N)158 words

Feminism (Part 2)

Feminism (Pt.2)

Mac's eye twitched.

Another billboard portraying a clueless stallion standing by helplessly as a mare opened a jar for him...

Equestria was condescending in it's treatment between mare's and stallions. But this just took it to a level that did nothing but piss him off. Even Applejack had a skeptical and disgusted look branded onto her face.

Matter of fact, the only one who seemed oblivious to the blatant misandry was the only Federalist present. Spike, who wanted some time away from Twilight, conversed quietly with Rainbow Dash about something or another. But all Mac could focus on were the multiple shamings about.

Banners with stallions on leashes, just out of reach of an attractive mare flaunting her body to him. Others with mare's hooves on a stallions neck, and the stallions holding an awkward smile that was a mix of nervousness and fear. He didn't have to be a member of this country to see what the pictures implied.

"Wha' in tarnation is wron' with these ponies?" Applejack asked, observing a sign that bore the Acronym: SCUS Society for Cutting Up Stallions.

Ace looked to her with a sad smile. "We came to the wrong city." He continued walking. "The 'feminist' movement, as they like to call this, are actually misandrysts." Mac continued quietly, his anger bubbling up with in him. He'd remembered this feeling of quiet, repressed hate, it was the same feeling he had when he'd slapped his sisters hoof from his breakfast the day after he'd escaped. The day he made invaluable revelations and finally took control of his life.

And as happy as he was for his decision, and all the feeling of aliveness it brought, he hated where he was.

"So Big Mac." Rainbow called from the blue. "What's going on with you and Twilight?"

That's actually a good question, he thought putting a hoof to his chin. Ever since they parted ways in Canterlot, the two haven't really talked about... Them. "Can't say Ah know." He shrugged.

It was rather awkward now; their reunion to return to the Federation hadn't gone as he would have hoped. Seeing as he became flustered and addressed her as Mrs. Armor. -He still couldn't believe that happened-. Even for all he's learned, there was no help for dealings of emotional communication.

"So, she shot you down after you blundered?" Rainbow chuckled.

Mac returned the mirth, he wouldn't go that far, but at the same time, he could live with out her. Not that big of a deal. Still, the feeling of her warm body in his legs and the smell of her lavender perfume were enough to make his stomach light. "Nah really, bu' we'll see wha' happens."

Rainbow Dash quirked a brow, Mac wasn't completely sure of it, but for some reason, his answer didn't seem to sit right with her.

"Wha's this?" Applejack asked motioning to a giant building that came up to their right. "We've been goin' past it fer a while now, mus' be pretty importan' ta be so big." She whistled.

Mac observed the wide grey structure for a moment, like most of the other buildings, it was bland and didn't really stick out that much. It was different from South Equine and very different from Equestria's infrastructure. Though, exploration was their goal, so why not investigate? The others agreed and they found an entrance that was far to busy not to be public. After entering, they all stood in shock. Food, food everywhere. Mountains of apples, lettuces, tomatoes, onions, bananas, and all kinds of baked goods and cheeses.

What surprised them was the fact that all of the stands were unwatched by any sales ponies. Were they free or something?

Confused and curious, the Equestrians entered. "Wow," Rainbow Dash gawked with Spike on her back. She eyed the high ceilings with low hanging gas lights. Mac was too busy observing the growing congregation of ponies, dogs, and minotaur at the end of the store, each pushing some kind of metal cart and handing it to what he guessed was some one to pay.

"Tha's how it's done?!" Applejack exclaimed looking at the row of registers. "Ponies just grab wha' they wan' 'n r' trusted to bring it up?" She trailed off into a low grumble. Something about how stupid and impersonal a system was.

Mac had to agree with the sentiment, but something more was on his mind. Who owned all of this stuff? Yea, the customers would buy it now, but until then; who actually owned it? Who was so amazing that they could: plant, grow, and nourish this many types of vegetation? It was like the entire market of Ponyville was in here... And then some!

"Thanks guys!" They all looked over to find Ace glaring at them. Oh yea, he was there too, wasn't he? "Mind giving a pony a heads up when you're just going to stop following him and head into a grocery store?"

Grossa what now?

The blank faces prompted the golden stallion into a lecture about this supposed "grocery store." Apparently, instead of having market places, even though they are still around but just not as common, most cities have stores like the one they are in now. The producers of the food sell the product to these stores, than the store turns around and sells them to actual consumers.

It was half brilliant really. The drawbacks were obvious, less money for the initial take home of the farmers, and lacking the experience of seeing their labor greatly appreciated. Though, he had to admit; the fact that the food was all brought to such a place where ponies and the like could merely walk into a single building and find what ever they want? And with a directory no less? It was quite the display of efficiency as far as he could tell.

