New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

37 - Birds of a Feather

One thing that Comforting learned quickly, was that there was not a wealth of griffon-related reading material in the school's library. There was barely anything, except where the griffons were involved with other people, ponies usually. They were a loving sort, but ponies were still working on not being insular. It was, she decided, not even that surprising that their supplies of other-cultural books were... lacking.

For just a moment, she thought of transmuting one book into another book, with griffon facts! But she dismissed that quickly. She had to visualize what she wanted, and if she knew griffons well enough to do that, then she wouldn't need a book... Besides, writing in a book fell under the 'lots of little details' that the spell wasn't even very good at.

And clearly capturing the idea of so many specific words?! Was there any pony that could manage such a feat? The idea of holding the image of a dictionary so clearly in her head that she could copy it without errors left her dizzy for a moment. "That's not happening."

She could just ask him! She could... but there was a good chance he'd see that as a nosy pony butting her nose where it wasn't required. That was a risk with pony friends! They loved shoving their cute little snoots into things. They meant well! She meant well... Comforting crossed her arms in defiance of the library that didn't have what she wanted.

"Comforting?" Fluttershy was hovering into the room slowly, some books in her arms. "Can't find something?"

"How'd you know?" Comforting turned to face her mom as she flew slowly through the room. "Returning some books?"

"Yes." Fluttershy gently tucked each book away where it belonged. "I know I could just put them in the return..." She slid another home. "But I also know Twilight very much likes a neat library, so if I can help at least not make a mess, that feels right."

"That's nice of you." Comforting applauded for her thoughtful mother. "Um... Do you know where I could find a book on griffons?"

Fluttershy tucked the last book away. "On their inside, outside, or a lot of griffons?"

Comforting blinked softly at how that had been put. "Huh... Mostly a lot of griffons, but all of that sounds useful." She hopped towards her floating mother. "Do you know then?!"

"No." Even as Comforting sagged, Fluttershy came in much closer. "But that tells me what to look for. Griffon culture, hm... I'll ask Twilight and keep an eye open for anything."

Comforting jumped up, getting her arms around one of Fluttershy's legs to hug her firmly. "Thanks! I'll wait for you to look and hopefully, you'll find something." She thumped back to the ground, tail wagging with excitement. "You're the best!"

Fluttershy colored as she gently set a hoof on Comforting's head. "You're quite welcome. Now, I imagine we both have things to get to. Griffon culture, hmm..." She landed and walked from the library with a considering expression.

Comforting scurried on back to class. She had plenty more of them left in the day!

---

With a gentle thump, Celestia's chariot touched the ground. A flight of two pegasus guards was pulling it along with little difficulty. And they said she ate too much cake... Celestia stepped off the chariot with a nod at her bearers. "Thank you. I'll be visiting a short while and will send word when I am to be picked up."

One of the guards inclined his head. "Ma'am! Don't you want a guard around... just in case?"

"I feel very safe here." She set her eyes on the sleepy town of Ponyville. "But we can't entirely forget proprieties... I'll take one guard."

One of the two pegasi shucked his harness with remarkable speed. "Reporting!" He was at her side in a flash. "You won't even know I'm there, ma'am."

Celestia nodded to the one still connected. "Bring that back to Canterlot, if you would, and enjoy the rest of the day."

"As you command!" He saluted with a wing and took off into the air, carrying his wheeled cargo back to the city on the mountain.

Celestia was then free to advance on the town with the remaining guard walking a little behind her. "Hm." She looked up to the sky, noting how heavy the sun looked. "I thought I'd get here earlier..." But things kept coming up, and she had to do her job.

Being a princess rarely came with vacations, long or short. Still, it was late in the afternoon, evening really. She'd have to tuck the sun in to sleep soon. Regardless of that, the school was likely emptied. This meant her target was... "There." Celestia turned to approach a cottage outside of the town proper. "I remember the last time..."

Should she have brought Philomena? Perhaps Fluttershy and she would have enjoyed the reunion... It was too late to do much about that. Maybe next time? Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden poke on her head. Being a tall pony, Celestia was not accustomed to being touched on the head, certainly without warning. She looked around for the source when a large form dipped into her view from above.

Philomena was on top of her, having emerged from her flowing mane to look at her from above. "Oh. How delightful. Phoebe, you remember Fluttershy, do you not?"

