//------------------------------//
// Dinner With Mother 
// Story: Hecate's Orphanage 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Ninety One:  Dinner With Mother
~BlackRoseRaven

“I'm ready for deployment, Empress Hecate.”
Hecate moodily looked up from the sheaf of papers floating in front of her, gazing out over her beautiful city of Exoterra. She thought that she'd be able to get a bit of privacy here in the Tower of Etemenanki if she hid out on one of the balconies... but apparently not.
The Jötnar mare turned around to find Cadence facing her, standing at the ready, her head raised high and proud, not a mark on her body. She looked like she'd fully healed... and it's been less than a full day since the disaster in Midgard B-30. 
The two regarded each other for a few moments: Cadence was both pleading and challenging, her mane freshly-cut, her hooves polished, the faint scent of blueberries on her body. She paused for a moment, before her eyes flicked past Cadence, as she said moodily: “Thesis, stop hiding.”
Thesis grinned lamely as he stepped out from behind the doorframe, opening his mouth, before he winced and leaned away when Hecate asked: “Is she ready?”
Cadence gritted her teeth, opening her mouth, but then her eyes bulged in shock when Hecate simply made a zipping gesture and the mare lost her ability to speak. Cadence wildly grabbed at her muzzle, mouthing wordlessly, and Thesis stared at her for a moment before he flailed uselessly when Hecate seized him with telekinesis and hefted him into the air, saying coldly: “Do not make me repeat myself.”
Thesis squirmed helplessly in her psychic grip for a few moments, and then he sighed and slumped, saying finally: “Mom, this is really mean. Even for you. I mean, now no matter what I say I'm going to get my face broke.”
Cadence and Hecate both glowered at him, and Thesis whiffled for a moment more before he finally said, even as he looked apologetically at Cadence: “Physically she's healing almost as fast as... Chess. But mentally... I think another day or two.”
“I agree.” Hecate dropped Thesis, as Cadence gave the stallion a scowl that only half-hid her hurt look, and Thesis looked down in embarrassment before Hecate said, surprisingly gentle: “You are not ready, Cadence. And furthermore, more... difficulties have appeared. I might need Team 0-0 for another mission, and not to your homeworld.”
“What?” Cadence looked up in disbelief, spluttering for a moment: but then, to Hecate's surprise, the mare gritted her teeth before she forced herself to nod and ask, in spite of the trouble she clearly had restraining herself: “What is the mission?”
For a few moments, Hecate studied Cadence silently, and then she answered in a grudging voice: “Not that you need to know yet, Cadence, but we've detected multiple pulses of Void energy. A few I've written off as decoys, but there were two noticeable signals: one from Looking Glass World, and one near the soul furnace we secured.”
Cadence frowned, and Hecate continued slowly: “Freya has also felt the pulse and requested additional... 'security,' so to speak. She is concerned that Loki is trying to retrieve or destroy Atavus and interfere in a ritual she has been in the process of setting up. While normally I do not entertain security requests, it may become necessary-”
“Not to interrupt, Queen Hecate, but I am capable of taking a small force to secure Looking Glass World.” came another voice calmly, and Cadence turned with surprise to see that Thorn had joined them. He looked calm and together, even if pale; a paleness that was only exacerbated by the fact that one of his eyes was now a glowing, icy blue.
“Thorn, you're supposed to be resting.” Hecate said softly, not hiding either her maternity or concern, but Thorn only smiled briefly at her, and the Jötnar mare sighed before becoming more professional as she added coldly: “You are Regent. You are needed here.”
“Freya will be able to complete her ritual over the course of forty-eight hours. Thesis can act as Regent, or even Seneschal can handle my duties while I ensure that our allies have the best protection possible. Furthermore, what Looking Glass World requires is organization, not necessarily muscle: I'll be serving in a purely advisory role.” Thorn explained, then he glanced over at Cadence, and the mare smiled faintly, doing her best not to look away from his mismatched gaze: it wasn't that she found his eyes uncomfortable. It was that she felt ashamed of herself, for failing so miserably in protecting him. In protecting... everyone. “That would also allow for Cadence to concentrate on intervening with the threat to the soul furnace. As we haven't detected any further pulses from her homeworld, that means Loki is not present there. But we do not know what is present at the soul furnace.”
“That information was not necessary to release.” Hecate said distastefully, and then she grimaced before sighing as she turned her eyes towards Cadence, saying finally: “Seneschal is monitoring communications and we have drones in the area scanning and triangulating the source of the Void signal. But for now, it's not engaging: I expect Auriculos is instead attempting to hack the automated systems to try and pave the way for whatever Voidborn or Primordials Loki is planning to attack with.”
Cadence nodded slowly, then she said finally: “I want to hit Loki hard. I want to go wherever it's most likely that he is.”
