Hecate's Orphanage

by BlackRoseRaven

Friction Burns

Chapter Four: Friction Burns
~BlackRoseRaven

Cadence and Luna scowled at each other across the firepit, the ivory mare polishing her throwing knives, while the sapphire pony had a large rifle in her hooves, leisurely cleaning this. Cadence scowled in disgust at the sight of the weapon: it had a rectangular, fortified barrel, a double-edged bayonet sticking out from beneath it, and a trigger designed to fit the Valkyrie's hoof... what a surprise, a Valkyrie lowering herself to using such... “Toys.”

“Aye, I have always been fond of them.” Luna growled, then she spun the large cylinder of the revolver-rifle before adding disdainfully: “Sting serves me better than thy silly little needles ever will, Swan.”

Cadence hissed through her teeth, but as she felt her father's eyes on her, she did her best to repress the Swan inside of her, grudgingly nodding towards him. He and the others were clustered around their own campfire, leaving her and the Valkyrie to try and... get used to each other, she supposed. Not that it was helping at all: they hated each other, and there was nothing that would cure this hatred... except one of us killing the other.

Luna snorted as if she had heard Cadence's thoughts, the mare spinning the massive, black-metal gun before she tucked it away into the holster on her back, the two glaring at each other before the mare said contemptibly: “We need only behave ourselves until we return to Decretum. Then we may go our separate ways. Agreed?”

“Fine.” Cadence grumbled, then she quickly rearranged her knives in the belts strapped around her body before she leaned forwards, saying coldly: “But next time we meet-”

“What, thou will smash thy face into my hoof again?” Luna mocked, and then she leaned forwards, saying contemptibly: “What I hate most about little birds is that they are often so loud... but are so easy to break beneath my hoof. It makes it difficult to punish them as much as I would like.”

Cadence snarled, leaning forwards aggressively before she snapped: “Keep talking, Valkyrie. Hecate said to bring you in alive. Not whole.”

“Aye, Hecate is cunning and cruel. And I will have to thank her.” Luna smiled mirthlessly back as she sat back on the fallen log she was using as a bench, letting her forelegs fall into her lap. “She sent me a toy to play with, after all. I will have to warn her that it is more fragile than she must think, though, when I see her next. Fragile... and 'twas discarded by its last owners for a reason.”

Cadence swore before she leapt over the campfire, her horn glowing white as she drew a throwing knife in either hoof, and then she halted dead in the air as there was a burst of blue flame in front of her and she felt something pressing into her throat, the ivory mare shivering in spite of the fact she was hovering directly over the campfire.

The tip of a spear was pressing into her neck, the nine foot weapon floating ominously in the air as Luna only looked up at her coldly. The air was silent, apart from the crackling of the bonfire, both mares feeling all eyes on them, before Luna finally snorted and drew her spear back, muttering: “Prúðbikkja deserves better prey than thou.”

The spear spun beside her, and for a moment, Luna silently surveyed the tip of the weapon, which, Cadence realized after a moment, was a horn. A dark blue horn, secured to the body of the spear by several rings of metal, which in turn were locked in place by four large, blade-like prongs. Runes ran all down the body of the spear in a spiral from tip to butt, and after a moment, Cadence flapped her wings to drop herself back in her seat, scowling moodily even as she studied the weapon intently.

“Gianttooth. And your own horn.” Cadence said quietly, and Luna smiled wryly before the spear simply vanished in a burst of blue flames. “I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that-”

“Yes, dog, bark. Bark away.” Luna said contemptibly, and Cadence gritted her teeth before the Valkyrie simply closed her eyes and leaned calmly back. “That is all thou can do, isn't it, as thou has no fangs to bite with.”

Cadence swore under her breath, looking down, but after a moment, she clenched her eyes shut and forced herself to take a breath and actually think about what she was doing. The Valkyrie had a point, as much as she grudgingly didn't want to admit it. The Swan was riling up her emotions, making her furious, wild, angry; she wasn't acting like herself, was she?

She breathed slowly in and out, then muttered finally: “Fine. I'll wait until we get another chance to fight. I'm better than spitting insults like a foal.”

Luna grunted moodily, opening her mouth, but then sulking and closing it instead when Scrivener and Morgan both glared at her from their side of the campsite. The sapphire mare grumbled, then looked away and crossed her forelegs, fidgeting a little before she complained: “I loathe waiting.”

Cadence grumbled, but keeping her eyes off the Valkyrie seemed to make it easier to put up with Luna's presence. “We have to wait for the portal to open.”

“I do not see why we cannot simply open the Bifrost.” Luna grumbled, the mare glowering over at the other circle of ponies before she added moodily: “Knowing Hecate, she is drawing out the wait on purpose... and will thy silly ring truly hold?”

