Neo Confrontations (IV)
Neo-Confrontations (IV)
Scootaloo sat at the dinning room table to an early morning breakfast, poking at her hashbrowns absently with a fork. Despite the warm bed she slept in, last night's sleep was anything but restful.
Her eyes continually trailed to Islander, or Sin, or whatever his name was now, who would continually look over at her with a look of accusation and inquiry.
Yesterday, after Krystal was escorted in from talking with Islander, Granite and his daughter shared a loving and heartfelt hug that drove Scootaloo insane with jealousy. Despite how angry the stallion was, and how sad the young mare appeared, the hug he gave her was pure and unadulterated love, complete with small words of the two missing each other and the father happy to see his daughter home safe.
Each and every word bombarded Scootaloo's chest with an intense sense of longing. She tried so hard to convince herself she didn't want that, that her feelings against Krystal were immature and wrong, but with every second that passed between the two holding each other, Scootaloo felt her resolve against the matter crumble.
The filly envied what she saw, her body grew uncomfortably longing and needy for such tender intimacy. It was almost painful how much she wanted it, and it was painful to see it, like the universe was torturing her by holding what she wanted directly in her face and laughing at her suffering in its absence.
Granite called for a private family meeting after that, it didn't last long but the conversation between he and Islander did. Scootaloo could only imagine what the two spoke about, but the cloaked pony seemed... shaken by it. His typically stoic and contemplative glare turned somewhat introspective and subdued after that, something that worried the filly slightly for reasons she didn't understand.
Luna told her to speak with him in the morning, that he'd tell her how wrong she was about Macintosh and hopefully convince her to go back home.
Scootaloo thought the lunar goddess a liar, that she was just saying that to get on her nerves, but with the constant looks between the two, it was clear that she wasn't.
"So, everypony have a good night's sleep?" Gem asked, taking a bite of radish. "We've got a big day ahead of us, don't we dear?"
Granite, an eater of efficiency more so than social grace, finished off his radishes and nodded. "I didn't ask yesterday, but how long do you three plan on staying? With Krystal gone, we've gotten a little behind in terms of chores."
All eyes turned to Islander, who was pulled out of his thoughts and requested the question repeated.
"Um, I am unsure how long the stay will be. Whenever Krystal's ready to go, I suppose." The cloaked pony declared absently.
The off white mare smiled. "Really?"
Islander nodded, saying that the trip west was going to be a long one, and that being mentally ready was important for traveling in harsh terrains. Fact was that there were going to be times where they wouldn't hit a town for days at a time, and moral would need to be at it's peak before he was willing to start.
"Days? Oh dear, are you sure you can't just take another rout?" Gem asked, slightly concerned.
Krystal gave her mother a smile. "Don't worry momma Gem. Islander's a very capable pony, if he can stand up to a bunch of buffalo, I think we can manage a few days in the wild."
Scootaloo nodded, she had played witness to the pony's abilities herself, but that was an awful long time to be without civilization and conveniences.
The topic shifted over to Islander, who gave some vague story about his time in survival-ism and his experiences there in, primarily the forest and grasslands, which was good since that was the terrain out that way before they'd hit the eastern seaboard. The explanation seemed to placate Gem and impress Granite well enough. Though, his harsh eyes would continually trail to the orange pegasus through out the explanation, promising a conversation at the earliest convenience.
Breakfast finished with good spirits for everyone, save the non-familial members, and chores were distributed. Scootaloo and Islander were assigned to help Krystal with the rotation of a few of the cobble stones down at the ravine and check the stones for smoothness after checking on the garden outback.
Scootaloo could see the writing on the wall, and as much as she didn't like it, she knew what would happen as soon as Islander got her alone.
"I have no idea... what I'm doing." Sin stated, looking at a small, grey stone in his grasp. The early morning sun glimmering as it reflected off of the rushing water from his spot on the shore bank shallows. His cloak was high enough that the shallow water wouldn't soak into the material, but the coolness of the morning made him take special care not to allow it wetted.
