The moment she saw them, Clover fell in love with the two little alicorn foals "You must do more than keep these sisters safe" Starswirl warned her."You must, at any cost, keep them alive..."
[Note - I've moved Blackbird to the next story. These two stand on their own. It should be linked at the sequel]Clover the Clever gets ripped from her simple life in the little village where she'd settled after the founding of Equestira when her mentor, Starswirl The Bearded offers her the chance to help care for two tiny abandoned foals. But before he allows her to see them he warns her that the moment she saw them she would set things in motion that would take her away from her life, would destroy her plans and dreams and would forever put her life in great peril. It frightened her enough to say no. Still, one day she secretly followed the old unicorn into the cave that led into the side of the mountain, just to get one little look...
The opening chapter of this tale begins only a few years after the founding of Equestria...
The old unicorn pony plodded through the snow, making his way across the southeastern slope of the mountain, through the tall white pine forest. Although intimately familiar with the terrain, the possibility that the storm bought down branches that would now be hidden under the snow, caused him to step carefully. As he climbed along the slope, he read the signs, carefully interpreting the input of his senses, paying close attention to contradictions, for wrapped within them one could often find truth. It would be one of the last of the winter storms. His celestial observations of the previous night had indicated as much.
He became aware of a change, something in the distance, something beyond, through the sloping wood. He knew the mountain, had walked these slopes for years and yet ahead it looked as though it leveled out to... a clearing? Could that be right? Surely there was no clearing here - certainly no level ground, it was the south eastern slope, ground he'd walked many times, - and yet his eyes told him otherwise. He moved ahead cautiously, with uncertainty, but excited nonetheless. Gradually the wood thickened and the ground beneath his hooves leveled, he felt less strain on his ankles and there - there it was, a clearing, just ahead.
He paused outside the clearing, 10 feet from the edge. It appeared to be a circle, perhaps 100 feet across. He scanned the edge of the perimeter, where the woods bordered the clearing but could see nothing. Beyond which the branches were too dense to see any deeper. Beyond was only darkness. He stepped into the clearing, into the bright winter sunlight.
Within the clearing, all was still. It was neither warm no cold, just a perfect calm. There was no sound, no wind. He closed his eyes and reveled in the stillness. He felt as if, were he to open his mouth and speak, the words would be swallowed up before he heard them. He tilted his head back and let the sun warm his face. It was the only external sensation of which he was aware. He turned to his left, intending to walk the perimeter, but stopped.
He heard them, softly breathing.
There you are. Why am I not surprised? I know I will find you there, yet I have no idea who you are, I only know that you are why I am here... He let the thought drift off.
He opened his eyes and turned around toward the center of the clearing. There he saw it, where nothing had been a moment ago, the moment before he'd shut his eyes. It was a dry dome of red sandstone, perhaps just 8 inches high and 10 feet in diameter. It crested above the surrounding snow, which had melted around its perimeter. It looked as though some immense sphere was buried there under the surface. He looked around again. The surface of the snow all around the circle was undisturbed, not a single hoofprint to be seen. The surface of the stone showed no wet hoof tracks, yet upon the stone, where there had been nothing before, there was now a large woven basket, like a low broad bowl with a large flat bottom, fully six feet in diameter. It sat in the very center of the stone circle. Edges of thick blankets spilled over the sides in various places around the bowl.
It had not been there when he entered the clearing, yet here it was.
It is all such strangeness, and yet it is not. It seems so familiar somehow...
Again, he tried to make some congruence of this part of the mountain that he knew so well, with this flat round clearing, but could not, yet here it was. He slowly approached the circle, dreading the necessity of disturbing this conundrum. It was like art, this beautiful woven bowl in the center, in the sun, defying explanation of how it came to be here. He wished to stand in this scene and become a part of it and not an observer. To reduce his consciousness to that of a figure in a painting and nothing more. To be part of the perfection of the moment.
