The final day rolled around as if it were a swift breeze. The night feeling surprisingly fast as dawn moved in just as it did before. The sunrays penetrating the shore of Buckgrove. Winds picking up somewhat as the household of Cluttered was surprisingly active for the time of morning that it was. For you see, the trio had already been up. Infact, they’d been up most of the night. Only resting from the time they got back in the night prior, to the early hours of the morning. The dread all three of them felt for the day and night ahead had gotten to them. They all seemed to be statues, not talking. Just thinking the same thought. That they’d lose their current lives forever to return to the same one they had beforehand. One that they honestly didn’t like, having adjusted to their respective new forms and all acting independently from one another. So, if they became one again, they’d physically, and mentally be lost in terms of their individuality.
Their thoughts were only subsided when Cluttered finally arose. Trotting down the stairs with a yawn as he saw the three of them in the front room. “Uh… How long have you all been awake, then?” he asked the three, in genuine surprise. Sour muttered out “long enough…” as the other two nodded in agreeance, making Cluttered almost gasp. “Oh wow…” he began, his mind seeming very perplexed as he continued. “I… Uh… Well… Do you, maybe, want some coffee?” he then finally asked. Being too stunned for words to express. Sour nodded, with the other two following suit as Cluttered trotted into the kitchen. With Sweet finally breaking the silence between the three. “Our last day… As ourselves… It’s an odd feeling” he said to himself, with Acidic chiming in. “Yeah, I mean it was great while it lasted! Right?” Acidic then asked the other two. Sweet nodding as Sour looked away. He still felt very bitter about the whole ordeal. The fact they were being forced to do what they didn’t want to do was very upsetting. Sour didn’t want to return to the life he had before. He wanted to remain in his current body. He thought back to what Harmonous had said all the way back at the Gorge. The offer he should’ve just said no to.
“You can head through the flames behind you, and head to Gulfmane. Forever stuck as the three you are now. Or, on the contrary, you could take up the task of piecing yourself back together. Spring by Spring”
“If only we weren’t so… Desperate back then” Sour muttered to himself, with Acidic catching the sentence. “Oh, you mean at the Spring of Body?” he asked. Sour glancing in gloom as he nodded. Acidic shrugged as Sweet seemed confused, until he remembered as well. “Well, he did give us a choice. He’s simply holding his word, I guess. Holding your word is an honorable thing to do and I don’t think that we should try and do them dirty” Sweet then replied. In his mind, it all made sense. But Sour objected highly to the response. “But surely they could… I don’t know… Let us change our mind?” he then asked, making Acidic chime in. “If they did that, I’m sure they would feel as if they wasted their time. We would probably be dead, after all if they let us change our minds after making one choice” Acidic then explained, making Sour inevitably huff as he accepted the coffee Cluttered was bringing in. Cluttered having come in the room during the midway section of Acidic’s explanation.
“Might I add my own opinion?” Cluttered then asked, sitting down in his own space as the three looked at eachother momentarily. “I don’t see why not” Sweet said aloud as Cluttered nodded. “Well, everypony changes. Life never stays the same. After all, if it did, I’d still be in the orphanage! Anyway, why don’t you three take some time to go around the city? Just to take this last day easy before the big thing tonight?” Cluttered then explained, adding a suggestion at the end. With Acidic immediately responding. “That could be good!” he chirped, making Sweet and Sour look at eachother. Sweet trying to gesture for Sour to agree. Which, thankfully, he did do after a moment of thinking.
