Chapter Thirty Eight: Matters Of Family And Friendship
~BlackRoseRaven
Winter hit Equestria hard, as if to further emphasize the death and pain the civil war had brought: for Luna, however, it was almost a blessing. While her mortal soldiers had to be taken care of and withdrawn, her demons her Nightmares, and many of her other preternatural soldiers took little notice of the cold... some, like the North Wind, even reveled and became stronger in it.
Snow blanketed most of the country, although Pegasi of New Equestria were hard at work, trying to control the weather... but in this world, nature was not as easy to subdue. It painfully stalled many of their plans, and they lost ground rapidly on several fronts in the weeks that passed, making every victory they achieved seem meaningless as they gave up territory even as they fought Luna's hordes back.
Apple Bloom sat silently in the foal house, watched over by Sleipnir: the other foals were with their families or family friends. But Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's parents were both trying hard to avoid the wrathful eyes of Applejack, and the rumors that had spread about Apple Bloom's connections to Luna had made even her closest friends wary of her. Worried for her too, but wary of her most of all.
Applejack was almost constantly away from the farm, which was no longer a farm at all: the orchards had been converted into greenhouse facilities that Nibelung toiled away in, and several large storage yards where weapons and supplies were kept. There was also a training ground that Applejack and Rainbow Dash spent most of their little free time at when they weren't out on duty, pushing themselves furiously to be the very best they could.
Apple Bloom was scared of what her big sister was becoming: not physically, although the changes there were frightening as well. Almost as large as Big Mac, strong enough to drag a train car behind her, and quickly learning the vicious arts of the crosshatch blades, she was determined to become strong enough to bring down Luna. Kvasir's manipulations and the town's constant glorifying and dependence on her had finally pushed her over the edge. The stirrings of guilt, of fear, didn't matter: not even Apple Bloom's crying or wheedling mattered. She was doing this for Ponyville, doing this for her family, doing this to save Equestria: she could go back to apple bucking and running the farm and being nice when there was time for that, but right now, niceness wouldn't win this war and stop Luna. She had to be cold, and she had to kill every monster she met until she finally got her chance to go after Luna or Scrivener Blooms... but it was Luna's head she wanted.
Luna, who killed her own sister, who corrupted Twilight Sparkle, and who had tried to turn her little sister against her. Luna, who was the root of all this darkness and evil, who was manipulating ponies to her side through every means necessary, who seemed to think it was a 'reward' to be turned into a mindless drone for her sick harem. Luna, who strutted around and acted like Scrivener Blooms was her King and dared to call herself a goddess...
And Rainbow Dash was beside her, loyal all the way: honesty and loyalty, the two purest elements. He was stronger as well, but most of all, he was even faster, and his mind seemed to process things better and better the harder he trained, letting him adjust in midair for every circumstance. After some urging, Peru had helped design new armor for him as well... armor designed with sharpened edges, turning him into a living blade when he began to fly fast enough through the air. Applejack was confident that with Rainbow beside her, they would be a match even for Luna and Scrivener, especially with the helms that Peru and Greece had designed.
The latter Nibelung she sometimes had doubts about: he spent most of his days drinking, dragging himself desolately around from job site to job site. All the same, the Artificer knew his work: with only a little aid from the other Architects, he had forged several sets of helms that would completely block out both sounds and telepathy... in other words, they would protect from the Black Verses. They had yet to be tested against the powers of a Tyrant Wyrm, but against everything else they had proven to work... although Applejack was well aware that if the helms did fail in that one crucial moment, they would all likely die.
She had even had one forged for Big Mac, and she remembered giving it to him with a smile, beginning to explain it... and Big Mac crushed it between his front hooves, leaving her staring, stunned and speechless, before he dropped it and only shook his head slowly. He had taken the picture of their parents off the mantel and put it in his own room, and although he did all his duties, he refused to go out on patrols unless necessary. It hurt her, that he looked at her with disappointment sometimes, with shame in his eyes... but she knew what she was doing. She knew she had to keep pushing forwards, that when Luna was finally brought down and this was all over, everything could go back to normal... and he was still always there, after all. He still lived on the farm, he still did what he was asked, he still took care of her and Apple Bloom...
Apple Bloom... that hurt to think about, and Applejack grimaced quietly as she stood hesitantly outside the foal house, knowing Apple Bloom was in there, with Sleipnir. Sleipnir, who she told herself she hated... but she didn't. She couldn't, she didn't think many ponies could even if they wanted to, because he was so kind, so outgoing, so... always there... but she was afraid of him. Afraid of the words that came out of his mouth, afraid of how she got so angry at him... and yet underneath the anger, there was always horrible shame. He threatened her, made all the more worse by how often she saw him sitting with Big Mac when the two had breaks in front of the Blossom Bar, a new tavern that had opened in place of Sugar Cube Corners to tend to soldiers and their various needs on and off the record. An evil, yes, but perhaps a necessary one, little as she wanted to admit it and much as the profiteering disgusted her.
Finally, Applejack simply turned away... and inside the foal house, Apple Bloom sighed a little, staring miserably at the ground and hugging herself as she whispered: “She hates me, doesn't she?”
“Nay, Apple Bloom, she does not.” Sleipnir said quietly, looking silently up at the gray, splotched window: easy to see out of, not so easy to see in through. “She still loves and cares for thee-”
Apple Bloom snorted, reaching up and silently rubbing at her cheek, murmuring: “She does not. Not anymore... sometimes I don't even think she's my real sister. That... that stuff Kvasir gave her, I think it finished the job of whatever was wrong with her in the first place...”
“Don't speak like that about thy sister, child, thou will regret it later.” Sleipnir said quietly, and Apple Bloom smiled bitterly before the earth pony stallion sighed and reached out, stroking gently down her mane. “I know. I know that it is hard, but tell me then, Apple Bloom, why does thou remain here? Why has thou not left for Enstasis? And tell me not that thou could never escape, especially now that it is winter. Thou would need but reach the Everfree Forest... it would take care of thee, and soon enough Luna's servants would find thee and rush thee with all haste to Enstasis.”
“It... it ain't that I don't think about that sometimes.” Apple Bloom said quietly, looking down and closing her eyes as she shuddered a little, and then she shook her head and glanced up with a tremble. “But... it... it's so complicated. My heart hurts so... so damn much...”
Sleipnir only nodded silently, rubbing slowly over her back before the young female smiled faintly, whispering: “And she came, you know? I still... can't believe it, but those months ago... she came. She actually did it... and... and Applejack...”
She closed her eyes tightly, remembering: remembering how Scarlet Sage had kept her word, the Pegasus knocking lightly at Apple Bloom's window on the night of her quiet, lonely birthday, the earth pony looking up from where had been miserable in bed to this sight that had filled her like a fire...
