Shades of News
Macintosh carefully trimmed the buds from the cannabis plant, grateful for the clear spring day to leave the light he needed to do his work. For all of his initial reservation of the drug, he'd actually come to find that caring for the cannabis plants was very therapeutic. Unlike the apple trees which required his brute strength and muscle at most every interaction, the ganja forced him to develop a softer and more tender touch. Using his fetlock to gently cut, trim and pull rather than his powerful legs to buck trees or pull heavy loads.
It was intriguing how differently he had to use his body in order to care for such a delicate and flixible plant, and even though his disdain for mind altering substances, he had to admit that he took pride in what he was accomplishing through it. Even his sister and her friends almost discovering their little project earlier today couldn't sour his good mood.
"So, that's all you have to do?" The stallion asked.
"That's it." Annabelle chirped happily, grabbing one of the buds from the wicker collection basket. "Zecora said that one bud would hold him over for at least three days if he used it correctly."
Nodding, the apple pony picked up the bud and observed it. The stench wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it had once been, Mac would even dare say he'd grown to like it a little, but was still morally opposed to it's use. Still though, if this could lead to what he considered one of his closer friends being given a normal chance at life, then he was happy he decided to risk
'Closer friends, huh?'
It was a little sad to think about, but Shade was one of the ponies he'd grown closer to in his life. Prior to leaving the farm about a year ago, Macintosh hadn't considered association with anypony outside of his family. Hay, the closest thing he had prior to that was Braburn in Appleoosa, and... well, yea.
Annabelle asked if Macintosh wanted to make the delivery today and have all of tomorrow to dedicate to applebucking, but the stallion declined. Shade was still in Canterlot, healing from his injuries so the delivery could wait. He did have an interest to pursue with the mare, and their little hiding spot was the perfect place to do it.
He stepped forward and cupped her cheek, leaning in to kiss her. Surprised apprehension melted to a sigh of acceptance. He deepened the kiss and gently pulled her to the ground, parting his lips and allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. She suddenly pushed him over onto his back and attacked his mouth with a ferocity he'd come to expect and returned in kind, using his body to twist and place her back on the ground. He loved the initial playful power struggle between the two prior to the act, it always made it so much more exciting.
Slowly, he felt himself become excited enough to begin.
"Ooooh myyyyy."
They both froze, eyes wide in terror. In unison, they both looked up to find Discord sitting on a floating red recliner, a bag of popcorn in his talloned hand. "Why did you stop? It was just getting to the good part."
"D- Discord!" The two pulled themselves apart, both taking care to keep their neathers well protected and blushing furiously. The floating draconequus rolled his eyes, disappointed that the show had reached it's conclusion. "W- What'er y'all doin' here?"
"Keeping this T rated, for one." He snapped his fingers, appearing on the ground and claring his throat. "Also," he eyed the basket and picked up one of the ganja buds. "I've come to ask you, my dear boy, has Shade ever told you about why he's off his rocker?"
Anna and Mac shared a look at the unprecedented question. Discord, the god of chaos was coming up out of the blue and talking to them as if they were acquaintances when the only interaction the apple pony had with the beast was the dreaded balloon incident last week, and that was him trying for figure out what had happened.
Still though, Mac did want to know why his friend was forced to suffer as he had been, often wondering why Shade was the way he was but never having the nerve to flat out ask the pony himself. Discord sighed and tossed the fauna back into the basket before preparing an explanation that Mac was anything but ready to hear...
Shade sat in the hospital bed, his mind completely blank as he looked up at the ceiling. He was tired, too tired to think, even after a week and a half of constant bed rest, he was still tired. It didn't help that doctors and guards constantly poked their heads him and offered him their thanks for one reason or another, but he just wanted to be left alone.
Exhaustion was an unfamiliar feeling to him. Yea, he'd been tired before, but never like this. Before, he always had a little more to give, always had a little bit extra energy in the reserves to finish whatever insanity he started. This was the first time he'd ever completely drained himself of every last bit of strength and emotion he had. There wasn't any anger, there wasn't any manacle malcontentedness, there wasn't even his loathing for the beast, there was only tired.
Well, there was one other thing... Pride.
He did it, he helped his friends just like Discord told him to. He'd earned his god's forgiveness and even though he couldn't feel the full dopamine rush of it yet, he was still pleased none the less.
All that was left to do now was to rest.
"Star Shade?" A voice called from the doorway.
Shade's golden eyes blinked and he curiously, almost innocently, looked to the door. He knew he should have felt something about what he saw, he knew that his calm and tranquil state wasn't an appropriate response to the intruder, but he couldn't bring himself to so much as snarl at her.