He wished to only be and not to do. And for a period, he was granted that wish.
Then he heard the sound again. Coming from the basket. He walked slowly with sanctity, again regretting the necessity of disturbing the scene. He stepped upon the stone, leaving a wet hoofprint. Slowly he approached the large basket and peered over its edge. He had seen all manner of things and heard of more than most in two lifetimes, but what he saw almost stopped his heart, for there they were.
Two tiny foals, one with a coat as pure white as the snow around him, the other with a coat as deep as a midnight blue sky. They lay on their sides, positioned as though in the midst of chasing one another. Ones head near the others rear hooves, their bodies curved so that this endless chase almost formed a circle. Their little bodies were not exposed to the elements, he could see their positions by their shapes under the blanket, for all but the upper part of their necks and heads were covered by a thick warm blankets. He could see them feebly moving their legs under those blankets as though they were running. He could see what he took to be wings, moving the blankets in little spasms along the sides of their bodies as though they were in flight. He could see the beginnings of a single tiny horn that grew out from each of their foreheads. He could see them slowly opening and closing their eyes, perfect deep eyes with beauty and complexity. The little mares did not cry, but made the soft whimpering sounds he'd heard. He looked on them and smiled.
"Welcome my little loves, oh so small," he said, his voice gravelly but soft. He knelt down before them, closed his eyes and touched their basket with his horn. "Dream of love my little ponies, that it may be in all your lives, may you know all the colors of love from the deepest to the brightest. May it carry you and guide you and teach you. May your lives be full and surrounded by it, and may you seek your strength from it." He stood and looked at them in silence, and smiled sadly. "We must get you inside my little dears. The sun is good, but not for too long, and you will be hungry soon. You both have such a long, long journeys ahead of you, best to start them with good food."
Time spreads before me in all directions, and I see that which is before me and I have seen the rise and fall of kingdoms, the births and deaths of thousands. So much love and so much tragedy and this future and past I see never reveals itself entirely,
He conjured a spell and a glow suddenly emanated from the rope attached to the pack on his back. He levitated the rope and made one end fast to his pack and sent the other end to the basket. The spell that caused a silver glow to light up his pack, and the rope now enveloped the basket. With that spell he was able to cause the basket to to levitate. He tugged gently on the rope, pulling the basket and let it drift slowly through the air for several feet. Turning around, he looked back at the stone surface upon which the basket had rested, and there he saw them. Two hoofprints in the rock, as though they had been carved there into the stone They were side by side almost 2 feet apart and faced in opposite directions. One was slightly larger than the other, but both belonged to adult ponies. He snorted and chuffed.
As he approached the edge of the treeline he turned around to look at the stone. It was gone and once again, the clearing was a flat expanse of undisturbed snow. Where his tracks should have followed him, there was nothing. He walked backward to see them fill in, as he stepped away, but they did not. He knew, somehow, that they would not until he turned away, and so he did.
He did not have to look for a path through the trees, for the direction was clear, simply walk to that place that hadn't been there a moment ago, that place at the edge of the woods where the branches had suddenly thinned out. They opened wide enough to permit him and the basket through and the opening led to a pathway that he recognized, toward a place he knew well. It was a place very close to one of the few openings to his system of caves that ran throughout the interior of the mountain. As he walked, he felt the slope returning, felt the familiar mountain return. He looked back and there was no clearing, only the pines as they had always been. He smiled and continued.
There was an opening near here, and as he walked along, he looked for it, towing the floating basket behind him. Behind a large boulder that was juxtaposed in such a way that only somepony standing in that very spot could see it, he spotted it. He walked toward it but before entering turned around to check his two young charges. The one with the deep blue coat had somehow summoned the strength to wriggle toward the raised edge of the basket and with no small effort succeeded in resting the side of her head on it. She looked at him sideways.
