The morning rolled around quite suddenly. The sun being a bit into the sky by the time all four residents in the house woke up. The clouds parting from when they released rain within the late hours of the night. The grounds outside the home still wet from the last of the rainfall that had occurred. It wasn’t long into the morning before Cluttered trotted down the stairs; using the time he had to get himself ready for the day. Whilst there was nothing in the cupboards or fridge to eat, Cluttered put together a plan in his head. He trotted back up the stairs momentarily to grab a pen that Sour had put away the day before to write a note for the three. The note simply saying:
GOING TO PICK UP BREAKFAST. GET YOURSELVES READY – CLUTTERED
Whilst the handwriting was messy, he figured that the three sleeping stallions could still read it. After grabbing his coin pouch and trotting down the stairs to put the note on the table infront of the couch, Cluttered headed for the front door. Shutting it carefully and trotting down the path to the actual city. The wind blowing softly against his mane and body as he enjoyed the morning air. He’d never really paid any attention to his surroundings like he was doing. The day before seeming like a key unlocking a barrier in his mind. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but he enjoyed the new feeling. That wasn’t to say that he didn’t magically remove his issues, but rather he had managed to process the negative, and he had free room in his mind for positivity to be created. Which was what was happening. He even took notice of the smallest things. Such as butterflies flying in the hills he trotted down from. It wasn’t much, but to him, it meant a big deal.
After about twenty minutes of happily trotting around the city, he came across a nice-looking place that he thought, could offer nice looking takeout breakfasts. He took a minute or so before deciding on a well-done set of four bagels. The aroma of the grain bread attracting him to selecting them. They weren’t too pricy, and he figured everything was worth a try at least once in life. He usually just stuck with his trusty Hay-Bacon sandwiches, but he had a newfound appreciation for things he didn’t regularly try; in terms of eating that was. It was on his way home however, that he bumped into a familiar face. That pony being Dawnrise, or rather, Dawn. The pair bumped into eachother as Cluttered started trotting up the hill back to his house. He noticed Dawn and called out to them. “Hey, good to see you Dawn!” he shouted out as Dawn looked behind themselves. In a little state of surprise, Dawn responded once they got closer to Cluttered. “Hey, uh… Good to see you as well!” they responded, a smile coming to their face. The two trotted up the hill, discussing the past few days with eachother. Cluttered telling Dawn about the day prior, and Dawn telling them about the calmer days they had in terms of the cooldown from the argument with their parents. Dawn was shocked to hear that Cluttered had dealt with something so personal, but was happy to hear that the trio had helped in a big way. It was when they entered the house that Cluttered and Dawn saw the trio still sleeping.
“They’re heavy sleepers, huh” Cluttered exclaimed as Dawn chuckled to themselves. “Yep. Seems so. Let’s wake them” they then responded. Cluttered trotting to the kitchen to put the bagels and the coin pouch they were carrying on the side whilst Dawn shook the three awake. With a jumpy start, Sour was the first to get up, followed quickly by Sweet and Acidic. The trio looked at Dawn, and then at Cluttered, before finally looking at the note on the table. With a slight yawn, Acidic said “Guessing you got the breakfast then” before looking at Cluttered. In response, he nodded, saying “Yep! I’ll get plates ready, Dawn you can share mine if you want!” before trotting to the kitchen. Dawn, Acidic, Sour and Sweet sitting in the front room and waiting for their breakfast. Whilst Cluttered got to work in the kitchen, the four others stayed silent. That was, until Acidic finally asked Dawn “So, in terms of today, are you helping us?”. Dawn looked confused when they were asked this, simply responding with another question. “Helping with what? I just came to visit” she said, the three then looking at eachother as they realized that Cluttered hadn’t filled them in on exactly what they had uncovered the day prior.
“Well… Sweet found a book with potions in. We need an ingredient from it according to the Alicorns who attacked the train. Well, the one who tells them what to do. We told you all about that of course” Acidic then explained. The growing confusion on Dawn’s face increasing as the three then realized that they hadn’t actually told Dawn. Duskfall or Soundwave about what happened at the Spring of Body. They had previously filled Cluttered in, but when it came to the other three they forgot. “I’m sure we can explain everything over breakfast” Sour then said, Cluttered coming into the room with the four bagels that he’d brought; one of them cut in half so that Dawn could have some too. The conversation the five had then consisted of a catchup of what happened at the Body of Spring, with the three slightly exaggerating what happened. Cluttered being the one to bring the story back down to earth when he called the three out on some of the points in their catchup. Cuing several “Oh” moments from Dawn as the three then rolled their eyes each time they were caught exaggerating. In their eyes, it was fun to spice things up after all.
