16 - Tree and Me
"Do you think they would reject you?" Standing perfectly still, Harmony appeared as Comforting there. "Would your friendship be invalid?"
"No! I hope not?" She rubbed at her cheeks softly for a moment. "It's a lot to know."
"It is a lot." Harmony smiled gently. "But you know it. I learned it too."
"You do?!" Comforting bounced to her hooves excitedly. "All of it?"
"There are some I do not learn, and much I realize you do not." Harmony inclined her head in a slow but smooth motion. "I could watch them after they awakened me, and can still see them today."
Comforting worked that out as if counting on her hooves and her mouth moving with figures. "So episode two to... forever past that, wow."
"I speak it to make it less impressive." Harmony as Comforting leaned in, nose twitching, but eyes distant. "We are similar this way. They have not forsaken me."
Comforting quirked a brow at her twin. "Oh! Why are you my double? I don't mind, but you were Twilight before."
"Because you don't mind." Harmony sat next to her double. "Most others would be upset to see themselves."
"Third time." Comforting tapped at her chin. "If you just wanted to be a tree, that'd be alright too."
"Trees do not talk." There was a tree there, but it did not speak. It was just a crystal tree of harmony, standing tall over Comforting. It offered no words but its presence.
"Oh..." Comforting curled on her friend that was a tree. "So you have to be something that has a mouth, to use it. That makes sense. Is it comfortable? Are you happier without a mouth?"
There was a second Comforting, and no tree. The second Comforting, likely Harmony, had her forehooves pinned by the original just the same way as she had flopped Harmony's roots. "It is not uncomfortable to have a mouth. It is a different way of being, but it is a way of being. Are you uncomfortable having a mouth?"
"I enjoy being this way." The original pawed up at the clone with a little smile. "But I never didn't have one, so I'm a little biased. So what you're trying to tell me is that I should just stop being worried about it and tell them because at worst I'll be as bad as an all-seeing tree of wonders that not all of them have met."
Harmony became still and quiet for a moment. "You have a point." She freed a hoof and set it on Comforting's nose. "Are you used to arguing with creatures like me?"
"No." Which didn't stop Comforting from capturing the hoof with a goofy smile. "But I trust you."
"You seem that way." Harmony leaned in over Comforting, looking through her casually. "What would you do if I visited while you were awake?"
"Introduce you to all my other friends?" Comforting inclined her head up at the god that was currently another copy of herself. "Hope you like them, and that they like you. I'd take you around town and we'd play."
That only made Harmony smile. "I think I would enjoy that, but most others would not. I do not know why my appearance does not bother you, but many others would be. You are not normal, but neither am I." Quiet descended upon them, with Harmony staring through Comforting. There were no background sounds to fill the silence with, companionable or not. It was a forest, but there was nothing in it.
"I spoke too soon and gave poor advice." Harmony drew herself entirely free to stand before Comforting. "It is up to you how you will approach this problem."
Comforting raised a hoof to object, but the dream was over.
"I'm so glad you could make time for me." Starlight was smiling brightly, perhaps forced a little. "After our last conversation, I'll admit I wasn't sure if you'd want to come back."
Comforting closed the door with a glowing horn. She was getting better at moving things around, day by day. "I can't keep running away from you."
Starlight inclined her head at that. "I don't want to be some fierce monster you run away from, Comforting."
"But you are, whether you try to be." Comforting hopped up onto the chair across from Starlight and crossed her arms as she settled back. "That's what I am here to fix, or try at least. I'm not entirely sure I'll get it right, but if you're willing to work with me, then I can try."
Starlight considered the little filly in her office. "Comforting Shade." That made the filly perk up on her. "I don't understand you." Starlight leaned in with a quirk of a smile on her lips. "But I want to. Will you help me understand?"
Comforting quickly bobbed her head. "That is exactly what I am here to do, counselor Starlight." She was soon sitting entirely on the seat with her haunches planted on its cushioned surface. "Let’s, I mean, I think I need to start with that. Before you is, really, a filly." She thumped herself with her little hooves, both of them against her chest. "So sometimes I don't understand everything about how the world works, and I don't think I do. I will get confused a lot, and that's alright. One can only hope older ponies around me will help me understand, and then I'll know."
"I am ready to try." Starlight nudged a plant closer. "Have I introduced you to Phillis? He's my assistant."
