New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

181 - Proper Prices

"I'm glad you came." Amity inclined her head. "The final days are soon on us."

Comforting paled at that. "The world's ending?!"

"No. Yes? One ends, another may begin. A new ending, an old start."

Comforting dared a little smile. "That's the--"

"--I know." Amity reared up on her small hooves. "But it may be the end. Of one story, of all that we can see... Even you, chaotic one, can't see past this point. What lurks beyond it, I could not say. If this is the end, I could not say. I feel it, close, closing..." She fell to all fours with a small clop. "I am not displeased for our time."

"It's too sudden." Comforting scowled. "I'm in the middle of something, with Diamond. We're trying to get Lily and Cracked their family... There's still the big thing Dad has planned. We have a lot to do."

"Very few." Amity walked away, hooves silent on the grass where once they had clopped. "Very few creatures face a possible end with a smile and acceptance. Most... would rather delay it." Her eyes burned with eternity. "But such is not how things are. Even I. Even. I..."

Comforting raised a brow. "So long as there's... entropy, I'll be kicking."

"Unlikely, dear friend Comforting." Amity circled around Comforting, just to be gone, poking her nose free from one of her many branches. "One day you will grow tired and bored, and there will be no more Comforting. That will be a sad day. I will probably not see it. When the last pony breathes their last, I will fade, but I will hardly be alive when that happens."

Comforting stomped a hoof down powerfully with all the force the yak hoof could give. "Why are you getting all... sad? Did something happen? Tell me. You know I want to help." Tears stung at her eyes, unaging or not. "Just tell me."

Comforting stood in numbed shocked as Amity portended somberly, "The final days approach."

Was this the end for them? But so many plots still dangled - Lily's future, her father's chaos, Diamond...

Amity smiled sadly at Comforting's distress. "Few face the end with grace, always seeking to delay it." She faded into a tree branch like a ghost. "But all things must pass, even harmony."

"I'm not letting entropy beat me!" Comforting protested, though Amity's stark truths unnerved her chaotic spirit. When had smiling serenity abandoned that ancient soul?

"One day this world shall fade, and I with it." Amity looked small and vulnerable, as if already fading. "As will even bright Comforting's light..."

Aghast, Comforting brought her hoof down hard, blinking back tears. "Don't talk like that! Tell me who or what made you this sad, I'll make it better!"

Amity simply smiled sadly, the weight of eons shining in her eyes. "What is owed cannot be dodged or paid. But while we yet shine...come. Let us enjoy this fading spring."

She stepped soundlessly through the cheerful woods. If the end drew near, she wished to spend what glimmers remained with the one who had revived color in her monochrome existence.

Comforting grabbed her, hugging her tightly around the middle and hefting up the little filly form that was Amity's. "No." She squeezed and tickled at Amity. "No. Stop giving up. I will not end like that. You just said it was coming. Even if it's soon, I won't sob my way into it. That's too sad. We're just learning to smile."

She put Amity down, facing her. "So smile. We'll greet each day we have, every single one." She glanced away and back. "I died once... I can do it again..." Comforting thrust a finger at Amity. "But I won't do it like that. Until the sword's mid-slice or the meteor's falling from the sky, I'm going to keep on living."

Amity inclined her head left, then right. "Hm."

"Hm?" Comforting leaned forward, hands on her hips. "All that, and we get a 'hm'?"

"Hm." Amity smiled faintly. "Hm. Maybe I am being too fast. What feels soon may be a day, or a moon, or a year... or a century or ten... Maybe..."

Comforting's expression softened. "Maybe. We won't know until we're there. Let's not get all bent up until then, okay?"

Her fervor drew a faint grin back to Amity's wan face. "Perhaps...you are right. A dark whisper came, but whispers may lie." Light flickered back into her eyes like a guttering candle revived. "This cherished world cannot be so close to fading after all..."

Comforting swept her into another impulsive hug, joy regaining ground. "That's the spirit! No more moping - we'll make the most of whatever's left!"

