Truth
Two weeks had passed since, what Ponyville would come to refer to as, the second rampage.
Macintosh and the dragon had attempted to reintegrate with their respective families, the first few days were understandably awkward. The apple stallion waking on his old bed in his old room felt like a dream the first few days, but he grew past his nostalgia quickly enough. He even began helping out with the house hold chores again, thank Celestia for that. Those 'helping' hooves that Applejack had hired had no earthly idea what they were doing.
Plus he worked for free, that ought to please the budget.
He hadn't seen much of Spike since then, word from his sister was that he and Twilight haven't spoken either. According to her, he spends most of his time thinking or reading. The librarian hasn't had the heart to put him to work yet, but she's considering compensating him for his work now.
Granny Smith hadn't forgiven him for leaving yet, but the two were civil enough with each other. Smiling and joking after a hard day on the field about if it was too much work for him and if Mac would take off again. He tried his best to just laugh it off, but every time she made a comment like that, it did sting a bit. Trying to avoid any more confrontations, the stallion hoped the matriarch of the family would drop the jokes soon.
Applejack was happy to have him back, as was Applebloom and Winona. In hindsight it was kinda funny and cute how tightly his youngest sister hugged his leg and smiled when she heard he'd be staying for good. Her eyes lighting up as if it were the morning of Hearths Warming Eve. "Are ya really stayin' big brother?" She asked.
"Eyup." He replied and the two embraced, quickly joined by Applejack. He even saw his grandmother give a soft smile where she stood, before barking order for everypony to get to work.
The town was still the same, minus a few broken shops of course. Everypony was happy to see him back and were quick to offer a good drink to catch up and hear of his adventures out in the Equestrian wild. He hadn't heard from Sin or Shade since they left for the forest, the two looked pretty beaten up, but he wasn't too worried about them. Right now, his focus was on him and putting his life here back together.
Things were finally going to go back to normal. Well, not normal normal; things would never be the same in that respect. And it was a change for the better as far as he was concerned. Life would be better from here on out...
A thunderous crack echoed through out Sweet Apple Acres, accompanied by none but the complaining birds who fled any near by apple tree. Macintosh watched with somber eyes as a few dead branches fell limply to the snow covered ground. His steaming breath left his mouth and lost itself to the grey and white world around him.
Only a few branches fell, and nothing too big. This tree would do well come spring.
Nodding in satisfaction, Mac wondered to the next one to repeat the same experiment. The crunching of the snow beneath is strong hooves over powered that of the tiny crunching that approached from behind.
"Big Mac?" He turned to find little Applebloom staring up at him, shivering under her orange and red scarf. "G-granny said tah come on inside. It's getten' dark."
The stallion looked up to the over cast sky. That was one of the things he hated about days like this, the sky never changed until the sun was beginning to go down. Still, he was getting tired and cold, perhaps a nice cup of co-co would do him good.
With a smile, the two set off back to the main house. It wasn't until they were half way home that his younger sister spoke. "How're the trees doin' this year?" She asked.
"They'll be fine." Macintosh answered, keeping his eyes forward. "Few dead branches 'n all 'r expected durin' the cold season." Well, he hoped they'd be fine, Luna knows if the family got around to putting the necessary fertilizer and such down in time to protect the trees from the winter's frost.
"Oh okay." The filly replied and looked forward again.
The rest of the trek was quiet as the two finally made it to the warm porch and wiped their hooves of snow. The inside was warm and soothing, Macintosh's cold muscles and skin were under the houses spell to relax to the point where he could fall asleep on the entry rug.
"Granny!" Applebloom shouted as she removed her scar. "We're back."
"We'll getcher keisters in the kitchen then!" Granny's voice bellowed from the next room. "Ah've gotcha both some nice hot co-co ready."
The stallion smiled, nothing like the chocolate liquid to help relax him after a hard time in the fields on a cold day. Quickly, the two made their way to the table and found the promised warmth. Taking a seat on the pillows, he brought the steaming hot deliciousness to his lips.
"Mmmm, Granny's hot co-co." Applebloom sighed.
As if the aroma and warmth wasn't intoxicating enough, the very taste of the sweet drink almost made Macintosh fall asleep in his chair. His body would still need to adjust to the work he'd be doing around the house, all the: Walking, running, fighting goats, swimming through rivers, lakes and dragon fighting had made him soft to farm work.
"Where's Applejack?" The filly asked, looking around for the missing family member.
Granny poked her head into the dining room and reminded her grand daughter that Applejack was going to Sugar Cube corner to meet with her friends about an upcoming spring Wonderbolts show. Apparently there was reconciliation between Rainbow Dash and Spitfire not too long ago and as way of apology, she and her friends were given tickets to watch the wonder bolts preform in Canterlot on the third day of spring.
Mac shook his head, Wonderbolts. How he'd come to despise the fliers, he used to be fairly indifferent to them, but after displaying their overwhelming obedience to authority to the point they put others at risk; they were less than admirable now. Still, he was happy that his sister was going to take some time off, she'd been working to hard on the farm lately.
