New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

151 - Setting Cards Down

"We didn't do that officially," confessed Comforting, moving to the next card, a radial explosion of colors. "Second! I'm literally a god. Dating one of those is kind of awkward for not gods."

Diamond flicked the card. "Doesn't hold water. Your mom is dating one right now! Really, Comfie... I expected better arguments." She folded her arms with a victorious smirk. "You're playing distractions. Just say if you like me, or not. I'm a grown pony. I can handle the truth."

Comforting's house of cards fell to the table, falling apart. "Oh, true... yeah..." Ah ha! She turned over the next card that had a picture of her house. "I'm almost an adult, um, responsibility wise."

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Are you about to play the maturity card on me?" She slapped a hoof on the card of the house. "I already own a house too. My mom drills me like I'm practically owning the business already." She turned her nose upwards. "Don't treat me like I'm some little baby foal."

"Sorry." Comforting brushed the third card aside, banished so easily. She was running out of cards! "Fine..." She sighed with defeat. "Fine..."

Diamond leaned back with a nod. "Good. So... Which is it? Like, not like?"

"You..." Comforting looked Diamond over, examining her face, her neck, her chest and back up to her face. "You are a lovely filly, physically and... you're still growing, but so am I." Comforting leaned closer. "Different growing, but growing. But it makes me feel awkward... I don't want to take advantage."

Diamond hiked a brow at that. "I've known more than you. I'm usually the one teaching you something. What advantage are you taking?"

Comforting reached for Diamond, and wasn't swatted away. She cradled the filly's face, fingers playing through the soft fur. "Diamond, I'm about a hundred years old at this point. You're... what..."

That got her to swat Comforting away. "Old enough. Me and Silver are getting close to graduating. We could join your school in a few years... What do you mean you're a hundred? You don't act like it."

"No..." Comforting looked guilty, called out on not acting her age. "If it helps, chaos spirits seem to do that a lot." A lousy excuse. She knew her other selves were just as happy acting their apparent ages without being a chaos spirit. "Do I like you."

"That is what I asked." She brought her hooves together. "And all this sidetracking is starting to sound like an answer."

"Right." Comforting gently brushed across Diamond's cheek with a few fingers. "You are lovely."

"And I scare you."

Comforting jumped at that. "What? No!"

"You're not hiding it very well." Diamond snorted at that. "Why am I scaring you? Be honest, with me and yourself if you can pull it off."

Comforting stood up, the table of cards vanishing without purpose, leaving Diamond to land on her hooves. "Because I don't want to mess everything up! Because I just got started with Amity, and could make her really sad if I make the wrong choice. Because I feel like a predator if I even think about you that way. Not because I don't like you. I like you a lot!"

Diamond shook her head slowly. "But not that way. Alright... Alright..." She half-turned away. "You just had to say that."

"Not... that way," admitted Comforting with a heavy sigh. "You are a filly I want to protect, and one I want to be friends with."

"But not one you want to kiss or hug."

"Hugs are good?" Comforting offered a hand. "You can always give hugs."

Diamond chomped the hand. "That means a lot, actually... You hate unexpected hugs." She shook her head. "I have a lot to think about." She walked off, the discussion over.

"Man..." Did she handle that right? She really wasn't certain... "Man..." A part of her wanted to flee, to go consult with Amity and share what was going on, but she had made promises. Promises were annoying like that. "Fine." She clapped her hands and appeared next to Twilight. "How are things going?"

Twilight jumped in surprise. "Oh! Comforting. I didn't see you coming. You... Look tense. Not enjoying yourself?" She waved at the loud room of bowling she was in. "They've split up. Some of the students are dancing, others are bowling. Cheerilee said she'd cover the dance hall."

Comforting took a moment to consider the young ones, grade school and college level though they were. None of them seemed to be about to shove a hand into trouble. "They're okay, I think." She saw Featherweight toss a ball into the pins, getting a strike with whoops of victory. "Aw, good going..." Comforting clapped gently at the image, doing no magic. "Twilight, professor... Can I ask you an awkward relationship question?"

Twilight started anew. "I wasn't expecting that. But, certainly. I'll try to answer as best as I can. What's on your mind?"

Comforting considered how best to phrase it. "You know, at this point, that I am both an old creature and a young creature, right?"

"Yes..." Twilight glanced at the students playing their games, but they seemed safe. "A curious case. What about it?"

"Great! Um..." Comforting rubber her hands together. "I was just propositioned."

Twilight blinked rapidly. "Come again?"

"Diamond Tiara has feelings for me, and she just spelled it out for me." Comforting wove an image of a smiling Diamond Tiara in the air. "And it's not like I don't like her, but I'm not trying to be a creeper hanging out with little children that way."

