• Published 19th Sep 2016
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Hecate's Orphanage - BlackRoseRaven



Cadence and other ponies from across countless parallel worlds work together to protect their universe from monsters.

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Sailing Into Darkness

Chapter Seventy Two: Sailing Into Darkness
~BlackRoseRaven

Cadence wished moodily that she had been sent alone, with no backup whatsoever, to this miserable little place. Sure, the fact they had been unable to portal directly into the soul furnace facility was bad. The fact communications seemed to be down even once in-world was worse. But worst of all? It was being stuck with two of the biggest idiots in all of the ninety-nine worlds, and a family of reprehensible, immoral, Valkyrie morons.

Her father soothingly rubbed her back, and Cadence sighed tiredly as she slumped over the railing of the balcony. At least this time they hadn't had any trouble getting into town, not that Brynhild hadn't done her best to start a fight with the local militia, anyway. Cadence could hear her and Freya, yelling and shouting and singing in the tavern across the street, along with the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of hooves as ponies stomped and tromped and danced while getting drunk...

“We're already running behind.” Cadence grumbled, as she sensed her father's presence behind her. He only had to gently touch her shoulder to counter her point, the mare sighing a little as she lowered her head and mumbled: “I know, okay, it's not that bad, but... still. This is my first big mission after the attack on Decretum, I'm worried about Loki attacking our home worlds, and... just... I'm supposed to be in command of a whole mission force. And what's Freya doing here? And Aster? I mean, I guess I kind of get why Aster is here but, still...”

She quieted, then lowered her head and sighed again as Sombra said gently: “Mi amore, Hecate has faith in you. If you cannot trust yourself, then trust her; she would not choose you if you were not capable of handling this.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Cadence looked up at the night sky, studying the stars and the moon silently: she couldn't argue with that. But still... “I don't want to disappoint her.”

“And you won't.” Sombra smiled at her, and then he asked: “How are things with Thesis?”

“I... miss him. It hasn't even been a full day and I miss him.” Cadence silently touched her own breast, then she laughed a little as she looked down at the street below, watching as a few ponies passed, a few others stumbling out of the bar with raucous laughter: as loud and obnoxious as they were, at least the town seemed to have settled down a little, as frightening as the presence of all these strange warriors must be... although I guess they must be getting used to it by now. “I uh... there's a lot of us here, huh? Enough to fill the inn and the tavern. What do you think of those RED Replicants?”

“Cadenza.” Sombra smiled at her, not letting her change the subject so easily, and Cadence looked away in embarrassment as he said gently: “It's good. It's good to let yourself care so deeply about another pony. I know you feel intensely. I know it is strange. But al buon vino non bisogna frasca: perhaps it is difficult because it is so intense.”

“Well, chi ama me, ama il mio cane.” Cadence mumbled, and she stretched a hoof out to scowl at it as she flexed it slowly, grumbling: “Except who could love the bitch stuck inside me?”

The Swan chuckled at her, and Sombra only smiled and rubbed his daughter's back with one hoof. Cadence hesitated, then she straightened and turned towards him, asking bluntly: “Are you sure you want to live in your own apartment?”

“Yes, mi amore. Have your time with your lover. It's good for me to have a place of my own, anyway.” Sombra smiled again when Cadence fidgeted lamely. “Now I don't mean it like that, Cadenza, you know that.”

“Yeah. Yeah. We've just...” Cadence smiled a little, looking up at her father for a moment before she rubbed at the back of her head slowly, then asked quietly: “How's the purifier?”

Sombra glanced over his shoulder at the device: it was smaller than the last machine that had been implanted in his back, but it looked heavier thanks to the solid case covering the quietly-whirring machine. “It works as well as the last. It just requires some getting used to the different weight.”

Cadence nodded a little, and then she turned her eyes back out towards the tavern, frowning moodily as she heard a rise in the ruckus. “Should I go and stop those idiots from causing a riot?”

“I don't think the Valkyries are going to get into much trouble here. I think this may be their way of staying out of trouble, as a matter of fact.” Sombra paused, then he turned and headed back inside, and Cadence cocked her head curiously before she turned and followed him in. “Aster, will we have access to any boats tomorrow?”

“We will need a large vessel, perhaps two, for all the troops you have brought...” Aster chewed on her lip apprehensively, looking up from the bed she was sitting on with Moonflower. “The shipyard will have the remains of my Black Fleet... or so we can hope, unless they have already been salvaged by some entrepreneur. A crew we can gather any time... perhaps your amies are already doing us the service of...”

At the scowl that crossed Cadence's face, Aster lamely closed her mouth, before Sombra gently grasped his daughter's shoulder and soothed: “Pace, daughter.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I know.” Cadence took a slow breath, and then she looked moodily over at La Croix, who was tinkering away with his potions in a ratty chair he'd dragged up beside a table that had a scattering of glass equipment over it. “How are you doing?”

Bon. Tres bon, Cygne.” La Croix smiled up at her, but Cadence frowned slightly: she thought she saw something... strained about the zebra. As a matter of fact, he'd been quiet and distracted ever since they'd come through the portal, even though he'd been so happy to see them all when they'd gathered up together in Endworld... “Just puttin' the finishing touches on these here potions, then uh... I'm gonna take a little walk around. Maybe set up a few wards, just in case.”

Cadence looked at the Loa, and La Croix looked back, silently telling her that he didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him all of a sudden, and after a moment, Cadence sighed a little before she nodded once and muttered: “Alright. Uh... Moonflower?”

