The Misfortune of Clover the Clever

While the Elysium Empire continued its desperate bid for power there were many that sought escape from the oppression. Earth ponies and pegasi were chief among those those seeking freedom, but there were also members of the unicorn tribe willing to turn away from their ancestral home and seek a different way of life. Over time, many other species came to live alongside the ponies, even those who once had been their natural enemies.

Even before the world had gone mad, long before the pegasi started and lost their war with the unicorns, the reasons for which have been lost to time, there were still ponies who didn't fit in with their respective tribes. These outliers, these outcasts, their numbers now bolstered by that of the refugees, gradually shifted from living in scattered tents and caves. They soon became a town, and shortly thereafter, a city. Eventually, this new city, a pillar of change in an increasingly hostile world, was the last thing that stood between Elysium and complete domination.

That city was Pandemonium.

It was a busy day in the marketplace. Shopkeepers hocked their wares to the flowing crowd of creatures, ponies traded in various foods and crafts, a griffon butcher sold cuts to the more carnivorous denizens, and they even had the odd diamond dog as he showcased his rare gems. In short, it was a fairly normal day for the city market.

The only thing that made it a little less palpable was the tension in the air that day. Its source was obvious to anyone with eyes, and they all gave the four unicorns as wide a berth as the market would allow. Now, while it wasn't completely uncommon to see unicorns wandering the city, or any other ponies for that matter, what set them apart, as well as drawing ire from a number of citizens, was what most of them were wearing. Pure white togas, the formal attire of the unicorns of Elysium.

"Repulsive," said the yellow mare in the group. "The way these creatures mill about, not caring who or what they rub shoulders with, you wouldn't catch any self-respecting unicorn anywhere near this place."

A few local unicorns scowled in their direction, most likely because of the casual insult thrown their way. It was obviously intended for them, seeing as the speaker hadn't made any effort to keep their voice down.

Councilor Sirius, the only one among them not dressed in Elysian livery, looked uneasily at the crowd. His ashen white coated and black mane was recognizable to many of the city denizens, and any who didn't would at least recognize the deep red cloak that was the symbol of his station. His presence was probably the only reason why they hadn't been accosted, if not straight out attacked. So many creatures, not just ponies, had been hurt by Elysium's iron rule. Their reputation was so bad that Sirius had no doubt what would happen if something were to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

"Lemon," said the red hulk of a stallion walking next to her, "guard your words more carefully. "We're not exactly in friendly territory." His face remained so unmoving, it may as well have been carved from granite. If he felt any of the same bitterness as his companion, he didn't show it.

"Pff, whatever," Lemon scoffed. "I'm only came to assess the city's economic value, and nothing I've seen so far seems worth my time. I'm starting to wish I just stayed home."

"You know what? You're right," said the lime green mare walking in front of them. "If all you're going to do is complain, then you should've just stayed home."

Lemon looked a bit flush at the admonition, but otherwise refrained from commenting further.

"That's what I thought," she said before turning her attention back to Sirius. "I do apologize for my colleague's bad attitude. She doesn't get out much."

"That's quite all right, Ambassador Mint," said Councilor Sirius, feeling relieved for the first time since the city gates. "Some tension is to be expected if any sort of alliance is to be formed. It goes without saying that many of our citizens don't share in Elysium's world view, so I would advise against voicing your opinion too loudly. Especially regarding unicorns."

"Forgive me if I speak out of turn," said Ambassador Mint, "but doesn't a unicorn also control this city. It hardly seems ill-advised to avoid speaking of the contributions we unicorns have made to the world when one of our own has accomplished so much, even without the support of the Capitol."

"I severely doubt our lady will see it that way," said Sirius. "She seeks value in more than just social hierarchy and sees the world far differently than you or I, as you will soon find out."

"When will we meet her, anyway?" Asked Mint as she scanned the market. "I don't see anypony else from your council, nor do I see any impressive structures of any kind. Certainly not any that befits such a great leader."

