//------------------------------//
// The Callous, The Careless 
// Story: Hecate's Orphanage 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter One Hundred and Five: The Callous, The Careless
~BlackRoseRaven

Things went smoother than Cadence had expected them to: Shining Armor got them seats on the train without incident, citing a 'domestic emergency' in Equestria, but Cadence thought the real reason it had been so easy was because the train had been just about empty on the ride towards Canterlot.
Shining Armor and Miss Take had sent a message ahead to Canterlot informing the princesses of their plans to arrive in the morning with Cadence and her 'team of investigators,' as they called them, which brought back half-fond memories of Trixie and Starlight. They had sent the message by magic: magic that, if anyone was looking for it, would be easy enough to pick up, although not so easy to trace or to intercept.
Miss Take seemed to know just what to do, but Shining was on point himself, in a quieter way, Cadence thought, studying him curiously as the train rumbled its way down the tracks through a rainstorm, the clank of the machinery mixing with the sound of raindrops pounding against the windows. He was making notes, checking equipment, and generally acting as Miss Take's backup, but he was never secondary or background. He was... an equal partner. Just not the voice.
Shining Armor glanced up at her, and Cadence gave him a small smile before she said softly: “Brings back memories, huh?”
Shining Armor chuckled quietly as he straightened a little at the table, glancing down the mostly-empty carriage towards where Moonflower was fumbling through helping La Croix put together some kind of charm. “Yeah. Except no Royal Guard escort this time. And, you know, you aren't going to kill me for having Miss Take along.... well, you know. Probably.”
“Probably.” Cadence agreed from where she was seated in the table across the aisle, the open hall almost a physical barrier between them, and the two smiled awkwardly at each other before the mare cleared her throat and asked lamely: “So uh... when did you and Miss Take...”
“A few months after... after you left.” Shining smiled awkwardly, and he bit his lip, then cleared his throat, and Cadence was more glad than she could admit that he didn't say anything stupid, like 'I never did anything with her before you left.' “It was a uh... a quick courtship, I guess you could say, and I... well, I met a whole bunch of Changelings. Their family is... scarier than yours.”
He smiled awkwardly, and Cadence glanced back through the car, then chuckled quietly as she saw her father, simply sitting and reading a newspaper with a strange smile. But she could imagine what he must be feeling right now: nostalgia, amazement, hope... and terrible, awful fear for the future of this world.
She turned her eyes back to Shining, and he smiled at her, studying her silently, meeting her eyes for that rare time. She didn't pull her gaze away in spite of the heat she felt in her cheeks: this was a stallion who had known her, every inch of her, for the longest time, and now... “You're a little different, huh?”
“A little.” Cadence agreed after a moment, smiling despite herself at just how in tune with her he still was. That had been... our greatest strength. Our greatest weakness. Why we were able to keep up the charade for so long, even though... “We... you're happy now, right?”
Shining blinked, then he smiled awkwardly as he adjusted his jacket before he looked almost bashfully away as he murmured: “I was never unhappy with you.”
Cadence laughed a little at this, her own eyes shifting away before she murmured: “Careful, Shine. Sounds almost like... you know. But that's done now, and... I mean, unless you're thinking something dumb like your wife is trying to seduce my... Thesis.”
“Your Thesis.” Shining smiled despite himself, before he asked curiously: “When did you meet him?”
Cadence thought back, shifting a bit before she answered: “Well, he wasn't lying... the first time really was when I was just a filly. But I guess we really met... a few months ago, now. It's hard to keep track of the time. So much has happened, all at once, and Decretum... ever since I got to Decretum, it's been like an entire other life. I've learned so much, developed so much...” Cadence stretched out her forelegs, then she silently looked at one of her golden hooves, flexing it slowly as she murmured: “Changed, so much.”
“You... still seem like you to me.” Shining answered after a moment, and Cadence looked at him gratefully, then smiled in amusement as he added: “Except, you know, for the way you let him talk to you. That jerk guy. You never used to fall for the bad boy type.”
“Thesis is not the bad boy type. He just... he stands up to me. And I guess I've always needed that. Besides, I could say the same about you, Shine, you're the one with the alluring femme fatale. The sensual female spy, like in all your dude flicks.” Cadence added wryly, and Shining huffed at this.
“Thank you, but Miss Take is nothing like Mares Volta or any of her predecessors. They all wore dresses and depended on their feminine wiles. Miss Take, just like you, tends to just knock out anyone who disagrees with her.” Shining answered wryly with a flick of his hoof. “She reminds me... a lot of you.”
He smiled awkwardly, and Cadence felt an odd pang, and they looked away from each other for a moment before they looked back at one-another and spoke at almost the same time.
Cadence gestured embarrassedly at Shining to go ahead, and he smiled before awkwardly motioning at her to join him, gesturing at the map laid out in front of himself as he said: “I think these are probably the best places to try and set up our ambush. What do you think?”
Cadence hesitated, but when he only looked at her curiously, she almost reluctantly slipped out of her seat to join him at the other table, slipping into the bench across from him and looking down at the map before she frowned slightly, noting... “These are all really low points, not high.”
“Yeah. Well, I remembered that Thesis said something about the bad guy sneaking into Canterlot from below. So I figured we'd want to try and be where he might scout. These low points also have a lot of cover, and I feel like you and your friends can probably do something about the enemy even if he claims the high ground.” Shining smiled a bit, adding as he tapped on one marking in particular: “This one here? There's a tunnel formation the enemy would have to actually come into to try and flush us out of.”