Luna stepped into the room, confident but not hostile in her mannerisms. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
Shade nodded automatically, his eyes tiredly drooping to the floor.
Pressing her lips, the alicorn took a seat by his bedside and cringed at the lunar pegasi's state. His entire wing was in a cast, as well as his hind leg, with multiple layers of bandages covering his chest, torso and one around his head. "We would, umm, we would like to thank you for your services in protecting our subjects from the changeling swarm." She declared through a reluctant frown.
Again, something told him that his empty and blissful state of mind was supposed to be something else, but he couldn't bring himself to figure it out. Instead he simply nodded his head and blinked.
Luna grimaced at his response, she'd taken time out of her busy schedule in overseeing the night time recovery and relief efforts to thank this lunatic, and he repays her kindness by zoning out?
Though, she knew she couldn't be too upset with him. He was the only pony in all of the world who could have fought off an entire changeling brood on his own. She may not like him, and she may have seen Shade as one of the biggest threats to Equestria the world could produce, but the lunar goddess could not deny that it was he whom saved Canterlot from falling under changeling control. He'd heard multiple accounts of how the pony had not only garnered the attention away from the Capital's citizenry, but inspired the city's defense to rally and push the invaders back.
Where she and her sister had failed, it was this little pony she had to thank for the safety of her subjects, and it was a debt she would always keep herself to.
Shade wasn't sure what she was talking about, but apparently she was thankful for his actions in protecting the other ponies. She wanted to give him something or another called a "myrmidon" or something. He wasn't sure, all he knew was that she had a horn and wings, and had the most mesmerizing mane he'd ever seen. Seriously, how was it waving like that?
She said a few other things he wasn't in the mood to process. Nodding his head typically made the doctors and nurses happy, so he just continued to do that whenever she stopped talking for any length of time. This seemed to please her, and that made him feel good. He wasn't sure how long she talked, but eventually she left. She was smiling, so that was good right?
He didn't know, he was too tired to know. All he knew was that his wing and leg hurt and that the bed was warm and comfy. A nap sounded good...
Mac was speechless, his heart had stopped and restated itself on multiple occasions through out the duration of the tale. He could still hear Annabelle crying as she held tightly onto his shoulder, squeezing him for all the comfort she could get. Even Discord's typically jovial attitude had become crestfallen and somber.
It was beyond words to describe the level of anger and disgust Macintosh was feeling. He couldn't believe anypony could do that to another, to keep them in a box for years because they didn't comply with the demands of authority, making them live in their own filth and feeding them barley anything to keep them alive.
He couldn't imagine what that was like.
Even worse, he was surprised to learn that Shade was once a pacifist who never wanted to harm anypony. A kind and gentle soul who simply wanted to be left alone to do as he saw fit for himself. A pony who's mind was twisted and broken by a cult's caste system that tried to force him into conformity by doing the most inhumane thing anypony could conceive of...
It was a terrible thing to think about, but Mac almost wished that Shade had died in the box. To endure that kind of suffering was more than he wanted to think about, but to live with it afterwards? To go day after day with that kind of pain for the rest of one's life?
It explained so much about the pegasus and gave a much clearer understanding into his hatred of Luna and the government in general. It was actually amazing how coherent he was, yes he was insane but he wasn't all out bat shit crazy. He still had his own sick sense of honor and self understanding even if it's only constant was his love of Discord, but he wasn't an unbridled lunatic who followed any whim with no regard for consequences. And that fact was overwhelming when put into context.
"He's spoken well of you, Big Macintosh." Discord said, eyeing the pony for a moment. "Believe it or not, you're the most steady and calm of your little group of friends. You're the rock they need. Spike acts tough and collected, but we both knew he's still got a long way to go with that temper of his. Sin acts as if he knows everything and lives like he's got life figured out, his hubris masks alot and it will get him killed one day, and well, you know about Shade." He chuckled and shook his head.
Mac didn't reply, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to after hearing all of that. He wasn't even sure how he was supposed to feel right now.
"I know you probably don't trust me, and you be stupid to, but believe me when I say that you're a very important pony to my acolyte. It goes against the will of chaos, but the discord I want isn't the kind Shade will bring. As much as I love chaos, I know that his isn't the right kind, so I am here to say thank you for what you've done and to continue to look after him."
Macintosh gave an automated nod. Discord smiled gratefully turning his attention to Annabelle. His face turned curious and thoughtful before slithering over and putting his lion's paw upon her side. The mare yelped and looked down at the draconequus with apprehension.
Discord's smile turned knowing he looked back to the red stallion. "Be careful with her now, Macintosh." he said wistfully. "You've got a little Macintosh in there now."