//------------------------------// // Murphy's Law // Story: Earning Freedom // by Daxisle //------------------------------// Murphy's law Low voices shuffled about as the stadium began to empty under the cover of night. Mac's face still had yet to lose it's shock and awe it gained an hour ago. His sister... kissed a pony who'd threatened him with treason. and it wasn't a quick peck either. The image played over and over again in his mind: Applejack pressing her lips against Soarin's, her hooves wrapping around his neck and his around her back, pushing eachother close, close enough to make the red pony sick to his stomach. Though, somepony didn't seem to upset about it. Spike was laughing it up! Making remarks about Soarin becoming the dreaded in-law and chuckling on about the two having foals together. "Spike!" Twilight wined. "I think we get the picture, thank you." "No! No! I've got it! Soaring Apple!" He burst into another fit of chuckles, sparing only to look as Macintosh's face grew even more horrified. Looks like he got the reaction he wanted after all. Rarity, knowing just enough of the situation -and having just enough of a guilty conscious- interjected, suggesting that it was all just for show, an act, as it were. The thought brought hope to Mac's heart. Yea, it was all just part of the show! Like how Annabell wasn't really a dragon controlling witch, it was all just for show and entertainment. Some shock value! Yea, that had to be it. He just got all worked up over nothing. "Hey ya'll!" The mare in question greeted, the hellspaw of a stallion by her side. Rainbow took the initiative and gave her friend hoof-bump. "Nice going AJ, told ya you'd be able to pull it off." She leaned in closer. "But what's with the ending? We never practiced that." A tint of read peached Applejacks cheeks, causing the wonderbolt at her side to chuckle. "What? You didn't tell them?" Macintosh felt his heart stop, no, no it was an act. It had to all be an act! "Well, no." The mare admitted. "Everypony, I'd like to tell ya'll somethin'." No... "Soarin' n' Ah have been talkin' fer a bit-" What? When!? You've never left the house and- the letter! "We've decided to see if we're compatible." Sin limped onto the beaten path of the Everfree. While thankful for the darkened surroundings for his sensitive eyes, the adrenaline from earlier had long sense dispersed, giving him notice of every single ache in his body. Including his grumbling and complaining stomach. He couldn't remember the last time he ate. 'Well, at least the camps not too far away now.' His inner critic commented cheerfully. Soon you'll be able to get something to eat and sleep this off like a bad hangover.' Yea, problem with that was how much food did he have? Yea, he left Shade a nice cache of berries and vegetation but who's to day there was any left? 'Could always go and forage for a bit. Not like you're a cripple or anything.' Yet. 'Yea, fighting old lady mares is more dangerous than most realize for sure.' ... Why must you remind me of that? 'Because it was hilarious. But at least you left with dignity.' That's all I have left... 'Oh lighten up, It could be worse!' ... ... A small ruffle of leaves to his left halted the stallion in his tracks, his ears swiveling to pick up on it. '... No...' Suddenly, SIn picked up on almost inaudible footsteps in the grass, creeping behind him and too his right. Light snarles and growls tinting the predators. Noooo... Murphey, don't you do this too me.' Sin slowly turned his head to find the glowing, hungry eyes of a timberwolf pack, their jagged fangs and oaken muzzles covered in slimy green saliva. The Federalist, out of a mixture of calm and exhaustion, simply turned his body and regarded the wooden mammals. Mammals who were just waiting to pounce and tear him limb from limb and devour his flesh. Hey. 'Yea?' New rule, you're not allowed to say "it could be worse" anymore. 'Uh, yea, I don't think that's going to make a difference anymore. Unless you've got a card to play, please tell me you've got a card to play.' Nope, I'm spent. One of the wolves took a step forward with a smile that exposed a glowing from in the back of its throat, Sin responding while taking a step back, needing another to maintain the distance. Another growl forced his head to look behind to find another pair of the pack approaching from the rear. So this is how it ends, huh? Mauled to death by Timberwolves. 'Yea, I always thought it would be a huge fight with some government. You failing to comply with their orders and falling in battle, taking at least thirty ponies with you.' Thirty? Don't be ridiculous, I'd easily take a hundred. The lead wolf, one slightly bigger than the others, drew ever closer. Sin tested the weight on his foreleg, he wouldn't be able to buck worth a crap, and a quick sweep wit his eyes didn't find any branches or sticks to aid him. The pack leader was closer now, with the rest of the pack halting their advance. Guess the alpha was going to end Sin's life himself. All well, at least he'd survive longer in a one on one fight. Approaching leaping range, the head wolf lowered his body and Sin pushed his head to the side. He may die today, but he'd be damned if he was going with out a fight. The wolf lept and Sin slammed his head into the wolf's head as hard as he could, sending small bits of splinters cascading from the animal's neck. However, his efforts were for naught, the alpha pinned Sin to the ground under two massive claws, stealing