Clash
Sin yawned for the umpteenth time in the past five minutes as he walked. Sleep had denied him it's comforting embrace once again last night, the stallion to weary of the new unicorn companion to get any sleep at all. Fortunately, Value never emerged from his wagon through out the night, but if that was because of Sin's vigilance or not, he couldn't say. He still had no idea what the pony's motives were for approaching them last night, aside from what the stallion said. Though, something about that just didn't sit right with him. Granted, he wasn't one to talk since they were also having water trouble, but still.
His mind blanked as yet another yawn over took him. The ground had been his scenic view of choice today, his head hanging low feeling far more comfortable than looking straight ahead. Conventional wisdom and common sense be damned, he was sleepy.
He peaked a glance up to see the wagon getting a fair bit of distance ahead of him. Groaning, the cloaked pony picked up in speed to catch up. Scootaloo was inside the wagon with Angle, and Krystal was up front, speaking with Value about something or another. Once their conversation began descending into sea life, Sin's interest in listening fell to the way side. Still though, Bliss...
Bliss sounded too good to be true, it sounded like this Value Cyan guy had just popped into his mind and took all the things the stallion wanted to hear... Though, that was almost litterally impossible, considering the Occlumency.
It did sound interesting though, Bliss. Of course he wanted to kill Puddinghead and end the Trotski threat and all, but... what was the harm in postponing the encounter for a day or two? Besides, maybe he'd find something useful in Bliss? Something to help him sleep, or a new weapon, or, dare he to think... a home.
'You'd want to live there?'
Well why not? If the city really was without government, a notion the stallion was hard pressed to believe, since Pony-nature was still a thing, especially if it was as divers as Cyan said it was, than wouldn't that be the best place for him to live? Maybe? Assuming he survived that long?
'Well, it's an goal. A goal that doesn't end up with you getting ripped apart by changelings, or bludgeoned by Trotski fucks, or dying for any reason other than old age most likely, so I guess that's good.'
Yea, that was good, at least it was something to look forward to, assuming it's true... hoping it was true.
"Mr. Islander? Is it true that you're not from Equestria?" He heard from ahead. The blue unicorn pony was looking back at him in interest.
Shooting Krystal a glare, Sin answered in the affirmative, wishing that she hadn't revealed that detail and hoping she hadn't revealed much else.
"Really, what country are you from? If I may be so bold, sir."
"The Federation." Sin answered bluntly.
"The Federation of...?" Value asked.
"It was never given an official name, but it's the landmass the Centaur inhabit."
The wagon stopped and Value turned to face him wide eyed. "Hold on, you mean to tell me you're from that Federation?"
Surpsied to meet anybody who knew about his homeland, the Federalist nodded in the affermative. Value's shocked expression turned excited. "I knew you were different, tell me, since you and he share the same last name, might you be related to an individual by the name of Gemini Islander?"
Sin's body stiffened at the name... his name. It took all of his will to keep the horror from his face, but he tried his damnest to maintain a look of neutrality and thoughtfulness. "I am sorry, but no. I know who he is, but I'm not related to him."
His voice started out a little shakey but he played that off with a yawn in the middle of the sentence.
Cyan silently looked at him for a few seconds, blankly studying the stallion's face and features, searching for a single trace of dishonesty. "Pity." Value said, breaking his scrutiny gaze. "I've met him once, while dealing with some international business expansions from Bliss. Something about you just... reminded me of him for some reason."
"Head of the Triple M. Corperation, I guess I should be flattered." Sin chuckled, forcing the situation into comedy.
Krystal, much to his chagrin, decided to pursue the topic of the Federation and asked what Mr. Cyan knew about it. Fortunately for Sin, Value didn't know much, aside from his dealings with Triple M. and Gemini. "I know that they are a very robust and industrial country, taking technologies and magicks from all walks of life and cultures. Hay, it was where I'd gotten the idea for Bliss."
Where he'd gotten the idea for Bliss? What did...
A sudden wave of bleary exhaustion knocked Sin's thoughts from his mind, sending the stallion staggering a little. He began to worry about how much longer he'd be able to stay awake or what would happen if he fell asleep.
"You seem tired, Mr. Islander." Cyan stated matter-of-factly. "And take it from a stallion who knows tired, if you'd like, you're welcome to crawl into my wagon for a nap."
Sin, being the stubborn and proud sort, of course refused the offer and the repetition of him continually falling behind and running to catch up played out a few more times before Krystal asked Cyan to stop the wagon for a moment.
"Why'd you stop?" Sin asked.
Krystal approached, her face a worried mask. "Because you're tired and need to sleep."
Scoffing and shaking his head, the oaken stallion dismissed the mare's concerns and tried to walk past her, though, a white wing fluffed out, barring the stallion's path. Sin looked at his companion and told her to get out of his way, but an uncharacteristically solumn and serious expression plastered on the pegasus mare's face told him that she had no plans of adhering to his demands.
