Chapter 1
From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled.
Clover trotted up the cobblestone street to the cottage surrounded by overgrown weeds, wrinkling her nose as she smelt the manure poured on them. A few Earth Ponies paused in their work on the farms in the distance to look at her, knowing that she was obviously not from the area. Reaching up with a hoof, Clover knocked three times, and waited.
After five minutes, she tried again. Levitating a note out of her saddlebags, strapped to her white body, Clover glanced at the note for a fifth time since getting off the carriage. Sighing, she folded it up and put it away, knocking once more and looking around the cottage. It was run down, and Clover could see holes in the roof.
“Uh, hello?” Clover glanced in the dust covered window, using her magic to clear one side of it. Unable to see inside, she bit her lip and glanced behind her. The ponies watching quickly went back to work on the farm. Turning, Clover knocked once more. To her utter surprise, nopony answered.
‘This is the right house, right?’ Clover decided to try turning the doorknob, and blinked as it creaked loudly, swinging inward with complaint. Taking a step inside, Clover coughed, dislodging more dust as she looked around. Every surface was covered in papers. Jumping slightly, Clover looked toward the door, where it had slammed shut behind her.
“Mister Starswirl?” Clover glanced around, feeling hairs pickle down her back as she traversed the empty house. Eventually, she came to a door that was closed, and levitated it open, coming face to face with a white pony with a huge beard. Rearing in surprise, Clover fell backward, blinking as she was dragged in the room, the door closing with a soft yellow magic.
“Drink this.” The pony shoved a flask into Clover’s mouth, forcing her to drink as she coughed, flailing on the floor. As soon as it was finished, Clover was allowed to stand, feeling dizzy as the potion began to work.
“How do you feel about a purple beard?” The pony smirked, and Clover pointed a hoof forward, about to object to her rough treatment. All words, however, were cut off the moment a purple beard sprouted from her chin. Blinking, Clover cried out in shock, backing toward the door as she tried to open it with her magic.
“Not a fan of purple? I can do bright pink if you want.’ Leaning over the table, the pony sntatched another flask, which Clover snatched away, finally gaining a chance to speak. Ignoring the hairy thing attached to her now, she situated a glare on the pony, and opened her mouth.
“Now just a minute here mister! Who are you, and who said I wanted a beard? Because I didn’t!” Clover glared at the pony, who paused and tilted his head, looking at her intently. After a moment, he pointed toward the door.
“You’re not my sun-oclock? Somepony told me they wanted a beard, and I told them to come today. Or was it tomorrow…” The pony paused once more, and Clover growled in irritation. Surely this wasn’t the great Starswirl. For one, Starswirl was only a year older than her, this guy looked absolutely ancient.
“Oh! Names! Right those are important. I am Starswirl, and you are?” The pony who was apparently Starswirl leaned forward, getting within inches of Clover’s face. Taking a step back, she glared at him vehemently.
“There is no way you’re Starswirl, he’s a young prodigy, not a grizzled old man.” Clover wrinkled her nose and looked away, wondering if she should just leave and be done with this old coot. Starswirl watched her for a moment, and his eyes narrowed.
“You’re from the Academy I see. Let me guess, you’re a young prodigy hoping to get lessons of the ‘greatest sorcerer of our generation’ as they call me.” Starswirl watched Clover turn around, and scoffed, turning and pulling out a potion. Drinking it down, his beard shrunk, turning brown and adding color to his body.
“Right, I could use a new assistant. The other one ran off three weeks ago.” Starswirl clapped his hooves together, and smiled eagerly, bouncing forward on two hooves. Clover raised a hoof, caught between her desire to flee. Now that this pony looked more her age, Clover was less inclined to disbelieve this was indeed Starswirl. Especially since it matched the picture she had been given of him.
And yet, this pony was insane.
“Uh, you mean student, right?” Clover smiled sheepishly, seeing Starswirl’s gaze narrow as he shook his head. Leaning forward, Starswirl smiled pleasantly.
“Nono, assistant.” Starswirl leaned back, diving over the table and toward a stack of paper. Clover slowly walked around, tilting her head in confusion.
“Aren’t they the same thing?” Clover’s ears flicked back as Starswirl broke into a fit of laughter, and shook his head as he wiped moisture away from his eyes.
“Oh no no, let me put this in words you might understand. See, if you were my student, I’d point to these notes and say ‘what are your thoughts?” Starswirl paused, pointing to a set of notes. Clover leaned forward, curious. It looped like a diagram of a Pegasus wing, but Clover didn’t recognize any of the terms listed on it.
“Whereas, as my assistant, I will instead say; ‘carry these over to that desk’.” Starswirl slammed the papers into Clover’s magic somehow. Grunting, she levitated them over to where he pointed, and glared vehemently at him.
