Clover's Good Fortune

by kudzuhaiku

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Other
Length: 3630

The story of Clover the Clever as she works to discover if earth ponies have magic.

Clover the Clever, student of Starswirl the Bearded, one of the Founders of Equestria, hopes to solve the riddle of her age. Do earth ponies have magic? She is determined to find out, and to aid in her efforts, has taken in an earth pony as a student.

Will Clover find what she is looking for?

If this receives any sort of interest at all, I might add more chapters. Otherwise, it will probably remain an incomplete one shot. So if you actually want more, tell me. I'll oblige.

Published 2014-03-26 21:20:04 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-04 03:41:23 UTC

Chapter 1

From the journal of Clover the Clever

After much debate with Starswirl I have decided to test my theory to determine if earth ponies do indeed have magic. It has been a constant subject of debate lately, and I have conversed at great lengths with Starswirl and Smart Cookie, both of whom agree that my ideas are intriguing. I am still trying to work out means to allow for testing, which is a trying task.

Finding a subject was an easy task. All I had to do was walk the streets of Founder’s Rest and try to find a promising looking orphan. Which I have. Subject is a young earth pony, a filly, approximately two years of age. A feral foal. I have named her Clayberry, after the berry of the same name, which grows along the riverbanks in the red clay mud. I did so because of her rusty red-brown coat, which is roughly the same shade as the berry. She is tow headed, has violet eyes, and an overly curious demeanour, which is how I was able to catch her. She was the only foal that took the bait. After the initial scuffle, during which she bit me, the subject seems friendly enough. I took the time to bathe her, which caused her a great deal of distress, and applied a tincture to her coat to be rid of the fleas and lice she had acquired. Subject seems malnourished, and has a rough patchy coat with bald patches. I have also given her a parasitic purgative to hopefully remove any parasites of the gut, as the subject has a terrible case of muddy plot.

Here’s to hoping that Clayberry provides results.

Clover lay in bed in her stone cottage listening to the wind blowing outside. It was a cold and blustery night. Winter was finally ending. Spring promised new hope. Equestria needed hope, Clover reflected. Luna, mighty Luna, she who had lead the armies of Equestria to victory against Equestria’s many foes, had turned into Nightmare Moon just last fall, during the harvest, plunging the world into darkness. Celestia now remained sequestered away in her grief. It had been a terrible winter.

But spring always brought new hope.

Not far away, Clayberry stirred in her bed, snorting, and rolling over in her sleep. Clover pulled the blanket back over the foal, feeling a moment of fondness, a curious sensation that she could not name.

Finally, after many hours of laying there, thinking, sleep finally claimed Clover, and she drifted into slumber…

The day was sunny, threatening to melt the snow. A fire crackled in the fireplace. Two unicorns sat, drinking cider, a foal playing on the floor between them.

One was old and wizened, white, with a long beard that nearly touched the floor. He wore a tattered cloak covered in stars, and his hat sat nearby on a table. On his face was a soured look, wrinkles pinched around his eyes from so much time spent scowling and squinting.

The other unicorn was a soft green, with a light orange mane. She too, was older, but not too old, and her eyes twinkled. She had a faint smile on her lips, and she seemed to enjoy the company of the old white stallion.

“Can you believe that my servants have forced me to wear bells on my clothing so that they know when I draw near? So they can flee before my arrival? Do you have any idea how annoying all those bells are?” Starswirl asked. “They threatened to quit if I did not agree to those silly bells. I can’t get anything done with all that jingling.”

Clover chuckled faintly. “Starswirl, old friend, you are a bit cranky in your old age.”

“How dare you say that!” Starswirl said crankily. “I am not cranky.” He grumped. He scowled at Clover. “My student of all ponies, trying to tell me that I am cranky. The nerve of it all.” He scowled.

Clover continued to smile.

