Chapter Forty Six: Strained Relations
~BlackRoseRaven
Silver was intensely frustrating, but at the same time, Cadence was grudgingly starting to get used to her. She was vastly unpleasant, rude, and ranted constantly about the 'fat pigs,' but all the same, she was... she made her own kind of weird sense, Cadence thought. It was just all framed by a lot of anger, a lot of bitterness, a lot of maybe-not-entirely-unwarranted despair.
Silver did suddenly become a lot easier to deal with when they got to the shooting range: she went from scoffing and mocking her 'impossible' claims to be a princess to pawing at the various guns, then almost eagerly tromping up to the target range. Cadence had only managed to take a few shots with her rifle before Silver had simply blown up the target with a burst of powerful magic.
After Silver had blown up a few targets, she had suddenly become far, far more pleasant. She was still rude and sarcastic and said incredibly awful things that made Cadence want to smack her, but it was a vast improvement on the way she had been acting only a few minutes before.
At first Cadence thought it was just the fun of lashing out and blasting things into pieces – and often in a way that would irritate Cadence further, since apparently Silver was working very hard to not understand how targeting lanes worked, and kept blowing up Cadence's target instead of her own – but soon, Cadence realized that the more Silver used her magic, the more focused her magic became. There was less emotion in it, less wild fury of energy: when she watched Silver snap her horn down for the dozenth time, it wasn't a wild psychokinetic blast of hate and force that Cadence saw, but a perfect arrow of energy that streaked through the air and blasted the head off-
Her target. Well. Some things apparently weren't going to change. “Silver, will you please let me get just a few shots in? Otherwise Thorn is going to bitch at me.”
“You are free to shoot as much as you please, Snow White. Or better yet, let me shoot for you.” Silver said, gesturing towards the gun, and Cadence frowned uneasily as she shifted the MARES rifle awkwardly. “Oh, don't give me that look! Let me try it. I want to see how it fits my hooves.”
“I... well... okay.” Cadence said awkwardly after a moment, grimacing a bit. All the same, she continued to hold the rifle close to her breast, until Silver finally shoved both hooves expectantly towards Cadence, and the ivory mare sighed before passing the rifle over to her, even as she felt very clearly this was not a good idea. “Don't... I mean, don't point it at anything you wouldn't want to shoot.”
Silver shifted the rifle back and forth, wiggling her large hoof carefully onto the grip as the other grasped the body of the weapon crudely, and then she pointed it straight forwards, making Cadence swear as she ducked hurriedly out of the way of the gun, as Silver scoffed: “Oh, stop it. I am not about to-”
Silver shifted the gun, and there was a tremendous bang, both mares flinching and the rifle nearly flying out of Silver's hooves before both ponies stared at the large dent in the wall the rifle had left. They looked awkwardly at each other, and then Silver huffed before she turned to face down the target range, muttering: “Do not distract me, Snow White. That is your fault.”
“What?” Cadence snapped, glaring at the mare, but then she only closed her eyes and rubbed quickly at her face, telling herself that no, she wasn't going to let Silver drag her into a pointless argument.
Silver, meanwhile, was aiming calmly down the range, her eyes locked on the target as she said: “Yes, it is your fault. You would not distract me if I was aiming a bow, now would you?”
Cadence scowled over at Silver, before she winced when the mare pulled the trigger, glancing quickly down the target range. and her eyes widened slightly in surprise when she saw a large, distinct hole near the center of the target's chest. “Hey, not a bad shot.”
“I don't need your approval, Snow White.” Silver retorted, but she sounded a little pleased with herself all the same, Cadence thought. Silver attempted to pull the trigger again, but then scowled as nothing happened, muttering: “Damn. Is it out of arrows?”
“They're called bullets, and you have to... okay.” Cadence held up her hooves in surrender when Silver glared at her, the ivory mare giving a wry smile as she said mildly: “You do your thing, then, and I'll just stay over here.”
“Yes, I am perfectly capable of figuring it out.” Silver grumbled, nodding quickly, and Cadence gave a wry smile as Silver fumbled back and forth with the rifle for a few moments before she finally figured out how to work the lever, ejecting the empty casing before she shoved it back forwards. “I see, that is how you load new bolts!”
“Bullets.” Cadence said before she could stop herself, but Silver completely ignored her as she lined up her target again.
“Now that the bolt is loaded, I take aim, and...” Silver pulled the trigger, and Cadence cocked her eyebrow as she saw a small explosion of gel from near the center of the target. “Yes. Perfect. Look at its flesh bleed.”
“It's a composite jelly, actually.” Thorn's voice remarked calmly, and Cadence turned towards him, awkwardly and completely unconsciously stepping quickly to the side to hopefully cover up the- “A Worker Drone will repair the damage. Silver, why are you using Cadence's rifle?”
“Oh, I did not mean to bitter Snow White's apple. I am so very sorry.” Silver said grouchily as she worked the lever, then fired another shot down the range, sending up a splatter that was again, nearly dead-center on the target. “Do you use flesh so the pigs get hungry to see the kill?”
Thorn glanced down the range, and then he called up a holographic screen, reaching up to tap a short command across it. There was a beeping from the range, before the target slowly rolled backwards some twenty feet, and Cadence could just imagine the scowl beneath Silver's mask when the mare looked at Thorn.
But Thorn only shrugged and gestured to the range, saying quietly: “I had heard that you excelled in archery.”
“I did. And I will excel beyond these fat pigs in every other aspect as well. I will be the boar.” Silver said sharply, and Cadence frowned uneasily at how suddenly hostile Silver had become. “What do you think of that, Regent Thorn Blackfeather? What do you think of my eagerness to please you and the sow with all my talents? Or is that not enough for you?”
Silver took aim down the range, then fired several shots in quick succession, blasting apart the head of the target dummy before she swore under her breath as she dry-fired the rifle. She tried uselessly to reload it a few times, until Thorn said softly: “You need a new clip. Cadence, please go get Silver a new clip, and a long-range rifle. The MARES rifle does not have the proper attachments to maximize its range at the moment.”
