//------------------------------//
//  Elaboration Revelation 
// Story: Earning Freedom 
// by Daxisle 
//------------------------------//








Elaboration Revelation
 







Sin opened his eyes, finding himself in the typical confines of, what he refereed to as, the black room. He looked about for either the Critic or the Kid, but neither were in view yet, so he called out to them, reminding the former of his warning that the longer he stayed here, the more of a chance the Nightmare had for a full on possession. 

Now, as much as the Federalist didn't want that to happen, he wanted answers more. What happened with Granite had disturbed him, deeply. Never before in his entire life had he ever felt so powerless and used as when he'd spoken those words. And when confronted on the issue, the Critic just told him to think about what he'd said and that if he hadn't figured it out by tonight than to come here and see him. 

Critic hadn't said anything the rest of the day, despite Sin continually hounding him for answers.

So here he was.

'Sin.'

The stallion turned to find Critic, looking much more like himself than he had so many weeks ago. Almost a mirror image of the pony with only the slightest of indiscernible details distinguishing them.

"Answers, now." Sin commanded.

Critic furrowed his brow and tilted his head slightly. 'Really? You haven't figured it out yet?'

That was not what the pony wanted to hear, especially in such a petulant voice. "If I'd figured it out, would I be asking?" He countered, already annoyed.

The metaphysical construct quirked a brow, silently eyeing the stallion as if to determine if his statement was a joke or not. Finally he let out a sigh and shook his head with a tisk.

'Sin, what am I?'

"A manifestation of my... superego?" Sin offered.

Critic pressed his lips and tilted his head from side to side. 'Sorta, but not really. Let's try this another way, do you know what the purpose of my being here is?'

Sin was quick to speak. "You were here to help re acclimate me with my emotions."

Again, the other stallion tilted his head from side to side in a so-so manner. That was true in some respects, but not entirely accurate. Upon some more coaxing, Critic elaborated that his function was to help the stallion heal from what he'd become upon his Schism when Sin had raided the Fire Cult and came to terms with what he was becoming.

'You remember, right? When you saw your partner break down into tears?'

Did he remember? How could he forget? Sin wasn't with Triple M's mercenary division for long, a few months or so, including the boot camp training. It was his first major mission under the company, with some minors before it, and his last mission ever. What he saw that day, the things he felt, the realizations he'd come to, the smells, the fear, the following mental breakdown. That was the day he'd made a choice, a choice to no longer be the monster he was becoming. The choice to reject his alleged "destiny" in favor of something else.

Critic nodded with a sad smile. "Yea, you did make a choice that day, a choice for the better in my opinion. Sad it took seeing someone you admired have their own break down before you finally realized it, though." He turned, waving a hoof in the air, a small, translucent pink and black heart shaped thing appearing in front of him. "Do you know what this is?"

Sin groaned and placed a hoof over his eyes. "Really, Critic? Don't you think this is a little too childish?"

The mirror image shook his head, siting that this was how he'd always thought of the stallion's mind and psyche, through a small heart tainted in darkness.

The Federalist had to bite his tongue, this was not one of Critic's proudest moments to be sure. A heart? Seriously? Taking all of the subtle and not so subtle nuances of the pony psyche, memories of past events, traumatic experiences, behavioral and thought patterns and process, and so many more uncountable factors; only to have them all add up to the ultimate childish concept?

Critic let out a slow, controlled breath. 'That, right there. You've always got something to say to the way I try to help or understand you. Everything's a battle, everything's a fight, everything's is something that you have to push back against.' He turned to look at the Federalist, his face a neutral, if not slightly irritated, mask. 'And I'm getting pretty fucking sick of it.'

Sin shrugged. Critic had been tired of his criticisms and abandoned him before, it wasn't a long abandonment, but Sin had gotten along well enough without him. It wasn't easy, it was one of the few times in his life the pony actually felt lonely, but he managed to survive the few weeks of silence.

"Tell me something," Critic sighed, turning back to the small, floating prism, 'What is it you want, Sin?'

Quirking a brow, the stallion answered with what he usually did: Freedom. Though, that answer didn't seem to please the metaphysical construct. Apparently, freedom wasn't the correct answer.

'Alright, let's try this another way. What is it that will make you happy?'

