New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

144 - Trying New Things

"Let me try." Prickle accepted the small ruby-like rock Smolder had, turning it around in her hooves and sniffing it. "It smells... earthy." Satisfied with that, she sat and looked to Comforting. "Am I allowed?"

"Just one." She held up a finger. "Let's not go testing how durable your insides are. And if it hurts, stop. This isn't a dare."

"Not a dare..." She popped it into her mouth and closed it, then her teeth. A loud grinding crunch filled the air as nothing could stand before those teeth of hers. Her movement was inevitable, and they were included. The ruby became uneven powder under the crushing force. Grinding chewing reduced the remaining chunks to join the first powder and she easily swallowed the mush she'd made.

Smolder's jaw fell. "That... was amazing! Wow..." She swatted the new pony friend on the shoulder. "Woah, awesome... You just went at that like a dragon, and, as a dragon, I tip my hat." She tipped the hat she wasn't wearing. "So, how was it?"

Prickle licked the inside of her mouth. "Mmmm, like a salt, but not as... salty? A little sour, but not bad. Does each kind of gem have its own taste?"

"Yes!" Smolder leaned in, a huge grin on her face. "Wow, a pony that can really taste a gem! You are something else."

"Sorry."

Smolder blinked, caught off guard by that. "For? I'm saying that's awesome! You are a gifted little pony, and you can stop by to hang out whenever you want." She burst into fresh giggles. "Not that we could stop you, but we wouldn't want to anyway."

Gallus snorted, approaching with a sly look. "You need a reminder."

"Of?" Prickle watched Gallus with some uncertainty. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes." He poked her in the center of the chest. "You're insulting my friend. She's awesome. Nope, won't stand for it."

"Oh... Sorry?" Prickle inclined her head. "Who?"

Gallus fired double finger guns at Prickle. "She's right there. Great little pony. I can't wait to learn more about her."

Cracked thumped her tail on the ground before swishing it vigorously left and right. "I concur. Little prey friend, visit as often as you please."

Comforting clapped with a radiant smile. She had made a friend, and her friends liked her friend. A complete victory. "Getting a treat." She zipped inside to get some sweets to cap off the meal.

That cookout was a merry day, celebrated with good food and good friends.

---

"I have never done this." Amity looked around, not exactly nervously, but lacking some of her stoicness. "Am I dressed properly?"

"Ponies don't wear anything half the time and that'd be fine." Comforting ruffled the top of her filly self's head. "It's cute." They were wearing a sunny yellow dress. "Now, did you have something in mind?"

"Yes." A paper appeared with a pop, filled with scrawls. "I picked this up from Twilight, but a good list really can be helpful."

Comforting reached for the paper, just for it to dart back, Amity's horn glowing in a twinkle. "No. It's a surprise, Friend Comforting. Our first stop will reveal much." She set off, leading the way through the bustling city of Canterlot. "I hope you are ready for some action."

"Action?" She looked about at the fancy ponies that occupied the city. "What kind of action?"

"The kind they keep at the edges." Amity led the way towards where the urban became suburban. There, a carnival waited for them, with delighted screams and ponies loudly enjoying themselves. "I present."

"It's wonderful!" Comforting hurried forward a few steps. "I didn't know this was here?! Ponies have carnivals? I suppose they should... I just never visited a pony carnival!"

Amity tucked the paper away into herself. "Your reaction is exactly what I was hoping for. Friend Comforting, let's go inside."

"Please!" They went together, side by side, into the carnival. Sure, they had to stop to get a proper ticket, but they was hardly a pause. Comforting only realized after they got inside. "Wait... Should we have paid for each other? That's a normal part of dating."

Amity inclined her head. "It can be. Friend Comforting, I know you are old enough to know better."

"True... We just didn't talk about it." She drew Amity closer. "Guess it's a silly thing. I don't think either of us are worried about cash."

"We are not." Amity pointed. "How good is your accuracy?"

"Mmm..." Comforting went where she was pointed to, a game of throwing a beanbag at a target. The prizes were many and dazzling. "Which are you hoping I get?"

