Parole Adoption
Under the cover of night, Luna quietly trotted through the castle proper, on her way down to the castle dungeon's interogation room. The guard had interogated the prisoners on the cell block where Sin was kept the day of his murder, none of them were talking, though. Each of them seemed to have undergone some state of horrible mental trauma that induced amnesia.
Even in dreams, none of the prisoners could remember what exactly happened. None but one, one who she was going now to see.
The stallion claimed he'd seen everything from start to finish, but Luna was skeptical. Why would he be able to remember what happened while the the others could not? Granted, the pony in question was a revered military type, but the ponies with him weren't weak minded either.
The lunar alicorn had visited his dreams many times, he hadn't any visions about that day. If this was done willfully or not, she wasn't sure. Which fuled her skepticism farther, but he claimed he could tell her what really happened that day.
Standing outside the door leading to the prisons, Luna turned back and looked at the tip of her tale. The tip had healed completely, taking a full week since the incident with Triple M. pouring that liquid on the tip. She shuddered at the memory and took a breath. She needed to find out what happened to him, all attempts to find Sin in the dream scape had been fruitless. It was only a matter of time until Conno and his ilk returned to get answers, and she feared what would happen if they didn't get any.
Her nerves steeled, Luna pushed open the door and marched down the dim stare case. Two guards offered a solute and opened the door for her. She pushed through a series of iron bar doors until she finally came to a full, dark brown door that lead into the interogation room, four unicorn stallions standing guard infront of it.
All four of them looked at her and stood on either side, letting her pass.
"Is he ready?"
"He is, your majesty."
"Very well."
And with that, Luna gently pulled the door open with her magic and walked inside.
The interogation room was simple, four grey walls, a light above, a single, dark brown table, and two stools to match. Sitting on the otherside of the table, bound in chains was the pony she'd come to despise ever so much. It was hypocritical of her to hate him for the reasons she did, in reality, she'd done something far worse than he, but it still didn't make what he did any less deplorable.
"Princess Luna." The pegasus nodded.
"Soarin." Luna replied, closing the door behind her.
Not mincing words, Luna cut to the chase. "I understand you can recall the events of the break in on our dungeon a few weeks ago. We want you to tell us all you can recount."
"Of course..." The pegasus replied.
...
...
"Well?"
Soarin eyed the alicorn wit ha serious frown. He inhaled and exhaled. "I want something in return."
"You are in no position to make demands of us." Luna snapped, glaring down at him, though Soarin's defiance wasn't so easily dismissed.
"Oh, I think I am." The stallion replied. He lifted his hoof and Luna's heart leapt into her throat. He was holding a small patch, a patch with the insignia of three "M"s stacked ontop of each other. "A little griffin came asking questions earlier, asked me what I saw too. He said he'd roughed you up pretty bad and had no problem doing the same to me if I didn't cooperate."
Luna felt her breathing grow heavy. "What do you want?"
She expected Soarin to begin acting cocky and brash, but he maintained his polite, if serious, composure. "I want out of here. I want a royal pardon for my crimes." He paused. "Nothing big, just an under the radar but on the books record of my , of course. As a celebrity, I could imagine the commotion it would cause if the public knew I'd been released. I have no interest in returning to the wonderbolts, but I refuse to live out the rest of my life in this dungeon."
Luna quickly pointed out that his sentence was for ten years, but Soarin wasn't interested in the discrepancy. "Once you've been imperially imprisoned, that stays with you. Jobs are harder to come by, especially good paying ones, if my cell mates are right. Considering how things worked out for me in my trial, and my status as a former Wonderbolt, they'll know my name and treat me as such."
"I want a new name, some funds for relocation to a far away town or village, and to just live my life in peace and quiet now. You give me that, and I'll tell you everything that happened that day."
"And why should I believe anything you say?" Luna countered, quirking a brow. "Every other inmate in the block had some kind of amnesia for that day, why should I think you any different?"
Soarin smirked. "Because he didn't do to me what he did to them."
"He?"
The white pony smirked. "The brown pegasus pony a few cells down."
Luna's eyes shot wide, Sin? He did something to them? HE WAS ALIVE?!
"Glad I have your attention now." the green eyed stallion's smile dropped. "Yes, he is alive. Alive and well at that."