"Hmmm, what do you want?" he grumbled. She just looked and slowly blinked. He looked back. Unable to help himself he walked to the basket. It floated before him at chest level and he leaned forward and kissed the tiny foal on her forehead. She seemed to smile, then close her sweet cyan eyes dreamily and joined her sister in a deep sleep. He could not stop the tears that stung his eyes as he looked at her, nor the pain in his heart.
"Oh my sweet little love, oh my little one. you have such trials ahead, such joy and such sorrow, such love and such pain. That I could spare you all of it, or even a small piece of it, I wish most devoutly. But know this," his old voice cracked, on the verge of breaking, now just a painful whisper, "there never has been nor will there ever be a pony that I have loved more than thou." As he leaned over and kissed her head again, a teardrop fell softly on her coat.
The miles of caves within the mountain crisscrossed and rose and fell. Small glowing globes floated, bouncing softly against the tops of the caves, lighting their way. His hoofsteps echoed softly on the stone floor as he walked through, passing small rooms and vast halls, past underground lakes and streams. Some walls glowed with iridescence, where they did not, glowing globes of different sizes lit everything. As the caves went deeper, the temperature climbed, making. many of the rooms warm and cozy.
He arrived at a warm room that smelled of cedar and pine, where the floor was a foot thick in dried pine duff. He took several of the large soft blankets from the basket and sewed them into a huge quilt which he laid upon the duff, forming a huge soft floor upon which he set the basket. Should they venture out of it, they would find themselves on a wall to wall soft, warm mattress. The warmth came from all around, from the stone floor beneath the pine duff , and from the walls. Sitting there with the two sleeping foals, he read to them from a scroll.
From his healthy larder he drew the ingrediants to prepare food for them Soft oats mixed with thick cream he brought up from the village down at the base of the mountain. A number of mares had foaled and had extra milk to give him. They knew he cared for animals in the woods on the mountain and that their milk would help to feed them. He got the best thick cream from the farms. He'd helped the earth ponies immensely and they were more than happy to show their gratitude. He took the cream and the milk and mixed them with the thinned sweet oats, using magic to infuse additional extracts from plants that imparted healing and health. Simple spells for strong bodies were added as well.
The little foals thrived. The white one slept a great deal and moved with a grace as she stretched in the basket. The deep blue one was more curious, even at such a young age. He conjured suspension spells to hold the bottles in the air for them to nurse. The white one lay calmly there, taking the nutrition, the other tried to grasp the bottle between two unsure fore-hooves.
"What are you about, my little love?" He asked her, bending over the basket. "You are always so busy, so much to do." With some effort she rolled her little body onto her back and seemed to smile at him. He leaned forward, almost touching his adult nose to her tiny one. She lifted her hooves, pawing at his white beard "Oh, you want to know what this thing on my face is, eh? This thing that tickles your little belly when I lean to nuzzle you. Well it's called a beard. It used not to be so white and long, but I try to keep it clean and trimmed." She pawed it with her tiny front hooves. mussing it up. "Now look what you've done" he scolded gently "you have made a mess of it, just as you have done to my heart."
He looked over at the little white foal who had awoken. She looked at her sister sweetly and seemed to smile at her. The old wizard could see love there in those pale magenta eyes, and he smiled.
"I'm afraid she'll be a handful, but be patient, for her role is a difficult one, but one of such great importance, one that perhaps is greater even than thou's"
"There's a place Where I can go When I feel low When I feel blue" -The Beatles The young unicorn navigated the rocky slope with ease. After her family had settled here she spent time studying and walking the countryside. It was late autumn but the air around the mountains was unseasonably warm. She'd reached a plateau that she loved. As she surmounted it, she paused to catch her breath and enjoy the late autumn colors though now theyy were now far off in the distance. The rolling hills at the base of the mountain were no longer covered in trees as they had been 10 years ago when the three tribes had first settled this land. The earth ponies, with help from the pegasi and unicorns, had cleared a great deal of the land and now planted food there. Builders and planners from all three tribes had worked to design the layout of the village and build the little huts and homes that dotted the hills.