"Oh." Twilight frowned at the hovering image. "This is a lot more complex than I was imagining... There are moral and ethical questions. Fortunately, for you, not many legal ones."

Comforting blinked at that. "Really? None?"

"None." Twilight inclined her head at Comforting. "Legally, you are a foal. Legally, so is she. If you two get involved, that's between you two. Legally... You are also not a pony, but that doesn't change much, in this situation. But! This isn't about legalities. This is about the heart." She reached out and Comforting didn't stop her from placing a hoof on Comforting's chest. "And that's even more important in these situations."

Comforting cycled her hands. "Now you have me curious... If I'm legally a foal, then why did they give me land and they're alright with me having a house? A foal really shouldn't be doing that!"

Twilight inclined her head. "The laws of Equestria assume a lot of power in the raising of a foal to the parent of that foal. If your parent, Fluttershy, feels you are responsible enough to own property, then, by default, you are. Unless you show that you are not, of course. She could be wrong, but that isn't assumed."

Comforting wobbled in place. She was, legally, a little child that happened to own a house. And there were no objections... "Okay... But what if I was literally any other child and this was a terrible idea?"

"Then the ponies around them would take note." Twilight inclined her head at Comforting. "I knew, and I felt certain Fluttershy was not being foalish with this. A lot of ponies knew. They all judged, silently. If they thought the parent was endangering the foal, things would be different. Town Hall wouldn't have given you the land. Most other foals would be powerless to actually make the house. This wouldn't proceed very far, even with their parent's approval."

"I see..." Comforting put her hands behind her head. "So, not a law, more of the town raising the foals together."

"That, yes." Twilight nodded with satisfaction. "And even if you are a very special foal, we're still there, trying to help."

Comforting pounced at Twilight, hugging her around the neck. "And doing a great job! Thank you so much, Professor. I feel a lot better... But is it fair to even consider Diamond like that? I'm more than triple her age! She's great. Wonderful... But..."

Twilight hiked a brow. "I hear you've found a special somecreature."

"Yeah?" Comforting went limp, confused. "What's that have to do with it?"

"How old are they?"

Comforting frowned with thought. From the way Amity had gone on, they were... thousands of years old... "Oh." She fell back a step, laughing awkwardly. "Wow... I feel dumb..."

"We all do at times." Twilight advanced on the aisles of rolling balls. "But realizing you were being silly is a part of learning, and that's not a bad thing."

"No... No it isn't." Comforting hopped back with a big smile. "Thank you so much. You are such a good pony, and teacher."

"You're very welcome." Twilight looked over her shoulder to find Comforting wasn't there, gone. "A friendly Discord..." Just as disconcerting at times, if less irritating as a default.

---

Comforting didn't rush to bring it back up with Diamond, instead serving as the omniscient set of eyes for the students. Timely warnings sent the teachers scurrying to keep them all safe, and they arrived in the Minotaur republic with all hooves and hands accounted for.

The dock was a noisy pit of calls and carts. There was smoke in the air, not thick enough to choke a person, but enough to be quite noticeable compared to Ponyville, or the ocean itself. All the students filed down the gangplank with curious expressions, looking around with awe.

Twilight nodded at Cheerilee. "Here we are. We're staying at..." She drew out her schedule, which had that written at it. "Here." She displayed the address to Cheerilee.

The grade school teacher shook her head. "Mmm, that was too much to ask." She smiled. "But we'll see each other at the performance. Students!" They turned to her quickly. "Let's go!" She waved for them to follow her and led them off down the road.

That left Comforting with the friendship students. Twilight looked them over, doing a quick count. "Looks like everycreature is here. Now, I know you all want to go exploring, but this is a whole other country. You will, at all times, be with at least one other student." She curled a hoof to point at herself, then Applejack. "Even better is when you have one of us with you, but, at least, one other student. Let's go check in at the hotel."

Gallus chuckled, following but sliding in towards Comforting. "Twilight's looking ready to freak out if she loses track of any of us."

"So let's not do that to her." Comforting nodded with confidence at that idea. "Did you want to see something specific?"

"Look at them." He waved out at the creatures they were going past. "They got... What even are those?" He gestured at a passing car. It looked like it had escaped the 40s or earlier, quaint and old-fashioned, to Comforting. New and amazing to the other students. "There are so many of them!"

Ocellus shivered. "I don't know... I don't think I like them."

Yona shrugged. "Bet could smash."

"Bet you could." Comforting wagged a finger at Yona. "But you're here to be a nice guest, so no smashing."

"Aw." But Yona didn't fight it very hard.

