Apropos of the Sinners

by SpitFlame

Part III – Chapter IV – Alacrity

Daisy, still at that hour, was sitting on her couch reading a book. Over the course of time that Cluster had been away, she read over the letters several times, scanned over recent newspapers, all in order to learn something, anything, new. But she had no such luck. When the door opened and Cluster entered in, she did not rise to meet him, but somehow heaved herself all up and looked with alarm at him.

"Twenty thousand?" he said to her, not imperiously but matter-of-factly, but he emphasized his words so much that she couldn't help but feel that he was angry. "I wasn't expecting so much."

"I-I didn't know it was all that!" she replied, jumping up, her face turning pale. "Please don't be mad, you don't have to do anything, I just wanted you to tell me what to do, and I... and..."

"Hey, hey, slow down, I didn't mean to sound harsh. Just that—you ought to know that twenty grand isn't exactly pocket change."

"You're completely right," muttered Daisy, bowing her head, still letting this information sink in. "I really, honestly had no idea, no clue. I thought, maybe, one or two thousand, or three max. But then you... I mean... with all that's happening..." She plopped back down on the couch, trying her best to conceal any shame. Her head was spinning, which prevented her from speaking all that coherently.

"So what will you do?"

"Me? Oh..." She bit her lip, turning over many unpleasant ideas that had been stirring up in her. "I don't know. I mean, I'll have to work at least two jobs, that's what I've been planning. Just to fund the funeral I'll be forced to make a deal with them, making monthly payments, and that means reducing the costs of everyday items that I don't need. Just what's... necessary."

"But what about compound interest? Banks do this. Imagine if they increased the debt twenty percent every month? You'd end up paying almost ten times the twenty grand, even working two jobs."

Daisy cried in despair, burying her face in her hooves. She felt like she was surrounded by a dark fog, cold and distant, with nowhere to turn to, even forgetting that Cluster was there. No, she was convinced that Cluster was going to leave, letting her fend for herself, aside from giving her some basic financial advice. She was even breathing with some difficulty.

"Thankfully for you," began Cluster, with the virtuous triumph of a benefactor, "I think I'm going to cover for you."

Daisy slowly yet surely turned her head towards him; she stared at him senselessly, blinking as if unsure who she was talking to. "I... I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"I've got a bank note signed. Come on, we'll go to Filio's house and get this thing over with. And then? Then we'll prep for the funeral. Don't get flustered; I'm not going anywhere."

"But are you really... really... gonna pay for everything?" She was almost leaning forward, utterly dumbfounded.

"Yes, I will. What did I just say?"

Daisy's mouth was moving, but no words were coming out, causing her lips to merely tremble mutely. Suddenly, as if some new, sudden illumination struck her in the head, she rushed over to him, tears gushing from her eyes, and hugged him.

"I don't deserve this!" she cried with extreme feeling.

Cluster patted her on the back, giving her the moment to let it all out.

"Don't mention it," he said, though even when trying to come off as friendly he still sounded cold. "Nopony 'deserves' anything. The world was here before you. Money is the only thing that matters—the rest is conversation. But, anyway, we should start going. I might need you, depending on what they ask me, like any questions about your family history."

"You're amazing, Cluster!" she exclaimed, looking at him like he were her salvation. "I can never thank you enough—" She was interrupted by her own tears. "B-but wait, what about your own money? You'd really give up so much from your own account? Won't that set you back?"

"Well... After the tenth setback, you get used to the feeling."

"But I—I mean, it's just so amazing of you..." She wiped the tears from her eyes, still not fully convinced that this was real.

"Let's go," said Cluster in a sort of half-whisper. "The sooner we finish this the better." She nodded ecstatically and tailed behind him.

I'm not amazing. I'm not...

"By the way," he said, after a minute of walking, "I bumped into some ponies who may have been working for Black Rover."

"When was that?"

"Just before I got to the apartment. Something to do with... Anyway, I also met this mare, a midwife. Can't say if she works at the hospital or operates independently."

"A midwife?" muttered Daisy with some vague familiarity. "Wait, that midwife"— she spoke in a different voice —"did you catch her name?"