But it had only been a kiss and a few minutes together before Applejack had come up the stairs, knocking on the door and asking sharply: “Who's in there with you? Apple Bloom, open up! If that's Scoot there's gonna be real trouble, no pony ain't supposed to be out seeing you with how much trouble you're in, but especially not after-”
And then Applejack had managed to shove the door open, and she had seen Scarlet Sage awkwardly climbing out the window before she had gritted her teeth, eyes blazing as she lunged. The Pegasus had barely escaped with a yelp, and Apple Bloom had shrieked as the cupcake and the small gift box Scarlet had brought her had both been crunched as she shouted: “Rainbow, goddammit, grab that Pegasus!”
“Stop it!” Apple Bloom had shouted desperately, but Applejack had ignored her: they'd had too many shouting matches over too many things now for her to be bothered by it anymore, as she'd held her little sister back and glared furiously as Scarlet Sage had flown quickly through the air... but her flight was still awkward, her wings not strong enough to propel her as well as an adult yet, and her panic making her flight even worse as Rainbow Dash had shot into the air, barreling straight for the filly-
He had crashed into a Greater Nightmare, that had leaned down and screamed into his face like a banshee, deafening the Pegasus and making him flail wildly and zigzag violently back down towards the ground. The Greater Nightmare had then easily spun around, seized Scarlet Sage, and simply vanished with her as Applejack had cursed and then stepped backwards, finally reaching down and picking up the crushed gift.
Broken glass had tinkered down, a rain that reflected the tears spilling down Apple Bloom's face as Applejack had ripped the ribbon off and the gift open, before snorting in disgust – and pain, there was pain too, she knew, even though at the time the more-than-filly hadn't cared – as she'd held the book-sized but now mashed, torn painting of Scarlet Sage, Apple Bloom, Scrivener and Luna up, shouting down at her: “Is this what you really want, Apple Bloom? After all I've done for you! After Mom and Dad died, after we lost Granny Smith, after everything this family's been through, you want to trade our family for theirs! They don't know what love is, they don't take care of each other, they're monsters, do you hear me? They're damned monsters!”
Applejack had flung the painting out the window, and Apple Bloom had leapt after it, almost following it before older sister winced and reached out to grab her, then threw her back onto her bed before turning and slamming the window shut, breathing hard and leaning against it as she said finally: “Enough. Enough is enough, Apple Bloom. That might look like a little girl, but... she ain't. I don't care what you feel for her, they got in your head and this is all for your own damn good!”
The day after, bars had been placed over her windows, her door had been replaced with a metal one that only Applejack had the key for, and Applejack had placed Scarlet Sage on the SEAL list, noting that she was a Blood Seer. And later, Apple Bloom thought bitterly, she had come up, telling her how hard it was. Telling her how painful it was to cut her little sister off from something that made her happy, even if it was for the wrong reasons. Telling her it was all for her own good... that even though it hurt now, Apple Bloom would thank her later.
She shivered a bit, and Sleipnir hugged her gently before he said softly: “Listen to me. All shall be alright, does thou understand? I know it may not seem that way now, but... it shall be. This winter will be long and rough, but... one way or another, things will soon be decided. And thou has not left here, so there must still be something here thou sees, some good thou can realize and understand...”
“I... I don't know. I just don't know.” Apple Bloom murmured, lowering her head and trembling a little before she finally swallowed thickly. “I don't want this to happen, Sleipnir. I don't like it, not at all.”
“Nor do I. Nor do I.” Sleipnir replied quietly, closing his eyes with a sigh and nodding slowly, and then he looked silently towards the door of the babysitting house as he murmured: “Perhaps we shall be fortunate, though. Perhaps, as this war ages, others will see the folly in it...”
But Sleipnir knew if anything, the situation was only worsening: as winter set in harder and New Equestria became more hard-pressed to take care of itself and its troops, the soldiers blamed Luna for everything that was happening. She was an easy scapegoat, after all... and Sleipnir did not at all like where he saw things heading. Kvasir was losing the control he had barely possessed in the first place, and he seemed to finally be catching on to the fact that the reason New Equestria had cooperated with him in the first place, had let this seemingly-sly and powerful unicorn waltz in and then take control of what was to be the major hub of operations, was because he made for an excellent expendable asset. New Equestria was the one sucking up all the glory and calling all the major plays: Kvasir, meanwhile, put forwards all his excellent plans and ideas... but received none of the glory for them if they went right, and all of the blame if anything went wrong.
At first, the god had just muttered that it was fine, it didn't matter: once Luna and Scrivener were dead, he would be happy to completely abandon this layer of reality. He only had to keep playing along for now, to maintain his precious controls over Ponyville and keep himself safely in the game. Then it had become anger: he was a god, how dare they treat him like that, and many other speeches had followed, many of which Sleipnir had been forced to sit through as he waited moodily for orders, which always came back to the same thing.
And then, finally, a few nights ago, Sleipnir had been drinking by himself in the mostly abandoned old tavern instead of the Blossom Bar, and Kvasir had stormed in, sat down beside him, and ordered the strongest vodka in the house in the largest glass they had. The bartender had brought it, and Sleipnir had admittedly been impressed for a moment when Kvasir had chugged the entire thing... then the pedantic god had slammed the glass down, taken a slow breath... and burst into tears as he dropped his face in his hooves.
Whatever he had imagined himself to be, Kvasir was no Odin, and no Valthrudnir. Sleipnir had grumbled and awkwardly patted the unicorn on the back as he'd rambled and babbled and sniffled and cried like a baby intermittently, going on about how things were supposed to be different, how he had been abandoned by all his allies, how he felt alone down here and yet couldn't flee back to Valhalla because he was sure that Scrivener and Luna would just chase him into those hallowed halls and mutilate him and them all over again. The bartender, meanwhile, had just calmly gone about his business, looking unfettered: he had seen more than one official snap with the months of the war, after all, and to him this seemed no different despite how insane the ramblings were... but then again, the higher the official, the harder the fall, and so-called Verdant Vintage was supposed to be the highest-ranking New Equestrian in Ponyville.
Eventually, Kvasir had tossed some money and gemstones on the counter, then slipped out of his seat and stumbled his way out. Sleipnir had gone back to calmly drinking alone for a little while until Big Mac joined him, and the two sat together, drinking, not needing to speak much, until they had finally traded a quick hug and gone their separate ways.
Kvasir refused to speak of this incident now, mumbling it was a moment of weakness whenever Sleipnir brought it up. Earlier today, however, before sending him to foal house duty, the polymorphed god had said that he was finally going to start sending Sleipnir on other little duties for him, because he had learned that Luna and Scrivener were taking advantage of New Equestria's weakness in this cold and harsh winter.
Apparently, Sleipnir would be going on half-diplomatic, half-retrieval missions for objects around Equestria Kvasir was interested in, as well as certain ponies. He didn't like the idea of this because it meant that he would have to leave Apple Bloom alone... part of the reason she was so miserable today. It had been interesting to hear that Luna and Scrivener had apparently begun traveling to certain important locations, however, to meet with Barons or Baronesses or military leaders as well as well as make an impression on the citizenry and troops. He thought it was likely Celestia's idea: she had always been the one good at politics and helping give ponies that extra push in one direction or another, after all.