When they were finished with their breakfast, the five noticed that the sun outside had moved a bit in the sky. The morning phase of the day now over. Sweet got up and, without any request needed, Sweet used his magic to gather the plates together and then moved into the kitchen; cleaning them all. Sour, Acidic and Cluttered looked at eachother with surprise. Dawn looking confused as they then asked, “Why do you all look like you’re experiencing an exorcism?” to which Sour responded. “He mostly always treats himself as superior to the three of us so it’s a shock to see him humbling himself” he explained, Dawn simply responding with “huh” as Sweet came back into the room. “Dishes are done. So, when’re we setting off?” he asked the other four with intrigue. “Well, It costs twenty Ceyans for the four of us” Cluttered responded, then emptying his coin pouch as he counted the Ceyans infront of him. The total adding up to eighteen Ceyans. “Ah! Dang… I thought I had enough…” Cluttered sighed with disappointment. “I could cover it…” Dawn suggested, with the other four looking at them with slight surprise. “Hey, don’t be surprised! It might do me some good to go with you guys. I’ve been meaning to get some notes for Duskfall. He wants to write his own book about abandoned structures in the modern day” Dawn then explained as Cluttered nodded in approval. “I could use the help. He wanted me to draw stuff a while back, so maybe this’ll give me some time to do just that!” he then added on. The trio looked at eachother, seeming happy enough at the prospect of the five of them going together. What none of them realized however, was that Arcane had been observing the entire conversation. Doing as he was instructed the day prior.
Through a window of ice that he had created with his magic in the wall of the cave he and the other two Alicorns resided in, Arcane watched with intense concentration. He feared that missing even one detail would lead to the possibility of failure. Something he knew Harmonous wouldn’t tolerate in the slightest. “You’ve been watching them all morning, take a break” Dallasite said to him, his yawning from properly waking up etching into his sentence. “Oh be quiet. I’m doing a better job of this than you did yesterday” Arcane snapped back, his tone being cold as he jabbed at Dallasite. Dallasite simply rolled his eyes, simply saying “whatever” in response before laying his head back on the ground. “It’s time for me to set off anyway. When he returns, tell him I succeeded” Arcane then instructed Dallasite. “Why ruin your accomplishment? Surely your ego will be boosted more if you told him yourself” Dallasite then sarcastically responded. His words almost having a cruel flare to them. Instead of responding to Dallasite, he simply used his magic to create a portal in the wall; the other side of the portal leading to the beach below the house the five were in. With one step forward, Arcane walked through. The portal and the window of magic in the wall disappearing alongside eachother. Leaving Dallasite on his own. “Typical. I swear neither of them have any faith in me” he murmured to himself.
Back in the house, Cluttered put the Ceyans back into the coin pouch. “Dawn, why don’t you go back to your house and get the remaining Ceyans” Cluttered suggested. “Yeah, I’ll do that. We’ll meet at the train station I assume?” Dawn then asked. Cluttered nodded, with Sweet getting up. “I’ll go with you. It’ll be nice to be on my own again for a little bit” he then said. The other two giving a slightly annoyed glare. “Oh come on Sour and Acidic. Surely you’re not annoyed by that?” Dawn then asked. “Yeah, Sweet can go with Dawn. It’s not a big deal” Cluttered then added on. Sour and Acidic looked at eachother with slight shock. “But… But he’s-“ but before Sour could even finish his sentence, Cluttered interjected. “He’s been fine around us. Just give him a chance, it’s clear he’s at least stopped being… Well, being like before” he said, Acidic and Sour looking at Sweet, concern in their eyes. “Alright, I guess. Dawn, if he acts like he’s above you, smack him for me” Sour then told Dawn. Dawn chuckled as they simply said “Sure, come on Sweet let’s go” and then trotted to the front-door. Sweet looking semi-offended before trotting off loudly with Dawn. The front-door shutting behind Sweet. “You two really need to lay off of him. I get he has his problems, but he’s been doing good helping you guys” Cluttered then said to the other two. Sour looked away whilst Acidic responded. “I guess we have been too harsh on him… Maybe a chance is warranted” he said as he put his wing on his chin to think. “Maybe, but let’s not forget about what he was like. It was how the pair of us acted when we were an Alicorn” Sour added on. Cluttered rolled his eyes somewhat, but shrugged it off. “Why don’t you two help me get some art supplies together” he then suggested, trotting up the stairs before the other two could respond. “Come on then” Acidic then said to Sour as the pair headed up to catch up with Cluttered.