Applebloom seemed a little saddened at the information, though quickly perked up. "Tha' means tha' Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell 'll be free that day, and we c'n have 'nother slumber party!"
The stallion chuckled before realization dawned on him about how bad the Cutie Mark Crusaders were about getting into trouble with their quest to discard their status as blank flanks.
"Maybe they're free right now! Hey big Mac, can Ah go n' play with Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell? Pleeeeease?"
The addressed was about to answer in the negative, siting the cold weather, but then found it to be the perfect opportunity to talk with Spike. He'd been meaning to check up on the drake for a while now, but never had the excuse.
After a quick double check with granny, and a sincere promise that the younger would be safe, the two ponies left the house and made way for Ponyville. Mac gave a look to his sister, they wouldn't be out long, considering the time, but she'd been cooped up in the house for the whole day due to the weather. She needed the time outside.
As the two wondered through Ponyville, a few unicorns went about lighting the town's street lights. It was heart warming in a way, a deep contrast to the darkening dusk that blanketed the already depressing city in a cloth of shadow. Small twinkling light's fought back to retain some hope lost upon the town.
'Boss, chill out. They're just lamp posts.'
All the same, the act was uplifting in it's own way. They stopped by Rarity's house and knocked on the door. None came forward to answer their call and they both shrugged and figured to ask her at Sugar Cube Corner where her sister was. Once they came into view of the establishment, a lovely aroma of baked goods and delicious, albeit not as good as Granny's, hot chocolate graced their nostrils.
Applebloom took the initiative this time and charged forward, slamming her hoof on the door with the subtle inclination of a pack of stampeding cows.
"I'm sorry we're- Oh, hi Macintosh!" Pinkie said as she answered the door. "Hello Applebloom, what are you two doing here? Come to visit Applejack?"
"Well no," The stallion answered before motioning to his sister, "we were hopin' ta let Applebloom see her friend for a moment."
Pinkie tilted her head and then looked to the rambunctious filly. Had Macintosh not known any better, he'd have sworn his sister hadn't seen her friend in weeks. What in tar-nation was so important anyway?
Pinkie put her hoof up to her chin in thought and furrowed her brow. "Hmmm, well, I don't know."
Applebloom's eyes grew and her lip began to quiver. "Pleeeeeease?" She begged. Mac was a bit surprised at the mare's posture, was she really considering sending them away?
"Ha! I'm just kidding" Well, that's a relief. Pinkie welcomed them all in where they came face to face with the rest of Twilight's friends.
"Hello you two." Rarity greeted with an all to friendly smile. "Sweetie Bell is entertaining the Cake twins if you'd like to see her." And before the words finished coming out of her mouth, the youngest Apple was up the stairs faster than Spike going after a freshly seasoned ruby.
Oh yea, Spike.
Macintosh gave quick words of departure before beginning to head to the door.
"Woah hold on there, pardner." His sister called, holding him in his tracks, "where ya off to in such a hurry?" The stallion didn't answer for a moment, the last thing he wanted was any of them accompanying him. This was a private matter that he needed to address on his own.
"To talk to Spike." Was all he said before walking out the door. He wasn't cold about it, but his tone did convey the fact that it wasn't something for them to get involved in.
Once the door closed, his chest felt a sudden tightness to it. He could only hope that Spike had some what gotten over what happened the last time they spoke, and even if he didn't, Mac knew he needed to at least see how the drake was doing.
The library wasn't far off, and it wasn't long until Mac found his own hoof knocking on the door. He heard the foot steps approaching and for the briefest of moments thought that what he was doing was a mistake, but only for a moment. The door opened and there stood his friend. His green eyes were bloodshot, his scales a mess and book in his left hand. If that wasn't enough of a shock, the fact that the drake was back to his small and chubbie hatchling form was. Mac couldn't believe he forgot about that.
"What's up?" He asked in a tired voice. Well at least he didn't slam the door in the stallion's face, that was encouraging.
"Nothin' much." Mac shrugged. "Jus' commen' to see how yer' doin'." It was more or less the truth, he hadn't exactly had any real idea of what he wanted to talk about yet.
The drake answered his shrug with another, claiming things had been well enough. The two stood for a while, Mac in the cold night and Spike in the warm library entrance.
What was he supposed to say? 'Yea, I'll take your word that you're ok. You look like you've been up for weeks and just finished up being mauled by a pack of timberwolves, but yea, I'm sure you're doing fine'?
"Is that all?" Spike asked, breaking Mac from his thoughts.
the stallion took a breath, "may I come in?"
With yet another shrug, the purple hatchling stepped aside and allowed the pony to enter the establishment. Now, Macintosh didn't often visit the Library, but the place didn't looks as immaculate as memory served it to be. No, the place wasn't trashed with books scattered and parchment flung about but it did lack a certain charm that used to be a constant. Everything was in it's place, but it all seemed... dulled some how. The colors of the tomes and shelves that held tomes and shelves that held them were dulled, even the furniture was covered in it.
"Can I get you something to drink?"
"Naw, thanks though."
Spike nodded and let out a breath, putting the book unto a near by table and folding his arms. "Did you wanna book?"