Comforting burst into giggles at introducing the plant. "Hello, Phillis. Would you believe you're not even the first plant I've had a chat with recently? You seem like a lovely house plant." She leaned up to nuzzle the plant gently and got a whiff. Horse noses informed her that chewing the plant would be tasty, but she knew it would also be rude. Phillis was not a random wild plant waiting to be nibbled at.
Starlight patted her pet plant gently. "Do you have a plant you take care of too? It's nice to meet another plant mother that isn't a farmer."
"I wouldn't dream of eating them." Comforting worried her hooves together. "May I tell you things that you keep quiet and to yourself?"
Starlight raised a brow at that. "Of course you can. As your counselor, I am expected to keep certain things quiet." She raised a hoof. "I should warn though that if it sounds like something that could hurt you or ponies around you, I may speak up about that to keep you and everycreature safe. I don't want anycreature being hurt and will protect you all."
"I am quiet to protect you and me." She wobbled the hoof between Starlight and herself. "But what I know is the past. Not the present, or the future."
Starlight lifted an ear. "So you know all my dirty secrets, from the past, but none of what I am up to these days?"
"Unless I see you do it." Comforting smiled brightly at that. "I doubt you'd do anything too strange while you were working."
"I'd hope not!" Starlight drew her plant away from Comforting and set it aside. "Alright. A test, if I may. Where am I from?"
Comforting scowled at that. "You were from a small town with a unicorn friend, I think? You made a small town that you ruled over until Twilight came along and--"
"--Enough! Thank you." Starlight's smile had become quite strained. "I prefer not to think about that time, but you clearly know about it. But you also seem to not know all the details."
"I don't know everything." Comforting rubbed at her right ear, forcing it to wriggle about. "Is that enough?"
"Actually, yes. I think that covers it all." Starlight spread her hooves across the table. "You are from another world where, for some reason, knowing about our past was a thing. You learned there, then died. Instead of doing whatever the normal thing is, you came here, to Equestria." She tapped at the desktop firmly. "And now Fluttershy is your mother and I'm your counselor. Do I have any part of that wrong?"
Comforting considered that with a frown, but that seemed to be most of it. "You have the idea. I am not some strange god or something. I'm just a normal person who knows a little more than she should for her age."
"An old soul," giggled Starlight. "Made literal in this case. I can work with that. So, Comforting, this is something that you are likely not getting help with in class, but you still have no cutie mark. Ponies usually have that settled by the time they come here, but you're a special case." She waggled a hoof at Comforting. "I want to help. Now, I could send you off to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They are experts at this sort of thing... But their methods specialize on little ponies."
"I am a little pony!" The smallest and youngest that Comforting had made friends.
"You are, but not up here." She tapped at her forehead softly. "And that makes a difference, I say. You are not unsure of who you are. This means that you are not unsure of what you want. You are a loving adult in the form of a little filly." Starlight set a hoof on Comforting's head. "May I note you are adorable?"
From adults she had already accepted, the unannounced touch was easier to accept. She even smiled at Starlight at the compliment. "Thank you." Though it inspired a question. "Am I that cute, really, compared to any other filly?"
"Woah, tough question." Starlight reclaimed her hoof to rest against her head. "All fillies are pretty cute, it's their thing. Comparing your cute to theirs is hard, but most of them get upset when an adult notes it. Foals don't want to be cute unless it's getting them something. You just happen to be somepony I'm fairly sure would enjoy being called cute. So I'm saying exactly that because you are pretty cute."
Comforting giggled at the adult that was judging her. "You aren't as scary as I thought you would be, or could be." She offered a hoof towards Starlight. "I will come here to talk about things with you, if that's alright?"
She met the hoof with another as Starlight returned the favor. "That sounds like a deal, then. Let's discover what your mark should be and learn more about what makes you tick, Comforting. I am your friend. Even if I ask a few questions, that might make you nervous. Saying no is still an option, but I only ask for your benefit."
"You will scare me." Comforting's horn glowed to tug at Starlight's suddenly not glowing horn. "What spell were you casting?"
Starlight's eyes widened in surprise. "You will scare me! Twilight mentioned you could see magic." Her horn glowed. "I didn't real--" She started as Comforting tugged her horn, interrupting whatever spell she was doing. "Hey!"
"I can see you doing something." Comforting was smiling at Starlight. "I can't tell what spell, but you are doing something and not knowing makes me nervous."