Cadence smiled lamely, and then she nodded once before almost nervously stepping away from the range. She left Thorn and Silver standing in a bitter silence, but as her hoofsteps faded, Silver let her head drop a little, her body trembling as she whispered: “Let me go back.”
Thorn shook his head, and Silver snarled before she threw the MARES rifle childishly to the ground, shouting angrily: “I do not love her! I hate her! I hate her for what she has done to me and I hate her for expecting me to be thankful! I hate you as well, Thorn Blackfeather! And I hate your whores and your toy soldiers and all these fat pigs!”
“I know. That's okay.” Thorn replied with a shrug, and Silver dropped her head as if ashamed. “You are not-”
“Don't tell me what I am or am not, Regent Thorn Blackfeather. I may be a fat pig, but I am a pig who knows who and what she is.” whispered Silver, trembling as she glared at the ground.
“You are not a fat pig.” Thorn said softly, and Silver snorted in contempt.
“So you'll take even my identity away from me?”
“An identity that you think we forced upon you in the first place.” Thorn countered, and Silver had no response to that. The sapphire stallion shook his head slowly, and then he sighed before striding forwards and saying gently: “Your sister tried to save you.”
“Yes. I see she's trying to save you in the same way.” Silver retorted, gesturing dismissively towards Thorn's mechanical foreleg.
Thorn sighed a little at this, reaching up to rub slowly at the steel appendage before he said softly: “This was my own fault-”
“Is that the truth, or are you just going out of your way to defend the sow again?” asked Silver coldly, even as her hoof scraped at one of her glass eyes. “As if she has ever needed to be justified. As if she has ever needed-”
“Enough.” Thorn said gently, and the mare lowered her head and looked away. For a few moments, there was an uncomfortable silence between the two, and then Thorn asked: “What do you want? More than that, Silver, what can we do for you that you will... accept?”
They looked at each other for a few moments, and then Silver asked: “Why didn't she just let me die?”
“Because family is the most important thing.” Thorn shrugged a bit, and then he met her gaze, asking evenly: “Do you want to die? Or do you just want attention, and sympathy, and to wallow in your misery? You aren't going to gain anything by feeling sorry for yourself, Silver.”
“My name is Luna!” shouted the mare, and energy crackled through the air around her as her mane and tail of cables shivered.
“If your name is Luna, then why aren't you acting like her? Why are you acting like Silver, the self-described 'fat pig?'” Thorn retorted, and the mare snarled in fury, the air around her quaking with her energy, the glass lenses of her mask glowing with the blazing glare of her eyes.
But after a few moments, her legs began to shake, and her head drooped, and all that rage and energy whiffed out as suddenly as it came as she whispered: “Because I am scared, you coward. You coward and you traitor, hiding behind the sow and the sow's treachery...”
Thorn only shook his head slowly, and then his eyes flicked to the side before he said calmly: “You can come back in, Cadence. Our conversation is over.”
Cadence cleared her throat awkwardly as she nervously stepped back into the room, giving a lame smile as she floated a small box of ammunition on one side of her and a bolt-action rifle on the other. “I uh... I got these, I thought-”
“Fine. Yes. Fine.” Silver muttered, and then she yanked both ammunition and weapon away with her own psychic powers, the mare scowling as she tilted these back and forth before she simply dropped the box and caught the rifle in her hooves. “Fine.”
Thorn shook his head, but he didn't say anything, only calmly cleaning up the scattered rounds and ammunition box with a flick of his horn. Silver, meanwhile, had turned back to face down the range, taking aim with the rifle as she scowled down the iron sights, muttering: “This is much cruder than the other toy. I suppose that's more fitting for the older pig, isn't it? The more... disposable one. Leave the piglet Snow White with the better gear...”
“If you like these weapons so much, we'll have a custom rifle built for you.” Thorn said, and Silver snorted. “Or a crossbow, or a bow, or-”
“Or whatever it takes to shut me up and make me useful to the sow, is that right?” asked Silver acidly, and then she fired the rifle, blowing off a chunk of the target's shoulder before she swore under her breath. “Worthless scrap!”
She glared down at the rifle, and Thorn shook his head before he approached, glancing quickly over the weapon before his horn glowed as he adjusted the sights slightly, saying softly: “It's not entirely centered. Try it now.”
“Fine.” Silver muttered, raising the rifle again and sweeping it carelessly to point down the target range, even as Cadence winced and Thorn sighed tiredly. But when she fired, her shot went true, sending up a splatter of gunk from much closer to the center of the target as Silver snorted in contempt. “Toys indeed. Any pig can be a worthless tin-plated hero.”
“Heroism is not determined by how many lives you take on the battlefield.” Thorn replied pointedly, and then he shook his head before he turned towards the control panel, tapping a short series of commands across it.
There was a loud beeping, and then the target slowly withdrew to the end of the lane, where it was removed by a large, mechanical claw from the simple stand. An intact target was slid into its place with a click, and then it slid several feet down the lane to lock into a new position.
Silver scowled at how far away it was, but Thorn only shrugged before he turned his eyes towards Cadence, half-instructing: “I need to see you use the MARES.”
Cadence winced a little at this, looking lamely at the stallion before she awkwardly picked up the MARES rifle from the ground, turning it back and forth in her hooves before she said awkwardly: “I really don't like it.”
“You keep saying that, Cadence, but my response isn't going to be any different.” Thorn said dryly, and Cadence lowered her head almost sheepishly before she turned to face down the targeting range. “This lane.”
“What? But that's way further away than... okay, okay.” Cadence winced when Thorn simply looked at her in his inarguable way, the ivory mare shrinking her head between her shoulders for a moment before she sighed a little and turned moodily to face down the range, raising the rifle to her shoulder as she muttered: “Well, don't blame me when I miss.”
Cadence took careful aim with the rifle as she closed one eye, lining up the sights as she held her breath before she grimaced slightly as she took a shot: she only narrowly clipped the target, but at the same time, she felt a little proud of herself considering the distance, the mare raising her head slightly before Thorn instructed: “Again.”
Cadence scowled horribly, but then took aim again before she looked over her shoulder in surprise as Silver said: “Do not hold your breath. Do not tense up. Use both eyes. Learn to shoot or become bacon, piglet.”