Meanwhile, Dawn and Sweet had just entered back into the city streets. Sweet kept looking back, swearing he was being watched. “You’ve looked back seven times now” Dawn told him, keeping count as they both trotted down the hill. “I keep feeling somepony watching us. I can’t shake it” Sweet replied. “Well, ignore them. The only ones I can think of that would watch you would be the three Alicorns you told us about. Given what you said about the journey to the Spring of Body, they won’t hurt you. They seem strangely concerned for you now that I think about it” Dawn explained, making Sweet think in return. “Yeah… It’s been weird. First they said the three of us were failures… But when we were headed to the Spring of Body, they suddenly cared about us. It’s just… Strange” Sweet responded. He flashed back to the incident in the mountains, and the coronation. It was true, Arcane and Dallasite went from trying to murder Covet, or the trio, or as they called him Bounded. To suddenly helping them. To Sweet, it was illogical. “It’s also strange that they went after Stardew as well… Oh I hope he’s safe. We fought a lot but… But I still cared about him, you know?” Sweet then added on. Dawn tilted their head somewhat, before responding. “Siblings fight all the time. It’s perfectly natural. I don’t doubt you two cared about eachother. But being royalty is sure to have grinded those tensions” Dawn then responded, trying to at least comfort Sweet. “It’s not just that… It was… It was the fact that I was powerless to even put up a fight. I couldn’t even defend myself…” Sweet then explained. “Yeah, I’ll say it’s odd that you only know levitation” Dawn quickly replied. “I mean, I managed to stop our falling speed when we plummeted to our death in the mountains” Sweet added on. “Well, after we get this potion ingredient, maybe you could sit down with Duskfall. He knows quite a bit of magic and they work at the library. You could borrow some books and practice some magic with him” Dawn then suggested.
“Yeah, I think I like the sound of that, Sour and Acidic suggested that earlier this week. Though, I have to ask” Sweet began. “Is it about you being as bad as they say?” Dawn then interjected. Stunned, Sweet simply responded with “Ding”. “From my perspective, no. From everypony else’s perspective though… I don’t know. I guess with Sour and Acidic, only the three of you can know about the full details. It was so weird that they started getting… Well, negative toward the idea of you being with others on your own? I don’t know how to properly word it I guess” Dawn then explained. “I see” Sweet simply responded, looking down with a frown. “Hey, I’m sure Cluttered and the other two don’t think you’re awful. But you have to understand that there are different points of view. Different experiences lead to differing opinions about what you do” Dawn quickly replied. Dawn didn’t want Sweet feeling like they hadn’t at least put in some effort, but they also wanted to make it clear that Sweet wasn’t done. From what Dawn had gathered, Sweet had genuinely been trying to change from whatever it was that he had been before. So, the last thing Dawn wanted was to witness the reverting of said change.
“I mean, that’s nice to say and all, I just wish that Sour in particular wasn’t so harsh. I get it, I hurt him a while back but… Surely I’ve put in enough work to show I’m truly sorry” Sweet huffed out. Frustration building in his mind. “Again, I’m sure he knows you’re trying. Just have faith” Dawn then responded. After a moment, Sweet nodded with a delay. “Let’s go then” he then muttered as he trotted ahead. Dawn looked at him trotting ahead and reserved their thoughts for a later time. It was clear that, as much as Dawn could say things to try and comfort Sweet, he’d have to sit down properly with Acidic and Sour to fully resolve the issue. With what he heard about Stardew as well, he wondered if that also clouded the three of their minds; the worry must’ve been immense after all. Whatever the issue was, Dawn figured that the far more pressing issue of obtaining the potion ingredient was better to focus on. It seemed to be something the three of them could take their minds off of. Dawn catching up to Sweet as Arcane watched from a distance in the shadows. “Letting his other parts interfere with him. Amusing” he murmured to himself; enjoying the inner conflict Sweet was opening up about. Anything he could even scrape up to get what he wanted in the long run was good, and Sweet was giving him some good stuff to use. He also enjoyed the fact that he could monitor two conversations at once, having kept a window of magic open to observe the other party as they set off.