“Meaning he'd have to come in close, where I could punch him.” Cadence finished, and Shining nodded with an amused smile. “That sounds pretty good to me, but can we actually get there?”
“Shouldn't be more than ten minutes. Miss and I have been up and down the area around Canterlot a lot, actually, and if I remember right this isn't too difficult to reach, if we uh... 'disembark' here, at this soft patch.” Shining said delicately, tapping another point on the map. “This should only be about ten minutes away. Easy.”
“Easy.” Cadence echoed, and the two looked at each other for a few moments before Cadence shook her head and murmured: “Nothing's ever that easy.”
Shining Armor shrugged, then he answered softly: “If there's one things I've learned, it's to take what presents itself. Cherish what you get in life and don't be ungrateful, right? I guess both you and Miss Take taught me that...”
He quieted, then finally looked back at Cadence and said softly: “I'm sorry for... you know. For everything. Maybe I don't have to be; it wasn't really anyone's fault, was it? But at the same time... I don't know, I am. We both could have done things better, I know that, but... I feel a little like I was using you, and I hate that thought.”
Cadence smiled a little at this, then she shook her head and said: “I don't think that's true at all, Shine. I know that... if anyone owes an apology, I guess... it's me. I dragged you along on that stupid quest without telling you anything, and then I abandoned you at the end of it. I'm sorry for that. I really am, and I'm... sorry it's been so awkward.”
Shining Armor only shrugged and smiled, and there was silence for a moment before Cadence asked suddenly: “So Archon... Archon's still alive?”
“Of course he's still alive. He'll probably outlive all of us.” Shining Armor said wryly, and Cadence smiled in amusement at this. “We uh... I know you aren't, you know, keen on it, but we could meet up with him after this is all said and done.”
Cadence bit her lip, but she hesitated only for a few seconds before she finally said: “That would be really nice. I would really like that.”
Shining Armor smiled, before he glanced up as Miss Take and Thesis reentered the cabin together, the half-Changeling calling warmly: “Isn't this nice to see? Have you made up, dears, or are you just trying to steal back your old flame, Cadence?”
Cadence rolled her eyes, and then she looked at Shining with a slight smile, answering: “I think you can keep him. He seems to like you more, after all. Besides, I've got a new puppy.”
“Yeah hey that's creepy.” Thesis said blandly before he dropped his rump in the seat next to Cadence, bodychecking her and making her grumble before they shoved at each other, and the stallion complained: “That's animal abuse, you know.”
“Good. Maybe they'll take you to a shelter and someone else can adopt you.” Cadence grumbled as they shouldered roughly back and forth, before she winced when Thesis leaned his way into her and squished her against the side wall with a grin.
“But wouldn't you miss me?” he asked, and Cadence scowled at him before roughly kicking him out into the aisle, the stallion thudding to the ground with a squawk and startling one of the other passengers awake from his nap with a grunt.
“Not really. Did you get done... whatever it was you were doing?” Cadence asked moodily, and Miss Take nodded with a smile as Thesis crawled awkwardly back up to his seat.
“Yes, everything's ready for when we have to make the jump. I trust you've agreed on a location?” Miss Take inquired, and Cadence grunted, which the mare seemed to take as a 'yes.' “Good, then it sounds like we're all ready.”
Cadence nodded, then glanced up as La Croix strode up beside the table and cleared his throat, getting their attention before he tossed out for little cloth sacks on strings to each of them, saying quietly: “Here. Tie it to you or keep it close somehow else, they should protect against the Nzambi and some of Darkwater's nastier mojo. But I can't give no guarantees: Loki be real smart, after all.”
Cadence nodded, smiling her thanks to La Croix as Miss Take picked up the gris-gris bag and sniffed it, before she wrinkled up her muzzle and muttered: “Well. I will trust you, then, Loa, even though this is...”
“Hey, ain't pretty, but 'seffective.” La Croix said wryly, and Miss Take smiled awkwardly as she carefully laced it to her ankle. Shining Armor tucked the bag inside his jacket, and Thesis tied his own around his neck. “I ain't sensed anything new, though... if anything, it feels like that force has been fadin' out. That ain't necessarily good, though. Could be the cocodril is just hidin' himself in the bayou for the moment, waitin' for us to stumble on top of him, while he sends out some nasty little sangsues to nip at us.”
“But you'd sense the Nzambi, wouldn't you?” asked Cadence, and La Croix gave her a wry smile as he gestured at the bags they were now all wearing... right. Loa. “I keep forgetting these work on you, too.”
“Oui. 'Swhy I can't whip y'all up anything more potent. At least, not right now.” La Croix gave a brief smile, and then he shook his head quickly before he cleared his throat and continued: “'S a good time to make these though, really. All the cocodril will know is that we got on the train, but he won't know where we got off, or even if we did.” 
“That's-” Cadence started, and then she winced as the train bounced, grasping the table and Thesis' shoulder to steady herself as La Croix stumbled into the table with a yelp. She began to open her mouth, before she swore in shock as something smashed against the wall of the train with enough force to nearly knock it off the tracks, metal screaming, lights flickering, windows shattering-
Something crashed down on the roof above with enough force to dent it before steel tore like paper as a draconic claw ripped down through it. Cadence swore as she tackled Thesis to the side, as Shining flung himself over the bench and Miss Take dropped quickly under the table.
“Brings back memories!” Miss Take managed to shout as the claw yanked back, before Cadence was forced to leap down the aisle as a huge, bladed tail slammed down through the ceiling, whipping back and forth. It tore back upwards, then smashed through the roof after her, punching a trail of holes down the ceiling that drove Cadence to the other end of the train car.