"Her home is elsewhere," answered Sirius. "When she heard you were coming, she insisted on meeting you by the founder's memorial. We'll be there in but a moment. I can see the statue now."

The statue in question was just ahead of them. To call it unusual wouldn't be completely inaccurate, but that was primarily because it was something that wouldn't be easily understood by outsiders. It depicted a strange creature made up of many different parts, each part more different than the last, and it seemed to be wearing a crooked smile as it looked out into the crowd. It dug into the earth with a lion's paw while at the same time raking the opposing limb, an eagle's talon, through the clouds. Both land and sky looked like they were swirling around the statue despite its docile state. The eyes of this beast, this creature, this unnatural thing, whatever it was, almost seem alive as it looked down at the ground before it. Standing there was a unicorn, standing almost as still as the statue itself.

"I stand on the edge of oblivion as I turn my back on a stagnant world," a voice emanated from the statue of the unicorn. The voice, while clearly female, had a firmness to it that demanded that all who hear, stop, and listen. "And as I gaze into the void, I see the truth."

The figure slowly began to turn. The light of the noonday sun catching and displaying her features, revealing not a statue, but a unicorn mare tall and proud and without a stitch of clothing to cover her body. Her coat may have been grey, but the way the light shone on it made it appear a rich silver. Her mane was vibrant red, but that same light almost made it seem ablaze with life as she turned her crimson eyes on the newcomers.

"Change is life," she said, "and without change, only death and darkness await." She took a few steps away from the horrific figure, the otherworldly light slowly falling away from her until she took on a more normal appearance. "These are the words spoken by our founder, Hecate the Wise, when she first communed with the chaos of this world."

The world around them had fallen silent as she spoke. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace had muted itself, the laughter of children had fallen mute, and even the birds roosting from nearby rooftops were holding their tongues.

She took one more step forward, and it was only then that the last of the light left her. Without it, she didn't look any different from any other unicorn you might see on the streets. She didn't even seem to mind the embarrassed looks a few of the Elysians were giving her due to her state of undress. Even when a hulking minotaur stepped out from beside the statue to drape a deep velvet robe over her, she didn't once tear her gaze from the ones in front of her.

"So, Sirius," she said, her voice taking on a cold tone. "They are the ones who would claim rule over the entire world? I expected something more."

"My lady," Sirius bowed deeply, as one should to those in authority. "These are indeed them." He lifted his head and once again turned to face the delegates. "Allow me to introduce Lady Rhodonite," he said. "Mistress of Secrets and Keeper of Law."

The shocked looks on the delegates' faces had them staring for only a short moment longer, before each of them remembered their manners and made a short bow in respect.

The green mare was the first to raise her head, a smile on her face. "Lady Rhodonite," she said, "it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ambassador Mint of the Elysium Empire. I hope you will forgive our momentary lapse in manners. We had, of course, heard of how awe-inspiring it is to be in your presence, but no one mentioned for a moment your youth or your beauty."

This earned a small smile from Rhodonite that softened her expression ever so slightly. "Well, if nothing else, at least you're polite." She took another moment to study each of them, drawing her own conclusions as she did. "You're all quite young yourselves," she said. "It was my understanding that it was Elysium's custom to put older unicorns in charge of their affairs. Why then did they send you three?"

"The affairs of the state are far greater than what can be reasonably managed by a few elders," said Mint. "In their wisdom they chose to send us in their stead, so we might negotiate an alliance."

"An alliance, huh?" Pondered Rhodonite, albeit sarcastically. "I see that being very unlikely."

"I wouldn't expect you to agree right away," said Mint. "Yours is a unique culture we couldn't even begin to imagine. There is so much we might learn from one another. For example, what is it that statue depicts? I find I am at a loss for what sort of creature it is. I can't say I've ever seen its like before."

Lady Rhodonite smirked at her words. "I would've been surprised indeed had indeed ever seen one," she said as she turned to look back to where she was standing only moments before. "There are some who would call it a draconequus. However, my followers and I believe it to be a depiction of the god of chaos."