"Yeah, I did. Address, too. You know anypony called Sweet Scroll?"

"I do!" Daisy smiled. "We're not very close, but I've helped her a couple of times before. I know her. Is there something you need to know?"

"No, not really, or at least not right now. Just curious."

"Oh, okay. If you say so."

* * *

Filio's house was—

Ah, hold on! I didn't mention to the reader who this "Filio" character is, did I? That name, believe it or not, holds much weight, even of the mysterious sort, so that even I, the narrator, am not completely fixed on all of the facts of this pony's life. I won't go into the history of any family trees or anything, owing to the need for brevity. The last thing I want is to bore you. In any case, for the sake of establishing some context, I will recount how this house, as it were, came to be.

Filio was (or maybe still is) an officer in the army, part of a special unit that is often sent abroad. In his last expedition, right before he left, he bought a house in Baltimare. Let it be known that I do not like Filio all that much; sometimes I even quite hate him. He used to be a pretty, frisky colt. He was always bad with ponies, but he nevertheless graduated from the academy, because he had his protectors. In his last year he received an inheritance—five millions bits!—and because the rest of the students were relatively poor before him, including myself, he would brag, and often say, "It's not bragging if you can back it up!" A real swindler! Eh... no? That's just me? Anyway, anyway... despite his glory and high honours, everypony, apart from a very few, minced around Filio, the more so the more he bragged. They minced not for the sake of profit, but just so, because he was a strong pony with many talents. Besides, it was expected among us to regard Filio as an expert in etiquette and good manners. That last line really irritates me. I disliked the resounding, arrogant tone of his voice, his admiration for his own wit. I even disliked his handsome and intelligent face, two things that I have been told I lack. It was almost impossible to criticize him, because he always had something to say.

I'm sorry. I'm making this about me. Truth be told, I was the only one who disliked him; Filio got along with everypony else just fine. Was his "bragging" really bragging, or was it just me? Even if I ever got the best of him, he would get the best of me several times, not out of spite, but jokingly, that is, in passing, and with a merry laugh. So, he succeeded in the game of life, bought this house, and opened up some sort of business. Nopony knew what. This other pony, Black Rover—a bitter and angry unicorn, the type to never greet ponies below him on the street, from a fear of compromising himself—he came into the picture and took over. Some months later and Filio left, though the house was still under his name. What was his relation to Rover? Were they friends, or only business partners? Did Filio plan for all of this, or was Rover running something shady under Filio's nose, something he never signed on for? These questions, while interesting, are not relevant for this story.

Last time I saw Filio he was mincing and twining around the daughters of some captain. In no time at all he had gone very much to seed, though he was still quite handsome and adroit; he had begun to grow fat even! Still, he was quite handsome, and that was when he departed Baltimare. Black Rover was quite magically powerful, even for a unicorn; he operated within the underground market, and he was very well aware of Cluster's existence. It just so happened that those three stallions from whom Cluster saved Sweet Scroll reported back to Rover.

(I suspect the reader will think that I'm throwing them a dash of foreshadowing, that Filio will make a sudden and unexpected return, to introduce some fantastic element in the events of my story. This, I say to your potential disappointment, is not that case. I never made any promises that I was a good narrator. I am only choosing to explore the everyday trivialities of real life. Don't you recall?—realism inflicts tragedy on our lives, or something like that.)

Cluster and Daisy had reached Filio's house. The house was old, gloomy, and spacious, with outbuildings and a cottage in the yard. On the ground floor lived Filio's married son with his family, as well as a distant relative, the elderly sister of this relative, and Rover's unmarried daughter. Both the children and their clerks were cramped in their quarters, but Rover occupied the upper floor all by himself. He had a servant who brought him food and drinks, made his bed, and so on. When the arrival of Cluster and Daisy was announced, Rover at once gave the orders not to admit them. To get in you had to knock on the front wooden gate, which was connected to a tall wooden fence. Once inside you could go to the front door.

"Sorry, but no arrivals are permitted at this time," the servant told Cluster.

"I have the bank note," reproached Cluster. "See? It's signed for a certain sum owed to Mr. Rover. I think he would be very pleased to receive this."