Moonflower glanced up: he still looked a little glum, but being out here, doing something, was helping him focus a little more on himself. And Cadence thought that he was happy to be here, whether he'd ever admit that or not. “Yes?”

“We need to check on everyone who came with us, make sure they're settled in and settling down for tomorrow.” Cadence scowled over her shoulder at the window, grumbling: “I guess we can leave the Valkyries and their family alone for now. Let them... do whatever the hell it is they're doing over there. I'll do a patrol of the town, but I'd like you to check on the soldiers here. Make sure the RED are in their room, I don't want Karsilamas creeping around and scaring people.”

“Uh... you need a hoof walkin' 'round, Cygne? I c'n help you with that!” La Croix volunteered, and Cadence almost said no out of reflex before she caught the look from the zebra, and she nodded after a moment.

“You know, we're not foals. If you want to talk to her alone, you can just ask.” Moonflower huffed, and La Croix blushed a bit before the black unicorn surprisingly added: “And I am your friend, you arrogant little stripehorse, and... I would like to help you too, if it is at all possible. Even though I know sometimes we just... keep things to ourselves because, well... because.”

Moonflower halted lamely, and La Croix smiled a bit before he replied blandly: “Well, merci, rein de la nuit, but you just an idiot. And a pédé.” La Croix halted, then he lowered his head and said quietly: “But I be a lâche, which is a whole lot worse, and I just ain't ready to talk about this quite yet.”

There was silence for a moment, and then Aster said quietly, with a small smile: “Je trouve que tu es très courageux.”

“Nah, madame. That be you, for comin' back here 'spite of all this.” La Croix replied quietly, and he chuckled softly before he glanced over at Cadence, murmuring: “We uh... can we go?”

“Yeah. Sure, of course.” Cadence absently picked up the belts that had her twin daggers, tossing them over her body before she frowned as La Croix hurried to the door. She smiled as reassuringly as she could at the others, but the moment she stepped outside with La Croix, she closed the door and frowned at him, asking in as gentle a voice as she could in spite of her own anxiety: “What's going on?”

“Just... a real bad feeling, Cygne. A real bad feeling.” La Croix chewed anxiously on his lip, and then he shook his head quickly before he asked uneasily: “Swans... y'all can kill anything, right?”

Without so much as a blink, Danzsöngr took over, saying calmly: “Yes. A Swan Maiden can kill anything, La Croix. Living, dead, or in-between. As a Swan Maiden can see all it desires to see. Tell us what to look for and we will find it for you, and we will destroy it.”

“Let's not go gettin' ahead of ourselves, uh, Madame.” La Croix looked uncomfortably at the mare for a few moments, and then he shook his head and muttered: “Might just be jumpin' at shadows. Might be some other hoodoo or mojo workin'. There be all kinds in these parts, after all. But it might also be... no, I don't wanna think about it. He wouldn't be that stupid, would he?”

Danzsöngr tilted her head curiously as she strolled behind La Croix, but when Cadence struggled back for the surface, the Swan allowed her to take control, the ivory mare almost bursting out: “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Bondye, and the poison of the bayou. Bad things comin' this way.” muttered La Croix, shaking his head quickly. “But why now? Why here?”

“I don't know much about your past, La Croix, or this Bondye. He was the God you uh...” Cadence stuttered to a halt, but La Croix only smiled grimly, shaking his head slowly.

“Bondye just wishes he was Dieu. He was an Orisha, a great spirit, who overstepped his bounds and went off on his own to try and become a god in name, if not in anything else.” La Croix scowled a little, muttering: “He was the one who had us corrupt the old ways, who shaped the hoodoo and the voodoo, who made the bayou poison. Who dumb connards like me fell for, hook, line, and sinker, and...”

La Croix sighed a little, shaking his head briefly before he grumbled, as they headed down the rickety stairs to the main floor: “Well, ain't no doin' worryin' 'bout it, just gotta go out and see what's happenin' and what we can do. I just feel like...”

La Croix stopped dead, paling, and Cadence looked up with a frown before her eyes locked on the lone figure sitting at the bar. It looked like a zebra, dressed in a simple, spotless black suit, and strangely, what looked like a fancy party mask, with a long, bird-shaped bill that covered his muzzle and colorful, glittery feathers. He didn't so much as look at them as he slowly took a sip from the cup of whiskey in his hoof, but Cadence felt La Croix seize her and yank her quickly towards the doors as he hissed: “Merde, this is bad, this be real-”

They leapt out onto the street, and La Croix stumbled to a halt as he looked back and forth, whimpering a bit: there were two zebra on either side of them, blockading the road. Or rather, the intent was there: the road was wide and ponies were barely paying any attention to the stiffly-standing zebra as they passed them, and the zebra only had eyes for them. Ghastly, hollow, hateful eyes, Cadence realized, shivering a bit as she asked slowly: “So these aren't friends of yours?”

“Real funny, Cygne. Real funny.” La Croix whispered, and then he winced and looked over his shoulder, stumbling quickly away from the door to the hotel. Cadence's eyes widened in surprise as she looked back to see the zebra from the bar had appeared behind them like a ghost, glass still in one hoof, dead eyes locked on La Croix.

He sipped slowly from his drink, then said something in a soft but carrying voice that Cadence didn't understand. La Croix clearly did, however, snarling in return: “I ain't goin' back to Bondye, and I ain't dumb enough to fall for that lie, either! Y'tell him I be busy right now, but if he wants to settle up, I'll be glad to do so-”

“La Croix, it is not for you to choose.” interrupted the zebra calmly, looking down at his empty glass and tilting it back and forth, before he said softly: “Come with us, or this entire town dies.”