The tail snapped back, and Cadence had enough time to leap to her hooves before claws pierced through the wall of the car and ripped it open like paper, revealing Stronghold Halfdragon in the gap, the crusader grinning callously as she roared: “There's no running away this time, ponies!”
Cadence snarled, before her eyes widened as a bright purple aura surrounded Halfdragon, the Draekin looking surprised for a moment before she howled in agony as a massive pulse of gravitational force blasted her off the train, sending her hurtling away. Moonflower gritted his teeth as his horn sparked with recoil from the force of his spell, but all the same he ran to the hole in the train as he shouted: “That won't keep her away for long! Cadence, she'll kill everyone if she gets on board!”
“Then I'll distract her! Evacuate the train and get everyone to safety, keep everyone safe!” Cadence ordered, and Moonflower bit his lip before he nodded quickly, but Cadence didn't stop to listen or argue as she leapt out of the hole in the train wall.
The wind assailed her, knocking her flipping out of control before her wings flapped open and caught her, only for her to cry out in shock as something slammed into her like a cannonball before she was flung savagely down into the roof of the train. She bounced backwards, clawing wildly for some sort of purchase before she gritted her teeth as she tumbled to the next car, but finally managed to catch the edge of it.
She hauled herself to her hooves on the cargo car as Stronghold Halfdragon advanced slowly towards her, wind and smoke and rain whipping past her as she growled: “We have a score to settle.”
Cadence felt the Swan awaken in her, cautioning her even as she straightened and retorted: “Maybe this time we can actually fight.”
“I doubt it, nag. Whores rarely amount to much on either battlefield.” retorted Stronghold, before she leapt forward with a savage grin, her eyes glowing with hatred through the grille of her helm. “You will be mine!”
Cadence didn't respond, ducking backward before she twisted her horn in a short, sharp cut across Stronghold's nose, keeping her movements short and defensive. It barely made Stronghold flinch, the Draekin snorting in contempt before she slashed her own horn back at Cadence, but the mare dodged to the side before she flapped her wings hard, launching herself forward and seizing into Stronghold's shoulders-
The Draekin's tail lashed at her like a scorpion's, but Cadence dodged to the side and seized it, before she gritted her teeth as the appendage snapped backwards and flung her loose. She hit the passenger car and rolled quickly across the slick metal surface, skidding her way around in a circle before she grinned: now she was upwind, even if Stronghold barely seemed to register the rain and wind biting at her body as she turned around and growled: “Flap around, chicken. It won't save you.”
Cadence snapped her horn down, sending a blast of white flame at Stronghold, but the Draekin slapped it away with a sharp bark of contempt. “Stop playing!”
The Swan whispered to her, and Cadence grimaced before she flexed, focusing her magic inward instead of through her horn, her body flexing before she gritted her teeth as her wings glowed bright ivory. Stronghold sneered at her, but Cadence only looked fearlessly back before she said coldly: “Come on.”
Stronghold charged towards her, banging loudly over the metal surface of the passenger car, and Cadence waited until the last moment before she dodged backward, slicing one of her wings out and slashing through the Draekin's wrist when she tried to claw into her, Stronghold staggering to the side as her eyes bulged in shock before she roared in frustration when Cadence slapped her with the other wing, sending up a burst of energy and steam before the ivory mare was forcefully blasted backwards by a shockwave of golden energy.
Cadence caught herself, skidding to a halt with a grimace, while Stronghold snarled in fury and humiliation, her muzzle smoldering as it healed, her eye glaring through a half-melted helmet as the deep slash through her wrist healed slowly. “You stupid cur... overconfident, cocky broodnag...”
“Just shut your goddamn mouth and fight.” Cadence growled, and Stronghold's eyes blazed before she reached up and ripped her helmet off, snarling in fury before she roared and leapt forward.
Her claws glowed with hellish, toxic, ill and divine energy as she slashed viciously back and forth, Cadence blocking with both her wings and her long daggers as they sprung to her hooves. She slashed back and forth in retaliation against the Draekin, cursing in pain as every slash of her claws, every slam of her massive, flail-like tail against her wings sent up a burst of white energy and feathers: she knew that even with the shielding of energy, her wings wouldn't be able to hold up forever under Halfdragon's savagery.
Stronghold roared as she suddenly stomped forward and lashed a claw out, blood exploding from Cadence's face as the claw raked across it before she was knocked to her knees by a vicious elbow that cracked her muzzle and made her lose concentration, the magic vanishing from her bloody wings. But before Stronghold could grab her, the Swan came to life in Cadence's dazed body, suddenly plunging both daggers straight up and into Halfdragon's throat.
Stronghold gargled, reared back, and then gave a shrill, breathy howl when the Swan ripped her knives to either side, flaying her throat open. The Draekin staggered, grasping at her neck, and the Swan leapt forward and spun around, moving Cadence's almost-limp body like a puppet before she slammed both rear hooves savagely into Halfdragon's face, knocking her flying off the roof of the train to vanish into the rain.
Cadence blinked blearily as she came back to her senses, before she grimaced as the Swan spoke calmly: “We are not safe yet. We have only moments. Steady yourself.”
“I'm fine!” Cadence snapped, then she grimaced as she straightened, her daggers spinning to ready positions on either side of her as she muttered: “She's so vicious. I've never met someone so goddamn aggressive. And she's so powerful...”
“Nihilism. She does not care. She is like Sol Seraph. They are Brokenhearted, are they not?” the Swan asked calmly, and Cadence grimaced again before she moodily smacked her lips a few times.