Quirking a brow, the stallion didn't answer right away. Speaking honestly, he didn't really remember what happiness felt like, and didn't feel qualified to give an accurate answer. Critic suspected as much, though.

'Do you think freedom brought you happiness, Sin?' He asked, turning to the pony once more, eyeing him with a demanding glare. 

"I... don't understand what you're asking." Sin replied, his eyes trailing about the blackness of the void.

Sighing again, the reflection shook his head. 'It's not a hard question, dude. Were you happy when you had your definition of freedom? When you didn't answer to anybody but yourself? When you lived in the Everfree forest, outside of Celestia's control. When you came to Equestria at all, and were free to roam about as you pleased. Did you feel life was worth living because you were finally away from the toxicity of the Federation?'

Sin racked his brain, was he happy? The answer was no, no he wasn't, but why wasn't he? He had what he wanted, in a sense. He was able to do whatever he wanted in Equestria as opposed to the old country, especially in the Everfree forest. Yet... that was one of the most miserable points in his life. It wasn't a revelation by any means, but it was something to think about.

'No, you weren't.' Critic answered for him, turning his attention back to the . 'But I do know when you were happy.

Resisting the urge to groan at the display, Sin watched as black ichor encasing the heart slowly receded from it, leaving the glowing prism much more beautiful and vibrant than what it was before. 'For all of your bitching and complaining about others, it was when you were in Ponyville that you were the most happy. This, if you'll indulge me, was how you looked back when you lived there. Still a little twisted and filled with malice, but you were happy with your life for the first time since you were small.'

'Spike, Macintosh, Uppity, Shady Oaks, the Council, the guys at the woodmill. These relationships, despite how much they annoyed you at times, made you feel pretty content with yourself. You enjoyed them, you had so many things going for you. Yea, you were still a little confused, trying to figure things out for what they were, but you had direction and a support system of ponies who cared about you, not just what you could do for them.'

Sin scoffed lightly. "The Council made me happy?"

Critic, rather than becoming indignant at the strawman, merely chuckled. 'You like fighting, what better to fight for than keeping the government bureaucrats in line?'

Both of them shared a chuckle, Sin remembering his old life in the small town. Shooting the shit with the guys at the mill, the time he'd helped Mac around the farm when needed, the secret meetings with Bonbon and the Cakes to coach them through combating Colgate's anti-candy legislation, the meeting's he'd set up between Shady and the Inquiry in trying to keep the red market out of Ponyville, constantly butting heads with Leaf Spring, explaining new legislation to Mayor Mare, the debates between he and Uppity...

In a wave of emotion, Sin felt his lip begin to quiver at the happy memories. There was no way he could deny it, Critic was right, despite the lack of solitude he was able to get, Ponyville was the only time in his life he looked forward to waking up in the morning. Even when he was stuck in Golden Oaks with Twilight, he still looked forward to how the day would play out. 

Back then, he didn't feel dead inside. No, he felt alive, he felt... not numb anymore. Warm, excited, compelling, like he had a purpose that wasn't wasted.

A small sniffle escaped his muzzle and the pony took a calming breath. "Alright, you've got me. I guess I was pretty happy there, but what does that have to do with what happened at the ravine?"

Critic's jaw dropped and he gave Sin one of the most incredulous looks he could manage. 'Seriously? Y- you don't see the connection?'

Sin shook his head, honestly confused as to what the construct was getting at. Critic groaned and rubbed both forelegs against his face. 'Wow, dude. For being as smart as you are, you're pretty fucking stupid sometimes, I swear to Tapio.'

All the warmth in his body drained at the insult. "Quit beating around the bush and just come out with it."

The mirror image grunted in annoyance and resolve. 'Alright, why aren't you back there, yet? Ponyville was the one place you found peace in your life, where you had friends and healthy relationships. Why aren't you back there yet?'

Now it was Sin's turn to look bewildered. "And you're calling me stupid? Seriously?"

'Yes, and I'm calling you stupid, again, for not seeing why you're stupid.'

Sin hissed through his teeth, now thoroughly agitated before calling upon sarcasm. "Alright, you want me to spell this out? Alright, alright, okay! So there's this little group of ponies running around who wanted to kill Macintosh called the Trotski, right? Nasty group, I'm trying to stop them from, you know, finishing him off? And then there's the fact I'm kinda wanted by the crown for, you know, setting them free? Oh and they all think I'm dead, so there's that too."