With his lack of sleep making him more aggressive than usual, and the fact his way was being barred, a form of aggression mind you, Sin's glare hardened a little and he contemplated summoning the aura to aid him.
"Krystal, your concern is appreciated, but we don't have time for this."
A small crack appeared in the off white mare's resolve, but it disappeared as quickly as it came and she closed her eyes in a sagely manner. "Then we are going to make time. You can't keep carrying on like this, Islander. You've been acting weird ever since we left my house, and I think it's because you're not getting enough sleep."
"Well, someone has to keep watch at night." Sin countered, his mouth moving faster than his brain. "I know you have a tendency to fall asleep during your time."
Krystal visibly flinched from the verbal assault, despite the calm in which it was presented. Sin knew she couldn't deny it, on more than one ocassion he'd watched her fall asleep during her shift at night. Of course, nothing happened to put them in any danger, but still, it was a blunder on her part. Most night's she'd startle awake and pretend she'd never fallen asleep at all, but Sin knew better.
Her sad and hurt expression uplifted itself back to the sagely look of tranquility. "I have, and I am sorry, but I'm not like you. I'm not used to this kind of pressure and life style. I do try to stay awake, I try to do my part..." she said, her words trailing off into a small wimper, her attempt at stoicism failing extraordinarily.
Sin saw the fruits of his labor and suddenly felt very low for the shot he'd taken. Well, it was true, so he couldn't feel too bad, but now wasn't the time to address the issue.
"Look, I'm sorry." Sin said with a sigh. "That could have been said better, but when we're in the woods, out in the open like that, precautions need to be taken, alright? It's dangerous out here, we don't have walls to protect us from the dangers that lurk here. Wolves being the primary threat."
Krystal sniffled and nodded. Satisfied that that little conflict was resolved, Sin made way forwards again, though barely got a step before a white wing, once again, fluffed out to stop him.
Sin bit his lip, seeing his psychological manipulation ploy not working out as he'd intended. Krystal, despite the imposition of guilt and the faux resolution he'd created, wasn't detoured from the actual issue at hoof.
"You're not getting out of this that easy, you need to sleep." She pressed.
"I will later." Sin growled, barely able to keep eye contact. "But right now, we need to keep walking."
Frowning, Krystal took a moment to think about something before mirroring Sin's own ever knowing smirk. "We will, the only pony keeping us from going is you."
Sin frowned, his mind taking a bit more time to process and interpret information than normal. His frown evolved to a scowl as it dawned exactly what Krystal was doing. Clever girl, using her concerns over him to make him out to be the perpetrator. She was learning.
"Really? Because I'm trying to go walk forwards." Sin countered with a tired smirk that just wouldn't stay in place. "And you're the one who isn't."
The desired effect wasn't had and Krystal's own smirk intensified. "Yes, because you're slowing us down."
Body tensing, and anger flaring, Sin began to deepen his breathing and called upon every last bit of his will to refrain himself from smacking her across the face. Those words, those words were never ever spoken to him before. He said those words to others, they were always the ones slowing him down. He could always keep going, but had to stop for them and now she fucking dared to say the same to him when he had not?!
His pride would never allow him to use this argument though, despite how true it may have been. It was an admission of defeat, that he really was slowing them down. Which, to be honest, he was. Though, his pride and ego had suffered a few too many blows lately, and he was getting pretty sick and tired of it.
His glare persisted on the unyielding mare, until Sin finally acknowledge that her closed eyes prevented her from seeing it. He tried to walk around her, but found the task intentionally sabotaged, Krystal side stepped, blocking his path, and did so again when he truged to move again.
"Krystal, you're testing my patience." Sin seethed, his temper coming to capacity. Ahead, Cyan began to unhook himself from the wagon.
"I'm sorry, but you are not 'fine', and I don't like that you're lying to me again. You look aweful, you can't walk straight, you're barely able to focus at all, and you look like a right mess." The mare stated. Sin frowned at her, but the more he tried to focus in on her eyes, the more of a blur his vision became.
"Kiddo, I'm warning you- woah!" Sin stumbled sideways from the small push Krystal gave him, the shove no where near hard enough to justify almost putting the stallion on his side. Regaining his bearings, Sin glared with every bit of pre aura malevolence he could muster. That was aggression! That was aggression and assault! By the non-aggression standard, he was fully within his rights to retaliate.
And with the deep, stupid look of concern on her face, Sin was inches from indulging that right.
"If you're not going to let yourself get some sleep, than I guess I have to make you." Krystal declared.