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
Rattling his brain, the stallion tried to find the right words, what did he want here? To talk to Spike, but what about? He obviously wasn't looking too good, and his chance of opening up were slim. No, no, he had to play it cool, casually just ask what he's been doing.
"Just see what you've been up to lately, n' such."
Spike's eyes had a flicker of irritation. "You know, same old, same old."
"That right?"
"Oh yea, after I get the lecture of a life time and knocked senseless twice by somepony I thought was my friend, things just go back to normal, you know?" His sarcastic deadpan finished with a scoff. "Honestly Mac, how do you think I am doing?"
Mac quirked a brow. "Ah didn't come here to fight witcha."
Spike waved his hand dismissively and placed his other over his eyes. "I know, I know. I'm just... not in a good place right now, ok?"
Mac agreed and gently inquired to his friend's plight.
"Runnin' from the law?" Macintosh asked, taking a sip of some tea the dragon had made for the two.
"Yea." Spike nodded rubbing his forehead. "That's the reason I went back to the cave." Now the story made sense. He didn't go back to claim the gems for his own, he went back to hide and became desperate and irrational.
That still didn't answer one question though. "What was it yer' hopin to gain outta it all?"
With a deep and tired sigh, Spike looked him dead in the eye with an almost challenging stare. "Revenge." Mac shook his head, he already knew that, but what he didn't know was what exactly his friend planned to do. Just beat every dog up and make him feel better or...?
To his surprise, a small chuckle escaped Spike's lips. It wasn't sarcastic, but it did lack mirth. "It wasn't about the dogs themselves, it was about their alpha, Fido." He laughed again and shook his head. "Come to find out that he wasn't even there."
Twinges of guilt pulled at the heart strings for some reason. The look of disappointment on Spike's face was hard to look at, had this "Fido" really wronged him so much? He didn't have time to ponder on the thought long though, the hatchling let out a quivering breath and spoke again.
"What happened to me down there Mac, it was terrifying... I- I wasn't in control of myself."
A light shake of the chair interrupted him, but it was actually Spike who was shaking. His eyes were full of terror and pain the likes of which weren't appropriate for his age. Macintosh wasn't sure what to do, if he were a female, he'd offer some form of comfort, but as two guys doing it? That just seemed wrong.
"I didn't wanna hurt them." Spike managed, settling down a bit. "I- I just wanted to humiliate them a little. But, I..." He sighed, a quick sob, "I hurt them, Mac, I hurt 'em bad."
"The leader was s-stronger than the rest, faster too. My fists didn't do anything to him, and... I swear to Celestia I didn't wanna do it, but he made me."
Mac's eyes widened. "Did. Did ya-"
"No! no, I didn't kill him."
'Wow, that was a close one.'
"But, I did mangle him a bit." Spike drew out his claws and raked them across his face. Big Mac couldn't control his cringe, that had to be six ways of painful. "And the worst part is, I don't feel bad about it." He proclaimed in a shaky voice. "I still don't think what I did to them was wrong... What kind of monster rips off a sentient being's face and doesn't feel wrong about it?"
The restrained tears in the dragon's emerald orb fell freely and he openly sobbed. "Why in Tartarus is wrong with me?"
Biting his lip, the stallion began to think of what he could say. Well, what could he say? It wouldn't be right to call his behavior anything but wrong and unacceptable, but he didn't need that kind of negative reinforcement right now. Throwing caution to the wind, the stallion placed a strong hoof on the dragon's shoulder.
"Ah'm sorry that happened to ya, Spike." He began, the words just coming out of his mouth. "We all make mistakes in life, part of livin' 'n such. Don't beat yerself up over 'em too bad, like it or not, yer still young n' allowed to be wrong."
'He's allowed to get away with assaulting countless diamond dogs and mutilating one's face?
Shut up!
'What? I'm just saying.'
"Look, Spike, you know wha' ya did was wrong, righ'?" The mentioned tightened his eyes shut and nodded. "That's all that matters. Ya can't take back the past, but ya can try to make this better in the future."
"How?" Spike sniffled.
Mac shrugged. "Apologizing would be a good start. Maybe helpin' 'em dig 'n find a few gems?"
Luckily, the comment cause the dragon to chuckle. "You really think they'd let me go near them after what I did?"
"Can't say fer sure. But, at least you'll have tried." And with that, Mac gave two pats of the shoulder and stood from his place. "Well, I should be headin' back, gotta get Applebloom to bed on time 'n all. Have a good night, Spike."
"Hey wait," The dragon called. "Have you seen Sin lately?"
"Sorry, haven't seen him in weeks."
"Oh, well, do you know where he is?"
Conflicted about giving the information due to Spike's state, Mac answered hesitantly and advised that he get some rest before looking for the foreigner. What ever needed to be said or done could wait until thoughts were collected and proper measures of sleep were taken. Anything less would end badly.
"Thanks, I'll see you later."
The dragon gave a wave and closed the door behind his guest. Like a the yoke he'd thrown off all that time ago, a huge weight had lifted from the apple stallion's shoulders. He felt more at peace after hearing his friend's story, hopefully Spike would feel the same, given some time...