“La Croix just told you he's busy. Now if you want to hurt him, or anyone else in this place, you're going to have to go through me.” Cadence said sharply, turning around to lean into the face of the zebra, and she smelled perfume and flowers and... rotten meat?

The zebra chuckled softly, before he reached up and pulled his party mask off, and Cadence's eyes widened in horror as she stumbled back a step in shock at the sight of the creature's rotting face. His lips were gone, fallen entirely away from blackened and yellowed teeth, and while his eyes burned with hateful, hideous vitality, the rest of his face had withered away, as if it had been blasted by sand and acid. “Shh, little one. Go play with your dolls. The adults are talking”

Cadence snarled, then she stepped forwards and slammed a hoof into the zebra's face with enough force to send his head twisting almost entirely around on his neck with a sickening crack. But the zebra didn't even flinch as La Croix winced, before the creature slowly reached up and almost gently grasped his own muzzle, slowly turning his head back around until his contemptible smile was once more on Cadence, who stared with disbelief at the... the... “What the hell are you?”

Nzambi, Cygne. Don't you underestimate 'em. They be a lot more complicated than your shamblin' stupid undead.” La Croix said nervously, and Cadence took a step back as the other four zebra slowly began to close in, moving with silent, puppet-like grace. “Look, I can lay down a protective ward, but it won't slow 'em down for long, they all gonna know-”

“We have already taken precautions, La Croix. Your perceptions have weakened: the road has been kissed by red salt.” said the Nzambi in front of them almost cordially as he calmly placed his mask back on. La Croix's eyes widened as he rose a hoof, staring down at the ground in horror, but the Nzambi only looked at them with smiling malice as he said softly: “Surrender yourself, Baron. You wouldn't want us to break the Swan's neck in front of you, would you?”

Cadence narrowed her eyes, and then she flicked her horn sharply, drawing her twin daggers as she said coldly: “Go warn the others. I'll take care of these assholes.”

The Nzambi all laughed their quiet, callous little laughs, but Cadence was unflinching as La Croix grimaced before vanishing. Out of the corner of her eye, Cadence noted that one of the Nzambi had just palmed a needle out of his coat, another saying softly: “Were you not crafted to serve, Swan? So were we. Here is our offer: after we break you, we will rebuild you. You will find new meaning serving Lord Bondye.”

“I think I'll pass.” Cadence said with disgust, before her eyes locked on the Nzambi holding the needle with surprise as he stabbed it quickly into his own neck, injecting himself with whatever substance was inside the needle before he simply tossed it away.

“We insist.” Cadence felt the breath of one of the Nzambi on her neck a moment before she was seized by the back of the head and driven towards the ground, her eyes widening in shock at how fast and strong these walking corpses were. She barely managed to save herself by blasting the ground in front of her with telekinesis, creating a cushion of air that slowed her enough so she could slam her front hooves into the road and then yank herself forwards, at the same time kicking back to knock the Nzambi away.

Two zebra lunged in from either side, but Cadence slashed her daggers out, cutting one across the face and slicing his mask in half as the other cut across the victim's breast. Both were driven back, but Cadence realized too late that they had been decoys, as a fourth Nzambi leapt in front of her-

Cadence slammed her front hooves straight down into the ground, flapping her wings as hard as she could, launching herself straight up into the air. Except the fifth Nzambi had somehow leapt up to meet her, slamming a hoof into her with enough force to send her rocketing into the road with a tremendous crash.

Cadence rolled through the dirt with a snarl, her daggers flying to her hooves before she even realized she was reacting and slamming them into the ground to stop her wild skid. She looked up just in time to see a Nzambi's hoof shooting towards her, but the Swan intercepted it with a blast of pure fire that lashed out of her horn, and the zebra staggered backwards with a howl of shock and misery, flailing wildly back and forth before Cadence's eyes widened in shock as the Nzambi simply burst into ashes and dust, a filthy suit crumpling to the ground.

The other four looked for a moment at the ashes of their comrade as Cadence quickly dragged herself up to her hooves, taking the moment to set herself and growl: “Now back the hell off, or I'll burn the rest of you up too.”

“Did you hear that? Empty promises and empty threats from an empty vessel.” said one of the Nzambi fearlessly, as another removed what looked like a sewing needle with a cold smile. “Her death will be slow. Her unlife will be longer still.”

Cadence snarled as one of the Nzambi lurched towards her: it was fast, it was strong, but its movements were also stiff, almost jagged, and Cadence was able to spin around and intercept it with a savage kick that shattered its jaw and knocked it flipping backwards.

Almost immediately, the other Nzambi attempted to flank her from either side, but Cadence was ready for them as she agilely spun around, slashing a dagger out through the face of one of the zombies and flicking her horn at the other, driving it back with a blast of white flames before it could scratch her with the needle in its hoof.

But the last Nzambi shot in and dodged a punch from Cadence before headbutting her in the face, knocking her stumbling long enough for him to drive a hoof up under her jaw with a sickening crack. Cadence gurgled as she staggered backwards, before she gasped when something thin and sharp tore into her body, the mare hissing as she looked down at the sight of a stiletto dagger that had appeared in the hoof of the Nzambi in front of her.

