Earning Freedom

by Daxisle

Bitter Thoughts

Bitter Thoughts

"THERE MUST BE RETRIBUTION! THE GRIFFONS DEMAND IT!" Called a male griffon with a scream, his aged forehead scrunched and his talon pointed to a large Centaur on the other side of the vast wooden circular chamber. The Centaur stroked his long and scruffy beard pondering over the situation. "The griffons of the Columbus will NOT be haggled by the prices of the ponies feed for their live stock any longer!"

"You're will shant be imposed upon my people, now or ever!" Called a brown coated stallion, his eyes narrowed and his black mane dressed in a sophisticated display. "If i may remind Senator Sycon, that if it were not for the Sindicrats ordinance of rehousing the Timberwolves in the Vail WHILST INTERRUPTING the trade routs and causing a great amount of food to spoil, the Ponies trade of harvest could have gone unhindered and more bountiful, thus bringing down costs of feed." He smirked in defiance at the griffons growing anger.

"And may I remind YOU, Senator Goodwill," Sychon shot back, his eyes narrowing "That It was you and the other Boltinians; That voted 'Yay' to the bill of disallowing the killing of Timberwolves, even if they are found to be a danger to surrounding communities? Thus giving none other choice than to halt trade from farms to markets for immediate and humane relocation?"

"Only because the Minotaur had been massacring the poor beasts for sport!" Cried an older buffalo, a feathered head dress falling loosely behind his graying coat. "Such a barbaric act must be halted for the good of nature!" The rounded monster of a senator slammed his hoof down onto the table bench on which he sat, looking to his left to see a black minotaur wearing a red tie, flaring his nostrils.

"Do not desecrate my tribes rituals, Strong Horn." His called, his voice low and threatening. "You wish to condescend rights of passage, why don't we look at your so called 'republic's' initial desecration of the Vail's wildlife via your stampedes through it? Causing the wildlife to scatter thus forcing the Timberwolves to flee in the first place?"

The chamber erupted into a free for all of shouting, The five seats that belonged to the Minotaur began their complaints with the five seats of the Griffons; arguing between the issues of food and ritualistic 'first kills'. the Buffalo and Diamond dogs were torn between each other and the Ponies, complaining about the proper treatment of land and wildlife. On the far end, the words: "Undignified" and "Thief" could be heard in another match between the Donkeys and the Coalition of Pegasus and Unicorns.

"ENOUGH!" The presiding Centaur exclaimed slamming a gaffle against the counter, silence filled the air as all of the once arguing politicians gazed upon him with huffs of anger. "For months," He continued, his deep and authoritative respect demanding voice echoed loudly. "You have argued and bickered as younglings, making a simple disagreement into a brawl of unprecedented madness." He bellowed while pointing the gaffle over all the senators of every race. As he stood from his crouched position, the light overhead caught his forehead to hid his eyes.

"Three hundred years ago, my father founded this land in an attempt to avoid such backwards politics," His bellow shrank to a low whisper, but still very audible to the others of the council. "And now I, Spar Hawk, must adhere to this drivel? Yells and shouts that would earn my own children a whip on the flank?" His angry eyes that had searched the room for the most guilty turned sad, and he placed on large hand over them.

"Arbiter Spar Hawk!" Called an aging unicorn from his left, the large Centaur looked over to see the beast half his size. Her blue coat and fire orange mane glistening in the candlelight. She cleared her throat before looking at him with a pair of stern yellow eyes. "It has been acknowledged that you are the heir of the founder of this Republic. However, with all due respect, your leadership has been anything but impressive as of late. You presume to compare we who have passion for our nations, to petulant children? And than you also presume to threaten us?" Her prissy and obnoxious voice spat.

"You would do well to KNOW TO WHOM YOU SPEAK!" Called a darker centaur from behind the first. He held his spear at the pony, it's tip aimed right between her eyes. "You dare to question the leadership of this council, Senator Star Gazer; when you yourself have done nothing but adhere to the lobbyist you claim to despise?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Star Gazer accused pointing a hoof and beginning to speak.

"ENOUGH!" Called the Spar Hawk slamming his gavel on the counter, leaving a good sized splinter in the dark wooden surface. "We have been in session for the past two hours, this meeting is adjourned until next week, perhaps than we can settle this like adults instead of younglings."

With one final tensions glare, the senators from the respective states turned their backs and began to exit the dimly lit chamber. The three centaur held their place at the elevated head of the council and stood with disappointed looks. "Arbiter Light Heart." Called the head centaur turning his massive body and pointing an accusing finger. "You would to well to know your place in this council." His jagged teeth clenched as he grabbed his associate by the neck, lifting him off the ground. "I do not need patronage from you."