Kvasir had some new scheme at hoof, but he wasn't ready to share the details yet... and in his office, the god himself was fretting over every last detail, cursing under his breath as he poured through papers, going over the names of Architects, measurements, figures...
He clenched his eyes shut, then pounded his hooves against the desk before cursing their uselessness. He didn't understand how the hell ponies could make it look so damn easy to hold and move things with them, and he grumbled under his breath before his horn glowed as he flicked one of his forelimbs. His hoof sparked, and a moment later, transformed into a solid black hand, the male muttering: “Better.”
He opened a drawer, then hurriedly paged through a set of papers, flicking his other foreleg absently to transform that back into a hand as well so he could reach up and rub at one of his temples. Everything was going wrong, everything he'd ever planned, everything he'd ever hoped for. He had gone from superior mind and superior being to being trodden all over by these ponies because he couldn't risk raising a hoof against them, not when he needed to kill Luna and Scrivener... because whether anyone wanted to believe him or not, he knew they were a threat. They were passion and desire and destruction, intensified from drinking the dangerous elixir Odin had put together in some wild last ditch-attempt to fight the two off during their assault on Valhalla. An elixir that had been further magnified because Odin's blood had spilled into it...
Kvasir cursed under his breath, then he slammed his hands against the table before leaning back and yanking a drawer open to pull a file out, muttering as he paged through it rapidly. He had reviewed the images over and over and over again in his scrying glass, learning everything he could about the two. Just as he had assembled a psychological profile of them both, just as he had built up a massive stack of information on the two, assembled together all their strengths and vulnerabilities he knew of...
He dropped the file open, then let out a grumble as he yanked a sheet free and studied the images over it, depicting part of a massive machine: a device he needed to build, parts of the plans supplied by the eager Peru, the rest of it supplied by Greece and other Architects. The zebras had added their own knowledge to the pot already, supplying a means of artillery, but now Kvasir needed the aid of others: of ponies who had talents and training in specific and rare areas. He needed minds... and all he had here in Ponyville were soldiers, which he knew now were not enough.
Kvasir shook his head moodily, knowing it was a stupid mistake for him of all people to have made. He had thought that being a god of knowledge and information, he would simply need muscle to maneuver into place... but he had forgotten that Luna was not his only opponent. Luna did not just have one mind on her team... she had many, with their own specialties. He himself was a jack of all trades... something he was understanding a little late was not exactly the very best thing to be when it came to a game of specifics.
Not for the first time, he wondered silently again how Valthrudnir had done it. Destroyed his fellow Jötnar, then the Aesir and the Vanir and everything else in his way, and all by himself. Everything that had helped that fearsome figure had been constructed by him, by his own designs... Valthrudnir was not a team player, but instead a fan of servants and clockwork and machinery. Yet he had met his match in Scrivener Blooms and Luna... perhaps Kvasir had forgotten that. Perhaps he had underestimated these two from the start...
He shivered a little: here he was, Lord of Valhalla...all due to a technicality, too, that Sleipnir was thankfully unaware of, otherwise he was very, very sure that the stallion would quickly turn on him, honor code or not. And Kvasir was strong, stronger than most would credit him for, but the earth pony was notoriously difficult to harm through even the strongest of magic... and however dumb he acted, a warrior whose mettle was in his mind as much as it was in his muscles.
Odin had decreed that if he died, Valhalla would be inherited by his son... Thor, who had been reborn as Sleipnir. But if Sleipnir did not want it, then it would be passed onto Kvasir, who had a stake in Valhalla because Aesir and Vanir blood flowed in his veins. The others who helped Odin – truly ominous figures, in some cases – could not rule these halls because only family could... in Kvasir's case, the definition was strained, but he was a god and family that Odin had taken in all the same... despite the fact Kvasir was a homunculus molded into shape by Valthrudnir.
The malicious Jötnar had wanted a trophy of his triumph over the Aesir and the Vanir: therefore, he had made himself a living 'statue' with the aspects of both, and Kvasir had spent most of his life in a sealed case in Valthrudnir's trophy room in his terrible, terrible home in a pocket dimension next door to Niflheim. Not long after Scrivener Blooms and Luna had killed the pedantic Jötnar, Odin had carefully slipped his way into Valthrudnir's home, looking for spoils of war: old habits died hard with warrior gods, it had seemed.
He had freed Kvasir from his imprisonment, and while Odin had always kept him on a short leash, he had also never considered Kvasir a threat: likely because Valthrudnir had never been stupid enough to give him more than a smattering of actual power despite being made from a mixture of quite a few different gods. He could transform himself, he could make flashy fireworks, he could do magic... but it had all always been for Valthrudnir's entertainment. Sometimes the Jötnar liked to sit back and have him reenact specific monologues and death scenes of various gods, making him do grisly theater shows where all too often the weapons ripping into him had been real.
So therefore, when Sleipnir had said in one conversation: “I have no urge to rule these mighty halls,” it had created the loophole that Kvasir had eagerly seized on. He had never had real power before, after all, and Odin had trusted him enough to write him as an inheritor, so... it meant that he deserved it, right? And he was a god! He was going to prove that he was every inch a real god as any of the others, as even Odin himself had been... who he did honestly want to avenge. But as he sat there silently, looking down at his black hands, flexible and yet lineless and made of the same substance as his hooves had been, he wondered silently why it was Valthrudnir he kept emulating. Why every time he tried to do something, he ended up... making it more for his own gain than for the reasons he honestly really meant to pursue...
Then he winced as there was a knock at the door, hurriedly hiding his hands behind his back as it was shoved open and Applejack strode in, saluting him once before she said calmly: “I have a request, Verdant Vintage, sir.”
Kvasir looked at her quietly, studying her: she was a mortal, and he was supposed to be better than her: it was not meant to be arrogant, it was just a simple fact. They died from the smallest wounds and infections, they did not think as quickly, and in their race, only those who did horrific things for power or possessed horns made of the rarest of substances could use magic. Yet this pony in particular thought she was the equal of Luna Brynhild, a Valkyrie risen to the ranks of goddess... and what scared him was that the mortal was so determined that she might actually stand a chance at killing her.
“Go ahead,” Kvasir said finally, concentrating as his forelimbs sparked, then his hands solidified back into hooves behind his back before he drew them forwards and tented them meditatively.
Applejack seemed surprised, glancing up from beneath her dark hat... and then she shrugged a bit to herself before saying quietly: “I think we should send scouts all the way to the Village of the Damned... all the way to Enstasis, if we can. Luna ain't there, we ain't heard nothing or seen any activity from Twilight Sparkle ever since it was reported that Sleipnir destroyed her, and nopony's seen their bodyguard, Dusk, either. Rainbow Dash, me, and some others I'd like to pick myself... we should more than be able to handle a Greater Nightmare, even a Wrath demon or one of her Moon Blessed.”