She admired the rows and furrows of the farms, all straight and even. The methodical placement gave her a sense of order and rightness. There were a number of farms, however, that resisted such efficiencies. She looked at them and shook her head, but smiled. The handsome young earth pony Rake Buckland and his family, owned in one such farm. She thought of him now, how despite his size and strength, how sweet and caring he was. And patient. He had been courting her since the early spring and only now was she allowed to let him kiss her. It wasn’t her decision, she’d have let him kiss her five months ago, it was partially their parents, and to a larger extent, the villagers.
Inter-tribal relationships, while officially allowed, were greatly frowned upon. The villagers had all agreed that where inter-tribal romances were concerned it might be best if both parties waited before letting romance take it’s course. They felt that if both parties were interested enough to wait the six months for one another and not see another, then they be allowed to kiss. Both of them had agreed, that they would not sneak around, that by their example they would help other couples who were too fearful of social reprises to openly display their affection for one another, especially after the Wisteria Stratos marriage.
Two years earlier, Wisteria, a female earth pony, and Stratos, male pegasus had not only announced that they had been dating for over a year, but that they intended to marry, buy a farm and raise a family There were several farms for sale, all at reasonable prices.
In essence, the community’s reaction was to smile politely and offer congratulations. However when the couple went to purchase a farm, it seemed that suddenly none were for sale. Finally Wisteria’s father bought one of the farms and moved his family there. Then he gave his daughter and son-in-law his farm. Again the community did not overtly object, but the two families suddenly found it very difficult to sell their crops in the village, despite their reputation for having the best produce in the valley.
“Ah, I see you’re right on time as usual, my dear.” The old unicorn spoke to her, interrupting her thoughts. “How go things in the village? Be they still pig-headed on inter-tribal relationships?”
“H-how did you know I was thinking on that sir? Can thou see into my mind as well?” She smiled at him.
“No, I know your eyes my dear, and you were thinking upon young Rake. You hold such love for one another, it is a fine thing, and he a very fine colt. I can not think of another in all the land that is worthy of thee.” He looked at her with almost fatherly pride.
“Thank you Master Starswirl, that is very kind of thou to say.” The young unicorn blushed, her deep lavender coat taking on tones of red. She felt embarrassed as the object of praise, especially from her mentor, but also loved it, knowing that is was above all else sincere. Nevertheless, she changed the subject. “How are the little ones?”
“Come and see for yourself.”
The young students ears perked straight up “REALLY?! Can I?!” She asked excitedly.
“O know ‘tis not thy usual day, but they have been asking for thee most persistently and should I return without thee I give little chance for my survival.”
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“CloverCloverClover!!!” The tiny dark blue alicorn squealed as she galloped awkwardly across the cave floor toward her foalsitter who had just entered the room. “Let me show thee what I can do now!!” Still running, she lept into the air and with the aid of her wings she flapped as hard as she could, trying to stay aloft for a moment, though her forward momentum seemed to help. She had not mastered her flight control yet and instead of landing at the unicorn’s front hooves as she’d intended, she knocked her down and landed on her. The crash landing did nothing to dampen the young alcorn's spirits. She buried her muzzle in the side of Clover’s neck, and wriggled excitedly. Clover tucked in her neck and laughed. The little pony pulled back, and smiled proudly, her eyes bright with excitement.
“See? See? Am I not getting good? Celestia can only fly a little”
Clover’s laughter subsided and she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes as the little filly climbed off of her.
“Thou fills me with such pride Luna!! Thy skills come along by leaps and bounds!”
Luna thought this was hysterical and fell over onto the pine duff floor in a fit of laughter.
“Hiiii Clover!”
“Well hello there Tia! How is my little princess?”
