Macintosh of Arabia

by Crisis_Vyper

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Vinyl Scorned

"So, how do we complete this?"

Vinyl asked the winged equine stallion, but it seemed that the stallion paid her no notice. As he touches the floor, he pulled up an enormous but plain weighing scale from the ground. He proceeds to walk towards the filly and suddenly without any warning pulled one of her feathers off. Fatimah was too shocked to even shout out the pain she experience, and Anput puts the feather on one of the scales. When the feather landed upon the scale, the white space around them turned into a courtroom. Soon the room is filled by other apparitions. The witnesses, the jury, the scribe with a scroll and quill soon materalizes at the locations where they would sit in a courtroom. Upon the platform at the pivot of the scale a little baboon materializes upon the pivot of the scale.

Suddenly, the filly felt a warm sensation from her chest and before they could even wonder what the strange sensation is, an orb came out from her chests and proceed to hover to the other end of the scale.

"Welcome to the Weighing of the Heart. I am going to judge you based upon concepts of truth, order and justice. If you are deemed truthful, you pass. If you are deemed filled with lies, wrongdoing and other offenses, you will be stuck here experience an eternal hell. That and getting eaten, regenerated and eaten again by my pet, Ammit."

"A...Am...Amm...Ammit?" As if on cue, another figure starts to materialize and a creature materializes. To Vinyl's surprise it was a little cute bunny with a calico coat. Vinyl did not take the cute little thing seriously, but when it smiled back at her with an eternity of constantly rotating teeth, she retracted her initial thoughts. Fatimah is trembling at the sight of the cute little bunny.

"The heart is the center of thought, memory and emotion, but they too can be clouded by many things. The jury will proceed to ask you of your offences and if you answer truthfully, you will be declared "true of voice" and allowed to proceed. However, how you go about this will determine your worth."

"Wait! Why don't you take my heart?!? Surely the filly..." Vinyl's pleas are cut off by the judge of this bizarre court.

"She will have to answer the questions. But for you, you will have to decide on your actions and that will be your test."

"Decide on wha..." Before she could even complete her sentence, the jury have already issued their question towards the young filly.

"What is your name little Filly?" Vinyl faceplanted upon the ground after hearing the first question. That was certainly not the question she was thinking of.

"My...my name is Fatimah." Fatimah answered.

"How old are you Fatimah?" The jury asked once more.

"I...I'm five years old." The little filly answered again.

"Have you looked after your body as best as you could?" One of the jury asked. As their attention is upon the filly, Vinyl could only watch from the side and wonder if Fatimah will be alright.

"I guess so. I mean...I lost my dad a while back..." The little filly went silent, and did not finish. The jury is silent for a while, but they went on asking.

"Have you found out information that was not meant for your ears and eyes?" Vinyl immediately noticed the change of tone for the question. The former questions are more nicer, but now the questions are harsh. She turned her attention to the filly and now the filly is uncertain.

"I guess...Amanar telling me the story of my mom and all, but I am not sure..." Fatimah faltered as she has never been asked such a thing before. The Jury proceeded to press on with the questions.

"What happened to your parents?"
"Th...pass...ay."The little filly's voice is but a whisper. Vinyl knows that this is a bad situation, and a low blow on the part of Anput and his jury. She wanted to kick their asses, but she does not know if this will cause the little filly to be condemned to her death.
"Can you repeat your answer?" The jury asked with one voice.
"They...passed...away." The little filly's voice is a little louder now, and fortunately it was loud enough for the jury.
"How did they passed away?"
"..." The little filly is silent, as the painful memories of Sheikh Abu Hamza's death is still fresh in her mind and also the tales of her mother's demise that she know nothing of. Both truths are painful in their own way, for her fond memories of them are too strong to accept the truth of their untimely deaths.
"How did they passed away?" The jury asked with one voice. The little filly's head is facing downwards to her forelegs, and a gloomy atmosphere surrounds her.
"Fatimah, please answer the question." Anput said sternly.
"Fatimah, answer the question. How did they passed away?" The jury is now even more ruthless in getting an answer from the little filly, and Fatimah's body is now trembling.
"My father....gave his life to save us, and my mother gave her life to save me." The answer came out, but the answer comes out in a quiver. Her composure is waning, but she also knows that a lot is now on her shoulder to go through this trial. She could only enjoy a moment of respite before the flurry of question rained upon her, each question more painful than the last.

