Faint Goodbyes
Faint Goodbyes
After Sin's Departure, the rest tried to talk Spike and Macintosh out of leaving their company, to which the former pushed anypone who tried to get close to him away. Even Fluttershy's stare wouldn't make the baby dragon adhere to the mare's whims. He casually walked out of the farm house with Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy close behind. Leaving Mac to deal with the three remaining mares on his own.
Applejack and Rainbow were sitting on the couch, attempting to comfort each other over what had transpired only a few moments ago. While the two sobbed quietly together, Mac thought about what exactly Sin said. 'You think them incompetent...?' He furrowed his brow over the insult, questioning if his sister's friend had noble intentions for keeping him here, of if it was that she felt he was unable to fend for himself?
Then something else crossed him, how the pony acted with such malice and provocation to the rainbow pegasus. Though Sin was calm and level headed in his questions to Rainbow, Mac could feel the utter loathing from the mysterious pony's words. Mac began to wonder if the pony was good or evil, but that brought about the whole conversation of how Sin had mentioned that there was no such thing. Feeling a headache coming on with the all the stress he had to deal with, the stallion pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind.
"Big Mac?" Pinkie called from where she sat. "Are you ok?" Her voice ridden with concern.
"Ya Pinkie," Mac smiled at one of the only two mares who didn't go against him. "Ah'm fine. Ah am gonna go pack."
Applejack's face shot out of Rainbow's shoulder, "But... wait... yer' serious 'bout leavin'?" She sobbed. Mac gave a simple nod as his reply before heading up the stares into his bedroom. Though he was now leaving to understand his life, and do everything and anything he wanted to do, Mac felt an uneasy pit in his stomach. He loved his family, he really did; and he would never wish anything to hurt them especially his own actions. But leaving them, he felt like he was giving up so much. Applejack, Granny Smith, Applebloom, Twilight, Fluttershy and everyone else.
He paused as he began placing a picture of his family and friends in the saddle bag. All of them were there, The Mane Six, local Apple family, Spike, Carrot Top, Lyra, Bon Bon and alll the rest. All of them were smiling in an immortalized happy pose that the picture would hold until it crumbled to dust. Tears began to swell in Macintosh's eyes. All the fond memories they shared started to crash against his mind like tidal waves. Applebloom's and her friends attempt to set him up with her teacher, Applejack's accident that hurt his back, and forced her to Buck most of the farm on her own. The multiple foreleg wrestling matches that Rainbow Dash kept challenging him to, and the frustrated blush she would get when he beat her.
Was it really so bad here? He felt loved, he felt wanted and needed. His family and friend's were a little bossy and disconnected from him, that much was true; but at least he wasn't alone, at least it was better than having no one. Ever since his parents had-
"Big Mac?" A voice called from behind. The nostalgic endulged stallion turned his body to see his sister looking at him with pleading eyes. He took one last look at the picture and smiled, two streams of tears running down his cheek. "We sure were happy, back then Ah mean." She said her own gaze falling on the framed portrait.
Mac let out a heavy and happy sigh. "Eyup."
Applejack walked up to her brother and nuzzled his his nose. "Big Mac, why do ya wanna leave her' so badly? Ah know that we have been a little neglectful of ya, n' Ah'm sorry 'bout that. But is it really so bad you gotta leave?" A.J. hugged Mac, a wave of warmth and love emulated from where she had embraced.
Mac hugged her back and began to cry freely. He couldn't answer her question, in that moment, he felt like everything was alright. There was no Applejack patronizing him, there was no Rainbow making fun of him, or Twilight correcting every other word he said, or loud and and annoying Pinkie Pie. There was only love and contentment in Mac's heart. He mentally slapped himself for ever thinking about wanting to leave where he felt so much kindness and compassion. He opened his eyes and in a violent clash, his mind was brought back to reality.
Behind his sister, leaned up on the wall by the door, something brought all the memories back. All of the confidence and lessons he had received two days ago had overpowered the warm sensation that Applejack was giving him. The small wooden crossbow that Sin had given him to escape jail had a more powerful emotional impact than his sisters own embrace. It truly spoke volumes to him about how restricted he was, that such a small and inanimate contraption gave him greater inspiration than his own flesh and blood.