“Stop goddamn talking through my goddamn mouth.” she mumbled finally, even as she uneasily considered what the Swan was saying. “But they're not like Pain. They... they are, but they're not. They're Voidborn, and I thought...”
Before Cadence could finish that sentence, the train shook violently, Cadence stumbling before her eyes widened at Stronghold's roar, and the sound of screaming steel as the train began to shake violently.
Cadence leapt to the cargo car, sprinting down to the end of the train before she gaped in shock at the sight of Stronghold: the mare was clinging into the back of the cargo car, a cruel grin on her face, claws clinging to either side of the train car while her rear hooves skidded along the tracks, sending up sparks.  She twisted suddenly to the side, and the cargo car screamed as it rocked with her movements as Cadence realized with disbelief that Stronghold was going to either drag the train to a halt or yank it off the raised tracks and send it plunging down the rocky mountainside, and she didn't think that Stronghold cared a whole lot about which result she got.
Cadence snapped her horn down, but the blast of white fire simply bounced off Stronghold before she swore, slamming a dagger down into the roof of the cargo car to avoid being thrown off when the Draekin rocked it violently to the side. She gritted her teeth, holstering her other dagger before she yanked her rifle off her back, pointing it down towards Stronghold-
The Draekin's tail lashed up and smashed a hole in the back of the cargo car, Cadence swearing in frustration as she was nearly knocked loose, before she  ripped her dagger free with a wince and rolled to the side when that terribly long mace-tail tried to smash into her again.
She nearly tumbled off the back of the cargo car, wings flapping hard, body spinning slowly around before she crawled quickly forward with a gasp, then shouted in frustration as the car rocked violently to the other side with a scream. The train was shaking violently, and she knew something was going to give out sooner rather than later at this rate. She had to do something. She had to stop Stronghold.
Cadence looked up and saw the hatch leading into the cargo car, and she dove for it, shouldering her rifle as she dove inside before she flipped and hit the ground hard. Without hesitating, she spun toward the rear of the train, reaching up to snap her visor down before she fell flat, readings lighting up across the visor that Cadence only hoped she could trust in before she fired.
The massive round punched through the door and tore across Stronghold's face, the Voidborn screaming in pain as the round made her body steam, almost losing her grip against the back of the train before she roared as a second round punched through her armor and into her shoulder, knocking one of her forelegs wide and her claws loose. She hissed as she grabbed at the back of the train, nearly yanked free from the car as her tail snapped forwards, smashing in the back door of the cargo car, before her eyes widened in disbelief as Cadence launched herself towards her.
The rifle shifted, and Cadence gritted her teeth as the Swan steadied her before she fired, the bullet smashing into Stronghold's body and knocking the Voidborn loose from the rear of the train, sending her tumbling and bouncing backwards along the tracks with a roar of fury and pain. Cadence landed at the rear of the train, wincing as she was almost pulled out into the jetstream before she caught herself and yanked herself backwards, breathing hard before she scowled when the Swan warned: She will not stop fighting until she is destroyed.
“Sounds like us.” Cadence said before she could stop herself, and then she grimaced as she collapsed her rifle and shoved the MARES back onto her back, then she drew her daggers and flexed slowly, muttering: “She's a tough bitch. I'll give her that much.”
Do not mistake her rage for desperation. She is not desperate. She is dishonorable. She is a killer. the Swan warned, and Cadence smiled wryly at this.
“She's like us.” she repeated, then her eyes narrowed as she saw a flash of golden light through her heavy rain for a moment.  “Here we go again.”
She readied herself, breathing slowly, her eyes focused on the open door, her body tense and ready to move in the event that Stronghold smashed through somewhere else. But after almost a minute, Cadence felt an uneasy crawling down her spine, like Stronghold was doing something much worse, attacking from somewhere... oh no.
Cadence spun around and smashed through the cargo car door into the passenger car, but the others only looked at her with surprise before the ivory mare asked disbelievingly: “Is she gone?”
“She wouldn't give up that easily, she-” Moonflower started, and then they heard the roar, the roar that warned them too late what was happening.
Massive blades of light shot down from the sky, ripping through both the rail bridge they were on and the supports underneath, sending train tracks crashing and crumbling away into the mountain gorge below. The train screamed as it tried to brake, sending up sparks, but it was too little, too late, as the engine hit the broken tracks and then crashed over the edge with a shriek.
The train dove towards the rocky ground below, ponies floating inside the passenger car for a moment as they hurtled down towards certain death, and Moonflower saw it all in slow motion: the ponies, helpless, floating and falling and flying through the air; the debris and unsecured luggage twisting in strange and beautiful and awful ballet with the bodies of friends and innocents; the glistening of light on the windows, the flash that lit up the whole car, the gradual twist as the train plummeted down and was wrenched from either side by the weight of the engine and the heft the cargo car...
And he was limp, helpless
( i am not helpless )
to do anything, to stop this, to save
i can save them!
anyone, to protect anyone, to
Let me save them! Please!
stop Stronghold Halfdragon from killing all his friends just the way that she and Loki had destroyed-
I won't let it it happen again! Not again! Not again!
“No!” Moonflower shouted, his eyes glowing, his horn blazing with light, and there was a tremendous pulse of power that made Cadence flinch, and then a sound of crashing and banging and a terrible explosion, but all she felt was... warmth.
Cadence slowly opened her eyes, and she realized she was floating silently inside the passenger car of the train. The car was slowly, lazily revolving as it sank gradually down through the air, either end of the car torn off and hanging in tatters but the body of the passenger car itself safe and secure in the bubble of antigravity that Moonflower had created around them.