The ivory mare scowled a little, but beneath the irritation she was admittedly surprised that Silver was trying to help at all. She took the mare's advice, making herself breathe slowly as she aimed down the lane, using both eyes as she lined up her shot...
She clipped the target again, and the mare smiled as she straightened slightly before her mood was immediately soured as Silver scolded: “That is nothing to be proud of and you are less than a failure, Snow White! Wing the target like that and all you do is inform the enemy of your attack!”
“Take another shot, Cadence.” Thorn interjected quickly as he held up a hoof to Silver, who grumbled grouchily at him in response.
The ivory mare took a breath, focusing as she took aim down the lane again, muttering under her breath to herself. But as she made herself aim, she felt herself loosening up as she focused in on the target-
She felt the Swan suddenly rise up inside of her, the ivory mare tensing up as that presence inside of her took over, guiding and shifting her hooves. The Swan felt... unusual, however, and almost gentle even as the entity firmly guided her movements, before she felt her hoof squeeze the trigger.
There was a splatter from the target that told her she had actually hit the object, and Cadence rose her head slightly with a smile. Sure, she hated these toys, but maybe now- “Cadence, I wanted you to take the shot. Not the Swan.”
Cadence winced slightly at this, mouthing wordlessly before she looked over her shoulder at Thorn. And while she couldn't even think of what to say, the Swan was all too glad to articulate a response for her, twisting her face into a sneer before she asked contritely: “What do you care, jarl,as long as you have someone to do the work for you?”
“I do not want you to do my work for me. I simply want Cadence to accomplish her own tasks instead of a self-described tool taking over for her.” Thorn replied evenly, as Silver cocked her head, looking curiously back and forth between the stallion and the ivory mare.
The Swan grouchily retreated, leaving Cadence blinking a few times before Silver asked with interest: “What is this? Is the mare possessed?”
Cadence shook her head, then smiled lamely when Thorn gestured to her. “I... I share my body with a presence called the Swan. She's a big part of why I am the way I am. More and more, we've been mixing together lately, and-”
“So you are a piglet with two heads, how cute.” Silver said ironically, and Cadence scowled at the mare, who only sniffed disdainfully before she said contemptibly: “Either one or the other must rule, Snow White. And speaking of which, where is the Dwarf?”
“Assisting a friend. He'll join us once he's able.” Thorn answered as he glanced towards Silver. “Would you like to take another shot?”
Silver glanced down at the rifle, and then she snorted before tossing it aside, Thorn wincing and narrowly catching it with telekinesis before it could clatter to the ground. “No. It's a fun toy, but it does not feel... correct. Or very real. It is just a toy, that's all.”
Cadence smiled awkwardly, although it was a struggle not to agree with Silver as Thorn sighed before he asked: “Then what would you prefer-”
“I have my magic. I do not need any further 'gifts' from the sow.” Silver said moodily, although at least for the moment she didn't sound outright hostile, Cadence thought.
Thorn only shrugged, but didn't argue: Cadence figured that by now, he was probably tired of arguing with the mare, too. “Alright. We can do the rest of the assessment later. For now, why don't we head to the Arts District?”
“Promising.” Silver deadpanned, and then she sighed before shaking her head and muttering: “Fine. We might as well.”
Thorn nodded, and then he gently took Cadence's rifle with telekinesis, as well as the unused box of ammunition. He turned to leave, and Silver automatically followed him out as Cadence lingered behind, letting the two pull a little ahead but listening in despite herself.
“I want to be as far away from the sow as possible. That's the only reason I'm doing any of this, playing your... stupid games, helping your meaningless crusade.” Silver muttered, shaking her head shortly as she glared at Thorn.
Thorn only shook his own head, beginning: “I know that-”
“You know nothing!” Silver said harshly, but then she visibly gathered herself, taking a slow breath in and out before she muttered: “Pigs know nothing. Pigs own nothing. Pigs are nothing. Nothing but fat and food and meat for the culling.”
Thorn sighed a little as he headed towards the equipment counter, turning the gear in to the Dogmatist with a polite nod before he frowned a little when Silver said quietly: “I will never forgive her and I will never forget this.”
“You don't have to forget what happened, Silver. But we don't give forgiveness simply for someone else's sake. You need to let go.” Thorn responded, as he rounded on Silver.
Silver snorted at this, and then she leaned forwards, almost shoving her steel mask against Thorn's face as she asked contemptibly: “And what do you know about that, Regent Thorn Blackfeather? What have you suffered? What freedoms have been stripped from you? What has the sow done to you... or rather, what has she not given you?”
Thorn only looked evenly back at Silver for a few moments, before he glanced up as a familiar figure came nervously trotting through the entrance to the range. “Moonflower. We were about to head to the Arts District.”
“Oh, excellent, uh... yes!” Moonflower said lamely, and then the black stallion gave an awkward smile before he looked at Silver and blurted: “Luna was always my favorite princess!”
Silver simply gave Moonflower a look as Cadence sighed tiredly from where she was lingering on the other side of the range, until the steel-faced mare snorted and retorted cruelly: “And you, Dwarf, are my favorite idiot, because unlike so many others you'll never breed and spread your stupidity.”
Moonflower's jaw fell open, and Thorn gave Silver a dry look before he said in an exasperated voice: “Let's please just go.”
Silver shrugged grouchily, then she dropped her head and followed behind Thorn. Moonflower and Cadence fell in behind her, but they both kept at a distance as the stallion scowled horribly at her back and Cadence only reflected moodily that it seemed like all the Lunas she had met so far were nothing but enormous pains in the flank.
The day was a very long one, but finally, it ended, and a scowling Cadence and extremely angry Moonflower retired to their personal quarters. Thorn promised to catch up to Moonflower later, but for the moment he had escort Silver to where she would be staying in Decretum and make sure she was comfortable.
He had volunteered his own quarters for her, and Silver was now pacing from room to room like a ghost, restless and unhappy. She had done quite a number on Thorn's patience, but as the stallion watched her, he felt himself becoming a little more sympathetic to the mare, studying her silently before he shook his head and said softly: “If you-”
“Do not start!” Silver shouted at him, and Thorn simply looked at her as the mare spun towards him, storming across the living room and slamming the table out of the way with telekinesis, sending knickknacks and papers flying in every direction as she roared through the cloud of debris: “I do not need your useless advice and I do not want your sympathy or your pity, Regent Thorn Blackfeather, treasured, favored little trinket of my oh so darling and devoted sister!”