Vinyl is not taking this too well either, but she will have to endure this. But is this the right action? Vinyl finally understood what Anput was saying when he informed her about her test. As more questions are piled upon the filly, Vinyl can see that the filly is slowly edging towards breaking down utterly from regrets. It was then that Vinyl's mind flashes back to a much more painful memory...

**************************
"Dear, I just want you to think about your future and..." A middle-aged mare with a pristine white coat and light blue mane is trying to reason with her daughter.

"Stay home ? To become a seamstress like yourself?" A younger pony with a similar hue as her mother, but with an vibrant electric blue maine, highlighted with purple and is cropped in a mohawk retorted aggressively. The older mare knows that her daughter utterly hates being a seamtress, but she had to try to reason with her.

"Dear I know that you want to be a deejay, but you still need some backup plans just in case..." The mother's loving outreached arm was swatted aside by the younger mare.

"Shut up mom! You don't tell me what I can and can't do anymore! I am an adult now!" The younger Vinyl stomped her hooves on the floor of their living room.

"Young lady, you do not speak to your mother in that tone! I am your mother and I am trying to get some sense into that stupid head of yours you stupid filly!" Realizing what she had just said, the mother covered her mouth, and the younger mare was taken aback by her mother's words. The young mare walked back towards the entrance of the door, and closing her eyes she shouted back at her mother.

"I can speak to you in whatever tone I like! And this is stupid! If you are not going to let me go seek my dreams, I am leaving this house! And you can just go and die!" Before the elder of the two ponies could even say anything, the younger mare opened the entrance door and galloped out the entrance of the home.

"Vinyl, I didn't mean to...." However it was then that the older mare lost strength in her legs and collapsed on the ground coughing with her hooves covering her mouth. She looked upon her arms and soon enough blood started to stain her hooves. Looks like she could not keep up the act forever, and this is it. Her eyes started to blur out and before long, it was dark.

**************************

Vinyl was snapped out from her trip down memory lane when she heard a statement that resonated with her memories.

"Do believe that your parents would rather abandon you if they knew that they would be dead because of you?" The question struck like a thunderbolt to the filly's fragile heart. Vinyl immediately senses that a string in her heartstrings just snapped. The filly is now quiet, and the trembling is now even more obvious than before, and Vinyl can hear her gasping for air. The panic and anxiety within the filly have finally gotten to her core, and now she is utterly frozen from her feelings of helplessness.

"Please answer the question Fatimah." Anput said, heartlessly ignoring the filly's condition. Vinyl can feel several of her heartstrings snapping more and more, and before long her head is starting to heat up to the point where her horn is starting to glow bright white with her anger. The emotions within her is moving about like a turbulent storm and before long her mind flashes back to her only regret in life as she wondered what she should do now...

**************************

Vinyl is sulking at the banks of the lake where she hangs out whenever she feels down. Throwing some stones into the lake, the mare finds that the ripples of the water reflected the state of her mind.

"Stupid mare, telling me what to do and stuff. I am my own mare, and I deserve better!" Vinyl said to herself. She is still not returning home, as she believed that her mother should have been more supportive of her dreams to become a deejay. But she also knew that she should not have spoken to her mom in such a manner, as her mom is the only living relative she had left. Shortly after her birth, her father passed away and her mother is the one that raised her up. But still, her mother should have said something more supportive.

"VINYL!" The unicorn turned to see a gray mare with a dark gray mane and tail tied in a pony tail rushes towards her. As soon as the gray mare is in front of the unicorn, she took some heavy breaths and pants for a while.
"Octy, what's up? You are acting as if someone just died or something." Vinyl said as she puts her hooves on her friend to help her relax.
"Vinny, your mom...she just collapsed. She's being sent to the hospital."

Vinyl was suddenly flooded by feelings of shock, guilt and anxiety and without even thinking, the mare bolted away leaving the gray mare. As she rushes towards the hospital, she could only hope that her mother is alright. Streams of tears soon runs down the mare's cheeks as she wished upon Celestia that her mother will be well.

As soon as she reached the hospital doors, she knocks it down and surprising everypony within the hospital. She rushes towards the receptionist and just shouted the name of her mother.

"Cotton Scratch!" The receptionist could see that the young mare's eyes are red from the crying, and her expressions are a contorted mix of fear and anxiety.
"Room 114." The receptionist pointed to her left, and young unicorn bolted towards the direction.