Cluttered then seemed to give out a sigh of relief. Sour immediately taking notice as he asked “Why’re you suddenly happy about that?” with a snap at the end of his sentence. Cluttered responded after a slight moment, saying “I just wanted to make sure you three lived every moment of your lives as Sour, Sweet and Acidic. Your Alicorn name was… Covet, right?” Cluttered then asked. The three nodding as Cluttered then added “Well that’s great! Because I think the three of you need to enjoy the day fully!” as he trotted off to another room in the house. Coming back with a coin pouch and putting it on the table. “You three can head off and eat out today! For breakfast and lunch! You guys deserve it. Just make sure to come to the library for about three! Alright?” Cluttered then asked. Sweet and Acidic agreeing and nodding, with Sour muttering “fine” as they all got up. With Cluttered opening the front door for them as they left. Cluttered closing the door and saying to himself “Now… I wait until they’re out of sight, then I’ll head off to meet Duskfall and Soundwave! Those three are gonna love what we have for them” as he attended to the morning he had planned for himself.
Back with the trio, they had made their way down the hill after about twenty minutes, all three trotting in silence and looking out to the ocean. The air filled with a salty taste as the moisture in the air hit all three stallions’ noses. To the three, they lived on an island continent before, so the smell wasn’t immediately picked up upon. The three being near the oceans all the time back in Manestralia. The same was said for Buckgrove as well. Except the three picked up on a slightly saltier smelling ocean as Acidic commented about it. “Strange… Even though it’s another ocean, the air here feels stronger. Maybe it’s just me being hungry though” he said, his mind bouncing slightly with the possible outcomes as Sour rolled his eyes. Sweet responding with “I’m sure you’re just hungry” as they all made it to the old park. Unbeknownst to them, their walk up and down the hill really did take longer than they thought, given they were taking their time. Each of them stumped on where to get breakfast. With Sweet bouncing the coin pouch around with his magic.
“Isn’t this where-“ Sweet tried to start asking, before Sour cut in. “Yeah. This is where we had that talk all the way back on our first full day here” Sour said, making Sweet pause as he remembered the exact situation. The one about the word he said. “Ah… Right… Well, that’s over and done with. It’s a shame this park hasn’t been renovated. It’s just… Here” Sweet then added on, making Sour agree and making Acidic just stand awkwardly around; waiting for the pair to start moving again. To his credit, he wasn’t there for most of what had happened between the pair. Only being in the house when it all occurred. That’s when Sour decided to speak up again. “You know” he began. “You’ve really changed since then. It’s like you’re a whole different pony. “You’re certainly not the snob you were before” he then finished off, making Sweet chuckle ever so slightly. “Well, I don’t think any of us are the same as before. You used to be the leader, or one in charge. I feel like that role’s been passively now passed on to the pair of us. Given we all have had time to sit here and adjust to our lives” Sweet then replied, prompting Sour to agree. With Acidic thinking about it for a moment before saying to the pair “come on then. We need food” as the three once again set off. A certain appreciation for the park in Sour and Sweet’s minds as they left it.
Taking their time as the three set off from the park, they all made their way through the main part of the town. Past the mayoral hall and even past the library. Which had only just opened. Meaning that Duskfall and Soundwave had missed the trio passing by. Although that didn’t really matter given the fact that the three were busy trying to find some place that could help satiate their hunger. Passing by several breakfast places until they came across one that seemed relatively out of the way. The name being ‘THE HIDEOUTTING’ on a crude looking sign as the three approached. The door being open as they all slipped inside. Looking around, it was relatively small, with only around three tables inside. Immediately heading to the counter, the three decided to order three of the same thing. Since they could afford it. Three full breakfasts. With toast, hay bacon, fried eggs and flavorful beans. Sitting down at a table of four as their breakfast came about twenty minutes later by the pony they’d ordered from at the counter. Getting immediately to eating as they filled their stomachs.
About halfway through, Sweet finally spoke up. “To think we’re going back to having these all week! Goodness…” he said, almost tearing up with joy at the future that they would get once they reformed. Which is when Acidic jumped in with a question, his mouth half full. “Yeah, but what about our friends?”, to which Sour stayed quiet as Sweet responded. Focusing on his meal as Sweet said “I’m sure we can convince father to let us visit this town!”. Acidic thinking about it before Sour finally spoke up. “Oh, honestly…” he began, adding an air of sarcasm to his sentence. “He’ll have us immediately back on the path to the throne. We won’t escape his watch after what’s happened as well… That’s for sure” Sour then finished off, making Sweet shrug slightly. Acidic simply responding with “Yeah, that’s probably true” as they all then finished off what they had on their plates. Taking a few moments to let the food settle down in their stomachs before finally leaving. Paying the place they had gone to and heading off to sightsee in the town. Mainly to simply reminisce.