'And you don't see the obvious solution here?' Critic asked before holding up a hoof to cut off any answers. 'That was a rhetorical question, I know you do. You've already used it as a threat, so don't tell me it's about keeping Mac safe when it's not.'

Sin sputtered, his eyes wide and giving the reflection the most dumbfounded look he'd ever given anybody in his entire life. It wasn't about keeping Macintosh safe? Was the critic loosing his shit? How was what he was doing not about keeping his friend safe? Though, what was said next quickly made Sin feel like the imbecile the construct made him out to be.

'If you're sooo concerned about Macintosh's safety, than why haven't you dropped the occlumency and told Luna about it?' Critic asked. 'You said so yourself, she could easily find the Trotski in the dreamscape, have them all locked up in no time, and Macintosh's life would be out of danger for good. Yet you have spent weeks chasing these fuckers around, risking them finding out about him being alive with each passing day and finishing what you stopped at his wedding. Why?'

Taking a step back in shock, Sin sputtered and started for a response. "I, uh, I..." He lifted a hoof but quickly brought it down. Why hadn't he done that? That was... a fantastic point against Sin that he had absolutely no excuse for not thinking of. Especially considering he did think of it and decided to just not implement it.

"Huh." He grunted in revelation.

'Yea.' Critic agreed. 

"I umm... have no excuse." Sin admitted, realizing just how stupid and thoughtless he was being.

Nodding sagely, the reflection spoke up once more. 'No, you do, you just don't want to admit to it.'

Sin, now much more open and less defensive, asked what Critic was talking about.

The reflection turned to the heart once again and tapped it, the vibrant glowing pink was once again covered in ichor, though not as bad as it once was. A bigger difference was that part of it was missing now, a small chunk of the upper right quadrant was broken off. 'You're afraid, mainly.'

"Afraid?"

Critic nodded. 'You're afraid of happiness, you've always been afraid of happiness, mainly because you've always lost it when you've had it barely in your reach. You're jaded, spiteful, and came to Equestria in one last ditch effort to find a better life. Between a pony you loved betraying you and the fact that fear came to pass, you've decided to run away from it, rather than fight against an outcome you see as a foregone conclusion.'

That much was true, every time Sin had done anything before coming to Equestria, it was always one step forward and ten steps back, politically speaking anyways. He learned about the way the world worked and offered solution? The world laughed in his face and made excuses. He tried spreading awareness about the virtues of liberty and capitalism, the world condemned him as a heartless monster who hated the poor and down trodden. He ran for the senate to try to impose more regulations and restriction on the government, his best friend ended up dead and he was jeered for his efforts.

'Well, I'm not letting you run anymore.' Said the construct with conviction. 'I've tried doing things your way, through argumentation and voluntary implementation. That hasn't worked out too well, you continually deny and fight everything I tell you, letting yourself be miserable and jaded to the world. The only times you were ever happy was when you had relationships with others, when they gave you the one thing you couldn't give yourself. Appreciation.'

Critic stepped away from the heart, allowing the prism to dissipate into the void. He approached Sin, making the unsure stallion take a few steps backwards.

'You want to know what happened at the water front? That was called an emotional response. You think you're tough shit, and most days, you are. But even you have weaknesses, Sin, weaknesses that are psychologically ingrained to authority. Granite intimidated you, but he also appealed to you. He spoke to you respectfully and told you things you wanted to hear, not as an equal, but as a subordinate. As a father would speak to his son, and you liked that. Don't deny it, I know you did. It was small, but you had a bit of admiration for the way he stood up to your logic and put you in your place on a subconscious level. In the ways that Mandylion and Gemini never did, and nobody else ever dared try.'

Sin began shaking, his eyes trailing all over the void, trying to figure out what he was hearing. Was that it? Was that why he felt the way he did when Granite was speaking to him? Had it been anyone else, Sin would have seen the behavior as a violation of the Non-Aggression Principal and reacted with violence. What had happened yesterday was different though, but he couldn't explain why, not until now anyways. It was a huge contradiction, one of the biggest in terms of logic. After all, logically, what the elder pony did was a violation, but... Sin remembered back to his time with Mandylion in the mountains and how irritated the colt was when his grandfather never challenged him on his assertions unless factually wrong. It felt like he didn't care, on an emotional level, even though he was logically consistent.