There was silence for a few moments as Silver panted harshly through her mask, and then Thorn shook his head slowly before he said quietly: “You've had your time to sit and cry over how unfair everything is, and to be rude and obnoxious and angry. But that time is over and it's time for you to start taking steps forwards, like the rest of us.”
Silver snarled at him, and yet there was something of a sneer in her voice as she leaned forwards, asking threateningly: “Or what? Or you'll do what, Thorn Blackfeather?”
“That's what you don't seem to understand, Silver. I won't 'force' you to do anything. I could, easily, and ironically because you won't let me reprogram the neural nodes.” Thorn shrugged, looking fearlessly through the hollow glass lenses that hid Silver's eyes even as the air crackled around the mare with her energy. “We are not a democracy in Decretum, but nor do we rule through tyranny. We do not force ponies to do what they do not want to do.”
“Oh, no. That would be far too barbaric. Instead, you just volunteer them to have pieces of metal put in their heads that tell them things, that make it hurt when you refuse and make it feel good when you obey!” Silver shouted, stomping hard enough to crack the floor. “And what about all these other piggies you're fattening up? Orphans, pah, just like you? To be taken in, seduced, and then-”
“You're a coward.” Thorn cut off, and Silver froze. “What happened to you was and is terrible and unfair. Clinging to that, refusing to let us heal and fix these mistakes, is stupid. What do you hope to gain? Or do you simply want to self-destruct that badly?”
Silver snarled, then she slashed her horn down, and Thorn was blasted off his hooves by the thrum of telekinetic power, shattering a glass screen as he smashed into the wall. But as he collapsed to the ground, Silver staggered with a gasp, her whole body quaking as electricity surged through her form before she fell limp as well.
Silence fell as the last of the debris settled, and then Thorn twitched once before he shook his head quickly, slowly pushing himself up to his hooves as he asked tiredly: “Feel better?”
Silver shifted slowly, and then she shivered a little before whispering: “Go to hell.”
“I was born there.” Thorn replied moodily, and then he brushed slowly at himself before glancing up in surprise as the door to his room opened.
Hecate stormed inside, glaring furiously at Silver, who did her best to scowl back, but there was perhaps the faintest hint of deference in the way she hung her head a little, even as she blurted: “It was his fault!”
“It's always someone else's fault, isn't it?” asked Hecate grouchily, and Silver looked away before the mechanical goddess shook her head in contempt, then turned her eyes towards her son, her gaze lingering for a moment on him before she said almost gently: “Thorn, you have other business to attend to. Go and deal with things.”
Thorn looked up at Hecate for a moment, and then he gave an awkward nod before he glanced over at Silver. But she turned pointedly away with a snort, so the sapphire stallion only shrugged before heading for the door.
Almost the moment it shut, Silver spun around and opened her mouth, but she was struck silent by the sight of Hecate's mechanical body calmly removing her head from her steel shoulders. The mare trembled as the powerful steel frame leaned forwards and gently set Hecate's head down on a nearby armchair, before it straightened and drew carefully back.
Silver stepped forwards, staring down at her sister, as Hecate looked silently back up at her sibling with a strange sort of dignity in her eyes. She was precariously balanced on her stump of neck, kept from falling over only by the thickness of the steep cap around her throat and the fact she was leaned slightly into one corner of the seat, the goddess saying quietly: “Luna, I am sorry. I am sorry that I couldn't protect you, I am sorry that I couldn't save you. This was all I could do, to protect you from him.
“I don't know what else I can say. Do you want me to apologize for falling in love? For trying to fill the hole in my heart that banishing you left?” Hecate smiled faintly, looking silently over at her sister as she shook her head slowly. “Those aren't things I can apologize for, but for you, I'll still try. And no, I don't expect your forgiveness for all the things that I did wrong. For sending you away, for hurting you, for creating the situation in the first place, for... for the fact that I had to lock you away, not once, but twice, and the second time, when that prison vanished... I just let it go. I never should have let you go, but I was weak, Luna. I was so very weak... and it was so much easier to convince myself that the strongest thing I could do, the best thing I could do, was not care.
“Luna, I love you, and I'm sorry I hurt you. But I can't make things better if you won't let me help you.” Hecate said quietly and honestly, looking silently up at her sister. “And as much as I want to welcome you back into my life and do everything I can for you, my love for you cannot outweigh my responsibilities, Luna. I destroyed you. I destroyed my family. I destroyed my world, and helped in the destruction of many others. Now I have to do everything, everything I can, to protect the rest of these worlds and the rest of this universe.”
Hecate fell silent, and Silver studied her quietly for a few moments before she shook her head slowly, then whispered: “Why do you always have to try and be the savior, Celestia?”
Hecate smiled faintly at this, and then she replied quietly: “I'm no savior. But another mare, who... reminded me very much of you... showed me that I didn't have to just wallow in despair, or give up the fight because it all seemed too hard.”
She stopped, then laughed shortly, shaking her head as best she could: a difficult task without a body. “Imagine that. It felt 'too hard.' What a stupid, childish, selfish motive.”
“It sounds like you.” Silver said softly, but she lowered herself a little, gazing silently into her sister's eyes as she studied her, before she murmured: “I... didn't realize... the last time I saw you, you were able to just... swoop in, and rescue me...”
“I didn't rescue you, Luna. I put you there in the first place. And what I brought you back to was something even worse.” Hecate replied with a faint, bitter smile.
Silver snorted quietly, and then she hesitantly reached forwards and carefully picked Hecate up, making her wince and scowl a little before she looked away when her sister asked: “What happened to you? You were so... strong.”
“Yes, I was. But I was too powerful, Luna. My body destroyed itself from the inside out, and now... this is all that's left.” Hecate grimaced a bit as Luna tilted her back and forth, before she scowled when the mare touched her metal-sheathed horn. “Put me down.”