Mac broke the embrace keeping his hoofs on the mares shoulders. He opened his eyes with a soft smile gracing his lips. Applejack's mouth trembled, knowing that her last attempt to convince him to stay had failed. "Ah love ya' sis." Mac said compassionately. "Ah love you, Granny, Applebloom n' the rest of tha' family, but, this is mah' life. N' I just ain't satisfied with it no more."
Applejack cringed at the stallions admission. A few more sobs escaped her lungs before she looked back up him sniffling. "Is this really what y'all want, Big Mac?"
Macintosh chuckled trying to lighten the mood before he nodded his head. His sister released a defeated sigh and shook her head. She looked back at her brother and placed a hoof on his shoulder, "Than, you have mah' blessin'. But y'all come back n' visit every now n' again. Alright?"
Mac's smile grew, "Eyup." he replied pulling the mare into a civil embrace. After a few moments, they broke apart and A.J. asked Mac for a few spare bits to write up some "Help Wanted" signs. They shared a laugh and Mac agreed, they walked out of the room together to begin drawing up plans for the farm during his absence.
---
Mac's final day in Ponyville passed a little to quickly for his liking. After he and Applejack had place the job offering pages on the bulletin bored, his little sister had just gotten out of school. She took the news of his leaving harder than he would have thought. Even before his apology for yelling at her two nights ago, Applebloom was in tears about her brothers leaving. After a few minutes of the elder siblings comfort, they agreed that their last day together should be a happy one. The trio made way for the motel where Granny Smith was. To Mac's surprise, she was more encouraging that Mac find his path in life. Mentioning how he spent the majority of his life on the farm, and how he barley been outside Ponyville.
After the approval from his last of kin, he helped move their things back to the farm. With now open minds they listened to his tale about how he escaped his imprisonment from the guard and his first meeting with Sin. He explained what he knew about the concepts of freedom, and the amazing way it made him feel. After his story, Luna's moon was growing in the sky, but the family agreed to allow Applebloom to stay up a little bit longer to have some more time with her brother. They sat and reminisced about all the memories the family shared. Tales of childhood and trouble received laughs of nervousness and comedy.
When midnight finally came, they all decided that it was time to retire. All of the mares hugged their soon to be lost brother tightly.
"Nah' what ever happens to ya' out there, just remember; were all still a family." Granny spoke, her weezing voice full of pride and sadness.
"N' we always will be." Applejack agreed with a smile.
"Always n' forever." Applebloom chimed.
"Eyup, and tha' will nevah' change." Big Mac finished, the family indulged in group hug. After the warm embrace, the each returned to their respective quarters and each gave futile attempts to gain sleep.
---
Finally, the morning had come. Mac hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, he looked over to his alarm clock which now lay on the ground from the turmoil of his tossing and turning all night. He signed when he discovered he only had an hour to get to the bluff. The sallion rolled out of bed and strapped on his saddlebag before brushing his teeth, once his perly whites were cared for, he walked down stairs to see Applejack sitting on the couch with her hair a mess, and a cup of tear in her hooves.
"Y'all didn't sleep well either?" Mac called down to his sister, who meekly shook her head. She took a refreshing breath and stood up from her place on the couch, a forced smile on her face. "Ya ready?"
"Yea," A.J. replied. "I think Ah am.
The two made their way to the bluff outside of ponyville, it only took them about twenty minutes to arrive, they found Sin sitting on one of the closer ones and approached him. "Mornin Sin." Mac called waving a tired hoof.
"Good morning Big Macintosh." His black covered eyes moved over to Applejack and he gave her a simple nod. "And good morning to you as well, Miss Applejack." A gave a fake smile to the mare.
The mare sighed, "Look Sin, Ah'm sorry about the way Ah reacted to ya. But-"
Sin rose an interrupting hoof, his smile turned a bit more genuine. "I can understand Ms. Applejack. You love your brother, and dislike change. It is only natural you would react to me in such a way. I feel no ill will to you."
A.J. smiled, at that moment she felt a lot better about letting her brother go, but still felt a great deal of mistrust and contempt at the pony. Though, a certain amount of respect had been awarded to Sin for his ability to appreciate and understand her concerns.
