Earning Freedom

by Daxisle

Inhibited Anticipations

Inhibited Anticipations

Spike sat in the library, his eyes shifting between the Griffon that sat speaking with the lavender librarian and the almost complete ruby dragon he held, gently stroking the final touches to the fire worms spines.

True to his word, Tyken, had come to the library as soon as it opened, allowing he and Twilight to continue last night's discussion.

Spike looked up after a particularly healthy laugh.

"And so I tells the minotaur," the gryph managed between snickers, "'If ya don't feel like ya can cry Fer this scene, I got the perfect solution'. You should a seen the look on 'is face when meh fist made contact with his neathers. Got an award for his performance Tha night!" He finished, bursting into chuckles.

Spike merely Smiled as his former care taker tried to maintain a harsh gaze for the deplorable action, "I can't believe you actually did that to somepony!" She stammered, the upturned corners of her mouth betraying her feelings of humor.

The griffon shrugged it off. "Eh, it's what I was paid fer, lass. 'sides, not like he been th' first I've given a good whack to the balls ta motivate a tear jerker."

Spike cringed, his legs tightening around his own sensitivities.

After a few more words, the conversation slowly died down, the purple drake saw the opportunity and decided to be blunt with his question. "Hey Tyken" He called quietly yet firmly, "you wouldn't happen to be looking for a pony named Sin, would you?"

If there was any doubt left in the dragon, it was gone the second the strangers eyes widened at the name and his neck damn near snapped to eye the reptile. The black and grey beast's eyes, while still maintaining their sense of good humor and kindness now bore a look of shock and curiosity.

"You know the boy, then?"

Snickering at hearing the stallion refereed to in such a way, Spike affirmed the griffon. "Yea, been traveling around with him for a while."

Tyken's beak turned up in a smile. "Ah, good. I was hoping he would make some friends after he left."

"Wait, so you know Sin?" Twilight interjected.

"Aye," Tyken nodded sagely. "Boyo's grandpa and myself are good friends back home. Good stallion, that Mandylion."

Spike pressed his lips together, here it was. The chance to gain a little knowledge on the enigmatic stallion he'd come to think of as a friend and damn near role model. So many questions were forming in his mind, the first of which he asked. "So why does he always act like he's got a stick up his ass?"

"SPIKE!" Twilight shrieked indignantly, the black and grey Federalist eased her back though, voicing how happy he was that Sin would surround himself with such blunt and forthcoming companions.

Apparently Tyken couldn't tell everything as the oaken libertarian had made it a point to keep most of everyone he trusted silent about himself, but what he could convey was that Sin hadn't had good experiences with others. His time in the Senate had completed his jading process from others, but it mostly started when he'd come across a book that set the pony on the path of freedom that he was on today.

Why Is Life?

"Now, one thing I must first preface is tha' the Federation isn't in the best of shape." He confessed with sadness in his eyes. "The citizens aren't... as caring about where the country goes as they needed to be."

"What do you you mean?" Twilight asked as she magicked over a few pieces of parchment and a quill, ready to write everything that came out of the griffon's mouth.

Seeing that he was about to be documented, Tyken paused for a moment before reluctantly sighing. "The Federation was supposed to be a Confederation." He started out carefully. "The central power was not supposed to exist as it was the previous Federal government that caused the strife that lead to the Running of the Centaur. Alas, the citizens gave too much credit and responsibility to the politicians and the Senate. It started out small, bills for higher taxation for roads, slightly higher intrusion to citizen's lives, that sort of thing. But soon enough there were greater issues. Domestic violence was one of the biggest and garnered the vote of a federal agency to inspect any 'at risk' couples or herds that could result in anyone being hurt."

Twilight flipped a page and continued scribbling, a lavender aura surrounding even more pages of blank parchment and pulling them to her.

Spike quickly found his inquiry to Sin forgotten as he heard the Tale of how the Federation was born and how it came to its current state. The government had grown exponentially since the initial revolution. What was meant to be a small and limited government with freedom of the informed and stall-word individual being the prime directive; had quickly devolved into a bunch of government bureaucrats owned by the corporate elite micromanaging the lives of the: Ponies, Minotaur, Griffons, Buffalo, Donkies, and Diamond Dogs at large. With little meaningful protest and larger masses hungering for more security and protections.

