Crushing Demands
Crushing Demands
Macintosh stood outside of the throneroom, sitting with nothing but the flickering torchlight to keep him company. Annabelle departed back to Ponyville to see to her father. Understandably, the Wonderbolts had been called back to the capital to receive orders on scouting about to find Discord. Soarin, much to Mac's chagrin, conversed briefly with the mare and told her that her father wanted to speak with her, demanding to know where she was and make sure she was safe.
And so, here he sat, alone. Celestia and Luna were currently discussing plans with his sister and her friends about what the possible scenarios they could be facing, with messengers being sent all over the world to warn of the draconaquis's disappearance.
Mac didn't care about any of that, though, he just wanted to make sure that Spike was alright. Throughout all of the chaos he hadn't heard a single peep about the fate of his friend, probably stuck in some dungeon somewhere awaiting a trial that would go on for Celestia knew how long.
Mac shuttered at the thought. Spike, alone in some dark and cold room made of stone and metal. His bed nothing more than the slab of wood suspended by chains like his was when he was in jail. It was enough to make the stallion both enraged and crestfallen.
'Relax, Spike's a tough guy, he'll be fine.'
Suddenly, the throne room doors opened and he watched as Luna exited the passageway and give a bow to those inside. "If we or our dream walkers see anything, we shall be sure to let thou know."
Mac's heart skipped a beat and his muscles tensed as she turned and locked eyes with him, both caught in a tense moment of rocognition.
...
...
'Well, this is awkward.'
"Are you alright, Macintosh?" Luna asked in concern.
"How's Spike?" Mac asked in return.
Luna bit her lip. "Ah yes, we remember he was arrested earlier. Not to worry, my little pony, Spike is being housed in the guest chamber while he awaits trial."
Mac breathed a sigh of relief, at least Spike wasn't rotting in some cold dank cell, like he once was.
"If that's all, than we must be on our way to find Captain Shining Armor and get a report on how the lower number of guards are handling the city."
Mac called to her and asked her if she'd seen Sin, apparently he'd gone to see her an hour or so ago, but never returned.
It may have been his imagination, but Mac could have sworn he saw Luna's eyes widen ever so slightly. "Yes, he came to ask us a few things, we answered them and sent him on his way." She recalled. "Now, if you'll excuse us."
Mac wanted to ask more questions, but he also didn't want to be pulled into her chambers for another cuddle party. So he let her go and waited patiently outside the door for anypony else to come out. A few hours passed, with nothing to desract him but a book he'd taken the liberty of borrowing from the library, but eventually the doors opened again and his sister came out.
"Hoo whee. Sorry t' keep ya, Big Mac." Applejack apologized.
"Oh my, were you waiting out here all this time?" Fluttershy asked in her typical, quiet and soothing voice.
"Eyup. Wanted to talk t' the princess about Spike."
Twilight's ears folded back at the name and she took a breath before inviting Macintosh for a walk through the Castle. The others offered to come, but the scholar insisted the matter be handled privately. Once out of earshot, Twilight slowly breached the topic at hoof with tears already building up in her eyes.
"It- it's not looking good. Big Mac." She stuttered.
"How bad?" Asked the stallion, the lump in his throat growing.
Twilight's ears split out sideways and her posture became submissive and sad. "Celestia said that the Diamond Dogs had petitioned for his custody and demanded that they be the ones to try him. They said that any court of Equines that judged him would be bias and too lenient."
Mac wasn't sure what that meant, the Dogs were just as bias to the prosecution as the Equestrians were to the defense. "N' Celestia's gonna agree to that?"
"If she doesn't, the Pack's sworn to openly rebel against her, they've already sent runners to other near by Diamond Dog mines to encourage revolt if she doesn't."
Yea, that wasn't good. Things were getting far bigger and more complicated than Macintosh had originally thought they would. But the worst had yet to come.
"Mac, they... the Diamond Dogs, they still believe in the death penalty!"
'You sure it was a good idea not to include Macintosh in on this? Don't you think Tyken had a point about appreciating your friends?'
"Maybe he did, regardless, Mac has enough to worry about. Between Spike's arrest and his new marefriend, he doesn't need to concern himself with this matter. Besides, I can handle this well enough on my own." Sin whispered to himself as he descended the Canterlot cliff side.
