//------------------------------// // Day 11 // Story: Starswirl and the Purple Terror // by ValdimarGreen //------------------------------// “EEEEEARTHQUAAAAAAKE!” Clover’s mother shouted as she shook her daughter's bed violently. Clover the Clever tumbled off the mattress with a high pitched squeal. “Mom!” “Good morning Sweetie,” Rosebud replied with a wide grin. “I'm surprised you are up already, don’t you normally sleep for another hour?” Clover stared incredulously at her mother for a moment before coming to grips with the situation. She pointed an accusing hoof at the older mare. “YOU SHOOK THE BED!”         Looking stunned, Rosebud lifted a hoof and placed it to her chest “Me?”         “Yes, YOU!” Clover shouted.         Rosebud simply smiled at her daughter’s outrage. “I was planning to make pancakes for breakfast... But now, I just don’t know.”         Clover the Clever’s ears had perked up at the mention of pancakes. By the time Rosebud finished, Clover was smiling broadly. “Mom, did you also feel that huge earthquake shaking the whole house just now? I even fell off my bed!”         Rosebud grinned down at her daughter. “I sure did, and I'm glad it waked you, since somepony needs to go ‘borrow’ some milk from our good neighbor. I would go myself but... He will probably be asleep for another couple of hours.”         Clover flung her forehooves around her mother and gave her a big hug. “I love you Mom,” she said, her face nuzzled into her mother's white fur.         Rosebud hugged her back. “Awww, I love you too, Sweetie –” she paused for a moment before adding “– just bring me that milk.”         “I will see the world burn before I fail,”  Clover replied, already planning her approach.         As Clover rushed out of the room, Rosebud called after her. “Sweetie, I'm going to the post office this afternoon, so have your report to Princess Celestia ready before then!”         “Okay mom” Clover called back, before leaving the house. -----         Starswirl’s eyes hurt, and his head ached, staying up all night and been a bad idea. Still, he allowed himself a small smile as he gazed at the second crystal orb, holding pure alicorn magic. It had taken all night to extract it from Twilights blood, but now it was done. It spun gently within its container, a mass of white with shades of pink and cyan.         Starswirl stretched, he needed coffee and a lot of it. Since it was monday, the day for organizing and scheduling, Twilight would probably be popping in at any moment. Maybe he should make a cup for her as well. He paused, what a strange thought.         He left his study and headed down the curving staircase that followed the inner wall. His kitchen was located at the base of the tower so it would take him a few minutes to get down there. A poor design choice, in retrospect. But, now that he could teleport, maybe he should move the kitchen up and then fill the bottom three levels with rocks. That way, his potential visitors would be limited to pegasi and alicorns only. Starswirl smiled, liking the idea.         Upon opening the kitchen door, his smile fell away, replaced by outrage. “YOU!” -----         Clover spun around, and tried to hide the bag containing her newly acquired milk bottle, behind her back. “ME!” she replied, with as much bravado as she could muster. But on the inside, her heart was hammering. This mission was too important, it mustn't fail!         Uncle Swirly took a step into the kitchen, narrowing his eyes at her. “How did you get in here? I have warded all the upper windows as well as the lower ones now.” He paused and peered at her, “ What are those smudges all over your coat? Wait… Is that soot? YOU CLIMBED DOWN THE CHIMNEY?!” Clover swore softly, she had hoped to keep that entrance a secret, at least until the tunnel was finished. But that wasn’t important right now, what was important, was the mission, to get the milk home. She needed to stall him while she thought of a plan. “Don’t be silly Uncle Swirly, ME going down the chimney? That must be the silliest thing I ever heard.” The older unicorn took a step closer, narrowing his eyes even further, “I'm starting to wonder why you go to such lengths just to vex me...” Clover flinched. “No reason,” she said quickly, too quickly. Uncle Swirly stared suspiciously at her, “So there is a reason, something more than your personal enjoyment?” This was bad, very bad. Clover took a step backwards, and accidentally bumped the bag with the milk bottle. It tipped over and fell to the stone floor with an audible “clink“. Uncle Swirly tilted his head to the side, looking past her. “Is that my milk?” he asked, outraged. He probably needed it for his coffee. “What? Nooo No Nooo,” Clover replied, forcing a grin on her face. “I… I brought this with me from home. I… I was planning to help you organize your stuff today, and organizing sure makes a pony thirsty!” Uncle Swirly took an aggressive stance, “You will return that bottle to me, now.” Clover the Clever was truly worried