Kvasir frowned a bit at this, leaning forwards and saying slowly: “Why do you want to patrol all the way to Enstasis, Commander Applejack? The road through the Everfree Forest is walked regularly by peacekeepers and neutral parties, such as Nibelung diplomats and Strange Ones. There's no point. It's dangerous, as a matter of fact, to our operations and counterproductive to our goals.”
“I don't see how.” Applejack frowned,looking at him with distaste. “I get that you're a politician and all, Verdant, but it's only been lately you've started to sound outright like a real coward.”
Kvasir looked stung at this, leaning back before he smiled thinly and retorted in a mockingly-kind voice: “Oh well then, by all means. You, Rainbow Dash, probably the other best warriors in Ponyville, you all go on your cute little walk traipsing right into the most dangerous area in all of Equestria. Get all of yourselves killed, Commander, and leave us without a head to our army, without somepony for the others to gather around, and without the fastest Pegasus and best advanced scout in all of Equestria.”
Applejack flushed at this, snarling and looking down as she held her tongue, before Kvasir shook his head slowly and muttered: “If I didn't know better, I'd say you were just like your little sister and wanted to hand us over to Luna on a silver platter.”
“Watch it!” Applejack shouted furiously, stepping forwards and slamming her hooves into the desk, and Kvasir winced as the front of it dented visibly in and the bolts holding it to the floor creaked violently: something he had installed after the last time Sleipnir hit him with it. “You of all the goddamn ponies in this village should know what I've given up! What I've sacrificed! Screw you, look at me: I'm your perfect goddamn soldier, just like you wanted, and yet now you go and accuse me of working for that... that monster?”
The unicorn leaned back with a grimace at her outburst, and then he shook his head slowly as she breathed hard and leaned back, the male replying grimly: “What I'm saying is that you're either incredibly stupid or letting your bloodlust get the better of you, and neither of those things work to our advantage, Applejack. There's simply not much we can do-”
“I am sick of waiting around for something to happen. So are the soldiers.” Applejack said disgustedly, and Kvasir grimaced in distaste before she leaned forwards over the desk, the mare's eyes glaring into his. “Every day, Luna gains a little more ground. I hear she's parading around Equestria right now, too, showing off, flaunting herself and her husband. And you know what else I hear? Rumors. That New Equestria is fading fast. That we aren't going to last longer. That it's all your fault. And I swear, if this country falls and I'm still alive, I'm gonna hold you personally accountable, do you understand me?”
The unicorn flinched a bit at this, then he forced himself to lean forwards, asking coldly: “And what if I said the only possible move we could make right now is to send your little baby sister to Enstasis as an unwitting spy for us? Everypony knows that she and Luna's daughter have some... thing going on between them.”
Applejack's eyes widened, then she reached out and seized him by the throat, yanking him forwards and making him wheeze as she snarled... then trembled and slowly lowered her head, brim covering her eyes as she whispered: “How would we do it?”
The unicorn stared at this, feeling a strange thrill of fear run through his body before Applejack looked up with a tremble, whispering: “I'm going to Helheim, Luna's right, but at least I can make sure that she gets there first. And I know they won't hurt Apple Bloom... I hate to use her, I do, I love her... why does everypony doubt that these days? I love her even more than I ever have but... goddammit, I know that sometimes you gotta do things other ponies don't like none. You gotta push them a little. She's family, and family's the most important thing in the world, but... she thinks they're her family. This way, we can rescue her from that. We can show her what Luna's really like... she can see that even Scarlet Sage is...”
Kvasir reached up and shoved Applejack's hooves away from his throat, shuddering as he looked at her with disgust as he remembered Valthrudnir, the dragon leaning calmly over the glass case he was trapped in and tapping on it with one finger as he had murmured thoughtfully: Normally I don't ask the opinion of lower life forms, but what do you think hurt Odin more? When his family turned on him or when he realized he'd killed his entire family... oh, but really, they're both products of my plan, my genius, so I suppose what hurt the most was when I took away every single last thing that was important to him...
And then, thoughts of Odin... the falcon-headed, one-eyed god sitting and smiling tiredly, his gloved hands in his lap as Kvasir had looked up at him silently. You ask why I don't do anything, even though I know there's something wrong with Scrivener Blooms? Because he is the husband to my beautiful Brynhild, and she asked me not to. And no matter where that leads, I have to respect that. One day you'll understand.
The polymorphed god grimaced in disgust, shaking the feelings, the memories off before he looked away as Applejack frowned at him, and then he finally sat up. He opened his mouth as a plan formed in his mind, thinking of how easy it would be, how well it would work, thinking of what a lower species of life form these ponies were... and so even he was surprised when instead of agreeing with her, he said calmly: “You're fired.”
“W-What?” Applejack stared at him incredulously, her jaw dropping, blinking once as she leaned forwards and shook her head violently before she snarled, stepping forwards as she asked harshly: “What the hell did you just say to me?”
“I... said you were fired.” Kvasir said stupidly, reaching up and rubbing at his muzzle, and then he gave a shrill laugh, making the mare stare before the unicorn looked up and flicked a hoof at her dismissively, saying finally: “So. Go away now. Goodbye.”
“The... are you drunk?” Applejack looked at him with disgust... but also with fear, stumbling backwards before she shook her head violently and turned around, snarling over her shoulder: “Get yourself back together and I'll come back and... talk about this later.”
Kvasir only looked dumbly after her, rubbing at his face slowly before he returned his eyes to the plans in front of him, and then he clenched his eyes shut, hammering at his skull with his hooves. “What in the name of Asgard was that...”
He sat slowly back in his chair, breathing slowly, looking silently up at the ceiling as he let his mind begin to filter gradually down. Little-by-little, he calmed, and then his head slowly tilted back forwards and he awkwardly shoved the folder on top closed, hiding the papers from sight as he muttered: “Simply... I'm simply working too hard, that's all there is to it. The pressure of constantly trying to adjust my plans and keep up with things... that's all. A momentary... a momentary weakness.”
He closed his eyes, rubbing slowly at his forehead with a hoof before he continued to reason quietly: “And... there is no need to send the child, is there? She will learn nothing at Enstasis worth knowing: Luna is not making any savage pushes for territory, she is using winter to play silly political games. It gives us time to prepare ourselves...”
He nodded once, and after a few more moments of reassuring himself, he opened the file back up and began to read at a slower pace. All the same, however, his concentration felt shot and his mind refused to focus. By midnight, he had barely made it through the ten page file... and Kvasir grumbled as he closed it and stormed out of his office, not even bothering to close the door behind him as he headed down the steps, shoving past the New Equestrian soldiers and sycophants that got in his way.
Somehow, he ended up stepping into the mostly-empty tavern he had been in only once before: not the ever-crowded Blossom Bar where the ponies tended to each other in ways he didn't like to imagine, but the smaller, quieter tavern. And, sitting at the bar just like before, was Sleipnir... except there was another pony with him, too. A red stallion... oh yes. Macintosh. Big Mac, I believe the others call him...