both the stallion's breath and another cracked rib. "Ahh, mother fucker." He cursed, attempting to move to his hooves. It didn't take a genius to figure out he wasn't getting up. As he lay there, feeling the saliva of the wolf's gaping maw slowly descend upon his bare neck the Federalist's life flashed before his eyes. Mandylion, His father Gemini, Malich, the head aches in the Senate, his survivalist training and lessons, and even the few friends he'd found in Equestria. Strange as it was, he wasn't afraid of death at this point, truth be told there was a strange kind of relief knowing that his end was here. Well Crasus, looks like I'll be seeing you soon. The uneasy peace ended the moment he felt the jagged and and hungry fangs of the wolf tear into his flesh. The spine freezing, heart stopping terror he'd expected sooner overtook him like a tidal wave. Sin jerked and struggled to get free, but it was no use, between the massive paws, lack of breath and clamped maw; he was stuck. Releasing, the pack leader looked up and growled at one of his approaching comrades, staving off any challenge. Sin, let a sigh of relief from both the pain and the few extra seconds of staved off death. He opened his eyes and looked under the wolf to find probably the most disturbing and inspiring thing he'd ever seen. Dangling freely between its hind legs were a pair of bark wrapped (what he assumed) testicles. And as every male in the mammalian family knows, the weakest spot was always where you aim. "Ugh, that's just wrong. No, seriously, why do they even need those? In a sudden epiphany of wanting to live again, Sin used his hind legs and pinched them against the beasts genitals. He didn't care for the texture or feeling so much as if they had the desired effect, and by Tapio's beard, they had the desired effect. A sudden yelp caused the entire pack to stand at attention, the alpha wolf snapped it's head down to the stallion and growled before leaping in for the killing blow, stopping only when it's prey put the squeeze onto it's privates. Slow and steady, the Federalists breaths came forth. Tolerating the ungoldy stench of the wolf's maw that hover just inches above. His legs burned but he couldn't let go, his sides were on fire, and all he cared about was surviving the ordeal and going to sleep. Feeling the alpha try to move itself free, Sin tightened his legs and hooked them together to save energy and keep a grip. In a shocking turn of events, he literally had the situation by the balls and may just survive yet. The fluidity of the situation showed itself as a sudden rift of dark and light green passed by in a flash and Sin found himself yet again in the hungry clutches of the wolf. But it wasn't just a one sided battle this time, the wolf may have had him by the neck, but Sin had something far more sensitive and as powerful as his adversary may be, a few quick yanks relieved the sharp pain of teeth. He was in control now. "I've survived eight weeks in the frozen winter of Mount Vention with nothing but a broken leg and a knife." He seethed, tightening his grip, forcing a small yelp and retraction from his foe. "I made it through the heavily guarded border of North and South Equine on multiple occasions" his last words spitting venom as he used his body to pull the wolf down to it's knees and angled to where it was on its side, and slowly crawled ontop of it. His words only growing in power and pride. "I've been crushed by two dragons, fought countless diamond dogs, parlayed with the Bloody Sky Captains,helped dozens of innocence escape wrongful imprisonment, endured the idiotic ramblings of a hundred solipsistic politicians, and invested years of my life to prepare for my country's destruction all on my own." He was now standing on the wolf's underbelly, his teeth bared and eyes full of determination. "I am Sinbad Von Islander. And not you nor Tapio Bearking himself will kill me here!" What happened next sent a large and loud echo slapping through the air, followed by an even louder and pain filled howl. Sin jump off of his attacker and watched with disdain as the poor creature wiggled and writhed in what had to be unimaginable torment. He'd stomped on them, he'd put every last bit of his strength into his hind leg and threw it down as hard as he could. Bringing about the most painful experience any male could endure. He may not have been familiar with Timberwolf anatomy and physiology, but with the force he put into that kick, it would be quite a while before this abomination of wood and animal would be of any threat to anyone. Growling like the beast he'd just beaten, the oaken stallion quickly eyed and challenged the rest of the pack, each taking one step back as soon as the pony had them in his line of sight. Each tucking their tails, closing their legs and bowing their heads. Knowing full well about pack mentality, he held himself with strength and pride as he walked back to his camp. Defeating the alpha, and in such a grim fashion, made his safety all but certain from the rest of the pack. With unquestioning confidence, the stallion marched out of the circle of predators, the ones in the back scrambling to get out of his way, and he made way back to the safety of the trap encompassed campsite, where he unceremoniously collapsed onto the forest floor and immediately fell into a deep slumber. Taking no notice to the new pile of white pebbles behind him or the being who'd put them there. "Oh boyo, what happened to you?"