//------------------------------//
// Obligations 
// Story: Earning Freedom 
// by Daxisle 
//------------------------------//




Obligations





Sin sat and watched as Applejack continued to sob on the floor. His mind telling him to do something, but holding conflict about what that something was.

He knew that she needed comfort of some kind, but the two hardly knew each other. What was he supposed to say? It'll be alright? That wasn't the truth, and he preferred not to lie too much when it came to ponies he'd likely associate with alot. Lying had a tendency to breed more lies, which lead to more lies and a lack of trust and integrity. Though, maybe this was the exception? Ponies always said things that weren't true to make others feel better. Like telling a mare the dress didn't make her look fat, even if it made her look like the child of lady Fat Ass.

Her gentle sobbing began to die down and slowly, Applejack raised up from the floor into the sitting position. She looked up and held a sort of depressed surprise to her face, obviously not expecting to see him. "Sin?" She hiccuped. 

"Ms. Applejack." He replied politely, attempting to force some warmth into his voice. He had no idea what he was doing, but maybe he could just stand there and she'd be the one to start it off. Though, the awkward silence that followed told the Federalist the contrary was true.

'Any ideas?'

If I had any, don't you think I'd have used them?

'Not really, you kinda suck at making others feel better about themselves. Too honest for your own good.'

No regrets there.

Growing irritated at the uncomfortable quite, Sin took a breath and tried to probe the subject of what had the cow filly in such a state of self loathing. 

"Ah, Ah don't... Soarin's upset with me and ah feel sick over it." She replied, looking absolutely broken.

"If my understanding is correct, you haven't known him that long, how can you have such strong feelings for him?" The oaken stallion asked, genuinely curious.

"Ah don't know. Jes, whenver Ah see him, Ah feel complete, happy, like there's nothin' wrong in the world. When he's gone, Ah jes... Ah jes..." She hiccuped, starting a new stream of tears. This intreagued the stallion's desire of comprehension of psychology and to beat a problem, one first had to understand the problem. He had a few theries toying around in his mind, but wasn't sure which to pursue, especially without coming off as an inconsiderate jack ass.

'Since when did you care about being an inconsiderate jack ass?'

You know, I think it was when you and Tapio lectured me about feelings and shit.

'Well, ummm... Yea, I don't know how to respond to that.'

"Can you name a flaw with him?" He asked, taking a chance. The mare's sobbing stopped for a moment and she looked at him, her head tilted and eyes wide with confusion. "Can you name a flaw Soarin has? Just one will do." Furrowing her brow, AJ tried to comprehend the question, and much to Sin's hidden bewilderment, she claimed she couldn't do as he asked.

Filly love? At her age and maturity? That is strange.

Deciding to play his gambit, the former Senator continued questioning the mare about her relationship, feeling something in him grow warm as her tears were suddenly exchanged for a smile. It was a disturbing, bitter sweet warmth, but he didn't like seeing others cry.

He sat for a full ten minutes, listening and learning. Soarin had, apparently, taught her about what she was missing out on in the arena of love. Showing her a world of warmth and caring that she'd never before experienced. 

Oxcitocin and Endorphins were incredible hormones and had a profound chemical effect on the brain. Was she just so repressed that her opening her heart a little had left her utterly infatuated? She'd claimed to never had a coltfriend before, so that was a profound possibility. If the country folk in Equestria were anything like in the Federation, fundamentalist values of chastity and abstinence were firmly in place upon fillies.

Psychologically speaking, she may have had an overly sensitive reaction to the feelings, but he found that suspect. Equestria was far more open about many things than his homeland. Surely she had experienced something before Soarin, right?

"Here's a question, why are ya askin'?" AJ asked, flipping the script and surprising him. "Ever since ya came here, y'all've always been the creepy pony mah brother hung around. What do ya care 'bout me n' Soarin, anyhow?"

Sin felt a small smile creep it's way onto his face. Personal attacks always meant he was hitting a nerve, and when you hit a nerve, it means you found a problem. Though, his smirk only set the applemare farther on edge.

"Why am I curious? Well, to be blatantly honest, I've had a certain respect for you since we met your house all that time ago." He replied honestly, his smile fading and a faux look of pity. "Pains me to see how far you've fallen, you seemed so proud then, now you're just a scared school filly with a crush. It's really pathetic."

