Amber Starts, Comforting Endings

by David Silver

29 - Interrogations

Zipp kept eye contact with Comforting as time passed slowly. "You like touching ponies," she broke the silence with.

Comforting laughed at the choice. "That's what you notice?" She drew her finger back with a sway of her long tail. "But it's true. If ponies let me, I will touch. When I had a cutie mark, it was a big warm hug." She draped her arms across herself, pulling herself in for a gentle embrace. "Now it's a warm fuzzy feeling. That's why I try to hug everypony, everywhereness I can, to help with the warm fuzzy feeling." She wriggled her snout. "I may not have the mark itself, but it was a reflection of me from the start, not a forcing thing."

Zipp snapped her hooves. "Hey, that reminds me. I've noticed you seem to know a lot more about magic than we do, and that's just weird, given that you aren't even a unicorn." She looked up towards Comforting's mismatched horns. "I mean, you have horns, but even you admitted you don't use them, so how would you know anything about making them do magic?"

"You want to hear how?" Comforting stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I'll tell you." She leaned in, whispering. "Ponies need to work harder with their magic. They have it, and plenty of it." She flashed a grin, zipping in to curl around Zipp. "Earth ponies are off to a great start! They've pulled out magic they never fully realized before with their plant magic, so proud of them all." She sighed with contentment. "Now they can do so much more! One day, I hope they can call on that power the way a unicorn could, and the world will be richer."

Zipp laughed softly, trying to brush off her discomfort with the closeness of the other. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you can see all of that." She curled a wing to point at herself. "But, one thing. You seem interested in unicorns, and proud of earth ponies. What about us pegasi? What sort of clever dreams are you hatching up for us that I should be keeping an eye on, hm?"

Comforting smiled over, drifting back into her own personal space. "What would you like to hear?"

"Hmm." Zipp tapped her hoof on her chin. "Wait, you're avoiding the question." She slid to her hooves, glaring at Comforting. "I don't want to hear what I want to hear. I want to hear the truth."

"Of course!" Comforting floated upward with a playful smile. "But the question was too open. Too broad." She swept a hoof through the air in a lazy circle. "Unicorns have a simple trick with their magic, which they forgot, but are remembering. The earth ponies learned something they never know. The pegasi, hm, they already remembered, and can fly and dart." She made flying noises, arms spread wide. "It's lovely, but is there a second step to it? The only thing that comes to mind, you're already doing very well without."

Zipp perked at that. "But you know it! Admit it."

Comforting fluttered her lashes. "I do indeed. Do you want me to spoil the surprise?"

Zipp slumped back. "What is with you and surprises?" She patted at Comforting's muzzle. "Yes, kindly. Spoil me. I'm an investigator. Spoiling surprises is what I do."

Comforting drew back, lifting into the air through no effort of her tiny wings. "Alright. I'll tell you one thing, which is more than I usually do. Long long ago, pegasi were the masters of the weather. These days, ponies are happy with whatever weather comes along as it comes. A rainy day? You change plans around it."

She rushed in, snout almost touching Zipp's. "But, in the old days, it rained on a schedule the pegasi kept very strictly. That was their job. Earth ponies grew, unicorns did spells, and pegasi controlled the weather. Three legs to the tripod." She backed up again. "You wouldn't want to spend all day micromanaging the clouds instead of investigating, I imagine."

Zipp stared at Comforting as thoughts ran wild through her head. "Huh. That is interesting, actually." She reached for the ceiling. "Is there a secret to controlling the clouds?" She tilted her head, raising her ears. "A magical key?"

"Not a literal one." Comforting played with a key that hadn't been in her hands just moments before. "It's like what was keeping earth ponies from doing what they do now, a matter of will, and perspective." She backed towards the door. "Now, I am a librarian, and on the clock. I really should get back to helping ponies find their books."

"And I should get back to helping ponies by hunting down troublemakers. This was fun, though. We should do it again sometime." Zipp left, fluttering through the halls as she pondered on Comforting's words. It wouldn't be until she got home that she realized she had a new contact on her phone. "When did she get that in there?!" She had Comforting as a contact, ready to call at any moment.

***

"It's good to see you." Toots bowed properly.