The other party, whilst Dawn and Sweet trotted off to Dawns house, had just left Cluttered’s house. “We really ought to get those planks off when we come back, you know?” Acidic told Cluttered. “Yeah, it’d make the house look a whole lot nicer” Sour then added on. Cluttered smiled, and nodded in agreement. However, that’s when he started speaking about the small incident between Sweet, Sour and Acidic. “So, that incident with Sweet” he began, trotting down the path with both of the other ponies beside him. “I’m curious. You three seemed fine with eachother. What spurred on the negative reaction? We let him go on his own yesterday” Cluttered asked. Sour being the one to respond. “Honestly, it’s the fact that everything that’s happening with Harmonous, Arcane and Dallasite just doesn’t make any sense. Acidic, what do you think about it?” he asked Acidic. “Well, if they’re helping us, I honestly don’t think they’d attack us. What I think is going on, is that they know something we don’t. They make it too obvious” Acidic responded. Cluttered and Sour looked at eachother before Sour replied. “Yeah, it’s strange how they went from trying to kill us, to then trying to help us” he spouted out, making Cluttered think about the possibilities. His saddlebags that he had on rustling as he trotted down the hill. “Well, if I were to use my own thinking power, I’d ask myself if I noticed anything about them that seemed familiar. They seem to know you, after all” Cluttered then said. “But we don’t know them!” Sour protested, annoyance hitting his voice. “Yeah, the coronation was the first time we had ever seen them” Acidic then added on. “Calm down! I’m just saying that they’re holding something back. Something that gives me a bad feeling personally” Cluttered replied.
“Well, there’s no use in sticking around here. I’d rather take the help whilst they’re giving it out” Sour then said, trotting ahead. “Yeah, but maybe after you’ve managed to get back to the Alicorn body you had before, you could try and inquire about their secrets. You deserve to know, you know?” Cluttered suggested. Acidic looking to the side occasionally, then looking back as he swore he was being watched. He wasn’t the only one who thought this either, with Sour looking back on a few occasions. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Sour asked Acidic. Cluttered looked at the pair beside him as he figured out what he meant before Acidic could. “Weren’t you the ones to say that they weren’t going to kill you now?” he then asked as he turned to Acidic. Sour however was the one to respond. “Well yeah, but what they’re doing… it’s creepy!” he protested in anger. Cluttered looked at Sour and then asked a very interesting question. “You always seem to talk over others. Why is that?”.
Sour took a moment in pure shock. He hadn’t expected such a question from Cluttered. Quickly, he shot back with an answer he used whenever somepony questioned him. One he always used whenever he had been called out about this specific issue. With a breath, he replied with “That’s none of your concern, thank you” before attempting to trot ahead. Cluttered however, cut him off in his tracks; stepping ahead of him and turning to face him. “As if I’m going to accept that answer. I opened up to you, so why don’t you three open up to me?” he asked with a smile. Obviously hoping for said outcome to happen. Sour however, drew the last line in the ground as he responded. “I don’t owe you an explanation. Acidic and Sweet don’t owe you one either. Now let’s go”. Acidic then looked at Sour, genuinely surprised at his sudden defense. With Sour then starting to recall a specific time they had tried to open up to somepony. Specifically, to a former lover they had in their college years. It was something the three of them, as Covet, had managed to hide incredibly well.
The day had reached its midpoint that day. Classes finishing early as the pair trotted off to get some ice cream down at the pier in Coltney. The crowds around them being overwhelming as Covet’s former partner used his unicorn magic to nullify the surrounding ambiance so they could both hear eachother. The partner Covet had, being yellow in coat colour. His eyes holding a rich, earthy brown with his mane and tail being golden. He was the more skilled of the pair in the magical department as he was able to multitask with his magic. Using his magic to also deal with the ice creams. Once they had gotten off of the pier, they hid out in a private beach. One Covet’s father kept private for the royal family. It had a clear view of both Trottnest and the ocean beyond. “You know, I peered into my father’s studies a while back. Before he caught me. There were notes about pair of continents that disappeared” Covet said, licking his ice cream. The cold, sweet taste almost giving him frostbite as he licked up the ice cream too fast. “Ah, phooey. Wouldn’t we have found them by now?” the unicorn asked as he used his magic to stop the nullification on the surroundings. The crowds being far from them at this point. “Yeah, that’s true. But he’s been alive for a long time. I don’t know how long though. When I ask the old geezer he got very upset” Covet responded with a laugh for a moment. However, looking out into the oceans, he started getting distance visually. His face having a somber expression to it. He sighed, and with a deep breath he spoke again.
“You know, I envy you to some degree. My father always hounds me about my future; saying that both me and Stardew need to focus on our studies and focus on our training as prince’s. But…” he stopped. He took a moment before composing his next sentence. He trusted his partner enough, surely he’d be the one to understand. If nopony else. “But, I just want to be myself. It’s so tiring to sit there day after day and be constantly reminded of my royal duties. I don’t want to be a prince. I just want to be… To be me” Covet then finished. He expected his partner to respond in a sympathetic way, but like the ocean which had started becoming stirred, Starstrike responded with an Apathetic tone to his voice. “You’re a part of the monarchy of this country. No wonder your father wants you to focus on your royal duties. You’re literally destined for the throne! Maybe instead of focusing on being yourself as you put it, you should focus on the things your father wants you to focus on”. Covet was shocked. Of all the answers he expected his partner to give, he was sure that wasn’t going to be one of them.
