One Last Love Story Before the End of the World
In an age before legends and carols, pageants and bedtime stories, before there ever was a 'Clover the Clever', there was a bright, starlit winter sky, as young and fresh as the land it embraced. It is a night that will be forever remembered for many things, many happy things. But it would never be remembered for this, for so thick was the night's shroud over this particular story that it would be forever lost to mortal reckoning and history itself.
Beneath that sky a young pony, barely a mare, but one who has had wisdom beyond her years forced upon her by a lifetime of hardship, ventured forth into the cold, dark night. She forced her frost-numbed hooves forwards through the knee-deep snow, pulling her tattered brown cape tightly around herself against the harsh winter frost. Nothing, not even the impending frosty end of the world for ponykind, could stop her that night.
She shivered as she left the safety of the cave, perhaps their world's last warm refuge. Inside what was left of the three tribes' high command huddled together in, if not forced companionship, then at least a cold standoff. Beneath, in the extensive gem caves underneath their new land, the remnants of their tribesponies had their pitiful excuse for war camps set up. That night she, Smart Cookie and Pansy had miraculously convinced their leaders to sleep on their war speeches. But tomorrow things will without a doubt finally come to a head. War will be declared. Blood will spill upon this untainted land. And what ponies live through it will be conquerors of a tundra littered with the frozen dead.
She allowed herself a dry chuckle. The thestrals and the changelings had wisely gone their separate ways after the first summit of the tribes, refusing to even continue bickering over such petty trivialities. The peacekeeper Windigo Ponies, firmly dedicated to their cause of peace, had stubbornly remained neutral. But without the warmth the Windigo Ponies provided with their Fires of Friendship, the three tribes would quickly use up all the warmth wherever they go. Frost would settle in and quickly consume them. But the Windigo Ponies had declared their terms - peace between the tribes or nothing. And peace was about as realistic a prospect as Princess Platinum dirtying her immaculate hooves in a cabbage field.
But tonight she would not worry about that, no. Tonight she was not the wise and clever Clover, advisor to Unicornia and ponykind's last voice of reason. Tonight she would act against all the hard-earned wisdom she was praised and known for. Tonight, far from the cave, far from her responsibilities, she would be Clover the Foolish.
For she was young and in love, and no amount of wisdom would stop her from seeing her special somepony one last time before the end. "I knew you were out here." She said to the night sky. "I can feel your warmth, your highness."
A soft breeze blew through her mane, bringing with it the soft scent of spring. Glowing white wisps blew about her, circling her like a miniature storm. "And I can feel how cold you are, my silly filly." A warm cloak was dropped unceremoniously across her back. And just as suddenly, the wisps ceased to blow. A strong but gentle hoof pulled the cloak tight about her neck from behind. She felt the cloak's warmness embrace her, filling her with his gentle and compassionate warmth. She raised a hoof to caress the soft fur lining of the thick velvety light blue cloak, emblazoned proudly with the Crystal Snowflake insignia of the Crystal Empire. "Drop the 'highness'. With you I'm not the Crystal Emperor. With you I am as we met, a...well, a not-Emperor." His kind voice was at odds with his abrupt manner of speech, but was one that had long since grown on Clover.
She looked around and watched him lightly land in the cold frost beside her, trailing soft white and dew-gray wisps of light. Except his hooves, clad in silver gauntlets, did not touch snow. Rather it landed upon verdant spring grass that quickly spread out in a wide circle around them, as if blown away by his dawn-silver glow. Night lillies and moon flowers burst forth from the lush grass and bloomed before her very eyes, aglow with the radiance of many little stars, as if summoned forth by his warmth.
She looked up meekly at him, at his dusk-gray crystal coat aglow with the radiance of polished onyx. Embracing his tall, majestic form was his ornately gilded Crystal Emperor armour, entirely visible in all its glory without his cloak. His emerald green eyes gleamed with the glow of the night flowers around them, but most definitely glittered with hidden mirth upon meeting her own. His sparkling obsidian-black mane, thick as a Manticore's, was swept back like waves upon a frozen sea. To her, however, it was his permanent bed hair that would not stand any amount of grooming on her part.
"You look, well, healthy, Clover." The Windigo said, a little awkwardly, before quickly averting his gaze. "That is to say, you look beautiful, as always, my silly filly." He managed to cough uneasily. Here was perhaps the only pony in the world who called her 'silly'. And Clover loved him like the silly filly he called her. And she would have it no other way.
