Chapter Eighty Four: The Lessons We Must Learn
~BlackRoseRaven
Thorn Blackfeather moved like water on his rear hooves, in perfect rhythm with Morning Glory and Freya as they danced through the katas they had been practicing. Thorn barely made a sound as his hooves stepped gracefully along the wooden stakes that had been hammered into the ground at intervals through the sand garden, never disturbing the shaped dunes below.
Every day, they practiced together, and more: in spite of how the corruption still made his blood boil, his emotions made him want to lash out, his body hurt... there was no time to give in to any of it anymore. So much was happening at once, and he had experienced so much over the last few days alone that it felt like his head was going to explode from the pressure.
But the choice was his, and his alone, he had learned: burn out and break, or move forwards and grow stronger. He chose the latter, and he was doing everything he could to take in everything he had learned, so he could better serve Decretum. So he could be ready, when the time came, to protect his home, to protect his family, to protect everything he cared about, from the horrors that both Melinda and the Mad Hatter had warned him about and shown to him during the insane tea party he could barely remember, and yet never forget.
All this training, all this living, would be meaningless if he wasn't ready to stand up and do his part. To fight for it. He had to be the stallion that he knew he could be: not just for the sake of others, but for himself. Because ultimately, this was all selfishness, wasn't it?
He couldn't do this just for the world alone, for other people. To change, to be, he had to want it for himself. And he did. He didn't want to be the useless gimp. He had said, many times, he was not handicapped.
He was not handicapped. He was not weak. He was not 'disabled.' And he would not allow himself to fail.
Thorn's front hoof flexed as it pushed through the air, but the way he moved, the way his other shoulder stretched, was as if he had all four limbs, like the leg was only invisible, and not missing. He moved with balance, and grace, and fearlessness, never balking or quailing, never checking on Freya and Morning Glory.
He was a leader, Freya thought with pride, and over these last three days he had grown strong. His parents would be proud. Hecate would be proud.
They finished the kata in a crane pose, Thorn standing on one hoof with his foreleg in the air, his body flexed to maintain his balance before he finally stepped down into the sand garden, sighing and letting himself relax as Morning Glory said grudgingly: “Adequate.”
“Well, I think you have a fan, Thorn.” remarked Freya, and Morning Glory rolled her eyes before she shot a glare at her brother as Burning Desire giggled from the sidelines, then winced and hurriedly grabbed a rake to start smoothing out the zen garden.
Thorn only smiled briefly, and Morning Glory studied him for a few moments before she said moodily: “I'll be more impressed once he can harness his corruption properly. For now, though... mastering his weaknesses in the space of three days is adequate.”
“I haven't mastered them. I just haven't let them master me.” Thorn replied quietly, before he glanced at the stump of foreleg and added: “Training with these... abilities is helping. But I want to be able to control them so I can safely suppress them. Not abuse them.”
“Do you fear power corrupting you that much?” Freya asked curiously, and Thorn shrugged as he turned around to face her, the one-eyed mare smiling slightly before she said softly: “It is not absolute power that corrupts absolutely, you know. It is more often that those driven to have absolute power are the ones who are most vulnerable to its will. You don't go looking for power unless you're very desperate, after all, or there's something very wrong with you to begin with.”
Thorn shrugged again, and Freya rolled her eye as she grumbled: “I take back every nice thing I said about you, lad. You're miserable to be around.”
Thorn smiled slightly again, and of course, shrugged: Freya snorted and turned away, and Morning Glory let the faintest hint of amusement show through her stony features before she almost ordered: “We should train now. You've wasted enough time dancing around.”
“Alright.” Thorn agreed after a moment, glancing around the zen garden: this was Morning Glory's private estate, so he didn't have to worry about too many people spying on him. That was good, since he was still feeling self-conscious about using his strange, corruption-fueled power. “What did you have in mind?”
Morning Glory answered by stepping forwards and swinging a hoof at him, but Thorn simply leaned back out of the way, the stomp doing nothing more than sending up a spray of sand before the Destroyer lunged forwards, stomping and slashing her horn out viciously. Thorn, however, backpedaled smoothly, swaying from side-to-side as he moved easily on his three legs, a slight smile lingering on his lips as Morning Glory visibly grew both more frustrated and more amused at the same time, shouting: “Fight me!”
“I am.” Thorn replied calmly, twisting easily out of the way of the Destroyer's onslaught before he ducked quickly to the side when she slashed viciously forward with her horn, evading the strike before he flicked his horn to the side, negating her blast of purification with a thrum of power.
Morning Glory glared at him as she halted, and Freya grinned widely before she called cheerfully: “You're not doing too badly, Destroyer! You just about put a scratch on the three-legged teenager!”
“Shut up, Freya.” Morning Glory grumbled, and then she rolled her shoulders before chains rose up from her armored back as her steel mask bled into existence over her face, the Destroyer growling: “Fine. If you want to play a game, let's see who tires first.”
“I will. I'm physically inferior to a demon.” Thorn paused, then said meditatively as he absently flexed his stump: “But I suppose since that's only a turn of phrase, what you're really asking is who would give up first, which is purely based upon the factor of will. And there is no evidence to support that any person's will is naturally stronger or weaker than another's.”