He smiled at her, and Cadence trembled before her eyes widened as she realized she was rooted to the spot. Her limbs and muscles refused to work as the other Nzambi closed in on her from all sides, feeling like ice was flowing through her veins, making her heart stutter, setting her brain on fire-

We are better than this, said the Swan inside her, almost sounding frustrated, and Cadence's eyes clenched shut before Danzsöngr's snapped open, the Swan swinging a hoof almost dismissively upwards to slap the stiletto out of the Nzambi's hoof and out of her body.

The four zebra froze, staring in disbelief as the thin dagger flipped gracefully through the air, then hovered for a moment before it shot down, ripping through the eye of the Nzambi in front of her. The zombie staggered with a gurgle as the knife tore out the back of his head, stumbling to the side, and the others moved too sluggishly to react as Danzsöngr leapt backwards and scissored her rear legs around the throat of the enemy behind her.

One hard, simple twist slammed the Nzambi to the ground before his neck loudly snapped, and Danzsöngr shoved herself off the earth as her daggers flew up from where they had fallen to a ready position on either side of her head. A Nzambi lunged, but with ease, the Swan half-turned and slammed the hilt of a knife down between its ears, knocking it flat before she stomped on its skull as her hoof burst into ivory flames.

The Nzambi screamed before it burst apart into ashes, and the zebra on the other side of Danzsöngr stumbled in its attack, as if it had hesitated at the wrong moment, and Danzsöngr smiled.

A moment later, there was a flash of white and a splatter of ichor as the Nzambi's head flew into the air and its body dropped towards the earth, but both burst apart into ashes before they could hit the ground as Danzsöngr lowered her daggers to either side of her, glancing down at the already-healing wound in her breast as she said calmly: “Finish the rest.”

Cadence shivered as she felt the Swan recede and almost force her back to the surface, the ivory mare grasping at the wound in her breast as her daggers shuddered in midair beside her. Then she scowled over her shoulder at the Nzambi with the broken neck: he was clumsily picking himself up, while in front of her...

The Nzambi slowly shoved himself back to his hooves in spite of the ugly hole through his head, his features puckered in a moue of distaste, if anything. He began to reach into his coat, but without hesitating, Cadence stepped forwards and slashed down with her dagger, although even she was surprised when instead of simply knocking his foreleg down, she cut his hoof off entirely.

They both looked down at the hoof on the ground, and then the Nzambi snorted before he said callously, as he let the bloody stump fall limp: “All pointless, Swan. Perhaps you can destroy us. But Bondye has worse things than us in his employ.”

“Then I'll kill those things too. You tell your boss to stay the hell away from La Croix, or I'll kick his ass.” Cadence said shortly, pointing one of her daggers at the Nzambi, but the Nzambi only smiled thinly.

“Stupid girl. You have no idea what kind of trouble you're getting yourself into, do you?” asked the Nzambi softly, and then he broke into a shambling charge, lowering his head before he flung himself at the mare as his jaws opened wide.

Cadence leapt forwards and intercepted the zebra with a savage hammer hoof as it burst into ivory flames, the Nzambi exploding into a cloud of ash that blinded the mare for a crucial moment as she heard hooves stumbling behind her.

Cadence leapt out of the cloud of smog, horn and hooves blazing, daggers lashing up to ready positions on either side of her before her eyes widened in surprise as she found the last Nzambi pinned to the street by a spear. Then she snarled in frustration, one eye twitching as Brynhild shouted cheerfully from the balcony of the tavern on the other side of the street: “Hello, Swan! I have pinned the bug for thee!”

“I don't need your goddamn help, Brynhild!” Cadence shouted, glaring furiously up at the mare before she scowled as she turned her eyes moodily towards the trapped Nzambi, ignoring La Croix and Moonflower as they both hurried out the front of the tavern. “An entire hotel full of goddamn Dogmatists and who the hell comes to 'help' me?”

“Uh... sorry, Cygne, but they won't listen to us.” La Croix apologized, blushing and looking lamely at the ivory mare as he nervously played with his top hat for a moment. Cadence only grunted, glancing over at La Croix for a moment before she sighed and returned her eyes to the pinned Nzambi, and La Croix became more serious as he approached the zebra quickly, muttering: “Now, let's see to you, mon ami.”

As La Croix approached the Nzambi, Cadence reached out and grabbed Moonflower by the shoulder with a frown, asking: “What does he mean, they won't listen? They should at least respond to danger.”

“I don't know. Something about already being given orders to hold position.” Moonflower shrugged, and Cadence lowered her head meditatively But before she could settle on anything, she winced and looked up in surprise as La Croix shouted and stumbled backward a moment before the Nzambi burst into eerie green flames.

Even as the fire rapidly consumed its body, the Nzambi focused its dead eyes on La Croix, saying contemptibly: “Bondye knows you are here. Your head will be his trophy, La Croix, and you will die ten thousand deaths in Darkwater, long after the rest of these pathetic worlds have been erased in the name of the new Dieu.”

Dieu? No, you ain't talkin' 'bout Loki, are you? 'Cause he ain't no god and Bondye ain't gonna be able to one-up on that diable!” La Croix said almost desperately, but the Nzambi only laughed coldly before its remains burst into black smoke that raced up into the sky in a glittering fog, vanishing quickly from sight.

“Dammit.” La Croix muttered, stomping a hoof before he glowered at the burnt remains in front of him: more discarded refuse than a corpse. The spirit had fled, and likely back to its master, by the look on La Croix's face. “I can't believe this. I can't believe even Bondye'd be fou enough to think that he can pull one over on a diable like Loki...”