The servant withdrew to inform Rover of this information.

To be blunt, Rover absolutely hated Cluster. He always took his poker face for a facade of extraordinary and insufferable arrogance. He questioned the servant on some details, received unsatisfactory answers, and still refused to let them in.

"I'm afraid he doesn't want to see you," the servant concluded.

"What do we do now?" asked Daisy in a low voice, frowning.

Cluster stood there, deep in thought.

"Look," Daisy went on, smiling nervously at him, "you've done so much for me, Cluster. It's okay. I can come back tomorrow. He'll surely receive me if I'm by myself."

"Don't you know who I am?" Cluster addressed the servant curtly and sternly, giving him a dark look. The servant stared at him in some surprise.

"Why yes, Cluster Tale," the servant replied.

"And do you know Princess Celestia?" Cluster kept on pressing with growing sternness.

"I, uh..." The servant blushed at his own hesitation. Cluster took a step closer, and the servant felt like he was towering over him. "Why yes, Princess Celestia..."

"And don't you know, my good sir, that I'm her number one student?"

"Well, uh, that has no bearing on—"

"No bearing on what?" Cluster interrupted.

The servant stared with nervous and frightened eyes; he swallowed.

"Not only am I her student," Cluster went on, "but because of that, I'm granted many privileges. I can walk into her private archives whenever I please, for instance. Guards bow down to me in Canterlot. I lead a research team there. I've been placed within the top ten most powerful unicorns of the last century. In short, I have power—if you can't make an admission for me, then something's clearly wrong in this social order. Who do you think you are?"

"I... I'm sorry," muttered the servant, his face deathly pale. "I'm just... I had to confirm..."

"What're you stuttering for? Let me in."

"Yes, sir, right away, sir," said the servant in a sort of servile haste, as if he were scared to push back anymore. He unlocked the gate at once and let them enter.

"I didn't know you could do that!" said Daisy, eyes wide in astonishment.

"I can't," replied Cluster. "Don't tell Celestia."

On the way in, just at the entrance to the living room, Cluster spotted Rave Note standing solidly by, as if waiting for something. He had a pensive expression, and when Cluster walked in Rave Note cast a glance towards him, but passively, as one does when a new pony enters the room. As a whole, the sides and corners of this big room remained in shadows.

He's on business here, too? thought Cluster. He looked around—the place was fairly large, and the ceiling was high. More of a manor than an ordinary house, really.

"You can go," he told the servant. "I'll introduce myself to Black Rover."

"Are you sure—?"

"Worst he'll do is chew me out. I've been chewed out before."

The servant gave a quick, low bow, and made haste out of the room.

There was half a minute of silence. Cluster looked at Rave Note once more: the latter would occasionally stare at the clock by the mantel. Occasionally it also seemed that the mysterious resoluteness in him, a product of his military years, would abandon him, and he looked like he were contemplating (even struggling with) some flood of ideas.

Cluster, for the sake of it, was going to talk to him, but a wicked and sharp voice rung from the hallway, and it was quickly approaching them. This was Black Rover.

"They're cunning; they had it all set up on Friday! Pourquoi!" he blurted out, entering the room.

"Oh, no doubt," replied Rave Note. "It was all patched together, with the seams showing."

Cluster wondered for a second what they were discussing.

"Ç'est le mot," remarked Rover. He poured himself some tea from the samovar that was on the table. "And with a trite desire—pour faire du bruit autour de ton nom!"

"Alors..." began Rave Note, but he stopped short.

"The world is a cruel place," muttered Rover bitterly.

"Vous avez raison," said Cluster at once, finally taking measures to step into this back-and-forthing.

Rover instantly turned around and stared wide-eyed at Cluster, with Daisy by his side. Cluster observed that Rover's face was drooping and as if sagged; his Adam's apple was oblong and sharp, and it moved sporadically whenever he spoke. A doctor had been visiting him, but he had given up on any medical procedures, leaving him awfully disagreeable. There were rumours that he had lost a great deal and began to act irrationally, as if in delirium—but those were just rumours. He wasn't an elder either—only forty years old, yet his mane was mostly grey by now.