“I take offense at that. Women are much more willful than men. Men are like straw: strong in a bundle, weak by themselves.” Freya interrupted mildly, and Thorn let his eyes flick towards her as Morning Glory glowered darkly. “But I have to say, for a mere child of a warrior, you're by far one of the most willful I've met. Most children are only so stubborn because they don't know what the world will do to them in time; you seem to have weathered enough tragedy in your short years to have broken most ponies. So I have to wonder: are you stupid or just that ill-tempered?”
Thorn shrugged, and Freya groaned loudly before she summoned one of her swords and flung it at Thorn, who smoothly backpedaled before he reared back when Morning Glory lunged at him suddenly and swept up the blade in telekinesis, slashing it savagely out. Freya grinned widely at the way Thorn dodged around the chains, the blade, the stomping hooves and blasts of magic, but all the same she called warningly: “Careful now! If you break him, Hecate won't let us send him back to Decretum! His parents had enough trouble passing him off on Hecate!”
Freya couldn't help but admire Thorn's response, not just to Morning Glory's ferocity, but her own barbs, which she knew could be much more dangerous: there was a reason she was so loud and obnoxious, after all. But Thorn didn't just move like water, he reflected like liquid as well: you could shout all you wanted at it, but all you ever did was yell at yourself.
Thorn ducked under a slash from the sword, then he leapt backwards as Morning Glory swung her horn down before he grimaced when the mare blasted the sand garden in front of her, sending up a wave of thick dust that obscured the air and blinded the stallion. Chains and hooves snapped through this, and Thorn backpedaled before he swore as he realized he had been backed into the short wall, blinded and cornered.
A black hoof slammed into the ground beneath him, and Morning Glory was driven backwards by several spikes of dark crystal that ripped up out of the earth between her and Thorn. She swore under her breath, eyes widening in surprise as a bit of blood dripped from a narrow cut that had been torn across her cheek by one of the spikes: skin healed and torn mask filled rapidly back in, but it still left a shallow divot where the spike of black crystal had struck.
The dust cleared as the spikes dissolved into black mist, leaving Thorn standing calmly on four legs, a thrumming limb of rubbery corruption beneath his body. Black veins pulsed visibly through his body, the stallion breathing a little harder as he fought to control his emotions: they were so much louder when he used his powers. And it was so hard to force that leg to remain cohesive, a stallion's leg, not the limb of a monster, not the limb of a-
He looked up to see Morning Glory lunge at him, but he easily flung himself over her head, twisting his body agilely in midair to land a good ten feet behind her. Morning Glory spun herself around in a circle, grinning coldly at him through her mask, but Thorn only flexed his body with a grimace: he had to be careful not to hurt himself. The corruption supercharged him, but for better or worse, he was little more than mortal: being able to leap thirty feet into the air or lift boulders above his head really didn't matter if his body broke under the strain of doing so.
“Resist.” Morning Glory ordered, and Thorn grimaced before she snapped her horn down, channeling a laser of purification towards him. Thorn caught this against his black hoof, gritting his teeth as it turned to stone under the power of the ray of holy energies, but he flexed and pressed back with his own powers, and the petrified corruption slowly transformed to black crystal.
They fought against each other in a contest of wills, Morning Glory pouring more energy into the beam and Thorn resisting it as his limb pulsated with power, refusing to let the Destroyer neutralize it.
Finally, Morning Glory growled and slashed her horn out, cutting off the beam in favor of a massive blast of potent purification, but Thorn quickly dropped his black hoof and instead slapped his other foreleg out, smashing the blast of holy energy out of the air, and Morning Glory snorted before she pointed the sword at him and said contemptibly: “That is not resisting.”
“I know my limits. I can't resist more than ten thousand bæns of purification. I'll petrify.” Thorn answered, and Morning Glory smiled thinly.
“You fail because you allow yourself to fail. You are weak because you allow yourself to be weak. I ordered you to resist. So resist.” Morning Glory snapped, and then she reared back as she gathered her energies before she snapped her horn forwards, sending another massive blast of holy energy at the stallion.
Thorn Blackfeather gritted his teeth, but he rose his head and forced himself to simply take the blast of holy power as it slammed into him, knocking him skidding backwards through the dust as he gasped in pain, his whole body flaring with agony as he shuddered violently, stone spreading rapidly over his skin and the black poison limb...
And then, slowly, he lowered his head, only partially petrified, and feeling his corruption already attacking the parts of him that had turned to stone, restoring it to flesh as his black limb flexed. Rocky plates fell away from the limb as he straightened slightly, then whispered: “Twelve thousand bæns.”
“Yes, you can count, we are all very impressed.” Morning Glory said distastefully, and then she shook her head as she watched Thorn slowly restore himself, the mare saying contemptibly: “I told you to resist. This is not resistance. This is healing. If I attacked you now I could kill you. You are worthless as a statue, Thorn. Not even my brother would bother putting you in one of his stupid gardens.”
Thorn kept himself calm and in control, understanding what Morning Glory was doing: testing his emotional strength. But he was able to use the pain of his body healing itself from partial petrification to keep himself calm, replying quietly: “I am not strong enough to resist an attack of this magnitude yet. Other courses of action would be explored in such an event.”
Morning Glory snorted at this, then she asked coldly: “And if there were none? You do not always have a choice, Thorn Blackfeather. Are you going to cry? You're weaker than your parents. And your parents have many weaknesses.”