“And Celestia telling me I need friends. I have you. My former student. We have a fine professional relationship. What need is there for anything else?” Starswirl demanded. “I have too much work to do before I die. Celestia needs to stop making such unreasonable demands. And she took my servant’s side about the bell issue! The nerve of that mare. Ugh!” Starswirl took a pull of cider from his mug. “I’ve had just about all that I can take from her. She threatened to hire a crier to announce to the world at large that I am coming, saying ponies needed to be warned of my presence, saying that bells were not enough.”

“Now now, be a dear.” Clover said. “She’s had a rough go. Discord. Sombra. Losing her sister. So much has happened in such a short span. And be honest. You are a bit acerbic.”

Starswirl scowled at his former student. He grumbled something incoherently.

Clayberry approached the old unicorn cautiously, looking up at him, her violet eyes wide. She moved slowly, unsure of the old unicorn, a worried look upon her face.

Starswirl scowled down at her, which sent her running. She took refuge under a table and cowered.

“Starswirl the Bearded, that was completely uncalled for!” Clover scolded, her smile now gone. She glared at Starswirl angrily, teeth bared, eyes narrowed, her ears folded back against her skull.

A brief look of guilt formed on Starswirl’s face. He heaved a sigh and turned his gaze back to Clover. “I didn’t mean it.” He grumbled.

“For shame!” Clover scolded. “I should throw you out for scaring my student.”

“Your student?” Starswirl said quizzically. “I thought she was a test subject.” His scowl intensified. “Unicorn foals are students.”

Clover harrumphed and turned her nose up at Starswirl. “I am confident that she has magic. And when I prove it, she will be worthy of being my student. I intend to teach her how to write. How to read. I will teach her social graces.”

“Why?” Starswirl asked. “What does an earth pony need with those things?”

Clover’s mouth dropped open. “Smart Cookie does quite well for himself, and is one of the most educated ponies of our age. How dare you you old coot!”

Starswirl shrugged. “How many educated earth ponies do we need? What we need are ponies to pull plows and grow food. Clear the land. Manual labour. Earth ponies are suited to that. Unicorns are suited towards scholarly efforts. Pegasi contribute to the martial efforts with the occasional unicorn for support. What if all the earth ponies stopped tilling the land and tried to become scholars?”

Clover scowled. “I do not much care for your reasoning.” She said flatly.

“We do what we do.” Starswirl said. “We are born into the body we are graced with, we develop marks that foretell our destinies, and then we do whatever fate pushes us towards. And earth ponies are destined for… Earthy things. Like tilling the soil. Pulling wagons.” Starswirl shrugged. “You can’t change destiny. At least not yet. I am working on it though.”

“There may be some truth in what you say, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Clover said, shaking her head. “A pony has to be able to dream. To have hope of better things. To have some choice. Some sense of freedom to choose their own path.”

“Smart Cookie is only a smart cookie because fate chose him to be so.” Starswirl said. “Otherwise, he’d be just another plow puller as well. For whatever reason, he had a scholarly mark, and fate conspired to make him what he is. He had no say in the matter.”

“And what of Clayberry?” Clover asked. “Did fate bring her to me?”

Starswirl nodded. “What else?” He said cryptically. “How else would she be here? She has a fate like everypony else. If fate wills it, she will do whatever it is she is intended to do. Earth pony or no.”

Clover frowned. She hated these discussions. Was she fated to hate these discussions? The thought made her uncomfortable. She had never understood these things, not in the same way her teacher did. Starswirl seemed to have an amazing grasp of fate, perhaps because it was his fate to understand.

Clover’s mind reeled. Free will, choice, self determination, all of those things she valued, she wondered if she had any say in life at all.

“Come over here Clayberry.” Clover called, gesturing, trying to coax the foal out. Clayberry took a worried glance at Starswirl and remained where she was.

Clover sighed, feeling a tinge of resentment for her teacher.

Author's Note

Just something I'm curious if there is any interest in...

Otherwise, I'll stick to other projects, of which I have plenty.