'Though, how do the farmers know that the store doesn't mess with it? I guess it isn't their problem; but still... Don't they want to see how people enjoy their food?'

"Ok, hold on." Rainbow said grabbing he head. "So... You're telling me, that only one person owns all of this stuff? And that he sells it to everypony else?"

'dammit Rainbow!'

Ace looked around nervously, though no one seemed to notice the slip up. "That is correct Rainbow Dash, everybody buys from the owner of this store."

Rainbow sat and contemplated the notion.

"Gotta say." Applejack said beginning to trot upon the white tiled floor. "It's mighty fine idea."

The ponies began their exploration of the shop after a quick caution from Ace about his low funds. Mac went off on his own into the far back. There was more than just food here, the walls were lined with enchanted gizmos and normal gadgets. Some he was familiar with their uses, others not so much.

It didn't take him long to enter the tool section and observe instruments that would make his job on the farm a LOT easier when he went home.

He froze. 'When am I going home?' The question hit him out of now where. He'd contemplated visiting, but returning to live? With all the excitement and drama, it was a question the stallion hadn't really considered. He blankly observed something called a 'chain saw', and let his mind wonder.

Questions buzzed around his mind like angry bees, each more puzzling than the last. Why was he here? Yes, to accompany Sin and Twilight on her research, but was that reason enough to risk life and limb? What would happen once a Twilight's research was done? What was it that they would do after Sin helped rescue his friend? Who was he to Malich?

A soft sobbing broke the stallions train of thought, he looked over to find a small blue unicorn colt huddled at the end of the isle. "Hella'." Mac greeted,

The colt stopped his sobbing and looked up to see a pair of green eyes gently looking down at him. He trembled a moment. "Are ya lost, youngin'?" The colt stared blankly for a moment before nodding in the affirmative. Macintosh offered to help the colt find his parents, and after quick moment of reluctance, the colt found his resolve to accompany.

He turned a corner and made way to the front of the store, finding that the best place for the foal to encounter his parents. The colt mumbled something under his breath, and Mac asked him to repeat.

"I- I want my mommy." He whimpered in a pathetic tone. A nerve was struck in the stallion as a small tear fell freely from the colt's eye. He knew that feeling, the feeling of a lost loved one. The difference, this youngling would see his parents again. Mac placed his hoof onto the child's back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Don' you worry now," Their eyes met and he gave a gentle smile. "We'll find ya-"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY SON!" Shrieked a voice feminine voce.

Mac had to process the words to make sure it was actually a pony speaking and not nails on a chalk board. Indeed it was a pony. A very very angry looking unicorn mare.

"Ah- Ah... was just tryin' ta h-help 'em findya." Mac stuttered. Those eyes, those angry eyes the mare was giving him. They confused him, why was she looking at him like that?

"GET AWAY!" She barked before charging and pushing the stallion aside. As he began to stand, he noticed that quite the crowd had begun gathering at the intersection he'd just entered.

"Mac!" Applejack called running to her brother's side. "Ya alrigh' partner?"

Macintosh nodded in the affirmative than stood straight, he turned to give the mare a peice of his mind, but she seemed to have other ideas.

"What do you think you were going to do with my son?!" She yelled, her eyes practically aflame with both rage and concern.

"Wha's yer problem lady?" He replied, his tone full of venom. Confusion would have to wait, right now, he wanted an apology. "He said he was lost, n' so I offer'd ta help him find ya."

"What's my problem?" The unicorn scoffed, as if it were the stupidest question in the world. "My problem, is you were trying to touch my little Sominy!"

"Yea? And?"

Before anything else could be made of it, Ace stepped forward. "I'm so sorry ma'am."

'SORRY? For what?!'

Ace quickly tried to explain that Mac was a foreigner and that he didn't mean anything by the contact. Though the mare didn't seem to keen with the response.

"Now hold on there, missy!" AJ exclaimed, her brow furrowed into a glare that made the mother's eyes widen. "Ah don' know what ch'r problem is, But don' take out YOUR incompetence, on mah brother."

"EXCUSE ME!?"

The next thing Mac knew, he and his sister were being pushed. Not by the mare, but by... Ace? He apologized on last time for the misunderstanding and ushered the ponies out of the store. Rainbow and Spike observed the commotion and quickly followed them out.

"What were you thinking?!" The stallion exclaimed angrily.