Amity nodded firmly, a hint of wonder returning. "Who knows truly what the tangled threads of fate yet hold? But no thread lasts forever..." She trailed off uncertainly.

Comforting simply squeezed her closer with a laugh. "Then we'll just have to weave our own destiny! C'mon, today's too nice to waste on gloomy thoughts."

Amity gently poked Comforting. "Thank you for coming. But you have a mortal to romance and aid."

Comforting turned her ears back. "Right! I do... But that's tomorrow. Do you need me right now? I'm here, and so are you."

Amity nuzzled at one of Comforting's legs. "I love you."

Comforting blinked, as if shocked by the statement. "Is this what diamond felt?" She dropped to her knees, putting them closer together. "I love you too." They met, nose to nose. "So say the word and I'm here all night."

"I feel..." Amity nudged Comforting back, and she landed in bed. It was the morning of the next day.

"Cheater." Comforting growled softly as she hopped up to her feet. "Dirty pool!" But that had been quite the firm dismissal. "Fine... Diamond time."

---

When school was out and Diamond returned home, there was a smiling Comforting waiting for her in her bedroom. "I'll take this over surprise pounces." Diamond turned to nudge the door closed. "So, got any great plans?"

"Well..." Comforting swayed her feet off the edge of Diamond's bed. "Boring option, we could just ask."

Diamond's brows fell as one. "And you think that'll work?"

"It might." Comforting rolled onto her belly. "She may be so surprise you are asking without a catch she'll tell you a thing or three. But you have to really ask because you want to know, no other reasons. No secretely thinking 'ha ha, this is how I win one over on you!' or it probably won't work."

Diamond huffed softly. "That's a big catch..."

"Yup! Want to try, or...?

Diamond folded her arms. "I will not be scared that easily."

"Thatta girl!" Comforting pulled herself free of the bed to float towards Diamond. "Then go on. You don't need my help for that, other than cheering you on, which I'll be doing."

Diamond leaned in to smooch Comforting's floating cheek. "Alright, alright... Wish me luck." She turned for the door she had just closed, opening it anew and walking out. "Now where is she...?"

Diamond headed out to locate her mom for an honest chat, no hidden motives or judgments. Comforting watched her go with an encouraging smile - even prickly parents could surprise you if genuinely engaged.

Wandering downstairs, Diamond found Spoiled Rich relaxing on a divan, idly paging through magazines. An odd flutter of nervousness filled Diamond's stomach. When was the last time she had really talked to her mom, daughter to mother about unimportant things?

"Hey Mom, whatcha looking at there?" She edged closer casually, as if making small-talk with any old pony rather than the intimidating force of nature that was her mother.

Spoiled arched one perfectly manicured brow in surprise. "Oh, just the latest issue of Modern Mare. I'm considering updating the foyer and wanted inspiration." She eyed Diamond curiously. "Did you...need something, darling?"

"What, I can't just see what my fashionable Mom is up to without needing something?" Diamond grinned with feigned nonchalance. Operation Understand Mother was underway...

Spoiled's raised brow fell with the finality of a blade. "Fashionable?"

Diamond swallowed thickly. Fashionable?! What had she been thinking? "Sorry... I meant you know your stuff. You know how to... impress ponies."

Spoiled brought her hooves together, letting her magazine fall to her lap. "Diamond Tiara, what did you do, and how much will it cost me?"

Diamond cringed at the sharp edges of each word, as if each could cut her. "N-nothing, I swear! Nothing's wrong... I..." She grunted, half-turning away. "Mom, I just... want... to talk to you."

Spoiled smiled, a calculating smile. "What about? Did you need something? How much will that cost me?"

Spoiled regarded her daughter skeptically as Diamond tried bonding over fashion and impressing ponies. But she remained guarded, suspecting ulterior motives.

"What do you want, dear? If you've made some mess, best tell me now so I can handle it."

