//------------------------------// // Restrained Rescue // Story: Earning Freedom // by Daxisle //------------------------------// Restrained Rescue A dull light from the caves mouth assaulted Mac's fleeting unconsciousness, a sickening chill finished off what remnants of slumber he clung to. He lifted his head with a groan to find Spike curled up against the dark cavern wall a few feet away. He scanned around to see Star Shade hanging upside down from the cave ceiling, a light bit of drool escaping down his nuzzle onto the sandy floor below. The red stallion yawned before stood from his make shift bed, stretching his legs and neck. He breathed deeply the cool Autumn morning air, it wouldn't be long until winter was upon them now. He wondered outside to be greeted by a slight shiver due to the drop in temperature a light breeze offered. He surveyed the surrounding area, and found it to be a rather tranquil landscape. A forest of green pines surrounded the cave, standing tall with the age that Macintosh was sure far surpassed his own grandmothers. A far off mountain to the north bore a whited peak in contrast to the gray and blue closer to the base. Mac closed his eyes, a great feeling of ease and relaxation climbing over him, a few birds sang their morning songs to his left; emphasizing the peace that this world, his current world, had to offer. Sweet Apple Acres was peaceful and all, but it was a predictable peaceful, something that the stallion couldn't help but find stale and bitter sweet when he took the few opportunities to appreciate it when he and his sister weren't assaulting apple trees for their contents. But here, this current feeling of bliss and quite, was something beyond refreshing. His world of tranquility came crashing down when a loud yawn erupted from the cave behind him, he looked over to see the dark grey perpetrate of the previous nights altercation looking round lazily before the two of their eyes locked on to one another. Mac watched the dark pegasus for a few moments before Star's eyes closed and he let out a yawn. "I'm hungry." Shade grumbled slapping his tongue against the roof of his mouth and looking around. Mac quirked a skeptical eyebrow, the feeling of unease he typically got from the pony before him wasn't there... Right now, Shade struck him as any run of the mill pony that Macintosh would expect to see strolling around Ponyville. "Should be sumthin' to eat 'round somewher'." The former farm pony called taking another surveying glance around. He heard another yawn from behind as he spotted more and more patches of flowers he had never seen before. He had never been this far north, and thus wasn't particularly familiar with the edible vegetation. Mac made a thoughtful noise as he mused over the options of consumable nourishment presented. "I must apologize for yesterday," Shade called walking up and standing a few feet to the right of Mac. Mac looked over and quirked a surprised brow, he began to speak but was cut off by another bit of monolog. "And I also must apologize for everything I will do in the future." "E'rythin' you'll do in the future?" "Yes," Shade nodded, his eyes saddening and down turn. "The mornings are about the only time I'm ever calm as you see now. I like to think, and reflect on everything I have done the previous day." He looked up to meet his acquaintance's eye. "I don't like to live in regret Mac, I don't like being constrained by social or societal norms. Buck it all as far as I'm truly concerned." Mac took in a gasp, "'Er actin' social a bad thing?" "When you think on it," Shade looked back out to the rising sun. "It's one of the worst things you will ever witness." The two stood silently for a while, until finally the silence was broken by soft hoof clops shifting through the dew frozen grass below. The duo looked down to find Sin trotting towards them with a few bushels of violet colored flowers in his mouth. He greeted the duo with a nod and dropped the lavender herbs onto the ground for them to observe. A brief explanation followed as Sin explained the plants to be Chives, more common homed in the northern areas of his homeland, and apparently in Equestria as well. Mac sniffed the flowers cautiously, he had never heard of these plants, let alone seen or eaten one, unlike Shade, who simply dove in head first and stood back up with a mouth full of the flora. After Mac's cynicism had passed and he at the meal presented, the stallion questioned Sin about their current whereabouts, which the responding pony gave a prompt explanation, pulling out the map he had looked over before. He pointed to a mountain pass that was, in examination upon the Key of distance, quite a bit further than Big Mac had initially conceived. Though, something had Struck the stallion, on top of the expertly, though simply, drawn mountain was a large diamond shape. He dismissed it as having something to do with the mountains contents before he inquired about the next destination. "I was hoping to visit the Capital." Sin said as he folded the map and stuck it back into his saddle bag. "Comparing my countries Republican form of government and