Thorn remained silent, even though he knew that would only encourage Morning Glory to target what they both knew was a weak point in his psyche. “Your parents are weak. You are even weaker. Perhaps they knew you were a failure. Perhaps they just saw the shadows of the failures they already were in you. At least they can fight, though: what can you do, Thorn Blackfeather? Cry? Whimper? Beg? Pathetic. Even with that poison flowing through your veins you're even less than the junkie sleaze or the drunken dog that-”
Freya whistled, and Morning Glory glanced towards her before she winced and leaned back as the Valkyrie's sword tore itself out of her psychic grip and found her throat, Freya smiling benevolently even as her eye locked gazes coldly with the Destroyer, saying softly: “Now, I know you're just trying to get a reaction or make a point, but I don't really like what you're saying. Be a woman, Morning Glory. Women talk to make men act. Don't be a man. Men just bark to make themselves feel better.”
Morning Glory grimaced a little, then she nodded briefly when the sword drew away from her throat before it vanished as Freya turned her eyes towards Thorn and said quietly: “He's doing well. Even you can't deny that. This stubborn, stupid boy is growing up into something decent.”
The Destroyer grunted at this as Thorn finally took a slow breath, his body healed enough for him to shake himself out before he glanced up as Morning Glory said moodily: “I wouldn't go that far yet. Ardent, your turn.”
Burning Desire brightened at this before he hopped forwards, tossing the rake aside and saying cheerfully: “Of course! Thorn, I know these mares can be a little rough, but-”
Morning Glory swept up the rake with telekinesis and slapped Burning Desire's legs out from under him with it, knocking him on his side in a puff of sand. Then she drew the rake to herself, catching it in her forelegs and beginning to slowly, methodically rake through the sand, grumbling: “Get the hell out of my garden.”
Burning Desire huffed at this, and Freya snorted before she purposefully dragged her heels as she headed towards the edge of the garden, saying wryly: “Yes, yes, let's leave the girl to her little girl's work, smoothing this sand out.”
Morning Glory only glowered, and Thorn bowed his head politely to the Destroyer before he turned to follow Burning Desire as he hurried after Freya, the stallion saying awkwardly: “You know, there's only a few things my sister enjoys in life, and really, who am I to judge her... pleasures?”
“It's not about enjoyment. It's a meditation. It's about clearing your mind.” Thorn paused, then added: “And she has to redo the entire sand garden once she starts, so your attempt to give her more work is pointless.”
“Oh, silly me.” Freya remarked, and then she flicked her horn over her shoulder, and Morning Glory swore and looked up in frustration as several saplings sprung up out of the sand, Burning Desire wincing and hurrying away as Freya called nonchalantly: “What's a garden without a little green?”
With that, she turned away and followed Burning Desire up the small steps to a flat square, the stone tiles beneath their hooves solid enough that they wouldn't let sound transfer through to the rooms below. It was easy to forget that they were actually on the roof of Morning Glory's mansion, with the beautiful zen garden, the greenhouses on the other side, this open square where performances or group training could be done...
“Okay, let's get started.” Burning Desire said positively, and Thorn turned his attention to the demon as he approached with a smile, before he held up a foreleg and wiggled it. “I notice that you're using that limb to walk fine, but can you transform it?”
“Yes.” Thorn held up his black foreleg, flexing it slowly before he flicked it out to the side, and it became a winglike structure, not-feathers shivering over its length before it dissolved into black smoke, a few thin tendrils of darkness vanishing into his stump as Thorn shrugged his cape quickly over that side of his body, and he sighed in relief as the black veins slowly faded from his body, adding: “Dismissal is getting easier as well.”
“Good. But uh, as much as I know you don't want to, Thorn, we have to actually try and work on you using those powers.” Burning Desire said pointedly, before he continued: “You have no problem with concrete transformations: things that make sense, like creating a limb for yourself or spikes out of crystal and whatnot. But you haven't been able to use your powers in other ways.”
“I don't know if I'll be able to. That's not the way I think.” Thorn admitted, before he winced when Freya snorted and slapped him on the back.
“Not everything has to make sense, Thorn. You won't be able to master anything until you realize that. For such an intelligent pony, you really are very thick-headed.” Freya paused, then added with a wink: “And I don't mean that in a good way.”
Thorn only looked at Freya for a moment, before Burning Desire cleared his throat and said awkwardly: “Perhaps for now we could just go back to the basics and see what we can do with you, Thorn. You're far from mastering these powers but... you're making impressive progress.”
“I just hope it's enough.” Thorn said softly, before he smiled and glanced up with Freya huffed at him.
“Have faith, boy.” she almost ordered, then she reached up and tousled his mane, saying softly: “The Valkyrie blood in your veins will make up for your failings, child. You only have to let it.”
Thesis grumbled under his breath as he sat back in the medical pod, before he winced as it began to fill with liquid corruption. Cadence watched nervously, but Hecate was as stoic as ever, saying distastefully: “He can cry about it all he wants, but this is his own fault. He needs stabilization.”
“He doesn't seem sick.” Cadence said, even knowing she was saying something stupid, and Hecate turned a moody eye towards her.
“Neither does your father. But they've both been sick for a long time and know how to hide the symptoms, that is all.” Hecate answered, and Cadence had to admit, that was very true about her father: up until it took him over, he always seemed so... strong. “Thesis needs a few hours to stabilize himself, or he'll end up decaying at an even faster rate than he already is.”