“I don’t understand why you need me to do it, couldn’t you just get an Earth Pony to do it?” Clover turned back to Starswirl, seeing him visibly flinch. Clover stepped back in confusion as anger blazed on his face, and she found herself pushed toward the now open door.
“Get out.” Starswirl pushed Clover out of the room, heading toward the front door. Clover dragged her feet, struggling to regain her footing as she was pushed toward the door.
“What? Why? What did I do?” Clover pivoted, watching the door slam an inch from her nose. Clover glanced around, seeing the Earth Ponies watching her now. Knocking on the door again, Clover tried to open it. The door was now locked.
“Starswirl? I don’t understand, what did I say?” Clover knocked on the door a few more times, pausing as thunder growled above her. Crouching, Clover looked up to where the Pegasi were moving clouds into position, and waved to them. Eventually, one came down to land beside her.
“Um, excuse me sir, could you hold off on the storm for an hour or so? I would really appreciate it.” Clover smiled warmly as the Pegasus regarded her, and then smirked.
“What? You expect me to just halt this storm for you?” The Pegasus raised his head to the sky and laughed. Clover felt heat rise to her cheeks, and scrunched her face.
“Well, yes. You see I’m-” Clover flinched as a hoof was placed on her mouth, and the Pegasus leaned forward, bad breath burning her nostrils.
“Pegasi aren’t going to stop a storm that was booked five month in advance by Earth Ponies for a Unicorn.” Flaring his wings, the Pegasus took to the sky, meeting with others of his kind. Clover watched them talk for a moment, and a hoof to be pointed toward her. Were they going to hold off on the storm for her?
KABAM!
Apparently not. Clover’s ears flopped down as she lowered her head and sighed, rain slamming into her. Thankfully, she was only wearing a peasant outfit, but she still needed to get out of this rain. Looking around, Clover spotted nothing to shelter under besides a tree, and she gritted her teeth.
Stepping underneath the tree, Clover called upon her magic to try and cast a weak shield spell to keep the rain off her. It was crude, but it helped keep her dry for the most part. However, as the rain pelted onward, Clover had to end her spell due to the strain. Sitting down, she huddled under the tree and closed her eyes, giving a whimper.
“Get inside before I change my mind.” Starswirl’s voice hid obvious anger, but as Clover raised her head and looked toward him, she only saw a weariness. Clover stood up and quickly ambled inside as Starswirl closed the door. Seeing a lit fireplace, she crawled over to the mat in front, and curled her arms around herself. Feeling a blanket draped around her, Clover cowered inside it.
“A Chariot will come for you in the morning, your bed is the orange door. The Chariot will take you home.” Starswirl turned, walking toward the door Clover had found him in earlier. Huddling in her blanket, Clover opened her mouth to object.
“But I-”
‘-don’t have a home to go to.’ Clover closed her mouth, and stood up. Walking over the the orange door, she noticed Starswirl watching her like a hawk. Opening the door, Clover closed her eyes.
“Okay, thank you. Sorry for wasting your time.” Clover entered the room, closing the door behind her. It was a simply furnished room with a hole in one corner leaking water into a bowl. Sitting down on the bed, Clover curled up in her blanket. She had failed, whatever test Starswirl has set, she had failed it.
“I failed.” Closing her eyes, Clover drifted off to sleep. Starswirl continued to watch her for a moment longer, and quietly clicked the door closed.
“Good morning,” Clover wiped her nose as she stepped out of her room. Starswirl was already up, sipping a drink. Clover sat down and glanced toward the window, not expecting anything to be made for her. Starswirl said nothing, and eventually Clover wondered what time it was. Casting a quick spell, she widened her eyes, it was already midday.
“Starswirl, when did you say the Chariot would be coming?” Clover waited patiently as Starswirl finished eating, and turned, dumping his dishes in the filthy sink. Clover wasn’t sure why Starswirl’s home was in such disrepair, but knew better than to ask.
“There was no Chariot.” Starswirl opened the door to his room, and levitated up every single piece of paper, quietly sorting them. Clover stood up and approached, tilting her head as she watched.
“So, I’m walking then?” Clover supposed she had walked most of the way. But that didn’t mean she was looking forward to it. Starswirl, finished moving his notes, glanced back and raised an eyebrow.
“Wherever to?” Starswirl slowly turned entirely around and Clover blinked.
“Uhh, home?” Clover glanced toward the door, and Starswirl smiled while her head was turned. Instantly going back to a stoic face, he turned and headed into his room.
“You are home my assistant. You are home.” Starswirl sat down at the desk, and began to write down formula with ease. Clover stood in the door, and slowly a smile dawned upon her face.
“Well? Are you going to stand there grinning like a Seapony, or help me sort through three hundred and sixty five spells for hair growth?” Starswirl raised his head and glared at her once, returning to his work quickly. Clover lowered her head, before straightening up and beaming a grin.
“Of course!”