"You are as eloquent as always, my lord." Clover couldn't help but giggle at him.
"I give you an honest compliment. I receive laughter in reply." He huffed indignantly with his usual heavy scowl. "I shall not bother in the future." He gave a little gasp as he felt something push up against his side. It was warm, soft, with a gentleness that had become all the good he knew in life. He peered down at where she rested her head against the crook of his neck. Her long lilac mane, as straight and smooth as finest silk, felt soft and fluffy against his rough weather-worn fur. Her bright violet eyes gleamed with a gentle love that outshone entire galaxies. And her soft, velvety violet fur felt like the very stuff of warm comforting dreams against his own nightmarish form. Not a day goes by without him longing for her. He voiced this as elaborately as he could. "I missed you, you know." He said, gruffly, pulling the young mare closer against him with a hoof.
"And I, you." Clover whispered, resting her head against the crook of his neck, reveling in his warmth.
"Here, eat. I know you haven't eaten in days." He said abruptly, reaching into his saddlebag to pull out a small hamper. He held it out, waiting impatiently for Clover to take it. "Go on."
"Oh, my lord, you....certainly haven't changed at all." Clover said as diplomatically as she could amidst a fit of giggles, lighting up her horn to accept the hamper in her magical grasp.
"Such a giggly silly filly. She laughs at the first meal she's seen in days. I don't know what to do with my silly filly. I am honestly lost." The emperor threw up his forehooves in despair before giving a mighty pout.
Clover was too busy studying the alluring hamper to grace his moaning with a response. The contents were still warm and, in fact, so fresh it still filled the air with its sweet floury scent. "Fresh dewbread? How in the world did you manage this, my lord?" She gasped as she allowed herself a curious peek inside.
"Tribute from my people. They save their best for me, no matter how much I refuse." The Emperor said, stiffly. "Perhaps the last of our best reserves."
"Then you should honour their dedication, my lord." Clover gasped, "It is only right that you have this."
"T'is theirs to give to me. And I shall honour their intentions by using it to feed the special somepony closest to my heart." He declared, sternly.
Clover let out another giggle, again at his awkward choice of words, his naively blunt shows of affection. Any other mare would probably have balked at his lack of delicacy. But not Clover the Foolish. The normally silent, stoic and selfless Emperor of the Windigos always turned into this childish, whimsical and somewhat spoiled colt before her and only her. He was an Emperor, a leader who belonged to his people, the Windigo Crystal Ponies. And she was just a lowly commoner from a now-misplaced tribe. But here was a side of him that was hers and hers alone.
She couldn't help but smile warmly at the thought. She knew the sulking tantrum he would throw if she didn't accept his gift. And it was true, she hadn't eaten in days. Any scrap would be welcome, let alone such a luxurious feast. But being the gentle mare she was, she couldn't help but feel guilty gorging herself on such wonders when her people slept fitfully on empty stomachs.
"I shall spread what little warmth I have left upon the morrow, perhaps coax a few snow dandelions to grow for your herd to eat." The Emperor said, seemingly reading her mind. Clover felt a little pang of gratitude. This colt, whimsical as he is, knew her all too well.
"But...my lord. That warmth should be kept for your own herd." Clover gasped.
"Perhaps a meal will help the tribes keep a level head for just another day." The Emperor said. "And whatever little peace and friendship that gives us will allow us to squeeze out that little bit more warmth with our Fires of Friendship."
"Or keep them alive just one more day to fight their foolish war tomorrow. I fear this time it will no longer be a matter of who is right, only who is left." Clover sighed.
"Tomorrow, is it?" The Emperor said. Clover couldn't help but notice the darkness in his tone. "It will not come to war, that much is certain."
"How can you be so sure?" Clover asked, ears perking up. "You don't mean..."
"My herd did not come to this decision lightly." The Emperor said, levelly. "The moment the first war horn is sounded, the Windigo Crystal Ponies shall sweep across the battlefield and entomb all in crystal frost. Perhaps then we may salvage peace out of whatever remains and finally produce the warmth we need."
"You can't! That would make your people enemies of the tribes! The Windigo Crystal Ponies will never have true friendship and peace that way!" Clover gasped, "Please, see reason, my lord!" She begged, holding onto his chest, looking up at him with beseeching eyes.