“Almost helpless, aren't you?” asked Silver with the faintest hint of entertainment, and Hecate grumbled under her breath before she carefully rose her sister's head to eye level, the two looking at one-another for a few moments before she looked away, then murmured: “It hurts, and it's hard to deal with, because I don't know... what I'm supposed to feel.”
“I know. I know it will take time. And I know I'm asking you to rush and I know that I'm...” Hecate halted, then she laughed faintly before saying quietly: “I hope you realize that I brought you back for more reasons than because you're useful.”
“I don't know. You've always been a pragmatist.” Silver murmured, and then she gently set Hecate's head down, studying her silently for a few moments before she sat back and laughed a little, studying her sister's head as Hecate shifted herself as best she could to stay better balanced. “Celestia... why... why did you wake me up?”
Hecate smiled briefly, and then she replied quietly: “Because I finally found you, Luna. I lost you, but... I finally found you again, after all these years. And the first thing I wanted to do when I finally set foot into that place again was... wake you up, and...”
She quieted, looking away, before closing her eyes and murmuring: “I won't blame you if you want to leave, and I won't stop you. I know I was rough, and rude, and... stupid. Like you said, though, I've always been a pragmatist, and... what better way to keep you close than to make you a part of my Clockwork Empire?”
Hecate halted, then laughed faintly and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “The same old mistakes, made all over again...”
“At least this time you put me somewhere interesting.” Silver shook her head, then she sat back with a quiet sigh, looking at Hecate and murmuring: “I can't just forgive everything. I can't just... jump straight into... being your little fat pig-”
“You are not a pig. None of them are pigs, Luna. Please understand that what you're being told by the nodes in your head... none of its true. And the Warehouse... is not exactly an ideal. Even in the past, it was... a crude solution to a much larger problem.” Hecate replied, looking up at Silver openly and honestly. “Let me turn the nodes off. Let me help you.”
Silver looked away, and then he shook her head slowly as she slipped back a little, murmuring: “I don't want to be hooked up to the machines, Celestia. I don't want to... I already feel it, every moment of every day. I look through tinted glass lenses and see all these things I don't understand; I feel these thoughts in my mind, and these subtle sensations with every movement I make. I... hate what you've done to me, Celestia.”
Hecate looked away, and there was silence for a few moments before Silver asked quietly: “Why didn't you make me into one of those... things, patrolling the halls? Why did you... leave me halfway? I hate you for what you've done, but... why leave me with the ability to hate you for it, to understand that I am broken. Did you... want me to suffer?”
“No, Luna. No. Never. I never wanted you to suffer.” Hecate answered, smiling faintly as she shook her head as best she could. “But I had to do this, all the same, because if I hadn't... I know that Valthrudnir would have used you against me. And after he lost his mind, my son...”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Silver said softly: “Your son seems fine to me.”
Hecate smiled despite herself, then she nodded a little bit even as she replied: “Yes. Thorn is... but my first son, Thesis, was not.”
Silver laughed a little at this, and then she looked away before saying finally: “I guess maybe we should have tried to catch up first, before...”
“We have time now.” Hecate said as she rose her eyes, and the two looked at each other for a few moments before she added hesitantly: “And it would mean a lot to me, if... you would help me. I know how unfair that is to ask, but I'm asking all the same.”
“You never were fair.” Silver said softly, but she sighed a little and nodded after a moment, lowering her head and murmuring: “Even if I wanted to leave, Celestia, where would I go? Nowhere. It sounds like our old home was...”
“It's still there. But... no, it's not... what you would remember.” Hecate answered after a moment, nodding briefly, the mare smiling faintly as she looked down for a moment. “I don't even know whether or not I should apologize for that. It was my fault, after all.”
“Now you want me to blame you.” Silver murmured, and she laughed a little before shaking her own head slowly. “Amazes me, but at the same time... I know it shouldn't surprise me that you're the same old Celestia.”
Hecate frowned at this, and Silver seemed to smile beneath her mask as she answered: “Taking on the troubles of the world. Blaming herself. And of course, the way you would always be so firm and direct in court, all the masks you'd wear out in the public eye, but in private... you were always so much gentler, Celly.”
“Shut up, Luna.” Hecate grumbled as she looked awkwardly away, but that only seemed to make Silver smile even more, from the emotions she felt, from the shift in her body language-
“I still believe in you. Even after everything that's happened.” Silver confessed, and Hecate rose her eyes in surprise before Silver sighed a little and sat back, muttering: “Even if part of me will always wonder if that's just the nodes talking.”
Hecate shook herself a little, and then she replied quietly: “Even you should be smart enough to figure out those nodes don't work that well. Otherwise I'd just leave them in your head.”
Silver chuckled a little at this, and then silence fell as the two simply studied each other, shifting back and forth as they looked over one another for a few moments. And finally, Silver murmured: “I'll help you under one condition, Celestia. You let me choose what I do.”
“That's... a difficult promise to afford anyone, Luna.” Hecate muttered, but then she sighed a little at the pointed look she felt from the mare, nodding hesitantly after a few moments. “Fine. But I'll be holding you to the same standard that I do everyone else. And you will be held accountable for the missions you choose. Choose what you take on, but... do it well.”
“That's you, Celly. Always the pragmatist.” Silver said wryly, and Hecate chuckled a little as she shook her head slowly.
“That's me.” Hecate agreed after a moment, and then the two looked at each other again, reflecting on how much had changed, and how much hadn't.
Cadence was less than thrilled when the time for the mission came, and she was told that Silver was in fact coming with them. Thorn was as professional as ever, but she thought there was maybe the slightest twitch in his behaviors that gave away he maybe didn't entirely approve of the fact that Hecate seemed to be coddling Silver a little.
It was something else she had never expected to see, Cadence reflected: Hecate treated even Thorn with the same professional coldness she did everything else, but with Silver, there was hesitance. There was a lack of surety. She understood why, but that didn't stop her from feeling worried about it: part of the reason Hecate's empire functioned was because there was never nepotism, there was never favoritism. How did Silver affect that whole equation?
