New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

2 - To See and Learn

"Now you say sorry." Fluttershy was frowning at her rabbit. "And where did her cookies go?"

He looked at Comforting right in her eyes and pointed into his mouth. The smug look on his face as he rubbed his belly was too much.

Comforting felt a rush of rage and sorrow, mixed in with a big dose of self-doubt. Why was she being so emotional about cookies she didn't even pay for that had been literally abandoned by the person who did? That rabbit had been a jerk, but she wasn't actually hurt. "Thank you."

Fluttershy and Angel looked at her in shared confusion. "Thank you," repeated Comforting. "I shouldn't have eaten all of those." It had been way too many cookies. She sniffed softly, still worked up, but coming down. "Are you going to get sick?" That had been a lot of cookies, especially for such a small rabbit.

As if prompted, his belly began to make a most unwholesome noise. He tipped over with a pitiable sound, finding the consequences of his actions before him. Fluttershy sighed softly. "You deserve that... a little." That didn't stop her from gathering him up to provide succor. "Relax..."

Comforting headed towards the back, but a hoof went in her way. Fluttershy was looking at her expectantly. Comforting perked an ear. "Do you need help with Angel?"

"I have that under control." Fluttershy curled the hoof, drawing Comforting closer. "Are you alright?"

Comforting wiped a fetlock over her face. "I'm better now. Just... overreacted, I guess."

"We all have feelings sometimes. It's alright to feel them." Fluttershy sat tall over the filly. "But I'm glad you're feeling better. Now, a little filly like you shouldn't be idle." She brought her hooves together quietly. "Which is why I think I should bring you to meet Twilight. She's a very smart pony, and she'll know just what to do." She rose to her hooves. "Let me make sure Angel is settled in."

It wasn't long before they set out into town. Fluttershy was at the front, the little filly behind her. "Now, she lives in that tall building." She pointed to the big crystal tower. "I know it looks a little... intimidating, but she's actually very nice."

But Comforting was not scared. Twilight Sparkle was not a scary pony by any measure she knew. "I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"That's lovely." Fluttershy was smiling, relieved to hear her ward wasn't intimidated. "Now, let's see if they're at home." She walked up to the door and clopped a hoof against it. "Hello?"

The door opened a crack, allowing a furry snout to appear, but it wasn't Twilight. It was Starlight, looking over Fluttershy, then past her to Comforting. "Hey, Flutters. Who's the filly?"

Comforting waved at the new pony. "Oh, hello there."

"Hey yourself." Starlight emerged from inside with a coy smile, her eyes largely on Fluttershy.

"This is Comforting Shade." She waved at the little filly beside her. "And we were hoping to talk to Twilight about her schooling."

Starlight perked at that. "She's a little thing." She leaned in, measuring Comforting. "Not even a cutie mark. Shouldn't she... Wow... Live long enough to be the monster you hated." She applied a hoof to her head. "But really, shouldn't she be in regular school?"

Fluttershy inclined her head. "Maybe. That's why I wanted to talk to Twilight. Comforting is an unusual case."

"Yeah?" Starlight hiked a brow. "Well, this is an unusual town, kid, so you came to the right place. What makes you interesting?" She smiled wickedly, leering at the filly.

"Starlight, this is why people think you might be evil." Comforting realized her mistake an instant after saying it, clapping her hooves over her mouth. "Sorry!"

Starlight blinked slowly, stunned a moment. "Wow. Alright, you're in the right place." Her smile was returning, a cocky grin. "Seriously though, who's busy thinking I'm a bad pony? I've saved Equestria." She tapped herself on the chest. "And wrecked it a few times, but those don't count!"

Comfort burst into giggles even as Fluttershy looked confused.

Starlight, however, wasn't smiling anymore. She had a brow raised. "How did you get that joke?" Oh no, a trap!

Comfort squeaked, sitting bolt upright and stiff.

"Who's at the door?" The named door swung open, revealing Twilight. "Oh, hello Fluttershy." She nodded at her, then saw the filly. "And a new little pony. Hello there."

Starlight scooted past Twilight to go inside, but shot Comfort a last meaningful look before vanishing. Twilight didn't notice it, smiling at her guests. "What brings you two by today?"

Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Comfort, drawing her closer. "This little filly is smarter than she looks. I was curious what schooling I should provide her."

"Provide?" Twilight's eyes danced between the two. "Fluttershy, when did you have a foal?"

"Since Celestia."

"Oh." That was it. All the explanation needed. "Well... Hello. Tell me about yourself."

Comforting sat up tall. "Yes, ma'am. I know the basics already. I know how to read." She had checked. Equestrian words looked right to her eyes, thankfully. "I know how to do math. I can read a map and balance my bank account."

Twilight blinked rapidly. "You have one of those?!"

Comforting recoiled a little. "I mean balancing my budget, ma'am."

"Ah, yes, of course." Twilight raised a hoof equal to her chin but didn't make contact. "How adept are you at history?"

"Lacking," admitted Comforting. "I know the big parts, but none of the small parts." She held up her hooves close together. "I'd like to learn, about this world, current and past."

"See what I mean?" Fluttershy tossed her head at her small ward. "It's hard to decide what to do with her. I want her to get what she needs. She's very nice."

"I'm glad to hear that." Twilight sank down to be more on level with the filly. "Now, a serious question, and no answer you give will bother me. What is 7 times 5?"

Comforting blinked. That had not been what she had been expecting! "35?"

"Hm. You realize, if you come to my school, you will be surrounded by creatures that are older than you are. You can't be older than... Hm, not even a proper teen. The youngest other students are teens. Does that bother you?" Despite her dire words, Twilight was smiling gently. "I don't want you to come into this not knowing. Also if you owe 5% interest on a hundred bits, how much will you owe at the end of the year?"