Amity waved Comforting closer, to whisper, "You know these games favor them. You shouldn't promise me victory here."

"I could win." Comforting flashed a smile with the promise of chaotic power. "You know I could."

"But then you're not playing." Amity clapped gently. "Play. If you happen to win, we'll celebrate. If not, we will have had fun playing. We win either way."

Comforting pouted faintly at her orderly date. "You're not wrong. Alright, just play. One please." She set down a bit and got a beanbag in return. "No magic. No chaos, just me throwing this."

"Do your best," called out Amity, watching with a little smile. "That is all I request."

"And all I'll deliver." Comforting drew back the ball, eyes on the grand prize target. "And... Toss." She hurled it, but it bounced off the lip, missing.

"Nice try. Want another?" The pony working the stand floated a new bean bag over. "You got this. I have a good feeling."

"Mmm, okay." Comforting produced a fresh bit and prepared for her second attack. "I was a little left. So..." She tossed it with her experience, but the ball veered off despite it, that beanbag balanced differently. "Hey..."

"Close!" He grabbed a fresh beanbag. "Another?"

Comforting pointed to where the fallen old beanbag was. "Can I toss that one?"

The unicorn carnie shook his head. "Afraid you can't. I only collect those at the end of the day. Wouldn't want me to be hit with a flying beanbag, would you?"

The urge to make him get hit with a beanbag was there, but Comforting fought it down. "Amity, do you want to try?"

Amity sprang forward, her magic grabbing a beanbag and leaving a coin in its place. "I will try." She angled the ball left and right in her arcane grip, feeling it. "Fifteen left, ten forward, five back, seven right..." She twirled it around. "Five up and ten down. I'm ready." She drew it back and hurled it. It went right where she wanted, falling in with a little thump, not even touching the sides.

Comforting gaped at it. "You said no magic."

"I don't have fingers." She pointed at Comforting's digits. "Did you want me to throw it with my mouth? I can do that. Did I upset you, Friend Comforting?"

The carnie went over to peer into the hole, as if doubting the bag could really be in there, but there it was... "Huh... Little lady, you did it. What prize would you like?"

Amity pointed up at the larger prizes. "What would you like, Friend Comforting? I would like to give you a gift."

Comforting looked up at the selection, humming and frowning. "Let's go with the big Celly." And soon she had a plush Celestia to hold. "Adorable..." She waited until they walked away a little before she let out the questions. "Alright, how was that fair? It looked like you were using order. I didn't use chaos!"

"I did not force things to be. I only did my best." Amity raised a hoof. "I could feel the weights and compensated."

"You compensated..." Comforting tossed up her free hand. "I could feel it, but figuring out how to counter it perfectly..." She trailed off and started to laugh. "You did your best, and your best is pretty great." She ruffled Amity gently. "Such an amazing date I have."

Amity's smile returned as things clearly relaxed. "I did my best. When the rules are clear, order has an advantage. When the rules are uncertain, chaos has an advantage."

"Fair." Comforting pointed off. "But there are no rules to riding the teacups."

Amity considered the twirling teacup ride. "There are rules. Keep your arms within the..." She trailed off, seeing Comforting wasn't on the same page. "It isn't a game," she revised. "So there are no game rules."

"Exactly." She led Amity over and they were soon loaded into a teacup. "We both win, just relax and try not to get sick as you're twirled around."

Amity reached her hooves for the knob at the center. "It appears we could enhance the gravity being used. Should we?"

Comforting grabbed the other side. "That's half the fun! Let's twirl, but no damaging the ride."

Amity's lips moved as she performed calculations quietly. Her grip tightened, pressing her hooves to it. "I am ready."

The ride began, twirling them gently around. If one wanted, one could have a peaceful little twirly time. But there was a chaos and order spirit ready to have fun, so they didn't do that. They pulled in unison, at first. The teacup wildly spun in one direction, just to stop on a dime and go the other way, jerking left and right as Amity's horn and Comforting's hands pulled and tugged at it.