Moonflower was scowling horribly at Silver, but Cadence thought that was because he really, purely did not like her. The fact that he was in heavy armor and was being forced to pull a massive, rolling cargo box probably wasn't helping much, though, especially since Silver was just loitering around while Thorn was setting up the portal and Hecate was standing off to the side, barking at them every time they stepped out of line, but not saying anything to Silver even when the mare wandered out of position.
What bothered Cadence most was that Silver wasn't even equipped for combat: even the Dogmatists usually got some kind of gear, after all. But Silver had no weapons, and unlike them, wasn't outfitted in any kind of armor. And when Cadence cleared her throat pointedly to at least try and get the mare to step back into position, Silver made an obvious show of ignoring her, simply looking away and purposefully putting her back to the ivory mare.
“This is going to go great.” Cadence muttered as the portal sparked to life, and then she winced at the scathing look Hecate shot her, hurriedly stepping into escort position behind Moonflower as Thorn strode to the front of the line.
Thorn turned around, then frowned at Silver, the stallion saying calmly: “You need to-”
“I need do nothing. I am under no orders except my own.” Silver retorted, and Thorn frowned deeper before his eyes flicked towards Hecate. Hecate, however, only crossed her arms as her eyes shifted slightly away, and Thorn felt a strange drop in his stomach before he returned his eyes to Silver.
“I will not allow you to compromise the safety of my people on this mission, Silver.” Thorn stated quietly but firmly, and Silver glared at the sapphire stallion. “Fall in line, or consider yourself removed from duty.”
Cadence and Moonflower both stared with surprise at Thorn: he didn't sound angry, which was probably what made the finality of his words so heavy. He was completely conscious of what he was saying, and who he was saying it to.
Silver snorted loudly at this, glaring at Thorn as she leaned aggressively forwards before declaring: “I am a free agent, and I don't-”
“For safety, we have to pass through this portal in escort position. We don't have time to argue. I have to go. And I will leave you behind if you will not cooperate. It's that simple.” Thorn replied fearlessly, even as Silver snorted and stomped a hoof angrily before she shot a look towards Hecate.
“Thorn. She is not an operative of Decretum and not under your jurisdiction.” Hecate said shortly, and there was a flash like betrayal over Thorn's face, Cadence thought.
“Code 100.1 states that any operative is subject to penalty or removal, no matter their status, if they interfere in the mission. I will not put my team in danger.” Thorn stated, and without waiting for a response, he started towards the portal, squaring his shoulder as he ordered: “Cadence, Moonflower, fall in. We have a job to do.”
Before Thorn could quite make the portal, Silver bodychecked him and leapt in first, and Thorn stumbled to a halt with a wince before he closed his eyes and took a slow breath. Moonflower and Cadence both stumbled to a halt, looking easily at the sapphire stallion as Hecate shifted uncomfortably, the mare looking away and biting her lip for a moment.
But Thorn didn't even glance towards Hecate, simply keeping his gaze stoically ahead and mentally counting to five before he strode into the portal. When he emerged from the other side into a gray and desolate wasteland a few moments later, he barely shot Silver a look, instead calling up a holographic screen as he mentally calculated the distance across the barren, rocky plains to the listing and uneven towers of the mining facility.
Cadence and Moonflower emerged from the portal a moment later, both of them glaring at Silver, who pointedly ignored them as she said loudly: “If you are ready to go, then I am certainly ready to go.”
“Maintain your escort positions. It's a short walk to the facility entrance, but we don't know what's inside.” Thorn said, very clearly ignoring Silver as he gestured with his head towards the translucent map floating beside him.
He turned to face forwards, and then frowned when he found Silver in his way. He attempted to step past her, but Silver smoothly moved with him as she asked: “And what about me, Regent Thorn Blackfeather? Or is the fact that I no longer have to cooperate-”
“Enough. Either cooperate, or I will have you extracted.” Thorn said shortly, and Silver snorted.
“Jealousy doesn't look good on you, little colt.” Silver snapped, and Cadence flinched mentally: somehow, she didn't think that was going to go over very well. “Now, why don't you-”
Thorn glanced towards the holographic screen, then he tapped quickly over it before saying shortly: “Seneschal, I require an emergency extraction. Lock on to my current coordinates.”
There was a faint beeping from the screen, and then Seneschal's static-riddled voice said uneasily: “Thorn, I am... not permitted to extract Silver Sentinel except under emergency medical-”
“You're stuck with me, in other words. Just like I'm stuck here, with all of you.” Silver said nastily, leaning into Thorn's face before she rose a hoof and swiped it through the holographic screen, making it distort and fizzle out.
The two looked at each other for a few moments, and then Silver asked contemptibly: “So what are you going to do, Regent Thorn Blackfeather?”
“Adversus protocol, authorization code 1X1X. Lockdown.” Thorn ordered, and Silver twitched once before she fell limply on her face, Thorn looking down at her coldly as he said bluntly: “I will not hesitate to use the neural modifiers as a method of control to protect my team and yourself from your own idiocy, Silver. Seneschal, force emergency extraction.”
“Y-Yes, Thorn Blackfeather.” Seneschal said anxiously, as Silver twitched weakly on the ground, and Cadence and Moonflower both could imagine why: it wasn't likely that Hecate was-
“Override lockdown on empress-0 authority!” shouted a voice from the screen, and Cadence and Moonflower both winced as Thorn's head reared slightly in surprise. “Thorn, this is not acceptable! You will comply with the mission parameters or I will have you removed, do I make myself clear?”
Silver shook herself out, then slowly picked herself up from the dusty ground, but Thorn was staring at the holographic screen as if he'd never seen it before. His disbelief only lasted a few moments before it lapsed into cool professionalism, however, although Cadence and Moonflower could both hear the hint of anger in his voice and the lack of his usual crispness as he replied: “Yes, Empress Hecate, you do. I will complete the mission and Silver will assist.”
Thorn cut the communication, then he looked over at Silver as the mare shook herself out, then muttered: “Nice try, but-”
“Shut up.” Thorn said simply, and Silver stared at him before the sapphire stallion looked over his shoulder and almost barked: “We're here to deliver a package. Let's move.”