“Find a better motivation than revenge. You have twenty four hours for rest and prep, and then I'll send you and your team back to the soul furnace through direct portal.” Hecate said, meeting Cadence's eyes, and the ivory mare saluted. “Dismissed. Thesis, Thorn, wait here.”
Cadence hesitated, then she awkwardly turned and strode quickly off the balcony. Hecate was well-aware that the mare only ducked a little past the entrance, but she decided to ignore her presence, instead turning her attention to her sons, studying them both.
Thesis looked alive, healthy, strong, but he was ailing. She could feel it, the crumbling of the tethers that bound him together, like the molecules that made him up were losing their binding. And Thorn was full of roiling, boiling emotions that he was doing his best to suppress... no, control, that was a better word for it. And physically... “You're injured still.”
“I'll be fine. I'll be able to rest in Looking Glass World.” Thorn answered, before he added quietly: “I'm adapting to the new optic interface as well, it's-”
“Eye, Thorn. Just say 'eye.' I'm sorry I can't... make you a better one.” Hecate said quietly, hating the words she chose. It wasn't that she couldn't... she wouldn't. They all knew it, too, that she could just create a brand new eye, that she could completely heal Thorn, restore his limb, bleed the poison from his system...
But where would she stop? It was such a good cause. But there were even better causes: she could restore the entire world. She could breathe life into this planet and Decretum. She could turn back all of Valthrudnir's work.
She could do wonderful things. She could perform miracles. She could make people happy.
In their happiness, they would love her. Revere her. Respect her even more. She could almost taste it. It lit up the pleasure centers of her mind. Being in control. Being goddess... no, more. So much more. So powerful. Omnipotent!
She could become greater than Valthrudnir. She had all his power and a thousand times his imagination.
She could create a perfect world.
A perfect universe.
Her universe.
And Horses of Heaven that was so wrong.
Hecate shook herself out of her thoughts, clenching her eyes shut for a moment, and both Thesis and Thorn looked at her with concern before Hecate muttered: “Nothing. Just useless thoughts.”
“I don't blame you. I understand.” Thorn said, soft and sincere, and Hecate looked at her son, meeting his mismatched eyes, before she gave a faint smile: Thorn always understood. Sometimes he understood her even better than Thesis did.
But Thesis always smiled, always redirected her attention, like he did as he joked: “I do too. Mom just wants me to make you a better stallion. She's way too much of a hardass, we don't want you being any more like her.”
“Shut up, Thesis.” Hecate said mildly, and then she turned her eyes back towards Thorn and said quietly: “I trust you to make the right decision. You are my son, but also my Regent, and my second-in-command. But I would appreciate it if you would take Silver with you.”
“Aunt Luna being too much of a pain in the butt for you?” Thesis asked mildly, and Hecate rolled her eyes.
“Silver has been acting as an ambassador and a go-between between us and our remaining backers. It would be good for her to... acclimate... to Looking Glass World's peculiar inhabitants, as they are one of our biggest partners.” explained Hecate, before she turned her eyes towards Thesis. “I want you to go with Cadence. Take the RED with you to secure the soul furnace and lock it down completely. And stay out of the fight, Thesis, you're decaying.”
“I'm not dead yet, Mom.” Thesis replied with a shrug, and Hecate couldn't help but smile before the Replicant firmly grabbed Thorn around the neck and half-hugged him with a grin as the sapphire stallion winced a bit. “Anyway, Mom, since we totally have the night, we should have dinner together! You know, a family meal! I'll bring my marefriend, Thorn can bring his coltfriend... how does that sound?”
“Ridiculous.” Hecate said dryly, but after a few moments of Thesis pleading with his eyes and Thorn only looking uncomfortable, the mare finally sighed before she relented and said grudgingly: “Get your work done. Six hours.”
“It's like three in the afternoon, we can't eat at-” Thesis squawked when Hecate smacked him firmly, the Replicant stumbling and finally loosening his grip enough that Thorn could quickly slip away, brushing quickly at himself before he adjusted his cape with a glower at Thesis.
Thesis huffed back at the stallion, then he groaned as Hecate shoved him firmly with one hoof, grumbling: “I'm going, I'm going. Why are you being so much harder on me instead of baby brother, though?”
“Because Thorn is trustworthy and already ahead of schedule for today's work. You are lazy and have yet to complete the tasks I assigned you this morning.” Hecate said dryly, and Thesis grumbled under his breath before he looked awkwardly over his shoulder as his mother shouted: “Cadence, I expect you to have a full report on the status of your team prepared by tonight, as well as equipment requests!”
Cadence awkwardly laughed as she peeked out from behind the wall, nearly beet red with embarrassment as Hecate eyed her moodily, before the winged unicorn winced as Thesis grabbed her in a hug and said cheerfully to his mother: “I forgot to mention that we want to get sort of married but not really married so uh can you arrange that for us on the health insurance or something?”
