The Misfortune of Clover the Clever

The city of Elysium, the greatest of all the unicorn cities, if not the greatest in all the pony lands. It was believed that there had never been a city quite as grand nor would there ever be again. The city rested atop a large island with high cliffs. Countless waterfalls lined the distant shores, as well as the edges of the island itself, making the waters surrounding it treacherous to even the most experienced of sailors.

The city itself was constructed of the finest marble coaxed straight out of the ground by the most talented of spellweavers. In fact, magic was used for everything in this city, from the construction of their buildings to the crafting of the silk the unicorns used to wrap themselves with. There were even those who spent their whole lives trying to use magic to grow their food, but aside from the few flowers that they occasionally managed to coax out of the dirt, they were still reliant on nearby earth pony villages to feed their grand city.

The three pony tribes had a tense relationship at even the best of times. The earth ponies grew the food that fed all of them, provided that the other two groups were able to provide the best conditions possible. For example, the pegasi were responsible for moving the clouds and making sure it never rained too much at any given time. If they didn't, the weather could turn to absolute chaos, as it did in the lands surrounding theirs, where soothing showers were instead replaced by snow and ice, and waves of scorching heat at seemingly random intervals.

As for the unicorns, they continued to hone their craft day and night. However, the thing that really set them apart from the rest, and the thing that continued to feed their collective egos, was their ability to come together and move the very heavens with their magic. The earth ponies needed enough sunlight for growing food, and if the unicorns didn't get their share, they would withhold the life-giving rays of the sun. It wasn't the best solution, but it would be many centuries before the pony tribes were forced to come together by a world that sought their mutual destruction.

"While the lesser of the two can be managed with a show of force, the same cannot be said of the greater. That's why you always want to be careful when Polaris begins to lean towards Canis. The wolf is no match for the bear, and may be forced to flee if it begins to encroach on its territory. The same is true if the bear feels its cub is threatened, and will seek safety with its cub in tow." Professor Cygnus paused in his lecture, noticing that his class wasn't really paying attention. The unicorn huffed in annoyance, but he knew he couldn't really blame the youths in his care. "I know you're all excited about the morning ceremony, but this is important," he emphasized as he tapped his chalk on the board behind him. "Don't come crying to me if you let a hungry Ursa escape the heavens, it would just be unbearable."

He looked over the gathered ponies. When they failed to show as much as a smirk at his pun, he gave up. "Alright," he resigned himself. "I guess we can talk about tomorrow's sunrise."

That got everyone's attention, namely the students who had been the center of attention all day. "As you all know," said Professor Cygnus, pleased to finally have the class' attention for the first time that day. "Members of our class have been selected to rise the sun tomorrow morning. Pyrus Sunflare," he called on a particularly boisterous student with black fur and a fiery red and yellow mane. "If I'm not mistaken, you've got the honor of leading the ritual. Have you finished all your preparations?"

The stallion smiled a wide grin that had at least two of the mares in the back of the class swooning at his swagger. "You worry too much, Professor," he said with smug confidence. "How hard can it be? The sun is just a big ball of fire hanging in the sky, and I know my way around fire."

"Pyrus!" Snapped Cygnus, more than just a little put off by his attitude. "Show a little decorum. This is a great honor you've been selected for." He turned his attention to the pony sitting next to him, a stallion just as young as the braggart, but far more reserved. "Clover," he asked the brown-maned youth. "Can I at least count on you to keep him out of trouble?"

Clover didn't like being so suddenly put on the spot. He darted his green eyes back and forth as the whole class's attention turned on him. He looked to his best friend, Pyrus, who just gave him a shit-eating smile in return. "Actually, Professor," he finally said. "Most of the hard work is already taken care of by the ritual circle maintained by the elders. We just have to empower it while he sets the sun on its course."

Professor Cygnus groaned as he gathered his notes and adjusted his toga before making his way for the door. "I can't deal with you lot today," he huffed as he left. "At least make sure he's there on time."

The students watched him leave and once he was out of sight, they all burst out into laughter. Pyrus threw a hoof around Clover, who was just now starting to smile along. "The look on his face," chortled Pyrus as he wiped away a tear. He let out the breath he was holding, "thanks for having my back back there."

"Sure, no problem," Clover said in return while averting his eyes.

"No need to be so tense," said Pyrus. "You're coming to the party tonight, right? Last chance to have some fun before we're too worn out from raising the sun."