Alas, when she reached Room 114, the doctors and nurses are already surrounding the mare shaking their heads. They turned around and noticing the arrival of the young mare, they looked at each other before one of their number walked towards the young unicorn.Vinyl could see her mother being hooked up to a life support system, and she could hear her mother's laboured breathing.

"Ms. Scratch, I am truly sorry but your mother's consumption is at a critical stage. Nothing else could be done, and we are truly sorry."
"Consumption?!? What consumption?!?" Vinyl asked the doctor, her voice laced with panic and confusion.
"She didn't tell..." The doctor paused, before he continued on, "I see, she never told you about her ailment didn't she?"
"My...what?" Vinyl is now more confused than ever, as this is all hitting her as hard as a minotaur's hitting her with a mallet.
"You see, Mrs. Scratch has contracted this disease a few months back, but despite our best efforts her consumption went from bad to worst. But despite our advice for her to be admitted into the hospital, she refused. She informed that she needs to take care of her little 'spark' less she strays before her passing."
"But consumption means that she coughs really badly and stuff, and blood at that!" Vinyl shouted back.
"It seems that she hid it from your somehow, to not..." It was then that Vinyl pushes the doctor's aside and rushes to her mother. The elder mare opened her eyes a little to see her daughter looking at her with eyes that wanted her to explain herself.

"Hey Vinny, you came back..." Her voice is kind and gentle, but weak nonetheless. The younger mare started to sniff and her tears welling up again.
"Mom...why didn't you tell me about this? I could have..."
"Vinny dear, you are always a stubborn one. But I rather let you be stubborn over your dreams than my old self..." The older mare coughed, and the coughing only got worse. Vinyl could see to her horror that the blood is now filling the mask in splatters.
"Mom..." Vinyl wanted to say more but her mom puts her hoof to Vinyl's mouth.
"You are right dear, you are an adult now. I want you to be..."
"Don't you dare say 'to be happy' mom! I didn't meant to curse you this morning, and I...I..."
"I know dear, you speak from your heart, not your head. I have known you since..." The coughing only gotten worse, and Vinyl could see that her mother is suffering.
"Mom..."
"I never regretted...having you...and your spark...you are...just...like...your...father..." The ailing mare is weakening and her voice is now all but a whisper.
"Mom...I..." Vinyl wanted to say that she is sorry, but the emotions within are just welling up.
"I...always.."
"Mom, I am..."
"Loved...you." Her mother smiled with her eyes closed in bliss. Vinyl ho
"Mom, I am sorry." It was then that she realized that her mother's hoof on her lips had slumped down, and her mother's eyes are closed. Vinyl could only open her mouth, but such was the pain within that no voice came out to express her grief. It was then that she swear that she will never have a decision she will regret and will live her live in memory of her mother.

**************************

It was then that Vinyl utter her first words since the inquisition began.

"I....can't. I can't. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!" Vinyl immediately stood up, and started shouting at the jury. Anput and the jury are taken aback by the sudden release of anger and rage. Most importantly, Vinyl's voice snapped the little filly out of her stupor of fear and she looked upon the usually cool but whiny unicorn. She noticed that her horn is glowing and the arteries and veins have started to pop from the Vinyl's neck and head. Most of all, this is the first time she saw the unicorn being...angry.

"YOU SICK ASSHOLES! YOU NEVER,EVER, EVER ASK HER THAT QUESTION! SHE JUST LOST HER DAD AND JUST FOUND OUT HOW HER MOM DIED! YOU HEARTLESS ASSHOLE SHOULD PUT YOUR MOUTH WHERE YOUR ASSHOLE IS AND USE YOUR HOOFS TO PUNCH YOUR MOUTHS IN YOUR ASSES! " Vinyl's mouth began to froth foams, and Anput and the jury are now looking at each other, uncertain of the actions she will take. Their uncertainty are answered when she proceeds to dive into the jury and wreak a great amount of havoc among them.

"I WILL END YOU ASSHOLES!!!!!" Beams of magical bolts flies from her horn like a thunderstorm, and like a rhinoceros she proceeds to charge them all. The pandemonium that the unicorn caused is sufficient enough that Anput is slowly losing the grips over his control of the illusions . Slowly but surely the illusions of the screaming juries, scribes and witnesses in the courtroom started to crumble away.