“How did they know where we were?” asked Cadence, and La Croix glanced up before he smiled wryly and tapped his nose.

“They got my scent. Even when I was on the run and maskin' myself with perfumes and charms, ain't never took them very long to find me. That's why I was always on the run and never in hiding, comprendez-moi?” La Croix paused, turning back towards the smoldering remains of the Nzambi: a pile of ashes around the gleaming spear of the Valkyrie, which La Croix reached out and caressed slowly along with a sigh. “I ain't never been strong enough to fight anything, nor smart or... courageux, either. These hoofs just be good for runnin' away.”

“How do we protect ourselves from them?” asked Cadence, and La Croix opened his mouth, then frowned thoughtfully before he headed for one of the piles of clothing nearby, beginning to rummage through the Nzambi's remains.

Cadence, meanwhile, looked up moodily as she realized that the music had stopped from the tavern, and they had a small audience. She also noted that Brynhild was still up on the balcony, that stupid grin on her face, watching them with curiosity; the moment she saw Cadence look in her direction, she waved a hoof wildly before calling: “And how may I be of service to thee?”

“Dying would be a great start.” Cadence mumbled, before she shook her head and replied loudly: “Just stay out of the way. And maybe recall your spear.”

Brynhild shrugged amiably, but thankfully only flicked her horn, her spear vanishing in a burst of sapphire flame before the Valkyrie called: “Very well, Swan. But know that if thou needs me, I shall assist thee. We have a long day tomorrow crossing the sea, but these brawny sailors tell me they are more than ready to assist!”

“Oh, thanks for doing my job for me.” Cadence grumbled, even though she knew she should really be grateful. But the Valkyrie always made her cranky. And the thought that now they were being hunted by someone else on top of that... or rather, that La Croix is being hunted... and doesn't this prove that Loki is going after our homeworlds in some capacity? How many-

“Um. Not that it's my place to say anything, but...” Moonflower nervously nudged the ivory mare, and Cadence glanced up at him before he smiled awkwardly. “I think you may have been thinking too much, like people are always telling me I do all the time.”

“You never think too much. But... thank you, Moonflower. I appreciate it.” Cadence smiled a bit after a moment, nodding to the stallion before she returned her eyes to La Croix as the zebra approached, now holding a little baggy by the string.

He spat this out, then grimaced and rubbed convulsively at his lips before he muttered: “Ici. This is a... I dunno the word for it, it's juju. The Nzambi all carry these to protect 'em from me, but they should work in reverse, too. Just don't open that little baggy. You'll regret it.”

“How the hell is this one little bundle going to protect us all?” Cadence asked moodily, as she turned it back and forth, and La Croix huffed.

“Don't you be doubtin' me now, Cygne, 'shurtful. Hurtful.” La Croix patted his own breast, then he smiled, raising his head and looking perhaps a little bit more confident than he had before as he continued: “We ain't gonna be movin' tonight, so I'll set up a bit of my own mojo to enhance its effects. I should be able to protect this whole building pretty well.”

“Alright, La Croix. I trust you.” Cadence said after a moment, then she shook her head briefly before she sighed as she looked back at the tavern moodily, muttering: “And I guess... I should try and trust in everything else, too.”

La Croix patted her gently on the shoulder as Moonflower smiled sympathetically, and Cadence sighed before she shook her head and turned around, plodding back towards the tavern to try and focus on what little she could change for now, and let the rest take care of itself.

Cadence scowled moodily from her perch in the crow's nest of the Old Spice, staring out at the seemingly-endless sea. They had managed to secure two ships, both old, massive galleons that had once been used to freight cargo, but had been decommissioned after many years of service. Or that was what Cadence had been told: she suspected they were actually pirates, since this entire goddamn world seemed to be made out of pirates and saltwater.

She blew a bit of her mane out of her eyes with a grumble: that wasn't what had her annoyed. What had her annoyed was the fact that somehow, the RED unit had gotten out orders to all of the Dogmatists to hold position. And since they were Replicants, they ranked just a bit higher than most of the Orphans: even La Croix wasn't higher than administrator level in terms of privileges, so Cadence was the only one here who could overrule the Replicants.

She had been sorely tempted to see if she could demote the RED so the Dogmatists wouldn't listen to them anymore, but instead, she had stuck with telling them not to give orders anymore, then ordered them to stay quietly in the underbelly of the ship until they were called.

Cadence shook her head briefly, and then she looked moodily up towards the sky, studying the vast, empty sea of blue above that was so much calmer, so much clearer, and yet so much the same as the sea they were traveling over: stretching ever onward, no destination in sight, and so empty...

What was she supposed to do? She couldn't keep the RED in line. Her friends supported her, but she wasn't even sure they really respected her, or if they were just humoring her because she was 'supposed' to be in charge of them and they all knew she could punch their faces in. She knew that was stupid to think. She knew there was no point in doubting herself. But the fact that the RED, programmed Replicants, had gone behind her back like they had...

She shook her head slowly, then sighed quietly as she leaned moodily over the edge of the crow's nest, staring blankly out at the great big nothing ahead. The situation was made even worse by the fact she had not one, but both Valkyries here, meddling with her, causing trouble for her, making her look stupid...

Go and speak to them, study them. Danzsöngr suggested. We wish to gain insight. Your frustration interests us.

“Wow. Great to hear. You know, I hate Brynhild because you do, you know. And I guess a lot of my respect for Freya came from you, too... until Freya ruined it by being... Freya.” Cadence muttered, then she shook her head quickly before sighing and mumbling: “You're so different. And I'm... not.”