Krystal smiled and looked down at the stone, informing the pony that he was just looking to make sure it would be smooth enough to step on. The bits of earth were to be sent to different areas around Equestria in cobble stone roads and the like, so as long as he'd be comfortable stepping on them, they were ready to be loaded and shipped out.
Sin shrugged, he wasn't a geologist, or whatever it was that studdied rocks, but it looked right to him so he called it good.
"No, silly. You're supposed to stand on it and see if it's comfortable." Krystal said, taking the stone from him, putting it into the shallow water and placing the frog of her hoof onto the top. She shifted her hoof around on the top, her eyes closed as she worked her way around it.
Sin watched the contemplative smile on her face and felt himself momentarily captivated. He didn't know how to explain it, but something about her expression was enticing to him. How serine and peaceful her face was in that moment, framed ever so perfectly by the strands of electric blue mane she always wore so loosely. Krystal was always a pretty mare, that much he knew, but she looked positively radiant in that moment.
"Hmmm. A few more days, I think." She declared, gently placing the rock back into it's place in the ravine.
Sin's ear twitched, her voice was so soft, so delicate and sublime. He'd never taken the time to really hear it before, but just listening to the tone, the pitch, the softness, it sounded so soothing, loving in a way. Thinking back on it, even when she was pouting or angry or scared even, she still maintained the subtle pitch of femininity and kindness. An ability and tune truly deserving of the last name Melody.
She leaned down and picked up another rock before carefully placing it back into it's place, her slender shoulder peaking out from the dark turquoise banana scarf she wore around her neck as she reached down, restarting the process again.
Sin cast a glance to Scootaloo, who was more interested in visually inspecting the rocks to deterimine if they were suitable for shipping before he too went about the process.
Both he and the filly would constantly ask Krystal's opnion on certain stones they were unsure about, and she was always happy to be a judge on if their assertions were right or wrong. Sin noticed Scootaloo wouldn't take well when a stone she thought was right wasn't up to Krystal's standards, her growing annoyance over the rejects adding to Sin's own.
With each irritated grunt or ugh the filly gave, a flash of discouragement would capture Krystal's features, but somehow she managed to bounce back into her happy state and continue working.
Sin maintained his calm neutrality, often casting a disapproving glare at Scootaloo for her behavior, but the filly would just return the scowl no wiser for the wear.
"How about this one?" Scootaloo asked, after a good few hours of work. Krystal looked at the stone and frowned before taking it and gently lowing it into the water. It wasn't necessary, Sin could easily tell just by looking at it that the stone was too rough to be acceptable.
"Umm, no, this one isn't ready just yet." Krystal said meekly. Her softness didn't help, as Scootaloo let out a petulant groan of frustration. She snatched the rock from the white mare's hoof with ferocity enough to make Krystal flinch before taking it back to where it belonged.
The elder pegasus gave Sin a concerned look, but didn't activley speak her mind, it was obvious what she was trying to convey though.
Sin looked to see the wagon about half way full and asked if Krystal would mind taking it back to the farm and unloading the cargo herself.
"Umm, it's okay, really." She smiled encouragingly. "I can wait until-"
"Krystal." Sin interjected, giving her a look. "Take the wagon back to the farm." He cast a look to Scootaloo, raising his voice so she heard him. "I need to talk to Scootaloo for a little bit in private."
"Islander, it's okay, I know she's been-" She was cut off when a soft brown hoof found her shoulder, Sin's eyes bearing down into her own, telling her that his command wasn't up for discussion. Her ears splayed in submission, and the off white pegasus slumpled a little and nodded, requesting that he not be too hard on her for her petulance.
"I wont be, now get going."
He watched as she made way to the wagon and lifted the tail gate before hitching herself to the front and made way back to the farm. She stopped and gave him one last glance. Sin smiled and gave her an encouraging nod, promting Krystal to continue onwards, leaving the two alone once again.
Any last second advice, Critic?
'Nothing to say, dude. It's all up to you.'