With that hunger for more protection and security came more laws and regulations. In only seventy years past the revolution, not even two generations, the government had surpassed the previous one in terms of power. The Centaur leaders, Tapio Bearking, his wife, Milikki Bluecloak, and their Sons; Spar Hawk and Disciple observed from their land that history was repeating itself.

The first revolution came about when the government used the fear of its citizens to manipulate and control them, levying heavy taxation and gearing up for violence against their fellow Confederates. Deciding to stop the madness before it began a new, Tapio called together the seven leaders of each state to the capital of, at the time, New Equine.

The state itself was on the brink of civil war between the south and north. The southerners dealing with the over taxation in their own way by attempted secession from the corrupt and corporatist north. During what would become known as the Founding of the Federation Tapio used what remained of his authority to try and coax the heads of state to allow for a federal Senate to halt any and all tensions and fears that one state could pose to another and unify them under one banner.

It took many days, the unconditional split between North and South New Equine, and three assassination attempts on Tapio's life, but eventually the leaders agreed to the terms of Federal Unity.

"After that, the Federation continued to declined. Not as fast, mind you and not with the fear of their fellow Federalists in different states of attacking them, but the continued apathy of the citizenry and the corruption of our government still leads to our inevitable collapse." Tyken sighed, scratching the balding spot on his head with a talon. "Sorry, went on a rant. What was the question again?"

Spike stood silent for a moment before realizing he was the one addressed and shaking his head. "Why Sin was a stick in the mud?"

"Oh right, well the book I told you about was written during the time before the Founding of the Federation. The book basically stated that the individual was responsible for themselves and had no business controlling others, government was nothing but cohersion and force of violence and that the Federation would fail, no matter how many revolutions or laws were placed into being."

Furrowing his brow, the drake tried to understand why such a book would be written. Sure, the government at the time was bad, but that didn't mean that it couldn't be made better. Everything could be made better with proper knowledge and cooperation. Life had taught him that there was no obstacle that the world couldn't overcome if everypony worked together to beat it.

"So he doesn't like others because the government is corrupt?" Spike asked, his brow creased in concentration.

"Eh, kinda." Tyken replied. "Bah, that's enough with all of that. So, you two are his friends, eh? Tell me, has he finally found a mare to give his dear grand dad foals yet?"

Spike's eyes damn near bulged out of his head, and he coughed a few times from the absurdity of the inquiry. Twilight on the other hand looked at the griffon with blushing cheeks.

"Ohhh, so yer the one, then?" Tyken proclaimed with a sly smirk. "Gotta say, it seems fittin', you seem like the quiet and intelligent type the boy with go fer."

At this, Spike pressed his lips together and tried not to laugh. His body bobbed from the small chuckles he tried to contain.

"Wha- No! Nononononono." The flustered mare denied, shaking her head and holding her hooves out. "I've barely talked to him!"

"Oooh, not much of a talker in the bedroom are ya?"

He couldn't hold it back anymore, the drake let out a laugh and clutched his sides as Twilight's already rosy cheeks turned crimson. There were days and then there were good days. This was turning out to be a good day.

"Stop!" Twilight cried in alarm. "I'm not like that, we're not like that!"

To his credit, Tyken held his inquiring gaze for a good few moments before he joined the dragon in righteous laughter. "Oh, I'm sorry lass, but the look on yer face!" He said as he wiped a tear from his eye. It took a few moments but the duo finally calmed down and apologized to the irate mare.

"I'm sorry lass, but after that talk of the Federation, I had to say something to lighten the mood."

Twilight held her scowl before rolling her eyes and huffing in defeat. She'd get him back later, but right now, being upset would just ruin the fun. And the last thing she wanted to do was something that would push Spike out the door.

"So, anyway I'm assuming he doesn't have anybody in mind?" Spike shook his head and the griffon deflated a bit. "That's disappointing to hear."

"Why?" The drake shot back as he sat down and leaned back on the sofa. "We both know he's a stick in the mud."

The Federalist nodded. "Aye, he is. I was just hoping that he came to this country to settle down a bit. The mares from the homeland seem so much friendlier and approachable here. Boy needs someone to make him lighten up a bit."