Luna took a seat and asked what exactly it was that Soarin had seen. The stallion refused to speak farther, at least until her pardon and his other requirements were promised to him. Luna had made many mistakes in her life, but this was one she had not choice but to indulge. If Sin was still alive, and Celestia's words were true, than the pony held the embodiment of Nightmare Moon within him, and presumably the Tantabus as well. If Sin hadn't succumbed to them already, it was only a matter of time until he did, and she couldn't allow that to happen.
She agreed to his terms and Soarin recounted what he'd seen. As expected, the green pony who'd been found hanging in the amassador's bedroom was the one who'd come to kill Sin, Soarin couldn't explain just how he'd died, all he could tell her was that there was the sounds of a struggle the quieted with Sin whispering to him. After that, the oaken pony walked around to the prisoner's cells. The first had spoken to him, asking Sin for release but then he started wimpering, asking for him to stop. Eventually, the pony went quiet.
Soarin heard this process repeat a few times before curling into the corner, facing away and pretending he was asleep to spear himself the same fate. Putting hoof on his head, Soarin rubbed his temple and recalled feeling a dramatic sense of dread encompase his being for a few seconds. The fear he'd felt was so terrible he'd almost soiled himself on the spot.
"Guess he figured I was asleep though, didn't give me any attention after that."
Luna nodded, disturbed to find that Conno wasn't the only one who could induce such feelings. What kind of magic was that, anyway?
"After that, he and the other pony, the one who'd come down with the green stallion, talked about what to do with the body. She went out to distract the guards, and he carried the body out with him when he left."
"This other pony, what did she look like?"
Soarin shrugged. "Orange mare, unicorn, purple main pulled into a messy braid, pink eyes."
Luna's frown intensified, hoping beyond hope that it wasn't who she was thinking it was.
"Uppity, that's what he called her."
And there was no denying it now, but why? Why would Uppity aid in Sin's assassination or help him escape? If memory served, Celestia's DA was his parole officer in Ponyville, what possible reason would she have for wanting him dead?
"From what I heard, some ponies were threatening her brother. Um, Troksi? Or Trotsky, something like that."
The Trotski, of course.
They'd threatened her and used her as part of a plot to imprison Sin in the first place as revenge for what he'd done to Mallet. The Trotski, recognizing the danger he presented to their own goals, were more than happy to aid the communists in his removal.
"Did he say where he might go?"
Soarin signed and shook his head. "No, all he said was that it was better for the world to think he was dead. My guess would be back to his country, but take that with a grain of salt."
Luna frowned. If Sin was going back to the Federation, she'd need to inform Conno. Triple M. would have much more luck catching him at the border than she would. Though, if he didn't go back, than he was somewhere else in Equestria. More importantly, Sin was alive, and she would need to find him before Triple M. did.
"You have been most helpful." Luna declared. "You'll be free by the morrow."
"And my other demands?"
Luna thought about it for a moment and smirked. "Those will come with a condition."
Soarin scowled at her. "That wasn't part of the deal."
"And if we are killed, the deal is off." Luna countered, eying the pegasus intently. "Those griffins you had encountered are beyond dangerous. They are a threat to the empire, a threat that must be removed. They are immune to our dream walking abilities, and if we were to have them arrested, more would come and do who knows what to our subjects. The crimes you've been convicted of a great, Soarin. Too great for simple information to expunge. If you wish to have your freedom returned, you shall serve your country for it."
The green eyed stallion gritted his teeth, feeling more than a little betrayed. Still though, Luna could see his resiliance crumbling even now. He wanted freedom, and she knew that he knew she was the only one who'd be able to give it to him.
"What do you want me to do?"
Luna smirked. "You are to find Sin for us and bring him to Canterlot. Should you do this, we shall sign your pardon and give you a new life far away from any major cities."
Soarin frowned thinking the offer over. "And should I fail to locate him?"
"That is simple." Luna chirpped coolly as she made way for the door. "You wont."
Machintosh walked with a purpose out to the ganja garden, his patience spent and mind consumed with worry and concern.
It had been a full week since Annabelle had spoken about what was bothering her. He thought she'd just take a day or two to keep to herself and process whatever it was that was bothering her before talking to him about it. A full six days was much too much time, the only time he ever saw her now was when she came to bed, and even then, she might as well have been a thousand miles away.