'Right, and why didn't you take the train again? Seems like it would be a lot quicker.'
Because, if Shade is responsible, and the fact that he's in the badlands of Grand Junction would indicate he had, than it's likely that whoever helped him bring Discord there would be on the look out for anyone heading that way. Most notably the train stations and any low level air ship ports.
The stallion kept his nice, though purposeful pace as he walked down the mountain side. If his estimation was right, and the map's indicator true, than he should find Shade by tomorrow night, assuming he traveled straight through without any breaks. Hopefully nothing would happen before he got there. If the stories he'd heard about years ago was any indication, the draconaquis had yet to be free.
Sin slowed his pace a little and listened, a faint clopping echoing from behind him. He stopped and looked to find nothing but the grey of the road behind him. Not a soul in sight. Shrugging it off, he continued his treck down the mountain. It was mid day and he had alot of ground to cover.
'Felling paranoid?'
Don't act like you didn't hear it too.
'Yea, too bad you don't fly, otherwise this would be shit ton easier.'
The stallion nodded his head. Yea, too bad indeed.
'You really think it's fair to yourself? To deny your instincts and urges like this? For what? Because your-'
Let me stop you right there. No, this conversation isn't going to happen. I don't know what you are, I don't care how I'm talking to you, me, or whatever. But we're not going there. Savy?
The voice went quiet, and Sin took a brief amount of satisfaction in his victory. A win was still a win and a major boost to his ego, something he was in desperate need of.
Especially since he was about to ambush whomever it was that was following him.
Spying the base of the mountain, Sin saw a curve around the mountainside and mentally decided that such a spot was perfect for his plan. He walked around the bend and found a pile of boulders conveniently placed for him to hide behind as he waited for his stalker. Mounting his new crossbow onto his leg, the stallion placed both the primary and quick load draw strings and bolts into place.
He strained his ears and listened to the clopping, judging on when the pony would eventually pass, each click echoing louder and louder off of the mountain wall.
Clop clop clop.
Pressing his lips, the stallion took aim at the road and waited. It wouldn't be long now, he or she was right around the bend.
And then the clopping stopped.
Worried his assailant had found him out, the Federalist considered his options. Confrontation or running. Well, he wasn't really in a position to do either. The strain walking alone put on his neck was obvious and he wasn't sure that running was even possible, so by process of deduction, fighting it was. Even if he couldn't fight that well either.
'Like you can fight at all.'
Oh yay, you're back.
Suddenly Sin felt himself become weightless. And by weightless, he lost contact with the ground as he was slowly raised up in a bluish white aura that encompassed his body. He looked around and took aim with his crossbow but couldn't find the unicorn who'd caught him in their grasp.
"Put down the Bow, anarchist!"
Sin looked up to find none other than the Captain of the Guard himself, standing at an 80 degree incline smiling smugly down at him. "Oh, it's you." He lowed the crossbow, and with a little convincing was lowered to the ground.
"Going to see a friend?" Shining Armor spat distastefully.
Sin didn't reply, causing no small amount of irritation to the electric blue maned stallion. "I asked if you were going to see a friend?"
Sin ground his teeth. He didn't like Shining Armor, and he knew Shining Armor didn't like him. If he was going to ask where Shade was than Sin would be wise to simply give the good captain the information he wanted and be on his marry way.
"I am."
Shining breathed. "Does he know where Discord is?"
"Most likely."
"Good." Shining smirked darkly, looking the stallion up and down. "Considering the sorry state you're in, I don't think you'd object to some company?"
Sin glared. "Yea, no thanks."
Shining smirked again. "Let me rephrase that. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."
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Good for you it's an awesome cliche.
Huh, thank you for a nice update, and ah, the fun of inner voices giving snarky advice.
6097545 Yea, hope I can make it work. If what I'm trying to do works out, this will be 3 in the 5 government strikes Sin faces before heading home.
6097744 Thank you for your kind words. Trying to make it an "inner-critique/conscience type thing.
6097778 Heh, it may be, though it comes across as something a bit more vile here. (in the good way)
6098517 Scitzo