Unnamed
Hauling for all he was worth, Spike stabilized the heavy desk as he and Sin pulled it through the front door of a fairly isolated house a few streets down from the Library. The two found the ideal spot in the bedroom and brought the ungodly weight to a halt, each pausing to catch their breaths.
"Why *gasp* did you need *gasp* such a heavy desk!" Spike complained, rubbing his now aching fingers together. That was going to leave a blister or two.
"It was *gasp* a gift." Sin replied huffing and puffing, the two of them were out of shape something fierce, even with Sin's wing training. It was moving day and the house he'd taken a loan on was a very nice one. A bit more expressive a property than he'd have prefered, but when in Equestria, do as the Equestrians. Three bedroom place, more than he needed, but it was one of the few properties available, and it was more than in his price range. "Besides, we need the exercise."
'Obviously.' Spike's inner critic snarked.
Macintosh and Annabelle filed in behind the two, each carrying boxes of welcome gifts for his new home. Even Granny Smith was kind enough to send over one of her delicious apple pies. Spike was told the two didn't like eachother, but he wasn't sure why.
"Appreciate the help, guys."
"Don't mention it." Mac declared proudly.
There wasn't much more to bring in besides a few blankets that would constitute Sin's "bedding" and some food. All in all, the house didn't look anything like a home, but Spike was sure that would change over time. The four admired the house and Annabelle offered to make everyone a quick lunch, but Sin quickly declined. His cooking skills needed work and didn't want to start things off by relying on another to make his food for him.
He thanked everypony again for their help with him moving in and they all went about their day. "Hey Spike, got a minute?" Spike turned back and tilted his head, wondering what his friend wanted. Apparently he'd been needed more and more at Town Hall, what with all the extra work he'd been making for the council that he'd become more and more pressed to take time off of the lumber mill, and asked if the drake would like to take his place.
Spike beamed. "You want me to work at the lumber mill?"
Sin nodded, "Aye, I'll need to talk to Jacker, but I'm fairly certain he'll say yes. I think you've proven you're more than capable of handling yourself."
"Awesome!" The dragon cheered. "What's the work like?"
Sin explained that the job paid well enough, all he had to do was set the logs on a conveyor and hold them steady for the machine to cut them in half. It sounded easy enough, roll some logs, hold them steady, cut them up, lather, rinse, repeat. "Sound like something you're interested in?"
"Sure!" He nodded, happy to finally have a prospect at making money. He wasn't sure if Twilight would approve, but meh, he wasn't planning on stick around for too long either.
It was kinda sad but it was time for him to move out of the library and do some real growing up. Learn to horde just enough to give him growth, but not enough to send him spiraling out of control. He'd been thinking a bit about trying to grow again and retake his post adolesent form. The dragon didn't know why, but he felt more confident in his ability to maintain control now. He was certain he was ready to try again.
Sin nodded in agreement, giving his own two bits that he also thought it was a good idea, though it would be safe to have somone look after him just in case.
"What if I move in with you?" Spike asked, his mouth moving a little faster than his mind. "Er, sorry I meant, if ummm..."
His mentor thought it over for a second, ultimately deciding he'd need to think about it. It suited Spike just fine, he'd also need to take some time on the matter. What was he thinking just blurting it out like that? Was he really that desperate to get away from Twilight?
'Or maybe it's a desire to be out on your own?'
No, he'd still be living with Sin, so that wasn't it.
'Yea, you'd be living with him, but as equals. You may be young in his eyes, but he does give more respect to you than Twilight does.'
That much was true, speaking of which, he needed to talk to her. Bidding Sin farewell, Spike began his walk back to the Library. He was going to go in for his eye implant today or tomorrow and he'd need to clean his socket out more thoroughly than usual tonight to get ready. He walked in the door and found a most peculiar sight. Princess Celestia and his mother were speaking and laughing over a cup of tea and friendly conversation.