Hecate stopped, and for a brief moment, she softened as she gazed at the pod, now full of corruption, her son floating inside it with a faint smile as he looked at her, white eyes visible even through the black waters... and thankfully, sane, she thought. But then she returned her eyes to Cadence, her features growing hard again as she said: “Call your team together and meet me in Personnel Briefing. Ten minutes.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Cadence saluted, then she hesitated, eyes lingering on Hecate before she asked finally: “Do you think that-”
“Save it for briefing.” Hecate said moodily, and Cadence smiled awkwardly before she hurriedly threw another salute at her, then turned and ran off, leaving Hecate standing alone in the medical lab in front of the modified healing chamber.
She looked at Thesis through the glass, then said quietly: “I hope you understand how much you mean to me, Thesis. These healing capsules aren't cheap. Converting one for your personal use shows nepotism, on my part.”
Thesis smiled at her, and she could clearly read his thoughts as he replied: Yes, but they can be used for some of your other soldiers, too. Replicants, Sombra, perhaps one day...
“Your 'brother' and his family will never join us. That is simply the way it must be.” Hecate quieted, then she said softly: “Not that we must be enemies, either... not unless occasion calls for it. But things have become... complicated.”
She sighed a little, lowering her head for a moment, and then she shook it slowly and murmured: “Loki is trying to buy time, and all we can do right now is play his game. He's staying out of reach, in areas permeated by the Void, where he'll be nearly invulnerable. I don't completely understand his goal, but I feel as if he has a way to become... even more powerful than I am...”
Hecate flexed a hoof slowly, looking down at it silently, and Thesis asked: How?
“If I knew, we wouldn't have a problem, would we?” Hecate asked distastefully, before she shook her head and continued quietly: “The Clockwork Empire still has other obligations. Thanatos brought many concerns and possibilities to the table, and what he said makes sense. Loki seems to be carrying out his threats to attack the homeworlds of Team 0-0, but it must be more complicated than that: petty vengeance is counterproductive to his cause. We already eliminated an ally who could have been extremely powerful, and if Loki is gaining power by reaping souls...”
Hecate was silent, before she looked up as Thesis asked her clearly: What do you think we should do? Do we attack?
“No. Loki knows we're still off-balance at this point, scrambling to respond to the Void disturbances we've detected and his attacks on Team 0-0's homeworlds.” Hecate shook her head slowly, then she muttered: “Not to mention the fact that Decretum has to be completely rebuilt and Endworld is still coming online. Attacking would be brash more than it would be bold.”
Thesis nodded slowly from the capsule, and then he sat back as he thought more to himself than her: I hate playing the patience game.
“I do too, Thesis. I want to crush the life out of Loki.” Hecate halted, then she smiled briefly as she silently reached up and touched one of the vents on her side, murmuring: “But I've learned from my past mistakes, that bloodlust is not always the answer.”
Just usually? Thesis asked, and Hecate sighed, but had to fight to hide a smile all the same. Mom... take care of yourself, okay? I'm okay. You need to be okay too.
“I'm fine, Thesis.” Hecate said almost irritably, shaking her head briefly before she sighed and muttered: “I don't want you going on this mission.”
Thesis only looked at her from inside the capsule, and Hecate lowered her head and nodded briefly before she grumbled: “I know. I can't stop you, either. I-”
Thorn. Thesis thought suddenly, and Hecate glanced over her shoulder at him in surprise before Thesis asked: Why not send Thorn?
Hecate opened her mouth to call him an idiot, but then she closed it slowly, letting herself muse on the subject as she lowered her head slightly. It was a possibility, certainly: whether or not Thorn was doing better, it would be good for him. He always learned faster when he was being tested by something, and that way she could keep Thesis back as acting regent while having Thorn run communications...
“I will have to delay their assignment briefly, but...” Hecate paused, then she said: “Fine. If you're going to volunteer to remain in administration, so be it. I might as well see to this myself.”
With that, Hecate turned and focused, her body humming with power as she stepped through reality. And a moment later, she was standing calmly on a stone rooftop beside Freya, who flinched slightly at her appearance before she remarked loudly: “Well, so much for Mommy leaving her little boy in our care.”
Burning Desire and Thorn both looked up in surprise, and Thorn stepped quickly backward and saluted sharply with a hoof made of eerie black... corruption.
Hecate strode quickly towards Thorn, looking down at him, her features tightening with worry as her eyes looked quickly over the stallion. She could sense heightened emotions as clearly as she could see the veins of black poison pulsing through his body, and for a moment Hecate was tempted to scold him, to shout at him, to tell him anything but what she really felt, but she mastered herself, and instead shook her head slowly before she murmured: “We are both fools.”
“Yes.” Thorn agreed simply, and then he smiled ever so faintly before he said quietly, as that dark and terrible limb vanished: “My training is incomplete.”
“Training is never complete, Thorn Blackfeather. Only fools think they've reached the apex of their craft.” Hecate retorted, and then she glanced over her shoulder and asked: “Where is the Primordial?”
Freya snorted loudly at this, rolling her eyes as she answered moodily: “Do you really think I'm just going to turn him back over to you for any reason, Jötnar? Or has becoming one of their kind gone to your head?”