Moonflower stared as Thorn turned to walk away, until Cadence firmly nudged the black unicorn and got him hurrying forwards. Silver eventually fell in behind them, but if anything, Cadence was glad that the mare was loitering behind them: considering the anger she could sense from Thorn, it was probably for the best that she wasn't trying to muscle her way into the lead again.
Thorn didn't calm down over the ten minute walk to the facility: if anything, by the time they reached the badly-damaged metal walkway that led down to the rusted entrance, he seemed angrier. But even his anger was cold and directed, Cadence reflected, as the stallion said over his shoulder: “I'll go ahead. Please wait here.”
Moonflower smiled lamely, but Thorn was gone in a moment, the stallion dropping his head a little as he mumbled: “Well. That went terribly.”
Cadence grunted, and then both she and Moonflower looked over at Silver, who was lingering awkwardly at the edge of the metal walkway, kicking absently at a rust-covered rock.
But since she was ignoring them, they decided to ignore her. It wasn't very long before Thorn returned, the stallion beckoning to them: and only them, Cadence noted, although Silver trotted along behind them, lingering like a ghost.
The wheeled crate clanked and rumbled as Moonflower pulled it down the walkway, Cadence grasping the back of it to stop it from sliding forwards as they made their way down the gentle incline. Moonflower was puffing a little from the effort, but he was doing quite well, all-in-all: even if his big body was mostly all show, he was starting to build up some decent physical strength.
Thorn nodded to them with the faintest of smiles, and both Cadence and Moonflower smiled back as he murmured: “Sorry.”
“Hey, don't apologize. Right, Moonflower?” Cadence nudged the black unicorn firmly, making him blink before he nodded vigorously, then cleared his throat.
“Yes, it's... you're doing great and I trust you as a leader and... I want you to know that you're really an inspiration to me.” Moonflower rambled, and the mare couldn't help but look at her friend with amusement as Thorn gave maybe the smallest of smiles. “You... you're great.”
“Thank you.” Thorn nodded once, then turned and gestured for them to follow, saying softly: “Let's keep moving. I'm excited to introduce you both to our contact.”
Moonflower cocked his head quizzically at this, as Cadence couldn't help but remark: “You sure sound it, Thorn.”
Thorn gave Cadence a mild look, but he smiled a little again, and Cadence was honestly more glad than she could put into words to see the stoic stallion relaxing a little. Even more so because of how angry he had just been, and she didn't think even Silver wanted to be on the receiving end of an angry Thorn Blackfeather.
Speaking of Silver... Cadence looked moodily back over her shoulder to see the mare still lingering behind them, aimlessly zigzagging back and forth and banging now and then into the walls carelessly, stomping her hooves against the rusted floor. She didn't seem to care that they had just walked into what could very well be an enemy facility, or that they were already passing signs of activity present: apart from the gigantic open doors, there were dim lights on throughout the corridor, and the clanking of run-down machinery. In a facility this old, it meant that someone had to have started up the equipment, perhaps even done repairs to it.
Eventually, they entered a long, wide hall: frozen pistons hung above, along with damaged cargo rails and other industrial machinery that Cadence only half-recognized from her tutoring in Decretum. The walls were lined with pipes, cables, and other strange machines that Cadence didn't recognize, but she could feel the toxic essence of the Clay of Prometheus even from here.
“Hey there. Thorn, I see you brought friends.” said a soft voice, and Cadence frowned as it triggered something inside her: it was almost a feeling of dread, and familiarity... “I would have cleaned up if I'd known you were bringing more guests.”
“Cadence, Moonflower, this is my brother, Thesis.” Thorn said in his polite and yet blunt way, and both ponies did a double-take at the stallion who emerged from the shadows, the Replicant giving a small smile as he bowed his head to them respectfully.
Cadence felt her blood run cold in her veins before the Swan suddenly and violently rose up, her eyes locking the Voidborn as she hissed: “You are not forgiven. We are not the weak vessel we once were.”
The Swan lunged forwards, but Thorn's hoof snapped out and caught her by the back of the armor, the sapphire stallion saying sharply: “Danzsöngr, enough.”
The Swan dropped her head, and then Cadence shivered as she felt her body fall back under her own control, the mare blinking a few times before she winced as she looked up at Thesis. But the Replicant only smiled at her, saying softly: “I sort of recognize you, but I guess... it's been a long time, and we've both changed since then... Cadence, right?”
“Y-Yes.” Cadence said as she shook herself out, awkwardly raising her head before she winced in surprise as she found Thesis right in front of her. “Uh. You were...”
And then it all clicked together in her head, the mare's eyes widening slightly as she whispered: “You were with Valthrudnir. You were his bodyguard. That's why I recognized your name, and...”
She shifted a little on her hooves, nervously looking over him as Thesis only stood, bowing his head slightly towards her. It was enough to help Cadence relax a little, the ivory mare studying him a little more intently before she murmured the first thing that came to mind: “But you don't feel like the person you were back then.”
“Well, you're not a foal anymore, either. We all grow up, you know.” Thesis replied reasonably, smiling down at her before he reached up and patted her condescendingly on the head. “I won't beat you up this time. Don't worry.”
Cadence's face puckered sourly, but Thesis only winked before he slipped past her to examine Moonflower, looking up and down the stallion as Moonflower's eyes roved carefully over Thesis, perhaps a little too carefully, Cadence thought as she scowled horribly at the black unicorn. “So, you're Moonflower, huh? You're Thorn's coltfriend.”
“Yes!” Moonflower exclaimed, his eyes widening slightly as a faint blush suffused his cheeks. For a few moments, the two simply looked at each other until Thesis politely cleared his throat, and the black unicorn gave a dumb smile before he blurted: “Handsomeness must run in the family, though, because you are also... really handsome!”
Thesis looked mildly at Moonflower for a few moments, until the black unicorn slowly shrank his head between his shoulders, then scuttled awkwardly away, or rather, he attempted to, but then got caught on the straps that were still attached between his body and the cargo crate, nearly falling on his face with a squawk before he looked lamely up when Thorn caught him by one shoulder.
The sapphire stallion smiled a little as he helped Moonflower straighten up, and then Thorn slipped his hoof down to the black unicorn's side, pulling off one of the buckles attaching him to the crate as he turned his eyes back to Thesis. “These are my friends. And...”
