As the days went by, Cory became more and more restless. Sometimes he came in human form, other times in pony form. Though his skills in magic had indeed increase in both stability and coordination, his mental state also became more contained and refined. Sometimes, he wondered if he was the same person as before his lessons with Sunburst. To add to his problems, the visions of submersion in a deep ocean expanse were frequently invading his dreams, causing circles under his eyes and a faint fatigue in his daily routine.
Regardless, he and Sunburst were becoming close friends. Following Sunset's letter to Twilight, his mother suggested that Starlight come with him on his frequent commutes to the crystal empire. This delighted Starlight as she could now spend more quality time with her childhood friend. However, this did not seem to alter Cory, as he believed his concentration was more important than ever. Yet, this did not stop Silverstream from taking a few moments moments from her flight to school, to just gander at her new love as he awaited for the next train to arrive. Every time, her eyes would turn dreamy and would sigh in affection, wondering how she could possibly have a crush on him. Was it his stature, his talent, or maybe just cause he was sort of an outsider, like her. Nevertheless, her attraction towards Cory grew stronger by the day.
One afternoon, Cory, in pony form, could be found within the studies of Sunburst, practicing on another advanced magic spell. This included the ability to contain auroras in a single, quantum mass. As Sunburst carefully examined the chosen to make sure he was doing it right, and Starlight stood nearby to make sure no negative effects would happen to him, the two of them became more and more weary of his psychological stability. Sweat began to pour down his brow, his eyes got red from not blinking, and his hooves shook as he tried to muster all his energy into this illuminating mass of pure magic.
"Maybe we should help you on this one." Starlight suggested.
"You seem to be getting very weak." Sunburst added. "There's nothing wrong with...."
Cory just gave them a glaring look, with the impression for them to back off, to which they did. As he pressed his hooves harder on the orb, veins started to pop out of his forehead and neck. Then he let out a huge scream as the orb enveloped him, as it did several times before. Once again, he found himself in the middle of a large ocean expanse, he couldn't find anywhere to the surface. As he helplessly flapped his body around the watery wasteland, he saw two hooves grabbing him back up to the unseen surface. Once again, he shuddered and coughed as Starlight and Sunburst both cradled him under their hooves. His eyes were bloodshot red and was in desperate need of a break.
"Cory," Starlight said sternly. "I know I'm not your mother but you need to lie down."
"Yes." Sunburst agreed. "You've been pushing yourself far beyond your own limits."
"No." Cory replied as he released himself from their grip. "I just broke my concentration is all. Where's a drink of wa..."
He stumbled upon the words as he covered his face with his robe. Sunburst rushed over to the nearby sink and grabbed a cup full of water for his student to drink. But as soon as Cory looked at the water slushing around the rim, he tossed it out of his hooves, shattering it to pieces, as it only reminded him of his past.
"I don't know what's gotten into you Cory," Sunburst said sternly, "But there is something disturbing going on in your head."
"What do you know?" Cory snapped back at him. "I was partially your fault for loosening my focus!!"
"There's no need to get all defendant on us." Starlight replied calmly.
"You think I don't know what this is about already?!" Said Cory with a twitch in his eye. "I know what's going on here! It's all just a scheme you're planning. Just a way for me to endure more hard times, like I used to!"
"I have no Idea what you're talking about!" Said Sunburst. "We're not plotting anything against you! No one is!"
"That's what they always say." Cory replied. "But just when my guard is down, the memory you so wistfully made me revisit, just keeps playing itself over and over again in my head!! You only want to make me suffer even more!! I should've known better than to trust you!!"
"ALRIGHT ENOUGH!!" Shouted Starlight as a flash of magic sprung from out of her horn, thus silencing Cory and pinning him to the ground with a spell.
"This is not the Capricore we know and love." Starlight said to his face. "I don't know what's going on in your head right now, but we need to find out...."
"Get your greedy hooves OFF OF MEEE!!!" Screamed Cory. With that one gasp of anger and a blast of magic, he pushed the two friends to the far corner of the room. Puffs of steam came out of his snout as Sunburst and Starlight looked on in horror. Cory then marched to the bathroom and locked the door behind him. As he took out his capsule of pills and placed them on the sink, he stopped for a moment. It was then he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked at his worn out face, with its sunken in cheeks, bloodshot eyes, and frizzled hair and goatee. He looked like somepony different now (in a mental sort of way).
"My word." he said in shock as he looked down at his pills. "What's happening to me?"
After a few minutes of realization, he walked out of the bathroom to see Sunburst and Starlight with angry looks on their faces. Cory took a sigh of shame and walked towards them with extreme guilt.
"I apologize for not telling you sooner." He said solemnly. "I have these memories from my past, and they've been creeping into my head again, for some reason. Nothing excuses the way I've been behaving in front of you. Maybe I do need some time to lie down."
"I couldn't agree more Cory." Sunburst said sternly. "You've nearly exhausted all your energy and if you push yourself more like what you just did there's no telling what would happen."
"Here, there's a couch on the side of the room for you rest." Starlight said as she escorted him in that direction. "We'll just let you sleep this one out until the next train to Ponyville arrives."
"Sounds heavenly." Cory replied solemnly.
And with that, he fell like a rock on the sofa as Sunburst and Starlight fetched a warm blanket and pillow for him to sleep with. As he slowly changed back to his human form, and shivered like a wet dog, the two friends looked on with worried faces. But knowing he needed the rest, they walked outside and decided to take a stroll around the crystal empire.
As Cory curdled in a fetal position, and continued to shake slightly, the chartreuse lamp from the shelf nearby started to glow a menacing green, giving it the appearance of an eye. Suddenly, a devious voice came from out of the lamp.
"So." It said. "The Princesse's son has been pushing himself to a breaking point. And it appears water is his most vulnerable weakness. This is most interesting. COZY GLOW!!"
"Uh, yes Grogar?" Asked another voice that sounded like a young filly.
"I want you to keep an extra close watch on Prince Capricore. Make a little...friendship with him as well. His weakness might just be the key to his undoing."