"Oh, hello Spike." Celestia greeted, showing no signs of discomfort about his condition. "It's great to see you up and about. Where have you been off to?" Spike explained that he was helping Sin move into his new place. "Yes, I've heard there were some rather, illicit activities taking place on his part." He eyebrow quirked, but her smile never faded.
"Celestia!" Twilight frowned, catching on to the playfulness in her mentors voice. "Don't talk about it like was a trivial matter! We have laws against drinking for a reason."
"Oh Twilight, loosen up a little." Celestia chuckled. Spike couldn't believe it, the princess was standing up for him? "Part of the male bonding process is the right of passage to partake in alcohol. Surely you can see that it typically comes before one is of age?"
Twilight stood in awe while Spike crossed his arms and smirked. It was like watching your mom get in trouble by her mother for punishing you. "Any way," The lavander mare deflected. "You said you were here to see Spike, right?" Celestia nodded, she had stopped by to see how the drake was doing, and if he was ready for tomorrows visit to Canterlot.
"Yea, bit nervous though." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
"Don't worry too much, Spike. The doctor's had plenty of experience with false eye implants before. I do apologize, but our magic hasn't come far enough to grant you any vision out of it yet."
The baby dragon shrugged, he never expected to use his left eye again anyways. It would feel better once the crater was filled though. After that, he'd be issued an eye patch in case he'd like one, which he did like the idea of. Even if it was unnecessary, everypony looked cooler with an eye patch.
Celestia reached down and gave her little dragon a firm hug with a wing. "I'm glad you're okay." She whispered, smiling down at him. Spike blushed and chuckled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going."
"Aww, you just got here, though." Spike complained. Celestia gave him an apologetic smile before telling them that she was needed back at the Castle. Luna was acting strangely as of late, and no matter how much the Solar Alicorn coaxed her, the princess of the night refused to speak about it.
"I'm worried about her, and I must be there to make sure she's alright." Spike nodded in understanding. He'd like to see Luna again too and thank her for her for what she did with in his dreams. He'd be a wreck without her help.
Macintosh steadied his hoof, one eye closed looking down his Crossbow at his target. A small red circle painted upon a dead tree was his aim, he'd hit it everywhere but where he wanted before, but he had a feeling he'd get it this time.
Exhaling slowly as he was taught, he pulled the trigger and sent the bolt charging, missing his mark only by an inch this time.
The apple stallion smirked at the applause he'd garnered from both Annabelle and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They'd seen his cross bow in his room and asked if he'd ever used it before, that lead to a story, which lead to asking for a demonstration, which lead to begging for a demonstration, which lead to him in the Everfree forest away from prying eyes.
He could have stayed on the farm, what with the massive land space, but the Everfree Forest seemed like a better idea. Where bolts could be lost in the thicket, monsters lurked all over, fungi had the ability to ruin your life, and snake chicken hybrids could turn you to stone.
Still safer than Granny Smith catching him.
All of the safety rules were established. Cross bows were dangerous weapons intended for the sole purpose of killing other things. Being used defensively or offensively, of course, but still, their purpose and design was to kill.
"Can I try?" Applebloom asked.
"Sure." Mac nodded.
'Best big brother ever.'
He undid the straps from his foreleg and placed them onto Applebloom's much smaller fetlock. The binds needed to be pulled to their tightest to fit, but the crossbow was stable on her leg. The bow itself, though, was about two thirds her size, which made for some hilarious size comparisons.
"Noa, the reason Ah'm lettin' ya do this ain't cause Ah want ya ta learn to shoot." Mac declared, holding the filly's unbolted foreleg up. "Ah'm doin' this cause Ah don't want ya gettin' curious n' takin' it without me there to watch ya. Better ta teach ya to respect the weapon fer what it is then hope ya don' go behind mah back."
"Weapon?" Applebloom questioned, suddenly nervous about the heavy contraption around her leg. Her brother nodded, explaining that just like guard ponies spears and swords, this was a weapon meant only to be used in self defense.