Both Lemon and Cinnamon exchanged a worried look at this proclamation. However, to her credit, Ambassador Mint seemed unperturbed. "And this god of chaos, as you call it, was first witnessed by Hecate?" She asked. "We have a similar pony described in our history. Although she isn't regarded with near as much reverence."

"You speak of Hecate the Mad," observed Rhodonite. "I've heard a few of the stories regarding her contributions, and while it's very likely that it is the same pony, we lack any concrete evidence to support it."

"Perhaps," said Mint. "I would certainly enjoy exploring it in further detail if you are willing."

"I might enjoy that," said the ruler of the city before sighing deeply. "Unfortunately, my duties don't often grant me the freedom I would otherwise enjoy. I feel such a discussion would occupy many moons before either of us would be satisfied with an answer."

"An alliance between our nations would grant you the time you desire," offered the ambassador. "Think of all you could gain with our resources at your disposal."

"And think of all we might lose by allowing Elysian influence into our city," she retorted. "I'm not blind to the plights of the rest of pony kind. The enslavement of the pegasi, the unfair taxation of the earth ponies, and that's not even counting what has been done to the non-pony races of the world."

"I will grant you," admitted Mint, "that there may have been a few bumps on the road to true peace, but everything we've done, we've done for the greater good. Griffons no longer raid our borders, diamond dogs and minotaurs no longer destroy farmland as they hunt for gems or compete for strength, and even the dragons think twice about crossing us. All is as it should be."

"Hrmph," Rhodonite stuck her nose out in annoyance. "With everything you've accomplished, why even bother discussing an alliance at all? It's clear you don't need us. What is it we have that you want so badly? It certainly can't be economic value. Your associate has already made it quite clear what she thinks of our market."

"When did you..." Lemon recoiled in shock. "How did you..."

"You'll find very little escapes my notice, little Lemon," she said as she began to circle the three of them, her eyes boring into each of them. "Both in the immediate past and..." she stopped in front of the stallion and took her measure of him before scoffing again. "Who do you think you're fooling?" She said tersely. "There's no way somepony as young and as stiff as you is anything but a soldier."

Cinnamon stiffened even further at Rhodonite's assessment. However, he continued to hold his tongue as he had up to this point.

"Your silence gives you away," she said, confirming her own opinion. "Just like someone receiving a dressing down from a superior officer. Tell me, why is it you're really here?"

"Lady Rhodonite!" Called out Councilor Sirius in a panic, stark concern painted on his face.

"You wanted to allow Elysian diplomats into the city, Sirius," she stated without even sparing a glance in his direction, "and I told you I would give a fair evaluation of them and their intentions before allowing them to go any further." She narrowed her eyes at all three of them. "That's exactly what I'm doing," she said before leveling a hoof at the first mare. "You seem to be only interested in profits. While that does not condemn you on its own, you'll find nothing but a deaf ear turned even deafer if you fail to show any empathy. And you..." She said, turning her attention back to the stallion. "You're only here for when negotiations inevitably fail. Your superiors want an assessment of the city's defenses for when they attempt to take it by force." She drew a bit closer to the supposed soldier, a savage grin on her face. "Well I'll give them something to chew on since it means so much to you," she said with no small amount of venom in her voice. "There is not a single member of this city that hasn't lost something important to them, and most of it to the nation you serve. This is the only home they have left and you can be damn well be sure that every stallion, mare, bull, hawk, and bitch will fight to keep it."

The entire plaza was silent, save for a few children who whimpered as they held close to their mothers or respective guardians. A few of the more hardened faces already had their natural weapons at the ready, be it horn, claw, or fang. Even the ponies, regardless of tribe, scuffed at the dirt in unison. It didn't matter how powerful these three Elysians may be. They couldn't hope to stand against so many.