Which only brought Comforting gently encouraging him back upright. "We're dating. You don't need to bow to your date."

Toots considered that, leaning to the side slightly, but then bobbed his head firmly. "Yes I do. You're royalty. I'm not, so I must show proper respect to those of greater status."

"Aww, but not technically right." She hiked a thumb at herself. "I'm a spirit, not royalty. Appreciate the idea." She smooched the top of his head. "And, tonight, I'm all yours."

"Really?" Toots cleared his throat, recovering his composure. "That's wonderful. I had a plan for our date tonight." He pulled out a small scroll of paper. "This is what I had planned for us to do."

Comforting ogled the amazing list of things Toots had prepared. "That's a lot for one evening, isn't it?" She curled around the scroll to peer at it from Toot's side. "Ice skating? That's fun!" She distantly remembered doing that with a whole class of young creatures and smiled at the warm memory of it. "But almost any of these could be the whole night. Do you plan on doing each of these for a few minutes?"

Toots had a quick checklist in his head to make sure everything was in order. "No, I budgeted five hours for the activities I put down here."

Comforting waved over the list. "That's a long time, and still isn't much to get every single one of these done. Maybe we should focus a little?" She looked the list over, taking a few items and putting them aside. "Maybe these can be for next time?" She added a few other notes as she went. "This should be a good compromise, I think."

That she could edit the paper so casually wasn't missed by his wonder-struck eyes. "Wow, um, okay?" He tried to order the words like Comforting did, but he was no chaos spirit. "We'll do these then?" He pointed to the ones she hadn't brushed aside.

"If that looks fun." Comforting contorted around him to be floating above him. "Let's go!" She lashed her tail around his shoulders and lifted him off his feet to float up into the air.

The pair were soon rocketing away, towards the nearest venue. Once there, she set Toots down gently in the designated drop-off zone. "See? Nice and easy." Of course, there was no designated spot for chaos spirits to do drop offs, but she made one before she got there, and it vanished as soon as Toots was put down.

Toots fixed his tie. "Yes, I guess that does work." He chuckled softly as he offered an arm. "Shall we?"

She took his arm, sliding her own into it as they sauntered together inside to enjoy the evening. She didn't nudge him forward or back, at least any more than she already had. They ran by his revised schedule.

They went to the movies. They both agreed the film was fantastic. Comforting found herself wiggling and hugging Toots from behind as the hero struggled against their own weakness to become their best self.

During the scene where the protagonist failed, she nearly squealed, but managed to keep from ruining the movie for anypony else. She buried her face into Toots, taking advantage of his soft pudginess to muffle her sounds. She sniffled softly. "He's doing his best! Come on..."

Toots stroked her hands. "It'll be fine. He's a strong character. He can handle this."

The moment the show was over, Comforting was back to her usual self, joyfully chatting about the merits of the movie. Toots perked an ear at that. "You were just sobbing, um. Were you faking?"

Comforting gasped with outrage at that. "Of course I was serious! How could I not be? I like emotions. It was an emotional film, and I responded in kind."

Toots smirked at the idea, leading her along for the next activity.

Their next stop was a walk along a beautiful pier that stretched over the nearby bay, offering a marvelous view of the setting sun.

Comforting and Toots both looked out towards the sunset, enjoying the golden rays, with the blue waters reflecting them back. "I never get tired of this." Comforting wrapped gently around Toot, proving to be a serviceable blanket against the chill of the evening. "Simple pleasures don't get old."

"I can't see it getting boring." Toots turned away and fidgeted in her grip. "But, uh, ahem."

Comforting turned back to him, curious. "Yes? Did you want something?"

He nodded quickly, fixing his tie. "I had something else to add to the evening, if it'd be alright?"

"A surprise! Sure!" Comforting wriggled her hands before her. "I would love a surprise, so lead on, and I'll close my eyes." Not that she seemed to need her eyes to keep up with Toots.

"Very well." He trotted to the edge of the dock. "Follow my lead."

Comforting scooted along behind him, following like a puppy, until they found a small rowboat. She watched as he slipped in and she followed inside, squeezing into the boat to sit across from Toots, and they shoved off from the pier, going out into the calm waves. She giggled gently, as if amused by the lapping of the salty water against their vessel. "I haven't been sailing in just forever!" She clasped her hands. "What inspired you?"