Foals were foals, they had a tendency to get into things they shouldn't get into. Macintosh knew this, he was quiet, but he wasn't simple. Ignorance was a dangerous thing, and while Annabelle may not have agreed with his decision to teach Applebloom (and most likely her friends) about the power of his cross bow, it was a lesson that needed to be learned for his own piece of mind. There was a respect that came with understanding the simplicity of being able to hurt others with such a weapon, it wasn't something that could be learned about in school or talking with your folks. It had to be done while holding the weapon in your hoof, the heaviness of the thing symbolic to its responsible usage.
"Alrigh' now hold it steady, very good, can you hold it just like that?" He moved his hooves away and watched as his younger sister struggled to maintain the weight.
"I don't think this is a good idea, Macintosh." Annabelle said in concern. The two had spoke about it, and Mac was going to teach her what she needed to know. Part of that was the actual shooting of the bow.
"You ready to shoot it?" He asked, letting the filly's leg rest. Beaming with excitement, Applebloom said she was and with minor hesitation, helped her pull back the primary draw string, forgoing the quick load, and placing a new bolt in place. "Alright, so line up the bow with the target n' pull down on the trigger while exhalin' slow like." He moved behind her as a brace. "Be very careful, the recoil will push the bow back."
"Recoil?"
He stablaized her leg while the filly took aim, her tongue poking out and up her lip as she lined up the shot. He felt her exhale before pulling the trigger. He felt her push back into him a little and look down at the bow in shock. "Wow, that was neat!"
"WHAT THE BUCK!"
Mac's eyes widened, the voice came from behind the tree, and there was no new bolt present on the target pad. "Uh oh." Suddenly, A black figure burst through the brush line. "Who in the? What the buck, Macintosh?!" Star Shade yelled, his mouth pulled back into a snarle of malice and hatred.
Applebloom and her friends quickly scuttled away from the bat pony and huddle next to Annabelle, who stepped forward as a shield to protect the foals from the deranged pegasus.
Mac attempted to ease the stallion, claiming what had happened was an accident, but it was clear something was wrong with Shade. He wasn't the laid back pony he was yesterday night, his wild eyes and tense body showed him to be more how he used to be.
"You wanna start somethin' bro?!" Shade barked, taking a step forward. "Come bucker, one v one me, faggot!" Mac's family's security challenged, he looked back and told Annabelle to see the Crusade's back to the farm. There were very few ponies in the world who's physical strength made Macintosh nervous, and Shade was defiantly on that list. Especially given that he'd held his own against a fully grown ruby dragon alone.
"Shade, what's wrong witcha?" He asked patiently, keeping the pony's attention. "What happened was an accident n'-"
"BUCK YOU IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" The pony snarled and charged. Mac rolled and dodged the night stallion's ram attack. Catching his bearings, the farmer quickly turned in a crouch ready for the next attack to come, though Shade didn't move from where he now stood. Instead, the pegasus started giggling.
He turned and gave Mac a smile that dripped with insanity and mania. "You killed Fluffy, and now you've come for me, didn't ya?" He licked his fangs. "You can't fool me, ol' bean. Shade know when his pasta's bein' conditioned!" He burst forth again, catching Macintosh on the shoulder as the pony tried to dodge.
This wasn't good, even with his time working on the farm, Mac had become soft. Shade, on the other hoof, didn't lose any of his capability.
What happened? How did he go devolve back to this when he'd come so far? "Shade, stop!" It was a useless plea, the black pony just laughed and ranted on about not being swayed by demands. "Shade, please. Ah'm askin' ya as yer friend-"
"FRIEND!?" He cackled again, looping in a lazy circle around Mac. "You think we're friends hill billy? Friends don't kill friends pets!" He charged again, catching Mac's leg and sending the stallion to a kneel. "Friends don't send friends to get good therapy only to have the stuff run out!" Another charge, another leg buckling from the attack.
'Run out? Wait, the drug! That's gotta be it. Wait wasn't he with Zecora?'
Mac demanded to know what Shade was talking about with respect to Fluffy, he'd never even seen the damned thing, let alone have anything to do with it's death. Star wasn't buying it though, his thought and reason too far gone to his now unrepresented malice. "You can play dumb, but you gone learn today, boy!"