Slowly, they sank down, until the passenger car gently touched down on a plateau of dirt and smooth stone. It settled to the ground upright as the ponies inside slowly sank down to the earth; only Moonflower was left in the air, trembling with effort, eyes unseeing and glowing with power, mouth working slowly until the magic finally vanished from his horn, and he collapsed to the ground with a gasp, nearly knocking himself out as he bounced off a table before hitting the ground. La Croix and Sombra were both by his side immediately, and Moonflower trembled before he whispered: “It wasn't enough.”
“Pace. It was, it was.” soothed Sombra, before Cadence grimaced as she heard a furious, frustrated roar cut the air. No rest for the wicked.
She turned and leapt out the open back of the train, glancing back and forth: the plateau was covered with shrapnel and broken debris, the cargo car laying in ruins to one side, pierced through one side by a massive spike of rock, while the engine lay in flames and ruin near the edge of the plateau. Stronghold crashed down on this, heedless of the flames that licked at her body, the Draekin snarling in fury as she perched on the edge of the overturned train and roared: “Fight me! Enough running, enough games! Fight, struggle, and die like all the rest who have stood before me!”
Cadence narrowed her eyes as she strode forward, before she winced when Miss Take appeared beside her, asking almost curiously: “Just what did you do to make this one so angry?”
“Stay back. She's too dangerous.” Cadence said quietly, before her eyes darted sharply over the Draekin as Stronghold flung herself down from the train and stumbled. She's bleeding energy. Those bullets are still hurting her. 
“Too dangerous to fight alone, dear. You've had enough time in the spotlight. We work together.” Miss Take said firmly, and Cadence grimaced even as she realized it was useless to argue. “I'll keep her distracted. You take her down.”
“I am done wasting time with you.” growled Stronghold, before she slashed her horn savagely out, and Cadence's eyes widened in shock as a massive blade of golden energy ripped through the air towards them. She leapt over it and Miss Take ducked, before Cadence looked back in horror as the huge crescent of light slammed into the train and tore through it like a knife through butter, cutting the passenger car in half lengthwise.
Before she could turn back towards Stronghold, the Draekin punished her moment of distraction by pouncing on her, seizing the back of her head and slamming her face-first into the ground before Cadence hissed in pain as she was plowed across the rocky earth before Stronghold yanked her into the air and flung her at the remains of the passenger car. She managed to flip herself at the last moment, catching herself against the broken wall of the traincar before she kicked off and dove straight back at Stronghold, but the Draekin slapped her almost disdainfully to the side, growling: “Worthless.”
“Excuse me, but that's very inappropriate of you. Don't you know anything about honor?” asked Miss Take disapprovingly, and the Draekin turned her cold eyes towards Miss Take. Her body thrummed with such heat and energy beneath the rain that the droplets turned to steam before they could touch her scales, and yet Miss Take looked up at her fearlessly as she continued: “First we must bow to each other, preferably showing the backs of our necks in a gesture of trust...”
Miss Take bowed low, and the Draekin slashed a claw at the exposed back of her neck, but Miss Take easily dropped beneath the cut, the claws just nipping against her skin before Miss Take slammed a vicious uppercut under the Draekin's jaw, knocking her stumbling with a grunt of surprise. Miss Take used the momentum of the attack to leap into the air before she kicked savagely off the Draekin's chest with both rear legs, knocking Stronghold further off balance before the green gemstone on her head flashed brightly, and Stronghold staggered backwards with a roar as the emerald flare of light blinded her. “How dare you!”
“How dare I?” Miss Take snapped as she landed, dodging swiftly around the side of Stronghold before she leapt onto the Draekin's back, and Stronghold snarled as she bucked back and forth, sweeping her tail sharply down, but Miss Take pressed tightly against the Draekin's body, clinging tightly to her as she continued sharply: “I've never seen such disgrace in all my years, and I served as an assassin for the Changeling court! You'd think I'd seen everything, but I am thankful that I never crossed paths with a brute like you!”
The Draekin roared in outrage before she tried to roll onto her back to simply crush Miss Take under her heavy body, but the half-Changeling flung herself backwards with a thin smile. Stronghold rolled sharply, but then her eyes widened in surprise as her heavy breastplate fell loose, stumbling over her own claws before she snarled as she lunged backwards, ripping the loosened plates free before roaring as she flung her own armor at Miss Take, who grimaced as she smoothly dodged back and forth. “Do you care about anything?”
Stronghold roared, arching her back, and Miss Take's eyes widened in shock before she was buffeted backwards by the massive shockwave of golden light that erupted from the Draekin, the flash lighting up the entire mountainside for a moment and searing the earth around Stronghold before the Draekin let her head fall forward, breathing hard as her body flexed, her tendril-like mane swirling around her face before she answered heartlessly: “No.”
Stronghold straightened, before she snorted in contempt when Cadence landed back in front of her, the two glaring at each other before Stronghold asked callously: “Why don't you let the faggot come out and fight me?”
“Because you and I have a fight to finish first.” Cadence said grimly, readying herself as her daggers spun into position in front of her, and Stronghold grinned as she licked her lips slowly.
“Very well. Then let's finish it, filly. I'm sure it won't take very long.” Stronghold said coldly, before she leapt forward and slashed out with a claw as it flared with golden light. 
Cadence blocked the strike with both daggers, but she was still knocked stumbling from the amplified force of the attack, swearing under her breath before she hunched her shoulders as she staggered backwards, barely able to keep up under the barrage of slashes that came at her, before she winced when Stronghold's horn lashed down and a blast of golden fire ripped just past her face, searing her mane before the Draekin tried to slice her with the natural blade.