There was silence for a moment, and then Hecate simply narrowed her eyes and blasted Thesis across the hall with telekinesis to thunk loudly into a wall, before she sighed tiredly as she looked moodily at Cadence, saying distastefully: “Fill out a change of marital status form and we'll use the umbrella of common-law marriage for now, unless you two can decide on something better.”
Thesis grinned as Cadence blushed, mumbled what she hoped was a thank-you, and then she turned and grabbed Thesis by the ear before yanking him quickly down the hall, hissing: “What the hell do you think you're doing?”
“I like you.” Thesis said blandly, and Cadence glowered at him as they came to a stop, before Thesis suddenly became more serious, saying quietly and honestly: “I like you. I know Mom likes you. But I want you both to see each other as... part of the family, not just employer-to-employee, mentor and student. I want you to be able to call Mom 'Mom' and I want her to be able to call you 'daughter.'”
Cadence stuttered to a halt, staring at Thesis, and Thesis gazed back at her with a small smile before he said finally: “I figured it was better just to... go ahead and say it, and start the gears rolling. I know I can't force it, but I know that... neither of you will be anything but professional to each other unless someone gives you both a shove in the right direction. And you know me. Always pushy. Always shovesy.” 
Cadence sighed a little after a moment, and then she said moodily: “I don't think I'm ever going to call Hecate 'Mommy.'”
“Mother, not 'Mommy.' It's creepy when grown mares call Mommy 'Mommy.'” Thesis said disapprovingly, and Cadence gave him a dry look as she slowly flexed a hoof at her side, tempted to see how far she could punch him down the hall. “Anyway, let's get going, huh? I need you to help me finish these reports and I'll help you dig through the equipment logs while we check in on the rest of the team.”
“The rest of our team?” Cadence asked mildly, giving Thesis a pointed look at what he had implied, but Thesis only winked over his shoulder at her.
“Hey, we share everything, right?” he asked cheerfully, and Cadence sighed but smiled all the same, before scowling as he added: “You know, except chores, because you're the mare and all.”
Hecate rolled her eyes at the sound of a thud and yelp from the hallway, Thorn glancing absently back over his shoulder before he returned his eyes to his mother when she asked: “How is Moonflower doing?”
“I don't know. Adjusting. It's a slow and difficult process.” Thorn said, hating how all those things sounded like non-answers. But there wasn't really an answer, either: he'd never seen any stallion so... hurt before. It was something... “I don't think many ponies can understand it. Perhaps you could talk to him tonight. As... someone else who has lost much.”
Hecate scowled for a moment, but then she softened a little and sighed tiredly, rubbing slowly at her face before she muttered: “Fine. These ponies are all going to start thinking I'm weak, though.”
“No one could ever think of you as 'weak.'” Thorn said honestly, and Hecate smiled briefly before the sapphire stallion asked: “Do you want me to bring anything to dinner?”
“Get out.” Hecate said shortly, and Thorn smiled despite himself before he bowed his head, then turned and left, Hecate sighing and turning around to look up at the endless twilight above Endworld, muttering: “Children these days.”

Cadence and Thesis arrived at the doors to Hecate's private quarters in their usual clothing, which amounted to a lot of nothing. Thorn arrived in his half-cape and a silk shirt, and Moonflower was dressed in an elegant but wrinkled suit, looking tired and disheveled. He didn't look overwhelmed, like Princess Luna and Throna both were, but... tired. So terribly, awfully tired, and somehow that was so much worse.
Cadence smiled over at the two, and Thorn nodded politely as Moonflower only let his eyes travel listlessly over them. Then all four looked up as Hecate flung the doors open, studying them moodily before she said finally: “Come in.”
They entered: Cadence was both surprised and not to realize that while Hecate's quarters were large, they were also very empty. No fancy paintings on the wall, no décor, not more than a simple carpet to wipe their hooves at the entrance. The barren hall led to a barren room, and past that was finally a semi-furnished dining area, with a large table where plates, utensils, and simple steel pots of food had been set out.
Cadence smiled awkwardly: it smelled decent, but the pots looked like the same pots that they served gruel out of, and that usually smelled half-decent until it was on the plate too. She opened her mouth, then winced when Hecate flicked her horn and knocked the chairs on either side of the table out, saying shortly: “Sit.”
Thesis half-dragged Cadence around the table, placing her pointedly between himself and his mother, while Thorn and Moonflower sat on the other side, leaving Hecate the spot at the head. The Jötnar mare dropped her rump in her seat, scowling around at them before she said sharply: “Business ends now. If you have anything pressing to deal with or report, deal with it immediately. You have ten seconds.”
Cadence almost panicked for a moment, but Thesis quickly thrust up a hoof and declared proudly: “We're done!”
