Good News
A black void
Solid, unadulterated darkness in every direction. Up, down, left, right, forwards and backwards. No matter where Sin looked, all he saw was the same pure blackness.
He frowned, this was different. The Federalist knew he was asleep and was expecting some kind of nightmare, if not being killed after another failed attempt to destroy a post economic collapse corporatocracy, than maybe something having to do with him being disgraced in the Senate, or dying of exposure in the woods.
But his mind seemed willing to give him some peace tonight. No disturbing images or feelings of terror and failure, just an empty black void. It was kind of soothing, actually. Compared to the hell he'd been experiencing for weeks, the ability to sleep without constantly being tortured with the worst case scenarios of the future or past, a black and boring void was paradise.
Suddenly he heard a soft and gentle sob. He perked his ears and listened for the noise, trying to discern where it was coming from. The crying grew slightly louder, and louder. He couldn't tell from where the sobbing was coming from though, it sounded like it was all around him at once, and yet, from no where at all.
The sobbing grew louder and for some reason, Sin grew angry with it. It wasn't the noise itself that bothered him, but the reason for it. It was strange how dreams worked, but as the sound of misery permeated through his mind, he could feel the knowledge of the voice's plight shifting into his head. It was much more emotional than logical experience.
As the crying grew louder, it also began to take origin. After a good few minutes, the stallion could hear the crying from directly behind him, and with it's finality in existence, Sin turned around and laid eyes upon the young foal laying behind him.
His blood was boiling as the full weight of realization laid into him. The foal, a brown colt, about Mac's youngest sister's age, sat with his hoover over his eyes. Seeing the child, Sin's neck began to twitch with tension.
"Why?" He heard the foal ask between sobs. It didn't need to say anything more, Sin already knew what it was getting at. "Why did mommy leave me?"
"Because you're crying like a bitch, I'd summize." His scathing words sent the foal into a fit of louder and more desperate sobs, bringing with it no small amount of irritation. "Will you stop crying already? Crying wont bring her back, you know."
Again, his words only fueled the colt's misery. Deciding enough was enough, the pony turned around and began walking away. His legs were trembling with rage and if he stayed, he couldn't guarantee the child's safety. However, the farther he walked away, the louder the sobs became. He walked a little faster, then he began jogging and finally going for a full on sprint. The crying moaning only grow louder with every step he took.
In a rush he came to a dead stop and growled before turning around. To his horror, he was almost right in front of the colt now and any doubt or denial as to the identity of the child was gone. He didn't want to admit it, but the colt was him, just a great deal younger.
"Why are you so mean to me?" It said, the sobbing finally subsiding. "You've always been mean to me, and I don't know why."
Sin scoffed, his right leg trembling with anticipation. "Why? You know why. It's because I hate you."
The foal visibly flinched and turned away before curling into a helpless little ball, but he'd already started the conversation and Sin was going to finish it.
"You..." he seethed, feeling the anger in his belly shooting into his chest. "You are everything I despise about myself, all thrown together in a disgusting metaphysical construct. A weak, useless little child. A victim who'd bemoan how unfair life is and cry out for a mother who'd abandoned him rather than face the harsh truth of the world! Well I've got news for you, life isn't fair! Never has been, never will be. Mommy left, kiddo, she left and she's not coming back. You're the part of me that doesn't understand that, that cannot understand that."
The foal began to sob quietly again, the noise coming out as faint whimpers. Sin couldn't stand it anymore and kicked the foal as hard as he could. With a pained yelp, the colt flew a good foot before rolling onto his side and curling up again and trembling in fear. He removed his hooves from his eyes and Sin felt his anger compound even more.
Fear and terror permeated from the wetted and puffy blue orbs as they gazed into Sin. He wanted to kick him again, to destroy the little creature once and for all and rid himself of every last bit of self pity he had, but something told him that it would just be a waste of time, that this... thing couldn't be killed here.
"I'm sorry..." It quivered.
"SHUT UP!" Sin barked, making the foal flinch and cower again. "Just shut the fuck up! I am so sick and tired of you!"
"B- but I'm you..." It whimpered.
Sin felt something in him snap and he rushed forward, kicking the foal again and sending it flying. He continued onward, kicking the foal again and again in a red vision filled rage. "Don't." Kick. "Fucking." Kick "Remind me!" With a final toss of his leg, he sent the colt rolling before stopping to catch his breath.
He took a full minute to calm himself, taking deep, controlled breaths. The anger had been depleted significantly through the beating, but a cooling feeling of anger still had it's grip in his stomach. He looked to find the lump of a pony crying once again, still curled up into a ball with his hooves over his eyes again.
"All you've ever done is felt sorry for yourself and blame the world for your problems." The Federalist growled, slowly skulking closer to the child. "Complaining, bitching and moaning about all of the suffering, all of the injustice. Yet you do nothing to fix the problems you complain about. You never did because you don't have what it takes to do it, you know why? Because you're nothing but a sad, pathetic little victim."
