "I adore that this concerns you. I assure, no time will be lost. You will get home in time for dinner, even if, for you, it feels like some time."

Comforting raised a finger. "You... sound different right now. Are you alright?" The voice was right, but the way of the words... "Just checking."

"I blame you, friend. I have asked. The other part of the bargain is you must answer. Yes, or no. I will accept either, but you must answer."

"Just checking." She held up two fingers close together. "Will I still be Chaos Comforting, or something else?"

"Sending you as human Comforting would be interesting, but aside the point, and confusing. My chaos has not grown to that extent. Sending you as old Comforting would benefit nocreature at all. Chaos comforting it is. Let two advanced Comfortings learn of each other, for the better, I hope. Do you accept?"

That question was firmer each time it was repeated. An answer was demanded. She had to give it. Yes, or no. "Last question, I promise. I promise promise. Do I get to pick when I come back?"

Metal thumping into the grass. Comforting crouched down and felt about, finding a pin that was also a button. "Press this to come back?" She tried clicking it, and in doing so, gave her answer.

It was yes.

"I should cleanse myself." An image of Twilight stepped out, no longer holding her energy for that effect. "Please be well."

---

Comforting landed with a thump in front of her house. Er, or Fluttershy's house? She was herself, all chaotically mish-mashed. The world looked like the world she knew, but it wasn't, she also knew that. "Mom?" She paused, turning in place to look across the road. There was no mound of Cracked's home.

There was no Cracked. That Comforting had never gone to rescue that beast. Perhaps she had, but left them there in the other world? The other... other world. The multiverse could get really complicated.

"Aw." That Equestria was diminished for the lack of that lovable predator, Comforting decided. But there was little she could do about that. "Mom?" She knocked on the door. "You home?" It was evening, so she wouldn't be at school, Comforting figured.

"Coming," came a gentle voice from within. The door opened to reveal a smiling Fluttershy, but she squeaked and closed the door just as quickly. "Y-yes?" she asked through it, voice quivering.

Comforting felt a stab of pain at the rejection, even if the why became clear with just a moment of thought. "Sorry, not here to bother anypony."

"O-oh... that's good." Fluttershy dared to open the door a crack. "Can I... help you?"

Comforting tried her best smile. "I'm looking... for Comforting."

"You..." Perhaps Fluttershy saw how Comforting, well, looked like Comforting. "She's over there." She pointed to another house, further in town.

Comforting blinked owlishly at that. "She doesn't live with you?"

"Oh, no. She's a princess now. She can handle herself, um... I couldn't really stand in her way." Fluttershy tilted her head at the strange new Comforting. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, sort of..." Comforting rubbed one of her arms. "I'll go say hi. Thanks!"

"You're welcome." Fluttershy closed the door as her brief guest fled. "That was strange..."

Comforting hurried into town, floating along, at least until the first pony fled. "Right." She touched down and got to walking, being less immediately troubling on her feet. "This isn't my Ponyville." They knew her there, and loved her, and she loved them.

She was a stranger there, a strange stranger, at that.

The house Fluttershy had pointed to was a simple one story house. 'Princess Comforting', it read on the post box outside. "Here I am." Comforting turned onto the stone-paved path leading up to the house. "I hope I like me."

She knocked on the door lightly. "Hey, Comforting? You home?"

The door glowed with unicorn magic, allowing a filly to come into view, her wings fluttering behind her. "H--eye?" She saw the strange creature on her doorstep. "Are you related to Discord?"

"Actually, yes!" But maybe not that world's Discord? Surely he'd understand! "It's nice to meet you." She offered a hand.

Princess Comforting reached out, touching hoof to hand. "Nice to meet you. How can I help?"

"That is something I'd ask." But maybe not a helpful start of things. "You know Harmony, right?"

Comforting started with confusion. "O-of course. What about her?"

"She sent me here to see how you turned out." She turned a thumb on herself. "And this is going to sound super wierd, but I'm another you, from another maybe. You could have become me, but you didn't. I could have become a princess, but I didn't." A moment of thought. "Did you get really hurt once?"

Princess Comforting shrank at that. "Yes... That happened. I trusted Harmony to save me. I'm still working to make it up to her." She smiled though. "Worth it every day. I get to make creatures happy all over by fixing things Harmony tells me about. What do you do?"

Author's Note:

Comforting, meet Comforting. By popular demand!

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Comments

[uis]

Sweet Comfortings multiples. Now there are two of them.

Thanks for downvotes.

[PhycoKrusk]

Heads, meet tails.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Comforting started. "I do?! I was just tlaking--"

Should be
just talking--"

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Comforting Chaos Spirit Arc meets Comforting Alicorn Princess Arc. I wonder how well they'll get along? At least the visit is off to a promising start.

I am thinking that the Harmony in the Alicorn Princess Comforting world would be somewhat different also. As would the Discord. They were both influenced quite a bit by Comforting becoming a Chaos Spirit.

Hmm, since AP Comforting is a force for Harmony then any changes that she does are probably very permanent.

[uis]

There are maybe with still-unicorn Comforting.
This is basically two fanfics in one.
Btw if you'll finish this, next one can be about Princess Comforting.

Also Screwie isn't Comforting's sister here.
Here's few scene ideas for you:
1) Pinkie sees Comforticus, then looks at her tail, then again at Comforticus, then she thinks whether she should prepare welcome-to-Ponyville party or second time it isn't as fun as first. Besides she threw party to Comforting(AFAIR).
2) Comforting sees two Harmonies: one local and one hers talking to eachother and says "Did I miss how new friendship formed?"

[uis]

11528314
Tails, meet Sonic

[Prettypony]

This is fun

[midnight arrow]

great chapter

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

It's nice to have some comfy meetings with Comforting and her friends and family. It was interesting for Comforting to describe her haunted house adventure to Gallus, though naturally in a vague way that left out the literal bleeding.

Comforting discussing pony facial hair with her mom was also cute and interesting.

Cracked makes an interesting point that she and Comforting are much stronger in Equestria. It helps in certain ways to live in a much more magic saturated world.

I was surprised that Harmony decided to indeed set Comforting up on a trip to see the other Comforting. I had gotten it into my head that Harmony probably had a long list of things to do before something like that could happen, but it seems like this was of particular importance.

I was a bit worried when Other Comforting was not living with Fluttershy, but less worried when Chaos Comforting finally found Princess Comforting. Looking forward to where this goes.

[David Silver]

11530071
Comforting had an impact on Harmony. Ooo, there's so much I want to say... I wrote the next chapter already. So much! So... much...

You have no idea how much I am ready to explode right now.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11530141

Very good point about Comforting having an impact on Harmony.

I'm really glad to see you this overjoyed. It makes me look forward to the next installment even more than usual.