They went into a hotel that looked older than the automobiles had been. Aging brickwork stood powerfully against the ravages of time. Inside, a smilling minotaur behind their desk nodded to Twilight. "Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's wings ruffled. "Oh! It's... Not often somecreature recognizes me with that title. I wasn't expecting it here."

"Would you prefer I didn't? Good to see you, ma'am. Your suite is prepared for you." He was well mannered and smooth in tone. "Would you like any help with your luggage?"

Soon those who had luggage had them loaded onto a cart to be pushed along by a much younger minotaur, the older one leading the way. "We offer all amenities here, ma'am. If you have any needs, just pick up the phone and it will go directly to the front desk, where we eagerly wait word of what can hone your stay."

Twilight glanced back at her students, walking forward. "Thank you. We'll settle in before we consider that, but that's good to know." She waved for them to head in ahead of her. "Everycreature in. We'll have a whole day to explore."

Author's Note:

Welcome to the Minotaur Republic! They seem to be doing alright by themselves. Comforting has big thoughts, but what is the reasonable answer, do you think?

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Comments

[Theresa hall]

If diamond is hoping for a date comforting is dating harmony so it seems weird having 2 dates at the same time.

[Poparakelis]

Comforting frowned with thought. From the way Amity had gone on, they were... thousands of years old... "Oh." She fell back a step, laughing awkwardly. "Wow... I feel dumb..."

From now on you shall be called dumby

[Poparakelis]

The minotaurs seem pretty advanced

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Comforting is rethinking her response to Diamond at least some. Since she can't go talk to Amity right now she can't find out if Amity would be accepting of being in a herd.

But then, Diamond didn't bring up the herd possibility as a counter when Comforting said that she was already dating someone.

Meanwhile, let's learn about the Minotaurs.

[Emtu]

It makes sense that the minotaurs would be more technologically inclined, since they don't have magic, they're bipedal, and they have hands.

[PhycoKrusk]

Comforting frowned with thought. From the way Amity had gone on, they were... thousands of years old... "Oh." She fell back a step, laughing awkwardly. "Wow... I feel dumb..."

Well, I don't. It really isn't the same thing, at all.

[Iso_the_Werewolf]

11675674
Except it kinda is.

If you think in terms of Adult with a Child, you immediately cringe because it's wrong.
When you think of an adult with another adult noone really cares with the only negative thoughts i can think of usually being a
"they only got with them for their money"
From what Comforting said she's basically got around a hundred year age gap between her and Diamond, and Amity has about a thousand to her.
It doesn't matter that Amity and Comforting are in some degree adults, the age gap is still as if Amity is dating a child in the same way that comforting
would feel that she was dating a child ( I know in this case that would be literally ) compared to her having been an adult prior to this life.

The only real problem would be the possible ethical bits that would be caused by an adult mind in a legally child body dating a child.

This would be the same for both Comforting and Amity but the only difference is we default to "its ok" since we all see comforting and amity as adults.

To put it simply think of the phrase "Robbing the Cradle" ( I think that was the phrase, its been forever since i heard it )
Comforting knows that in her situation it would basically be fine for her to date Diamond but felt it was wrong but then realized that her current date
is basically doing that with her and she had an "oh duh" moment.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

I really felt a lot for Comforting and Diamond in this chapter, and for Amity, even though she was "off screen." But at least things are looking up a bit after Comforting's talk with Twilight.

Also interesting to see the Minotaur's tech, especially their cars.

[David Silver]

11675792
11675674
To Amity, Comforting is a little infant, barely aware of herself. There is a strong maturity and power imbalance between them. One could argue, easily, this difference is even more severe than Comforting + Diamond. Fortunately, for Amity, she never had this worry. Can Amity behave against her generally baked in ethics? She promotes harmony and the growth of ponies. None of this interferes with that. Let the mortals quibble about the little things.

Which brings up, that Comforting is even worried would be another mark of Comforting being immature compared to Amity. "Watch. Test. Grow. Do it, or do not. Watch. Test. Grow."

At least, this is Amity's view on it. her view is her own, and not universal by any stretch.

[David Silver]

11676017
It felt logical to me that they'd be a bit advanced, considering each time we've seen them, they had some higher tech gizmos. Headsets, airships, and such like that.

[Quirky View]

Time for Comforting to consider polyamory? :P and ask Amity if she's ok with it if she does consider it

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11676217

Very good points. They seem like very talented engineers.

[uis]

Comforting reached for Diamond, and wasn't swatted away. She cradled the filly's face, fingers playing through the soft fur. "Diamond, I'm about a hundred years old at this point. You're... what..."

What? Since when?