That is because you are you, while I am learning to be... me. I am forgetting the past, and trying to find the future. The Swan replied gently, and Cadence grunted as she shifted a bit, her armor suddenly feeling too tight, her head pulsing with pain as she shivered for a moment, before she stared up in surprise as she found herself no longer in a crow's nest, but instead she was standing in a glorious golden hallway, staring at a set of immense, white metal doors. “Why are you the one so interested in reliving the past?”

Cadence flinched, looking to the side in surprise to see the Swan standing beside her, in graceful, terribly-intimidating physical form. The two looked at each other in silence for a few moments, and then the Swan said softly: “I began in the ice. But I was designed to protect these golden halls. I was their protector. I was their weapon. And I was their law, through fear and the power of death. And yet I ended in the darkness, just as I began, in darkness.”

Cadence breathed softly, then shivered and shook her head, closing her eyes tightly. She felt a coldness pass over her, and when she looked up, the golden halls were gone, replaced by endless blue sky, and the world was quiet, and the Swan had faded from sight.

The ivory mare shook her head slowly, then she whispered: “Don't do that again.”

“Well, I did not mean to scare thee so badly, Swan.” remarked a voice, and Cadence flinched before she glared furiously up at Brynhild, who was perched at the very top of the mast, smiling down at her with a knowing gleam in her eye.

“What do you want?” Cadence asked grouchily, and Brynhild hopped down to join her in the crow's nest, the two looking at each other for a few moments before the Valkyrie grunted and shrugged, absently rubbing at one of her ears as if she'd just been scolded. Which she probably was.

“I was ordered... uh, 'twas suggested to me by mine most beloved sister that I come and speak to thee, Swan, and we attempt to... amend our differences.” Brynhild said, gesturing awkwardly outwards before she simply held her forelegs wide and said blandly: “I believe now we hug and announce to the world we have become the best of friends.”

“If you touch me, I'm going to throw you into the ocean.” Cadence said sourly, and Brynhild huffed at her loudly, crossing her forelegs sulkily. “Look. I just don't like you. And I know you don't like me, so-”

“Why must thou put words into my mouth! Do not declare what I feel, I shall declare what I feel, and 'tis not hatred. Not... precisely.” Luna fumbled for a moment, and then she sighed and slumped a little before saying quietly: “I do not know if we can be friends. But I have learned not to stop trying. That it is silly to stop trying. That it is weakness to stop trying. And I am already weak in many other ways, Swan, I would rather not be weak in that regard, too.”

Cadence shifted a little, glancing down and mumbling to herself before she said moodily: “Well, friendship isn't the answer to everything, you know.”

That sounded tinny and childish in her own ears; why was that every 'adult' thing she had to say ended up sounding so... childish? And Luna seemed to recognize that, the mare grinning at her and tilting her head towards her as she mocked: “What, has all of the machinery made thee forget we came from a world made of magic, full of rainbow bridges and wicked giants and shapeshifting prostitutes?”

“There was only one rainbow bridge and it was used to travel between worlds.” retorted Cadence, and then she grimaced a bit and rubbed at her own head, mumbling: “Okay. That sounded pedantic even to me. Look, Brynhild, I just... I need...”

What did she need? Time? Apologies? To pretend she was too proud to accept an alliance with the Valkyrie, or to continue to be a bitter, resentful bitch for reasons even she didn't understand anymore... “Horses of Heaven. The Swan doesn't even hate you, Valkyrie. I just... I don't know why, I just... find it hard to talk to you. To look at you. I don't know why.”

“Well, I could understand why Danzsöngr would hate me so... but thou? I must admit, 'tis vexing to think that the Luna of thy world may have been worser still than I.” Brynhild said mildly, and Cadence finally cracked a bit of a smile.

“No, no. Princess Luna was... well... a princess.” Cadence halted, then rubbed at her breastplate and mumbled: “Much more of a princess than me. No, she and Celestia definitely were the princesses of the realm, the rulers, the ones who kept everything in order. She was always nice to me, and Celestia was always... always worked hard to help me. She thought because I was an alicorn, I must have been meant to be a princess, but instead...”

Cadence quieted, then she looked up at Luna and asked: “Was it the same for you? The... you know, poise, dignity, grace...”

“Oh, aye, I had those three in plenty. Poise enough to sit in my tiny chair beside Celestia and scowl. Dignity enough to not fart whilst standing beside my sister as she makes her great speeches, while she pats me every so often on the head like a good puppy. And of course, grace enough to not kill the Solar Guard when they interrupted my training of another as 'illegal.'” Luna smiled in amusement, rolling her eyes with a strange look of fond nostalgia.

“Wait, what? That doesn't make any sense.” Cadence said disbelievingly. “Why would they get between you and-”

“For a thousand reasons. Because they did not truly see me as a ruler, I suppose... which they were right to, I was never equal to my sister. Because in those dark days, deep was the specter of Nightmare Moon over mine every action... and of course, Twilight Sparkle was most loved, most cherished by all.” Luna chuckled quietly. “They were not my soldiers. They were Celestia's, bound to the glory of the Solar Empire, whilst my Centurions then were still but monsters that roamed the dungeons and the depths... much as thou wert, Swan.”

Cadence scowled at this, but then she grudgingly nodded, lowering her head and muttering: “But you were never like me.”

“Wasn't I, though? Lost, forgotten, alone, afraid... I was all these things, and more.” Luna answered with a shrug, studying Cadence curiously for a few moments, before she asked softly: “And how, Swan, did thou end up losing thy princessly vestments?”