And so it was.
"Scootaloo." Sin said once he was sure Krystal was far enough away not to hear.
"What?" The filly shot back, still looking through the rocks.
The stallion gave her another look of disapproval, reprimanding her for her callous behavior. "Why are you being such a brat right now?"
The filly humped, muttering under her breath that he knew well enough why she was behaving as she was.
Sin was about to give the foal a dressing down about how her being irritated didn't give licence to share that misery with a mare who was nothing short of loving towards her, but thought better of it. Fact was, that the filly was a flight risk, and he was already about to broach a very sensitive topic. He didn't need Scootaloo to be any more volatile than she already was.
"I take it Luna paid you a visit last night too?" He asked, tactful as he always was.
"Maybe." She shot, slamming the rock in her hoof back into the water.
'Okay, I take it back, I advise patience. Lots and lots of patience.'
It was good advice, advice Sin decided to stay quiet for a minute to exercise. He didn't want to start a shouting match off the bat, but he also didn't have too much time to waste trying make this endeavor fully peaceful either.
Finally he settled for a frontal, but very respectful, confrontation on the matter. Sin walked over to the filly, his hooves shifting lightly through the water until he came face to face with her. "I'm going to be frank with you, kiddo. Are you big Macintosh's adoptive daughter?"
Scootaloo glared up at him, her eyes narrowing as he stood in wait. She didn't need to answer anymore, the look on her face said it all.
Sin couldn't believe it, what were the fucking chances?! It made sense well enough, but to find someone so important to his friend? Saving their life looking after them as he had? He just couldn't wrap his mind around how convenient* the entire ordeal was.
"Scootaloo."
"So what if I was? What do you care?" She turned away. "And I was never officially adopted anyway, so the answer is no."
"But you were supposed to be." Sin countered, Scootaloo rolled her eyes and shrugged, mumbling under her breath about how she didn't want to be his daughter anymore anyways.
"Why wouldn't you? Macintosh is a good stallion, one of the best I've come across."
"Didn't Luna tell you he gave me away? That he just handed me over to the pink pony to be put in foal services?" Scootaloo shot back, dropping her current activity to give the stallion her full attention.
Sin glared down at her, carefully forming his next choice of words. "I heard something of the like, but I wanted to hear your side of the story. What exactly happened that lead up to this?"
At first, the foal didn't reply, she just went back to working on the rocks, but Sin wouldn't have it and continually interfered with her work. It was a grave violation of his libertarian philosophies to do so, but this was about Macintosh. He was willing to damn near start a courtroom battle on behalf of Spike, pressuring a filly on behalf of Mac was almost an obligation.
"Stop!" Scootaloo jeered, trying to push passed Sin only to have her way barred once again by the bigger pony. "I'm not going back, so there's no point in talking about it."
"Bull shit there isn't." Sin countered. "I want to know what happened."
It was at that point Scootaloo stopped moving and just rested her angry gaze upon him, demonstrating her iron will and resolution in silence. Sin usually saw her will for silence and determination as an asset, but in this instant, it was a huge liability. It was a low blow to take, but he reminded her of the two times he'd saved her life and called upon those as favor to her honesty. Scootaloo sneered at his ploy and decided to give a quid pro quo, asking why he was chasing the yellow pony from before in exchange her recount.
Sighing, the stallion looked to make sure Krystal wasn't on her way back yet before explaining who Chancellor Puddinghead was. What his organization was about, and the ultimate endgoal of the Trotski.
"So... you're chasing them to help Celestia? Wait, I thought you didn't like the government, why are you helping them?" She asked, her defensiveness shifting slightly. "And what does any of this have to do with Macintosh?"
Sin gritted his teeth at the idea of how conveluted this story was going to get, but if she wanted the truth, than she'd get it. "Fine, I'll be blunt. Macintosh thinks I'm dead."
The filly's eyes shot wide.