Spike scoffed. "No kidding. So, you said his Grandpa is still alive? What about his other family?"

"Other family?" Tyken asked, tilting his head.

"Yea, his mom and dad? Does he have any siblings or anything?"

Eyes widening to the size of dinner plates, Tyken shook his head. "Does he have any- Milikki's voluptuous teets lad, don't ya know anything about the boy?"

Taking a moment to think, the drake shook his head. The black and grey hybrid sighed to himself, mumbling under his breath. "Sin still hasn't talked about anything? Anything at all?"

"All I know is that he was a senator and he studied how to survive in the wilds under you."

"Hmph, boy hasn't changed at all. Speaking of which, I'd better go check on him." He said as he looked at the clock. "Oh Tapio, is that the time? Sorry friends, I've got to go fer the day."

"Hey, wait!" The young dragon stood up and followed the Federalist. "What do you mean you have to go check on him?"

Tyken stopped and placed a claw upon the dragons shoulder, informing him that Sin was fine and that he just needed to go make sure that he wasn't getting into trouble. Had the drake not known any better, he'd have sworn the griffon was actually Sins father. Quick enough, Tyken exited the building with the promise of a future visit, hopefully one with the topic of their conversation in tow.

Spike shook his head as the door closed then his eyes drifted to twilight. The two stood in a pregnant pause for almost a full minute before the hatchling finally said with a sigh. "Guess it doesn't matter how big you get, your guardians will always wanna look after you." He looked up to see Twilight smiling at him, one that he couldn't help but mirror.

---

Earlier that morning

---

A slight shift to his right roused Big Mac from his slumber. He creaked an eye open to find that the the brown dresser on the other side of the room was still black and lacked any sunlight, too early for him to be up. He began to drift back to sleep before he felt another shift in his bed and a small spike of ice through his spine to accompany it.

Somepony was in bed with him.

At first he dismissed it as being his younger sister probably crawling in after a bad dream. Though, when he opened his eye again to look down, the color of the mane told him that he was dead wrong.

Slowly, and with a creeping feeling of panic, Mac awoke rapidly but kept his calm in the bed. The pony, whoever it was, had their back to him with their lower half under the covers. He couldn't quite make out many details in the dark, but one thing he did know was that whoever this was didn't belong here.

He debated for a moment if he should handle it, before the body turned over and Mac's breath caught in his throat.

"Annabelle?" He asked, the spike of ice in his spine growing ten fold. What was a mare doing in his bed? What was this mare doing in his bed?

'Oh wow, a mare who you have an attraction towards and has an attractions towards you sneaks into your room in the dead of night and crawls into bed with you and is now sound asleep. Gee, it's a complete bucking mystery to what her intentions could be.

Dismissing the voice in his head, Mac prodded the sleeping mare, gently coaxing her into consciousness. "Annabelle, hey Annabelle."

With a soft and gentle whimper, the mare stirred and slowly raised her head to look at him. "Macintosh?" She asked with a yawn. The inhalation of air took a sudden gasp as realization dawned on the mare about where she was. Her golden eyes looked around the room for a moment before landing on Macintosh, who was now standing at the side of the bed.

Their green emeraled eyes looked for a moment before the buttermilk earth pony exhaled slowly. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Mac scoffed. "Ah wasn't scared," he fibbed, "jest wonderin' why yer in mah bed."

Annabelle's smile drooped to a pout. "Any reason you don't want me in you bed?" She teased.

Mac opened his mouth to reply until the second implication set in on him and he froze.

'Mac, don't you dare freeze up on me here. Mac say something, say something dammit! Oh come on! Luna was way worse tha- Oh buck.'

Too little too late did the voice silence itself before Mac's feelings stirred once again. Conflict, guilt, betrayal. The waking up next to her had shocked all those emotions out of him seeing her initially, now here they were showing their ugly heads again.

"Didn't think so." Annabelle chirped. Mac pushed down the emotions as quickly as they came and smirked at the mare's playful quip before again asking for her reason for coming.

Her playful demeanor, too, had fallen at that point. "Big Macintosh," she started, her left fetlock fidgeting nervously with his blanket while her eyes looked down in stressed sadness. "I don't know how to tell you this, but, umm."

Oh sweet Celestia, she's about to confess her love to you!" Mac gasped, he knew on a deep level that there was something between them, but it should be cultivated a bit more before such a confession is made.