Not long after, the three ponies heard repeated sounds of crying. The more time that passed, the louder the crying became and the easier it was to distinguish as whining. They looked down the hill to find Spike trudging up the hill with a back pack pressing against his spines, and a dirty white unicorn wrapped around his leg.
"Please Spike, don't go!" Rarity begged, her body dragging on the ground with each step the dragon she was trying to convince took. Obviously Spikes goodbyes hadn't gone as well as Mac's, "PLEA -EH-HE-HE-EASE!"
The trio watched as the small dragon trudged up the hill to them, his face contorted in a way that made it look like he would smack the pony pestering him at any moment,
"That one, is... quite the drama queen isn't she?" Sin remarked with an amused smile.
"Well that's somethin' we can all agree on." Replied Applejack, her hoof slamming against her face.
"Eyup."
The three also noticed a timid and pink maned pegasus following after them, keeping her distance at first, but slowly growing closer.
"I'll give you time to say your goodbyes before I leave." Sin stated turning his back to the siblings and the approaching trio below. He walked to the far side of the hill and watched as the moon set in the west.
Mac watched as the dragon finally arrived to he and his sister, with the dirty unicorn literally on his heals. "Look at me Spike, I'm FILTHY!" She called burring her head in his now static leg.
"Well, maybe if you had let go, i wouldn't have had to drag you through that mud puddle, and you would still have some dignity." Spike replied trying to shake the distraught mare from his leg. "Rarity come on, this is getting ridiculous! Let go of my leg already."
After a few more minutes of convincing, the mare finally released her death grip. Her eyes were bagged and bloodshot, and her typically gorgeous coat and mane were now tarnished by the elements Spike ungraciously dragged her through. The timid pegasus poked her head up from the hill and sighed at seeing Sin not looking in her direction. She wondered up to the Apple siblings and explained that Twilight was too upset to see them off.
"I'm sorry, I wish i could have convinced her to come. but..." The mare hid behind her hair for a moment than took a breath, "After she and Spike had started yelling at each other last night, I was just to afraid to bother her."
Applejack pressed her lips together and placed a hoof on her friends shoulder. "Nothin' to worry 'bout sugar cube. Ah'll talk to Twilight later."
Suddenly, a voice called out to the group on the hill. They all looked over to find Rainbow and Pinkie rushing towards them. "You aren't thinkin' of leaving with out saying goodbye to us are ya?" Rainbow called, a knowing smirk playing a cross her face. Pinkie bounced with her usual happy grin, and addressed Mac and Spike.
"Well guys, this is it." She called happily, her face becoming more serious as the seconds dragged on, but her smile maintained. "I don't like saying goodbye, but you two shouldn't leave with out a proper one." She hugged Mac and nuzzled his neck, than she moved to Spike and repeated the process. "I want you two to be safe out there alright? Not everypony is as nice as we are."
Spike gave a comedic scoff. "You don't need to worry about me Pinkie, I'm a dragon after all; were made of pretty tough stuff. If I were you, I'd be more worried about the tender hoofed Big Mac."
"Eyu- Hey!" Mac called glaring. The group shared in a laugh at the stallions expense and Pinkie looked over to Sin with a curious expression.
"Yea, not everypony around is as awesome as we are. So don't you two become lame-O's by spending too much time with Mr. Robot over there." Rainbow called, pointing an accusing hoof at Sin. "But in all seriousness," her face dropped to a concerned smile. "You two be careful alright. And don't forget to stay cool." A wink following her final words.
The two departing friends nodded their agreements and hugged the rainbow mare. Her laughing being crushed to awkward rasps by their tight squeezes around her mid section. As the group gave their good byes to one another, and made promises of returning home someday, Pinkie wondered over and sat by Sin, her eyes locked onto his face. "Sin?"
"Yes Miss Pie?" Sin replied turning his head slightly towards her.
"I know that I just met you and all, but could you do me a favor?" Her words were calm and genuine, a trace of guilt was caught in her eye.
"Of course."
Pinkie looked back to her friends, a sad grin forming on her muzzle. "Please look after Spike and Macintosh, my friends and I love them dearly, and I would hate to think of what we would do if anything happened to them."