Other ponies gaped at their wild ride, but it had to come to an end. They slowed as the ride did, calming to a smooth halt despite their crazy gyrations. Comforting leaned out the side, feeling her insides wanting to be outsides, and she couldn't resist it, making a mess of rainbows across the ground. "Wow... That was fun." She flopped back, dizzy, but satisfied.

Amity dashed off to grab some napkins and return to Comforting with them floating along. "I miscalculating your tolerances. I'm so sorry."

"No. No!" Comforting grabbed some napkins to clean herself. "That was at least as much my fault as anything else. And I had fun!" She climbed out, freeing the teacup for the next pony. "We should do that again sometime."

"With less twirling?"

Comforting ruffled Amity gently. "Maybe more twirling."

"I do not understand you." Amity walked along despite that. "What about that?" She pointed to where a pony was painting other pony's faces, mostly foals, but some adults. They were both, at least physically, foals. "That looks entertaining. We can become art."

"Let's." Comforting lifted Amity from the ground, letting her dash along with her little passenger. "Do you want to be a cat?"

"I am a pony. I am a spirit. But today, I will also be art." She nodded, confident in her reasoning. "I hope I will be good art."

Comforting got a sudden idea. She waited on the line with a nervous giggle, her idea building as they got closer and closer. The moment it was their turn, she dashed up, leaving Amity behind. "Excuse me!" She grinned at the painting pony. "How much to borrow your paints?"

The mare blinked with confusion. "Little filly, why would you need my paints?"

Comforting pointed to the approaching Amity. "She wants to be art, and being art made by a friend will be even better. Can I borrow them and paint her?"

Amity gasped. "I hadn't considered that. Friend Comforting! I like this idea. Please, allow her to make me into art."

The art mare smiled gently at the two. "Well, she obviously is alright with it. I don't see much harm in that... Just don't go too wild with it." She waved a hoof to her collection of dyes and goopy inks. "Also, you... remind me of Discord. No offense, but do you need my ink?"

Comforting blinked softly. "You have a brilliant point. This is why they pay you the big bits." She paid anyway, then twirled on Amity. "Let's start."

"Let's! Transform me, please."

Comforting ran her fingers over Amity's face, leaving colors behind. "You're already a work of art. I'm just making it even more obvious to everyone else."

"Aw..." Amity went in and touched nose to nose. "I love you too."

Author's Note:

Date time, at a carnival. What more could one desire?

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Comments

[Cyana Flame]

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Their first date seems to br going very well. A carnival offers a bunch of different things to enjoy.

I wonder if Celestia or Luna ever vist that carnival?

[Dontar]

adorable and full of diabeetus inducing dawws

[Poparakelis]

"You compensated..." Comforting tossed up her free hand. "I could feel it, but figuring out how to counter it perfectly..." She trailed off and started to laugh. "You did your best, and your best is pretty great." She ruffled Amity gently. "Such an amazing date I have."

"Aw..." Amity went in and touched nose to nose. "I love you too."

YEEEESSSSSSSSS

[Gordon_Freemane]

You're already a work of art.

Narcissist much?

[Prettypony]

OMG YESSS this date is perfect!

also love prickle berry she's a new fave of mine

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

Prickle both eating and tasting the gem was very amazing.

It's really fun to finally see Comforting and Amity's first date, especially at a carnival where they get to spend a lot of time figuring out what to do. In particular, Amity winning the big Celly for Comforting stuck out in my mind...there's something adorable at the thought of big Celestia plushies existing in Equestria. She is a celebrity, after all.

[David Silver]

11651328
Don't be jealous. I would like a big Celly plushy too. Soft and huggable! Her wings are posable, I hear.

[David Silver]

11650812
Prickle is a quality pony. A shame I've only included her in two stories so far.

[Prettypony]

11651572
Maybe Sunset was born on the wrong side of the mirror

[geomease]

First the face paints, then the smooches

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11651940

Perfect cuddle material.