Cadence caught the horn against her own and blocked one claw with a dagger, but Stronghold leaned her weight into her and seized her shoulder with her other claw, cutting through her armor like paper as the Draekin snarled: “Your kind was built to serve mine, at the plow, in the kitchen, and on the dinner table! Do you understand how-”
Cadence slammed her hoof up under Stronghold's jaw with such violence that it shattered the Draekin's teeth as her muzzle slammed shut, before the ivory mare slammed her head viciously into Stronghold's stupefied face, knocking the Draekin onto her back before Cadence fell more than leapt on top of her, lashing both daggers down to pierce through the Draekin's breast and deep into her heart.
The daggers burst into white flame, and Stronghold howled, arching her back and writhing helplessly on the ground, cracks ripping through her body before she snarled in fury as Cadence glared down into her eyes and growled: “Shut. Up.”
Cadence ripped her daggers down as she yanked herself backwards, then she gasped as Stronghold seized her in her powerful forelegs, hugging her down against her shredded chest. Her hot breath washed across Cadence's face, golden flames flickering from her throat as her eyes blazed with madness and hatred, before she leaned slowly upward as her dagger-like claws dug along either side of Cadence's spine, promising in a whisper: “I'll be back for you, nag. I'll be back. You can't protect him forever.”
“I'll be waiting.” Cadence replied grimly, shoving herself backwards and stumbling to her hooves as the Voidborn shattered like glass beneath and around her, Stronghold's eyes glowing with rage as cracks spread through her face and the little that remained of her body.
For a few moments, they glared at each other, until Stronghold Halfdragon mouthed some last threat or insult, then finally shattered away to nothingness. It left Cadence feeling strangely empty, however, the mare breathing hard as she looked at where the creature had fallen, before she flexed a hoof slowly as the Swan said uneasily in her mind: We could not destroy her completely. Only in part.
“Maybe we can't kill people who are already dead inside.” Cadence muttered moodily, then she shivered a bit, studying the last, smoldering remains of the Voidborn until they too faded away to nothing, until only her armor was left behind.
She shook herself out, then glanced up as Miss Take joined her side with a faint smile, rubbing slowly at one of her forelegs before she said almost abruptly: “Sorry.”
Cadence glanced at her curiously, and Miss Take shook her head before she murmured: “I was arrogant. I thought... well, I knew you'd gotten a little better, dear, but I hadn't imagined...” She stopped, then smiled briefly before she returned her eyes to the stain that Stronghold Halfdragon had left behind in the charred earth. “She's not dead, is she?”
“She's too dead. That's the problem.” Cadence muttered, and then she grimaced as she stretched and straightened, saying finally: “She'll be back, yeah. Hopefully not too soon. But unfortunately, I don't think cooling off in the Void is going to do much for her.” 
She stopped, then turned back towards the traincar with a grimace, before sighing in relief when Thesis stuck his head out from around the corner and then waved at her. “Hey, don't worry. We're all safe here. Moonflower's starting to come around, too.”
Cadence nodded as she turned, before she glanced up in surprise as Miss Take grasped her shoulder gently, saying quietly: “I hope you understand that this has only further encouraged me to stay by your side, dear. I thought you might be exaggerating at first, but these Voidborn truly are a threat, as great as the Brokenhearted ever were... to you, and to Equestria. And both of those things are very dear to me.”
“Sometimes I think I'm the one you tried to steal, not Shine.” Cadence said dryly as she gently shrugged off Miss Take's hoof before continuing on her way, and Miss Take smiled in amusement as she followed after the mare with an easy roll of her shoulders.
“You might not be entirely wrong, dear. I suppose ever since I got to actually know the real you, I've had a bit of a girl-crush on you.” Miss Take said with a wink as they walked around the ruins of the train car, but Cadence was thankfully spared answering as they approached the huddle of ponies, Miss Take's attention switching to the group. “I'm glad to see you all seem to be in good spirits. How are you, dear? You saved us all.”
“Not everyone.” Moonflower whispered as he smiled faintly, eyes darting towards the engine before he shivered and shook his head. He was propped back against the broken train, his head down, his features pale as he murmured: “I'm... I'm alright. I'm alright, I am.”
“He just needs another minute. I think we all do, actually.” Thesis said softly as he glanced up, then he grimaced as he tapped on his visor, which visibly sparked with static. “My readings are all off. I wasn't able to pick up on Stronghold until too late... I think it might have something to do with the armor she was wearing.”
“I... I'll go pick it up, we can take a look at it later.” La Croix volunteered with a brief smile, self-consciously adjusting his cape over his prosthetic hoof before he cleared his throat and turned, adding quietly: “But we... ain't a good idea to linger none. Even if she meant to come alone, I'm sure the cocodril followed her.”
“Yeah. We have civilians involved now.” Thesis added quietly, gesturing with his head towards the small huddle of frightened-looking ponies that had been on the passenger car with them. Cadence noted there were only three of them, and the callous part of her wondered why they were even bothering, but Thesis seemed to hear her thoughts as he said gently: “We're not just here to kill people, right? Our mission is to protect this world and its inhabitants. No one gets left behind.”
“I didn't say anything.” Cadence grumbled, and then she nodded grudgingly before her eyes shifted to Shining Armor, asking: “So do you know where we are?”
Shining Armor traded a look with Miss Take, and then he nodded hesitantly before he said finally: “I'm guessing... seven, eight miles from the Highpass to Canterlot?”
