Earning Freedom

by Daxisle

Consideration and Therapy

Consideration and Therapy

There are things in the world one just doesn't expect to see. A waiter who knew exactly what you wanted before you ordered, a passer by suddenly getting attacked by a pair of street thugs, coming home from a hard day of work to find your wife in bed with another stallion, finding your husband banging a griffin from down the street, and so on.

But what Sin saw when he entered the tree hut left his mind in a tug of war between utter horror and bawling laughter. Shock, was the best word that one would use to describe it, not just shock and awe, but the kind of shock reserved for the most confounding and flabbergasting of moments.

There, sitting on a red covered bed, was Star Shade. Smiling peacefully without a care in the world while a female zebra sat and stroked his mane soothingly.

"It is good to see you, dear new friend. Tell your princess this rock does bend." She bopped Shade's nose, causing the stallion to giggle like a filly.

Twilight cast away her scowl and bad mood entirely for the joy of the scene. "You mean it? You actually cured him, Zecora?"

The zebra chuckled and gave a rhyme filled explanation (yes, and it's going to stay that way) about the drug she'd used to pacify the insane pony. Though a few words stuck out that jarred Sin from his stupor. Hemp? Cannabis? Those two things were familiar to him, they were compounds used in... Oh no.

"So you see, he may have been a bit mean, but given some zebra medicine and he becomes quite sareene."

Twilight blinked at Zecora and turned her attention back to Shade before disturbing his peaceful slumber with a cautious poke to his chest.

"Huh? What's that? Oh, hey Twilight." He stammered out slowly, his words ending with a giggle. "Oh hey, I um, I wanted to say that, I'm like, super sorry for saying that Rainbow Dash should suck on your horn. That was so not cool."

'So not cool? Smoking weed? Apologizing? Calling them by name? Oh my gods he's a hippy!'

It took a few seconds for her to work passed her skepticism, but the growing look of genuine concern and guilt slowly warmed the unicorn's heart to the matter. "Awww, it's okay." She beamed, her actions rewarding her with a crushing hug.

"Thanks man, you're an alright cat. You know that? Sin?" His golden eyes locked with Sin's goggles and his smile grew to excited. "Hey man! What's going on, bro?"

"Shade?" The Federalist whispered, taking in the site. Gone was the manic pony he'd come to know and almost like. Replaced by the filthy, carefree, apologetic mess before him. "What did she do to you?"

"To your friend I gave the leaf of my tribe." Zecora chimed. "His mind was full of hurt and pain, the hemp leaf is all trouble bane."

Sin didn't get a chance to voice his disapproval fo the situation, Shade had interjected himself and praised the mare for her services. Commenting on how calm and happy the plant made him feel. It was like he was a different pony, all of his anger and malice was gone now, no more hatred of babies, no more dislike of red robbins and finally, no more hatred for his history or Luna for creating it.

Thinking it over in his head, Sin held council with his inner critic.

'What? You wanna talk to me now?'

Can it. I'm not sure if I approve of what's going on here, but he seems happy. But that's the thing isn't it? As soon as he runs out of that stuff, he'll only come back ten times more pissed off.

'Yea, So?'

Don't tell me that doesn't concern you. You know what that stallion is capable of when he's got a grudge, right? Now imagine that anger, rage, and unpredicatability magnified ten fold. How do you think that will work out?

'I'm not sure we should be around for it. But I'm also not sure what you're asking either. Are you suggesting we stop him from it, or...?'

It wasn't really surprising. Sin always hated mind altering substances and while he didn't consider weed a drug, it still offended him in a stupidly conservative way. Shade was his own pony, he could smoke if he wanted to, but how long would it last?

He asked the Unicorn if the stallion was counciled on the effects of the plant he was smoking and Zecora nodded, though his participation was anything but voluntary.

"Yea, Celestia made me smoke it." He giggled. "But hey man, if I knew this would happen, I'd have busted down the door to get to this stuff."

Well then, there was nothing more to think about on the matter. If this is what he wanted, even under the influence, the Federalist had to accept it. Even if he didn't agree with it. That settled, he beckoned his friend to speak outside in private to discuss the plan to rescue Spike should his trial not go favorably.

It took a while to explain but eventually the lunar pegasus was caught up to the events and declined. "Sorry dude, but that sounds rough. I mean, I like Spike and all, but that sounds, like, violent."

