The Misfortune of Clover the Clever

An entire day had already passed since the untimely loss of Elder Lily, and the Summit had yet to resume. There were only a few who attempted to return to their normal routines, but with the event still too fresh in everyone's minds, it quickly proved to be in vain.

That was the situation Clover found himself in as he wandered the city. Azalea had been called on by her mother to help with the suddenly increased workload, and Clover had hoped to use the extra day to continue his own research. While he might've been too distracted to really focus on any work, he didn't even get the chance to try. The library had been locked up tight ever since Lily's murder, hence the pointless wandering around the city. At least it gave him time to think.

"I heard the pegasus leader did it."

"What are the elders even doing about this?"

"We should drive them out of the city."

Or at least he would've had time to think if his ears didn't constantly pick up on every passing conversation. It was all about the same thing, too. Every unicorn he saw was looking far more nervous than usual, and during the few times there had also been some pegasi nearby, they had been borderline hostile. They would either stop talking altogether or lower their voices to very pointed whispers. Once or twice, someone would even go so far as to start charging a spell into their horn. Whatever spell they were preparing was never found out because every time someone got close to inciting violence, the city guard would be on them in short order. Even with their higher numbers and increased vigilance, anyone with eyes could see that it was only a matter of time before someone succeeded in doing something incredibly stupid. As for the earth ponies, they were nowhere to be found.

It felt strange watching his colleagues direct their ire towards a specific group of ponies. Not that long ago, he had been the target of such distrust, although that had stemmed more from superstition as opposed to a very deliberate act of violence. Amidst the growing hostility, the vision Clover had witnessed back in the crater managed to keep worming its way to the front of his mind. Watching everyone now though, the possibility of them ever getting along as well as he had witnessed seemed far more unlikely than ever before.

The feeling of helplessness wouldn't leave him alone, either. He needed to talk to someone before it continued to eat him alive from the inside out. So that's what found Clover once again back at the wine hall. Not because he needed a drink. No, definitely not. The memory of getting thoroughly toasted at the hooves of two particular pegasi was still far too fresh in his memory for that. But because it was the one place where anyone could usually find Elder Gladiolus, provided he wasn't too busy.

Turned out he was.

He was there, but it seemed that everyone wanted to talk to him, to the point that every time Clover thought he'd get his chance, someone else would sit down at the elder's table. It took at least an hour, maybe two, before he was finally able to get some time to talk about what was bothering him.

"What am I supposed to do?" Clover held his head in frustration as he finished voicing his problems. "I still see that scene every time I close my eyes, and when I open them... I don't see it being possible... not anymore... not with everything that's happened. I just... I feel like I should be doing more."

"I understand where you're coming from," Gladiolus said once Clover finally stopped to breathe. "Really, I do, but you needn't worry. We've got the situation under control. Well... as well as we can anyway. You just make sure you're ready to leave."

"Leave? Wait... You don't mean to Mount Boras, do you? We're still doing that? But what about the Summit?" Clover asked with the best look of confusion he could muster. He didn't want to let on that both he and Azalea had been spying on their meeting.

"We finished up the last of our business in private," said Gladiolus. "We figured it was for the best with everything that's happened. The earth ponies left this morning. They were eager to start making their way home as it was. As for the pegasi, Elder Dahlia insisted we keep Commander Thunderhead in custody for another day, but they'll be leaving tomorrow as well." His face narrowed into a scowl. "I still can't believe this farce. Whoever thought it was a bright idea to frame him for the murder is a complete fool. Sure, he had the opportunity, but I'd sooner believe the world is being carried on the back of a giant turtle than believe he'd actually hurt her. Not everyone is aware of this, or I'm sure they wouldn't have been so stupid, but those two had been close friends since before we even starting holding these Summits, and that's a long time. Besides," he continued. "The magical residue left behind at the scene makes it pretty clear there was some foul magic at play. We don't know exactly who it was or which spell they used, but we will. It's only a matter of time."

"I hope you figure it out soon," said Clover, wishing him the best.

"Me too," Gladiolus sighed. "Me too. Anyway," he picked himself back up. "Sorry to ramble on like that. You came to me looking for help, and I started going off like it was you sitting in my seat instead of the other way around. I wish I could've been more help. Really, I do." He slid a large mug over to Clover. Whatever was in it smelled far too strong for anyone to drink and it looked like the elder hadn't touched single drop, given how full it was. "I hate to ask, but could you do me a favor and see if Lieutenant Dandelion is still pacing around outside. Somepony mentioned seeing her out there, and I had hoped to have a chance to talk to her, but..."

"Um... Sure," Clover said as he gingerly scooped up the drink in his purple glow, now understanding what he was asking him to do. He hadn't really found the answer he was looking for, but it seemed that even Elder Gladiolus, in all his wisdom, couldn't give him one. Still, he felt better having at least gotten some of it off his chest.

"Oh, and Clover," he said as Clover got up to leave. "Try to relax. Everything is going to work out. You'll see."