“Yes, but we can use the mountains to our advantage here. If we go down a little deeper into the gorge, there should be some old trails we can follow. Hopefully out of sight of whatever might be watching.” Miss Take advised, before she glanced over at the other ponies and sighed a little, asking almost hopefully: “We can't just leave our new friends here, can we? I mean, if it's us they're after...”
Shining gave Miss Take a pointed look, and she gave a long sigh before she said mildly: “Well, you can't blame me for trying, can you?”
Cadence rolled her eyes, and then she turned towards her father. He nodded to her with a brief smile, then he looked at Moonflower and asked quietly: “Are you capable of walking, or do you need help?”
“I'm... thank you, I'm fine, yes.” Moonflower murmured after a moment, shaking his head. His legs trembled a bit as he pushed them under himself, but he managed to force himself up after a few moments, breathing quietly as he clambered to his hooves before he bit his lip, then looked at Cadence and almost blurted: “Next time, I'll... I'll deal with her.”
Cadence frowned, and Moonflower shook his head vehemently before he looked down and murmured: “Stronghold is my problem, not yours, Cadence. She's... she's from my past. She wants me, and-”
“And that's a silly reason to claim vendetta against someone, dear. Besides, it seems like that nasty creature has it out for Cadence as much as you these days. Don't be selfish now, darling: I'm sure a handsome stallion like you attracts plenty of ne'er-do-wells, as well as admirers.” Miss Take said gently, smiling as she stepped forward and stroked along Moonflower's armored breast, and he winced a little and half-stumbled back from her, making her chuckle. “Apologies, dear. Some things never change. So hard to keep my hooves off such... pretty things.”
Moonflower smiled awkwardly, then he said awkwardly: “I have a coltfriend.”
“Well, look at how much we have in common already, so do I!” Miss Take teased, and Shining Armor sighed.
Cadence rolled her own eyes, and then she said finally: “Let's just get ourselves together, then get moving. We've got ground to cover.”
Thesis nodded in agreement as Miss Take sighed a little, and then she smiled over at Cadence and said longingly: “One day, dear, just you wait and see, we'll have enough time to sit down for tea.”

They made their way through the mountains slowly and carefully, escorting the trio of frightened ponies. Since Stronghold had attacked, Loki's forces obviously knew they were here, and that ruined their chances of an ambush: Miss Take thought there was still a chance that they could get a surprise attack on whatever scouting party the Voidborn sent after them, but Thesis was concerned first and foremost with getting the innocent ponies to Canterlot... and, Cadence thought uneasily, with what might be happening in Canterlot itself.
They reached Canterlot with only a little trouble, most of that coming from the difficulty of transporting three scared ponies across unfriendly territory beneath a rumbling storm. The guards welcomed them through the gates once they saw Miss Take and Shining Armor, not questioning their strange company... but then again, Cadence thought wryly, they were probably used to strange company.
It made her heart beat a little faster and harder to be back here, as they headed to the castle, in the early hours of a dark and stormy morning. What would the princesses think of her? She had her father with her; would they remember him? What the hell was she going to say?
The trio of ponies broke company with them in Canterlot without much of a goodbye or a thank-you; Cadence couldn't blame any of them. They were just ponies who wanted to go home, or to work, or to wherever they had been taking the midnight train to. And it wasn't their fault the train had been attacked and destroyed, more lives lost...
No, that was pointless to think about, and it wasn't something Cadence wanted to focus on, because right now she was thinking of it in the wrong way. She didn't recognize those dead ponies as lives, but they were like insults, scratches against her world, points Loki's team had scored. It made her angry, not sad or upset... and I can't go down that path. I want to care that lives were lost, I do... but I just... I'm not able to. I'm not like Thesis, or anyone else here. I care about my family. My friends. But I don't care about them.
She shivered a bit: it wasn't the Swan who had made her a sociopath. That was how she had always been: the only difference was that now she was admitting it. But Cadence had always cared first and foremost about Cadence, hadn't she?
She was brought out of her thoughts by a gentle nudge from Miss Take as they strode across the bridge towards Canterlot Castle, the half-Changeling saying softly: “Now there's a look I remember. Cadence, scowling at the world because she's scowling at herself. Come, you should have at least a little smile. I'm sure the princesses will be very happy to see you.”
Cadence shifted awkwardly, then she glanced back in surprise as Shining Armor stepped up on her other side with a smile, adding: “Yeah, you know that Luna is always talking about you. She really liked you, Cadence. She thought you were the only person in Canterlot weirder than her.”
That made Cadence smile despite herself, before she sighed a little as she glanced back over her shoulder at her father, asking quietly: “Are you okay with this, Daddy? I know it'll be... awkward.”
“I only hope that we will be able to speak, that I will be able to finally tell them why I did what I did.” Sombra answered with a small smile, then he added quietly: “And you should not be so hard on yourself, mi amore. I know they will understand what you had to do.”
Cadence nodded awkwardly, then she took a slow breath as the doors rumbled open for them, Cadence grimacing before she scowled when Thesis looked back with a grin, adding: “And if they don't, well, you can beat everyone up. That's how you solve all your problems, right?”
“Oh screw you.” Cadence grumbled, and Thesis shrugged amiably, the mare sighing a little before she straightened and muttered: “Poise, dignity, grace.”
Moonflower and La Croix both looked at her oddly, but Shining Armor smiled in amusement before he said gently: “They don't expect that. In fact, Princess Celestia stopped expecting that from you not that long after they found you, if I remember right.”
Cadence scowled horribly, but she both blushed a bit and felt a little better at the same time, as a flutter ran through her that reminded her of why she and Shining had always been able to... make things work, even if they hadn't worked out.