Sin had to grind his teeth to keep himself from smacking the pony silly. How could Shade be so callus about this? If he said he had a moral objection or was afraid, that was something he could understand. But to not act because it sounded violent? "You're just going to let Spike, your friend, our friend, be killed if found guilty?!"

Shade flinched away from the outburst but stated that he didn't want to hurt others or get hurt. The only reason he'd ever done it before was because he was angry and he wasn't angry any more.

He knew he'd hate himself for it, but the oaken pony had no choice. He had to appeal to his friend's emotional side, bringing up how Spike had stood by him when he was going to trial with Luna. Though, while still looking like a guilty puppy, baked stallion didn't budge. "I'm sorry, but I wont help you hurt anypony else."

Sneering in utter disgust, the Federalist spat at the Shade's hooves and walked away. Things weren't looking good, if he couldn't recruit Macintosh, he'd have to break Spike out himself. Nevermind the fact he wasn't exactly in the best condition, even if he was, it was an impossible mission. No, he'd need to figure something else out.

"Hey! Thanks for letting me know you were leaveing." Twilight called, catching up to him. "Why do you look so mad? Your friend's not a hateful walking monster anymore. You should be happy for him."

Sin didn't reply and the two spent the walk back to the Library in silence with the stallion thinking over his options. He could call on those he'd offered freedom to for help, but that might take too long. Demos and his crew were too far away as well, and he didn't much know or care about anypony else in Ponyville. A town he was now legally bound to.

"Alright." Twilight said, pulling up the document. "Says here that you're to report to me every day at 7 to 8 pm, or at your earliest convenience around such time to make sure that you're maintaining a presence within the Ponyville community. Since you're bound by law to take residence within half a mile of town center, I guess you should begin looking into a house."

Seriously? Spike's about to be put to death, and she's talking about that stupid contract? He found it almost comical how distracted she tried to keep herself.

That's when an idea came to him.

"Ms. Sparkle. You're a unicorn of great power, correct?"

"Trying to butter me up?" She replied with a smirk.

"No, but if I'm going to rescue Spike, I'll need your help to do it."

Twilight's snear faded in the blink of an eye, a hurt grimace taking hold. "Rescue? Sin you can't be serious. I want to get Spike back too, but if we assault the trial, the Dogs will be in open revolt against the princess."

Sin didn't care about that, fuck the dogs. If they planned to kill Spike, and began a rebellion inside the country's borders, he'd hold no pity for the quelling that would come.

Uttering a defeated sigh, the librarian just shook her head. "I can't let you do that. I have faith that Celestia will bring him back home."

"And what if she doesn't, Ms. Sparkle? What if the Dogs do decide to kill him? Will you just stand by and allow it to happen? He's like a son to you!" He fummed, meeting her gaze. "I admit that my influence on the boy may not have been the best, but-"

"But nothing!" Interjected Twilight angrily. "It's because of you this happened! If you hadn't come to Ponyville and filled his head with your crazy anarchist nonsense than this would never have happened."

"And if you hadn't treated him like a child, he wouldn't have wanted to come with me in the first place!" Sin shot back, causing Twilight to recoil once more. "Did you ever stop to think about why he left? Did it ever cross your mind even once? Because it sounds to me like you're too busy blaming everyone but the one pony who raised him."

She took two steps back, her ears drooping and eyes finding the floor to her left quite interesting. "I let you get your punches in when his rampage was over. Once for hitting him, and again because I was partly responsible. But I want to get one thing straight, you were his surigot mother. You were the one who raised him, coddled him, and made him feel like he wasn't worth having by your side."

"That's not true! I've always held him as my number one assistant!"

"Assistant, Ms. Sparkle. He submitted to you, you bossed him around! That's how he saw it! During the fight with Nightmare Moon, did you allow him to help? No, you didn't want him getting hurt. Your fight against Discord, where was Spike? Being told to hang back while you and your friends nearly ripped yourselves apart. When he wanted to help get Rarity back after she'd been taken to the mines, he practically had to beg to go with you. He felt weak, he felt helpless, he felt-" He cut himself off, seeing the tears flowing from his host freely. Shaming her wouldn't do him any favors, besides, he'd already given her enough stress for the night.

"Look, we'll talk about this later. You're tired and upset, I'm six flavors of pissed and nothing good will come from this conversation." He made way for the door but was stopped by a small cry from behind.

"Please wait." Twilight called, he groaned when pointed out the fact that he had no where to go, since he had to live within his limits. She offered to let him use the guest room in exchange for something.