Sin knew better than to think the world ran on pure logic, though. Ponies were emotional creatures, it was how they communicated and interacted with one another. Maybe that's what it was, a shameful, secret longing to be spoken to by a father figure who felt like they actually cared.

"There was Spike, when he chewed me out for how I treated Uppity." Sin replied meekly.

'Yea, we'll pretend you see him as a superior to you.'Critic chuckled. 'Back to the point. The Kid saw a chance and I didn't stop him. You need relationships to be happy, sorry, you may not like it, but that's the fact. Krystal is good for you, so is Scootaloo. That's why we've stuck you with them both. You don't want to go back to Ponyville for fear of imprisonment? Fine, but you're getting the help you need, like it or not.'

Critic's words were spoken with resolution and left no room for debate. Sin wasn't going to argue anyways, what ground did he have to stand on? With everything he'd been told so far, and all the obvious mistakes he'd made, there wasn't a single thing he could say in contest to the deceleration. Though, that did still leave a few problems, one in particular. 

"What of the Nightmare?" Asked Sin." She's heard all of this and will likely act against it. You heard her threats against me."

Critic shrugged. 'You'll need to figure that out for yourself. If I were you, I'd talk to Luna and strike up a deal. She doesn't seem as lenient as her sister, especially since you threatened to tell Celestia about Luna's involvement with Triple M. but I'm pretty sure she'll be willing to work something out. If nothing else, I'd still talk to her just to get some added security to Macintosh.'

Seeing the soundness of his consciousness's logic, the stallion nodded his head. "Alright, I'll do that. And Critic," Sin stated, turning around. "Thanks, you were right, I was being stupid in all of this."

The reflection gave him a smile. 'Don't thank me yet, but whatever you decide, just remember that Scootaloo and Krystal are your responsibility now. Keep that in mind.'

Sin gave a solemn nod before the black room slowly swirled around him and he entered the white void of the dream scape.

"Stop!" Cried the Nightmare, now standing before him. "Sinbad, you know why this is a fool hearty endeavor! I am the only thing protecting you from Luna's minions now, should you lose me, they will take you!"

Sin regarded the black alicorn before him with pause. She was right, despite his anti-magical abilities and crossbow, her power was his main saving grace. Still though, this was for Macintosh's safety as well as getting some answers, there was nothing written in stone as to what he was going to do.

With some mental work, the stallion's thoughts began to grow lighter and freer as he slowly deconstructed the mental barrier that surrounded his mind. The Nightmare protested, decrying that Sin's actions would be his undoing, but he was resolute.

"If I were you, Nightmare, I'd make sure nothing enters my mind past this plane. Occlumency is kind of an all or nothing deal." Sin smirked, the alicorn sneered down at him.

"Fool!" She barked before disappearing in teleportive blink.

And with that, Sin took a seat and waited. Nothing happened for a while, and then it hit him. The Nightmare had the power to block Luna from entering the other's minds, she was likely doing the same to him. With a few words, he asked the Critic to have the kid put her away for a moment and force her magic to stop entirely.

It brought on a headache, even to his mental self, but the results were instantanious. Two bat ponies clad in black and purple armor appeared in the void besides him, each looking around until both found the oaken pony sitting. "Tell Luna I wish to speak with her." Sin commanded.

The two pegasi looked at each other for a moment before nodding and disappearing in another blink. A few minutes later, the dark blue princess of the moon herself finally appeared, looking as imposing and majestic as she always had.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise." She commented, glaring down at him. "We did not expect you to be the one to reach out to us."

Sin pressed his lips. "Been figuring some things out. Hope you've been well."

"We have... not." Luna admitted, furrowing her brow and looking away nervously. "Sinbad, we implore you to return to the castle at once. You're mind has played host to a creature most foul."

Again, the stallion nodded. "I am aware, though, I'm afraid I'm not willing to give her up just yet. Not until I have some stipulations that are met."

Luna quirked a brow. "Stipulations? You dare to make demands of us?"