“We might have our differences, Freya, and I understand you enjoy playing your games, but I am in no mood.” Hecate said shortly, and Freya held up a hoof, although a smile quirked at her muzzle that annoyed Hecate. It annoyed her, because it told her that really, all Freya had been looking for was-
“Fine, fine. But since you're so interested, Hecate, perhaps you could provide me a few of your metal toys to help with the process of... waking up an old friend.” Freya said eloquently, and Hecate scowled before Freya reasoned: “Well, you're clearly interested in poor Atavus, aren't you? And while I want to step away from all this business, I recognize after a bit of thinking that... some strange primordial activity could bring more than your little poppets down on my head. And that's not something I want Discombobulation to have to deal with the moment he wakes up.”
“Fine. I'll send an envoy to discuss this with you later. Thorn, come with me.” Hecate said shortly, and Thorn stepped up beside the mare before she reached out and grasped him firmly, as Freya grinned widely, but her eye remained sharp, studying Hecate intently until the Jötnar mare vanished.
Hecate appeared at the front of the briefing room where Cadence had assembled her team, and Moonflower squeaked and fell out of his chair as La Croix winced away in surprise, nearly knocking over the kit of potions in front of him. Hecate barely gave them a look, however, as she nearly flung Thorn into a chair before turning her eyes back over the group.
Cadence saluted her lamely even as she stared at Thorn, and Sombra smiled and bowed his head to her politely before the stallion said gently: “Benvenuto.”
“Chiudi la bocca.” retorted Hecate, and then she turned towards Cadence and said: “As Thesis is recovering and obviously cannot be trusted not to overexert himself, Thorn Blackfeather will be joining Team 0-0 as a representative of the Clockwork Empire's interests. He will handle diplomatic relations. The rest of you will focus on finding the source of the Void disturbance in World B-30.”
“That's my world!” Moonflower blurted as he scrambled back into his seat, and Cadence grimaced slightly: she felt both betrayed and strangely relieved that they weren't going to investigate her homeworld next. “I... I just mean... I mean, that's very good but oh I'm sure they can take care of themselves and it's very exciting to think about but not at all and what if something happens and hello Thorn I'm glad to see you it's really nice to see you I hope that you and Necrophage oh that came out wrong I-”
Hecate pointed at Moonflower with one hoof, and he squealed as electricity crackled across his body, falling out of his seat and jittering helplessly on the floor as the Jötnar mare said distastefully: “I trust there are no objections?”
Sombra rose a hoof, and Hecate frowned at him before the stallion asked: “Why are we investigating this world first? Has something happened there?”
Hecate glared at the stallion, saying shortly: “I would expect that from your daughter, not from you, Sombra.” She paused for a moment, then added grudgingly: “And yes. Voidborn have been detected, not to mention the fact that his world once housed an extremely dangerous artifact. Your mission is not only to investigate the Voidborn presence, but to ensure this artifact remains disabled, and if possible, retrieve the creator of said artifact from Tartarus. He will need to be interrogated.”
“Oh gosh.” Moonflower crawled back up to his seat, looking stunned by what Hecate had said more than the sparks still traveling over his body, before he blurted: “You... you really want us to somehow get that architect out of Tartarus? Why? I mean, I don't even know if he's still alive...”
“If he stayed alive long enough for you to discover the existence of the Tablet of Dreams from him, then I'm sure he's still alive today. The only question is where he is.” Hecate answered, shaking her head slowly. “Before, the artifact was a nonissue: the world is only Class B, and that was almost entirely because of your meddling as well as the existence of the Halfdragon Empire. But you are gone, the Halfdragon are gone, and if it remains peaceful for another decade, it will be reclassified to a Class A world.
“But if Loki is able to capture the creators of the Tablet, he will be able to force them to create another, or worse. If he is capable of discovering how the Tablet manipulated the fabric of reality, then he could develop the power to wish worlds away. It would make our defiance meaningless: he would simply use the tablet to erase Decretum and Endworld from existence.” Hecate explained, and Moonflower shivered a little as Cadence grimaced and Sombra nodded slowly.
“Maybe this was his game all along. He announced that he was going to 'take revenge' on these worlds so that he could target specific people within them.” Thorn said slowly, and Hecate scowled: she didn't like the thought of that, but...
“No. I don't think so. But this is not a threat we can afford to overlook.” Hecate paused, then looked at Thorn and added: “I will debrief you personally after this meeting. For now, you should be aware that Bondye surfaced as a threat but has already been eliminated. We have also confirmed that Auriculos is the traitor who manipulated Decretum's security during the attack.”
“That leaves Loki's Voidborn, Primordials, and the Atropii as threats, however. It's highly likely he's also converted rogue Great Reapers to his cause.” Thorn advised without missing a beat, as surprised as he seemed by the information. He absently rubbed at his stump beneath his cape, then he added: “I'll compile a profile on Auriculos and see what other security vulnerabilities can be patched before we go on mission.”
“Already done, Thorn, I do not need you to do my job for me.” Hecate said irritably, and Thorn smiled despite himself before she studied him, paging through his thoughts, emotions, experiences, and then she turned her eyes suddenly towards Moonflower and said shortly: “Five hours. Make them count.”