Hecate eyed her son moodily, then her eyes flicked towards Thorn, watching as the stallion called up a holographic screen and tapped a quick order over it before he closed it and nodded. Moonflower glanced up from his stupor with a sort of distant curiosity at the tenseness in the air, but that icy feeling only lasted for a moment before Hecate suddenly relaxed and sat back.
She smiled, sighing a bit before she explained gently: “Family time is our time together. If there's an emergency, Seneschal will put the orders through to us. Otherwise, they can wait a few hours or one of our associates can handle the problem.
“It's not about just escaping work or being 'with family,' though: the act itself of putting things aside is... important, I feel.” Hecate continued, gentle, maternal... every inch, Cadence thought with wonder, the Princess Celestia she had once been. “We live from emergency to emergency. We continue to survive the horrors we face because we love one another, because we trust one another. And this is how important you all are to me. Important enough that I will put everything else aside, just to spend the time here and now with you.”
Moonflower rose his head slightly, and then he gave a faint smile, his lip trembling before he looked quickly down, but Hecate only leaned towards him and reached across Thorn to gently catch Moonflower's hoof as it clutched against the tabletop, saying softly: “Go ahead.”
Moonflower opened and closed his mouth a few times, and then he laughed brokenly before he dropped his head and said: “I just... I remember that... Neato Burrito and Antecedes and I, we would all sit around like this sometimes and... and we would...”
Moonflower rubbed convulsively at his eyes, before he looked up, tears running down his cheeks as he blurted: “I failed them! I failed them all!”
“No, you didn't. You saved as many lives as you could. Moonflower, I know that it's nothing, nothing, compared to what was lost, but you saved two thousand lives by managing to hold the world together as long as you did. Two thousand. And I promise you every single one of those lives will be protected until all of this is over.” Hecate emphasized, and Moonflower trembled as he stared up at her, before the Jötnar mare said quietly: “This is not your fault.”
“It feels like it is.” Moonflower whispered, before he slumped back against his chair and rubbed at his eyes, then he laughed weakly and murmured: “I'm... I'm sorry. I'm not a very good dinner guest. I'm not a very good anything. I'm... a worthless faggot.”
“Those are Stronghold's words, not yours. Don't let her beat you.” Thorn said quietly as he looked over at Moonflower, and the black unicorn trembled as he dropped his head, clenching his eyes shut. “Moonflower, look at me.”
Hesitantly, Moonflower looked slowly up, and Thorn reached up and silently touched his own false eye, saying quietly: “And this is my fault, not yours. This is because I stepped in the path of a Primordial. A Primordial you saved us from.”
“You've saved our lives a lot of times, Moonflower. I know... I know you've never thought much of yourself, but... I think a lot of you.” Cadence added with a small smile, and Moonflower glanced across at her with a faint laugh and flush of both surprise and embarrassment. “I'm glad you're here. I'm glad... you're part of the team. We wouldn't be able to keep fighting without you. And I know you're not like me, focused on revenge, but... we have to keep going. We can't let this kind of disaster happen again.”
“No. No, we can't.” Moonflower murmured as he looked down at his plate, before he whispered: “It's funny. The fact that Antecedes died... that's what hurts the most. He was like a father to me... a father, a brother, a best friend all in one. But I know he was okay with death, too. He was okay with dying. It was Neato who had so much more to live for, but... I... I don't know. Maybe it's because... I know that even now, Neato is probably...”
Moonflower laughed faintly, shaking his head and giving a weak smile through his tears as he glanced up. “I bet he's running through Valhalla with that... silly marefriend of his, punching... punching and Luchadoring everyone in his way! I bet... I bet...”
Moonflower trembled, then dropped his face in his hooves, and Thorn leaned over and wrapped a foreleg around him, closing his eyes as he rested his head against Moonflower's as the unicorn trembled and shook. Hecate smiled faintly at them both, and then she sat back as Cadence shifted uncomfortably, before the Jötnar mare held a hoof out and lifted the lids off the pots, simply making them vanish as she said calmly: “It's been a long time since I've done any cooking, but please help yourselves to what's available. I've made a bit of everything.”
The smells were delicious, and Cadence's eyes widened in surprise as she leaned up to see into a pot, realizing it was filled with mashed potatoes as she asked incredulously: “You did this?”
“Yes, Cadence. I crush entire worlds. I am very capable of crushing potatoes as well.” Hecate said mildly, and Cadence gave a lame smile before Hecate continued casually: “Thesis used to enjoy cooking with me when he was a foal. He used to enjoy cooking without me, as well, which meant I would then have to give him a bath to wash all the flour and dough off his body. He was never a very smart colt. And white stains show up very well on his black coat.”
Hecate paused, then locked a practiced, critical eye on Thesis as he turned bright red. “Which became more of a problem during his teenage years.”
“Mom!” Thesis shouted in embarrassment, and a smile twitched at Hecate's muzzle as Cadence only stared in disbelief, wondering what the hell was going on.