They entered the hall, and Cadence looked up with a smile to see Luna standing with a cadre of Night Guard, all of whom saluted, then only looked awkward when Luna broke rank and protocol and rushed over to Cadence to hug her tightly around the neck, blurting out: “We have missed thou, and 'tis good to see... I mean, I am very glad to see you, Cadence. You have...”
Luna sat back, studying Cadence intently, and Cadence smiled awkwardly at her before the Princess of the Night gave a small smile and murmured: “You have found yourself, have you not?”
“Yeah.” Cadence said after a moment, and then she cleared her throat before she gestured at Thesis, saying quietly: “Uh, this is Thesis, my commanding officer and-”
“Coltfriend!” Thesis burst out, then he grinned and tried to loop a foreleg around Cadence, but was almost knocked over when she slammed an elbow into his kidney, wheezing a little before he mumbled: “Okay. Stepping aside for now.”
Luna blinked slowly, and Cadence smiled lamely before she hurriedly introduced: “These are my friends and teammates, Moonflower, and La Croix... and uh... this is my father, Sombra. I'm... I know you didn't meet under pleasant circumstances...”
Sombra stepped forward as Luna tensed slightly, but the two only studied each other for a moment before they bowed their heads to one-another, Luna visibly relaxing as Sombra said gently: “It is a pleasure to make your acquiantance, Principessa. I hope that if there is any bad blood between us, it can be settled. I am at your service.”
“My sister and I are honored to have you as a guest in our home, Lord Serenite.” Luna answered gently, and Sombra smiled as he rose his head, Luna smiling warmly back as she said softly: “If I may be so bold, I see little of Sombra in you, and I have never forgotten the Crystal King and the kindness he showed both myself and my sister.”
Cadence quirked an eyebrow in surprise, but Sombra only chuckled quietly before he waved a hoof, saying softly: “It was nothing. You were visitors to my Kingdom then, and it was my duty as a good host. That is all.”
“Your father. He has always been so modest.” Luna said with unexpected joy, shaking her head before, to Cadence's surprise, she reached up and wiped at her shimmering eyes before she asked almost impulsively: “Will you ever forgive us?”
“What is there to forgive?” Sombra asked kindly, and Luna smiled at him again before she closed her eyes as Sombra reached up and gently brushed away her remaining tears before they could fall. “I trust your sister is sleeping?”
“Likely not, but we like to pretend she is. I am sure we will see her shortly.” Luna paused, then she shook her head quickly and said: “But I forget myself and my manners. You must all be very tired, and while I am eager to catch up, I know that you must want to rest. Cadence, your old room has been prepared, and the quarters next door are ready for your friends. Shining Armor, Miss Take, we've set you up in your usual ambassador's room.”
“Wonderful, dear. We'll make good use of it. Come along, ShyShy.” Miss Take said cheerfully, before she paused and added: “Cadence, I can take your friends up to their quarters if you want to have a moment with Luna, too.”
“Uh... yeah. Moonflower, La Croix, Thesis, go ahead. We'll be up in a few minutes.” Cadence said, before she scowled when Thesis smiled and leaned on her.
“I'll stay too. But you guys go on ahead.” Thesis said, and La Croix and Moonflower traded looks, then they both nodded and turned to follow Miss Take as the half-Changeling gestured at them with a smile.
Cadence turned back towards Luna, who glanced curiously at Thesis before she said softly: “I fear I am still not much of one for command. If you have anything important to share or ask for, then it may have to wait for my sister. She is the one who understands the matters of state and soldiery.” 
Cadence only gave Luna an amused look, and Luna shrugged lamely before she said finally: “It has been nice to relax. The Night Court is back in session, and I have been given the task of coordinating with our new Changeling allies... oh, have you heard about that at all? No, no, I am being rude again. Would you like to sit down? Let's sit down.”
Cadence smiled in amusement despite herself, letting Luna lead them out of the main hall and towards the dining hall. It was mostly empty at this hour: apart from the escort of soldiers that roosted around the hall when they settled down to a table, there were only a few of Canterlot's earliest wakers seated here and there, although a servant still promptly hurried over to bring them coffee and a few plates of delicacies.
Cadence picked up a blueberry muffin, smiling faintly as she turned it back and forth in her hoof. Thesis sat beside her, smiling as well and looking at Luna with polite interest as Sombra sat beside the princess, who began: “Much has happened, and Metanoia... Miss Take, I mean, has been a great asset. Not to speak little of you, Cadence, but-”
“I know, it's okay. I'm glad she's here. So she's helped with the Changelings?” asked Cadence curiously, and Luna smiled and nodded.
“Yes. We have established communications with the Queen Mother, and we have friendly relations now with two hives, belonging to Chrysalis and Electra. Electra has been particularly kind to us, while Chrysalis we have developed an...” A smile quirked at Luna's muzzle. “An interesting relationship. She and Miss Take are certainly sisters.”
“Great.” Cadence smiled despite herself, thinking of what that meant: she had seen how Luna and Celestia acted outside of the public eye, after all... I'll never forget the fight over the cake. Or the hairbrush. Or anything else, for that matter. “What about the Phoenix Guild, and the Brokenhearted?”
“You demolished the Phoenix Guild yourself, Cadence. As for the Brokenhearted, we haven't seen any since... you left.” Luna stopped, then she cleared her throat before she smiled and looked from Thesis to Sombra, asking: “But what about you, Cadence? You must have had some incredible adventures... I'd love to hear about them.”
Cadence hesitated only for a moment, then she nodded when Thesis reached up and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, smiling faintly as she reached up to tap the end of her own horn as she started: “I guess it all began after I died...”