"My brother, he- he's only datin' Applejack tah get back a'cha."

...

'Ah, well that... happened apparently. What a let down.'

"Ah know." Mac said, his massive form sitting back down on the bed with his back towards the mare and his shoulders slumped. "Ah know he is."

The buttermilk earth pony slowly crawled over the sheets and placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Have you told her?"

"What's the point?" Mac replied looking over his shoulder at her. "If Ah tell her, she'll just see it as me tryin' to break em up cause ah'm bitter."

There was no argument for that, and Annabelle knew it. She had heard what Soarin had done to Macintosh and why, while she did love her Wonderbolt brother, she was also very angry with him. The story he told said that Mac was interfering for the sake of interfering and to her, the apple farmer didn't seem like that kind of stallion. But this wasn't the time for that, she'd get his side of the story after they'd figured out what to do for Applejack.

"What if I tell her?"

Mac's brow creased and he looked over his shoulder again. "I can tell her, she may not believe you, but she has no reason not to believe me."

"Wouldn' work." Mac replied. "She knows that there was something 'tween us n' she'll use that as the reason you're doing it."

Annabelle's ear flicked forward and her eyebrow raised. "Was?" She asked innocently.

Shrugging the stallion replied with the fact he hadn't seen her in months. He'd been traveling and didn't know where she'd been or what her intentions were, so he just assumed that she'd moved on after that night.

Little did he know that she hadn't. Despite being a Carni, and the stereo-types that go with it, Annabelle wasn't some loose floozy that slept with any mare or stallion that presented themselves, she was a romantic at heart. She'd received countless tokens of affection from many a stallion and mare, but rejected them due to their personalities being so extroverted. She preferred the shy, strong and silent type. The last kind of pony that would every come to a carnival.

Well, that's the explanation she gave, anyways. Really, she just didn't trust the potential suitors that came to her. Carnivals were a notorious place for bad things to happen. Bad things that she had witnessed and almost experienced. The biggest misconceptions was that it was stallions doing it to mares, but mares were actually the worst offenders from what she'd seen. Something about Macintosh just told her that she could trust him. Yes he was her "type" as she put it, but there was something more. A warmer feeling.

"Macintosh." The buttermilk pony croaked. "I still remember that night, you know." She said as she turned his body to face her. "The dance, the haunted house, the rides and... the kiss we shared."

She felt his body tense and his fetlock pinch into the bed. "I was really hoping to see you at the next show." She admitted in a sad voice. "hoping you'd be like on of my admirers and follow the carnival around for a while, but I never saw you. It... it made me sad, thinking I'd never see you again."

Mac's breath caught in his throat and he pressed his lips together, wanting desperately to say the same in return but he couldn't. The memories of Luna and their time together pushed themselves to the front of his mind now and he didn't want to hurt Annabelle by admitting what he'd done.

He wouldn't lie, but he would say what he felt in his heart. "I'm happy to see you too." The applepony smiled and placed his hoof over hers. They sat like that for a moment before another question popped into Mac's mind. "So, why did ya go ta sleep in mah bed instead of waking me up?"

The mare blushed and resumed to fidgeting with the blanket. "I wanted to, but... ya looked so peaceful asleep n' I wanted to sleep next to you."

Unable to find fault with her logic, and though conflicted, happy with her decision; Mac smiled and nuzzled his snout against hers before a creak from next door and some footsteps gave him pause. "You'd better go soon, don't want anypony findin' ya hear n' tellin' Soarin er yer brother n' pa 'bout it."

With a look of both disappointment and annoyance, Annabelle gave a huff and stood from the bed, making her way to the window. "I'll be back." She said as Mac followed her over.

"Ah look forward to it."

She slowly opened the window, letting a cool breeze enter the room. "And next time," she said, turning suddenly and planting a gentle kiss upon the stallion's lips, "I'll be staying a bit longer."

Mac watched with a smile as the mare made her way out the window, gently using her acrobatic skills to fall silently on the porch roof and jump to the apple tree adjacent to the house. She slid down one of the branches to the ground and crept to the walkway that lead back to town giving one last look back to Mac before sauntering off into the darkness.

Author's Note:

So, this happens.