“It's not my fault you never learned to shower properly. I never had that problem with your brother, either.” Hecate said, and Thesis groaned before he snatched a pot away as his mother reached for it, making her scowl as he shook a pair of corn cobs out onto his plate.
“Here we go again. Telling me how much better Thorn is than me. You know, he's the baby brother, not the better brother.” Thesis said mildly, before he added bluntly as he made a sharp up-and-down motion with one hoof: “Also I bet having just one leg made it kind of hard to look at porn and touch himself at the same time.”
Moonflower went rigid and stared from behind his hooves as Cadence gaped at Thesis, but Thorn only answered, perfectly pleasantly: “Some of us grew up doing work, not doing ourselves, Thesis.”
“Oh, ouch, sick burn, bro.” Thesis said sourly, and then he huffed before he reached out and snatched the pot of mashed potatoes away from Cadence, scooping several spoonfuls out onto his plate as he asked: “Mom, where's the butter?”
Hecate flicked a hoof absently, a plate of butter appearing next to Thesis, and he grunted a 'thank you' before he asked: “Actually, is there porn on the Decretum networks?”
“Clockwork Empire. Imperial networks. I still say the same, though.” Hecate paused, then she continued: “We have regulated brothels and a small but popular 'adult entertainment' industry. They operate quietly and most of the business is strictly imported. There's no market for it among the Dogmatists, but many of our Orphans still have needs and desires.”
Cadence scowled despite herself as Thesis snorted in amusement, before he winked at the mare and asked: “You want to make some money on the side?”
Cadence slowly narrowed her eyes at the stallion, and Thesis blinked before he winced and threw up his hooves, blurting: “Not like that! I didn't mean it like that, I meant uh... together! We could do it together! I'll do it! You film! I'll... um... touch myself!”
“How is your sex life?” Hecate asked calmly, and Cadence and Thesis both nearly choked on their tongues, Cadence hurriedly looking away as Thesis glared furiously at his mother as he burned like a fire truck, but Hecate only smiled slightly before she pointed out, as she idly spooned noodles from another pot onto her plate: “You're the one who wanted to have dinner.”
“I remember when I brought my first coltfriend home. My only coltfriend, until... Thorn.” Moonflower said abruptly, and Cadence turned towards the unicorn with surprise, as Moonflower rubbed slowly at his face, looking up with a faint, bitter smile. “It was... it was nice. All the same questions. All the same... silliness. My sisters teased us a lot. But they did it because it made Dad groan. He acted...”
Moonflower quieted, looking down and rubbing his hooves together slowly before he whispered: “He was such a good stallion. He was very stern. But he said... we could come back, any time. He said he loved me. He said he wanted what was best for me, and he just didn't want me being hurt by some... yuppy from the city. He... he was suspicious of Feather because he was a city colt, not because he was a colt. He was hard on him... not because I was a... I'm a... I like... but because... he wasn't one of us, from the little village. He was a Canterlot boy.”
Moonflower laughed faintly, rubbing slowly at his face before Thesis asked curiously: “So what happened to him?”
“He died. Princess Celestia... I mean, Stronghold... Stronghold had him killed. I found him. There was so much blood.” Moonflower trembled, hugging himself tightly for a moment as Thesis winced, before even Cadence couldn't help but feel a little sick when Moonflower whispered: “They enchanted his corpse to speak to me. To give me a message from her. 'And you will be next, gelding,' it said. It...”
Moonflower breathed slowly in and out, before he closed his eyes and shook his head mutely. Thorn silently reached up to squeeze the stallion's shoulder gently, and after a moment, the unicorn murmured: “I'm sorry. I don't want to ruin... such a nice meal...”
“Don't worry. We're not really here for the meal.” Hecate said gently, and Moonflower gave a faint smile as his eyes flicked up before the Jötnar mare said softly: “Love is a hard thing. And the most painful lesson you can learn in life is that no matter how much you love someone, that doesn't mean they're the pony you'll end up with. That doesn't mean there will never be fractures, breaks, losses... sometimes unbearable. That sometimes the person you love most, with all your heart and soul, can't also be a person who is nothing but poison to you.” 
Hecate fell silent for a moment as she slowly spiraled noodles onto her fork, then watched as they unwound themselves, falling loosely back to the plate below before she continued: “Valthrudnir and I were like that. We were poison to each other. I suppose that's a good thing in the long run, but... I would have gone to the end of the universe for him. And he gave me more than he's ever given anyone. Including himself.”
Hecate looked meditatively down at the plate, and then she shook her head before she returned her eyes to Moonflower, saying softly: “When everything hurts, I try to remind myself that everything happens for a reason. I don't know whether I believe in something above Fate, or that we're all just constrained to the patterns given to us by the molecules and particles that flow through us, but... I do believe it all has to make sense, in the end. Even the catastrophes and the massacres. We're just too close to this universe to see it, logically.”
