Anyhow for many years after that life was well, and in due time he eventually came to tutor and teach a clever young little filly named Clover.
Clover grew quite well in her studies and always was asking questions.
In fact ever since the day that he had first asked permission of her parents to tutor, teach, and train her, well she had grown so much and even taught him.
“May I teach and train her, tutor her in my ways?” he remembered asking her parents sometime after he had first discovered her powerful magic powers.
“Yes, of course,” her father said, “But when will we get to see her?”
“Whenever she is available not working with me,” he said giving a wizard’s casual uninterested general vague answer, “No more and no less than that which she needs or wants or has earned or deserved, that is all for now.”
“Mr. Star Swirl?” Clover asked, and she was young at the time, only six, so the question that came next was only natural, “Why are you teaching me?”
“Because you have great magical potential,” he said, but then he scolded himself, he needed to give an answer that a child would understand.
“What I mean is that I am teaching you because I find you to be… different, special, unique. And don’t think of this as a curse, but a gift instead.”
“So does that mean I’m like in a special class for disadvantaged ponies?”
“No my dear,” he said surprised at her intelligence, “Not at all, why in the world would you ever think that? Don’t ever think that you’re not special or unique or different, you are always who you are, and no pony else can ever change that.”
“Well, okay then,” she said smiling, “When do I start classes with you?”
“Next Monday,” he said smiling, “And make sure to be on time.”
“I will,” she said with eager anticipation.
“Oh, and also just a few things and rules, one, never lie, when one deals with science, magic, technology, and history, one must never ever lie to another.
The second rule is always to do your best, even if you fail in something great it is still noble. And finally, you must use this knowledge and power for the good of all other ponies, do you understand these terms and agree to them?”
“I do,” she said, “I would never ever lie to you Mr. Star Swirl.”
“Please,” he said, “Just call me Comet, it’s my nickname, and speaking of that, I better find a nickname for you, how about the title ‘the clever’?”
And with that said a long and beautiful relationship began with that small simple little meeting. And as the years went by Clover never failed or ever disappointed Star Swirl, even when she did something bad or terrible he still never ever really got angry and he always forgave her, and she always learned from all her experiences, all her pain, all her sorrow, all her joy and cheer.
And then when the time came for the studies of dark magic, both were afraid.
“This is something that I do not want to teach you this,” he said, “But I must, for you must know how to defend against it, and also why you should never ever use it no matter what the situation or time is, this is dark and magic, and it always has been and always will be evil and only spread fear, hate, and anger. It will only spread evil, and even if you use it for good, evil will still always come. So you must never use this, do you understand me?”
“Yes,” she said nervously ready to face this new kind of magic.
Star Swirl took a deep breath and then with his eyes glowing red with green smoky mist coming out of it he cast a spell at a simple old oak tree that stood still there in the park. When the spell hit the tree it suddenly turned black, then it withered away and died eventually crumbling into dust, it was as if there was never a tree there at all, for even the dust blew away in the wind.
“You see,” he said, “Destruction, chaos, death, and power all are easy to get, but they all can cause pain and sorrow, but power is only neutral, only to be wielded by other ponies. However,” he said going over to the spot where the tree was and then planting a new seed there, “However life, creation, art, music, inspiration, everything that we have built, it is all hard, it takes time and effort.
So while one may be easy, it is never worth it, and while one may be hard, it is always worth it in the end. And I would always want something worth it.”
“I understand,” Clover said, “I don’t think that I ever will use it for any means.”
“Good,” he said, “On to the next lesson then…”
And with that said the lessons went on, and so did time.
Eventually however Star Swirl noticed that tension between the tribes grew, there was more hatred and anger, more wrath and fury, and that attracted the attention of the wind spirits of cold and ice and winter called Windigos.
Then he taught Clover about them and how they spread evil.