Chapter 2

From the journal of Clover the Clever

Who is a clever pony? I am, that is who. It has taken me a long while, but I have managed to figure out a way to begin some actual testing. I will elucidate upon those trivialities later, as there are much more important things to write.

Clayberry is growing like a weed. Over the past two years she has gone from being a curious foal to a curious and somewhat educated foal. Smart Cookie even agrees she is quite gifted. She has begun learning letters and numbers, and she enjoys sketching in the dirt. She is everything I could have wanted from a foal. Student.

Keeping her clean is an issue though. What is it about earth ponies and dirt? My floors have suffered a great deal and I must clean out her bedding regularly, as a pony could plant potatoes in there.

I would forgive her anything though.

Clover sat, patiently instructing Clayberry, who seemed more interested in staring at clouds than her lesson.

“Clayberry, dear, pay attention please.” Clover cleared her throat. “Can you tell me the six founders of Equestria, a strength that they had, and a personal failing?”

Clayberry stuck her tongue out, thoughtful, her face crinkling up in concentration. Her mane was back in a long braid, some of her tow coloured locks slipping loose.

“Well…” she said, closing her eyes, “there was Princess Platinum, of the House of Avarice. She was strong willed and determined.” Clayberry paused. “She was also greedy.” Clayberry added.

Clover nodded.

“And there was Puddinghead. Who was kind but a bit daft.” Clayberry said, smiling.

Clover sighed, suppressing a chuckle over the honesty of foals. The breeze stirred, sending dandelion fluff flying through the air. The smell of wood smoke came from the cottage.

“Smart Cookie, who was smart. And he was smart.” Clayberry said thoughtfully.

“Hmm?” Clover asked, seeking clarification.

“Well, being smart is a good thing, but also a bad thing. Sometimes, you can be too smart. And make big messes. You say I am too smart for my own good.” Clayberry said grinning.

Clover could not help herself, she chuckled and did so for quite some time.

“And there was Commander Hot Head…”

“Hurricane.” Clover corrected.

“Yes, Commander Hurricane, who had a hot head, Who was very, very brave.” Clayberry said.

“And?” Clover asked.

Clayberry squirmed. “It isn’t nice to say bad things about he dead.”

“Continue.” Clover commanded, her tone gentle.

“Well, Hurricane was very, very brave, and he battled Nightmare Moon so Celestia could have time to find the elements. And his bravery got him killed.” Clayberry said, looking sad for a moment.

Clover nodded, realising that was going to have to be an acceptable answer.

“And there was Pansy, who was also very brave. She also had a terrible temper. She kicked out one of Discord’s teeth.” Clayberry said, her smile returned.

“You can’t use brave twice.” Clover said.

“Oh…” said Clayberry, sounding disappointed, “well, Pansy was loyal and true.”

Clover nodded. “Anypony else?” Clover said, smiling.

“Can’t think of anypony else.” Clayberry said, teasingly.

“Why you little scamp!” Clover said, using her magic to tickle Clayberry. Clayberry rolled in the dirt, giggling, causing Clover to sigh. “Tell me, or the tickling will never end.”

“There was Clover, who was clever. And her weakness was that she took in an orphan and she tortured it with tickles!” Clayberry shrieked, squirming in the dirt.

In the distance, there was a faint jingling of bells.

“Oh pony flops!” Clayberry swore. “Bells. I gotta go!” Clayberry rose up on her hooves and split, running off, hiding inside the cottage, leaving a trail of dirt streaming out behind her.

“Starswirl.” Clover said, not needing to turn around.

“Bugger these bells. Celestia passed a law requiring me to wear them.” Starswirl groused.

“And we all breathe a little easier knowing that.” Clover said, rolling her eyes.

“Hey!” Starswirl said. “Sod it I hate these bells.”

“My student heard you and ran.” Clover said, slightly annoyed. “I was busy trying to instruct her. And then you came along.”

Starswirl scowled and said nothing.