“Here I thought you saw everything logically, Mom.” Thesis said mildly, and when Hecate gave him a dry look, he shrugged and winked. “You know I'm only kidding. I know you don't really look at anything rationally. You either glare it to dust or scowl at it until it does what you want. That's how you look at things.”
The Jötnar mare gave her son a sour look, and then she grabbed another pot, pouring some kind of soupy sauce over her noodles. For a few minutes, the only sound was a clinking as they passed around the metal containers and dug into their meals; all except Moonflower, who only took a bun, and even that obviously took some coaxing from Thorn.
But at least Moonflower started to nibble on it, and he seemed to be a little more responsive than how he had started the night, glancing up when Thorn asked Thesis: “Have you spoken to any of the Replicants lately?”
“No, that's your thing, not mine. How's Necrophage?” Thesis asked bluntly, before he squawked when Cadence elbowed him firmly, wincing and rubbing at his side.
Thorn only smiled slightly, however, answering quietly: “Doing well. I spoke to her through Muse and apologized for my absence. I plan to use my business trip back to Looking Glass World to talk to the others, as well. I have a comfortable acquaintanceship with-”
“That's a mouthful. You could just say 'making friends,' Thorn, seriously.” Thesis said mildly, and then he scooped up a bun and shoved it into his mouth, chewing loudly and saying through the more-than-mouthful of bread: “You also could have just told Mom it was time for you to go back to your, you know, work-vacation or whatever it is, you kind of probably double need one now with your face and all.”
Thorn reached up and absently touched his face, which Cadence hadn't realized was actually only slightly-blemished: she always forgot how good a job the doctors and medical systems here could do. “I'm fine. And I'm... doing better now. I want to complete my training but I feel more confident about managing my duties.”
“That's cool and all, but... honestly, little brother, be nice to yourself, huh? You're a good guy. Maybe not the nicest person in the world, maybe not the most awesome pony in the room...” Thesis pointedly patted himself on the chest, before he winced when Cadence shouldered him, then he softened and said in a quieter, more-serious voice: “But you really need to take care of yourself. No being a martyr, huh?”
“For once, your brother is right. You have to watch out for yourself, Thorn.” Hecate added, before she glanced over at Moonflower and said in a softer voice: “I'm not going to talk business arrangements right now, but if you need the time off too, you only have to ask, Moonflower. I can have you sent with Thorn as well, if you want.”
Moonflower hesitated for a moment, and then he shook his head before he asked suddenly, almost abruptly: “How's Aster doing?”
Cadence began to frown, before she understood: they were heading to Aster's world, after all, and the last they had seen her, she had been doing better, but she had still been... “We have her illness under control with medication. I was considering having her accompany Team 0-0 to the soul furnace, but-”
“No, you should. I... I think you should. It's...” Moonflower bit his lip, then he shook his head and shivered a little. “It's so much worse when you do nothing at all.”
Cadence softened as she looked up at the stallion, and Hecate eyed the stallion for a moment before she said shortly: “Fine. But enough work talk. Thesis?”
Thesis glanced up from the cob of corn he was currently devouring, but before he could say something stupid, Cadence quickly cut in: “The Architect. He's a Nibelung Architect, right?” 
Hecate turned a moody look towards Cadence, but then she only frowned when the winged unicorn continued hurriedly: “I thought that Heaven had a list of all of them or something, and was keeping an eye on them. How did this one slip past all of that? And why was he on that world?”
“Yeah, but he wasn't just an a Nibelung, he was a clairvoyant. Who knows how old he is, too... he might be one of the First Architects even.” Thesis said pointedly, tapping the side of his head with a fork. “During the old old days, before Helheim overtook Niflheim, the dwarves pretty much came and went as they pleased. If he saw far enough into the future, he could easily slide out of the way before Helheim came in.”
“Move to a pocket dimension or even Midgard, then waited until the layers split apart, and then slipped into one of a thousand different layers. He could have spent most of that time asleep and dreaming.” Hecate murmured thoughtfully, before she looked over at Moonflower and asked: “What do you remember about him?”
“He was kind. Or I thought he was. Maybe he just said all the right things at the right time... and of course, we were in Tartarus... why would anyone willingly lock themselves up in that nasty place, though?” Moonflower shuddered a bit, but Thesis smiled wryly at this.
“Because the best hiding spot is where no one's going to look. A pocket dimension like Tartarus is extra hard to see into, see. You have to know what you're looking for, on top of getting an eye in there in the first place.” Thesis said mildly, before he softened a little and said finally: “Maybe he was, though. I mean... if he could see the future...”
“He knew you had a part to play. Which is why he helped you. Why he treated you the way he knew you needed to be treated at that point and time.” Thorn said slowly, and Moonflower grimaced a bit as he looked away.