Kvasir leaned forwards almost apprehensively, but before he even realized what he was doing, he was already striding across the low-lit bar, studying the two. They were only sitting there, not talking, taking slow drinks... and yet all the same there was a sense of conversation, of... comradeship that he didn't quite understand. Then Sleipnir glanced towards him before grimacing, and Big Mac frowned slightly himself, the expression thoughtful, guarded, as the larger stallion said sourly: “This is not going to become a regular occurrence, or is it Kvasir? Because I shall have to find another bar to linger in with my friend if that is the case.”
The unicorn grimaced at the use of his real name, but then he simply sighed as he pulled himself up onto a stool next to Big Mac, holding a hoof up and saying quietly: “Straight vodka, Nibelung brewed, preferably. A full glass, like water.”
“Watch this, this is the one thing I admire about him, although last time the end result was not so fair.” Sleipnir muttered, nudging Big Mac a few times, and Kvasir pointedly ignored them as the bartender put a tall glass in front of him, then glanced at the shelves before pulling down a large, dark-tinted bottle with a grinning dwarf skull on the label, the tusks twisted in all directions.
The glass was filled... and then drained by Kvasir in a few large gulps, before he slammed it down, looking moodily down at the bar before reaching a hoof up and rubbing slowly at his head. It made his throat and stomach churn, god or not, and Sleipnir cheered as Big Mac leaned back with a wince before the enormous stallion said kindly: “And no tears this time, 'tis such a re-”
“Your sister came to see me.” Kvasir said abruptly, and then he pointed at his glass, the bartender looking surprised before he walked over and awkwardly refilled the glass. Both Sleipnir and Big Mac frowned at the unicorn, and then he glanced tiredly towards them, saying dryly: “I don't know why I'm bothering to tell you this. I've been doing a few strange things lately. We did not agree on anything she tried to talk to me about and I eventually said we should send Apple Bloom to Enstasis as a spy.”
The shot glass in Big Mac's hoof cracked as his grip tightened around it, his eyes narrowing as Sleipnir growled in disgust... but the anger of both stallions was wiped away as Kvasir looked up almost pleadingly and said weakly: “And she agreed. And I told her no.”
“What...” Big Mac whispered, and the stallion leaned back in his stool, looking dumbfounded as he shook his head weakly, rubbing slowly at his face and staring silently at Kvasir as the god moodily looked down at his vodka before draining this second glass, then pointing at it again with one hoof miserably. “You... gotta be mistaken, Verdant. That ain't my sister.”
“'Tis not like thou, either, Kvasir... has alcohol brought about a conscience in thee?” Sleipnir winced a bit, glancing towards his own glass of whiskey before he shoved it away and muttered: “No pony would ever drink again if that is what whiskey did. To drive a few ponies to murder is one thing. To give a creature as cruel and wicked as thyself regrets, on the other hand...”
Kvasir laughed weakly as the bartender hesitated, but then the unicorn shot him an irritable look, and he hesitantly refilled the glass for the third time before the god turned his eyes to Big Mac as the crimson earth pony leaned forwards and asked quietly: “What happened?”
“I don't know... I thought I was going to agree with her, even though there was little tactical reason for it, little rationalization, it would have been...” Kvasir began in a frustrated voice, and then he winced when both stallions shot him horrible looks, and he flinched back a little. “Oh, wait... you... you mean Applejack.”
“Yup.” Big Mac replied flatly, and Sleipnir leaned forwards, glowering pointedly at the unicorn as well, making Kvasir sigh and slump a little before he picked up his glass and drained most of it before the red pony reached out and pushed his wrist down, halting him and looking at him pointedly.
Kvasir, however, only gave him a dry smile in return, shrugging the earth pony off before he finished the last of the vodka, muttering: “Believe me, Big Mac. I may not be as large and brawny as you or Sleipnir but my tolerance for alcohol far exceeds either of yours.” He paused for a moment, then sighed and slid the glass away when both ponies continued to glare, and the bartender politely headed down to the other end of the the bar as the unicorn shook his head slowly. “Ponies...
“I... well, according to her psychological profile, I suppose this should not come entirely as a surprise. She has received many commendations for her bravery in battle, but that could just as easily be interpreted as heightened aggression instead of ardent patriotism... in war, sociopathic and psychotic tendencies are both often encouraged instead of punished, as is demonstrated by-” Kvasir halted as the ponies glared at him again, and then he slowly reached up and rubbed at his face tiredly, muttering: “Mimir's head, I am simply attempting to explain-”
“Thou would be so much more the pleasant if for one moment thou could cease to be an egocentric, obnoxious intellectual-idiot.” Sleipnir said flatly, and Kvasir looked at him with irritation. “Answer with little words. Thou thinks so little of us, after all, I see not why thou has to show what a big, intelligent brain thou art by using all these fancy terms. But more importantly, in the little words, tell us what thou saw and felt.”
“Ridiculous, just like your kind, thinking only with the senses instead of putting to use countless years of analytical research: the senses presume and cannot be trusted, but by delving into the-” Kvasir's speech and gesticulations were interrupted as a hoof slammed forwards into his throat, and he squeaked and stared at Big Mac as he was hauled gently but firmly forwards as the red stallion leaned calmly towards him.
For a moment, there was silence, and then he said in a soft, quiet voice: “They're my sisters. My family. Just tell me... please.”
He let him go, his look more pleading now than angry, and Kvasir studied him silently as Sleipnir leaned around Big Mac, gesturing towards him silently. For a moment, the unicorn only studied the two... and then he finally gave a small, awkward smile, shaking his head slowly as the similarities he realized he saw. “Strange...”
He closed his eyes, then pushed away the thoughts before he said finally, just letting the words come out like they had when he'd talked to Applejack: “She's desperate. And she's afraid. And she thinks killing is the only answer.”
Big Mac nodded slowly and silently, and Kvasir looked at him awkwardly before he leaned forwards towards them, mouth working awkwardly to form the words before he said finally: “I... I am sorry.”
Both earth ponies looked surprised, and Kvasir seemed a little stunned himself as he leaned back with a bit of a blush... then he grunted and shook his head, pointing hurriedly towards his glass, and the bartender winced as he approached as the unicorn muttered: “Killing Luna is the only answer, the final answer, believe me, I am in full support of that... but... your sister would put much in danger. It is not beneficial for her to continue to put herself and the other members of our organization at risk, including even your little sister... there is no point in sacrificing a pony, civilian or soldier, if there is nothing to be gained from it.”
He picked up his glass the moment it was refilled, draining the vodka again and then sighing tiredly as he put it down... and then Sleipnir grinned slowly, saying in a marveling voice: “By all the gods of Valhalla... Kvasir, thou does have a heart beneath the shale and brine and ridiculous ego and poisonous mind!”
Kvasir only looked at him with disgust, and Big Mac nodded moodily once before he sighed a little, murmuring: “My sister or my sister...”