She was also worrying the family. Granny and Applebloom had taken notice of her silence and continually asked him about it, even Applejack had expressed her worries about Anna's behavior to him. He couldn't give them an answer as to what was bothering his mare, saying that she just needed some time to herself. He considered himself an understanding sort, but even his patience had limits.
Seeing Annabelle come into view, Macintosh slowed his pace to a gentle trot. She wasn't alone, beside her, Scootaloo was present.
He took a calming breath and walked forward, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Scootaloo was with Annabelle, Scootaloo was near the Gonja plants...
'Mac, don't lose your cool here.'
A small sound came from ahead and the closer Macintosh got, the more he could make out the sound as gentle sobbing. Scootaloo was clinging to Annabelle's leg as the mare gently cried. Once close enough to hear what she was saying, Mac's heart sank.
"I don't... I just... How could he? I thought..."
Was she talking about him?
"I don't understand how he could blame me..." Annabelle took a breath and calmed herself a little.
Scootaloo looked up at her, her own eyes misting. "It's not your fault. I had no idea Soarin would do something like that."
Mac felt a spike of anger and immediately pushed it down. What had that stallion done? What could he have done, he should still have been in prison.
He stayed back and listened to the conversation unfold. Mac had to restrain himself yet again when he'd pieced together that Anna's father had received the invitation to her wedding and replied that he had no intention on coming. Not only that but he'd also officially disowned Annabelle for her love of Macintosh, a stallion who'd had a part of his son's imprisonment.
Mac trotted forward and stopped when he was right behind her. Genlty, he reached around from behind Anna and pulled her into a hug, making the earth mare meep in surprise.
"Macintosh?"
"Ah'm sorry, Anna..."
Mac felt her free leg cover his own. "It's not your fault... Really, it's not. Soarin, he did a bad thing, and he's being held accountable for it. All you did was protect your sister like a good brother should."
The apple pony squeezed tighter, he knew she was right, but he didn't care about that. Annabelle, a pony he had come to love dearly, was hurting and all Mac wanted to do was make her hurt go away. She was a good pony, kind and considerate who tried to bring happiness and smiles wherever she went, she didn't deserve to cry like this.
He heard Scootaloo sniffled and looked down to find the filly looking more than a little upset. She let go of Anna's leg and began to walk away, her leaving halted when a red foreleg quickly scooped the orange filly up and pulled her into Annabelle's side.
The young pegasus had spent the day with Rainbow yesterday, the two trying to see if they would be compatable as caretaker and minor. Scootaloo said things had gone well, but she was was still a little reluctant to go, now. She loved Rainbow Dash in a way, she looked up to her and idolized the speedster. Spending the day together had been on of her many dreams come true.
This morning, when they'd talked about it, Macintosh asked Scootaloo as to why she was having second thoughts about living with Rainbow. It was kind of a surprising reason, yet, not really.
She wanted a mother and a father. Rainbow, to her knowledge, was a single mare, and would most likely be for a long time. Rainbow's dream of becoming a Wonderbolt would be seen as an aversion to pair bonding with anypony any time soon. "And, well, you know what they say about her around town..."
"Now Scootaloo. Small town gossip isn't something you should take as truth." Annabelle chided lightly. "And even if she was a filly fooler, is that really a reason not to want to be her daughter?"
The orange filly's ears drooped. "I feel terrible for it, I really do, but I just... I don't want two moms, I want a mom and a dad, like I used to have..."
Mac felt his barrel tighten and pulled the two closer to him. He didn't know Scootaloo that well, but even so, he'd grown to care for her deeply, and he knew Annabelle felt the same through her actions. He was glad the two were getting along and shared a moment together, and he was happy he could share this moment with them as well.
The three sat in silence for a few minutes, Annabelle had turned to embrace both of them and Scootaloo doing the same.
Mac felt an extreme sense of calm in those moments. He felt complete, whole, accomplished, like the three of them being together was... right, and he'd treasure that feeling for the rest of his life.
The moment didn't last near long enough and the three broke apart, Scootaloo having something important to tell them. The filly kicked the ground and looked away nervously. "I umm, I didn't get my grades up in time."
"In time for what, dear?" Anna asked in concern.
Scootaloo sighed and looked up between the two. "Cheerilee said that my grades were too bad, she said that there would need to be a parent/teacher conference."