If Lady Rhodonite noticed their naked hostility, she didn't show it. She only had eyes for the unicorns in front of her. "And then there's you," she said, finally turning her attention back to Ambassador Mint. "If nothing else, at least you've been honest with what you have to say, and yet..." She continued to glare down her nose at her, an intimidating sight considering she stood a good head taller than the average pony. "There's something about you I don't quite trust. What is it you're hiding? What is it you're after? And why are we even having this conversation?"

"What I want..." Mint's voice caught in her throat for the barest of moments. "What I want is an end to the violence, an end to the bloodshed. We don't have to be enemies," she said, a small tear starting to form at the corner of her eye. "I meant what I said," she said as she extended a hoof. "We could be friends. There is so much we might do, so much we could accomplish. Just open your doors and stand aside."

The leader of the city breathed a deep, throaty breath. She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, and her piercing gaze hadn't diminished in the slightest when they reopened. "And if I did," she said, almost seeming to consider it for a moment, "what would become of the residents of my city?"

The ambassador brightened for a moment, but still hesitated before responding. "I would do everything in my power to make sure everyone was treated fairly. However..."

"However...?" Rhodonite repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"However," Mint continued, "a number of criminals have taken refuge in this city. Some of them with crimes as numerous as the stars in the sky. We would have to mete out justice according to Elysium law. Surely such a thing would not be considered..."

A burst of laughter broke free from Rhodonite's throat. It was loud and boisterous, and even though such a thing would normally be contagious, no one else was laughing. Everyone just watched on as the mad pony filled the plaza with her laughter, worry masking their faces, but not near as much as it did the delegates.

"No," she said, cutting off her own mirth as quickly as it had started. She turned her back on the three and started walking away at a brisk pace. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was finished, and nothing else needed to be said, much less discussed.

It took Mint a moment for her to realize she had just been unceremoniously dismissed, and quickly followed after her in a panic. "Wait a minute!" She called after her. "What do you mean, no?" Surely you realize you can't hold out against the Elysium army forever. Please, be reasonable," she said. However, it turned out to be the wrong thing to say.

Lady Rhodonite's ears perked up, and she whipped her head around, a look of fury in her eyes. "Reason?" She growled. "Reason?!" She shouted. "Reason?!!" She roared. She stomped back the way she came, forcing the unfortunate mare to pedal backwards, lest she find herself trampled. "You would condemn those only trying to survive and call it justice?! You dare speak of madness and call it reason?!!"

"I... I..." Mint tried to speak, but she found herself barely able to do more than stutter out a few syllables with the furious mare in front of her.

"No," the mare cut her off firmly, sparing her the embarrassment, albeit at a greater cost. "You will not dare to speak of such heresy. Not in this city and certainly not in my presence."

"Chaos and order have their place!" Thundered the crowd. The deafening silence was made even more profound by the noise that suddenly filled it.

"All I see in front of me," she continued unabated, "is madness in its purest form."

"Order without freedom is naught but madness!" The crowd echoed again.

"The world continues to stagnate," she said. "If this continues, nothing but despair will remain."

"Without change, only death remains!" The crowd answered.

The statue of Discord seemed to take on a pale light as they spoke, as did the mare leading the crowd. The ambassador had seemed fairly calm and collected until now, but upon seeing that light, fear now reflected in her eyes. Fear and the complete inability to speak.

A loud crack resounded through the plaza, bringing all other sound to a stop. Everyone followed the sound to its source, the source being the paving stones that Lady Rhodonite had just shattered underhoof.

"You should not be mine to judge," she said coldly, "but in the absence of one who will, that duty falls to me. The burden Elysium places on the world can be considered nothing less than pure evil."

"But..." Mint cowered on the ground, her legs refusing to hold her weight.

Lady Rhodonite leaned down and looked her right in the eye, getting a mere inch from her face. "You are not worthy of the wisdom of Discord, the words of chaos, yet we have given them to you all the same. Take them," she said. "Return to your masters, and get the hell out of my city."