Seeing another pass coming, Mac attempted to put some weight on his legs only for them to buckle again. No good, he wouldn't be able to move like this. He looked just in time to see Shade a few dozen yards away and moving fast. The apple farmer flinched and awaited the pain of the attack, though a sudden grunting and sound of popping bone interrupted what was sure to be a brutal end.
He chanced a glance and saw buttermilk, blond headed earth pony, savagely pinning the subdued attacker in place. "If you ever hurt my Macintosh again, I'll bucking KILL YOU!"
"He consumes so much, and give so little. My entire supply is in quite a fiddle." Zecora rymed, looking over the unconscious pony and sighed. "The needed sun from up above, is needed to grow, to calm my love." She gently stroked Shades ear.
Mac and Annabelle shared a look, from what they'd gathered, the plant used to pacify their friend had run out about a day ago and without the medicinal effects on his mind, he reverted back to his old ways. Compounded since the medicine didn't really "heal" his head so much as repressed his nature. The romantic interest between the zebra and lunar pony was half expected though, both were outsiders, so it did kind of make sense.
Zecora looked to a pot on her window sill and sighed. "There's not enough to keep him happy, but there a solution to grow more poppy." She looked back to Mac and smiled.
"No," Mac said instantly, already knowing where this was going. The farm was specifically for apple and pineapples plus some marginalized crops. There was no way he was growing that stuff in his orchard. Not only were its effects on the mind of questionable principal to his mind, but the plant stank something fierce. Even while it wasn't being smoked, the stench of plant itself made him want to gag.
"Macintosh." Annabelle complained, turning to her coltfriend. "He's your friend and needs your help." Mac scowled and explained that he took serious exception to such mind altering substance. In a way, it was no different than what happened with his sister. Annabelle asked Zecora if the effects of the drug were as Mac had claimed and the zebra replied in the negative.
Ganja, as she'd called it, just made the ponies who indulged it more mellow and relaxed. There was no mind control or influence aside from that, though Mac wasn't sold. It changed ponies, it changed their personalities drastically and that was something he couldn't condone.
"And what about him?" Annabelle pointed to the retrained lump on the bed. "He'll be to unstable to live a normal life without it."
"He wasn' livin' normal with it."
"At least he was living!" The butter milk earth pony argued. Which was true, he'd never played cards with Shade before, he'd have seen playing chess with a pigeon a better idea. Still a decision would need to be made and soon. The longer Shade was subjected to the drug, the more brutal his mania would become if and when he'd be without it. Though that also brought up another problem, if the medicine was just repressing his feelings, than how long would it be before the feelings were too strong to bottle up? All of them were of the mind the Ganja was healing his mind, only to find now that it was just repressing it.
So the solution wasn't a solution at all, but a temporary fix.
"Not quite," Zecora interjected. According to her Ganja was a long term medicinal regiment. Short term doses did act as a calming agent, but longer term effects lead to the "calming of the soul" which she assured would happen to Shade. The Apple farmer really wished he understood what all she was saying, but his understanding of anatomy and physiology was anything but an authority.
Finally between the guilt and coaxing by Annabelle and the prospect of Shade living the rest of his life either strapped to a bed or lashing out, Mac agreed to consider Zecora's solution. "Ah'm not sayin' Ah'll do it, but Ah am sayin' Ah'll consider it." He clarified. The answer made both mares happy enough. The zebra gathered something from the plant for a moment and offered it to Macintosh.
"Seeds of the Ganja, for plant and growth. Keeping in mind, it needs the lives of water and sun the most."
'That didn't even rhyme!"
Piss off.
Looking down at the oval shaped brown seeds in his hoof. There weren't enough to start a crop, but there was enough to get an experimental garden going.
Annabelle and he left with a word of good bye and thanks. Mac's mind working a mile a minute, he'd need to speak to Sin and figure out the legality of these "Ganja" plants.