“Some prophecy.” he murmured, before he winced when Hecate reached out and grabbed him by the horn, twisting his head firmly towards him.
“Enough.” she said softly, and Moonflower winced back a bit before the Jötnar mare said gently but firmly: “You are not to blame, and this is nothing but guesswork and speculation. And ultimately, it means that you still have a role to play. And we are going to figure out what that role is.”
Moonflower lowered his head quietly, then he bit his lip before he glanced away and murmured: “I was always taught no one could really see the future. Not really.”
“No one can.” Hecate agreed, as she released the stallion's horn, and Moonflower looked up in surprise. “What can be seen, however, are probabilities. Likely futures. The more powerful the psychic, the easier it is for them to remove the chaff from the grain.”
“But, you know, it's still possible for some asshole to come along and screw everything up by doing exactly the opposite of what they predicted, usually by... you know, doing exactly the opposite of what a sane and logical person would do.” Thesis said blandly, before he turned and poked Cadence firmly in the cheek with his fork, making her yelp. “Like so.”
Cadence glared at Thesis as she rubbed at her cheek, and he grinned at her before winking. A moment later,  Cadence slugged him across the face and sent him crashing to the ground, before she paled slightly as she stared up at Hecate, realizing what she had just done.
Hecate, however, only sighed and rolled her eyes, sitting back and saying dryly: “You promised me a nice dinner, Thesis. I'm glad to see you're as capable as ever of keeping your promises.”
“Ouch, Mom. Ouch.” Thesis grumbled, picking himself up and crawling back into his chair before he said finally: “You don't like nice things, anyway. And I mean... okay... maybe this wasn't the best idea. We're all a little sensitive right now and a little rough, and...”
He quieted, looking across at Moonflower, who looked embarrassedly down at the ground, before he turned his eyes towards Cadence, who smiled faintly as she awkwardly rubbed at her hoof, and then finally back towards Thorn, who shifted ever-so-slightly in that subtle way he did, like he wanted to hide his eye but was trying to hide the tell. “Yeah. We're all a little rough. But maybe that's for the best. Maybe we should be willing to, you know... see each other as we are. And vulnerable. Not just... at our best.”
Hecate looked slowly around at the four ponies in front of her, and then she said quietly: “I have seen each of you at your very best and your very worst. And I am willing to be as vulnerable to you as you allow yourselves to be with me. I want to make this clear, for the first and the last time: you are all my family. No matter what happens between you and my children, Cadence and Moonflower, you have become family to me, and I will go to any lengths to protect my family.”
“I know, Queen-”
“My name is Hecate. If you disgrace me by using my title again I will put you through the floor, Cadence.” Hecate said almost kindly, and Cadence stared at the mare before she looked over at Moonflower, adding: “This is not the time for professionalism. This is the time when we are not professional. When we are family. When we acknowledge each other without distancing ourselves with titles and false respect. Do you both understand?”
Cadence smiled awkwardly and nodded, and Moonflower bit his lip before he glanced down, rubbing his front hooves together before he looked at Thorn and murmured: “I'm scared I'm not good enough.”
Hecate only smiled at this, however, saying calmly: “My son thinks you're 'good enough.' Or at least that you can become 'good enough.' Or is my son's belief not 'good enough' for you, Moonflower?”
“No, no... n-no. I just...” Moonflower smiled awkwardly, then he looked down as he rubbed his hooves together slowly before he suddenly asked: “Why are you... why are you so different? I mean... ponies, we were always...”
He stopped, then laughed faintly as he looked away, murmuring: “No. Stronghold was the same, wasn't she? She always acted so nice and kind. Imitated Princess Celestia just about perfectly, but she was really... awful. She... she was the opposite of you. Nice and kind in public, cruel in private. It's funny how much more manipulative that feels than... I... I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well. I'm still...”
Moonflower quieted as Thorn reached up and gently squeezed his shoulder gently, and Hecate smiled wryly before she asked bluntly: “Do you think I'm manipulative? Do you think I'm a bitch, a bad person?”
“Well you're definitely a bitch.” Thesis said helpfully, before he squeaked when he was hefted out of his seat by telekinesis, left suspended helplessly in the air even as Hecate didn't so much as look in his direction, her eyes remaining locked intently on Moonflower.
For a few moments, Moonflower shifted uncertainly, and then he finally looked up and said meekly: “I don't think you're a bad person, but you are... I've never forgotten that you do whatever has to be done, either. I... I guess I worry that even if you say I'm family, if... you had to...”
Hecate looked down meditatively for a few moments, tapping a hoof against a desk before she said softly: “It's an understandable concern. And I can't make you any promises, except that I put my family first, and will always try and take care of them, first and foremost.”
“Yeah. You're really showing us that.” Thesis said as he slowly revolved upside down, forelegs crossed as he glowered at his mother, before he yelped when Hecate simply dropped him on his face.