“'Tis not a fair choice. 'Tis not an easy nor a good choice, either.” Sleipnir said quietly, looking compassionately at the red stallion, and Big Mac gave the smallest of smiles, which made the larger earth pony laugh and nod slowly. “Aye, I apologize, I do not mean to patronize thee. So maybe, in honesty, it is an easy choice, despite how deep it hurts. Thou knows whom thou must protect first and foremost.”
“I gotta protect 'em both if I can...” Big Mac said quietly, looking silently down at his cracked glass before he closed his eyes as Sleipnir gently rubbed a hoof along his back. “I... I know. Apple Bloom first... but... that doesn't mean I'm giving up on Applejack, you hear?”
“I hear thee, clear as a bell.” Sleipnir replied reassuringly, smiling faintly as Kvasir studied them both silently, then the unicorn let his eyes rove away before frowning at his empty glass when Sleipnir asked quietly: “And thou, so-called genius. How does one deal with a soldier who has begun to lose their mind? More importantly, a commanding officer whom the entire city still holds up as hero?”
“That's gotta be part of the reason why... she's being pushed so hard...” Big Mac said quietly, head bowed forwards and eyes tightly closed. “She feels she's gotta make up for all the mistakes she's made, as well as be some sorta... role model, when she don't need to be anypony but herself... but... the nightmares, the responsibilities, everything...”
Kvasir smiled thinly at this, glancing towards Big Mac and Sleipnir as he murmured: “And so her focus on Luna isn't just because she honestly blames her, I understand now. It's because killing Luna is the ultimate end: for Applejack, killing Luna will mean freedom for herself, more importantly than freedom for Equestria. Perhaps, in some part of her, she's still in there... but I do not know if I am being comforting or cruel.”
The two stallions looked across at him before Kvasir pointed at his glass, and the bartender poured the last of the vodka from the bottle into it before putting it aside. Kvasir turned his eyes to the quarter full-cup, and then he sighed a little, picking it up and swirling it moodily as he murmured: “I have no interest in getting involved in your family quarrel. On the other hand... hoof, rather... I suppose that I don't have the luxury of washing my hands... hooves... of it either.”
“Oh, just speak as thou would normally speak, I have already told everypony I trust that thou art some nefarious god-entity.” Sleipnir said grouchily, and Kvasir looked up with a wince as both the bartender and Big Mac looked up with surprise. “Well. At least I was fairly certain that I did.”
Kvasir sighed and rolled his eyes, looking sourly over at Sleipnir for a moment, but as the stallion only continued to glare, he finally nodded before slumping a little, mumbling: “Who cares, anyway? Ponies. They bring nothing but trouble, would probably cage me up just like Valthrudnir did... look, the point is that I... I will offer the help I can, because Applejack is my best soldier. It is well known as well that Rainbow Dash is loyal to her and Equestria, not to myself and politicians... so I am only protecting my interests.”
“Thy excuses sound weaker and tinnier every time thou says them.” Sleipnir whistled a little, and Kvasir grumbled as he knocked back his vodka before the unicorn turned and reached up a hoof, flicking it firmly as he turned his eyes to the back of the bar.
The bartender winced and ducked as the bottles stacked on the shelves behind him rattled before several flew out of place, floating over to Kvasir and uncorking themselves before refilling his glass with a swirl of liquids that mixed themselves neatly together into one dark amber concoction. Then the bottles set themselves neatly down on the table... and Big Mac reached out and pulled one towards him with a glance towards the bartender.
The stallion behind the counter headed over and produced a shot glass for him even as he looked balefully at Kvasir, but the god ignored them as he looked down into the drink he had mixed, saying quietly: “I just don't know what went wrong. I understand the psychology of ponies, they are no different from any other people no matter how they try and frame themselves. I understand the tactics and arts of war, and yet my strategies continue to fail. I have minds, warriors, hunters, potions... and yet New Equestria is failing. The few parts Luna cannot attack are self-destructing: here, Ponyville, which should be a flagship so powerful that we should long ago have been able to ram ourselves into Enstasis and level the castle around Luna's blighted head, is instead not a militant sanctuary but a poisoned prison. I... I don't know what went wrong.”
“'Tis simple. There is much more than tactics and numbers and power to a warrior... there is spirit, and heart, and instinct, and camaraderie.” Sleipnir replied firmly, reaching a hoof up and wrapping it around Sleipnir's shoulders, and the crimson stallion smiled a little as the titanic, vine-maned earth pony leaned forwards with a kind expression when Kvasir looked up silently, for once not arguing, not scoffing. “An army is not made by a single soldier any more than a forest is not made by a single tree; yet the army, the forest, they are one thing because all those ponies and trees are moving and working together, that is what makes success of anything, be it in strife or in our daily lives and business and relationships.”
“Like a pocketwatch.” Big Mac added quietly, nodding slowly, and Kvasir looked silently between the stallions before he picked up his mixed drink and knocked it back, gulping down the alcohol in several large mouthfuls.
He slammed it down with a wince as the vodka and whiskey and tequila hit his stomach, then he took a slow breath before shaking his head briskly and looking moodily between the equines. “Friendship. Why does it always come back to harmony and friendship with you ponies? I've even heard that from Luna's side of the field.”
“Luna does not have a side of the field, Luna owns the field, I think we are far past pretending that this war is winnable by anything less than a miracle.” Sleipnir said distastefully, and Big Mac nodded silently as Kvasir sighed and lowered his head with a grumble. “But mayhaps thou should try and try and learn something from what we say instead of simply dismissing it, Kvasir... perhaps now that thy head is not firmly lodged within the soft comforts of thine own buttocks thou can attempt to give heed to the advice of us silly little ponies instead of simply relying upon thine own sordid knowledge and tactics.”
Kvasir sighed a little, then he nodded moodily before finally reaching into his suit jacket, fumbling out a few coins and large, precious gems. He tossed these onto the counter, then silently reached out and touched one of the rubies, resting his hoof on it for a moment before he murmured: “Strange. Friendship... and your damnable currency. I've never been able to get a hold of either concept for some reason. But this should be enough to cover what must be covered, I think, and if not, just add it to my tab and... bill New Equestria. I've paid for their mistakes. Let them pay for my drinks.”
He slipped away from the stool, striding moodily across the dimly-lit tavern before Sleipnir leaned back and called: “Kvasir, do us all a favor, and in this I include thine own self... do not repent what thou hast done here. Think on it as all annoying intellectuals must but do not call this but a moment of weakness or folly.”
The unicorn only stood in the shadows at the doorway, silent, before he glanced hesitantly over his shoulder... then sighed and pushed his way out through them, leaving Sleipnir and Big Macintosh alone in the darkness. For a little while, there was quiet between the two... and then Big Mac finally looked over at Sleipnir, and the male smiled without needing to be asked by more than the stallion's eyes, saying kindly: “Of course. Add our drinks to my tab, barkeep, and thou hast my thanks for keeping the doors open so late.”
