New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

129 - Relief

Comforting stepped free with a loud sigh. "I feel..." It was... "Like I had a pressure that I never knew I had until it was gone and now I'm glad it's gone." She twirled on Luna. "Has that ever happened before, with any other person?"

"Hm." Luna sifted through her long life. "Not to my recalling... But I am glad we've put that to rest. It does make me feel that you were speaking the truth."

"I don't lie as a rule." She struggled to think of when she lied even as an exception. "What did you think I was lying about?"

"You are too old." Luna leaned in. "By most rights I am aware of, a foal would have learned this. I speak this not in insult, but as a fact. You could not have been a newborn pony. You were something else. What a novel and unique creature you are. I suppose that is fitting of a chaos spirit."

"About that." Comforting's frown returned. "We really need to make that super crystal clear. I am a mare. This is not a point of debate."

Luna raised a hoof. "Are you a pony?"

Comforting looked down at herself. She was mostly pony? Also griffon, yak, dragon, changeling... Oh, and chaos spirit, couldn't forget that bit... And old-soul human if one wanted to be accurate.

"This clearly upsets you. But I don't understand exactly why. The word 'mare' has meanings to you that they do not to me. Tell me what mare means to you." Luna returned to the kitchen, to the salad they had created. "I am listening."

"Don't rush me." Comforting trailed behind Luna. "A mare is a female."

"That is one thing a mare is, yes." Luna turned towards Comforting, the salad tossing itself with her magic. "Is that all a mare is?"

"That's the important part?" Comforting trailed awkwardly. Wasn't that obvious?

"I cannot speak of whatever world you came from, but 'mare' means more than 'female' here. It has to. We have so many kinds of creatures." She tapped a hoof a moment. "Oh, look at you. You're a good example. A yak. Would you call a female yak a mare?"

That had Comforting lost. "What do you call a female yak?"

"Most ponies are happy with 'yak', and they don't argue it." Luna grabbed some plates and began setting them out with salad and implements. "You have a yak friend. You could ask her if they have a term they prefer. You, on the other hoof, seem to prefer mare. Do all female chaos spirits call themselves mare? I admit, I only knew one such being, and they were male."

"Still is," assured Comforting, if a little confused. "Wait... Were we arguing about what species I am? I wasn't even... That wasn't the point!"

"It's what I thought." Luna inclined her head. "Was it poor logic for me to start from? Still, I clearly upset you. I apologize for that. Still, at least we're on the same page now."

"Y-yeah... Okay... So, about your sister?" Comforting hopped up nimbly into a seat that was there because she needed it to be, joining the table at her plate.

"Yes, that is why I came. She is upset, as you can easily imagine, I hope. She does not wish to be severed from her guiding friend." Luna sat at the same table, lifting a fork of salad to her mouth to crunch a moment. "Can we fix that? Also... you've implied you speak directly with this presence."

"She's super awesome!" Comforting smiled with thoughts of Amity. "We're friends. I should... talk to her before I speak for her too much though. This is kind of a big deal. But I can say she's not hurt and she's not gone. I'll ask her how she wants to go from here." She tapped her fingers together, not eating that moment. "So... we're clear?"

"Even that information is enough, I feel. She will stop panicking, knowing things are still here, and being worked out." She reached for Comforting's shoulder, resting a hoof on it lightly. "Thank you. I appreciate your help greatly."

"Glad to help." Comforting tapped at her chin, eyes wandering over Luna. "So what am I?"

"Still a complicated question." Luna crunched a carrot with due consideration. "A mare, a yak, a changeling, a... Can we just say you're a Comforting Shade? That's a nice thing to be."

Comforting huffed with pouted cheeks. "You don't tell Discord he's a bunch of things, do you?"

"He's a Discord. Chaos spirit. If you are happy with that, I could go with that, but you prefer mare, I am told." She suddenly looked serious. "Has some creature, pony or otherwise, been mistreating you?"

"W-what?" Comforting waved over the area. "Mom would be so mad at them if they did that. And it's for sure not her! She's... great. What makes you ask that?"

"You behave like a creature that has been abused.." Luna leaned in, looming over the table and Comforting. "If it was somecreature around here that did it, I would have words with them. If not me, Twilight would surely have interest in anycreature making her student uncomfortable. You have friends and allies, Comforting Shade. Do not think you have to face things alone." She was an imposingly... supportive force, threatening whoever was making Comforting feel bad about things.

She clopped a hoof down on the table. "Has somecreature been telling you that you do not fit in?"

"No!" blurt out Comforting a little louder than she planned. "No... Ponies around here are nice, promise."

"I am glad to hear that..." Luna settled, her fur going smooth slowly. "But then what? Is this... I admit, this is somewhat new to me, but I am told you have lived a longer life than your appearance would imply. Then again, so have I. Perhaps we are not that different, at least in that way. Did some creatures..." She paused. "No, you told me that. They did. They attacked and berated you. You still carry those hurts forward, like lingering nightmares."

She sank in place. "I know that feeling all too well, lingering doubts and shames that refuse to go away... Did I make it worse? I cannot say sorry enough."

Comforting pushed her salad aside. It wasn't like she had to eat anyway. "It's... alright, if we're clear."

Luna pointed to the door. "I should go. I've bothered you more than required. Hm, I'll tell sister what you've told me, and that will put her at ease, I hope." She stepped around the table. "Allow me one more question."

"What's that?" Comforting kept her eyes on Luna directly.

"You are a chaos spirit." That wasn't a question. "You have in you the ability for great harm, but those I have met thus far regard you in a very positive light. Does this responsibility weigh on you?"

Comforting looked ready to snap a reply, but it failed to come out. It... was kind of a big deal. "But I like it..." She was the friendly neighborhood nice goddess! Sorta? "The hard part is knowing when not to get involved. I can't fix everything, even when I want to."