“I think the fact that you're somehow still alive should speak for itself.” Hecate retorted, and then she turned her eyes back towards Moonflower, studying him before she smiled briefly as her eyes roved over him silently, reading the emotions thudding in his heart as much as the emotions that were naked on his face. “Yes, Moonflower. I am Celestia still, as much as I am Hecate. I've moved on from that name, but never from that being.”
Moonflower looked down thoughtfully at this, chewing on his lip for a few moments before he looked up and nodded, saying quietly: “Okay. Then... I'm going to do my best to believe in... Princess Celestia, one last time.”
He smiled faintly, even as he shrank his head a little between his shoulders, but Hecate only chuckled before she turned her eyes towards Cadence, asking: “Have you beaten any of my son's records on any of the obstacle courses yet?”
Cadence did her best not to scowl, but Hecate clearly saw her expression and clearly took some pleasure in it, before the ivory mare's features puckered further as Thorn said: “She has great promise. I'm sure with enough time and training-”
“You're fortunate my son wants to tutor you, Cadence, and not just leave you to your failure. Otherwise you'd never succeed.” Hecate said, and Cadence twitched visibly: this mix of motherly and ruthless was both frightening and difficult to deal with, and she was a little concerned that the consequences of snapping at the mare would be even worse than they usually were.
“Wow, Mom. You just can't stop talking about your golden child and talking about how much better he is than all of us, huh?” Thesis asked mildly, before he winced and grabbed the bottom of his chair when Hecate looked at him dryly.
“Thesis, I'd talk more about you if you gave me more to be proud of.” Hecate said dryly, and Thesis looked stung before she asked: “Have you found any new hobbies? I'm very proud of you for finally finding a marefriend, but there's more to life than just sex.”
Thesis blushed as Cadence winced, before Hecate thankfully continued on a kinder tangent: “Do you two have any shared hobbies? I never got to know you on a personal level, Cadence. As much as I care about my ponies, sometimes it's better to... view them from a distance.” 
Cadence wasn't quite sure what that meant, but she didn't have more than a moment to wonder about it before Thesis answered awkwardly: “We both like beating people up?”
Cadence looked dryly at Thesis, but now she was blushing a little herself: as much as she wanted to scold Thesis, well... it wasn't like there was a whole lot else she did, was there? She didn't have hobbies like the others did: her father read, La Croix gambled, Moonflower loved music and fashion and all his silly things, and she... well she...
Sulked and sat in her room and read reports.
Hecate turned her eyes towards Cadence, studying her mildly, and the mare smiled awkwardly before she suddenly blurted: “I used to dance.”
Hecate cocked an eyebrow, and Moonflower rose his head slightly as the brothers looked at her curiously, and Cadence fidgeted for a moment before she said finally: “It was a long time ago. But... I used to dance. I used to sing, too.” 
She quieted, chewing at her lip slowly and wondering for a moment if these were her memories, or the Swan's, but she realized after a moment it really didn't matter. She thought she understood now, who she was and who the Swan was... she just didn't want to say it out loud. She didn't want to make it real. 
She realized all eyes were looking at her, and she glanced up before smiling a little. “I don't think I could do either anymore, though, it seems instead of dancing I really am just... all about fighting these days. It's a lot easier to punch people than twirl around with them.”
“Well, you never know until you try. I mean, hey, I'll dress up nice and try to dance with you.” Thesis said with a smile, and Cadence felt oddly touched by this remark, before he added suddenly: “Also we do each other's manes and tails! That's like a hobby, right?”
“No. Not at all.” Hecate said dryly, as Cadence firmly shoved a hoof against Thesis' face, and then the Jötnar mare hesitated for a moment before she sighed and sat back, waving a hoof and making the mostly-empty plates of food simply vanish as the four ponies looked up in surprise, before she gestured calmly again, and enormous plates of cakes, pies, and other baked delights laid themselves out. “Here. Help yourselves to dessert.”
“Can we go sit in the living room?” Thesis asked, and Hecate gave him a mild look. “Also coffee. Or tea. Cadence likes tea! See, I know things about my girl. Girl? Am I allowed to call you girl?”
“Am I allowed to punch you in the balls until you sound like a girl?” Cadence asked, and Thesis slowly shrank away from the mare.
Hecate sighed and shook her head, letting her eyes rove towards Thorn and Moonflower, who were much quieter, much more dignified, and calming down a little, she thought. She didn't expect the pair to hang around as long as Thesis and Cadence did, but that was alright: she had already made sure to shift Thorn's schedule so that he could spend as much time with Moonflower as possible before they went their separate ways. But as she had learned herself, tragedy didn't mean that life stopped moving, or that you could afford to stop living. Every moment counted.
Every single moment, you had to make the most of.
Because nothing could last forever.