Luna had collapsed on the pine duff and was laying on her back smiling. She craned her head all the way back to look at her sister and Clover. “Hey! I am a princess too!” she declared, her voice tinged with petulance, “And you’re upside down!!” she stated, then started laughing..
Celestia and Clover began to laugh as well, “Yes thou are a princess too! We are both princesses.” Celestia declared proudly, but can thou do this?!” Celestia opened her eyes wide and made them go all googly.
“Ahhh!!” Luna broke out in squeals of laughter.
Celestia started laughing hysterically too and collapsed next to her sister..
Clover still lay where Luna had knocked her down.. She could see no reason to get up. She loved just watching them play. They started to whisper to each other and giggle. They made snorts and chuffed at each other and laughed harder.
Starswirl walked to Clover’s side and sat down.
“Will they really rule Equestria one day master?”
“Yes they will Clover.”
“And will Equestria really extend far beyond the farthest mountains I can see in any direction?”
“It is the truth my child. And you have a tremendous responsibility. Your role in their lives can never be overstated.”
“But why me?”
The old wizard turned to look at her. He smiled with such love that she felt tears start in her eyes.
“Because of thy goodness and thy pure love for them. Were I to ask any other of the ponies, the first Equestrians in fact, they would have fear of them. It is because they are different, they are Alicorns. Some would call them abominations, unnatural. Some who know of the prophecy would parade them around and use them for purposes I will not speak of. You love them as any parent should love a child, that is for who they are. If I told thou that they were not to be princesses, you would not love them any less. As thy knowest I must leave them for great stretches and I need to know that they will be cared for as though it were myself.”
“And I won’t ever be able to take them to my village?”
“No Clover, thou must never.”
“And what of me? They grow so slowly. Most ponies of 7 years have mastered so much more and are much larger. Most at this age can run freely and very fast, while pegasi have come close to mastering flight. How can such as these ever hope to rule?”
He looked at her sternly. “They grow slowly in that they live very long lives and over their lives they will collect much wisdom, wisdom necessary to rule a kingdom.”
Her mouth opened slowly as she thought on his words.
“H-how long?”
Starswirl took Clover’s hoof into his and he looked deep into her eyes. He could see the fear there. “Clover, there has been something that I have needed to tell thee. You are old enough to hear this, though it will take time to understand it. You know how great my love is for thee. It matches only my love for them,” he said nodding in the direction of the playing sisters. “I tell you this because what I am about to share with you will seem impossible.”
“Perhaps my beloved master, but if it comes from thy lips, I shall believe it with all my heart.” Her voice trembled with emotion.
He leaned forward and kissed the top off her head. “When I leave for my trips I do not always travel here or there.”
Clover scowled. “If not here or there, then where else is there…” her mouth slowly fell open, wider and wider and her eyes opened wider than they ever had.
He looked at her and watched as she realized what he was saying. He was so proud that she was able to grasp the entirety of the concept, it seeming impossibility, the potential consequences and the profound nature and impact of the responsibility. His eyes glistened with tears as he watched her pass this final test with such grace and intelligence. As he watched all this, refected in her face it confirmed that she was the one. The central pivot point of the pre-classical era. Her life was to mean everything to Equestria's future, yet other than her role as shown in Hearths Warming eve celebrations, no one would know of her.
The look in her eyes came close to breaking his heart. She was terrified, as well she should be. Despite the sound of it, it was a question that was not about her, but a selfless question that had only to do with these two fillies and her love for them. Her voice was small and it quavered. She asked, knowing that the answer had the possibility of utterly destroying her. She knew he would have to answer truthfully and so steeled herself, though it did no good.
“So,” she started, but her voice began to shake so that she had to stop. She took a breath and asked... “please tell me master, in the end, how do I do?”
He smiled, tears spilling from the corners of his eyes. “Beyond better than you can possible imagine.” he replied. They embraced and held each other tightly.