Which led them around the town once more. Deciding to stop by Canvas Corner; Cluttered’s store. It was closed, which was strange to the three. “Doesn’t Cluttered usually keep the store… Open?” Acidic asked the other two, both nodding as Sweet tried to come up with an explanation. “…Maybe he didn’t want to get overwhelmed at work… You know, because we’re leaving” as Sour nodded and added on “Yeah… That makes sense” as the three simply moved on. Not aware about where Cluttered was. In truth, he was just leaving his house. His saddlebags on and his trot unlike it usually was. He was usually more mellow in his style, but he was seemingly upbeat. At least, it seemed like it to him. It took about ten minutes for him to trot all the way down the hill, but when he did, he made an immediate beeline to the library. Opening the doors and seeing Duskfall and Soundwave inside.
“You have it, Cluttered?” Soundwave asked, immediately taking notice of Cluttered as he came in properly. “Yep! Had to dig it out, but they’re gonna love it! It’s gonna be a nice parting gift… Although…” Cluttered began. He was, however, interrupted by Duskfall. Who spoke. “We’re all gonna miss them Cluttered. They’ve spiced our lives up from what we were doing before. I mean, if it weren’t for them, I never would’ve told my parents about me and Soundwave” he said, prompting Soundwave to nod as he noticed Dawn right behind Cluttered. Who’d apparently come in just after Cluttered and who overheard the conversation. “Yep! And, if it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t have gone along and finally committed to my transition!” she chirped. Making Cluttered jump in slight shock as Duskfall held back some laughter. “I… Well, yeah… But” Cluttered tried beginning again as Dawn sat down. “But what?” Soundwave then asked, his curiosity peaked. As Cluttered sat down, he elaborated.
“But, I mean, they helped me deal with things I wouldn’t have faced in my own home. I don’t know if you guys noticed, but they helped me fix up my own place. They also helped me fix up my own mental state. I don’t know… How I’ll maintain my mental state right now…” Cluttered finally explained. Making the other three instantly dive in for a group hug. Making Cluttered confused until Duskfall and Dawn broke from the hug. Leaving his best friend hugging him, simply and quietly saying “I’m with you… They’re with you… Whatever you need… We’re here with you” as Cluttered felt a welling of tears building up. What broke the tearline however, was the simple addition from Duskfall as he added on “We always have been, and we always will” prompting Cluttered to finally shed the tears as the other two went back into the group hug. Comforting Cluttered as he let his emotions loose for the most part. It took him awhile to form a proper sentence, but when he did, he simply said “Thank you all… Truly” as the group shared a few more moments in each other’s embrace.
Back with the trio, they had finally made their way from the place they had eaten, all the way to the train station. As odd as it was, it was still a place they frequented. Getting two of their spring gifts from the travels they had gone on. Acidic remembering the turbulent winds and the height of the path they travelled through to get to the Spring of Body. Whilst Sweet remembered the underwater expedition they had, through the Labyrinth of Mind. As well as the Lily they had grabbed from Trotstock and the riddle that came along with it. Whilst Sour remembered the individual travels between those points. The toppling of the train they used to get to the Spring of Body, and the wonderful town of Trotquay that had seemingly combined with nature to get to the Spring of Mind. Even if he wasn’t too enthusiastic about the eventual circumstances surrounding what was to come. However, all three of them remembered Dawn’s friend Elixir. Moreso Acidic than the other two, but they certainly remembered and appreciated her for helping them with the Aquarespiratius potion they needed to descend into the oceans down at Trotquay.