"Ah was thinkin' ah-"

"No!" He interupted. "No, no matter what, you never touch a child here." Ace bellowed, He was a little intimidating when he was mad, even to Mac. "I don't care if they are upset, crying, hurt, or otherwise. Matter of fact, just keep as far away from kids as possible."

'Are you bucking kidding me?' He had to restrain his emotions and desire to buck the scolding pony in the face. He was confused and angry. What did that mare mean 'touching' her son? The way she said it, it sound as if... No, no she couldn't mean... that!

Though as the lecture continued, it would seem that's exactly what she was implying. How could she even come to such a conclusion so quickly? She didn't know him, there was nothing like that even going through his mind. Yet she assumed that right on the spot?

"I know it doesn't make any sense." Ace rubbed his temples. "But that's just the way alot of Citizens think. Best thing you can do: is just leave the kid be."

Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Even if a kid's lost n' alone?"

Ace nodded. "Any time you try to help a child that young, you take the risk of that kind of thing happening. And at that point, it's: he doesn't get your help, or you take the risk of being labeled a sex offender, and probably imprisoned."

Ludicrous! Absolute insanity! What kind of ponies live their lives in constant fear like that? Treating every stallion that walks by as a potential pedophile, it was enough to make his blood boil. Not just at the male hating implication, but the fact that he was lumped in with them.

"We'd better move." Ace lead the way. He was speaking, but Mac was too deep in thought to hear him. 'Treating all stallions as if they are going to do something sexual to kids. What kind of message does that send? Why hasn't anyone done anything about it? No wonder stallions are so easily demonized.'

Ace lead the others through the crowded streets and back to the inn which they would be staying. Twilight, Pinkie and Sin were sitting the the lobby, obviously expecting them.

"Well, we have a slight problem." The latter rubbed the back of his neck. "I could only afford two rooms with two beds in each."

... Wow.

"But there are nine of us!" Exclaimed Applejack, forgoing any real salutation. Sin looked to Ace, though, the aforementioned replied that his funds were practically depleted as well.

Could this day possibly get any worse?

"Yea, and there seems to be no cots. So, either some will be sleeping on the floor, or there will have to be two to a bed."

... Silence.

Mac stood, eyes shifting between the ponies around him. Each looking more awkward than the last. Chivalry would dictate that ladies would indeed get the beds, but his current feelings towards female kind weren't exactly the best right now. If they were indeed equals, why should they get special treatment again?

"Yea," Sin spoke again, breaking the tension. "So you have fun figuring that out." He told them what the room numbers were and placed two sets of keys on the table before them. "Oh and I wouldn't disturb Shade too much, he isn't exactly in the best of moods."

After he finished speaking, the stallion began to limp away from the group. Mac quirked a brow, he hadn't been limping that bad before. He asked Twilight what happened, and she informed that the hot pink mare who overheard their conversation in the diner didn't much appreciate his words. So she confronted him and kicked his leg.

However, the story didn't end there. To the mare's surprise, she found herself back hoofed by the pony before being cursed out. Mac couldn't help but chuckle at the look of shock that must have been on her face.

After the story, the mares all around seemed to have mixed feelings on the matter. On one hoof, it's not polite to hit a girl, ever. On the other, she did assault him first, and since she was the feminist type, she did believe in equality right? Hay, if it were a stallion doing it to him, Mac would have expected him to react the same way.

Mac awoke to hushed voices and ruffling sheets. He groaned as he opened his eyes, the rug of the floor wasn't exactly as welcoming as a bed was. Though, seeing as how Spike and Shade had both the beds occupied, it seemed only fitting that the other three take to the ground. At least it wasn't the cold dirt and stone outside.

"Shade, what do you plan to accomplish with this?" He heard Sin seethe, he lifted his head slightly to find the two standing by the window, one with a large brown bag and a scowl, the other, stood indifferently; though with a certain sense of being.

"They think they are being 'oppressed'." The dark pegasus chuckled, throwing the sack over his back. "They think they know what being controlled is like." The humor from his voice darkened to malevolence.

"I'll show them true suffering."

Mac pressed his lips together, he'd remembered the story of Star Shade, and how he'd come to be as he was. His over emotional personality, how he was forced to join the Lunar Guard at an early age, who tried to repress his playful and expressive nature to the point it scared him mentally, and his incarceration due to his emotional instability and lack of fitting to serve in Luna's personal guard.

Compared to him, the mares here had really nothing to complain about. Add to that, that Shade was being held in captivity for a royal mare, it only stood to reason this subject would be rather personal for him.

"I'll show them what real oppression is..."

Author's Note:

Star Shade ladies and gentlemen... You gotta love him.

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