As the two sisters slept, Clover and Starswirl sat near them, each with a cup of hot tea. The light that surrounded them came from the hemispheres of light that covered the top of the dome that made up the roof of the room. It was warm and comforting. Distant, far down the twisting, rising falling tunnels of the cave, the sound of an autumn thunderstorm could barely be heard.
“You see Clover, time is not a linear progression as though thou were on a continuous line, but rather it is a constant. Every potential action leading in an infinite number of directions, but there are paths within those infinite potentials that are of greater likelihoods than others.”
She looked at him in confusion.
“Let us say that thou has an ear of corn and thou hast stripped off the husk. Thou takest that ear of corn and place it pointed side down on a table. Should thou release thy grasp, the ear may fall in any direction. Is one direction more likely than another? Yes, however the factors that act upon the corn and influence the direction are almost impossible to understand. How likely is it to remain upright, however? It can happen, but it is unlikely. There are a number of what are called ‘lines of likelihood’ and each has a different potential. Over the course of time there are key points upon which many lines of likelihood intersect. They are called time vortices. These vortices have incredible strength and power. The most powerful ones have a physical presence. It is at these most powerful vortices that one can travel not to a there…”
“...But to a then” Clover said, finishing the sentence.
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“So thou can go to tomorrow or to yesterday” She spoke with a voice of pure awe. “Travel through time.”
“Yes, but ‘tis not that easy. It has taken my entire life to recognize the elements and to see the openings. Were thy to misjudge, thy..., well let us call it thy essence, would be ripped apart as though by ten thousand timberwolves too tiny to see. I have seen this happen and it haunts me to this day. I am the only one to have mastered it. There are spells that I will create one day that have the power to temporarily allow time travel, but they are in the future and must remain there.”
“How do you know?”
“I have seen them”
“Why do you not ask your future self how to create them?”
“I cannot, for I cannot approach myself in the future. The lines of likelihood prevent it. It’s hard to explain how or why, but should I think to, which I never seem to, something would happen that would make me change my mind.”
“When will I die?”
He was startled and looked at her “Oh my sweet love. Only thou wouldst have the courage to ask that. Fear not, it is not for some time yet. You have much great work to accomplish, things beyond your wildest imaginings.”
“And what of them, my little loves, you say I do a better job than I can imagine. How do I know what to do? What if I make a mistake?"
Starswirl stood and reached into one of the many pockets hidden within his robe. “I apologize I did not see you on your birthday last month, but I was at a celebration. One day I will tell thee about it. That aside, I wish to give thee the gift I had meant to give on thy birthday. You are never to show this to anypony, except these two here and your husband and children.”
Clover’s eyes flew open wide and she squealed. She began to hop around the cave in a circle in utter joy, her eyes squinted shut in utter joy. “Dost thou truly speak of my husband and my children??!!
Starswirl smiled broadly at this, thinking about the nature of persistence. Then he nodded. “I can tell you of some things, for the lines of likelihood do not prevent me. Apparently I was supposed to tell thee. As I say this gift will help you in more ways than you know.”
He withdrew two cones that were connected by a hose. The hose was slipped over the pointed end of each cone. The large end of each cone was open.
“What be this?” she asked, turning it over and looking into each cone..
“Here, come here. Now take this cone and hold the open end up to your ear. Now, open your cloak and expose your chest.”
She pulled her robe apart.
“Aye, that’s right, now, hold the open end of this cone right there, over your left breast. Yes, just like that. Now listen.”
“Ahhh!! ‘Tis my heart, but so loud and clear! I can listen to my heart!, ‘Tis remarkable! I thank thee for this truly wonderful and amazing gift, but what does listening to my heart have to do with how I should care for these two…” As her words hit home, she looked at his smiling face and suddenly threw her arms around him and burst into tears. “Oh Master Starswirl, I love thee so, more than I will ever be able to tell.”
“Thou will find it works as well for how to raise thy family.” he said, his voice breaking as he whispered in her ear.
