//------------------------------// // Spike's Vindication // Story: Why is life? // by Daxisle //------------------------------// Spike's Vindication Dear Princess Celestia. We've finally made it to the outskirts of Vickors! This doesn't have the taller, more metropolitan infrastructure that the last city we visited had, but it's more spread out. It's absolutely magnificent Princess, I wish you could see it. I'll give my follow up report later tonight. You're faithful student, Twilight Sparkle "IT'S THE HUMANS MAN!" Cried a rather disturbed looking bright red earth stallion. "They control everything man!" Mac took a step back, what was this pony's problem. "Yes, yes." Ace cooed, motioning to the others to pass by. "It's all them." "NO seriously man." The pony pushed latching his forelegs onto Ace's shoulders. "They control everything, we're nothing but words on paper to them." "Yes, of course we are." The golden pegasus assured. "What ever you say sir, have a nice day." Mac heard the nonsensical stallion continue his ranting until it was lost within the noises of the streets. Yet again, more automated or enchanted wagons were going about their days. Pedestrians were limited to side walks and the pungent smell of different foods filled the air. "what was his problem?" Spike asked ponting back the way they came. Ace shrugged. "Some ponies just like to tell tales for attention. Best thing to do is ignore them." Mac furrowed his brow in confusion. 'If a pony needs attention, wouldn't it be a good thing to give it to them?' "Attention whore's seek some kind of recognition that way." The pegasus finished. Still, it didn't sit right. If somepony goes through so much trouble to get some one to pay attention to them, wouldn't it be who of them to listen to what they have to say? Typically, Mac would have asked Sin about this kind of thing, however, the stallion in question wasn't acting himself today. Ever since they had left the road side spa, which Mac still had no idea who thought it would be a good idea to put it there, Sin had been moodier and more distant than usual. When both he and Spike tried to confront the stallion on his possible brotherhood to Malich, the pony just pushed past as if he hadn't seen them. What's worse, when Mac tried to gain his attention by blocking his path, Sin rammed him to the ground. Ever since, the Apple pony had yet to try to communicate. The others mush have picked up on it as well. To everyone's surprise, Ace trotted ahead to the lone stallion. After a few words were exchanged, Sin walked off into the crowded streets and the golden pony returned with a smile. "So, we'll be heading to the Syndicate Head Quarters for the night." He proclaimed with a certain amount of enthusiasm. "Syndicate?" Rainbow Dash asked tilting her head. Ace continued to walk and explained what exactly the Syndicate was. As he thought, the organization was a conglomerate of all kinds of individualists and those of a more liberty minded persuasion. While their main beef and fight was with the intrusive laws of the government, they mostly dealt with larger and and more wealthy corporations. "Unlike most countries and states, North Equine doesn't have a state run police force or military." "WHAT!" Twilight yelled, causing everyone to stare at her in surprise. Apparently, the entire peace keeping force was made up of contracts made with the Triple M. Corporation. Macintosh grimaced at the thought, he knew that the company held power, but THAT kind of power? If they decided to turn on the citizens of N. Equine, who'd be able to stop them if the government didn't have fighting force of it's own? Suddenly, Twilight became a bit more on edge than she was before. Mac gave her a friendly shove and a gentle, reassuring smile. He wasn't too sure why the revelation stressed her as much as it did. So the guards worked under a private corporation, woopdy do. They still enforced the law and made sure ponies didn't hurt each other. Even if they were part of Triple M. they still worked for the citizenry. Twilight's form visibly relaxed as she looked into his eyes. She gave him a quick nuzzle and thanks for helping to calm her down. "Eeyup." "Alright," The lavender mare nodded. "C'mon Spike." She turned around to address her former assistant, but to her surprise, he was gone. "Where'd he run off to?" Spike kept his distance from his tan clothed target, taking the occasional interest in a loose news paper or business stand if he'd seen the pony look any way but straight. The odd looks he was getting were no where near as concerning as the fact that more ponies didn't seem to take notice of him. A dragon wondering around a town? He knew that the country had dragons and all, but sheesh, it was like he was only a little out of place rather than a freaking dragon in a primarily herbivorous town square. The drake pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and continued to tail his friend. The more he walked, the more he saw things out of the corner of his eye. At first it was subtle, but the longer he walked, the more he couldn't deny what he was seeing. Dragons, some younger, some older; but dragons all the same. He stopped to observe one. It was a yellow scaled male with wings looking over an assortment of gems on a stand. His large fangs and angry serpentine eyes seemed to suggest that he was more of a mischievous type. Not playfully so like Spike, but mean like Gilda. Wow, there was someone he hadn't thought about for a while. Come to think of it, he hadn't thought about alot of ponies for a while. Fluttershy, Rarity, Trixie, Sweetie Bell, Applebloom, Scootaloo. Wow, he loved all of his friends, he'd be sure to send them a letter the next chance he got. 