Hey, you guys remember when we didn’t know what Ceyan really was?” Acidic then asked the pair as he stared at the pony in the booth. The same one from both of their other travels. A consistency for sure. They both nodded as Sour seemed to start to lighten up. Responding with “Yep, I even remember standing awkwardly until Soundwave came along. I’m glad our advice seemed to help him, given that seemed to be their first argument” he said, with Sweet chiming in with “Oh I’m sure they’ve had little disagreements here and there. Surely that wasn’t their first argument. But nonetheless, I think we should get going before we’re mistaken for the ponies boarding the train” before he began to set off. With the other two following suit as they left the train station behind. The memories sticking in their minds for a little bit as they tried to navigate to their next destination.
Their next destination taking them about half an hour more to get to as they seemed to have to navigate the surprisingly complex streets. Almost ending back at the train station a few times as they couldn’t figure out how to get to where they were going. That was, until Acidic elected to hover above the street as a waypoint pony. Guiding the other two through the streets as they made their way to an unexpected location for anypony else. However, this location held one specific memory for them. As they approached, the town gate appeared before them. The three going outside of the town to look at the gate from the perspective of when they first entered. They stayed silent for a few minutes, remembering their first view of the town from this angle as Sour simply remarked “We’ve come such a long way from when we began, huh…” as the other two nodded. They started out as three completely disconnected and, arguably, intolerable ponies. However, throughout their journey, they grew. They adapted and they managed to become arguably a completely different trinity from when they first started. With Acidic then taking the lead as he guided them to their next destination.
Which took them a considerably shorter amount of time given Acidic was taking charge. “Why didn’t we think of this before?” Sour asked Sweet, almost seeming disappointed with himself as Sweet responded with a “I honestly don’t know”. With the three of them heading back into the city and making it to their final destination before the library. The beach. Or rather, the shore. Passing the library and passing the little hill they always trotted up as the three of them took the chance to just sit down. To which, they then decided to reflect on all the other nuances to their journey together. Their first day, where they were almost killed and, thankfully, escaped thanks to Sweet’s magic sparking at the last second. Acidic meeting Cluttered that same day. The next day meeting Duskfall and Soundwave, with Dawn following the day after.
From there, they traveled through what was essentially memory lane for them as they remembered the train trip once more. They remembered their first meeting with Harmonous, Acidic getting the Beryl of Body and then the three of them winding up in Gulfmane hospital. With them then helping Cluttered once they got back in Buckgrove and Sweet coming back with the book holding the Aquarespiratius potion, to their trips to Trotstock and Trotquay. As well as the unlikely help from Dallasite as Sweet remembered the Moonstone of Mind and him obtaining it. Throughout all of it, one thing never changed. No matter their trials and tribulations. The thing that didn’t change, seemed to be their hope. Whether Sour had been down recently. Or whether Sweet had been a snobby, and very unaware pony. Their hope was always shining through one of them. Which fueled the optimistic attitude that at least two of them had most of the time. Something that they’d been told by some ponies, but never really considered until they started properly reflecting on their own journey.
They stayed staring at the ocean for about ten more minutes. Looking out at the calming waves until they elected to finally head to the library. Something that would only take them five minutes at most. However, first they all shared a hug. One that made them all feel ready for whatever was ahead. Their minds and bodies in tune and prepared for whatever was to come as they let go, and trotted back into the town. Making their way across the street as they opened the library doors. With the other four inside chatting. The library containing mostly boxes at this point, with Sweet frowning slightly as he remembered the Mayor Solar Wind meeting. The four looked at them as Soundwave decided to use his wing to wave at them and Dawn used her wings to gesture them to grab seats. The four of them electing to chill out for most of the day.