The phoenix bobbed her head, rising from view as they straightened out. A little chirp was a confirmation. They had not forgotten Fluttershy.

"Then go say hello." Celestia directed her horn at Fluttershy's cottage, unleashing her pet, figuratively.

Philomena took up the offer with spread wings, soaring quickly to the cottage that wasn't so far away. With a single loud thump of beak against wood, she knocked on the front door.

"Who is it?" Soft hoofsteps came closer. The door knob rattled, then turned. Philomena was through the crack instantly. "Who is it?" Fluttershy peeked out of her house and saw... nothing. "How curious..."

"Ooo!"

Fluttershy turned at the voice. She slipped back inside, closing the door. "Everything alright?"

"Better than alright." Comforting had met Philomena in the living room and she was busy admiring the fire bird. "Who's the best little flamey bird?" She reached a hoof and Philomena accepted the gesture, allowing Comforting to gently pet and stroke the magical fire bird. "You belong to Celestia, don't you?"

Philomena let out quite the discordant caw at that.

"Sorry, that wasn't nice. You are friends with Celestia, right?" Philomena nodded at those more accurate words. "Is she... here?" The door was closed. Comforting could see that easily enough and Celestia wasn't in sight.

Fluttershy approached on unsure hooves. "Um... So, you know Philomena then?"

Oops! Comforting blushed at her mistake. "She doesn't seem to mind, do you?" The two shared a little nuzzle as the filly giggled. Philomena had no obvious complaints at Comforting knowing them. "You are... even more majestic, in person."

Philomena rose to her full height on the floor, showing off her feathers and stance in a prideful way. A way Comforting was all too happy to encourage with clapping. "Do you have fire magic?"

Philomena looked to Fluttershy.

"Thank you for asking... I'd really rather we not set any fires inside, please..." Fluttershy was just about to sit when fresh knocking came from the door. "Oh! Hm..." She had an idea who it might be, which muted the surprise, just a little, when she peeked out the cracked open door to see Celestia standing there. "Your highness!"

"Fluttershy. Did Philomena arrive safely? She was quite eager to come say hello." Celestia raised a hoof, which was enough hint for Fluttershy to back out of the way, allowing the princess inside. "I apologize for showing up so suddenly."

"Celestia?" Comforting's attention flipped away from the bird in front of her to the large ruler. "Oh! Hello." She scrambled to her hooves and hurried over. "Nice to see you."

"And nice to see you as well." Celestia nodded gently at the smiling little filly. "I hear you've been making quite a name for yourself."

Comforting's big grin became a furious red color quickly. "Please don't!"

"Please don't... what?" Celestia raised a hoof for Philomena to perch on. "I see you met Philomena. You two seemed to be getting along."

Philomena let out a delighted noise and shared a warm nuzzle with Celestia. With an easy hop, she landed on Celestia's head, watching Comforting.

"Um..." Comforting worked her hooves together nervously. "So far everyone that's 'heard of me' is because they heard I should do less, and stop making waves. I'm not trying to make waves! I... like it." She curled a hoof on herself. "I like being a unicorn. I like learning magic. I like my new friends! I don't want those taken away."

"I'm sorry if I gave that impression." Celestia reached up for Philomena, handing them off to the quiet Fluttershy. "I didn't come to try and do that. Tell me instead, what is your favorite thing?"

"Favorite?" Comforting frowned with new thought. "That's hard... There are a lot of things..." She pointed to Fluttershy, getting a yelp from her mother. "Like her! She's a really good mom and I'm super happy to be her daughter."

"How delightful." Celestia reached a wing to curl around Fluttershy and keep her close. "Fluttershy, are you enjoying this new responsibility?"

"Oh, um... It's a lot of work, and new... But it's worth it." She smiled nervously at Comforting. "I wouldn't want it to change, except when she grew up, of course."

"I'd still be your friend." Comforting seemed quite confident in that. "And when you're old, I'll take care of you."

Fluttershy blinked softly. "Most foals are not thinking about that far ahead..." But most foals were not Comforting Shade. "Um, but thank you... You don't owe me anything, but thank you."

Celestia nodded at the two. "You two are quite close. It's endearing to see... Now, Comforting, I'd like to do a little test, and I think you'll like it."

Comforting looked around the room, but Fluttershy and Philomena had no help for her. "What kind of test?"