"And that would be?"

She gulped. "I want... I want to know why Spike left. I want to know why he hates me..."

Spike didn't hate her, that much he knew for a fact. He was just frustrated with her mothering him so much. Yes, she was just trying to protect him, but what kind of message did it send that she wouldn't let him help in her most dire moments? That she didn't give him a chance to prove himself?

Depressed at the truth she wanted to deny coming from somepony other than the drake, Twilight seriously contemplated how much she may have underestimated the importance of Spike asking to go look for a job. Why hadn't he said anything to her? How long had he felt this way? Why hadn't she seen it before?

"Because he's your baby." Sin stated, garnering a questioning stare. It was always hard to see the good things in someone when you concentrated on the worst in them. She cared deeply for her son's well being, she raised him, fed him, taught him and most importantly of all; loved him. Held him while he cried, joined him when he laughed, gave tough love when he needed it. All of these things Spike had told him on multiple accounts.

But he wanted a change, evidenced by his participation in the Dragon Migration. He wanted to grow, he wanted to learn about something other than friendship. He wanted freedom, he wanted to learn what it was to be a male, self sufficient and independent. And no matter how much she tried, the heart broken librarian, nore any of her friends could have taught him such things.

As the conversation drew to a close, so too did Twilight slowly grow an accepting melancholy as all of the anger and confusion she had for both Sin and her former assistant slowly accepted the truths being told to her. Spike didn't have that much of a male influence in his life outside of the few interactions with ponies around town. Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow, herself, the princesses... They all focused so much on friendship and togetherness, teaching him about freedom and independence would be one of the most difficult things they ever tried.

And Twilight knew that she would fail. Just the thought of him going a day without food made her want to take him into her embrace and hold the dragon.

"Survival and freedom are dangerous arts for bringing up a child. It forces them to grow, to learn, to adapt and accept the realities of the world that most don't want to think about. I know this from experience. But It doesn't make you a bad pony for wanting to see him protected. As a mother, that's the best you can do for the ones you love.

"Thank you, I needed to hear that." The mare smiled, wiping her tear strained eyes.

Sin nodded but against his better judgement, digressed to the original topic. "I know that you may not like it, but should Spike be sentenced to death, I will intervene. If it causes a rebellion, than that's your country's problem."

Twilight tried to argue him down, but he wouldn't allow it. Sin had lost so many ponies who he should have cared about because he stood by and did nothing as they were lead to slaughter. Crasus, who he let commit suicide, Zell, who he allowed be killed, and most likely Windmane, but there was a chance he was still alive.

The Federalist thought long and hard about the moral implications of his actions, about Spike's crimes and if he should be put to death for the animosities he had committed. But, his pragmatism wasn't what it used to be and in the end his concern for his friend won out in the end.

He was done standing by as his friends were killed, and though it may cost him his life, or the hatred of the country. He'd try to save his friend, and it didn't matter how many dogs or even ponies, if it came to it, he had to murder to do it.

Author's Note:

Comments are always appreciated.

Comments

[TheStratovarian]

The standards of sin are quite the interesting choice. He makes a point of trying to bring up self reliance, and while he can be his views, he never breaks them. Its in a way a very paladic viewpoint. A realists one over an idealists, but he tries to live up to it, even failing.

[Godiswithus3]

Well. I have officially caught up. I will say that I am loving this story. After reading so many FICS that preach the progressive point of view and one FIC that was conservative, I figured I give libertarianism a try and understand your viewpoint and boy did I learn a lot.

Another thing I commend you for is this fact. Many times, freedom oriented literature is written to a point where the reader loses interests because the story is not compelling and addicting. You have done a wonderful job in breaking that trend. I was very addicted to the story and I have learned a lot.

I will be looking forward to more updates and I strongly encourage you to finish this story. I don't want this story to be dead at all, or have the conflicts unresolved. I am especially anxious on the outcome on AJ's dilemma. I pray that her honor is saved before it is too late.

[Daxisle]

6294472 Thank you for your kind words.

Exposing Libertarian ideology wasn't what this fic was supposed to be, but it turned into it.

Reading through the fics, I always saw the simp stallion (Weak at the hooves of mares, but can be a bad ass) and it always bothered me how they never had back bones when dealing with mares, especially the mane six.

It's also a kind of commentary on western society as well, kinda.

And if Applejack faces worse, you can blame the user RadicalDishonesty for completely calling out what I was going to have happen.