“With how things get around here some days and nights, I should be the one thanking you two for staying and making sure I don't get robbed. Take care of yourselves.” the bartender replied quietly, and Sleipnir and Big Mac both smiled before pushing away from the counter, heading calmly towards the door and out into the night.
They walked quietly towards the lit-up gates leading out of Ponyville, Nibelung dressed in heavy hides and a few shivering ponies in thick cloaks standing calmly by the closed, heavy iron doors. They looked tired and malnourished and simply scared, and all of them smiled weakly when the two warriors approached: these poor night duty guards, after all, weren't soldiers apart from the Nibelung: instead, pony civilians had been put to work... and Sleipnir didn't think it was even an idea of Kvasir's, even though the unicorn enforced the rule. Kvasir was glad to put the civilians to work, certainly... but Sleipnir had seen another side to the god tonight that he'd never expected, and made him wonder how much of the blame he could really lay at the doorstep of the arrogant, childish, and yet not-without-a-heart god. “Hail, friends. How fare thee?”
“Tired. Cold.” one of the ponies murmured, as the Nibelung began to push the heavy gates open with a loud rumble, stirring up powdery snow along the ground. “You gonna be coming back in?”
“Nay, lock the gates. I may find lodgings elsewhere for the night.” Sleipnir said softly, and the guards nodded, looking respectfully up at Sleipnir, making him smile a little. These poor dregs he had the respect of... but he would rather have the respect of them than the blind soldiers of New Equestria, who looked at him as nothing more than an enormous troublemaker; talented in battle, certainly, but his sense of honor was different than theirs, making the actual soldiers of the army wary of him. “Keep thy chins up, friends. And remember, should monsters appear, sound the alarm, fight if thou must, but do not be ashamed to flee or surrender. It is one thing to die to defend family and village, but... thou art not soldiers, and this place feels more like a gulag than it does a home at times.”
The ponies looked at him silently, sadly, but they appreciated his advice, his gentility with them: the others shoved them around, but never Sleipnir or Big Mac. These weren't soldiers, after all... they were just civilians, whose beautiful village had been converted into a massive, monstrous den of inequity that scarred and destroyed their homes far more than Luna ever would have.
The two warrior stallions strode out onto the road, quietly making their way through the pale snow beneath the deep of the night, silent as they headed past encampments, past farmhouses converted into storage facilities, past greenhouses where crops were grown at freakish rates by magic and chemicals instead of nature. Ponyville was almost completely self-sufficient, a miniature, violent city-country inside a larger, growing-ruthless nation... and Sleipnir sighed a little, shaking his head slowly as he murmured: “New Equestria... 'tis never what Celestia nor I nor Luna envisioned.”
Big Mac nodded silently once, and both of them glanced towards the wreckage of what had once been a cottage: the enclosures around it had long been torn down, however, the corral ripped up, and the cottage itself lay in decrepit ruin. Applejack hadn't destroyed it... but she also had never done anything to keep other ponies away from it, turning it into a haunted house that sat eerily alone amidst the militant buildings along this road. Few ponies dared to spend much time there...
The red stallion nudged his friend gently, and Sleipnir smiled and nodded before they turned towards the wreckage, walking through the dirty snow to the doorway. Sleipnir forced it open with a grunt, and Big Mac closed it behind him before they made their way into the den, which over time the two had cleared of debris. The windows were painted dark and boarded up in here, and although there was rubble and ruin all around them, any sharp eye would note the floor was strangely-clear.
And, smiling, Sleipnir walked across the room to the torn-up couch, then yanked the cushions out of place to reveal a hollow inside the furnishing ,where some folded up blankets, a few oil lanterns, and a large burlap sack of other things – rations, alcohol, etcetera – were stored. He tossed these out one after the other, and Big Mac caught them even in the darkness with barely a look, the two working in practiced comfort as the blankets were laid out, the lanterns lit...
The stallions rested together as they shed their armor and their gear, sharing whiskey and mostly-silent conversation done more with their eyes and bodies than anything else. Eventually, they laid down side-by-side, looking up at the broken ceiling as a single guttering lantern glowed beside them, before Sleipnir said quietly: “Thou, Cheerilee, Pinkamena... I have special ponies in my life. Although yes, yes, handsome stallion, thou does not like when I refer to thee as that.”
“Nope.” Big Mac smiled despite himself, however, lifting a whiskey bottle up in front of his eyes and adding after a moment: “At least, not when I ain't drunk.”
Sleipnir snorted in amusement, then he grinned over at him, saying with relish: “Aye, that is one thing I like about alcohol, it makes everything prettier. Fear not, though, thou art pretty enough as it is without the drink in me.” He winked, then turned his eyes back upwards as Big Mac chuckled. “I like thee more than I like Cheerilee, though. But I fear I truly adore Miss Pinkamena. I do hope this does not break thy heart.”
“I'll get over it somehow.” Big Mac replied with a small smile, then he shook his head slowly, dirty-blonde locks falling over his eyes before he glanced towards the male and said softly: “Honestly, though. You make me smile a lot. Ain't a lot of ponies who do that. Especially these days... but you make a lot of ponies smile.”
“Of course I do, I am very talented in bed and very generous with sharing my talents.” Sleipnir grinned roguishly, waggling his eyebrows as he looked over at Big Mac, then he huffed when the red earth pony punched him gently in the chest. “Oh, thou art no fun. Pretty is pretty, nice is nice, that is all that matters to me. It used to drive Celestia mad, though... madder still when Luna began to take after me.”
Sleipnir quieted, and he and Big Mac were silent as they looked at the cracked ceiling above, the silence spiraling out before the crimson stallion said softly: “We both got family problems, huh?”
“Thou more serious than mine, I believe.” Sleipnir smiled a little, and Big Mac looked at him curiously before the vine-maned pony shrugged a bit, saying softly: “Aye, my sister is doing things I do not approve of, is... doing evil... but at the same time, she is trying to bring Equestria together. And my older sister, Celestia... she has sided firmly with Luna, is aiding her, and I recognize her tactics. Both brutal and benign. So... which one of us truly has the harder fight? I must fight my sister, aye, even knowing full well I stand little chance... thou must choose sides between thy sisters, older and younger, and must fight a much harsher, crueler war within thine own family.”
The red stallion nodded slowly with a sigh, and then Sleipnir rolled towards him and firmly embraced the fellow male, making him wheeze a bit at the strength of the hug as he was pulled in against the stallion's chest, flailing a little. “The sorrow I feel for thee, Macintosh! Aye, sorrow, and a promise to be here for thee as best I can be!”
“Thanks.” Big Mac mumbled finally, slumping awkwardly against Sleipnir as he realized the earth pony wasn't going to let him go, and he sighed as the benevolent, vine-maned stallion looked down at him warmly. “I said I wasn't drunk.”
“Shut up and enjoy the comforts of my mighty chest.” Sleipnir retorted, and Big Mac rolled his eyes, squirming a little, but the larger stallion only grinned and squeezed him firmly, adding mildly: “Do not make me comfort thee with something else.”