That got a response he was much more apt to dealing with. Anger, anger and indignation. "Why you! Ah outta send ya through the wall fer that!" She declared, standing on her lefts and snarling.

Now, there were choices to be made at this moment. Good choices like walking out the door or apologizing for his rudeness and cruelty. Then there were bad choices, like continuing to goad and mock her, choices that would end up making his healing neck and chest feel exuberant amounts of pain, and extend their reconstruction process.

Sin decided to a compromise of the two was in order. "You'll have to forgive me, I just found the sight of you whimpering like a lost foal a little to disturbing to sit down and listen to." His smirk turned into a sneer to match her own. "Especially since it kept you from attending the Trial of your friend Spike two days ago."

Her sneer faded to another confused head tilt before the applemare's eyes widened and he ears perked forward. "Yea, everyone was there, except for you." He pointed out icily, seeing her defenses crumble before him. "You missed what might have been your last chance to see Spike for a stallion who'd assaulted your brother and threatened you with treason. Can you even justify that?"

Applejack took a step back, horror plastered all over her face. She was afraid, she was sorry, and most importantly, she was becoming vulnerable. It was manipulation of the type Sin was most disgusted with, but in dealing with the emotionally driven, logic just didn't garner the same results, and if he was going to get to the bottom of this, he'd need as many results as he could get his grubby little hooves on. That, and if her strength was anything compared to Mac's, he was as good as dead if he didn't keep on the defensive.

"Ah- Ah uh" AJ floundered, her eyes darting around the room for something, anything she could use to help her case, though there was no help to be had, and before long, found herself in tears of guilt yet again. Constantly muttering about how sorry she was and how she never meant to miss the important event.

Backing off, Sin used her vulnerability to get some more personal information. Asking if she'd been defloured by the stallion she claimed to love, and for the second time; she looked at him with indignation. "Wha? Why are ya askin' me that?!" She was blushing, just another emotion to add to the hurricane inside her head.

"Because your brother is worried about you, and as his friend, I don't like seeing him stressed out over his family." He paused, carefully condicting his next few words. "And it appears as though you were manipulated in some way. I despise manipulations of other's free will, it's a dangerous thing that can haveterrible consequences. I may not know you, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't particularly care for you."

He watched as a slow blush came to her face and quickly explained that his care was in no way romantic or sexual in nature, much to AJ's relief.

"But understand that despite what you think of me, you're brother is the one you should be concerned with. He's worried about you, scared for you."

Cringing, the mare's eyes continually shifted between his goggles and the floor. Appearing as submissive and guilty as a puppy who'd just been swatted for the first time. Figuring he'd best take the initiative again, Sin inquired about how the feelings had come about, feeling a little bit like a stalker for his persistence, but knowing something really wasn't right. AJ explained that it was just... love. She first met Soarin when he wanted to apologize about what he'd done, and as the two sipped on a bit of adult beverages, she slowly had feelings grow for him. Seeing the wonderbolt in a completely different light that she hadn't before.

The rest she just chalked up to her growing love for him. Though the Federalist remained skeptical, taking note of the two sharing beverages, taking special note of Soarin's providence of the drinks. 

He waited patiently as she explained what had driven her to the drunken state she was in the night before. To his surprise, Soarin left her two nights ago, claiming that she was too clingy and needy, that he needed his space and wanted to be alone for a bit. This surprised him due to the look of guilt AJ described him to have. It wasn't one of irritation or disgust as one would expect, but remorse.

If that was true, than Soarin was the one he'd need to talk to next. Telling Mac was just asking for trouble at this point, still he had a problem before him, and he decided to apply what little he knew about love in questioning what the emotion had to do with her reaction to the way he treated her.

"Ah don't know, that jes how love works!"

"Love, huh?" Sin deadpanned. "Tell me, Ms. Applejack. What is "love" exactly?" He turned and admired the simplicity of the room. "When I was in the Federation, I had a facination with love when I was younger. Not falling in love, but the idea itself. I spoke with many married couples of all species, and do you know what they all told me?"

She didn't answer, content to eye him skeptically. "I was always told that love was built. It was something that ponies, griffons, minataur, all of them, it was something that was built on trust, compassion, and a an unwillingness to hurt one another." He paused, the words suddenly making a bit more sense to him than he was willing to admit. "Something that developed through experience and hardships."