"Of course I have seen reason, my silly filly. I have not wasted my time around you without allowing your foolish gentle self to rub off on me." The Emperor said with a resigned huff. "I know well enough my people shall never live down being branded traitors. There is no true friendship or peace to be found there. But even us Windigos lose our cool, much like your own tribes. 'Fires of Friendship Live In Our Hearts, Peace at All Costs', that is the Windigo Crystal way. Without friendship there is no Fire of Friendship. Without that we have no warmth."
"But then..." Clover's ears drooped, her gaze fell, as despair sank. A frozen end may be slightly less messy than a bloody one, but no less disastrous.
"Which is why I shall act tonight." The Emperor said. "I shall encase Puddinghead, Platinum and Hurricane and everypony in that cave in tombs of crystal frost forever. Without their foolhardiness perhaps we may stand a chance at peace."
"No!" Clover gasped. "They may be vain and foolish but nopony deserves such a fate!"
"Not yet they don't. Perhaps after the battle tomorrow they may?" The Emperor snapped. "This is the only way to spare the lives of your tribes and the innocence of my herd. I alone shall be the Windigo Frost Spirit borne on wings of hate and winterfrost like the dark legends past. And my treachery tonight and their crystal tombs shall forever serve as a warning against disharmony!" He declared with a stomp of a hoof.
"You can't! Princess Platinum is my sworn liege. I would lay down my life before I see you touch her!" Clover suddenly cried. Silence followed. The only sound came from Clover's own heaving breath, the soft whimpering of her quivering lips, glistening with the tears streaming down from her diamond-edged glare.
The Emperor scowled. "You are truly everything that Harmony is - Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity and Kindness. If ponies like you ruled in place of the likes of Platinum...the likes of me....this world would be a better, warmer place." He turned away. "You will not stop me, not this night, Clover. I do this for the good of your people and yourself!" He barked, storming off towards the cave in the distance.
"Then you shall freeze me with them." She growled. The small, waif-like creature had planted herself in his way. Her steely glare burned through the veil of tears upon her face, tearing into him with all the ferocity of the sun. The Emperor could freeze dragons, burn hydras and crush entire armies under his crystal frost. But this elfin figure before him could freeze him with but a look. To that day this strange, foolish and nonsensical creature was the only being able to move his heavy heart. And now she once again proved the ease with which she could do so.
The Emperor closed his eyes, growling menacingly. "Fine." He barked, "You shall have your way, silly filly! As you always do!" He snarled, rage towering. "I will give you one chance to save your leaders and their idiocy for future generations to enjoy! I will grant you the treasure box. Provided they remember the key, their Friendship, ere the end then they shall be saved."
"No." Clover's eyes widened in disbelief, "Please, you can't mean giving me the Fire of Friendship?!" She balked.
"You know of any other way to save everypony now, my silly filly?" She went silent as she felt a heavy hoof gently ruffle her soft mane.
"You can't." She hiccuped, trembling so much she could barely speak, "You can't give me your heart. Not that. Anything but that."
"I know I have always been of poor counsel, but just this once, trust me." The Emperor's hard features melted into a sudden soft smile. "My heart has always been yours, Clover. Before I became the Frostfire, most powerful of Windigos, before I earned the title of Crystal Emperor, I had no heart. But you came. You filled my emptiness with love. With your love I became the Frostfire, I became the pony I am today." He smiled serenely, a smile recalling her incessant nagging upon his apathetic self, her constant dragging him after her wherever she went, her ever present smile lighting up his life like the sun, always. "Now it is time for me to give it back to you, to give you and your herds, my herd, a future."
"No!" The Emperor felt a small pair of hooves throw themselves around his neck. He felt her throw her weight into his chest, burying her face in his neck. "Please, no!" The soft voice sobbing against his mane pulled at the very depths of his heart.
"What is not to your liking now, silly filly?" He whispered into her ear. "I am granting you the survival of your tribes and that of your foolish leaders. What more do you demand?" The Emperor asked, pulling her close into a tight embrace. "Tell me your every wish, my silly filly."
"I....I don't want you to become a traitor, to be remembered by history for treachery alone." She whispered, hiccupping softly against him. "I want you to be remembered as the good and loving king you are. I...I..." She gulped, snuggling against him as she tightened her embrace, almost afraid to let go. "I want to be with you, forever. I want us to build a home somewhere, far away from everypony, where we can be together, where we can be free to love."