"I think I'll just go home," said Clover as he gathered his own notes. He wanted to get some last minute practice on some binding spells before he found his magic crippled for the next week.

"I don't think so," said Pyrus as he quickly stuffed the rest of Clover's study materials into his bags. "Tonight is our night," he waved his hoof at the empty space, probably having delusions of grandeur. "Tonight's the night we scope out our pick of the mares before we have to fend them off with a stick. You know they're gonna be all over us after the ceremony."

"I thought you were looking forward to that?" Clover retorted, while the ladies who were also participating in the sunrise just shook their heads. "That's all you've been talking about ever since they selected you to lead the ritual."

"I know I know," he said, casually tossing his friend's bags into his own back. "But what kinda friend would I be if I just let you skip the most important night of your life. Besides," he waggled his eyebrows, "if you're lucky, a certain special somepony might show up."

Clover sighed. "She's not going to show up to one of your parties, Pyrus. You've managed to alienate the cutest mare in the entire city, even though she lives right next door to you. You know what she thinks about you."

"That I'm loud, vulgar, and will probably die alone," Pyrus said without missing a beat. "She's told me more than a few times already. Come on," he said, as he pressed his hooves together and bowed his head, "don't make me beg."

"Fine," Clover finally conceded. "I guess I can tag along. If just to keep you out of trouble."

"Awesome," said Pyrus as he skipped his way out the door. "It starts right after sundown. Don't be late."

Clover couldn't believe he had once again let Pyrus talk him into another one of his harebrained ideas, he thought to himself as he cantered down the moonlit road. The sun had already been put to bed, ponies were closing up their homes for the night, and members of the umbral guard were patrolling the streets while keeping an eye on the sky. They didn't want another incident where a pegasus tried to sneak in again under cover of night. Clover had never actually seen one, but everyone knew those brutes were nothing more than troublemakers.

He made his way over to the wine hall where they were supposed to meet up. Pyrus had likely started the party early and was probably already tipsy on drink that hadn't been watered down enough. He spotted a couple of his classmates as he made his way inside, and sure enough, his friend was already getting up to his normal shenanigans. The boisterous unicorn had a stagger to his swagger and was already flanked by at least two mares on each side. How he managed to start collecting a small herd around himself so early in the night will forever remain a mystery.

"Clover!" He cheered the moment he saw him. Pyrus reluctantly wrestled himself free of his company, but not without his tail swinging free from under his clothes to give one of the mares a playful slap on the rear. The outfit would most likely find itself discarded before the end of the night, but that was nothing new. "Glad you could make it," he threw a hoof around Clover, the smell of cheap wine thick on his breath.

Clover pinched his nose and pushed Pyrus away. "I though you said the party was at sundown," he said, not really that surprised to already find him intoxicated.

"I did," Pyrus admitted, "but when everyone else showed up early, I just couldn't wait."

"I'm going home," said Clover, already annoyed with how the night had started. He started making his way towards the door, only to be stopped as a pinch of red magic took hold of his wrap.

Clover glared at Pyrus and his horn that was glowing with the spell that held him in place. "Fine," he groaned, "just one drink."

"That's the spirit," cheered the unicorn who clearly didn't need any more to drink. Pyrus dragged him over to a nearby table, the company he had been keeping up until a moment ago momentarily forgotten. He gestured to the pony behind the distant counter, the pony apparently getting the message because a few minutes later they both had goblets smelling of sweet wine.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" Clover asked, as he watched the unicorn who would most likely be needing some curative magic for his splitting headache come morning.

Pyrus set down his drink, having already emptied half of it, and gave Clover an uncharacteristically serious look for him. "I could be asking you the same question," he said. "Here we are on the eve of our first sunrising and you still haven't built up the nerve to talk to her yet."

Clover only grew slightly flush, whether it was from the wine, or the topic of conversation, he wasn't really sure. He fixed his gaze across the table and fiddled anxiously with his cup. "You know, it never seemed like the right time."

"When is it going to be the right time?" Pyrus argued, being unusually serious. "Sure, the mares will be all over you come tomorrow, but think about how much more it'll mean to her if you at least talk to her before then."

"Who are you and what have you done with Pyrus?" Clover said, taking a long swig of his drink. "And is this why you called me out here?" He downed the rest of the wine before getting up from his seat. "Cause if that's all, then I'll see you in the morning."

Clover turned to leave, or at least, he meant to. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. The most beautiful mare in the entire city, and the one they were just talking about, had just entered the building.