"The pony from before? Puddinghead? His organization sent someone to kill me, and they sent someone to kill him for what he did in Canterlot." Sin stated bluntly, the force and weight of his words making the filly gasp. "That was how we met in the Everfree that day. I was at his wedding and intercepted the assassin before she could kill him. That's half the reason I'm tracking them down now, to make sure he survives."
He could already see questions arising in the foal's eyes and explained himself in full. About how he'd traveled with Macintosh and Spike, which earned him a small interjection from Scootaloo over how depressed Applebloom was over he brother's absence, his employment to the crown in stopping the Trotski, the name he'd made for himself through the communists dispersal before that, his resulting arrest that made Macintosh take up the task of handling the Trotski manipulated Communists, everything relevant. Sin had managed to answer Scootaloo's question's before she could even ask, through common sense deduction of course.
It was clear the filly was having a small bit of cognitive dissonance, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to process everything she was being told. Sin knew it was going to be difficult for her to accept and thought over all the ways she'd undoubtedly deny it.
"I- Is... is that the truth? Y- you're not lying to me, are you?" Scootaloo finally asked after a few moments.
Sin nodded, it was and it felt good to finally have it come out. "It's a long story, but that is the jist of it. I escaped imprisonment and now everyone thinks I'm dead. And between Mac thinking I'm dead and you being gone, the poor guy's probably devastated. Now, tell me why you don't want to go back. I kept my end of the deal, now it's your turn."
At first, Scootaloo tried to wiggle her way out of the explination, but she soon found the Federalist wouldn't let her off the hook. As it turned out, it was after the wedding that the event took place. She recounted how she'd seen half a dozen guards lead by the 'pink pony', a mare Sin had no recollection of, asking where Scootaloo was.
"Me and my friends ran behind the house, trying to get away. Macintosh found us back there, he told us to run, that we needed to get away before they found me. But they did find us, that's when Mac..." She paused, her eyes welling with emotion at the memory.
"Can you elaborate a little more?" Sin asked, knowing there was more to the story. "I want a play by play details on what happened when Macintosh showed up. Details are important."
Unfortunately for him, Scootaloo was fuzzy on the details in her state of horror. She was scared, and he could understand that, but he needed to know exactly what was said, what happened, who was there and such.
"I- I was so scared... I didn't wanna go into foal services. They're bad to foals, they send them to orphanages and foster homes! They'd have put me in a bad place with mean foster parents!" Scootaloo exclaimed, her voice growing in volume and speed with each word as he body began trembling. "They'd have taken me away, I didn't wanna go! I was happy where I was, and she was going to take me away!"
"Scootaloo!" Sin interjected, stopping the filly's psychologically destructive tirade. "It's fine, breath, you're okay."
He placed a wet hoof gently upon her shoulder, hoping some contact would put the filly at ease. Her hyperventilating began to subside a little, and he waited out the panic attack until Scootaloo finally broke down into tears.
"I didn't wanna go with them, but they took me. Macintosh let them... why did he do that!? Why did he let me go!? Why didn't he stop them? Why didn't he protect me like he said he would?!" She cried, latching onto Sin's hoof, mumbling about how betrayed and abandoned she felt.
Sin steeled his nerves and pulled the filly in for a hug, allowing her tears to flow freely. He felt bad for her, he honestly did, but he needed to know what happened before she was taken. "What was said, Scootaloo? Did he just stand back? Did he not try to protect you or anything?"
She breathed, regaining her composure. "He... tried to at first." She admitted, making Sin well a little with hope.
"He held me and... yelled at her to leave, that she couldn't have me. I don't remember what was said after that... there was shouting, screaming, and then things got quiet, I... I was so scared Islander, I just wanted them to go away and leave me alone." Scootaloo sobbed into his chest..
She didn't remember what was said? Fuck! What he wouldn't do to get that information right now, details like that were always the most important. Regardless, unless he could talk to someone who was actually there, the words would be lost to him. The way it sounded now, though, was that Macintosh didn't just "give her up" like Scootaloo had first made it out. He did fight, he fought and held her. Something was said that made him give her up, but what? Shining Armor was at the wedding, Sin recognized both he and Cadance, why hadn't they helped? Did they even have time?