"A magical one." Celestia's horn glowed gently with that promise, not powerful enough to be a proper glow, and it didn't look like an actual spell. "Now, as you may or may not be aware of, I operate a school for talented unicorns. This is not a test for that. Any unicorn that wants to get in there has to win their way past the testers, who are not me. That keeps me honest."

Comforting weighed the different parts of that statement. "So, no matter how good, or bad, I do, it has nothing to do with that school?"

"Not a thing." Celestia craned her head in, a talent of hers. "In fact, you can just not take the tests, if you prefer, but I am curious to know more about you. You are my grandstudent, my student's student. Just as any grandparent, I am interested in seeing more, but only if you're alright with it."

Comforting considered, still a moment. "I don't want to make Twilight upset."

"Then I will not tell her." Celestia raised a big hoof to her lips. "I will only share what she needs to know. She's used to that from me regardless. So put that aside. I'd like to know where your specialties lie."

"Specialties?!" Comforting perked, tail going stiff in the process. "I don't think I have one."

"Not yet. At least, not one you're aware of. Most ponies have one, including me." She turned to display the big sun on her rump. "I am drawn to the sun, as fits. Magic that involves the sun, or heat, or light comes naturally to me, and are much easier for me to learn and use than, say, a spell that made things cool down. You don't know your specialty yet, but I'd like to learn, with you. Are you ready to try?"

Author's Note:

This chapter was Celestia-o-clock and it's not even over! At least Celestia is a kind soul. No feelings have been hurt so far.

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Comments

[Dravkwn]

Thus she learns having a specialty of throwing shade, but it's a comfort because little ponies are silly even ones that didn't start out as little ponies. *pictures throwing blocks of actual shade*

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Philomena let out a delighted noise and shared a warm nuzzle with Celestia. With an easy hop, she landed on Celestia's head, watching Harmony.

Unless a Force of Nature just appeared I think that you meant
watching Comforting.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

It will be interesting to see what Comforting's specialties are.

Philomena and Comforting seem to get along together pretty well.

[Chrome Masquerade]

Fluttershy tucked the last book away. "On their inside, outside, or a lot of griffons?"

Yes, Yes, and maybe. Possibly also upside down.

Does anyone get that reference?

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Not yet. At least, not one you're aware of. Most ponies have one, including me." She turned to display the big sun on her rump. "I am drawn to the sun, as fits. Magic that involves the sun, or heat, or light comes naturally to me, and are much easier for me to learn and use than, say, a spell that made things cool down. You don't know your specialty yet, but I'd like to learn, with you. Are you ready to try?"

Drrrrum roll, please...

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

The thought of transmuting a random book into one about griffon facts was rather clever, even though Comforting naturally realized why that would be illogical.

It's always adorable to see Comforting's tail swishing.

Comforting's initial mistake, which Philomena immediately corrected, was interesting. Ponies would naturally refer to their pets in a very different way to humans.

The whole exchange felt very engaging, mainly because of Comforting's reactions to this little surprise meeting and her little changes in mood. It's also interesting how Fluttershy, Comforting's mom, and Celestia, are both rather gentle, but in different ways.

It really shows just how much Comforting loves her mom when she says she'll still be her friend after growing up, and will take care of Fluttershy when Fluttershy gets older.

I really like the term "grandstudent."

Looking forward to seeing where this latest situation goes.

[David Silver]

11249310
One of those funny things people take for granted. A child does not have to be your friend, especially when they've left the house and gone on to other things. Only a good relationship, or crushing societal expectations, does that!

[readsponies]

A flight of two pegasi guards was pulling it

Pegasus guards. Pegasus is an adjective here. They're not unicorns guards either.

[David Silver]

11250176
But what if they were unicorns Pegasuses guards

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11249440

Huh! Excellent points!

[David Silver]

11250372
It occurs to me to agree and disagree with Philomena. Winona is a pet. Philomena is far more intelligent and prideful, and is somewhat immortal and magical. Maybe she's justified? Which is to say, it's not all a pony thing, this is a phoenix thing.

[geomease]

Transmutation would be fitting given its how she got here

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11250481
Interesting! And quite befitting of a Phoenix, too.

[Ali della Morte]

"Oh. How delightful. Phoebe, you remember Fluttershy, do you not?"

You might want to change that to "Philomena."

[Moonlight_Mist]

11253309
Maybe it's a nickname?

[David Silver]

11253309

11253360
Phoebe is an official other-name of Philomena.