'Wait, wasn't I doing something? OH CRAP!' He dashed forward, hoping the stallion wouldn't have taken any turns. Fortunatly, Spike recognized the long cloak and goggles the pony wore and continued his inconspicuous spy mission. After roughly thirty minutes of walking, Sin lead Spike away from the crowded streets and into a more peaceful part of the city. As the ponies thinned out, so did the shops and buildings. Turning into a more sub-urban and open area. At least he'd be able to keep an easier eye on the stallion, even if there was less things for him to hide behind. Sin's pace kept to an even walking trot, and after another half an our of continuous walking, the dragon was beginning to wonder if he was even going anywhere in particular and prayed that he'd reach a destination soon. Another few blocks and his prayers were answered. Sin walked into a black gate surrounded a high reaching brick wall. After the coast was clear, Spike too entered the metal obstruct. Though he stutter stepped when he beheld exactly what lay beyond. "A graveyard?" He whispered to himself, suddenly wishing he'd stayed with his friends. No, no, he had questions and he wanted answers. ( Want to make reading this awesome? Click) The Cemitary was enormous. Brilliant, alabaster flat headed tombstones littered the scape in long rows as far as the eye could see. Though the sun was shining, A few bigger ones held a slightly more contrasting and intimidating presence in the middle of a court yard. His morbid curiosity getting the better of him, he walked over the freshly trimmed green and began to observe the larger pieces of obsidian. Ignoring the white building that lay beyond. It was strange, the closer he came to the darkened silhouette, the more tense his body and shallowed his breath became. Fear? Why was he feeling afraid right now? It was just a statue! His pace began to slow the closer he grew. The statues were coming into their own now, and the dragon couldn't suppress the shivering in his spine nor the knot in his stomach. Finally, he was within five feet of the objective and gazed upon it. It towered over him, causing him to tilt his head up. Only farther adding to it's intimidation. He didn't understand what he was looking at, it appeared like some kind of tall, black cloth tearing out and grasping something that resembled a griffin in one appendage, with the other holding something long with a curve to it's back. He squinted to make out some kind of dim glow throw an opening of the cloth, but he still couldn't distinguish any real features. His unfamiliarity with such dark sculpting left him a bit overwhelmed. Equestria had so little of this kind of thing, the only place that might make a resemblance was the old castle in the Everfree Forest. A cold wind made him shiver as a dark cloud rolled over, blotting out the bright of the sun. In that moment, it all became clear. His eyes widened and he took a step back. Beneath the griffin's eyes was a single glowing red tear for some reason, what he thought was cloth was actually a kind of, bony appendage that wrapped around the griffin's neck, also glowing red. The curve of the stick it held followed suite by alighting in the same muted crimson. What struck the dragon most, however, was the opening in the cloth. There, glowing like it's exposed skeletal appendages, looking down at him with anger and scorn, was a skull. Not the skull of a pony, nor any kind of animal he'd seen before. It's face was far to flat to be a pony, and the small frame excluded a minotaur. But the alien orientation only served to make it's stare into his soul all the more terrifying. He fought the bile threatening to spill forward from his throat. He'd never thought anything but love could make him experience such a powerful feeling before. Anger, sadness, numbness, confusion, and much more washed over his mind, placing himself into a sensory overload. Spike wanted to move, he didn't want to look at this... this... thing anymore, but he couldn't. Something seemed familiar about the feeling it gave him, like it represented something very personal to him. Slowly his fear began to leave way to a depressed, emotional understanding. It wasn't something he could logically put into words, not a concept that he ever dreamed of finding in some book or a story. Matter of fact, he couldn't explain it at all, he just felt as if something inside of him, that soul tearing nick that he'd locked away, was finally beginning to wined down. The cloud passed and the statue was as it was. A silent tear rolled away from the dragons wide serpentine eyes. He didn't feel conflicted, he didn't feel afraid, he didn't feel anything anymore, save a dull sense of acceptance. Accepting of what, he was not yet sure. "Interesting design." Spike turned his head, knowing who was speaking. "Isn't it?" Spike's eyes slowly turned back to the blackened stone. The two sat in silence for a moment. "What is it?" Spike asked. Sin walked beside him, his eyes never leaving the statue. "It is said that when some one dies, it comes to take them." He looked back to the dragon. "Here, it's known as Death, but you might know it as the Grim Reaper." That's when it all clicked for Spike, this was the depiction of death. This was what he'd called upon those few days ago to protect himself and Sin... The dragon nodded his head as the logical realization mixed with the emotional. Though his melancholy didn't last, for Sin placed his hoof on the dragon's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. Spike smiled back and they shared another quiet moment as a clock tower bell chimed in the distance.