“I don't want to talk about it. It's ancient history now.” Cadence muttered, and Luna grinned in amusement at this.

“Oh, 'tis? And what, our rivalry is not? Or perhaps 'tis rather the stuff of legend, and thus must be made much the worser with every telling!” Luna remarked, before she paused and frowned as she leaned suddenly over the edge of the crow's nest, gazing out into the distance as she murmured: “Corruption. And more than that, malice.”

Cadence rose her head, frowning slightly before she nodded slowly as she saw, at the edge of the horizon, where blue faded into black. She couldn't feel it yet, but she supposed the mare beside her was more sensitive to it, as she muttered: “I guess it must be familiar to you.”

Luna shot a look at Cadence, and the ivory mare frowned in surprise as she looked over at the Valkyrie, but Brynhild looked away just as fast, clearing her throat before she said finally: “Yes. Yes, it... is.”

Cadence decided it was better not to ask, sighing a bit before she asked: “So is Freya back on the other ship?”

“Yes. But she will have no doubt sensed it even before we did. Accursed Freya.” grumbled Brynhild, before she frowned and licked her lips slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked into the distance. Cadence frowned at her, but after a moment, Brynhild shook her head and muttered: “Nothing. 'Tis nothing. Just a funny sense of... impossibility.”

“Nothing is impossible, Valkyrie.” Danzsöngr said calmly, and Cadence swore mentally as the Swan took over her body, turning with a smile towards Brynhild before she asked curiously: “What drives you, Brynhild? In the past, you were rebellious, and untamed. You were beautiful, and you were Freya's second, but you were also... hated. And this especially made you desirous to Odin.”

“I do not speak of the old fool's desires.” Luna said stiffly, before she retorted sharply: “And what of thee, Swan? I could not say thy kind wert not built to please, after all. But thou wert never able to: why was that, if thou art not so devoid of agency as-”

“I do not intend to fight you, Valkyrie, or argue with you. I am only curious.” the Swan interrupted with a shrug, before she continued softly, as her eyes roved towards the sky: “I am no longer sure what I was designed for, or how many of my kind were alive. I do not feel... different from the other Swans, but I understand that I have become different. But why, Brynhild? And you have said we are much the same: what drives you? Why are you different? Will I find the answers to why I am evolving in why you became the Night Maiden?”

“Thou art no Night Maiden, Swan.” Luna said, but even though her expression was a scowl, her voice was gentler, her body shifting with a mix of apprehension and confusion before she said finally: “I do not think I have the answers thou seeks. I am no guide. All my life, I have always been guided, mentored, and helped along by others. Accepting their help... accepting that by myself, I am nothing but a wildfire, 'tis the hardest lesson I have ever learnt. But if I can help thee, be a signpost to thee or a looking-glass, I will, Danzsöngr. But I must ask: where hast thy hatred for me gone?”

“I have no ties to the Creators any longer. I am free to do, to feel, to experience as I please. And now that I have sampled Cadence's emotions, now that we have become more intertwined and I have come to understand you more...” Danzsöngr studied Luna, then she smiled softly before she leaned, their lips almost brushing, Luna's eyes widening slightly before the Swan whispered: “I understand, too, the past. I understand what I have seen, and what...”

Her hooves silently reached up, stroking slowly along Luna's breast before grasping into her shoulders as she smiled almost coyly, her eyes half-lidding... and then Cadence slammed a mental kick as fiercely as she could into Danzsöngr, the ivory mare's expression going from stupefied to horrified before she violently shoved Luna away and shouted furiously: “Just screw everything about my stupid life!”

Luna yelped as she landed in a thump against the wall of the crow's nest, blinking a few times before she huffed loudly and glared at Cadence, then complained: “Thou cannot lead me on like that, wretched Swan! Now come to me.” Luna awkwardly half-rose one hind leg as she pushed herself back against the wall, forelegs out to either side as she said seriously: “My body is ready for thee, Swan. Come, while the oven burns hot.”

“While the... Valkyrie!” Cadence shouted furiously, one of her eyes twitching before she looked away and muttered: “Great. The Swan is going through puberty and you're... I don't know what the hell you are. You're a whore. You are a whore.”

“Nay, I am exotic and exciting. Furthermore, whores demand pay, and I was willing to show thee all the delights of paradise for free.” Luna retorted, then she rolled quickly up to her hooves and rose her nose with a sniff. “But now? Thou hast missed thy opportunity. Never again shall thou have a chance to experience the ride of the Valkyrie, Cadence. Or at least, not until thou speaks to Freya next, great dirty, greedy beast that she is.”

Cadence ground her teeth slowly together, and then she took a slow breath as she forced herself to relax before she asked moodily: “Do your uh, 'partners' enjoy when you attempt to cheat on them?”

“'Tis not at all cheating! And thou wert the one who attempted to devour my face.” Luna huffed loudly, poking her own nose several times before she suddenly became serious, saying quietly: “I value my partners more than I value my own life. I value my bond with them deeper than I value mine own soul: I would say that I am worthless without them, but they have taught me that... if I do not love mine own self, then I throw much of the gift they have given me back in their own faces. For how can I truly appreciate their value to me if I think of myself as but a worthless object to them?”

“I don't entirely understand but... that... is deeper than I'd expect to hear from someone like you.” Cadence said honestly as she looked at the mare with surprise, and Luna snorted in amusement at this.