His words dripped with venom, Sin could remember feeling this... thing ever since he was little. How it would constantly expose guilt about the haves and have nots of the world. How the homeless should be house and how the hungry should be fed. About the mundane little details of life that everybody always acknowledged and detested but seldom took action to rectify, preferring to talk a little then go on about their busy day. The colt made him feel like a hypocrite at every turn. It told him he should care, that he did care, but that was a lie. Sin didn't care about the homeless or the hungry, he acknowledged and accepted this as the cold fact it was, but this little shit would always be there, telling him that he did.
He stepped forward and leaned down, glaring with all the hate he had in him. "You're the part of me that wants to give into complacency, you're the part of me that is the devil's play thing." He dropped his voice. "And there's nothing I'd love more than to see you dead."
Spike awoke to the sound of something beating repeatedly on the front door. Tired from a lack of sleep, the drake forced himself from his cloak/make shift bed and wondered over to the door. The scene from last night playing over and over in his head. No matter how much thought he gave it, he just couldn't seem to understand what Sin had said or why he said it. To take delight in the suffering of others? That was just wrong.
"Alright I'm coming." He complained after a rather excentric round of knocking. He opened the door "Mac? What are doing here?"
"Hey Spike. Ah was just stoppin' by ta tell ya that Annabelle might be pregnant." The apple pony replied calmly. Spike's stood awestruck. Macintosh and Annabelle were having a foal? How was that possible? They weren't even married yet.
'Weird, maybe they eloped and didn't tell you? Wouldn't be the first secret your friends have kept.'
"What is goin- GAH!" Sin cried from behind, covering his eyes with his hooves. "Close the damned door!"
Mac walked in and Spike slammed the door shut behind him, making the oaken pony groan for some reason. "Tapio, now I remember why I stopped drinking." He looked up and smiled. "Hey Mac, what brings you here. Feels like ages since I've seen you."
The stallion said his own hello and repeated the news. Sin simply frowned and looked on at Macintosh for a good few seconds before sighing. "Congratulations Mac, I'm happy for you and all, but what do you mean she might be pregnant?"
Macinotsh took a breath and began recounting how Discord had found him and Annabelle out in the orchard and told them that he was thankful for their help with Star Shade. After that, he'd placed his claw on the mare's side and said that she was pregnant. Spike was immediately skeptical of the claim, the draconequus was the biggest prankster in the world, he wouldn't put it past him to make up a pregnancy scare just for the fun of it.
Besides, Annabelle couldn't get pregnant without being married. That was one of the rules.
"Might want to get her tested." Sin groaned, nursing his head. "I wouldn't put too much stock into what Discord says."
'Exactly!'
Mac voiced his concern and said that he'd planned to take her to the doctor's today to confirm it. Though, money would be a little tight, considering tax season would start up soon. Spike felt bad about hearing his friend having money troubls, but Sin was quick to say that he wouldn't need to worry about it too much.
"Why's tha?"
"Don't worry about it," Sin dismissed coolly before grabbing some pills from the kitchen and eating them. He waited a moment then sighed in relief. "Oh Sweet Milikki that soothes." The stallion sighed, Spike wasn't sure what those pills were, but they must have been amazing if they cured his head ache five seconds after taking them.
Macintosh was about to leave but both Spike and Sin stopped him. The three of them hadn't gotten together in a long time and with that kind of news, now seemed like a good time to catch up. Mac was reluctant at first, but he didn't really have anything else to do. Besides, it would do him some good to stay off the farm for a bit.
"Hey, where is Anna, anyway?" Spike asked after getting everyone some coffee and settling on the floor in the living room. It was embarrassing to have everyone sit on the floor, and Spike made it a point to talk to Sin about the issue later.
"She's at th' farm. She's still a might shaken up 'bout it." Mac replied, taking a sip of the coffee and grimacing. "Hot damn that's strong."
"Don't be no bitch, Mac." Sin smirked, taking a sip of his own and making his own face before glaring down at the cup. "Or maybe not."
Spike liked his coffee strong.
The three made idle chat about what they'd all been up to, Spike taking note of the extreme lack of detail Sin was giving. They recounted the battle of Canterlot and their respective roles, how the Shade was the one who inspired the city's defenses and all that. Surprisingly, Sin also told of his grandfather's appearance after giving the drake a side long look of course.
The conversation began to wind down as a full hour passed and Mac prepared himself to leave. "Y'all should stop by the farm fer supper tonight. Granny's makin' country fried brussle sprouts."
The message was supposed to be enticing, but Spike wasn't too fond of the vegetable. He accepted the offer anyways though, as did Sin. It wasn't his ideal meal, but it was defiantly better than having potatoes and oats.