It wasn't so much a demand, just an agreement for trade. Luna wasn't surprised to hear the Trotski had taken a dislike for Big Macintosh for his part in disrupting the protests in Canterlot, but she did find the attempt on his life more than a little shocking.

"The Trotski... assassinating?" Breathed the lunar alicorn. She placed a hoof to her forehead. "Does their evil know no limits?"

"Probably not now, considering I've killed two of their leaders and Mac ruined one of their plans." Sin pointed out. 

Luna gasped, eyeing Sin in wide eyed horror. "Y-  two of their leaders?!"

The stallion nodded, it was his mistake letting them go, and he wanted to try to make it right. That, and some vengeance was well enough in order.

Luna slumped a little, looking at the pony in pity. "Sinbad, vengeance does not lead to satisfaction, it only leads to emptiness and despair. We speak from experience of this, little pony."

"It's not a matter of satisfaction, Luna, it's a matter of retribution. It's a matter of holding the aggressive party to account for their actions. But I'm not interested in debating about morality here. I'm here to put my pride aside in this matter and ask that you take the Trotski down before Macintosh is hurt."

Luna closed her eyes in silent thought before finally answering. "No."

Sin's eyes went wide at the word. "No? Why not?"

"We... cannot say." Luna answered, her brow furrowing and tail flicking back and forth. "It is a complicated matter, Sinbad. We are sorry bu-"

"Spare me!" Sin shouted. "I know what you did to Macintosh after my trial. I didn't think anything of it when you took him away, but I had no idea you were going to have sex with him practically against his will! You raped him, I think the least you can do is bring down an organization bent on killing him, don't you?"

Luna flinched, her ears splaying as her head lowed. She knew what she did was wrong, that she was terrible for it. Had she even apologized to the Apple pony for that? 

She claimed she had, and that the reason for her inability to act as Sin's requested was due to the Trotski's affiliations. 

"You are not the only one who's able to interfere with my abilities, Sin. We have had agents within the organization since we learned of its existence."

Agents? What purpose would she possible have for needing infiltrators in the Tortski? Especially since she pretty much had the power to invade ponies memories? On that matter, how was there any unsolved crimes? Or anything of that like? Couldn't she just enter minds, find the truth and convict on the spot? The right to privacy obviously didn't mean much to her, so that wasn't an excuse.

"We do not just go around invading ponies minds at a whim!" Luna barked back at the assertion. "Believe it or not, we do respect ponies wishes to privacy."

"When it suites you." Sin snarked.

Luna's eyes darkened and the Federalist dropped the issue with a small apology. "Sorry, just something that bothered me for a while."

The lunar alicorn humphed and cleared her throat. "As we were saying. There are some minds that have found ways to counter our abilities. Making false memories, using false names, manipulating and editing memories with spells in a way we are unable to interpret correctly. The Trotski you've encountered are the leaders and the most loyal members, but there are hundreds more, perhaps over a thousand whom believe our sister and I are false rulers."

A thousand? Sin couldn't believe the number. Yea, the Alicorn's coming to power was suspicious and all, but to have over a thousand ponies as part of an organization to it? That was... impressive. 

Apparently there were some very famous and influential ponies suspected to be among their ranks. It wasn't a crime to be a Trotski, of course, since having a belief would be a thought crime, but it did warrant some observation on the part of the crown. Especially since the organization has proven willing to use advanced mob tactics and violence to it's ultimate end goal. 

"We apologize, we are unable to bring Puddinghead and his ilk to justice just yet. There are those within their ranks we continually monitor in respect to their dreams for our own interests. We will, however, be sending added security to Ponyville to overlook your friend." She sighed, looking more than a little ashamed. "That much we do owe for the sins we have committed."

Well, it wasn't what Sin wanted, but it was better than nothing.

"Now, we ask that your abandon your vengeful crusade and return to Canterlot immediately. Your mind is in grave danger, and you place those among you at risk."

"I can't do that, Luna." Sin replied calmly. "If you're not willing to put down the dogs, than I will."

Luna stood at her full height, looking down her muzzle at the Federalist. "Is that so? We are of the understanding that you are traveling with Scootaloo, who we am speaking with right now, as well as a mare named Krystal Melody. Are you truly able to put their lives in danger for your own selfish ends?"