Sin took this as a threat and lowered himself to intercept whatever she planned to do, but her assault wasn't a physical one, and by the time he'd registered the soft, soothing sounds that she sang, it was too late. Like a fast moving dial, the energy levels in Sin's limbs quickly began to drain away, stolen by a soothing desire to sleep.
He reached out to cover her muzzle with his hoof, but it was like time had slowed down for him. His hoof and leg were far too slow and heavy to stop her, and by the time he made contact at all, it was a gentle hoof upon her cheek.
Falling to his knees, Sin spent what little energy he had left to look up at Krystal in one last look of defiance.
Maybe it was just the sleep deprivation, maybe the it was the slow feeling of ease and goodness he desperately longed for finally taking him, but the mare looked so much more beautiful than usual in that moment. Her smile aiding the song's warmth and submission to sleep.
His head dipping to final reserves, Sin felt something touch his mane. Something that slowly stroked his scalp in a slow and soothing motion. It was the final straw, and the stallion collapsed to the earth, no longer able to keep himself awake.
Allowing herself to relax, Krystal continued to hum softly and stroke Islander's mane, promising him that things would be fine while he slept. She'd seen momma Gem do this alot with Papa when she wanted him to calm down or sleep.
"Quite a talent." Value said from behind. He yawned audibly. "About put me to sleep." He chuckled.
Krystal giggled. "Singing is my talent, after all. Hey, Mr. Cyan, is it still okay if I put him in your wagon?"
Value Cyan nodded his head, and Krystal gently picked up Sin in her forelegs and waited for Value to open the door before flying in and gently setting him down on one of the rugs.
"He finally pass out?" Scootaloo asked from her place on one of the cushions.
Krystal nodded her head, taking a loose pillow and propping up the pony's head.
"That's good." The filly said, going back to the book she was reading. "Maybe now he'll stop being such a plot hole."
Krystal felt the wagon begin moving again and stayed her place inside, as well as any scolding for the insult. "Whatcha doin' Scootaloo?" She asked, absently stroking Sin's mane to make sure he stayed relaxed and asleep.
The filly put down the quill and looked up again. "Well, after using the tarp to collect water, I got to thinking about other things I could make." She reached over and pulled up a book. "I asked Mr. Cyan if I could read this and he said yes. It's a book called Conventional Contraptions. It has all kinds of neat ideas for things to make."
Krystal's eyes widened, the tome the filly had was a simple one, with a picture of some kind of giant balloon carrying a small wooden bowl shaped structure on the front. She had no idea Scootaloo was interested in building things like that.
"Honestly, I just wanna make a scooter again." The filly admitted, scribbling down on the paper. "I miss it, alot."
Krystal had no idea what a "scooter" was, but it did sound appropriate for a filly named "Scootaloo." She briefly wondered forth and looked at the paper and found that it held a picture of some kind of structure that slightly resembled a wagon, though much flatter, and with a long pole at the front, with two bars jutting perpendicularly from the apex of the pole. What was even more odd was that there were numbers all around the structure. Numbers indicating height, width, and if memory served, circumference for the wheels.
On the other side of the paper was a bunch of calculations, along with a few mathematical formulas at the top for reference, a reference Scootaloo made continual notes of.
"Wow..." The off white mare breathed. "I didn't know you knew all of this stuff, Scootaloo."
The filly chuckled in embarrassment and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I really don't. I mean, Macintosh helped me alot with my math homework, so I know how to multiply and divide, but using decimals and fractions is still pretty hard, luckily this book teaches everything from the basics."
It was still pretty impressive, especially to Krystal who didn't care for math in the slightest. It was then that she noticed the lack of hesitance in Scootaloo speaking about the stallion meant to be her father, and Krystal felt hopeful that the filly was finally coming to terms with how things were and planned to continue moving forward.
A slight, unnatural twitch brought Krystal's attention back to Sin, who was softly cringing in his sleep.
He was having a nightmare? Well, that just wouldn't do.
She lowered her head to his ear and began humming to him again, the soft sound making the stallion go still and peaceful once again. Satisfied with that, Krystal turned to Scootaloo and asked if she would keep an eye on him for a while so she could get back to being Value's promised company.
"Sure, I guess." Scootaloo agreed.
"Thank you." Krystal said before exiting the compartment and walking besides Cyan. "Sorry about that."
The blue unicorn gave her a knowing smile. "No worries, a stallion's pride and will can get him many things in life, but it can also be the thing that ends his life. The ego is a funny thing that way."
The thought of dying sent a rush of worry through her. Krystal didn't want Sin to die, she didn't want anypony she knew to die...
Seeing the obvious worry on her face, Value apologized for his words. "It wasn't my intent to-"
"No, no it's alright." Krystal interjected, looking down at the ground. "I'm... just worried is all."
Cyan regarded her for a moment and nodded before changing the topic to something more lighthearted, mainly Bliss, and a small little cafe' within that he invited her to...