//------------------------------// // 05: Choices of Future Past // Story: The Princess that Equestria Always Had // by rillegas08 //------------------------------// A few weeks later, Star Swirl and Twilight made their way through the nearby town to pick up some more food, quills, and parchment, the usual shopping list of a wizard like Star Swirl. Twilight had asked if she could come with him, and he agreed, suggesting she could go by herself if he was ever preoccupied. Since this was her first time in the unicorn town – somehow, she had never gotten around to it earlier – he acted as her guide, showing her the way to the town and through it. Twilight levitated a map between them as Star Swirl pointed out the buildings and shops they would use the most. “Unfortunately, due to tribal prejudices, the earth ponies’ food stalls are quite far from the books and other supplies we’ll be using. I wish I could say this was a temporary sentiment, but it’s been going on for many years.” “Good morning, Star Swirl,” greeted one of the unicorn mares as they passed. Her coat was white with a tint of yellow, and her mane orange with brilliant gold highlights. “Who’s your friend?” “Hello, Glitter Gold,” he replied in an uneasy tone, then cleared his throat. “This is Twilight, my new student. She just started working with me a couple days ago.” “Pleased to meet you, Glitter Gold.” Twilight offered her hoof but the mare didn’t take it. “Charmed.” Her voice was cold, and she didn’t offer up her own hoof in response. Instead, the mare turned to Star Swirl. “Yet another assistant, Star Swirl?” she asked, a touch of bitterness in her voice. “I just want it like it was before. You, me, the magic...” Glitter Gold’s eyes were fierce, yet beckoned to the famed stallion. Star Swirl coughed uneasily and pushed his hat up with his hoof to rub his forehead. “Yes, well, you were never all that good with magic, were you?” He readjusted his hat. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got shopping to do.” Glitter Gold harrumphed and turned away from the two, her nose upturned. Star Swirl and Twilight continued on their way through the market. “What’s with her?” Twilight asked after the mare had gone out of earshot. “Glitter Gold was a unique case. She came to me asking to be my student, but didn’t have a show of her skills prepared. She came back a few days later with a routine. It wasn’t that impressive, but I needed some help around the house, so I accepted her anyway. As it turns out, she wanted to be my special somepony. I doubt she truly cared about me more than the bragging rights. I let her go, and she’s been somewhat bitter since. Truly outrageous, though I'll admit there was a sort of beauty in her boldness...” Star Swirl’s words trailed off as Twilight stopped listening. She hadn’t considered the possibility that somepony – or several someponies, for that matter – might have been romantically interested in Star Swirl. All the books she’d read about him said nothing about having a family, so it had never even occurred to her. She merely followed as he continued talking, mostly to himself, until eventually they reached the far end of the market. “Ah, here we are,” said Star Swirl. “The food stalls!” They browsed the stalls, buying different fruits, vegetables, and grains from several stalls from the earth pony vendors. A few smiled when they saw Star Swirl approach them, no doubt recognizing him for his contributions to pony kind, and offered to give him some food for free or, for one pony, a discounted price. Twilight looked from stall to stall as they passed, and saw other vendors, as well as some of the generous ones that had offered free food to them, refuse to give other unicorns free food. Twilight also thought she noticed less food than the last few times they’d gone to market, even though today they’d come earlier in the day than the previous times they’d gone to market. Star Swirl interrupted her thoughts. “Do we have everything we need? Two quills, five jars of ink, six rolls of parchment, two empty books, and the food?” “Check, check, check, check, check,” she replied, having gained a little more appreciation in the last few weeks for Spike’s patience with her own lists. Princess Celestia had always said that Twilight reminded her of Star Swirl, and Twilight was beginning to see why. Princess Luna, on the other hoof, had once said that he was more like Pinkie Pie, which she had also had some chance to witness as they had gotten more acquainted. “Oh yes, and the book that I’d never heard of before for my personal collection.” She removed the book from her saddlebag momentarily before replacing it next to the other items. “Then shall we teleport back to my workshop?” Twilight nodded, and then changed her mind. The sun was up, there were only a few fluffy white clouds in the sky, and a nice breeze was blowing. “Actually, it’s such a nice day out. Can we walk instead?” “I suppose we could. It isn’t that far, after all, and I wanted to talk with you about something anyway. I’ll tell you when we cross the town’s borders.” They walked together silently for a few