He hesitated for a moment, then looked over his shoulder at Silver, who was lurking moodily in the background. “Silver, please step forward.”
Silver snorted, but she did as asked all the same, striding up and surveying Thesis distastefully for a few moments before she said shortly: “I am a fat pig.”
“I thought my aunt died.” Thesis said softly, looking over Silver with a small smile before he shook his head slowly and whistled quietly. “Wow. Mom really went all out to protect you, huh?”
Silver snorted again at this, and then she said contemptibly, as she rose one steel hoof: “If that's what you call this torture, then yes, I suppose she did go 'all out.'”
Thesis only smiled wryly, and then he turned his eyes back towards Thorn, who was calmly removing the other straps from Moonflower as the unicorn sat obediently, his eyes still staring over Thesis, clearly enthralled. “You have an odd bunch here, kiddo. A... really odd bunch.”
Thorn shrugged a bit as he finished removing the straps from Moonflower, and then he tapped him on the shoulder, making the unicorn jump a little, then blush awkwardly as Thorn asked politely: “Will you and Cadence please open the crate?”
Cadence frowned uncertainly, glancing nervously at Thesis as Moonflower hurried back to the crate, the ivory mare unable to help from asking: “Are we... but isn't he-”
“Thesis is not regarded as a hostile. This... confrontation with Thokk is more complicated than a war between forces of 'good' and 'evil,' Cadence.” Thorn replied pointedly, and the ivory mare grumbled but nodded awkwardly to the stallion after a moment, even as she sighed a little. “Please try to keep that in mind.”
“I am. I really am.” Cadence mumbled, and then she bit her lip and looked at Thesis, who looked back at her with a smile. A kind smile, she thought... “You uh... Melinda talked about you.”
“I hope she wasn't too rough on you guys. She can get away with a bit more than the rest of us, though, because if she goes back to the Void, Thokk won't be able to resummon her quite as easily as the rest of us.” Thesis gestured at himself, then he turned his eyes towards Thorn and added in a quieter voice: “Rig is... distracted for now, but I have to warn you that I don't think Thokk is entirely unaware of what I'm doing. She's crafty. She knows that this...”
Thesis turned his eyes towards the cargo crate, where Moonflower was now carefully lifting what looked almost like an engine free from the interior of the crate, and he softened a little before he murmured: “This isn't a good idea.”
“You're family. Family does what it can for each other, regardless of whether it's a 'good idea' or not.” Thorn replied with a shrug, meeting Thesis' eyes fearlessly.
There was silence for a few moments, and then Thesis chuckled quietly before he reached up and knocked twice on Thorn's helmet, making him scowl a little as the Replicant remarked wryly: “You're a good kid, kid.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Thorn said dryly as he reached up and gently pushed Thesis' hoof away, and then he shook his head briefly before asking: “What are Thokk's movements?”
Thesis snorted in amusement at this, but Silver spoke before the stallion could, saying acerbically: “Yes, because that's all you and the sow really care about, isn't it? You don't give gifts and neither does she. You just give bribes. Fattening the pigs, that's all you know how to do.”
Thorn looked at Silver distastefully for a moment, and Thesis snorted in amusement before he remarked: “You know, I never really saw my Mom as a cow. No, she's definitely like... more like a dinosaur. Because she's huge and scary and a lot of ponies don't believe she exists.”
“That's because of dragons.” Thorn said, and when the others stared at him, he glanced around before explaining: “Larger dinosaur skeletons are mistaken for species of extinct dragon. Furthermore, although the evolutionary path is extremely different, many ponies mistakenly believe that sauropods evolved into dragon or dragon-kin. Therefore dinosaurs are often misclassed as-”
“You're so oblivious sometimes, and I find that adorable.” Thesis said blandly, earning a horrible look from Thorn. Then he looked up with a wink at Silver, adding: “But hey, at least he's smart, right? And he sure knows where his priorities are.”
“Do not even pretend to lecture me about my family.” growled Silver, bristling visibly as she bared her teeth at Thesis. “All I know is what happened to me, and that I was betrayed, and that even now I have-”
“So much pain, and it's all the world's fault, not mine for refusing to let go. Hey, I'm just protecting myself, that's all. Screw the world, screw my family, and the fact they're trying to be there for me now, they totally should have been there for me before and I don't have to be helpful or nice at all and I shouldn't have to be a grown up, they totally missed out on their chance.” Thesis interrupted loudly, flailing his hooves back and forth through the air before he stomped down and leaned forwards, glaring through Silver's tinted lenses and into her eyes. “Emotions hurt, but they're still excuses. They're not logical, like reasons. And believe me, Silver, you want to learn, and learn fast, to get over yourself. Because if you don't, you'll hurt yourself, hurt others, and ultimately...”
Thesis softened as he looked towards the sapphire stallion, saying quietly: “You'll never know a regret greater than the regrets you carry about being so... weak. Or, you know, you'll go completely crazy with it, and you'll just lash out at everyone and... well...”
Thesis sat back, giving an ironic smile. “That doesn't end too pleasantly either.”
Silver only snorted in contempt, looking distastefully at Thesis for a few moments before she shook her head and said softly: “You should check yourself, little pony. Neither you, nor that little urchin that my sister picked up off the street to comfort herself, are family to me.”
Thesis' eyes narrowed, but he didn't speak as Moonflower and Cadence shifted uncomfortably, the only noise the faint grinding and rumbling of machinery in the distance. Silver only stood for a few moments, but then she snorted in contempt and disgust before turning around and storming quickly away, muttering: “I'll wait for you outside. I no longer desire to take any part in this.”
As Silver stalked away, Thesis slowly shook his head before he sighed a little, then he gave an awkward smile to Thorn, saying finally: “Don't worry. Family is family, right?”
“Family is family. Sometimes even when you choose to leave it.” Thorn replied quietly, and then he sighed a little before silently looking over his shoulder, adding in a softer voice: “And sometimes, no matter how much you love something, you have to let it go.”
Thesis frowned at this, but Thorn only continued to gaze after Silver silently, hating the fact that even if family was the most important thing, sometimes even that had to be given up to protect the greater good.