Open Letter

by Metool Bard

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Clover the Clever, Tragedy, Slice of Life
Length: 1013

How would you reply?

Somewhere in Equestria, there exists a letter penned long ago. Not a particularly extraordinary letter, mind you. It does not contain any ancient spells lost to the annals of time, nor cryptic warnings for future ponies to decipher. No, it is simply a message written by a sorrowful mare who just needed some guidance.

This is that letter.

Published 2013-03-15 23:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-15 23:10:02 UTC

To Whom It May Concern:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I hope this letter finds you well, whoever you are. I am writing this letter with no particular address in mind, for this is my last resort. I have gone to every pony I have ever known, be it friend or family, to help me with a most distressing quandary. And while I appreciate all of their support and comfort, the answers to my problem still elude me. As such, I have decided to reach out and find somepony else who can help me. Perhaps that somepony else is you.

I suppose I should introduce myself. I am a unicorn. Well, not just any unicorn, but a powerful mage that serves as an advisor to Her Royal Highness, Princess Platinum. Not only this, but I am the protégé of perhaps the greatest unicorn that ever lived. You may say that I'm exaggerating, but trust me when I say that I am not. His wisdom is unfathomable; his skill with magic unparalleled. He has taught me everything he knows, but even then, I confess that I only can do half of what he's done. Nevertheless, I would never have gotten as far as I have without his tutelage. I am proud to call him my mentor.

However, despite all of the spells he has taught me and the wisdom he has bestowed upon me, I find myself knowing very little. Not about magic, mind you, but about him.

You see, I have been studying as his protégé for many a year. However, whenever I am asked to describe him, all I can do is gush about his accomplishments. I attribute this to the queer fact that we've never really talked to one another. Every time he has ever spoken to me, it is either a lecture, a request, some pleasantries, or just something incredibly cryptic. Not once did he invite me to have a cup of tea and just chat. And I know that I'm not alone when I find this strange. Can you imagine a student like me, studying under a great magician for years on end, and yet knowing next to nothing about the pony teaching her? It's as if a mother and daughter live together, yet the daughter doesn't know what kind of pony her mother is.

Now, normally I wouldn't take issue with something like this. True, it was distressing at first when I became his apprentice, but I had grown to accept it. After all, he was taking time out of his busy life to pass on his knowledge onto me. That had to say something about his character, right? Besides, he was still a great unicorn, and the mystery around him only served to make him even greater in my eyes. I adored his lectures. I hung onto his every word. Whenever I perfected a spell, he said he was proud of me. If I could just live with that, I'd be a happy pony.

But recently, things have changed. He has changed. And for the life of me, I don't know why.

It all started when he began writing this new spell a short time ago. What this spell is or what it's supposed to do, I still haven't the faintest idea. When I tried to inquire about it, he yelled at me and told me to go away. Dear reader, you cannot begin to imagine how much that confused me. He had raised his voice in anger before, but not to this degree. Not even when I disturbed him accidentally did he ever yell at me with such intensity and ire. So what made this so different?

Alas, I cannot answer that question. Whenever I bring up the spell, he tells me it's none of my concern. Not only that, but it's all he ever does now. Day in and day out, from dawn until dusk, he's locked up in his study working on whatever that spell is supposed to be. And should I even dare to tap on the door to see if he's alright, he just shoos me away as if I'm just some sort of pest. It breaks my heart every time. How ironic that I have so much power stored within the tip of my horn, yet he can make me feel so utterly useless.

I am his protégé; his student. He's given so much to me. Should I not be allowed to give a little something back? Maybe I could assist him with the spell, or give him some moral support. In fact, I'd be content if he just told me why I should leave this matter to him and him alone. But no. Instead, he tells me nothing and gets angry when I ask questions. And to think that he once encouraged me to always ask questions. It would be funny if it wasn't so, hurtful.

This can't be what he really thinks of me. It just can't be. I know deep in my heart that the stallion locked in that study is not the same stallion that made me the mare I am today. And because of that, I worry that he'll never be the same again. The only thing that keeps me going is that I have a loving family and wonderful friends who I can count on to be there for me in these dark times. But, they cannot solve my dilemma. That is where you come in.

Whosoever finds this letter, I ask, nay, beg you to grant me a bit of advice. I wish to help my mentor so badly. How can I stop him from pushing me away? How can I be there for him when he doesn't want me around? How can I show him that I don't only consider him to be a mentor, but also one of the best friends I have ever known?

If you can answer these questions for me, I will forever be in your debt. I eagerly await your reply.

Most sincerely yours,

Clover the Clever