He got angry, spouting off a reply in his frustration. “Oh yes, because I’m supposed to be this perfect entity. Because I’m supposed to be so wise, courageous, and powerful, is that what you wanted to hear?!”. Starstrike fired back equally as hard as the pair began entering a vicious fight. “Well it doesn’t help that you flunk lessons all the time! No wonder your father keeps hounding you! Maybe if you thought of the continent instead of yourself, you’d understand that!”. “EXCUSE ME?!” Covet responded, this time raising his voice in protest. “Yeah, you heard me! I’m done with this pity party you keep throwing yourself! You’re avoiding your duties to the throne! You treat others like they’re… Like they’re below you! IS THAT WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE?!” Starstrike then bellowed across. The ocean becoming violent in the crashing waves it produced. The anger from Covet being reflected in the oceans. He wasn’t aware of it, but in his frustration and rage, the ocean created sharp daggers of water that Covet began unknowingly throwing at Starstrike. He was so blind to his own surroundings that he thought his magic had created daggers from his magic as they launched themselves at Starstrike. Starstrike, being utterly stunned and now frightened, galloped off as he shouted “YOU WANT TO BE THAT WAY THEN FINE! STAY AWAY FROM ME, WE’RE THROUGH!” before disappearing back to the pier and city they travelled from.
After he had disappeared, Covet felt immense sadness, which made him soon break down after. He’d expected his partner of all ponies to understand. He had tried confiding in his brother, but it didn’t work. He tried confiding in his partner, but it didn’t work. Both got angry at him. Was he not seeing what was wrong? Was he selfish to the degree others thought? Malicious thoughts hitting him as he unknowingly managed to use the ocean as an outlet. Something that was completely unknown to all but one at the time. Looking from above, Crimson stood. He’d observed the incident as he frowned. “He used it again” he muttered to himself, then looking down at the book that Covet often looked through.
Back in the present, it had been a mere moment since the flashback had hit Sour’s mind. The negativity from the flashback spreading to Acidic and even Sweet. Who shuddered as he trotted with Dawn. Dawn asking “Hey, you alright?” to which Sweet simply responded “Yeah, I am. Dunno about the other two though” before they both trotted onward. Concern hitting Sweet’s mind personally. Back with Cluttered, Sour and Acidic, Cluttered asked “You two alright?” as he gazed at them with some worry. Sour continued to look forward, with Acidic tapping him on the side with his wing to snap him out of whatever was going on. Sour quickly jumped as he turned around to the pair of them. That was, before he stared at Cluttered, with a frown. “Stop asking about things” he stated. Before Cluttered could respond, Acidic looked at him. “Yeah… Might be best not to ask him things at least. If you give me some time I’ll tell you my hypothesis but it’s not pretty” he told Cluttered as Cluttered simply responded with “Riiigghhhtttt….” Before the three trotted off to the train station like they had planned to. Cluttered starting to feel like his words weren’t helping at all. It started shifting his mindset back to what it was as he stayed silent throughout their trip.
In the shadows, Arcane watched. He hadn’t expected such a delightful amount of discourse during this day. All the more to use in the future. Although he was curious about what had made them so emotional. The flashback not being accessible to him as he pondered about the possibilities. That was, however, until he was hit with a frigid blast. Harmonous had appeared from his mist. His expression angry, but also concerned. Not for Arcane, but for whatever the trio seemed to be experiencing. “I told you to focus on helping them, not to focus on giggling or enjoying their fighting” he coldly told Arcane. “But you don’t understand, it’s such a great opportunity! Think about it, all the more to sway him in our favor after all!” Arcane protested. However, that’s when Harmonous, without speaking, summoned a scythe made from the coldest and sharpest ice he had access to in the mountains they lived in. Without warning, he threw it at Arcane.
Luckily, Arcane put up a shield for himself, but still had to dodge the weapon as it cracked the shield open. With a whisper as deadly as the ice scythe, he uttered a simple instruction. “Never challenge me, or my orders. If I tell you to do something, you obey”. Arcane, wide-eyed on the floor and hearing every word being etched into his mind, shakily nodded as he understood. Even if his magic revolved around ice, Arcane feared the abyssal depths of Harmonous’ cold fury. Without announcing his departure, he sunk back into his mist. The mist wisping away into the skies as Arcane was left on the floor for a moment. Opening a window of magic to look at both groups from a distance. Which was timely, given Sweet and Dawn were approaching Dawn’s house.