New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

165 - Calling the Young Six

She found Sandbar first, pouncing atop the pony and sliding her legs down on either of his sides. "Valliant steed!"

Sandbar whinnied in surprise. "What?!" He curled to look at Comforting. "Oh, um, hi?"

"Hello!" She squeezed him gently with her thighs. "Where are the others? Sorry to be so, um... to the point."

Sandbar inclined his head. "Is something wrong? They're probably in class. It is class time. I'm just going to the bathroom."

Comforting colored with a laugh. "Sorry." She lifted from Sandbar's back. "I don't mean to get between a pony and that." It was classtime? She looked about for a clock, there. Yep... She was missing class. On the positive, she had just spoken with Twilight, so at least... Maybe they would excuse her?

She was being a bad student. "For Equestria," she muttered to herself. "Oh, but thanks." She hugged Sandbar gently. "I'll let you get back to that and bother you all after school."

Sandbar smiled and returned the hug with one arm. "Glad to help. See you later, okay? You should get back to class too." He went on his way to take care of his business.

Comforting darted to the class she should have already been in. Sure, she had to apologize to Applejack for being quite late, but she took her spot and did her best to be a model student for the rest of the day.

Almost vibrating with anticipation, she zipped off to the dorm hallway to wait for the others to return.

Comforting paced back and forth in the dorm hallway, unable to contain her nervous energy. Finally, the door opened and her classmates arrived.

"Hey Comforting, what's got you so worked up?" Gallus asked, eyebrow raised at her obvious agitation.

"Yeah, you seem super stressed. Is everything okay?" Silverstream chimed in, hovering close with a look of concern.

Comforting took a deep breath. "I need to talk to all of you. Let's go somewhere private."

The students exchanged puzzled glances but followed her into their dorm room. Once the door was closed, all eyes were on Comforting.

"So here's the thing..." Comforting quickly summarized her suspicions about Discord sowing chaos and the steps she had taken so far.

"Whoa." Smolder leaned back against the wall. "Discord going rogue again doesn't sound good."

"How we help?" Yona asked earnestly. The others echoed similar sentiments.

Comforting smiled, relieved by their willingness to assist. "Just keep your eyes peeled for anything odd. And be ready to come together with friendship and teamwork if things get chaotic."

She looked around at each of them. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I believe that together we're strong enough to face any disharmony Discord conjures up. Will you stand with me?"

One by one, her friends nodded solemnly.

"We've got your back," Gallus said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Comforting's heart swelled at their support. With these amazing friends by her side, she knew they would make it through whatever lay ahead. "I know I'm being super vague." Comforting rubbed one arm with the opposing hand. "But I don't know much more! He's up to something... And it's something big..."

Yona rolled a hefty hoof. "We talking... Cozy big?"

Gallus cringed. "Ugh, are they going to try to steal all the magic again? Did they store away those magical doodads?"

Smolder smashed her hands together. "Or just destroy them."

"Yona likes that idea." She nodded with satisfaction. "Smash, then can't hurt anything."

Comforting waved her hands wildly at them. "Not that... I don't think? Good idea though." She pointed at Yona. "Check to be sure they're safe, just to take that off the list of things it could be."

Yona saluted and marched off with heavy stomps. One could be sure she'd take care of it with finality.

Comforting watched Yona depart with a small smile, despite the seriousness of the situation. She appreciated her friend's enthusiastic willingness to help.

Turning back to the others, Comforting continued strategizing. "Even if it's not about magical artifacts, anything you notice out of the ordinary could provide clues. I wish I had more details to give you all."

She sighed, but Ocellus buzzed over to offer an comforting pat on the back. "It's okay, we know you're doing your best with what you have."

Comforting gave her a grateful smile. "I'm going to keep digging for more leads. In the meantime, just keep your ears open and be ready to bring our different tribes together."

Her expression became determined. "Discord thinks he can divide us with his chaos magic. But our friendship is stronger than any trick he can pull."

One by one, her classmates nodded.

"We won't let him ruin the harmony between our kinds," Silverstream declared, an uncharacteristic fierceness in her voice. The others voiced their agreement.

With her steadfast friends by her side, Comforting felt confident they could weather whatever storm Discord whipped up. As long as they stuck together, his chaos didn't stand a chance. "There's one thing in the way." The teens perked at her. "You're not adults."

Smolder's brows fell as one. "Wow, low blow, coming from a little kid. I didn't think you had it in you." She smirked as she leaned back against a wall. "We're old enough to know what's going on, and to do stuff about it. What aren't we old enough to do, hm?"

Comforting shook her head quickly. "I don't mean it like that! It's just..." She cycled her hands a moment with a grunt of frustration. "If you have to talk to adults about this, they may not take you seriously, even if they really should. This is their flaw, not yours, promise."

Smolder pushed off the wall, wings giving a little flap as she walked towards Comforting. "Good save." She ruffled the chaos spirit atop her head. "And you're not wrong. A lot of dragons would laugh at me if I started preaching about unity all of a sudden..."

Gallus cringed. "Yeah... I'll say it, but how many griffons would listen to it?"

Ocellus waved excitedly. "I bet mine would!"

"And mine," echoed Silverstream, the two sharing a high-five over their species' different attitudes.

Sandbar shuffled nervously in place. "If ponies get really scared, I can't be sure they'll listen to me..."

Comforting clapped, getting their attention. "That goes for everycreature here... They could all get scared, and that goes for changelings and hippogriffs." The two looked a bit sheepish at being called out. "But, if it comes to that, we need to be there. We need to be the ones talking the truth and getting them on that right page."

Gallus considered Comforting with a piercing stare. "You're taking this really seriously... Is this happening tomorrow?"