Toots blushed. "Well, it's nice here, and, I thought you might like the water, considering, ah, I remember you mention enjoying the ocean, and, yeah."

Comforting looked over the side of the boat with a wistful gaze. "It has been a while since I've visited the beach. I liked digging for clams with my hooves, and all the little crabs, and fish!" She burst into giggles. "Lucky for me, you ponies decided to put yourselves right on a beach this time." She curled and lashed out, pressing her snout to Toot's cheek in a gentle kiss. "Thank you."

Toots blushed deeply as he stroked her hand. "You're welcome. I wanted you to have a nice time, and I could see that you'd enjoy it." He looked around, noticing how they were already away from the shore and alone on the open sea. "Maybe, if we're lucky, we'll see a whale or some dolphins."

Comforting cheered loudly with a whoop of celebration. "Maybe, that'd be nice." She imagined a few ways to tilt the odds in their favor, but pushed them gently aside. It was a time to just enjoy the wonderful evening and let the dice of fate land where they wanted. "This is so very nice. But, are you having fun too? This isn't just about me, hm?"

"Yes!" Toots laughed gently as he worked the oars to guide them along. "I've had fun. It's been a good evening." He considered a thought that had been brewing for a while, but worried it was too soon. "So, um."

Comforting gently interrupted, "What are you thinking?"

He coughed, looking away, but Comforting was on the other end of the boat. "Well, I was just wondering if you might like to come by, uh, my place, for—"

She interrupted him with a finger to the end of his snout. "Just to be clear, I don't owe you anything for a nice evening, but it was nice, and I think you are too." She rubbed noses gently with the squirming Toots. "But, that disclaimer aside, I have no objection with visiting you." She giggled gently at the idea. "It could be nice, spending the evening with somepony like you." She slid closer, still on her side of the boat, but within a breath of the flustered stallion. "No kissing and telling though. I have an image to uphold!"

"O-of course!" Toots laughed, a nervous chuckle as they returned to the harbor. "Nothing like that. Just a friendly visit."

A sudden low haunting call had them both looking as a whale surfaced with a great splash, fin slicing through the air. One could imagine it was a wave at them both, but the whale was just doing a spin, likely not even thinking about the two specks in its vast ocean.

Comforting, on the other hoof, waved back, earning a great glug of air from the massive creature's blowhole. "Wow!"

As they came to the shore, she bounced from the boat. "That was perfect!"

Toots climbed out more carefully. "So, um, yes, the rest of the evening is back at home. You'd like to, uh, do that, I guess?"

She nodded quickly. "I can't wait. Take me home!" She hopped into his arms, forcing him to go on two legs. She was surprisingly light for such a large creature, easily held aloft.

Author's Note:

Date night! That was fairly romantic, hm? Comforting feels she made the right choice not messing with things, even if she did cut down the schedule a bit.

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Comments

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

A chapter of feels, both for old things (forgotten Pegasus weather manipulation), and for new (the lovely date). I really liked it.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

Nice to see Comforting talking with Zipp about Pegasus weather magic, it kinda reminded me of the joke from Winter Wishday.

"Oh those presents aren't empty, they're filled with, uh...special cloud air!"

Also cute to see Comforting slipping herself into Zipp's phone contacts.

Speaking of cute, Comforting and Toots had a fun little date and the ocean was a nice place to end the chapter. Looking forward to more of what these two get up to.

[David Silver]

11890763
Remember, she didn't summon ye whale. They just got lucky, and were both happy for it happening on its own. You can't force these things, at least and be as happy.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11890776

That's a good point, summoning the whale would have felt more artificial.

More joyful that the whale was a natural surprise.

[Quirky View]

I just realized that I don't think Comforting's sister has been mentioned once in this story yet.

[David Silver]

11891940
My brain sputters. Sister?

[Quirky View]

11892012
Screwball, floaty purple filly

[David Silver]

11892268
Ah! She was a pony. I don't think I should need to define more than that. She was a pony.

[Quirky View]

11892269
True, but so was Diamond and Flutters, just saying~