Opening

"Get up, Spike. We're leaving."

Spike awoke with a start. "Wha...? What?" He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Where?"

Twilight hastily packed her saddlebags. "I don't know. Somewhere. Anywhere."
She had to leave. She couldn't stay in Ponyville. Not with a war coming.

"Wait, Twilight!" said Spike, stumbling out of bed, "What happened?"
Twilight took a deep breath. "I'll explain on the way. Pack your things. We're
leaving." her eyes hardened. "Now."
"But..."
"NOW, Spike."
The baby dragon gulped. "OK."

Twilight went back to packing. She had little space in her saddlebags. What to
bring? Basic provisions, of course. Dried apples, nuts, and a few dandelions.
It would last her about three days. That was only enough time to travel to a small town like Hoofington, unless she took the railway. She would have to resupply there. She levitated her purse above her bags and emptied the contents. Only about 20 bits. She stomped downstairs and
stood in front of the bookshelves. Egghead, E, E... There! The Egghead's
Guide to Finance. She pulled it out with her teeth and tosses it to the ground.
The book was unimportant. It was what lay behind the tome that mattered. In an
unremarkable bag in the unremarkable compartment was a remarkable amount of
coin. 1200 bits. A lifetime's savings. Of course, it was a lifetime that never
had a job until 2 years ago, but it was worthwhile nonetheless. She carried the
money back up to her saddlebags. After securing the knot, she placed the sack
inside her right saddlebag. Money, check. Food, check. Clothes? Twilight
pulled a dark folded outfit from her wardrobe. She unceremoniously threw it into
her left saddlebag. Check. The bags were now bulging. She had a bit of
space in the right bag. "What else, what else..." her eyes lit up. The
map!

Twilight rushed back to the library and looked at the table. It was still there,
Luna had left it. Twilight grabbed the map in her teeth. At least now she knew
what areas to avoid. She started upstairs, but something caught her eye.
Star-Swirl's staff lay on the floor, next to a pile of books. Empathy
link... Twilight had little knowledge on the subject of empathy links. She
had read about them in the Encyclopedia Magica, but that had been brief and
vague and Twilight honestly had no reason to do further research. "I wonder..."
Twilight pulled a book titled Encyclopedia Magica: E-D from the
bookshelf. She flipped through the pages, looking for the article. Empathy...
Empathy... There! Twilight read the short paragraph.

Empathy links are spells that form a mental bond with two ponies. Once
formed, the ponies can telepathically reach out to one another to activate the
link. While the empathy link is activated, both ponies will be in the mind of
one of the ponies. That pony has near absolute power, as it is their own mind.
However, if either pony is harmed in this mental landscape, the link will be
severed. Empathy links are very difficult to form, and can cause psychological
damage if performed poorly. The empathy link was invented by Dr. Bab E. Lon, as
one spell in his famous research of language enchantments.

"Interesting..." Twilight glanced back to the staff. It hadn't moved.
How can a pony be inside an item? Questions rose to the surface of her
mind. Questions about Clover, about her order, about Starswirl. Inquisitive
thoughts bubbled within her. I'll ask Clover. She has to be able to tell me
something, right? Twilight looked back at Starswirl's staff, focusing her
mind. She closed her eyes and reached out. For a split-second, she felt
something. Then, it was gone.

Twilight opened her eyes to see blackness everywhere.
Do you wish to-

"No, Clover. I am here for answers. And I won't stop until I get some."

Clover was silent for a moment. Then, her cloaked form shimmered in front of
Twilight.
Ask, she said.

Twilight had so many questions. More than she could count. She blurted out the
first that came to her mind, "Where have I seen that cloak before?"

Clover stared blankly. Twilight could sense her expression, even though she
could not see Clover's face.

This garment has always been in my possession. If you have seen it, it must
have been after I passed on.
Twilight was baffled. "Passed on? As in... Died?"

Clover nodded. When I agreed to become guardian of the High Astronomer's
staff, a part of my soul was extracted from my body. The soul fragment was
imparted upon the staff, such that I would be able to provide counsel and
guidance to its owner, the High Astronomer. The rest of my soul lives on, or
more likely, lived on in my original body.

"When did this happen? How long ago?"

I do not know the present date, but I have been here since 207 D.R. It was
ruled that I should guard the staff at The Third Council of Minneapony.

"D.R.?! As in Discord's Reign? That was over a thousand years ago!"
A thousand years...? I wonder, does my order still survive?

"That was my next question. What is the order you are talking about?"
I cannot say. We are sworn to secrecy, to never tell an outsider.

Twilight was getting impatient. "Clover, by the sound of things, your order is
long gone. Can't you at least tell me who they were?"

Clover didn't speak. She seemed to be pondering something. Finally she said,
Lets make a deal, Twilight Sparkle. You are as curious about the order as I
am of its fate. I am bound to not speak of them to an outsider. However, you may
come to learn about them.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" Asked Twilight, suspicious.

I will give you directions, and if you follow them, you will learn all you
wish about the order. I, in turn, will learn what had become of them.
Twilight thought for a moment. Clover was difficult to read, as her face was
covered by a hood and her body language masked by a long, flowing cape. But she
seemed trustworthy enough. And besides, Twilight had no other leads. She didn't
trust either princess right now. Clover was her ticket to being more than just a
pawn. She grinned.
"Deal."