minutes. Once the din of the busy city had become silenced, he spoke his mind. “Have you ever wanted to see what things will be like in the future, or to fix a mistake you’ve made in the past?” “Time travel? That sounds like complicated magic.” Twilight wasn’t oblivious to what was going on; she was witnessing the beginning of some of Star Swirl’s greatest achievements! How exciting! “I suppose that’s the case, but I was thinking more along the lines of using such spells to work on several projects at the same time. I have so many sometimes it’s hard to keep straight.” Is now the right time to tell him? I’ve only been in the past for a few weeks. “I’d like your help figuring out some of the details.” Twilight stopped in her tracks suddenly, then trotted to catch up with Star Swirl, who hadn’t noticed her stop. “You want my help for something as powerful as a time travel spell?” “Of course! I’ve seen how you work. You’re organized, very intelligent, a have very strong magic.” He paused, touching his hoof to his beard. “It might even be stronger than my own.” “No, that can’t be,” she immediately insisted. “You’re the greatest magician of all ponykind!” “So far that has proven true, Twilight, but – ” He suddenly stopped talking when he noticed a messenger pony, the same messenger pony that had come to Star Swirl’s door a few weeks ago, galloping straight for them. They greeted him. His breath was labored from all the running. “Urgent message... from His Highness King... King Bullion to... Star Swirl the Bearded...” “You must be exhausted,” said Twilight. “Here, lie down and rest while you tell us the message.” He lay down, putting his four legs underneath him. She offered him some water, and the stallion drank and thanked her as he started the message. “‘Star Swirl, I am afraid there’s no time for pleasantries this time. In my last message, I mentioned that the far western parts were having an unusual winter. It appears that this strange weather is only growing, as we at the castle can see the winter encroaching upon the castle. We request your presence to help shield the castle from what must be a cruel joke by the pegasi. We await your answer. King Bullion and Princess Platinum.’” Star Swirl sighed. “I told them not to blame the pegasi. There’s no proof!” “Is that your response, sir?” “No, just my unfiltered thoughts. Here is my response: ‘Your Highnesses, I shall respond with equal urgency. My apprentice and I shall begin our journey as soon as we are able. We’ll pack the things necessary to begin our journey. Star Swirl.’” The messenger pony stood up again, and Twilight gave him some coins. He thanked them both before turning and galloping away, and Twilight turned to Star Swirl as they started walking back, a little faster than before. “You said you and your apprentice would be going. I’ve been with you for several weeks now, and I haven’t seen Clover the Clever, or heard anything about her.” “Twilight, I don’t understand what you mean. You’re my apprentice.” He said something else, but Twilight didn’t hear him. She was too excited, giddy in fact. “Twilight?” “Hm?” “Who’s this Clover you mentioned?” “Oh, she’s – ” Twilight’s thoughts interrupted her words as she thought of everything she knew about Clover the Clever. One of the six founders of Equestria, Clover was the apprentice to Star Swirl the Bearded and the personal assistant to Princess Platinum before and after Equestria’s founding. She knew little about Clover before what she knew of the history of Hearth’s Warming. Wait, what if I’m Clover the Clever? Her pace slowed slightly. “Never mind,” she responded. “She’s a unicorn I must have heard of somewhere else.” “Mhm.” They approached Star Swirl’s workshop, opening the door and entering. They started unpacking their saddlebags, placing the scrolls and books on the tables and the quills next to them. Twilight picked up all the food with her magic and packed them away in the cupboards, organizing the vegetables on the top shelf, the grains on the bottom, and the fruits in the middle. How can I tell him what’s going to happen without saying it outright? she wondered as she put things away. For that matter, do I even need to tell him? I’m sure he’d appreciate it if I told him about Equestria and what he’s going to do in the next few years, but... Normally she’d worry more, but she felt her wings strain against their restraints, and remembered that her wings would tend to flap on their own if she worried too much, like they did before the Princess Summit in the Crystal Empire. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. “Is something bothering you, Twilight?” asked her mentor. There was silence for a moment as she figured out how to say what she wanted to say. “With the tensions among the three tribes and the approaching Windigoes, something bad is going to happen. I just know it.” “I’m sure you’re right,” he replied as he began repacking his saddlebags with supplies for the journey. “One more thing, Star Swirl. From now on, can you call me Clover the Clever?” “The mare you thought you knew? Whatever for?” “It’s... complicated. I’ll explain eventually.”