Light Heart grabbed grabbed Spar Hawks arm, trying to gain some leverage lift his head for air. "My appo-" he gasped, "I meant no-"

Spar Hawk clenched his hand, forcing choked sounds to come from his bluing subordinate. "I'm sure you did not." In one motion, head Arbiter thew Light Heart away from his pedestal and watched with uncaring eyes as the centaur lay gasping desperately. He walked over, his hooves clopping like thunder as he made his way. "And I am sure to expect this will never happen again."

The fallen half breed looked up to find his superior looking down upon him with not but disdain. "ye- yes my lord." He called dragging himself up to his knees and bowing before the now amused Spar Hawk. "It will never happen again."

Spar Hawk observed the centaur for a moment, judging him silently with his eyes. A thoughtful finger ran up to his chin and began to twirl his beard. He smiled sadistically before observing the spear the the fallen halfbreed had dropped, "I know you will not." He cooed, before he picked up the weapon and looked upon the serrated tip; he couldn't help but smile at the uncharacteristic nature of the weapon. Centaurs were never creatures of suffering nor pain, no matter how much one or another deserved it.

Arbiter Light Heart looked up to see the spear pointed at his chest. "Arbiter?" He called watching as his superior narrowed his eyes. He pulled his arm back and before Light Heart could react, the sound of metal slicing threw flesh echoed in the chamber, followed by a loud and agonized scream.

___

Spike, Mac and Sin made their way down a small grassy hill. The chilling air of winter would soon be among them, as autumn's leafless trees began to look more and more deathly. Sin's cape had started a trend among the travelers, after Spikes victory in the Minotaur market, Mac and Sin pitched in to buy the young dragon a cloak for the winter time, sin assisting Mac in buying his own to save for food among them. Though the town that they had purchased the cloaks at seemed more than hospitable, the enigmatic pony informed the other two that he wouldn't be staying there long.

Spike held a new found pride now, initially he was distraught and distant over having his first fight, and hurting another creature the way he had. But after a talk with Big Mac, and the red stallion telling Spike how his first fight was protecting the honor of his sister way back when they were fouls, the dragon seemed to be more accepting of what he had done. Not that Mac condoned the violence as anything but to be used as a last resort, but the young minotaur didn't leave him much of a choice but to fight back.

"Ugh, we've been walking for weeks." Spike complained, pulling up his saddle bag to check his last remaining Sapphire stones that he had dug up from the ground near an old mine Though the trio had found work to do to earn their way around a few small towns: Bucking and collecting apples, pealing apples, repairing buildings, fixing up old wagons; and anything that needed be done. But the cold was not something money couldn't fight for travelers. "Where are we going?" He demanded running up to sin, his cloaking being blown by the wind and his movement.

"We are heading to a small village only about a day from here." Sin explained with a smile, "It's actually a treat for the two of you."

Spike perked an eyebrow gazing skeptically into the ponies reflective goggles. He didn't want to admit it, but he had wanted to see Sin's eyes for a while now. Nothing to do with romanticism or anything, but as long as the three had been traveling, he felt like Sin was always hiding something. "Wait, What do you mean?"

"It's going to be Nightmare Night in a couple of days," Sin replied walking past the dragon with out any real explanation. Mac walked up by the hatchling and gave a shrug before continuing after. Dusk would soon be upon the three, so they decided to make camp for the night with the usual routine: Mac would grab the firewood, Sin would use some flint and steel to start up a small bushel of dead leaves, and Spike would scout about to see if any water or danger was near by.

After their evening meals of what ever could be found, save Spikes own gemstones, they lay back wrapped in their brown cloaks and waited to drift off into an uneasy slumber. Spike looked up at the cloudy sky, the moon shown bright before a rolling cloud decided to move over it. He sighed, as much as the dragon enjoyed his time traveling Equestria, he always hated nights like this. The clouds hiding the beautiful night sky in a dark grey ball of evil fluff that some pegasus had let out of his/her sight; it almost seemed like the world wanted him to feel hopeless.

"Spike." Called Sin's voice.

"Yea?" Spike replied looking over to the stallion, though his goggles were on, Spike could tell that he too was looking upon the dark clouds above.

"You said you were a baby dragon correct?"

"Yea?"

"Yet you speak with sophistication and vocabulary far beyond even older colts. How are you still a baby?" His head turned to look at the unwinged Wyvern.

"Ack." Spike spat, thinking about what it took for him to grow. "Dragons grow when they take things, it's our greed that makes us grow, the more stuff we have, the bigger we get."

"Hmm." Sin looked back up to the sky. "Then, why haven't you matured to much? If all it takes for you to grow is to simply have things, then wouldn't you be as big as you wanted?"