Comforting jerked at the math whiplash. "105, if I didn't make any payments during the year, which would be silly of me to do. Why do you keep asking math questions?"

Twilight lowered a hoof to rest on Comforting's horn. "Does your aptitude extend here?"

Comforting colored brightly. "No... I don't really know how to use that. Can you help?"

Twilight gasped loudly. "I've never taught a foal how to use their horn before!" She clapped both hooves on her cheeks. "May I?"

She was looking at Fluttershy, who was not resisting the idea. "Of course. If you two get along, that sounds like a delightful idea. I can't offer much advice on how to use a horn." She lacked that part. "But about the school?"

"Yes, of course." Twilight coughed into a hoof softly. "Now, the school will not offer classes related to that. Our students already have basic mastery of their... well, basics. They don't come here expecting us to teach them how to fly, or use their horn." She gently tapped at Comforting's horn. "Which means that would have to be an extra class on the side. Are you alright with that?"

Comforting smiled brightly. "I would like very much to know how to use that." She looked up, eyes crossing a bit to get a lock on her spiraled horn. "And magic. I opened the door just before, but then I couldn't when I tried again."

"Perfectly normal for a young unicorn still getting the hang of it," assured Twilight as a parchment floated into view for her to scribble at with a floating quill. "We'll have you past those awkward first steps. Now, the other students are generally friendly. We encourage that, but they will still be larger than you. We teach teens, young adults, and even some entirely adult ponies here. You will be the smallest pony here. Is that alright? Please, be honest. It'd be completely understandable if that sounded scary."

"It does," admitted Comforting, but she didn't look all that scared with that smile on her face. "But everything new is scary at first, ma'am. I'll get used to it." She was old enough, on the inside, to be used to the idea of something one had to get used to. "Does it bother you to have such an odd student?"

"Looking forward to it." Twilight made another scribble. "If you want to learn, I want to teach. It doesn't matter, to me, how large or small you are, provided you follow the rules and you come eager to learn."

"I will do my best." Comforting had a hoof on her chest over her little beating heart. "If you'll have me."

"So well behaved." She folded up the scroll in her magic and tucked it away. "And well spoken. Now, Fluttershy." She was looking at her pegasus friend. "Are there other parts of our new student I should know about?"

Fluttershy, to her credit, tried to hold it back, squirming with little ums and hms. "Well... Comforting... seems..."

"It's alright." Comforting stood up. "I was trying to be quiet about it. Twilight Sparkle, daughter of Twilight... Velvet? And... I forgot your other parent." She frowned at that gap in her knowledge. "You earned Celestia's attention when you hatched a dragon egg that maybe never was meant to hatch when the Sonic Rainboom surprised you."

Twilight's eyes grew wider as the words spilled out. "That wasn't... Um, I mean, that is largely correct... Huh..." She sank a few inches. "Can you explain how you know that?" But Comforting offered no answer. "Should I be worried?"

"I hope not." Comforting offered a hoof. "I want to learn, ma'am. I don't want to hurt anything."

"Glad to hear that." Twilight nodded at Comforting, sliding along to Fluttershy. "Your filly is very curious, but she seems eager and emotionally advanced. I have no objection to her enrolling. Comforting, how soon do you see yourself joining us?"

Comfort's ears pricked up. "Thank you, for asking me. Do you ask all your students that?"

"Well, no, but most don't join us mid-term, which is where we are right now. If you wanted to wait for the next, that would be fine. If you want to join now, I'll get things moving. It depends a little on how quickly you want to join."

Fluttershy came in, head just to the side of Comforting's. "If you want to wait, that's alright."

"You teach here, don't you?" Comforting turned in a half-shuffle to Fluttershy. "I want to see what your class is like."

Twilight burst into giggles. "Aw, your little filly wants to see you do your thing."

Fluttershy colored at the implications. "My... thing... is often more related to animals than ponies, but teaching ponies about animals, and how to be gentle and kind to one another, that I enjoy doing too."

Comforting nodded firmly. "I want to learn from Fluttershy, and the other girls, like you." She pointed at Twilight. "And the others."

"Who you know?" asked Twilight in an unsure voice, just to get a nod. "I see why you were trying to keep that quiet. I won't tell the others, but you are free to do so, if and when you feel comfortable doing so." A brief pause. "The teacher most likely to be voted most fashionable?"

"Rarity."

"Most competitive teacher?"

"Rainbow Dash." Comforting nodded firmly, sure of these answers. "You have the most book learning."

"Thank you." She colored despite that likely being the truth. "Well... See you tomorrow then?"

Author's Note:

Welcome to school, mark 2, now with more magical ponies!

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

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Comments

[PhycoKrusk]

Hm.

[David Silver]

11133415
That is a comment full of uncertainty.

[PhycoKrusk]

11133477
Considering who left it, are you really surprised?

[BillyColt]

You know it's funny, I played your Pathfinder mod for years (and submitted many an ask to the blog) but I've never read any of your writing.

[David Silver]

11133717
A fine time to start. Welcome!

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

I'm enjoying the pacing. Comforting's getting more introductions to mane characters, but not at a rate that's too fast or too slow.

Looking forward to further chapters!

[Chrome Masquerade]

"I'm glad to hear that." Twilight sank down to be more on level with the filly. "Now, a serious question, and no answer you give will bother me. What is 7 times 5?"

what base?

[ksuiata]

How nice it's been rare to find stories of hie in school of friendship

[David Silver]

11165578
A shame that, plenty of opportunity.

[MorningWonder]

Somehow I got a craving for chocolate after reading this. Dunno why. Maybe because this story is just so sweet... Or maybe because I just like chocolate

[Rubae]

I feel like comforting is starting to look like a stalker