Cadence scowled, but forced herself to keep her eyes closed and her head down instead of looking either at the Valkyrie, or the portal ring that Sombra and La Croix had quickly constructed from disposable materials: the quick, one-time use rings were designed out of flexible metallic rods and supports that would all burn up shortly after the portal was closed, leaving precious little trace behind that they had ever been here in the first place.

“We've used them to move convoys before. Don't worry, Valkyrie. You'll be just fine.” muttered Cadence, and Luna grunted moodily. The silence between them was almost painful, the only noise coming from the other fire as both Valkyrie and Swan Maiden did their best not to look at each other.

At the other fire, Scrivener Blooms smiled awkwardly over at Sombra, saying finally: “I really don't think they're going to start getting along. I guess all we can do is hope that... that portal activates soon.”

Sombra chuckled quietly, and then he smiled over at Moonflower and La Croix, saying gently: “I think they just need time; some of the closest of friends can start from the most bitter of enemies, is that not so?”

The zebra and the winged unicorn looked at each other, and then they both huffed loudly and turned away before La Croix said moodily: “Y'know, not that I ain't glad they be over there, and I be over here, where neither of 'em can smack me, but I don't know if it's really such a bon idea to have those two cocodrils sittin' pretty with just each other for company. One gonna eat the other at this rate.”

“Yes, I don't quite understand it myself.” Moonflower added, looking nervously in the direction of the two mares. “You'd think Cadence would be happy to find another one of her own kind. But I suppose I would be the same if there was ever another all-powerful Lord of Darkness to challenge me for my position... not that I'll ever have to worry about that, of course.”

Scrivener and Morgan both looked mildly at Moonflower for a few moments, and then La Croix said grumpily: “Yep. Ain't never gonna be another like you, Moony. Now if only there ain't never was a you in the first place.”

Moonflower laughed loudly at this, then he reached up and patted La Croix condescendingly on the head several times, squishing his top hat and making the Loa twitch and scowl. “Yes, yes, I know you can't help but be jealous of me and everything that I am. Handsome, strong, adored and respected and feared far and wide by millions throughout the many worlds... but fear not, La Croix, I have never once considered you a servant.” He paused, then sniffed disdainfully at the zebra as La Croix grouchily adjusted his hat. “Mostly because I am certain you would be terrible at it. You are far too silly and cheerful and your taste in clothing is atrocious. I mean, really, a top hat?”

La Croix scowled horribly over at Moonflower, while the winged unicorn only looked pointedly back, until his attention was drawn by Scrivener Blooms asking mildly: “And who are you again?”

Moonflower glared even as Morgan smiled despite herself and firmly nudged Scrivener with her elbow. “Now, just because you happen to be a large, handsome stallion yourself, don't think that I'll let you get away with such obstreperousness!”

“Do you even know what that word means? Because I actually don't. And generally when I don't know what a word means it means the other person doesn't either.” Scrivener said blandly, before he awkwardly rubbed at the scarred side of his face, adding mildly: “Not so sure about the 'handsome' thing, at that.”

“Moony don't ever know what he's talkin' about, don't y'all worry about that. He just opens his mouth and the words fall out.” La Croix said dryly, and Moonflower sniffed disdainfully, shoving grouchily at the Loa.

“Oh, quiet. You're merely envious, seeing as you can't even string a single coherent sentence together without reverting to some... backwater stripehorse slang or vernacular.” Moonflower argued, and La Croix narrowed his eyes moodily at the self-proclaimed god.

“That be racist, y'know. Racist.”

“I am not a racist, I am evil. I am expected to put up a certain...” Moonflower gestured a few times with his hooves, searching for the right word.

“Ignorance.” La Croix said sourly, grumpily adjusting his hat.

Moonflower huffed loudly at this, then he turned suddenly back towards Scrivener and flicked his hooves towards him, saying emphatically: “Now, you. You are plenty handsome! Certainly not quite as well-groomed as our own Sombra, of course...” Moonflower shot an uncomfortably-fawning look towards the unicorn, before he cleared his throat and turned his eyes back towards Scrivener Blooms, who was staring blankly at the stallion. “But all you need is a little cleaning up! Why, look at your mane, it's a terrible mess, a travesty, really. You have such a regal onyx for your coat, it's so gorgeous compared to most ponies!”

Scrivener looked awkwardly down at his armored body, absently patting his own chest before he looked up and said finally: “I think you're just saying that because most of us here are black.”

Moonflower reared back in this, looking offended as he snapped: “Black? Excuse me, black? Oh, no no no, none of us here are so... disgraceful. You are onyx, sir, which is a gorgeous color. Sombra, dear Sombra, is a wonderful shade of polished obsidian, oh, it's so rare to see these days! I am but a humble midnight noir, while La Croix, of course, is piano ebony... although I was as surprised as you are sure to be when I realized his stripes aren't piano ivory, but a slightly mismatched marble ivory! Isn't that a delight?”