"I was recording." Starlight gestured past Comforting. "I was going to share some of it with Twilight, your magic teacher. I think she, and you, will benefit from that being shared. Besides, she is the headmare of the school, so that's two reasons she may want to know."
Comforting threatened with a hoof off the chair. "I don't want to have my teaching be even a little different. I am happy as a student as I am right now without being treated special."
"Except you are." Starlight pointed to the compact form of Comforting. "You are the smallest and youngest student. That gets special treatment. You aren't complaining about that, are you?"
"No..." Comforting sagged, defeated by a logical thrust. "You know what I mean!"
"I think I do." She offered a hoof towards Comforting. "And I will do my best to not mess that up."
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Starlight patted
Starlight spread her hooves
Two interesting conversations.
It is wonderful that Harmony and Comforting get along so well.
And Starlight maybe a bit afraid of Comforting in some ways, but she seems to understand her also.
Comforting just doesn't want to be treated a lot differently. She is happy being a friendly filly.
Some Starlight/Twilight mix-up?
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All fixed!
Agreed, and quite profound.
Distant perspective
Gentle wisdom provided
Harmony’s found friend
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I'm really glad I can brighten your day a bit with my analytical replies. :D
Your extra thoughts about Starlight, Comforting, Fluttershy, and the general situation were very helpful too. :)
Looking forward to reading more. :D
The part with Comforting nuzzling Phillis, noticing that he smelled tasty, but also immediately noting that it would be rude to nibble on him, was very funny and very adorable. :D
Harmony's characterization continues to be fascinating, mysterious, and consistent, all at once.
They really do feel like a being who has gradually had to get used to going from a sleeping abstract concept, to an awakened being in a plant body, to a being living as a tree yet also able to shape speaking bodies for themselves.
Come to think of it, when Comforting met Phillis, it was a very cute callback for her to remember that she had a friend who is a tree. :)
It's very nice to see that Comforting and Harmony have more in common than expecting. Even knowing a lot about Equestria's recent history, through different circumstances and means.
I think what Comforting have that is most valuable between them is a sense of complete acceptance. They may not know everything about each other yet(Or even everything about themselves), but there is a real sense of unconditional friendship.
I feel like Comforting and Starlight want to have something like that, and it seems likely that they eventually will, but obviously circumstances are making things difficult. It's really interesting that Starlight, a special unicorn, knows another special unicorn when she sees one, and that is having its ups and downs.
Especially since Comforting's special eyes can do more than change color, and can see colors that would be to faint for others to see.
Which naturally caught Starlight off guard when she tried recording the conversation. XD;
It is good that Starlight is at least trying to not severely disrupt Comforting's...comfort.
I feel that there's something special about how Starlight describes the kind of adorable that Comforting is.
Often times being cute is just a tool when you're a kid. But when you're an adult, and have time to look backwards, sometimes you start to regret not enjoying being cute for its own sake.
And that's part of why Comforting's new life is such a gift.
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There were definite notes of 'Oh, another plant!' there, and Comforting figured being polite to the second plant overlord was wise. Besides, Phillis is adorable in his own way. Also tasty smelling... We won't act on that part.
Harmony has seen many things, just someone that accepts them as what they are without obvious fear/awe not being one of them. Harmony is a local god, and Comforting is happy to curl at their feet and chat, and sometimes that's just nice.
Starlight is a different case! Starlight is trying to approach this with her counselor hat on, to some amount of success. That got rattled when Comforting showed the practical side of seeing magical glows, which makes covertly recording difficult. She needs to get one of those little tape recorder deals.
You are right in that cuteness is often used as a tool to an end. Comforting hasn't shown that tendency often. She just is cute, and doesn't mind being called on it, though this has implications of its own. She likely didn't see herself as cute before the new life, but clearly welcomes the title.
keep it up~!
And unsurprisingly, Starlight lied straight through her teeth.
She never intended to keep her promise of not divulging what they talked about. Saying "if it endangers others" is just a blanket excuse. Anything, with enough mental gymnastics, can be twisted into something dangerous.
"An Honest person is trustworthy even as they don't tell the full truth. While a Liar is met with suspicion even as they tell the truth."
Can you remind me of what happened? I stopped reading this for a few months because nothing was really happening and I found it boring but I’m picking it back up because I had nothing really better to read.