The Federalist was really kicking himself for not sticking around, damming Panzy thrice for making him miss out on these important details.
'Well, Macintosh fought, so that's something. Maybe you can set something up to get the two to meet eachother and get a full explination?'
Yea, and have Scootaloo think I betrayed her trust? The kid ran off into the Everfree forest because of what happened, I wouldn't put it passed her to run off again. Besides, Mac thinks I'm dead, remember?
'Yea, and you think he'd be willing to keep the fact you're alive a secret, yea? There's no reason he needs to keep thinking your dead, dude.'
Sin wasn't sure he'd agree to that sentiment. As committed to the Kid's plan as he was, a small doubt in his mind was still present: Malich.
If what Mandylion said was true, and his brother was, somehow, accumulating Changelings, Sin would have no choice but to go back to the Federation and stop whatever destruction Malich had planned. Maybe it was just him demonstrating avoidant behavior to happiness on a subconscious level, or maybe it was a legitimate concern for the potential totalitarian power such a threat posed to his nation. Regardless, the concern itself was legitimate, and Sin would rather keep his options open until he knew what he was dealing with in that regard.
'And how do you intend to find out? Even if the Liberty Syndicate knew you were alive, it's not like any of them know where you are.'
And if I did return to Ponyville, they would.
That much was true, it was an impossible situation. If the stallion stayed hidden from Mac and Spike, he'd be free to return to the Federation, but wouldn't know when to go. If he did return, he wouldn't be free to go, despite being able to be informed.
'You're not going back to the Federation. I wont allow it.'
Critic, we're talking about fucking changelings here. You know what happened during the Orvalian infection, dozens of donkeys and ponies died because of that, and that was a contained infection. Imagine a coordinated attack! We're talking millions upon millions of lives ending in the span of months. You're really willing to put my happiness, the life of one stallion, over the lives of millions?
Critic didn't reply, what could he say? What possible argument was there to be made? Especially considering how much of a hypocrite he'd be for condemning Sin's looking forward to the collapse of the economy and the due destruction it would bring his state. Though, unlike an economic collapse, which was self inflicted destruction on the part of the citizen's apathy and lack of preventative action, the changeling infection was an outside force, an aggressive force. Sin was willing to let the former happen, since it was deserved, but the latter? That he took exception with.
Face it, I likely wouldn't survive whatever I had to do to stop that. Macintosh and Spike, either wouldn't let me go, or would try and help me stop it if they knew, and die along side me. I could say I'd be back, but how would they take me dying a second time?
Again, no response. Sin hoped it was a bit of misinformation, but apparently the information came from Tapio himself. He wasn't sure if the Centaur could handle the infection themselves, but was kinda hoping they would. Part of him hoped the infection was happening as he spoke, just so that he could tell Macintosh he was alive and wouldn't have to go back and try and stop it, but another part of him was disgusted at his own selfishness.
He didn't care much for the citizens of the North New Equine, nore the Federation as a whole, but a changeling infection? That was a hell he wouldn't wish on his worst of- Okay, maybe Puddinghead.
"Islander?" Scootaloo asked, breaking Sin from his train of thought.
Sin discarded the train of thought for a later time and tried to think of something to say to the foal. He wouldn't betray her trust and force her to go back, but he did owe it to his friend to at least try and convince her to go on he own.
"Scootaloo, I've known Macintosh for a while now. You were scared and blocked a few things out while he was yelling, emotionally distraught, yea?" Sin asked, Scootaloo nodded up at him.
"I think you... I think you should talk to him and figure out what exactly is going on." Sin stated pressing his lips.
As expected, Scootaloo's hopeful expression turned into one of fear and hurt, he quickly followed up that he had no intention on forcing her to do anything, but only said so because of how hurt and how terrible Macintosh must feel over losing two ponies close to him.