Moonflower stared blankly at Hecate, but when Thorn climbed to his hooves and gestured to him, the black unicorn only pointed at himself before he squeaked when Hecate glared at him and fell out of his chair again, scrambling hurriedly after the stallion. Cadence frowned in surprise as the two left, but Sombra only smiled before he said: “He has grown, hasn't he?”
“Yes, he has.” Hecate shook her head slowly, then she eyed Cadence moodily for a moment before she said: “Thorn has been in contact with both Melinda and the Mad Hatter. It seems that during his reprieve from work he's accomplished more than your entire team has. What do you have to say for yourself?”
For a moment, Cadence stared at Hecate, and then she ground her teeth slowly together before she said shortly: “I'm ready to move in whenever you're ready.”
Hecate studied the mare for a moment, reading her emotions and her topmost thoughts. Then she nodded once and said: “You have six hours. Then I want your team prepared and ready to portal in. This world has moderate knowledge of our existence, so approach Canterlot directly and ask to speak to Throna and Princess Luna. There is no Princess Celestia present.”
Cadence frowned at this, raising her head in surprise, and Hecate confirmed her next questions before she had a chance to ask them: “Twilight is not a princess, and Cadence does not exist. She was likely killed by Stronghold Halfdragon, who replaced Princess Celestia as ruler. You should also be able to make contact with some of Moonflower's associates. One of them in particular, Antecedes, should be able to assist you in locating the artificer.”
Cadence nodded, and Hecate created a holographic screen before she tapped a short code across it, continuing: “Equip yourselves as necessary, but I will also be issuing you special gear for dealing with the Voidborn, so do not overload yourselves. Otherwise, you are all dismissed: Sombra, remain behind for a moment, I want to speak to you.”
Cadence lingered awkwardly as La Croix hurried for the door, but when Hecate glared at her and her father gestured gently at her, the mare sighed and headed outside herself. Hecate waited a moment until she was sure that Cadence had stepped away from the door, and then she turned her eyes towards Sombra and said quietly: “My son is still having problems with the corruption in his bloodstream. I trust I don't have to say anything further.”
“I shall take care of him as one of my own.” Sombra promised, and Hecate nodded. “Not to question your wisdom, Queen Hecate, but...”
“Then don't question it.” Hecate retorted, and Sombra bowed his head to her politely before the Jötnar mare said in a quieter voice: “You and I both know that we can't simply do what we want to do with no regard for others. I've calculated the risks: everything points to Moonflower's homeworld being much more endangered than yours.”
“I understand that, Queen Hecate. And I know that my daughter does, as well... she is simply... sfrenato.” Sombra smiled a little, then he asked quietly: “Why have you continued to put her at the forefront of danger when it is clear so many desire her to be eliminated?”
“Cadence will handle herself like any other Orphan, or she will die.” Hecate said shortly, although she was admittedly surprised to hear the stallion ask such a question. She studied him for a few moments, then finally said in a gentler voice: “I can only keep your daughter safe if she continues to serve as an Orphan. I have to prove to our allies not that I am capable of controlling her, but that she is capable of controlling herself. And she is, isn't she?”
Sombra was silent for a moment, and Hecate didn't like that. She scowled and tilted her head towards him, and finally, the stallion answered: “I love my daughter with all my heart. And I believe the Swan wishes to do good. But that is what scares me, Queen Hecate: how many things have been done in the name of good have become great evil? Too many. Too many, I know.”
Sombra looked down for a moment, and then he shook his head and murmured: “And Cadenza is... angry, and in love, and both determined and frightened. I am afraid for her. I am afraid what losing her anima gemella...”
Hecate snorted at this, asking with wry amusement: “Do you really think that Cadence and Thesis are-”
“Yes.” Sombra smiled, looking up at Hecate and saying softly: “And you do, too. But the truth is plain for any who have eyes to see, is it not? And I am glad. Very glad to see it, as much as it makes my heart hurt for them. As sad as it will be when...”
He quieted, and Hecate looked down before Sombra asked softly: “There is nothing quite as painful as losing a child, is there?”
“For all my power, I cannot heal him. I cannot restore Thesis. And yet I know I could... do something terrible, and force him to stay with us.” Hecate flexed a hoof slowly, before she shook her head and murmured: “And it would be an error. No, Sombra. You have not experienced it, but there are far worse things than losing a child. I pray you never understand that.”
Sombra looked up at Hecate, and Hecate looked back at him evenly before she said quietly: “Go. I trust you to take care of my son and your daughter. They are both very important to the Clockwork Empire. They both have great futures ahead of them.”
“May they eclipse us.” Sombra said softly, and Hecate gave a wry smile before she gestured him away, and Sombra bowed his head to her before he excused himself.
For a few moments, Hecate was alone, looking down and thinking silently to herself before she looked up and asked irritably: “What?”
Aphrodisia squeaked from where she was standing on the ceiling in the corner of the briefing room: she had wiggled her way silently in through the ether, but she was apparently unaware of how violently she had been distorting reality to do so. It was like ripples in a pond: noiseless, but Hecate had felt every 'wave' through the ether slapping against her face until she couldn't ignore the presence of the mare any longer.
She looked up at her irritably, and Aphrodisia smiled awkwardly as she reached up and pushed her mask off her face, saying lamely: “Sorry, Miss Hecate! Um... Thanatos has a message for you.”