Once he made his way outside, it wasn't all that hard to figure out where Dandelion had wandered off to. Even before spotting the bright yellow giantess in the nearby alley, Clover heard a strange thumping noise from that direction. When he found her, it turned out that wasn't the sound of her pacing, but the sound of her beating her own skull into the nearest wall.

"Um... Dandelion?" Clover hesitantly called out to her. This wasn't some other strange pegasi custom he was going to have to learn was it? He didn't think his horn could take it.

"Yeah?!" She bellowed as she spun her neck to look at him. Her head didn't even look slightly bruised from all her efforts. However, the same could not be said for the wall, as evidenced by the large crack now running down it along with the broken mortar piled up at its base. "Oh, Clover," she said, calming slightly after seeing him. "It's just you."

"Doesn't that hurt?" He couldn't imagine it didn't, unless pegasi were made of completely different stuff.

"Oh, this?" She looked just the slightest bit embarrassed as she glanced back at the damaged wall. "Oi, just a wee bit, but it helps me keep my head on straight. So what can Ah do fer ya?"

"Oh, right." He had almost forgotten why he had come here, what with the unexpected property damage and everything. He floated the mug of whatever it was over to her, instantly seeing her eyes light up when he did so. "Elder Gladiolus wanted you to have this."

"Did e' now?" The giantess excitedly snatched the mug out of the air. She gave it a quick sniff, surprising Clover when she actually winced at the smell, given what he had learned about pegasus constitution. However, that didn't even come close to his shock when, despite her aversion, she threw her head back and began chugging the foul concoction in earnest.

It didn't seem possible that anyone could drink that stuff, certainly not like she was, but drink it she did. The time it took for her to down the beverage seemed to stretch itself out. Meanwhile, and this might've just been his imagination, she seemed to be getting substantially warmer the more of it she quaffed.

"Ka!!" Dandelion let out a sound of satisfaction as she finally pulled the now empty mug away from her lips. Her face was now completely flush from the effort, and she let out a loud belch that shook the air so violently that Clover could've sworn he felt it reverberate in his chest. "Oi!" She exclaimed. "Now that there be the good stuff. That elder o' yers, what's his name? Gladus? E' be one o' the good ones. Ah dun't know how e' got es' hooves on some good ol' fire wine, but es' got my thanks."

"I'll be sure to let him know," he didn't know what else to say to that. He sure wasn't about to correct her for getting Gladiolus' name wrong. Not when she looked like she could bend him in half. "So what were you doing out here?"

"Tryin' ta clear my head. A good drink is just wat Ah needed," she said happily. "Well... That and a warm bed."

"You're... You're welcome," he said hesitantly. There was something just a little off-putting about how cheery she was now acting.

"So," she said as she waggled her eyebrows at him, a starry-eyed look on her face. "You ready to go?"

"I think so," he said, completely missing the look she was giving him. "Not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. I mean, I don't have any reason to believe you'll drop me and Azalea on the way to Mount Boras, but the idea of being up in the sky for the trip is a bit scary."

"Oi, that's not what Ah meant," Dandelion said a bit more pointedly, making sure Clover was looking at her before she waggled her eyebrows again.

"Huh?" Clover's brain paused for a minute as he parsed the conversation in his head. He felt like he had missed something, and when he realized what it was, he about passed out from the shock. "What?!" He exclaimed as he quickly began backpedaling away from her. He could feel the precious cargo he kept between his legs starting to shrink away at the mere thought of what she was suggesting. If that was indeed what she was doing.

The bawdy laughter that escaped her throat was full-bodied, but it also sounded a bit forced. "Aye... Yu should see the look on yer face."

"That's..." Clover was getting particularly red at the ears. "That's not funny!"

"Yes it is," she said as she got her laughter under control. "Oi, Ah can't tell yu how much Ah needed that. But nah, yu dun't need to worry bout me droppin' ya. They usually make me carry more than my share anyway, 'cause of how big Ah am," she announced proudly as she stood up a bit straighter. "It shouldn't be much of a problem."

"That's good, I guess." He wasn't completely sure how he felt about being treated like cargo, but he was still feeling a bit off-balance by her sense of humor.

"Just yu wait," she punched him lightly in the shoulder, which instantly hurt far more than she probably meant it to. "We'll git yu into shape an yu be fightin' griffons just as well as the rest o' us."

"I look forward to it," he said. He really didn't.

"Aye," she nodded. "That ye will." She stretched out her impressive wingspan and readied herself to take off. "Ah got a good feeling about yu, Clover. Ah think yer also one o' the good ones," she said. "Sorry, if ye dun't find my jokes all that funny."

"It's.. It's alright," he said nervously. That had probably taken a whole year off his life.

"Yu do got a cute enough face, but Ah think we need to git a bit more muscle on them bones before Ah think about jumpin' 'em fer real," she said through a wide grin.

Once again, Clover's jaw dropped in stunned silence at how forward she was. He was so thoroughly in shock by her making a second pass at him that by the time he recovered, she was already long gone. Departed into the sky while leaving him with nothing but her deep laughter resonating in his ears.