Big Mac rumbled in irritation, glaring up at him, but Sleipnir only winked cheerfully back down at the stallion. Eventually, the red earth pony was able to slip away, but as the lamp guttered out and they lay on the blankets, as they both fell towards sleep, Sleipnir embraced him gently from behind, and the red earth pony didn't bother to pull away in the safety of the darkness.
When Big Mac awoke then next morning, he was only vaguely aware of where he was, curled up beneath the blankets and being held back against something large and bulky and warm and oddly-cuddly... and then he felt something suckling on his ear, and he made a face, expression flat. Sleipnir's lack of understanding of what 'personal space' was could be annoying enough; the fact that any time they ended up falling asleep in close proximity to each other, Sleipnir somehow always ended up with one of Big Mac's ears in his mouth, however...
Yet for all his irritation, the red stallion was loathe to move. Sleipnir made him feel... protected, and safe, and he made him smile and laugh and... talk. He also made him do unspeakable things he would never have ever imagined himself doing in a thousand years, but after sharing a few drinks with Cheerilee one day when he'd run into her, he had found out that he wasn't the only one who Sleipnir simply... won over.
And at the same time, Sleipnir wasn't a pony who waltzed in, took what he wanted, and left a trail of broken hearts behind him. He came in, became your friend, went out of his way for you, and encouraged you, all while making it clear he couldn't be there forever, but if he was ever passing by again... he'd be there. Not just for whatever he could coax out of a pony, even though if Sleipnir had one talent, it was pressing all the right buttons to get anypony to do what he wanted.
Big Mac wiggled a bit, then winced a little when Sleipnir leaned forwards against him, squeezing him around the waist and pulling him back as he mumbled: “No, no... oh, thou art a large and lusty mare, aren't thou...”
“Nope.” Big Mac said clearly, and Sleipnir started, then woke up and blushed a bit as he carefully removed his mouth from Big Mac's ear... then simply squeezed him closer and grinned widely as he leaned forwards against him, making the red earth pony blush a little as he gave a wince and said awkwardly: “No.”
“Oh, thou art no fun at all!” Sleipnir grumbled, then he finally drew back, and Big Mac gave a small smile as he sat up and tossed the blankets off before the vine-maned stallion looked up and asked in a softer voice: “Has thou decided, then?”
For a moment, Big Mac was silent... then he nodded slowly, his eyes clouding over before he closed them as he lowered his head and murmured: “Yup.”
Sleipnir smiled as he stood up and nodded firmly, then he reached out and patted the earth pony on the cheek before the two began to clean up, hiding everything back in the hollowed-out couch before they donned their armor and stepped out into the early morning sunlight. It glittered quietly off the snow, making it sparkle strangely even as the world around them seemed gray and dark, and they walked out into the road, then shared a firm hug.
Sleipnir kissed Big Mac's forehead firmly, and the red stallion sighed a little, giving him a look before the vine-maned stallion grinned, saying mildly: “For luck. Unless thou would prefer it on the lips.”
He winked, leaning forwards, and then Big Mac sighed and reached up, shoving Sleipnir's head away before he replied amiably: “Not in public.”
“Then I shall take that as a promise to do so in private tonight.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and Big Mac dropped his forehead against a hoof before the male added softly: “If thou needs my help, let me know. If something happens... I shall come to help thee, remember that.”
Big Mac smiled a little, glancing up at him and nodding slowly once, and Sleipnir nodded firmly back before he reached a hoof up, resting it on the male's shoulder as their eyes locked for a moment. Then the vine-maned stallion turned away, striding easily towards Ponyville... and Big Mac quietly turned to head towards the farmhouse.
Rainbow Dash was opening the gates, and he grinned a little, looking up at Big Mac and greeting perhaps a little too eagerly: “Hey! Didn't see you last night... hey, you want to go out, get a drink like old times at the Blossom Bar tonight? I know you aren't like, fond of Smith and the others but just me and you can get one of the tables at the back and-”
“I got plans.” Big Mac replied quietly, bowing his head once towards the Pegasus, and Rainbow's face fell as the earth pony strode quietly past him.
“Mac, wait.” Rainbow said softly, sighing a little as he held up a hoof, and Big Macintosh paused in front of the steps, glancing over his shoulder as the pale blue Pegasus gazed at him for a moment, then he said quietly: “It doesn't have to be like this. We're still your family, and I'm still your friend. I know AJ is pushing hard, but... she has to. You know that, right? There's just so much riding on her, on us, on this. We're supposed to be the heroes of New Equestria... Ponyville is supposed to be what brings down Luna. We're all fighting hard to make that a reality, even you, even Sleipnir. It sucks, but... being around you really helped me grow up, realize a lot of things. I don't like... feeling like we're all at odds now over a whole bunch of stupid stuff.”
Big Mac only shook his head slowly, then he turned and headed up the stairs as Rainbow sighed and looked moodily after him, saying grouchily: “Well, fine. Maybe you'll be more talkative after you get some coffee in you. Or Sleipnir's juice out of you.”
This made the red earth pony halt in front of the door, then he slowly looked over his shoulder, and the Pegasus winced a little and swallowed thickly before he gave a large, cheesy grin. “I... did not mean to say that. You know what, it's... early morning, I obviously got up cranky, AJ's been out all night and Apple Bloom's not very happy, I... I'm just going to shut up.”
“Yup.” Big Mac said shortly, and then he turned and pushed through the door, striding inside and heading moodily towards the kitchen before he softened as he looked at Apple Bloom, who was sitting miserably at the kitchen table, a bowl of soggy cereal in front of her. She didn't look up when he walked by, and the red earth pony shook his head slowly as he opened one of the cupboards.
He made himself coffee, and a glass of chocolate milk for Apple Bloom, putting this latter in front of her and making her glance up with surprise, and then a small smile at him. She took it between her hooves, sipping at it quietly as Big Mac sat across from her, drinking his coffee in silence as they only sat together.
Eventually, Big Mac slipped out of his seat, then shoved it around the table so he could sit down again beside her, and Apple Bloom slipped a little closer, closing her eyes as she rested against the cold metal covering the earth pony's body before she murmured: “It's all just so unfair...”
“Yup.” Big Mac agreed quietly, and then he gently wrapped a forelimb around her, pulling her close and looking down at her as she gazed up before he reached his other front hoof up, gently touching her nose as he said softly: “But it won't be forever. I promise.”
She looked at him silently, and Big Mac looked back, their eyes meeting before he slowly brushed her mane back. Then Apple Bloom smiled faintly, leaning forwards and hugging him tightly, and he hugged her quietly back, keeping her close as he said quietly: “We'll figure this out, Apple Bloom. We're gonna make things alright again. And I ain't gonna let anypony... not any pony... hurt you.”
Apple Bloom nodded silently against him, curling up tighter against the stallion as he held her closer, closing his eyes and rocking her slowly against his strong frame, little sister believing in his words... big brother fearing what the consequences of what even such a gentle promise as he had made could bring.