Diamond fought back frustrated tears. Even reaching out sincerely, her mother assumed duplicity and expenses.

"I just want to talk, Mom! But everything has to be about problems and bits with you." She shoved down the crushing familiar hurt. "You know what, nevermind. Forget I tried."

She turned to flee, humiliation burning in her cheeks. What had she expected from baring her heart to cold ambition?

"Diamond, wait!" Spoiled uncharacteristically hesitated over her words. "I...apologize if I was dismissive. Your interest merely...surprised me."

Diamond peered back uncertainly as Spoiled composed herself.

"We rarely speak outside specific needs these days." Spoiled patted the seat beside her. "If you simply wish to talk, I am here now and happy to listen."

Wary but daring to hope, Diamond edged back and settled in. "T-thanks, I think?" Diamond dared a faint smile. "So... how are you? Really... Not just, um... really... How are you?"

"Surprised." Spoiled smiled wanly. "but not in an entirely bad way..." She reached a hoof and drew Diamond against her side. "What has gotten into you? I don't... mind... exactly, but this isn't like you, Diamond. Is everything alright? I don't mean anything involving money... But if you're not feeling well...?"

"Thanks... for asking." Diamond worried her hooves together. "But I want to learn you, mom. Not like... something to get around... but as my mom... As somepony in my family. Like... I want to know you. I want to know you. What you like... and hate, and what makes you smile."

She burst into nervous laughter. "And the more I talk about it, the stranger it sounds. A pony should know these things about their mom... And here I am, asking, only now. I'm such a--"

Spoiled put a hoof over Diamond's mouth. "If you feel you are a failure in this, I must share at least half the blame, Diamond. What you don't know are things I never informed you of. My darling, I have hardly made myself accessible for heart to hearts," Spoiled acknowledged ruefully with a slow breath.

"You should not feel foolish for not knowing what I intentionally obscured." Spoiled lifted Diamond's chin, gazing upon her with solemn affection. "You are no failure of a daughter. If anything, I failed to nurture intimacy between us, spellbound as I was by appearances and ambition."

She gently bumped her forehead to Diamond's. "But what matters now is creating understanding, if you yet desire it. What part of me is it you wish to know better?"

So Diamond asked. What was Spoiled's favorite color. What was her favorite kind of music. What was her favorite holiday. The more she asked, the easier it came, until she was a waterfall of questions, and they were answered, one after the other.

The smile, it grow on either side. "Me too," admitted Diamond a few times, shocked that she had anything in common with that mare that had been a thorn in her side. "I'm..."

Diamond leaned back, frowning. "I'm glad I didn't try to learn this a stupid way."

Spoiled snorted softly at that. "I fear to imagine what ways those might have been." She placed a hoof on Diamond's head. "But we've avoided them. In the future, come and ask."

Author's Note:

This chapter felt nice to me, especially Diamond and Spoiled.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, get updates early, and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!

Comments

[Poparakelis]

Amity nuzzled at one of Comforting's legs. "I love you."

Awww have I said how much I love them? Because I do

Spoiled snorted softly at that. "I fear to imagine what ways those might have been." She placed a hoof on Diamond's head. "But we've avoided them. In the future, come and ask."

[rendomstranger]

So, was the start of this chapter just a little bit of venting about personal frustrations or is this you indicating that you're wrapping things up? Because I can understand if you're pretty much done with this story. 180+ chapters is quite a bit longer than most stories on the site.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

The part with Diamond and Spoiled is very nice.

But we never saw what was in the Spiritgram© that Comforting received. Unless it was just asking Comforting to come to the talk that Amity and her had in the first part of this chapter.

[David Silver]

11777090
It was that.

[Theresa hall]

Comforting is right that when the end is not guaranteed and you should enjoy the time you have no matter what you get.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

It was cute that Comforting noticed the title drop at the beginning.

Lots of existential thoughts and emotions this chapter. Looking forward to where it all leads.