“I think I have an idea of where to start to begin testing magic.” Clover said.

“Really?” Starswirl replied. “I’m actually rather curious about this.”

Clover nodded. “I am going to start with diseased plants. I am going to have some in a place where Clayberry will come in contact with them, and some others where she will not. And then I will compare them. See if anything changes or is different.”

“That’s fairly clever, Clover.” Starswirl said. “Actually, that is a really good idea.”

“I always feel somewhat shocked when I hear praise coming from you.” Clover said, smiling.

“Most ponies are too stupid to bother with.” Starswirl said. “I took you as my student because you were far less annoying than the others.”

“Thanks.” Said clover, suddenly scowling. Starswirl was a very difficult pony to like.

“So how is Clayberry? How is her progress?” Starswirl asked, raising a big bushy eyebrow that was nearly as long as his ear.

“She is bright. Somewhat attentive. Curious. Playful. And she asks hundreds of questions a day.” Clover said.

“But does she ask the right questions?” Starswirl said with a grumble.

“More and more, yes.” Clover said, looking proud. “She is starting to ask the right questions. Good questions. I’ve been teaching her.”

Starswirl nodded, lowering his eyebrow. “The answers aren’t nearly as important as the question.” Starswirl said. He puffed out his cheeks and exhaled sharply. “I remember the question that you asked Clover, that made me take you as my student.”

Clover began to blush furiously. “What can’t can’t be done with magic?”

“Most students ask what they could do with magic. You didn’t see any limits.” Starswirl said. “You annoyed me far less than others.”

Clover nodded. “I was warned before meeting you that you were a little cranky. So I decided to be clever.”

“I am not cranky!” Starswirl shouted. “I just have a finite amount of patience. Anyhow, I was walking to the apothecary tower. I really must be going.”

Clover nodded, and waved goodbye as the old bearded pony tottered off down the lane, his bells jingling and growing faint in time.

“Is he gone?” A voice whispered behind her.

“Yes Clayberry. The old coot is gone.” Clover said, smirking.

“I don’t like how he looks at me.” Clayberry said, frowning.

“You and so many others.” Clover agreed.

Author's Note

Have a slice. Of life.

Chapter 3

From the journal of Clover the Clever.

The testing goes splendidly. The diseased plants show much improvement after Clayberry’s contact. The other plants remain in the apothecary tower, away from earth ponies. They remain diseased and rotten, and some of them have died. My herb garden blooms, and my fruits and vegetables that I grow are the envy of my unicorn neighbors who can’t seem to be able to grow anything.

Clayberry continues to astound me on a daily basis. Her mind, her words, her curiousity, her desire to learn, her ability to spread dirt everywhere she goes. I suppose it cannot be helped.

I am getting old. I might not look like it, but I can feel it. My joints are not well anymore, hot, achy, full of fever. I have my affairs in order. Clayberry will have a good life. I think I will be around for a few years more. I would like to see Clayberry married and happy.

But I do not think that Starswirl will. He rarely leaves his tower anymore. I miss my friend already. Celestia spends every available hour that she has at his side.

Clayberry sat, watching ants do their business. Ants were fascinating. She sat and watched, carefully and quietly, occasionally taking notes in a rough and battered looking notebook with a wooden handled quill suitable for biting down upon, not like the feather quills favoured by unicorns.

Clover sat nearby, doing much the same, watching birds. She too, made notes and diagrams of her observations. And she watched Clayberry, on occasion, a smile upon her face. The earth pony filly was a budding naturalist, a gifted artist, and had a keen eye for detail and observation. She could make better sketches with her mouth than many unicorns could make with magic. Clayberry had earned a few coins making illustrations of flowers, plants, and insects. Clover was exceedingly proud of her filly.

Clayberry stopped suddenly, dropping her quill, and pushed her notebook aside. She got up, looking around, and then trotted off into the underbrush at the edge of the meadow, off into the woods.