“Of course he does.” Hecate muttered, and then she hesitated for a moment before asking in a gentler voice: “How is your training going? Are your quarters sufficient?”
“Yep yep! I like it here!” Aphrodisia said brightly as she threw out her forelegs, and then she fell off the ceiling, and Hecate winced at the thump she made as she hit the floor. But after only a moment, the now-Reaper popped up to her hooves and bounced over to Hecate, her cloak fluttering behind her, absently shoving her mask up when it fell over her face again. “Euthanasia is really nice and she's doing great teaching me all about everything and everything! She's really tough but tough like you're tough so not mean-tough but wants-me-to-learn tough but like I said she's also really nice! Like you!”
Hecate only looked moodily at Aphrodisia, who bounced happily on the spot for a few moments before she suddenly stopped, then looked up at Hecate with a sad smile, whispering: “But some days I just get numb, too, and it's really hard.”
Hecate reached out a hoof and touched the pale features of the former demon, saying quietly: “You learned to control your passion. This will be another long journey for you, but you will learn to control the nihilism, as well. Thanatos finds you... interesting. He doesn't find things interesting unless they are special. And I agree with him: you are special.”
Aphrodisia smiled brightly, raising her head slightly as her eyes visibly lit up before she asked: “You really mean it? Not just in an 'all ponies are special' way?”
“No. Not all ponies are special.” Hecate answered, shaking her head with a slight smile. “Not in the way that you are. Unique does not equate to 'special.'”
She stopped, then asked as she became businesslike: “What does Thanatos want?”
“Oh!” Aphrodisia bounced a little on the spot, then winced as her mask fell over her face before she recited, the metal skull-mask only muffling her voice slightly: “'Empress Hecate, it has come to my attention that souls are being diverted into the Void by some unknown means. As you have already established a base of operations in World Without End, I ask that you create a communications tower here as well, so I may contact you directly.'”
Hecate looked displeased at this, but it was mostly to hide her worry as she muttered: “Because that is clearly not the point of your Great Reapers. Very well. Inform Thanatos I will have several Worker Drones dispatched to build a communication array. Perhaps I'll send Cowlick and her spawn. They could do with being reminded this is not a pleasure cruise.”
“Oh! I saw Cowlick outside! She was making something for Thorn, I think! I bet it's a super awesome gun.” Aphrodisia said brightly, and Hecate looked at her for a moment before she turned and headed quickly for the door, Apps blinking before she waved a hoof and called: “Bye, Miss Hecate! Thank you lots and lots for everything!”
Hecate only grumbled in response as she shoved through the door, frowning as she tried to push her thoughts aside: it was disturbing to know that somehow Loki was rerouting souls into the Void that likely should have been destined for Heaven and Hell, but there was little she could do about that: instead, she preferred to focus on what she could actually change.
She found Thorn Blackfeather, Moonflower, and Cowlick in one of the Orphanage's training rooms: Moonflower was glaring with surprising ferocity at Cowlick, who was pointedly ignoring him, a cigarette jutting out of her muzzle as she tilted some horrible monstrosity of a gun back and forth in front of Thorn, who was examining it curiously. He glanced up as his mother entered the room, while Cowlick didn't bother to look up even as she greeted: “Hey, there's the top bitch. I was just showin' your boy here-”
Cowlick squawked when Hecate grabbed her by the back of the neck, hefting her into the air and holding her off to one side as the engineer flailed violently, while she caught the gun in telekinesis and examined it quickly. TITAN-II frame, alloy grip, mount modification, power-cell operated... “Interesting design choice.”
“Well, ain't that a hell of a compliment, coming from you?” remarked Cowlick mildly, before she yelped when Hecate almost flung her into the ground so the Jötnar mare could sit back and hold the rifle in her hooves: it was rectangular and heavy, but sized perfectly for Thorn. “I didn't build that toy for you. I built it for your kid. Or the kid you want to be your kid, I don't know.”
Hecate shot Cowlick a sour look, then she tossed the rifle to Thorn: he caught it awkwardly, fumbling it a little, and she noted a bit of black poison leaking from his stump as it half-formed a limb, but then simply bled away. His control is far from perfect. However... “I should be able to modify a temporary prosthetic to work with that weapon.”
“The one thing I really like about this place is all the new fun toys I get to cook up. And I gotta admit, keeping your real stuff under lock and key until you did... I guess I can see how it paid off.” Cowlick looked meditatively around, and then she added: “I'd really love to see that Fyrverǫld or whatever it's called, too. A fully-functional world-”
“I wouldn't call it 'fully-functional' by any stretch. Simply 'not-destroyed.'” Hecate corrected moodily, and then she turned her eyes towards Cowlick and continued, as the engineer chewed slowly on the end of her cigarette: “I have a job for you. I need you to establish a communication uplink in a sensitive area. The uplink needs to be both heavily insulated and capable of communicating across an enormous distance.”
“Cross-dimensional crap ain't that hard anymore. Not with what I've learned from being here.” Cowlick said, and Hecate smiled thinly. “Even if it's several hops away, that shouldn't take more than-”
“It will need at least twelve yottobæns of power: you're going through two shields, entropic insulation, and many parsecs of dimensional distance. Can you handle that?” asked Hecate, and Cowlick cocked an eyebrow as she spat out her stub of cigarette so she could shove another into her mouth.