Luna turned slowly towards her. "You have proven it."

"Proven... what?"

Luna smiled gently. "You speak with a wisdom only one who has seen much of life can arrive at easily. No young creature can admit they can't fix something in need of fixing, save for lack of temporary ability. I am put at ease. Oh! You know Twilight Sparkle, do you not? She is your teacher, or one of them? I haven't visited that school..."

"You should," taunted Comforting with a smile. "They'd love to meet you."

"Perhaps, in time. But she has a way to send letters. You could use her, with permission of course, to contact me, should you ever wish to. Don't feel beholden. You owe me little." She sat and clapped her hooves. "Of course, you could send a letter through the mail. It will also reach me, but not as quickly. I wonder at times what route a mailed letter takes."

Comforting giggled at the near childish wonder in Luna's eyes. "You should ask them. I bet they'd tell you. They may even let you walk with them as they send a letter and you could see it for yourself. That sounds fun." It wasn't a curiosity she shared personally, but she was pretty sure she knew how letters worked.

"I wouldn't... want to be a bother," demurred Luna with an uncertain tone. "They look so busy every time I see a postal pony."

"They do have a lot of letters to deliver." Comforting clapped her mismatched hands together. "But if you ask nicely and stay out of their way, they may show you. Oh! Oh! Ask Cheerilee."

"Who?"

"Cheerilee, she's a local teacher, of foals." Comforting pointed off towards the school. "If you took the foals with you on a little field trip, they could learn about how letters work with you. They'd say yes to that, I bet. Then a lot of ponies, you included, could learn about it."

Luna's brows came down. "Are you..." She cut herself off. "We're already even... There are things you should know, that any foal would learn. It is time I accept the same failings in myself. If I can learn alongside the foals, I am still learning. This is a wonderful idea you've given me. I will consult with this Cheerilee and then many ponies will understand the mysteries of the postal service."

"Sounds fun." Comforting lifted into the air and zipped over to grab the door for Luna. "I hope everything's alright now?"

"Not entirely." Luna stepped through the door carefully, it being smaller than her. "But it is on the right path. Apologies once more." She suddenly snorted. "And now I feel silly." She went off with her guards, but was replaced a moment later with a big pony wolf.

"Did she bother you?" demanded her big friend. "She's still close enough to hunt, just ask it." Cracked growled low, but it wasn't directed at Comforting, nothing but adoration sent in that direction. "It wouldn't even be the first time we've clashed."

"What?" Comforting went up to grab Cracked by the snout, rubbing gently. "No hunting the princess."

"If you insist." Her tail slapped against the ground, perhaps enjoying the petting a bit overly much. "Was it a pleasant visit then? I smell your sweat."

Comforting flinched at that. "Dogs!" Talking dogs, the worst kind, that'd call you out when you lied to them. "It got tense... But she wasn't attacking me, and I wasn't fighting with her. It's fine. Besides, you're here, and it's hard to be mad with you here."

With a pleased grin, Cracked panted, her tongue slightly hanging out of her mouth. "Flatterer." She nuzzled Comforting to the ground and nosed her into it, drawing giggles from her chaotic friend. "If you say all is well, I will trust you." She sat up slowly. "This is odd to admit to someone so much smaller than myself... But you are my alpha, Comforting Shade. My elder sister. I trust you to have wisdom, and for me to follow it, knowing you will direct me in the correct way."

Comforting sat up with Cracked still half-pinning her by the lap. "That's a big responsibility."

"Mmm, not as much as once it was." Cracked licked Comforting across her entire front. "We are both adults, and food is not scarce. You are not guiding me in how to survive, but helping me to thrive. You are a friend I trust to have wise words." She inclined her head. "We don't even hunt together. I save that for the younger ones, and I am their alpha, when it comes to that." She smiled with growing pride. "And I enjoy teaching them and guiding them. They have so much to learn."

Author's Note:

I don't know what to type here, so I'll just type that I don't know what to type here. That'll do, I hope?

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Comments

[Dravkwn]

This story makes me happy.

[Theresa]

I think in order to understand she have understand comforting whole story from when they were first born to when they were reborn thanks to Celestia and and when the path took a crazy new turn and discord did what he could to save someone in need of help. And how it helped them help others who might be overlooked. Harmony tried but she may see a lot of things but even she doesn't see everything or she would have nipped some problems in Budd before they got so bad.

[Emtu]

"What do you call a female yak?"

IRL, male and female yaks are bulls and cows respectively. Female griffons are likely hens, hippogriffs could be either hens or mares, female dragons are usually called dragoness, and I have absolutely no idea what a female changeling would be called - outside of Thorax, Pharynx, Ocellus, and Chrysalis, I don't think changeling gender was addressed at all.

[David Silver]

11598682
All valid, though 'yak' is pretty common these days as a non-gendered label.

Still, calling a yak a mare would confuse people.

[Reily]

11598682
I don't even think changelings have major genders that much. When you can be anything, what you are besides your name really matters.

[David Silver]

11598738
On the other hoof, how a changeling chooses to represent itself could be quite important, and less arbitrary really, since they picked it.

[Dontar]

the interaction between Comforting and Cracked give me warm fuzzy feelings

[Reily]

11598745
I suppose that is very true Mr. Silver. Very true.

[DarkPhoenixx]

That had Comforting lost. "What do you call a female yak?"

This got me curious enough that I just had to look it up Wiki

[Alvsecret]

"He's a Discord. Chaos spirit. If you are happy with that, I could go with that, but you prefer mare, I am told." She suddenly looked serious. "Has some creature, pony or otherwise, been mistreating you?"

Draconequus

[David Silver]

11703402
Another name to use.