While she didn't express utter disbelief like he hoped, she did grimace in thought. 

Something in his gut told him to leave and he walked to the door with a few parting words. "I don't know about you, but someone being cruel with words and emotional detachment doesn't feel like love to me." He eyed her for a few seconds and shrugged, heading for the door again. "But maybe I'm just old school."

He closed the door, hoping that he'd given the mare something to think about.







Mac stormed forward, his mind far too jumbled to do anything but concentrate on putting one hoof infront of the other.

Today had been a very bad day, his sister was a different mare, she wouldn't listen to reason no matter what he did and was obsessed with a stallion he loathed greatly. Worst of all, he cared. No matter how much he told himself that it was her life and her decision, he still wanted to protect her, to save her. It was maddening, trying so hard only to fail half way through.

Annabelle followed him a pace behind and too his left. He really wished she'd leave him alone, though. He was grateful to her and Sin for stopping him from giving AJ the woopin' of a life time, but now he just wanted everypony to leave him be with his thoughts. He needed to sort himself out before he did something he'd regret.

And as if the universe had conspired to place the pony back in prison, he felt his muscles tense as Soarin and his just so happened to cross his path, causing the stallion to freeze. He really really wished he had his crossbow, it would have been so easy. Mac wasn't a perfect shot, but with each step the object of his loathing took, the more of a chance Mac would have to put a bolt right between his eyes.

'Dude, calm down. I know you're angry but-'

Shut up! Shut the buck up! I'm so bucking tired of you! Why don't you do something useful for once? Huh?

He felt a leg on his side and Mac looked down to find Annabelle looking at him with a hopeful smile. He wanted to smile back, to let her know that he was fine, but he wasn't and the smile gave no comfort, only farther irritation. It must have showed because the buttermilk mare stepped away from him and looked down.

He eyed Soarin, trying to force his typical neutral stoicism, but he could feel his lips prying themselves into a sneer and quickly turend to walk back to Sweet Apple Acres. Thankfully, Annabelle didn't follow him and the stallion looked forward to the isolation that he desperately needed.







Annabelle watched with her stomach in knots as Mac walked away. She wanted to follow and offer comfort, but he needed to be alone. She, on the other hand, had her own sibling to confront.

"Soarin!" She barked, not even phasing the approaching pegasus. "What did you do to Applejack?" That got a reaction, he looked away, his ears folding back ever so slightly. Though, his posture quickly became resolute and he trudged forth again, ignoring his sister's inquiry. Though, Annabelle was more than through being ignored.

"I said, what did you do to her!" She screamed, pushing her face and forehead right against her brother's.

Soarin's eyes narrowed as his father continued to walk on, not at all interested in his children't fighting. He silently glared into his sister's eyes for a few seconds before replying: "That's none of your business."

"BULL CRAP!" A few near by ponies stole a glance to the irate mare. "I saw her this morning, she was absolutely miserable because of you!" Again, the stallion's mannerisms slunk to slight submission and regret. The earth pony lowered her voice, preparing herself for the answer to a question she was terrified to ask. "Did you... Did you take her-"

"NO!" Soarin cried, his head swiveling around to see if anypony heard the all to close accusation. "Sweet Celestia, Anna, you really think I would do that to anypony? I'll admit I'm vengeful but... Luna have mercy."

A shot of relief hit her like adrenaline at the news and the mare felt her muscles relax. Her worst fears having been dismissed. "Then what did you do to make her cry like that?"

Soarin still wasn't in the mood to explain himself and said as such before pushing past her, salvaging his reputation and dignity as much as he could.

The two continued until they reached the motel room though were surprised when they saw a brown cloaked pony exiting. "Who are you and why were you in my room?" Soarin asked.

Sin looked to the flier and began to study him.







'So this is the pony she's getting all up in a tissy about?'

It would seem so.

'Kick his teeth in.'

I've got no evidence of aggression committed on his part, and violence here wouldn't help AJ at all. As far as I can prove, he's done nothing worth assault aside from toying with a mare's mind. And if that was worth committing violence over, than I might as well start a fight with every other stallion I see.