"Nah," Spike replied, the memories of him scaling a mountain with Rarity cursing his mind. "I did that once, and I wasn't the same. I had hurt a lot of ponies close to me, destroyed half the town and even trapped the best fliers in Equestria in a can like spider in a jar."

"Nice." Sin smirked.

"Not really."

"And your attitude changed dramatically into a greedy dragon as you accumulated more items to call your own?"

"I guess." Spike shrugged, the subject not being his personal favorite to talk about. The memories flashed of the town, the towns people and Twilight yelling at him over the ordeal. Though that time he did deserve the hollering he got, and having to help with all the repair work.

"Didn't they try to help you grow?" Sin asked looking back over to the dragon again.

"Na, not after what happened the first time."

Though Spike had given the tone that he hadn't wished to discuss the issue, he had been looking for somepony to talk to about it for the longest time. It's true that he didn't want to become that gigantic beast who was hellbent on taking everything, but he also didn't want to remain a small reptile forever. He told Sin about everything that happened in great detail; how he initially was able to retain his calm, and how his love and generosity to Rarity had brought him back to his senses, thus returning him to his current state.

"So, if you were able to maintain a sense of rationality as a 'teenaged' dragon as you put it, why didn't they attempt to just ease you into it?" Sin asked confused.

"I don't know." Spike answered in thought. "I mean, I had to sleep in a basket for Celestia's sake. I didn't get my own bed, my own bed room, i was like a pet!" Spike proclaimed at his own sudden realization.

"Ouch." Sin stretched out his legs, the conversation had lasted long enough to make him yawn, "Well, I was wondering why you gave up your bits so willingly to Macintosh-"

"AH DIDN' DO IT!" Mac shot upright panting. Spike and Sin shot their glances over to the wide awake pony with expectant looks of concern. "Oh err, sorreh, Ah just uh, never mind." The pony threw himself back on the ground and began snoring immediately.

Spike giggled at the random interruption, than thought over the situation. "Hey Sin?"

"Yes sir." Sin called.

"Would, would you be willing to..." Spike's words caught in his throat, did he really have a right to ask his friends to help him with this?

"Help control your greedy tendencies with aging?" Sin finished turning his back to the hatchling. "I have no problem with it, but you will have to ask Mac, though I'm pretty sure he wont object either."

Spike nodded his head, and saw Sin turning his back as a sign to end the conversation and get some rest for the day ahead. The constant marching and work was starting to become more and more natural, but that didn't stop it from making him tired.

The next day, they continued forth on their trek to the small town, stopping only for lunch and water. In the time Mac had traveled with Sin, it was only recently had the leading pony started partaking in breakfast. Mac couldn't imagine not eating something in the morning and having to wait till lunchtime everyday to put something into his gut. They spoke about the town a bit more, coming to find the name of the place was "Hooftrot" and that it was a major hot spot for Nightmare Night. Though promises of a festival and an appearance by the moon pony herself, the red pony was still skeptical. How come he had never heard of such a place before?

"We're here." Sin proclaimed from the top of a yellowing bluff. Mac looked on to see the town was a bit bigger than he had expected. Though it was mostly white and manilla sea of tents that were perked up around a huge tent in the middle, the village itself was a bit bigger than Ponyville.

"Hmm. I didn't expect this much of a turn out." Sin said in the closest thing Mac had ever heard to surprise. "Hopefully an inn has gouged prices to try to make a bit or two off of this." The three encroached the tent village that surrounded the town in a half moon. As they passed, they were waved to and greeted by all manner of ponies, some dressed in silly Nightmare Night costumes, others in more dark and menacing fashions. One particulate mare caught macs eye.

She was dressed as a cowpony, complete with a hat and a tied flannel shirt. He stopped midstep and gawked at her for a moment. He couldn't help but notice her long brown mane falling graciously over her yellow back. He wide and adorable eyes mixed with a happy smile brought had spread over to the stallion. She was beautiful, her tail was done in a shorter fashion like his own, but her voice is what caught him off guard. He voice, it was like milk and honey to his ears. That kind of voice where you listen to it all day, it sounded as if he words were in a constant melody of relaxation.

"Mac, you ok bud?" Spike asked walking over to the infatuated pony.

"Well, well." Sin said following Mac's line of sight. "You getting butterflies in your stomach Mac?"

Mac's followed the beautiful creature until she disappeared behind the sea of tents around her. "Eyup." He called letting out a sigh.

"Ugh, give me a break." Spike rolled his eyes.

"As much as I'd rather not rush you, I'm afraid we find a room before they are all booked up. Assuming they aren't already." Sin called as he made his way through the tent city again with Spike right behind.

"C'mon Big Mac. You can play with your marefriend later."

"Eyup."

Meh, let's see how I do at Romance.

Comments

[Brony of the Revolution]

Romance? This should be interesting.
Great story so far!