"We'd be too far from the nearest library, silly filly." The Emperor chuckled. "How would you survive?" He chided her goodnaturedly.
"I-I'll manage!" She huffed, indignantly, through her tears. "I'll make you your favourite fresh dewbread everyday. We would count the stars and listen to the moonlight, and I would read to you by the fireplace every night. And our foals..." The Emperor felt her lower one hoof to her tummy. "...our foals would grow up with a father..." She choked, a fresh wave of tears bursting forth.
"Clover." The Emperor suddenly whispered. She peered up slowly from his chest to gaze up at his eyes. They were wide open in disbelief, but glimmering with hope and, dare she think, happiness. "Foals? Here?" He stammered intelligently as he lowered a hoof to join hers on her tummy.
She gave a little nod, smiling a watery smile up at him. "Yes, twins. They'll be two beautiful fillies. Your fillies."
"Ours. Our fillies, Clover." The Emperor gave a squeak of happiness, almost hopping with glee. "I'm a father! Clover, I'm a father! By Crystal, Clover, you're a mother!" He gasped, squeezing her tight before spinning around, twirling her through the air. "Oh, I decree it now, today shall be remembered forthwith! Everypony from today till the end of time shall make merry and be happy every year upon this day!"
"Our lives would be filled with their laughter and giggles." Clover went on, tightening her hold on him. "At day we would be fending off their mischief. At night we would tuck them into bed and sing to them. You would teach them Friendship and hoofball. I would teach them magic and Harmony. Together we would teach them Love."
"Yes! Yes! Oh Yes!" The Emperor guffawed heartily. "Everything, Clover, everything as you say!" He calmed down as he gazed into her eyes. They shared a moment of loving silence as they saw their dreams shine bright in each other's eyes. "Thank you, Clover, my love." He whispered, softly, smiling the happiest smile she had ever seen him smile. "Now you have truly given me everything I could ever want, everything I ever need to be."
"No...." Clover whispered, "Please, please no. My Lord, our fillies, they will need you." She pleaded desperately. "I...I need you."
She felt his gentle hoof pull her head against his chest. "In the world you will create they will not need the likes of me. Neither will you. Nor will anypony." He whispered. "See?"
She gasped as she noticed the soft bluish silver glow glimmering from above, like a new moon in the sky. She peered up, squinting against the blinding glare in her tears. There, carved into the sky above them, was a fiery bluish white flame, burning in the shape of a heart. His heart.
Wispy tendrils of crystal whirled around them in a slow, almost serene spiral. They gathered about the heart, giving it shape and form. Then, with one last burst of prismatic light, the heart turned into solid crystal.
"The Crystal Heart." He whispered to her as it slowly descended towards them. "For as long as all ponykind keep the Fires of Friendship burning in their hearts, this heart will spread the warmth of love and hope across the entire world. This is my promise to you, to our children."
"My Lord..." She whispered, as the Crystal Heart gently landed in her hooves against her bossom. "I..." She was silenced by a soft, slow kiss. She gasped in surprise before slowly losing herself in what felt like an eternity.
Then, just as suddenly, she lost his touch. She gasped, eyes fluttering open as she threw her forehooves out for him, dropping the Crystal Heart to the ground. "My Lord!" Her hooves flailed at thin air, now filled with wispy bluish-white tendrils of light. "No! My Lord! Please, come back!"
"My name, Clover." A voice echoed all around her as the wisps of smoke spiralled around her. "Call my name one last time. Please."
"My Lo-...Sombra!" She cried up at the night sky, almost a scream from the heart. "SOMBRAA!" She reached her forehooves out into the air, groping for his form. But he was no more.
"Thank you, Clover, my love." The voice echoed. "Now, it is time. Let us save the world." The smokey wisps gathered together into a towering column of prismatic light before rushing forth towards the cave. There, framed against the darkness of the sky, she could just about make out the bluish white outline of a powerful stallion galloping mightily through the air.
A powerful, heart-chilling neigh and whinny filled the sky. But for her it filled her heart with a newfound strength.
Clover picked up the fallen heart in her forehooves. She gave it one last tight embrace before blinking away the last of her tears. A look of pure determination bloomed upon her face as she narrowed her glare upon the cave.
Today the world shall make merry and be happy, from now till the end of the world.