“Those who attend to the physical aspects of life are those whom are blessed and best at speaking of them. But Scrivy is a better poet than he will admit and I have learned to take pages from his book.” Brynhild replied with a smile and a shrug, before she added gently: “And while thou will not like it, all the same, I must congratulate thee.”

“On what?” Cadence asked moodily, and Luna grinned at her in a way that told her... “How? How the hell do you know that?”

“What Moonflower and La Croix have not gossiped to me like little fillies, I have learnt from thine every look, from how thou yearns for him in thy eyes and thy every word and...” Luna bit her lip, before she asked quietly: “And truly, is he...”

“I don't want to talk about it.” Cadence said stiffly, looking away moodily, and there was silence for a moment before the ivory mare said, not even knowing why: “I love him, Valkyrie. I haven't told anyone that. I haven't even admitted it to Hecate, even though she... she knew. It was just... there. The entire time. He's just... there, inside me, inside my heart, and I'm so scared of what's going to happen and I'm so scared of him... not in a 'he's a Replicant' way or anything like that, I'm scared of... of...”

“Of how good he is. Of how he makes thee feel. Of how thou does not deserve him, and feel as if thou art an anchor... and, I assume, that somehow thou art forcing this good and strong and wonderful stallion to stay with thee in the last moments of his life, when he should be out, living his every dream and fantasy while he still has the time.” Luna smiled over at Cadence, who stared at her, feeling vulnerable and surprised and strangely grateful and a thousand other emotions she didn't want to feel for the Valkyrie. “Aye, I know. I know far too well.”

Luna quieted, then she shrugged a bit before she looked at the Swan and said softly: “Strange. I see now why Freya told me to go to thee, Danzsöngr. Perhaps I understand a little more of why I sought thee out.”

“And I think I know why the Swan is so interested in you. Why you seem to... have the answers I'm looking for.” Cadence replied quietly, looking down for a moment before she sighed softly and mumbled: “And Horses of Heaven, do I hate that.”

Luna only shrugged amiably, and then she returned her eyes to the horizon. She frowned a bit, then mentally seemed to argue with someone for a moment, and Cadence wondered uneasily just how powerful her link with her partners was before the Valkyrie looked up almost sulkily and asked sourly: “Freya is curious if thou shall accept us as thy... lieutenants.”

Cadence admittedly took a small, mean pleasure in the way that Luna almost spat the word: as nice as she was trying to be, she clearly didn't seem to want to be stuck in any lower position than Cadence.

For a moment, the ivory mare felt like puffing out her breast, and then she softened a little as she thought of how nasty she kept being and how hard the Valkyrie was trying to, well, not to be her friend, but someone she could talk to and work with, all the same. She opened her mouth... but then chewed on her lip, instinct slipping in and telling her that no, as nice as it would be for her to say something silly and kind like 'why don't you head your own unit...'

“Yeah. I... know that I need your help.” Cadence said almost grudgingly, and Luna cocked her head, frowning slightly. “I just... I do need you to listen to me, Brynhild. I know that this is weird circumstances for us both and maybe we're only just now finding actual common ground, but... I need you to listen to me. I need to be able to trust you, like I trust my team. I want to work with you.”

Luna rose her head slightly at this, looking oddly pleased before she asked almost impetuously: “Then will thou stand a bit of advice, Swan?”

“No. But I know you're going to tell me anyway, so go ahead.” Cadence said tiredly, and Luna grinned widely.

“Precisely. Sometimes thou must do what thou does not like. Swallow thy pride, Danzsöngr, 'tis even bigger than Freya's great fat rump. And there are few things so terribly large as that.” Brynhild said almost pompously, and Cadence grumbled moodily under her breath as she glowered at the Valkyrie.

But after a moment, the ivory mare sighed before she muttered: “I'm trying. But leadership is not about negotiation. It is about...”

“Leadership is many things, and takes many forms, Cadence. I have never been much of either leader or follower. I have always been rogue, wanderer... hero. In charge of only myself and precious few others.” Brynhild shrugged a bit, smiling slightly. “Freya has always been commander, and she is very good at it. At being mentor, overlord, queen... but leader? Rarely.

“Art thou a leader, Cadence? And how so will thou lead? Show me.” Brynhild invited and challenged, and Cadence scowled for a moment, but then nodded slowly. “Simply take my advice and remember, as well, that one cannot be a leader while at the same time thou art playing the part of petty tyrant.”

“You're one to talk.” Cadence muttered, and then she sighed a little before she replied evenly: “Fine. But I need you to listen to me, Valkyrie. I'll listen to you, but you have to listen to me.”

“And I suppose I must listen more.” Brynhild said ironically, but Cadence only scowled at her until the mare grunted and nodded, saying finally: “Very well. Anything to prove Freya wrong.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Cadence asked moodily, and Brynhild only shrugged amiably, making the ivory mare sigh before she said in a quieter voice, as her eyes traveled towards the horizon: “Head over to the other ship, tell them we're getting close and marshal the Dogmatists. They seem to listen to Scrivener because he's a Replicant. I'll get the RED Unit on deck and we'll prepare our boarding parties. We need to be ready for combat: there's probably an ambush up ahead.”

“Very well, Swan. As thou commands.” Luna replied, and then she simply smiled before leaping back off the crow's nest, spreading her wings to fly quickly towards the other ship.

Cadence only shook her head before she hopped over the side of the crow's nest herself, gliding down towards the deck of the ship below even as her eyes roved towards the blackened horizon, wondering silently just what was laying ahead.

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