Sin sighed lightly and faced forward again to the dispersing twilight before him. He knew there was more to what the young mare had to say, and he didn't want to interrupt. "You may have noticed, they haven't been in a lot of uncertain situations before. They have never had to worry about getting water, or food or being safe in general."
"I understand Ms. Pie. And you have my word, i will-"
"AND YOU!" Called a stern Rainbow Dash flying in front of the two ponies with her forelegs crossed over her chest. "You had better make sure NOTHING happens to Spike or Big Mac. Because if they get hurt I'll beat ya till you have to eat through a feeding tube." She eyed the stallion before her, her lips quivering slightly.
Sin let out another soft sigh and reached into a pocket of his hidden saddlebag that rested beneath his cape. He pulled out a small metallic object and set it on the ground before pegasus. She looked down questioningly and descended to find it was a thin and small metal container.
"In this case, you will find one of my most prized possessions: A quill that belonged to one of the greatest leaders my country had ever known, and it was used to sign one of the most freedom oriented pieces of legislation that my country was ever graced with. Needless to say, i had to go through quite a bit of trouble to get it, and I offer it to the Apple Family as my promise to return Macintosh in good health, so long as i can help it; and he allows me to."
Rainbow's expression turned into an apologetic and thankful one before she picked up the container and rejoined the group. Sin reached into his bag again and handed a crumpled and age worn manilla envelope to Pinkie Pie. She took it in her hooves and looked up to the stallion. "That is for Ms. Sparkle, It is the original letter that another great leader of mine, had made to inform the current High Arbiter at the time, of a great evil that threatened the my countries prosperity. Please insure that she gets it, and tell her that is my promise to her that Spike will be returned home in good health, so long as i can help it, and he will allow me."
Pinkie nodded her head and hugged the stallion around the neck. Though in their second encounter, Sin made it clear he didn't like to be touch; Pinkie couldn't help it. She had to give him something back for for him leaving such precious items with mares he hardly knew, all for the sake of easing their stressed and worried minds. Though he seemed cold and standoffish, that display showed Pinkie that Sin was one of the kindest ponies she had ever met.
Sin cleared his throat, his muscles tightening from the awkward embrace. "Yes well, I Uh, er..." he fumbled before he lifted his hoof and awkwardly patted the pink mares back. "thank you?"
Pinkie pulled away and shook her head. "No, thank you." She put emphasis on the last word before she wondered back to the group behind Sin.
After a few more minutes of closure, Spike and Mac stood beside Sin and looked out to the dawn lit fields below. The two had no idea where Sin was going, but they decided they would follow him happily. After they agreed to be ready, the trio began to descend the hill with their friends calling after them.
"Y'all come back now, ya hear!" Applejack yelled waving a hoof. "And stay safe."
Spike and Mac replied with similar reassurances to their friends and continued waving until they were out of eyesight.
The End.
(Ha, I'm joking, I'm not evil enough to end a story there. (Ok yes I am, but not this one) So, Question of the story is: Did giving the objects to Applejack and Twilight give a more "Human" look into Sin? Or did it take away by making him seem weaker?)
Stats
Page generated in 0.063 seconds
Total duration
1,050 users online
2,056,751 hits today, 1,996,409 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
i believed t showed he was not heartless
By weaker, do you mean to say you did not want him to have his own faults?
Are you saying humanity is perfect?
... You're going to want to proof read this chapter, there were a lot of mistakes.
Like in this paragraph.
*sighed
*stallion
*pearly
*tea (Unless for some reason she was drinking a cup filled with ponys tears.)
As well as other quite noticeable mistakes in this chapter.
Spoil something for me: with 48 chapters remaining, is this the last we see of the mane six?
really?
So is Sin a human turned pony...no that would mean a human tag....right?
The first time I was reading the first eight chapters, I was biased towards Applejack, who is my favorite pony, and was looking at things from her perspective. I realized my error and had to re-read these chapters while I eliminated my bias and personal preference. Now that I'm looking at this story in hindsight, I clearly see that Big Mac and Sin are correct. All are free to make their own decisions, including leaving Ponyville. As long as those decisions does not violate the life, liberties, and private properties of others, the individual's choice should never be opposed by force. Only through persuasion, and even then, the individual has the right to say no.
That's the quill that signed the Constitution of the great USA, isn't it