//------------------------------//
// chapter 6 
// Story: Judge and Jury 
// by Tearsintheshadows 
//------------------------------//

	Blake was surprised how much talking one pony could do. Luna had insisted that someone go with him and Blake chose the only soldier he knew that was not busy. Blake was now doubting whether or not it was a good idea to have invited Nocturne. She still pestered him for stories of the war, but her pleading for stories was better than the looks of disgust and fear he was getting. He leaned back into his chair and was about to drift off when he heard Nocturne ask, “What were you before a soldier?”
“I was nothing.” Blake stated plainly.
Nocturne was both confused and happy, she had finally gotten him to answer one of her questions, but he gave the most vague answer available. “What do you mean nothing?”
“Next stop, Crystal Empire!” The conductor yelled and Blake sat up.
“If you want to know, wait until after we see my friend. Oh, and I am counting on you to follow my orders when we go to see her.”

The Crystal Empire looked just as it did when he was here last. He just wondered about Bella’s mental state. She did not get out very often, and he wondered what stasis did to her. She always had a strange reaction to magic. He disembarked and immediately the station cleared out as a pink alicorn walked up. “You didn’t have to do this, whoever you are.” Blake rubbed his temples, “I am just here to pick someone up and then I will leave.”
“When the news leaked that you were coming, most of the Crystal Ponies hid in their houses.” The pink alicorn replied. “My name is Mi Amore Cadenza, but just call me Cadence.” She bowed and Blake bowed in response. “You are the infamous Crimson Caress?” Blake nodded. “And you are?” Cadence asked Nocturne, who nervously introduced herself. “Why are you here?”
“She’s here with me.” Blake replied and Cadence nodded. “Now if you don’t mind where are your dungeons?”

Even the dungeons were made out of crystals, but Blake was more amazed at the fact that they were able to place crystal near Bella without having them vanish for her experiments. Blake counted five cells and, finding the sixth one empty, smiled. “It is always empty because someone complains of an insane voice coming from the walls.” Blake nodded and walked up to the rear wall of the cell. He ran his claw along the crystals, making a very loud sound as the metal grinded against the crystals. He repeated it, growing faster each time. 
“Would you stop that?” An irritated voice came from the cell. Blake ran his claw down the wall and smiled. Nocturne walked up to the wall and Blake motioned for her to do the same. “There are two of you now? Only one person would do that without ceasing.” Blake began pounding on the wall and Nocturne delivered powerful kicks to the wall. The wall vanished and Blake smiled at the human woman with jet-black hair and a long lab coat that glared angrily at him. “Hi Blake.” She replied with a sigh. 
“Hi, Bella.” Blake replied. “Nocturne helped.” Bella glared at Nocturne, who simply stared back at Bella without flinching. “So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?”
“The King came back, but I couldn’t grab a sample before he got himself blown up!” Bella whimpered. “I missed the chance of a lifetime.” She seemed on the edge of tears. “I don’t suppose you have any new materials do you?” Blake shook his head but handed her the large bag of candies. “Oh, yummy.” Bella ripped open the bag and began snacking. “You have time to come in and see if I made anything interesting?”
“It can’t take too long,” Blake replied. “I am not that welcome here.”
“Then can I come with you? This place is boring.”

Nocturne, much to Blake’s content, sat with Bella and asked for the same stories she had asked Blake for. The only thing Bella did not want to answer was the same question Blake had refused to answer, what was Blake before he was a soldier. Nocturne shouted for someone to give her an answer and Blake rolled his eyes. Could it be any more obvious that he did not want to talk about the past? He called Nocturne over and told her not to bother people. He was nothing before he was a soldier, and that was all she was getting. “Why are you even so interested in me to begin with? If you need to report something to your superiors just ask me and I will answer.”
Nocturne lowered her head and asked if Equestria had anything to worry about. First Night Terror, who caused horrible dreams, Umbra, who was responsible for Luna’s transformation, and now Bella, who spent all her time alone. “I’m harmless unless you interrupt an experiment.” Bella replied from two seats away. “Which means if the door is shut, and you aren’t bringing food, don’t make a sound.” Bella looked out the window.
“Define threat, anyone in Equestria can be a threat. Those two assassins were threats. Someone who doesn’t like the way Canterlot is run is a potential threat.”
“Um…” Nocturne lowered her head. “I just need to know if we need to be worried about you and your apparent love of dark spirits.”
“I’m actually a human.” Bella replied. “I miss my lab already.”

Blake introduced Bella as the one who was in charge of almost everything he had when he arrived to offer his services to Luna. As always, Celestia did not like the idea and Luna did. Blake assured Celestia that Bella always treated as she was treated. Celestia sighed and looked at Luna, “Can’t think for yourself?” Blake muttered and Bella slammed her foot onto his. Blake winced and Celestia smiled. “Oh, now you like her.” Blake turned to Luna. “I have a request,” Luna nodded, “Who gave Nocturne the order to find out if I was a threat?” 
Luna lowered her head and Blake glared at her, “At first, it was just another part of her training, but after finding out that you had Night Terror with you, I was worried that you may follow my path. When you got Umbra, I prepared for you to attack me.”
“So you don’t trust me?” Blake replied, sounding very hurt.
“I trust you,” Luna replied, “I was just worried. I have to watch over my subjects. I want to know that you won’t attack them.”
“I won’t unless provoked. You know that.” Blake responded with his teeth clenched. It would have been different if it had been anyone else who had ordered it, but Luna trusted him to protect her, but not enough to let him alone. “Did you even want me to protect you or did you just want me to be easily supervised?”
Luna did not like what the solution to this was but she had to pull the ‘I still outrank you card’, “Silence!” Blake only glared angrily at her. “Did you forget your place? You are a soldier, new to this era of peace. I had to make sure that you could survive in a peaceful era.” Blake thought about it and nodded. “I am glad you-”
“Bella, we are leaving.” Blake replied with an icy glare at Luna. “Don’t expect my aid anytime soon.”
“You have mine.” Bella replied with a friendly smile, “Just give Blake some time to dislodge the stick and he’ll be fine.”
“I’m right here you know.” Blake growled at Bella, who simply pulled out a dagger and smiled. “Give me some time to cool off.” Luna nodded and watched as Blake walked quickly out the door.
“Why is he afraid of the dagger when he has that massive sword?” Luna asked.
“Because he is not allowed to use that sword, only the Host is.”
“Who?”
“The person whose body Blake stole.”