"Who let you in!" Rover cried weightily. He began looking around the room. "Ah, where is he, the servant!"

"Don't blame him," said Cluster. "I all but threatened the poor lad. In any case, that's very much besides the point, because you're leaving out a few patches that need to be resolved."

"Aha! So you're swindling with her," said Rover, gesturing to Daisy.

"Excuse me," Rave Note cut in with great agitation, "but I came in before you did, and on strict business, too. You'll have to wait."

"Really? So what's with you?" asked Cluster.

But Rave Note did not respond. He did, however, step out of the shadow towards Rover. His look was pensive and concentrated, not altogether at ease; his face, which was difficult to make out before, had grown tired. He looked to be in some inner turmoil, of a conscious suffering.

"You heard him," said Rover impatiently, frowning. "It isn't a matter of playing favourites, Cluster, though I'm sure you're very well accustomed to that. But here I deal with fairness. I've always been a fan of fairness."

"I've only come to drop something off. Look—" He pulled out the bank note and showed it to him. "Daisy's father is in debt with your company—twenty thousand. This is to let you know that that's all over with."

"I'm not going to be bought!" said Rover compulsively, flicking the bank note away. "What do you think this all is? Is it an important meeting to engage in transactions, or just an ordinary gathering among us mortals? Well, Princess Celestia isn't here, so it's only the latter—us mortals. And in that case I don't want anything to do with what won't satisfy my needs in the moment."

"But..." said Daisy, biting her lip. "We have it here, the bank note. Weren't you waiting for that?"

Rover looked at her, and suddenly, with his left eye squinting, a malicious, crooked grin contorted on his lips. He began laughing long but quietly, as if to himself.

"What's so funny?" asked Cluster.

"You want to know what?" Rover set his tea down. "She'll have to pay with her own sweat and blood, that's what. I don't accept sponger money."

Cluster made no reply at all, which thoroughly vexed Rover. The latter, at first, jumped up from his seat, his face distorted. Rave Note watched all this in some surprise, yet in equal measure was annoyed.

"But there's another way," babbled Rover, a gleam of calculation in his eyes. "You see that stallion there? That's Mr. Note. He, if you wish to know, lost his magic, all of it."

Rave Note was rooted to the floor like a statue, his eyes darting between Rover and Cluster. He grit his teeth.

"What was the point in telling him that?" he inquired readily and angrily at Rover.

"Pah, to tartarus! One can't even talk to you. What, are you offended again, just like yesterday?"

Blood rushed to Rave Note's face. "What's the meaning of this?" he cried.

Rover drew himself up menacingly, saying, "How dare you talk to me with that kind of language."

"What language?" said Cluster. "Clear and simple?"

"Worse, he's a sponger, meaning a voluntary lackey."

"Me, a lackey?" Rave Note could hardly contain himself.

"Pah!" cried Rover impudently. "You've got a spot for it. You came to me, now don't you remember? If you have no magic then you'll be switching positions in this whole ordeal."

I want to know more about this, thought Cluster, but I'll get nowhere with Black Rover. Ponies losing their magic again—and the supposed investigation. What's Celestia doing now?

"Get to the point, Black Rover," said Cluster in demanding tones. "You said he lost his magic—so what? Will you accept the bank note or not?"

"For whom?" he asked, scowling.

"My dad!" Daisy, at last, stepped forward. "Please, Mr. Rover, there's been a lot of unnecessary trouble. It'll be better for the both of us, won't it? You don't have to split hairs about losing twenty thousand bits anymore."

"So it's you, Daisy Sprawl." Rover thought for a second. "And your father, Mr. Sprawl, has passed away recently, hasn't he?"

"He has," said Daisy gloomily.

Rover could not have failed to hear her, but this only seemed to make his cheerfulness all the greater; that is, this did not disconcert him. He settled down directly facing Cluster and, with a pleasant grimace, slowly and ostentatiously, pointed at him. He was entirely aware of this sudden display but still spoke as if with an expected imperiousness.