Sour and Acidic took a moment to wait as Sweet used his magic to bring them all chairs to sit down, with Duskfall looking at them. “A few hours left huh… Time sure flies by” as Sour, Sweet and Acidic looked at eachother. Not realizing the time that had flown by from being absorbed in their own memories. “We really travelled around the town all morning?” Sweet asked, prompting a nod from Cluttered as he said “Yep! You guys really decided to take it nice and slow. Which is good! It means you guys appreciated everything you could! I think…” as Duskfall chuckled. Before asking the obvious question. “So, how long do you guys think you have left? I know we say a few hours, but that hourglass could show up at any second…” as Acidic shrugged. Sweet however, responded by asking Sour “Well Sour? What time of day was it when you were uh… You know?”. Prompting Sour to try and think. “I… Well, it was about the middle of the day when they made the hourglass. But honestly, I don’t think they’re going to immediately appear. Besides, they’ll have to wait that extra time because we’re not doing anything until sunset. No matter what the hourglass says” Sour then finally said, prompting Sweet and Acidic to nod silently in acknowledgement and agreement with the things Sour said. With Duskfall looking at Cluttered.
At first, Cluttered seemed a little confused, until Duskfall muttered “the thing” as Cluttered gasp and whispered “ah” as he grabbed his saddlebag. Although, he didn’t open it, instead he asked the three “You guys ready to head to the beach?” as the three looked in slight confusion. “I… Sure?” Acidic said, looking at the other two as they seemed to nod in agreement. With the seven of them then all getting up and following Cluttered. With Duskfall, Dawn and Soundwave behind him. With the other three following closely behind as Sour and Acidic closed the doors to the library. The seven of them crossing over to the beach as Cluttered seemed to be looking for a good spot. One not too populated as he trotted up and down the shore. Whilst Duskfall and Soundwave seemed to stay put. Letting Dawn follow Cluttered as the three seemed slightly confused. That was until Soundwave said to them “Don’t worry. We just want to make this something perfect” as he winked at them almost cheekily. The three looked at each other as Cluttered seemed to get Dawn to signal over to the other four. With them all trotting over to the other pair as Dawn signaled where Cluttered, Duskfall and Soundwave should be. With Duskfall and Soundwave quite far from them. “Right, you three fit in the middle. Cluttered, you’re next to Soundwave. I’m next to Duskfall” she instructed. When they trotted over, Dawn took the time to quickly get a tripod out of the saddlebags. Along with a black camera. “You’re sure this thing still takes pictures well?” Dawn then asked, prompting the three to turn around in slight confusion until they saw what was happening. “A picture?” Sour asked, as the four nodded. With Acidic and Sweet seeming in shock.
“What? Did you think we’d let you leave without a parting memory?” Soundwave then asked as Cluttered responded to Dawn with “Yep! Tested it this morning. Should be good!” as Dawn set the camera up on the tripod. Turning it on, she set a timer for a photo for about ten seconds. With her trotting over to her spot rather fast. Then waiting in her position as Cluttered shouted out “Say Cheese!” with the seven smiling at the camera as a clicking noise came from it. Cluttered galloping over as it seemed to be printing something. The photograph they just took.
“For you three” Cluttered then said, handing the photograph to acidic as the three of them seemed to stare at it for a moment. Feelings starting to well up as they all said in unison “thank you…” whilst holding back tears. The photograph being one they knew to be possibly their last memory in Ceyonait. The four looking at eachother before embracing the trio. Hugging them and comforting them through the emotions they were feeling. However, as they spent minutes doing so, something appeared behind them. At first, none of them noticed. Until Duskfall gasped as he opened his eyes. He shouted “The hourglass! It’s here! And empty!” as the other six then turned around in confusion until they all saw it. With a burst of purple and blue hues, the hourglass dissipated. The area around the seven shining a bright blue for a few seconds from the hourglass seemingly shattering and falling to the ground. At least that’s what the seven saw when the light faded. Along with that, they saw three shadows infront of the hourglass remains. The trio immediately knew who it was before they even looked up. Their presumptions being correct as, when they looked up, Arcane, Dallasite and finally Harmonous stood infront of them. The sun shining brightly in the afternoon sky as Dawn, Soundwave, Cluttered and Duskfall seeming slightly intimidated. With Harmonous simply saying one thing.
“Bounded. It is time”