your Monarchy, I'm fascinated by your extremely loose and unhindered laws. Even with a supreme singular ruler, your country is vastly more free than my own." Mac quirked his head to the side, a light questioning sound soon followed. Sin took a breath. "Back in the Federation, we had elected representatives to attend a council in which they would: debate, ratify, and create legislation to be voted on. The founder of my Country, Tapio Bearking, was a Centaur of freedom and voluntary cooperation; he saw what the injustices that had procured under the reign of our respective leaders and the deception they had displaced upon their citizens. Creating arbitrary laws that would impede upon them so that another race could be blamed, and slowly demoralize the public into believing the laws would be lifted once the "threats" had been quelled." Mac sat nodded his head, remembering this part of the story. "After the Run of the Centaur's, it was set into the founding of the Federation that no single individual would be able to create law. A single being with so much power was too tyrannical, and would certainly be only so obliged to abuse it." Sin cleared his throat, "However, you're country seems to have that exact design, a Matriarchal Monarch in which you are ruled by two princesses. Though you are far more free and prosperous than my own, even though there are two who wield supreme power... I'm interested to know the personality types who could refrain from indulging in such gross misappropriation of power." As strange as Mac found Sin's words, he actually understood what he meant. Aside from the multiple lawmakers, he had a feeling of comprehension, though he would have to clarify. As the red stallion opened his mouth, he was cut off by a loud noise reverberating from the cave behind him. "YO' DRAGON DUDE! Where are you?" Shades hyperactive voice rang, gathering the attention of the two ponies behind him. Mac poked his head in, he hadn't noticed it before, but he didn't see Spike when he walked out of the cave's mouth. After a quick glance at the dark interior, Macintosh looked over to Sin and questioned if he had seen the hatchling. Sin shook his head and wondered into the black void, his hoof clops clicking against the stone floor the further he moved in. "Spike, ya in ther'?" Mac called, his voice echoed a few times until it died off further within the now acknowledged tunnel. "Oh boy." "I can't believe this." Sin whisper before slamming his hoof on the ground with a loud grunt. "Why didn't I check to make sure this was just a cave? Stupid freaking idiot!" He slammed his head forcefully against the wall and huffed after his self beration. Aside from a minor moment of disorientation the livid stallion seemed ok. Mac watched as Sin attempted to calm himself, he had never expected the enigmatic pony to have such an outburst over something so minor before. Before Macintosh could ask about Sins well being, the latter spoke in a the dark and malicious tone that he had when they first met. "Shade, find him." "Yes sir!" Barked the dark pegasus cat like irises disappeared as his pupils dilated before he shot passed both of his associates and sped into the darkness. "What d'ya think yer doin'?" The farm pony asked stepping along side Sin. Any time that Macintosh could remember Sin asking for anything, it was just that, he asked. In all the months that the two had known each other, never once did Sin give anything more than a harsh request. "Maybe he jus' wen' explorin' er-" "If he went exploring, than he wouldn't have gone far." Sin barked, his black covered eyes peering through to Macintosh's own. "And would it not make sense that if he were not too far away, he would have answered when Shade had called to him?" Mac was given only a minute to muse over the question before the brown pony spoke again. "This cave was not naturally made, another failure on my part to notice. I'm sorry that I failed to keep your friend safe." Before the red stallion could say anything, Sin galloped threw the darkness after his associate, with Mac shook off his inquisition and followed close behind. ----- After a few steps in, the duo couldn't make out their own hoof in front of their face. After a quick call to Shade, they both felt their forelegs grabbed and the condescending voice of the aforementioned grumbling about 'normal pony eyes'; dragging them through the underground. After a few minutes of awkward stumbles and cursing the rocks that had given ill footing, they came a crossed a dim glow in a far off crevice of the cavern. "wha' the-" Shade unceremoniously slammed his hoof into the red ponies muzzle. Mac swatted the offending hoof away and was about to make a statement before Shade tilted his head to the glow, and proceeded cautiously, with Sin and Mac in tow. As the three approached, they began to hear hear disgruntled voices and various sounds of metal and snapping. The brighter the light became, the more distinguishable the words spoken. "We has to make him talk for us." a younger slightly excited voice proclaimed. "Shudup Lucky, we know that." Barked a more condescending and gruff voice. The