"Checking on an associate." Sin replied slowly. He walked past the flier, head looking forward, but his eyes glued to Soarin's own. His path was blocked by a light blue forleg. 

"And who are you?"

Carefully, the Federalist turned his head and looked the slightly taller pony in the eye. His intimidation factor was a difficult psychological art to master, a tool that every single mercenary in the Triple M. training camp was taught to both avoid violence and evoke complacency. Though, it held little effect on his current challenger.

"A friend of Applejack and Macintosh." He replied, "now if you will excuse me, I've got business to attend."

He pushed Soarin's leg gently aside and continued his departure. As important as all this was, he'd done all he could for the time being. Confronting Soarin now would be pointless without leverage. And even if he did decide to use enhanced interrogation, he was in no condition to take on the stallion one on one. 

And besides, he still had to find a job.







"Alright Spike, are you sure you've got everything you need? I don't know how long I'll be gone, Fluttershy was really upset about what happened, you know how she can be."

"I've told you already, Twilight, I'm fine." Spike replied with an all to pleased smile. It was nice to be cared about, but his mother's affections were a little too strong. Actually, they were too strong after the fourth pillow she put behind his head out of the six he laid upon. She was now in fanatical territory. "Now stop worrying about me, I'll be okay."

Eyes full of reservation and skepticism, the librarian eventually agreed and departed with words of promise to return as quickly as possible. Finally the drake was alone.

He loved her, he really did and it felt like things had finally changed for the better between them, but he hadn't gotten a moment's peace to himself since they'd gotten back. He needed some quiet silence that didn't feel awkward with the continual check up every fifteen minutes.

And just as he was beginning to relax for a nice nap, he heard the door to his room slowly creek open. "Twilight for the last time I-" He gasped. Twilight wasn't the one standing in the door frame, but it was someone he had a recognition of.

"Good afternoon." Said the black coated griffon in a flat voice. Unsure of what to do, and very uncomfortable with his lack of self help, the drake eyed the intruder warily.

"You. You were the griff from the trial. The one who brought the diamond dogs." 

"Indeed. You may call me Conno." Conno replied, asking if he may enter. Spike gave a sarcastic laugh and motioned that he couldn't stop him.

Conno entered the room and slowly walked to the Spike's bed, inquiring how the dragon was feeling. Spike quirked a brow, but decided to answer, the griffon had helped him before, so there was no reason to think his intentions malevolent. 

"Good to hear." Conno replied, it wasn't something Spike could put his finger on, but something about the griff felt familiar. Like his presence just made everything heavier for some reason.

"Though I'm not just here to check on your well being. I've come to collect payment for our services in your trial." Conno reached into his jacket and produced a rolled up piece of parchment. Unraveling it, he proceeded to read allowed the contents, an agreement that bound Spike to a favor owed to Triple M. 

Spike didn't know much about the corporation, aside from what Sin had told him, which was nothing good. This guy had bad news written all over him and an agreement to something as ambiguous as a "favor" didn't bode well. Though, pride and honor conflicted with his pragmatism. He owed this guy, and by extension Triple M, his life. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't brought those dogs along?

"Wait a second. I know you brought the other dogs to testify in my defense, but what got me free was that letter from the Diamond Dog Empire demanding it."

A small smile crept onto Conno's beak, making the griffon look even more intimidating. "Yea, that was our doing as well."

Spike's eyes narrowed, "why?" It wasn't that he wasn't grateful, but that seemed like a lot of trouble to go through. What was so special about him that they were willing to cut what had  to be an expensive deal for his freedom? It was a question on his mind ever since he grew coherent enough to think properly.

"That, I'm afraid I don't know and is of no concern to me." Conno replied. "My employer gives me orders, I follow them. He pays me money, I do as he asks." He emphasized by placing the contract on the bed, apologizing for the urgency, but the agreement needed to be signed. 

Thinking it over in his head, Spike weighed the pros and cons of the situation. Something in his gut told him that he didn't want to be apart of this, that making the agreement was a bad idea, but his sense of obligation stood in direct conflict. He owed this pony and his employer his life, whoever that was.

Nodding and asking for his quill, the purple drake raised muscle damaged arm and wrote what he could of his signature. 

Satisfied at his work being done, Conno smiled and gave a firm nod. "We'll be in touch."