As much as he didn't want to let it bother him, the oaken pony answered in the affirmative with great reluctance. He still wanted revenge for what the Trotski did, and he wasn't above putting them in danger for it.

"What if we were to tell you that she was the adoptive daughter of a stallion by the name of Big Macintosh Apple?" She asked, her eyebrow raising to it's fullest. Sin's eyes shot wide, Scootaloo was Macintosh's adoptive daughter? What? When did that happen?

"I'd say I'm skeptical of your claim." He replied with a smirk. "I'd say you might be willing to tell me anything in order to stop me from going after your precious informants."

Luna smirked and looked left, a translucent pair of ponies appearing within the white void of the dream scape. One another lunar alicorn, this one sitting and speaking with a very angry Scootaloo.

"Scootaloo, please." The translucent Luna pleaded. "Macintosh is worried about you, so is Annabelle and Rainbow Dash."

The filly pouted and crossed her forelegs over her barrel. "If they're so worried, than why did he hand me over to the pink pony? Huh? Macintosh didn't seem too worried about it then."

Sin's breath caught in his throat. No... no this couldn't be real.

"Did he not take you in when you needed a home once your parents died?" The other Luna asked kindly. "Did not Annabelle bring you back to the farm when she discovered you living within Whitetale Wood out of a tent? Alone, and working for food?"

Scootaloo glared at the lunar pony, her kind and coaxing words. "Yea? So? When it mattered, they gave me away. I have ponies who really care about me now. Ones who wont hand me over to foal services because it's 'convenient' like he did."

Luna's image sighed and explained that it was for proper procedure that her handing over was done, that she'd blocked out what Macintosh had told her right before she was taken but Scootaloo wasn't having it.

"I don't care!" The filly shouted, making the Luna image step back. "Macintosh can suck apples for all I care! He didn't care enough to protect me, so why should I care about him?!"

That hit a button with Sin and he prepare to grab the filly and give her a dressing down she wouldn't forget, but the image disappeared just as he made a move, reminding him that it wasn't real.

Macintosh was one of the best ponies he knew, he was a quite and caring sort, the kind of pony who was loyal and sturdy. Willing to fight and die to protect those he loved, to hear Scootaloo speak of him in such a way made the Federalist's blood boil.

"That was what she said right after we asked her to go back to Sweet Apple Acres." Luna said softly, her eyes dropping in sadness. "She refuses to believe us, convinced Macintosh gave her away. He's in pain, Sinbad. Macintosh is in a great deal of pain because she ran away. He looked for her through the Everfree when you found her. He looked for days before giving up hope."

She looked at him, her eyes begging and imploring. "He misses you as well, he blames himself for your death, as well as hers."

Sin pressed his lips, looking down at the ground. This was not how he'd expected this conversation to go. Macintosh? Scootaloo was involved with him too? He was her adoptive father and thought she was dead? That was aweful, that was twisted on so many levels.

Twisted and manipulative...

"And why should I believe these images true?" Sin asked, raising his head. "You've already proven you can manipulate the landscape, how do I know that wasn't a lie you're showing me so I'll just give Scootaloo to you?"

Luna looked at him for a moment. "If you do not believe us, ask her yourself." She said, turning away. "We know you will get the truth this way, and we hope you will do the right thing and bring her back to Ponyville, to a family who loves and misses her. The life you offer is not fit for a filly, you know this Sinbad. The path you are on is not fit for any, and we hope you see reason before it's too late."

Sin watched as the alicorn faded from existence, his head felt heavy, like it was trying to comprehend every logical fact he'd ever known suddenly becoming topsy turvy.

Of course he was skeptical about Luna's claim and what he'd seen, but what if it was true? What if Scootaloo was Macintosh's charge? It made too much sense not to be true. Applebloom being her friend, bringing the filly back to the farm after finding her living in the woods? It explained how Scootaloo did so well with him and why she didn't complain too much. Macintosh being a good natured sort, along with the entire Apple family, would take her in...

If that was all true, what would he do? Would he force her to go back? Did he have the right to? She was a foal, so her agency in the matter was still premature, not to mention she'd be under a false assumption. But still...

Sin sighed, he was ready for a lot of things when he dropped his occlumency, but he wasn't ready for this.