now, she cast her eyes about, trying to think of something. What would Celestia do in a situation like this? That question had only one possible answer. Clover flung the bag over her back and charged, letting out a battlecry for good measure. “FOR CELESTIA AND PANCAKES!” ----- Starswirl’s eyes went wide as the tiny unicorn charged him, her golden eyes burning with purpose. He tried to grab her with his magic, but she zigzagged wildly, avoiding his grasp. However, when she tried to pass him in the doorway, Starswirl managed to get a foreleg around her and pinned her to his chest. “Got you, you little monster!” he said smugly as she writhed in his grip. “Now you will–” Starswirl yelped in pain as Clover bit him. Cursing, he released her. A moment later she was past him and running up the stairs shouting back over her shoulder. “I'm sorry Uncle Swirly, but the mission must come first! Viva la Panqueques!” “I'm not your Uncle! And don’t go spouting your fancy griffin sayings at me!” Starswirl called after her. He tried to teleport up to his study, but he realized quickly that he was just too drained at the moment. Cursing, he ran up the stairs after the little demon. He had to catch her before she reached the fireplace and crawled up the chimney. But the little miscreation was fast. And he had been up all night. When he finally reached his study door, he was breathing heavily and he knew it was too late, she would already be crawling into the chimney by now. But then his ears perked up as a muffled shout came from inside the door. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” Starswirl swung the door open and stepped inside, and was met by the beautiful sight of Twilight Sparkle holding a struggling pink filly in her magical grip. Twilight turned to him as he walked inside, “She burst in here, laughing like crazy. So I grabbed her just in case.” Starswirl grinned wide at her, “Twilight, I could kiss you!” Then he turned his attention to Clover the Clever, and didn’t see Twilight’s face turning bright red.         “Release me” Clover demanded, paddling her legs in a futile effort to escape the magical field.         “Nothing would please me more than to throw you out the window again. But first I'm taking my milk back.” Starswirl said, somewhat enjoying the situation, it wasn't often he won against her.         Clover’s eyes went wide, and she clutched the bag to her chest. “Stay away!”         Starswirl grabbed the bag with his mouth and pulled. Clover clung desperately to the bag, her face one of desperation. Starswirl slowly worked the bag free. Clover looked like it was her soul being torn from her rather than a bottle of milk.         “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” she wailed.         “Don’t be so dramatic you little thief,” Starswirl murmured around the bag in his mouth. Still, Clovers anguish seemed so real, that he actually felt a little bad for her. Which just served to make him even more annoyed.         “It’s time you told me everything,” Starswirl said. “Why do you do what you do?”         “NEVER!” Clover shouted, eyes filled with defiance.         Starswirl smiled wickedly, “Speak, or we will have to force you.”         Clover set her jaw, “Torture is it? Well, bring it on! I can take it!”         Starswirl turned to Twilight, “Twilight, could you please take those two feather quills on the table over there and use them to tickle her until I tell you to stop?”         Twilight blinked then turned to Clover with a smile, “She did toss mudballs at me last week, I guess there is nothing wrong with a little payback.”         “You wouldn’t…” Clover said, her defiance draining away. ------ Clover cracked 20 seconds later, laughing and shaking while desperately trying to keep the wiggling feathers at bay. “HAHAHahaha, Celestia, hahah, made, hihihi, Not there! Hahaha, She made me her special agent! Hahahaha, Curse you purple one! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I was to make Uncle Swirly’s life interesting, Hahaha, because Celestia was worried about him since he didn't have any friends.” Starswirl and Twilight both gaped at the pink filly. “He doesn't?” Twilight asked. But Starswirl shouted over her. “ CELESTIA DID WHAT?! THAT CAKE GORGELING TROLLOP. Ohh, when I get my hooves on her, I will give her a piece of my mind!” He glared daggers at Clover, “You tell her, that my social affairs are none of her business, I’m perfectly happy here in my tower.” “You don’t have any friends?” Twilight asked again, this time addressing herself to Starswirl. “None at all?” Starswirl frowned at Twilight, “Define the word friend.” “Somepony you can trust and depend on, who cares for you and that you care for.” Twilight replied seriously. Starswirl made a face, “Ehhh I guess… you maybe.” “What do you mean ‘maybe’?” Twilight asked. “No, this wont do! Tomorrow, we are going out and you will make some friends and learn about the magic of friendship!” Starswirl stared at her, she couldn't be serious… could she?