trio of Ponies made peaked in through the crevice to behold a vast mine large enough to hold at least half of Ponyville. Lit by some how shining gems, Mac inspected the area; at the higher points, some stray dogs were scratching through loose earth, holding up gems and tossing them aside dismissively. Over in the corner some other dogs were speaking nervously to each other, their eyes shifting to the middle of the hollowed out cavern. Mac followed their gaze to a group of Dogs congregating around a flat wooden bench with a familiar green and purple wyvern held down by rope. "Gah, what do you want?" Spike demanded futility attempting to pull his arms free of the restraints, his fearful eyes scanning the angry mutts looking down at him. "Well," One of the dogs smiled wickedly, "We just need you to-" "NO'S!" Cried a dark furred pit-bull, "If we lets that one goes with the other one, we would be eaten by BOTH!" Mac furrowed his brow, looking down at his restrained comrade. He began to exit the crevice in the wall, bearly fitting through; before Sin grabbed him and yanked the red stallion back to the dark ground behind. "What er' ya doin?" He growled, "He needs our help!" Sin held his hoof over his muzzle, than pointed it at a railway bridge that stood over the table. Mac observed the transportation way than followed his friends moving hoof to a well sized mine cart only a few yards away. Mac made the connection and gave Sin an approving grin, though he didn't know how exactly how dropping the cart on the dogs would free Spike. He rose his concerns about the plan only causing a brief moment of shock among the dogs, maybe even just killing one, but not enough to buy the time needed to rescue the purple dragon. Sin smirked at the protest and began to rummage through his bag. "Alright chums," The until now silent night pony proclaimed flying up into the air and cracking his neck, an exuberant smile on his face. Sin's mouth hung agape before he started to shake his head furiously, whispering futile protests. "Let's do this! LEEROOOOOOOOOOOY JENKINS!" The pony burst out of the small opening and down to the confused voices below. "Damn it Star Shade." Sin seethed closing his bag and jumping in after the impulsive stallion. Mac hesitated a moment, uncertain as to what just happened but soon followed after; preparing himself for what ever was to come. The voice bellow went from arguing authoritatively to confused and panicked as the black mass approached. Shade barreled himself hooves first into the confounded crowed. Half of the congregation fell with audiable groans before Shade kept his grip on one of the bigger dogs and ascended until he reached the caverns roof, where he unceremoniously dropped the quasi-canine to the ground with a loud thump. Shade smiled and laded forcefully against the ground, his angry serpentine eyes scanning over the various emotions of each dog. "I've come for the child." He muttered slamming his hoof down on the ground. With the dogs thoroughly distracted by Shades impulsive and violent display, Mac and Sin continued with the plan, both pushing the black iron cart over the bridge, trying, though failing, to be as quite as to not draw attention. "What you want? We don't have a child!" Barked the voice Mac recognized as Lucky's. "Don't play games with me." Shade grunted before his face softened a bit. "Unless it's Monopoly, I like Monopoly... OH I WANNA BE THE CAR!" He jumped up and down in delight at the thought of the game. He continued to babble on while his antagonists stood dumbstruck, unsure of what to make of the unprecedented change in attitude. As the two ponies put the cart into position, ready to be bucked off, Mac turned to Sin. "Is he always that crazy?" Sin looked down to the group bellow, than back to the cart before he gave an approving nod of it's trajectory. "He is the abandonment of logic and reason. Are you truly that surprised?" Sin smirked before he motioned for mack to help him push over the cart. They both took either side of the track and began to tip the metal container to consume the unsuspecting canines underneath. "SHUT UP!" Barked one of the dogs, his paws firmly pushed against his ears. Shade stopped his happy bouncing and looked over at the dog with an unimpressed glare. "We won't give you the dragon! He must speak to Masters for us." "Master? Master of puppets?" Shade said dumbly. "Wha-" A loud crash and the howling of a dozen agonized lungs filled the cavern walls as Shade looked upon a black metal block crushing the legs of at least three dogs. He looked up to find Sin and Mac nodding in approval before they both descended down the wooden beams that supported the railway. "Oh man, am I glad to see you guys." Spike spoke, a little to soon as the remainder of the pack regrouped themselves to assess and fight the intruders. "PONIES!" On barked point his claw at the newcomers. Shade gave a faux gasped. "Ya don't say." "GET 'EM!" The dogs jumped for the three ponies, pumping Mac up for the fight of, and for, his life. [b(]And I have to apologize to everyone repeatedly for the bad taste a few of those jokes left in your mouths.)