"Well... So, here's the deal: I like magic quite a lot; this you know, Cluster. But I also can't stand you. In fact, I don't want to see you standing, and I'm sure that you don't want me standing, either. You, if you can, should fire your magic at me, using your full power, of course. I'm going to try to deflect it. If I manage, then you lot can scram! If not, give the note to my servant."

"What's the meaning of this!" exclaimed Rave Note, as if besides himself. "You want to have a fight, right here, right now?"

Daisy was entirely taken aback. She looked with tremendous shock at Cluster, not understanding how this all could have been brought down to such a level. There were many thoughts running through her mind, but they were all scattered and incomprehensible.

"You're a powerful unicorn," said Cluster slowly, sustaining the weight of his words. "I can acknowledge that. Still, right here? Your house won't be unscathed."

"Don't dilly-dally!" Rover ignited his horn, taking a preparatory stance.

Rave Note, however, wouldn't be still. He rushed up to Rover and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Stop it, you crazy fool!" he yelled at him, trembling. "You're only adding to my offence. You can't negotiate like this."

"I have to agree," Cluster picked up with great haste. "I'm not going to fight you, Rover."

"I declare," Rover croaked in a dry voice, this time turning to Rave Note, "I spit on your words. Come on, Cluster, fire at me. And for the sake of Princess Celestia, don't you dare hold back. If you hit me with anything less than one hundred percent of your power, know that I will take it as the worst insult imaginable. Don't even think of holding back!"

"Ç'est sans espoir!" cried Rave Note, who by this point was sweating bullets.

"You better leave," Cluster addressed Rave Note, though he also nudged Daisy. "Before you go, though—how did you lose your magic?"

"It was..." Rave Note struggled to speak. He looked around, then groaned to himself, declaring, "Doesn't matter who!" He ran out of the room.

'Who'? So somepony took his magic?

"Forget him!" said Rover. "Fire! Don't keep your adversary waiting. Remember—at your full capacity. Give me everything!"

"No," said Cluster angrily, "I'm not going to do anything of the sort. You're going to accept this bank note, and that's that."

"I've had enough! I intend to see your full power."

In that instance Daisy had taken the bank note and ran out of the room, not outdoors like Rave Note, but to another room—all without saying a word.

"Huh! Daisy?" Cluster looked at her in confusion, right as she left.

"Show me your full power!" Rover unexpectedly charged his horn—his hooves sank into the rug beneath him—he heaved up and shot a blast of magic straight at the unicorn in front of him. Cluster's horn flashed, both their magics collided, but there was very little, if any, force. The blast disappeared without a trace. The vase on a nearby stool wobbled.

Rover stared at Cluster, hardly able to believe what had just transpired. Rover fired a particularly strong blast at him, more than his usual amount, and Cluster negated it without any show of effort.

"Think this through!" said Cluster, stomping his hoof. He spoke fervently, in annoyance, but more and more his words came out more softly. "You want to see my magic? Are you sure? I'm telling you—think this over very carefully."

"Oho, so that's how it is! You want to be left alone, Cluster, but in this world we ponies don't possess that luxury. I give you nothing but my hatred. It's easy to respect somepony's hatred; if they hate you that means they respect you, otherwise they'd be indifferent. I've given you my magic, now it's your turn."

"You know what?" began Cluster in a deadly tranquil voice; a cold light shone in his eyes. His horn brightened up, till sparks were enveloping around it. "This could work in my favour. You—right in front of me—are opening up this path."

Rover stood there, still not knowing what to do, but feeling with his whole being that he was certain to do something. He grinned, as if on command.

"Have you changed your mind?" exclaimed Rover. "Come on then, fire, and don't hold back. Give me one hundred percent—not ninety nine percent, but everything! Or there's no deal. I'll only accept Daisy's money, not yours."

"If that's how it has to be..." The radiance around Cluster's horn was compressing itself into a blaze of magic that looked to be struggling to release, yet was forcefully contained there. He was staring straight at Rover, strangely yet with significant gravity, trusting that Rover understood what was to come; he had that unnatural look of a pony who knew for certain some abomination was about to take place, the sort that was slowly being consumed more and more by a moral shadow.