"Enough." Anput commanded, and soon enough all the illusions are gone except the weighting scale and the little bunny like abomination.. Vinyl was bitig on a jury's foreleg before it disappears leaving her in a rather awkward position. The scales did not tip during all those times, and the orb that represents the filly's heart is less dimmer than before. Vinyl wanted to ask the equine about that, but it appears that it has to do with her mental state as it started to brighten up when she speaks to Vinyl.

"Thank you Vinny..." Her soft and fragile voice is filled with gratitude, but at the same time she wondered why Vinyl burst in such a violent manner. She is usually emotional, but it appears that something in her snapped. However, the filly's thoughts was answered by the bat-winged equine.

"Vinyl's mother died as she wanted to apologize to her mother. But in the end, she utterly failed to convey the message, and have decided to never have any actions she would regret. Am I correct in voicing out your only regret in life, Vinyl Scratch?" Anput voiced out what Fatimah is asking in her mind. Having one's mind being read is rude and in violation of her privacy, but to expose Vinyl's deepest regret in life? Fatimah then turned her attention to Vinyl who is now awfully quiet.

Vinyl's turbulent emotions welled inside her and immediately she slapped him with her hoof, the force is such that the head of the stallion was violently turned sideways and some tooth fell out. This action caught the filly by surprise, not because she literally just slapped a legendary figure in the face, but the fact that Vinyl had done so without any outward display of emotions.

"Did anyone told you that reading someone's mind without their permission is very rude?" The tranquil but simmering anger is showing from her voice, unlike her rage-induced attack where she holler like a gorilla. Fatimah can also see that Vinyl's eyes are now watering and her lips pouting, holding back her own sadness from flowing through. The little filly wanted to comfort the mare, but she realized that she does not know how to do so.

"Yes, yes they had. Countless times in fact. Also, you are the first mare to slap me till my teeth was uprooted by your blow. Commendations where it is due, Vinyl Scratch." The stallion rubbed his jaw and spitted out some blood.

"You are a sick masochistic asshole."

"I will take that as a compliment, Vinyl. And in case you were wondering, no you did not violate the nature of the trial. In fact, I was expecting you to act earlier. Is this because you trusted the filly, or you are unable to muster the courage to defend her when it is necessary?" Anput's smugness is still present, but then suddenly another slap comes in towards the other uninjured cheek, busting out several teeth from the stallion once more. Before he could even retort, the mare slapped him once more, and repeated the action again and again. Before long, Anput is on the ground with a brutally battered face, and the mare proceeded to bring him up to her eye level.

"Let's make this clear, scumbag. No one likes their darkest secrets and regrets to be out in the open to be questioned. I can see her trying to come to terms with her adopted father's death and her mother's last moments, but at the same time she is filled with the guilt that she could have done better, loved them better, be with them where they need too. I may have comes to terms with my mother's passing, but it does not mean I do not get hurt by it." Vinyl said with a measure of wisdom that is usually lacking in her.

"And I will not regret this action, but you will regret your mind-reading actions." Before Fatimah or Anput could even fathom what is going on, the unicorn mare proceeds to kick Anput square in the family jewels with a great amount of blunt force trauma.

*************************
"HOLY ASAR'S JEWELS!"

Anput felt a sharp pain where his family jewels would be, and this causes his focus to falter. The paralysis is not what he needs right now when the tempest is fighting against the intruder. It seems that the roaring storm of destruction is slowly running out of ammunition to hurl at the intruding abomination.

What the hell is going on with the Weighting of the Heart?, the stallion wondered before he realized that he is no longer incorporeal. Realizing this sudden conundrum, he tried to return back to his incorporeal form but instead was sucked into Zephyr's typhoon of war before being launched out towards the intruder. To Zephyr's surprise, the bat-winged equine is the magic bullet that it needs, as it strikes the abomination square in the face and causing both to skip like stones across the mercury lake.

Got you, you fiend!, Zephyr said to itself proudly.

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

And It's a Strike!

[stavaros-the-arcane]

I know that's probably gonna cause problems in the long run, but Anput clearly had that nut-shot coming.

No matter how ancient or magical you are, even if your some sort of Egyptian god or modeled after them; you act all smug, dickish, and indifferent to the suffering of others and the universe will send someone to call you on your bullshit and kick your ass. Like Big Bird. Or in this case Vinyl Scratch.

[SFaccountant]

Geez Scratch, the guy is just trying to do his job. I mean, sure, he has to make the occasional filly relive her most horrifying moments and stuff, but cut the guy a break.

[Not so New Brony]

Oooh...that had to hurt though he did deserve it for his attitude. Go Vinyl!