“Wait Clayberry!” Clover shouted, hurrying after. “The woods might not be safe!” Clover’s joints popped and crackled as she trotted after Clayberry.

Clayberry plunged through the forest, tearing through shrubs and thickets, pushing forward through the thick forest growth. She moved with grace and sure-hoofedness, and Clover wondered at times if it was an earth pony trait or just Clayberry.

“Clayberry, what has possessed you to take off like this?” Clover asked, her brow furrowed slightly, struggling to keep up. Her joints ached. Damp weather was coming, and she could feel it.

“Funny feeling.” Clayberry said.

“Funny feeling?” Clover asked, nearly tripping on some brambles. “Well, keep following it. Maybe something interesting will happen!” Clover never failed to encourage Clayberry and her urges.

Clayberry nodded, slowing down for Clover.

The two of them pushed ahead, the sun barely touching their shoulders, making their way through the thick undergrowth, through piles of pine needles, pine cones, and the assorted debris of the forest floor. Clayberry tore away a particularly bad patch of brambles with her teeth, scratching and bloodying her lip, so that Clover would have easier passage. Clover planted a gentle kiss on the filly’s head as she passed through the scrub. Birds flew from thickets as they tore through the underbrush.

“Getting stronger!” Clayberry said. “I tingle all over. I feel warm and kind of happy.”

Clover struggled to write notes down in her notebook as she followed the hurried filly. “Warm and happy.” Clover muttered as her quill scratched away, her notebook held in a faint green glow of magic.

Clayberry stopped, her ears drooping for a moment, then perking up, pointing forward. She sniffed, stuck her tongue out, sniffed again, and then took off with a leap, entering a small clearing after pushing through some bushes. She began to circle, kicking the dirt, her tail flicking, her nostrils flaring.

“I itch all over!” Clayberry announced. “Like I am covered in ants. Again.”

“Follow your instincts, whatever they are!” Clover shouted, her joints creaking as she struggled forward.

Clayberry began to dig, scratching through the dirt, tearing up the forest floor with her hooves. She didn’t dig long before she stopped, grabbed a twig in her teeth, and carefully began to remove the soil.

She spat out the twig. “I’ve found something.” She said, pointing with her hoof.

Clover looked down, into the hole, and saw something brown and black, still mostly buried in the dirt. She carefully lifted it out with her magic, holding it high.”Why, it is a truffle. A big one. A fortune just lying in the dirt.”

Clayberry beamed. “What’s a truffle?” Clayberry asked.

“Your mark.” Clover said, pointing, noticing something was very different.

Clayberry whirled around, trying to see her own backside. Sure enough, there was a brownish black lump that looked an awful lot like the thing that Clover held in her magic. “I have my mark!” Clayberry shouted ecstatically.

Clover’s muzzle wrinkled, her face scrunching, her eyes narrowing. She looked thoughtful while the filly continued to chase her tail. She began to scratch something out in her notebook while chewing on her lip slightly.

“Wait.” Clayberry said, taking notice. “Whatever I have found isn’t as important as whatever it is that you are thinking.” Clayberry said thoughtfully.

“Clever filly.” Clover said. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

“No.” Clayberry said, suddenly very serious.

“You’ve just used passive magic to find a truffle.” Clover said. “Magic, Clayberry.”

Clayberry’s haunches collapsed and she sat down with a plop.

“We need to test this before we tell anypony.” Clover said, a faint smile on her lips.

“So I need to find more truffles.” Clayberry said, concentrating. “I can do that. If the urge hits me, I will be prepared.”

Clover nodded. “Ponies might think your sense of smell is leading you on. We need to prove somehow that this is magic.”

“We could plug my nose with something.” Clayberry offered.

“That’s a fine idea.” Clover replied. “Truffles are very rare and valuable to the right ponies. You have a fine talent.”

Clayberry beamed, basking in her instructor’s praise.

Author's Note

Another chapter to this short slice of life piece, even though it is getting no attention.