"At full power," muttered Cluster gravely and boundlessly; he showed his teeth. "Not a drop less, is that it? Damn if I know what's right and what's wrong anymore." The entire room began to shake. The windows were clattering, as if they were about to shatter in every direction. Dust lazily fell from the ceiling. "So... if you're willing... to get this over with..." Cluster was right at the edge, about to fire, about to turn the entire square block into a pit of flames.

"Wait, stop!" Daisy's imploring voice rang out as she entered the living room.

Cluster instantly looked at her, as if being snapped out of an illusion. All the burning temptation that had been amalgamating inside him, translated into his magic, had cooled down.

"What is it now?" said Rover sharply.

"You won't accept his money, right?" Daisy went on with resolution, though with her trusting and straightforward manner, giving the impression that she was struggling to sound defiant. "Only mine, right? Here's the bank note. Here—I'm the one who signed it, to my family account. Please take it, Mr. Rover."

Rover gazed at her almost with mocking hatred. Then, he stared at the bank note in her hooves distractedly, as if studying something from afar; it was clear that he was thinking something through, reflecting intensely. He pursed his lips, humming in thought. His horn, too, cooled down. There came a long pause.

Cluster himself, taken in by some new sensation of relief, looked at Daisy in an almost conciliatory manner.

So that's her plan? he thought. She'll go according to what he said and use her own account, and if he doesn't accept he'd be breaking his word. But if it's from her own account... then...

At last, Rover pulled himself together. He mechanically advanced towards Daisy, snatched the bank note, and surveyed it for a long time. Eventually he sighed and sat back down, not before casting a long, regretful look at Cluster

"Go," he told them in a strained yet confirming voice, to keep himself in countenance. He spoke as if in realization of something previously unknown to him; his voice was weaker. "Go, go," he said again.

"Let's get out of here," said Cluster quickly, grabbing Daisy by the shoulder and leading her out.

* * *

For their entire walk back to Daisy's house they remained silent. First thing: hitherto had Cluster held himself so aloof that he didn't express any desire to engage in a conversation after what just went down. Though Cluster was in some respects pleased to be rid of that scene, in his heart he felt his aloofness stinging him. It was almost like he were sad about this general stirring of his heart. Eventually they reached her front door.

"You signed off with your own account," he said to her in an almost faltering voice.

Daisy smiled, though beneath that smile she concealed great solemnity. "Don't feel bad about it," she said, looking down. "It is what it is."

"Look, I'm still going to hold onto my promise."

Daisy gave him a look, and her smile slowly but surely vanished.

"You're going to be twenty thousand in debt with the banks," he continued without breaking form. "Tomorrow I'll head there myself and transfer twenty thousand from my own account to your chequing. That'll even it out, and you won't have to worry about it anymore."

Daisy felt as if she were frozen in place, having forgotten to open the door. A single tear slid down her cheek.

"If it hadn't been for you, this would've gotten a lot worse," said Cluster with an earnest smile. "Thank you, Daisy; thank you for stopping me. You may not think much about it, but at least know that I'll remember it."

"No fair..." muttered Daisy in a quiet voice, the corners of her lips shaking. Several tear drops had hit the ground beneath her. "You won't even let me apologize. After everything I've... And now you're thanking me, and you still want to help. It's not fair..." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you, Cluster."

"There's nothing special to see here," said Cluster reassuringly, seizing the moment to open the door and invite her to step in first. They both entered the house. "You know, Daisy," he continued halfheartedly, as if in hesitation, "every murderer looks completely ordinary. Everypony you see walking down the street is capable of cold-blooded murder. We like to think that we could never become murderers, that we law-abiding ponies are from a different planet than them, because it's a comfort. But the truth is that the line which divides good and evil cuts through all of our hearts. And who's willing to destroy a piece of their own heart?"

"But..." Daisy paused; the features on her face gave a pained expression. "You have so much to be proud of, don't you? You're a good pony, Cluster."

Cluster, despite hearing her words, was silent; instead, he strode past her into another room.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"We've got some things to sort out," he replied readily. "Right now let's head to the mortuary to take care of your dad's corpse. Next step is the funeral."