//------------------------------//
// Day Two: Morning 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Fate 
// by Kujo Blaze 
//------------------------------//

	…My awakening is dark. Perhaps I just don’t dream much, but unless something really special happens, I always seem to have the same dream. …What I imagine are swords. I don’t know why it is, but this is the only thing that comes into my mind. There’s no meaning or reason to it. It may just be one of the aspects making up Storm Whooves. There are no dreams to dream. 

The only things I recall from sleep are things I was taught a long time ago. For example, about mages. Even if I’m an amateur, if I’m a mage, it’s only natural for me to understand the kind I live in. …To put it simply, a mage is an exception in conflict with modern society. But even exceptions must band together to survive. 

Father told me that the group of mages is called the “Magic Association”. …He also said that I shouldn’t associate with them. The group called the Magic Association hides magic and organizes mages. They basically keep watch to see that mages do not affect society with magic, but the strange part is that they do not prohibit misuse of magic. According to Doctor, the Magic Association is only interested in the concealment of magic. Even if a mage carries out his research at the expense of the lives of many ordinary ponies, the Magic Association will not punish him. 

Their priority is that magic should not become public, so they do not ban magic. So, they’re crazy ponies who think you can do anything as long as you don’t get caught. Anyway, the surveillance of the Magic Association is thorough. Most magical research would cost the lives of ordinary ponies, and as a result, the existence of magic would become public. So, the Association does not allow research that would harm society. So mages stay at home and research quietly, while normal world carries on unmolested. Hence, mages only try to hide themselves to escape the Association. 

…So perhaps I just don’t know it, and a mage lives in this town. I hear Ponyville is a spiritually excellent area. Such an area always has a distinguished mage with a history. They are called the “Second Order”, an elite, and the Association entrusts the area to them. Mages who would live in the area must visit them and obtain their permission to construct a workshop. 

…Looking at it like that, we’re thieves living here without the permission of the landlord. Father was an outlaw who cut ties with the Association and moved here without the consent of the administrator of Ponyville. The Owner doesn’t know that Doctor Whooves was a mage, and Doctor didn’t know who the Owner was. With reasoning like that, I think our position is ambiguous. Father, the real mage, has passed away. And I, his son and pupil, don’t know the Magic Association and have not the skill to be a mage. …From the Association’s point of view, they would want to catch an amateur like me doing things, but I’ve seen no movement yet. 

No, I’ve heard that Equestria is relatively hidden from the eyes of the Association, so I think I’ve just not been found out. …But that doesn’t mean I can let my guard down. Ponies say that the eyes of the Association are everywhere. On top of that, if you commit a crime with magic, the heretic hunters of the church will come after you. …That just means that whatever you use magic for, lack of care will create enemies. I, Storm Whooves, just have to study independently, taking that into account… 

“…Hm.” I wake up to see the sun shining in through the window. The sun may have just risen as it’s still a bit dark outside. 

“…Hm. I’m really not good in the mornings.” I get up, trying not to be defeated by the morning chill, and quickly fold up my futon. It’s five thirty. One of my strengths is waking up at this time, no matter how late I go to sleep. I do sometimes make mistakes and wake up late like yesterday, but I usually wake up early. I think alarm clocks are degenerate, so I haven’t used one since I was a kid. 

“Alright, breakfast…” Since I let Sweetie do all the work yesterday, I have to return the favor this morning. I should finish preparing before Sweetie arrives. I cook rice and make some miso soup. It was radish and carrot yesterday, so I make onion and potato miso soup today. I also make the usual broth egg and broth boil, and I’m done. 

“All right, that should do.” It’s almost six o’clock. I finish earlier than expected, so I have some extra time. So what should I do?



I'll do my daily routine



I'll make one more side dish since Sweetie's coming