"NO!" She yelled, tears falling down her cheeks as she pushed off of him and backed away. "No! I'm not going back!"
"Scootaloo, be reasonable here. It sounds like Macintosh loves you, but the circumstances-" He was cut off by yet another desperate cry of rejection, the filly chanting her answer over and over.
It irritated him just how willing she was to disregard Mac's pain. "Kiddo, you understand he's hurting over losing you right? That pain you feel right now? He feels it too, maybe worse because he feels like he's failed you and it's his fault. From my understanding, he wasn't giving you over to her permanently, just for a little bit for the sake of legality."
"That's what Luna told you to say!" Scootaloo shot back, her petulance returning in full. That was true, but Sin asked why Luna would lie? What reason would she have for wanting her in foal custody?
His arguments died before they even came out, what Scootaloo said next nearly threw him into a rage. "Besides, if you care so much about his feelings, why don't you go back and tell that plot hole you're alive. Huh?"
This close, the filly was this close to getting her head knocked clean off and she didn't even know. She didn't know until a sudden and familiar sense of impending doom befell her, bringing Scootaloo to her knees in horror. Sin's eyes had changed with his emotion, becoming sleek, turquoise, serpentine orbs. He controlled the aura before it became to sever, but he allowed it to stay.
"I'm going to say this once, and only once." Sin growled, taking a few steps forward, glaring down at the shaking mass before him. "You will not insult Macintosh in my presence again. I'm disappointed in your decision not to go back, but I'll respect it if that's what you want. However, that stallion is one of the best ponies I know, and any farther insults against him will not be tolerated, am I understood?"
Scootaloo looked up at him and nodded vigorously. Sin dissipated the aura allowing the oppressive atmosphere to return as it was. A sudden splashing was heard from behind and blure of grey and blue shot passed, snatching the orange filly up and pulling her into an embrace.
"What did you say to her!" Krystal snapped, giving Sin a seething glare before consoling the filly.
"We came to and understanding." Sin replied cooly, giving Scootaloo a look and gazing into the firey amber eyes of Krystal. She was mad, the mare had given him his fair share of glares before, but the look in her eye told him that her current anger was far more genuine. "If you wanna tell her everything I've told you, that's fine. I don't really care at this point."
Sin's words were spoken with finality and the stallion turned to leave the two to themselves while he found solitude. Scootaloo may not want to go back, but that didn't mean he couldn't give Macintosh and Annabelle some peace of mind.
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The drama! The drama sustains me.
This is pretty much what I expected, though. The facts are unknown and the hearsay is unbelieved, but it's moving forward, if slowly.
7080869 glad you approve.
I love hashbrowns. And my sister would argue that no breakfast restaraunt is good if they don't serve good hashbrowns.
Must have been a heart warming scene.
*nods in understanding*
I wonder how long it will be before the elephant in the room finally gets addressed.
I've always wanted to try radish.
Convenient.
That sounds like a hard job.
Sounds beautiful.
That Scoots got a lot in her mind, which would contribute to her foul behavior at this moment.
Smart.
All doubt has been removed.
This teaches me about the important principle of flexibility. I will have to keep that in mind.
Great way to beat down Scootaloo's iron defenses, which was VERY annoying whenever Applebloom came across it in the past. Points for Sin.
It is WAY beyond convoluted.
And now it is Scootaloo's turn to have another bombshell.
Something that Big Mac and the others regret BIG time.
He's getting there.
How is Sin able to get the whole truth then? Damn it, this is frustrating.
I hope that bitch dies a miserable death.
Critic has a point.
That is a good point. Out of all the antagonists in this story, the Triple M are the only threat that fills me with utter dread.
O.O............
..................
.........Am I missing something here or has Sin finally........cared about his countrymen again...........?
....................
Ah. Now I understand what changed.
I guess one of Sin's major berserk buttons is if you slander his very close friends. I kind of like that.
Points for Sin.
Well, now that almost all of the cards have been laid on the table, choices need to be made by the characters involved. I sure hope Scootaloo will come to her senses soon.