“Give me the tools and I'll get it done.” she said finally, studying Hecate warily. “The hell is so important that you're going to give up the kind of resources to build a tower of that size, though? Or what, you just want a tower that can double as a gigantic bomb in case so-and-so pisses you off?”
Hecate only smiled sourly again, before she glanced to the side as Thorn shouldered the rifle and asked: “Do you want to talk to me now, or later?”
“Now. I need to fit you for a temporary leg, anyway. Cowlick, get your son and head to Research Hall C, I'll have Seneschal provide you with the schematics for the prototype All-Range Communications Tower. I'm sure that you can figure something out in the next few hours.”
“Yeah, sure, fine.” Cowlick waved a hoof absently, then she looked pointedly at Thorn, saying mildly: “Now, look, kiddo. I made that for you, and I don't make crap like this for just anyone. So you better goddamn use it, unlike that goddamn ungrateful Swan lady. Not that I can really blame her for not wanting a piece of crap like the MARES is.”
Hecate scowled horribly at Cowlick, then she simply turned around and headed for the door, Thorn lifting the rifle with telekinesis so he could follow with his stately, three-legged stride, and Moonflower hesitated only a moment before he hurried after the stallion, tossing a distrustful glower at Cowlick as he passed the grinning engineer.
Hecate ignored the two stallions as she led them down the hall, but she couldn't help but sneak a look back: whatever else, it seemed like Moonflower still cared for her son, and Thorn certainly was trying his best to make room for Moonflower; even his body language seemed apologetic, she thought. And considering how stubborn and serious Thorn usually was, she thought that said more than words ever could about how much her son must care for this stupid, showboating, flamboyant stallion.
The Jötnar mare led them to one of the Orphanage workshops, where she barked immediately: “Seneschal! I need a Type 3 frame for a foreleg prosthetic and a pauldron sensor!”
“Yes, Queen Hecate, right away!” Seneschal blurted from the speakers, and there was a loud clicking before Moonflower stared in disbelief as one of the walls slid up, revealing a system of rails beyond that were filled with spare parts sliding quickly along the trellises, sorting themselves out as Seneschal mumbled: “Type 3, Type 3, oh, I know there's one here somewhere...”
Hecate, meanwhile, turned her attention to Thorn as her son carefully placed the rifle down on the workbench, the two looking at one-another before the Jötnar mare asked quietly: “Are you okay?”
Moonflower couldn't help but draw his eyes away from the dancing machinery to instead stare at the unexpected show of maternity between Hecate and Thorn, as the sapphire stallion blushed maybe the smallest bit as he nodded, replying honestly: “Yes, Mother. I'm fine. I've learned a lot over the last few days. I also spoke to both Melinda and Kvasir about-”
“That is not important, and not what I'm asking you about at the moment.” Hecate cut off curtly, and Thorn smiled despite himself before she asked: “How is the pain?”
“Always there. But not so different. Not now that I've gotten... this under control.” Thorn reached up and tapped his head, nodding slowly as he admitted almost hesitantly: “I think a lot of it was mental. As much as it hurt, as... bad as the corruption poisoning was, it was the state of my mind that was really making me deteriorate. And I'm sorry about that.”
He hesitated again, then turned to Moonflower and added: “I'm sorry for how I treated you, too. And for what happened with Necrophage. I promise it won't happen again. She's my friend, she's a close friend, but not...”
“I... um...” Moonflower stopped, then looked lamely at Hecate, asking in a loud, nervous whisper: “Do we have to do this in front of your mother?”
Hecate rolled her eyes in disgust, and Thorn smiled, and after a moment Moonflower gave a lame grin before he dropped his head and replied, surprisingly honestly: “It hurt and it upset me, but it's always been because I get... so afraid, Thorn. Why would you stay with me when she's so much better for you? I... care about you, but... what can I offer you? You're... the one who takes care of me. Even I'm not silly enough to pretend I have anything you'd really want. You're so handsome, and so strong, and so... everything else, and I'm...”
Moonflower looked at himself, before he smiled awkwardly as he glanced up and murmured: “I want you to be happy. I want to make you happy. I just... get so afraid sometimes that...”
Thorn gazed silently at Moonflower, and then he strode over to the stallion and leaned in. Moonflower leaned immediately forwards, then caught himself quickly, biting his lip shyly as he reared his head back and half-looked at Hecate, but Thorn only smiled before he pressed his lips to the stallion's, and Moonflower's eyes fluttered closed as they kissed.
And after a moment, they drew apart, and Moonflower smiled dumbly at Thorn as the stallion gazed at him and said quietly: “All I can guarantee is that I will always try to be the best person I can be for you, Moonflower. And all I ask is that you try to be the best person that you can be, for you.”
Moonflower laughed a little at this, and then he flinched when Hecate said shortly: “If you're done, we have work to do. Moonflower, make yourself useful and bring those parts to the table. Thorn, I need to take a look at your leg.”
Thorn nodded as he turned to approach his mother, and Moonflower hurriedly grabbed the leg frame and other parts that Seneschal had detached from the rail for them, the stallion nearly tripping over his own hooves as he jumped towards the workbench, and Hecate reflected that even as annoying as he could be, at least Moonflower always tried.
And really, that was the most important lesson her Orphans could learn: they could always try.