"It could happen today." Comforting shrugged. "It could happen next week, or next month, er, moon, or maybe a few years from now. I don't know! All I can do is be ready." She flopped, but was floating, so she flopped to her bottom in the air in a casual ignoring of physics. "I'm really sorry I'm not giving better information, but I don't have it and this is really kinda stressful and I'm the only one that can help, and--"

Silverstream put a hand on Comforting's side, tracing an arm. "It's okay," she spoke in a voice gentler than any of them were used to hearing from Silverstream. "We're here."

Comforting started in surprise, realizing she could barely see who was touching her. She blinked away the tears and rubbed at her face. "Sorry..."

"Don't be sorry." Silverstream nuzzled her crying spirit friend. "Like you said, this is a lot. If you need to cry, cry." She giggled, her mirth returning just as suddenly. "I have to do that sometimes."

Comforting took a deep, steadying breath as Silverstream's compassion calmed her rattled nerves. She offered the hippogriff a small, grateful smile.

"Sorry about that...I don't mean to fall apart when so much is at stake," she said a touch sheepishly.

Smolder waved a hand dismissively. "Hey, even heroes need to vent sometimes." The others murmured agreement.

Bolstered by her friends' support, Comforting floated back to her feet. "You're right, there's no time for tears. Discord could make his move at any moment."

Her voice regained its previous strength. "We all know the stakes. But with you guys at my side, I know we can protect the harmony between our kinds, no matter what tricks Dad pulls."

At that moment, the door burst open to reveal a triumphant Yona. "Secured artifacts! No stealing magic this time." She puffed out her chest proudly.

Comforting beamed. "Great work Yona! That's one concern down."

She turned back to the group, hands on her hips. "So here's the plan. We'll each think of ways to convince our tribes' adults to keep an open mind and not give in to fear. Next meeting, we'll share ideas and make it happen."

Her friends nodded firmly, newly emboldened. Together, they could weather any storm.

"Alright team, let's do this!" Comforting cheered. No matter what came next, their friendship would light the way forward.

They met with hands and hooves, unified in their purpose. "I'll keep planning." Comforting vanished, going strangely inverse and fading away like someone had made a tragic mistake with a graphical editing program or a malfunctioning monitor.

Gallus snorted at the spot that once held Comforting. "Every time, it's like she has a different way of teleporting each time. Starlight and Twilight both do it the same way each time. So strange..."

Yona shrugged. "Comforting strange. Is what she is. Still friend."

Smolder folded her hands outwards in a shrug. "I hate to be the one bringing this up, but what if... Just hear me out, but what if she is the one pulling a chaos on us? She is a chaos spirit too. She could be playing a joke." She clucked her tongue on her sharp dragon teeth. "Just what if?"

Silverstream swatted at Smolder. "Cut that out! We all know her. She wouldn't joke about something like this. She may give you a candy that's really sour, or tell a silly joke, but lie, about this? I doubt it."

Gallus hiked a thumb at Silverstream. "Gonna have to go with her on this."

Smolder held up her hands defensively at the swat from Silverstream. “Okay, okay, it was just a thought! Don’t need to get your tail feathers ruffled.”

She sighed. “You’re probably right. Comforting’s a good egg, even if she is chaotic.”

Yona nodded sagely. “Trust in friends. Friends help friends.”

“Exactly.” Gallus smiled and patted Smolder on the back. “Besides, we’d know if she was pranking us. She’s not that subtle.”

The others chuckled in agreement. The tension diffused, they got back to brainstorming ideas for how to best mobilize their tribes.

Ocellus suggested appealing to the changelings’ shared desire for love and connection. Silverstream proposed a rally celebrating what all tribes had in common. Before long, they each had the inklings of a plan.

“Alright, next meeting we’ll polish these up and get ready to put them into action,” Sandbar said confidently.

The group shared determined smiles. Whatever Discord was plotting, their unified friendship would prove more powerful than any chaos he conjured up.

With their spirits lifted after doubts had been raised then overcome, the students split up to enjoy the rest of the day, ready to unite against whatever threatened harmony when the time came.

---

Comforting landed in front of her house and jogged to the door. "I'm home!" she called to nobody, pulling it open and stopping. There was someone there. Somecreature, if one wanted to be proper.

"Alpha." Cracked fell down, lowering her head to Comforting's level. "I had been hoping you'd return soon. I have great news for you, and a request."

Comforting rushed up to her beloved dogpony, hugging Cracked on the snout. "Welcome back! Did it go well? Did you find any others? You're back early, so...?"

"So, yes, I have news." Cracked sat up slowly on her haunches. "It is good to be back, but let's start with the news."

Author's Note:

Cracked, we're in the middle of something... Well, since you are the best doggy around, guess we should listen.

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Comments

[readsponies]

"Yona likes that idea." She nodded with satisfaction. "Break, then can't hurt anything."

Seriously, Yona? Passing up the chance to say "smash"?

[David Silver]

11723169
Yona distracted!

[Prettypony]

Psst Comforting, when this is all over, you should prank the student 6 with some species swap.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Has Cracked returned with some harmonious personal news while Chaos is about to happen? A distraction caused by happiness is still a distraction.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

Comforting riding Sandbar at the beginning was very funny.

Even though she's quite powerful, Cracked is a cute pupper.

It was very difficult, but Comforting is gathering a team rather well.

My favorite part was Silverstream...well, comforting Comforting. Comforting is very mature, but still has the emotions of a child, so it's really nice to see her getting some help while crying and having something of a breakdown.

[David Silver]

11724227
Sandbar was not expecting to be a steed, and yet, here we are...

The trick remains how well this new team is used, I say.