The winged unicorn laughed loudly as he clapped his hooves together childishly, smiling cheerfully around at the nonplussed ponies before La Croix said dryly: “You are such a pédé, rein de la nuit.”

Moonflower huffed loudly at his, glowering at La Croix as the zebra glared back at him, and Scrivener and Morgan slowly turned to look at each other for a few moments before Sombra smiled and said: “We all have our... fields of expertise here, and while they're very different, I think it makes us that much stronger a group. In a way, you don't seem so different from us.”

La Croix and Moonflower both looked up in surprise at this... and then La Croix grinned wryly as Moonflower snorted in amusement, before the zebra remarked wryly: “Wise as you might be, Papa Sérénité, I gotta say you might be wrong about this one. These trois ouaouarons ain't nothin' but trouble. They real good at causing it, and they real good at attractin' it.”

“I can't entirely disagree with you there.” Scrivener said mildly, absently adjusting his collar, and then he glanced curiously at Morgan as her ears perked slightly, her mane of dark flame twisting slightly around her.

Before he could ask what she felt, however, there was a crackle, followed a moment later by the portal ring lighting up with energy as a swirling vortex formed inside it, crackling and sparking. Luna and Cadence were both immediately on their hooves, nearly running right into each other before they growled and jostled back and forth as they both hurried towards the portal, the Valkyrie snapping: “To the victor goes the lead!”

“This is my unit, and we are heading back to my home! I lead!” Cadence snapped in return, and the two halted to glare at each other furiously, but then Luna flinched slightly, her eyes suddenly drawn to Scrivener and Morgan, who were both looking at her pointedly.

“I... oh, very well, I suppose.” grumbled Luna, and Cadence narrowed her eyes moodily, studying the mare intently. She could sense something very strange about the way that she seemed to communicate silently with the other two ponies. She couldn't quite put a hoof on it, but it was both very distinct and very subtle, all at once, like they had some kind of unique connection that was more than just the way they obviously cared for each other.

“So I have to ask, Valkyrie. Was it so hard to decide whether you preferred licking or sucking that you just had to have both?” jeered Cadence suddenly, and even she couldn't help but shift mentally at not just the venom in her voice, but the fact she had spat that at all, with absolutely no provocation.

The Valkyrie looked over her shoulder, glaring at her for a moment, before she bared her sharp teeth in a nasty grin as she retorted: “Oh, and I suppose thou needed-”

Then Luna squawked as Scrivener grabbed her by the face and firmly clamped her mouth shut. Cadence felt her mouth starting to open, to say something else stupid and mean, but then she felt her father's eyes on her, and she saw his disapproving gaze as he approached.

Cadence shrank slowly under that gaze, and inside her, she felt the Swan blanketed and muffled by the avalanche of shame that rolled through her stomach. The ivory mare dropped her head, licking her lips, and then she finally hung her head before forcing out in a mumble: “Luna, I apologize. I am not myself and the Swan has never hated anyone the way she hates you and it's making me very mean.”

There was silence for a moment, and then Luna firmly shoved Scrivener off before the sapphire mare turned around and approached Cadence. She looked at her equably as Cadence half-rose her head slightly, already feeling the Swan squirming angrily for control again, but after a moment, the Valkyrie gave a brief smile before she said softly: “Aye, I suppose I understand the feeling... Cadence, is it? Or Danzsöngr, which art thou?”

Cadence frowned at the question... and then she suddenly smiled briefly before she shrugged a little and said softly: “La Croix calls me Cygne. How about that?”

“Very well. Thou may call me Luna, or Brynhild, or whatever else thou pleases.” Luna thrust a hoof suddenly towards Cadence, the ivory mare wincing slightly, but then hesitantly taking it, the two shaking briefly before Luna smiled wryly. “Now lead on, Swan. This is the only time thou shall ever have the honor of leading a Valkyrie, after all.”

Cadence sighed tiredly, muttering under her breath as she turned towards the portal, and Scrivener gave Luna a dry look as Morgan rolled her eyes and said tiredly: “Here I was about to be proud of you, and then you go and open your big mouth again.”

“My mouth is very big. 'Tis best for gobbling down those who annoy me...” She paused, then grinned lecherously over at Moonflower, who looked back at her blankly. “Or those who please me.”

She licked her lips slowly, and Moonflower paled slightly before he scrambled behind La Croix, whimpering a bit. La Croix only rolled his eyes, however, saying wryly: “This one don't play the game that way, Madame Minuit. He a little... lavender.”

“That is perfectly fine, Morgan is also lavender, and as thou knows she is wholly devoted to me.” Luna said positively, and La Croix snorted in amusement before the sapphire mare paused and added, leaning pointedly forwards: “Thou art less rude than when last we met. While part of me feels 'tis because now I can easily make it hoof party in thy face's house should the urge take me, I also feel... thou art different. What civilized thee, La Croix?”

“Oh, right, 'cause we zebra folk ain't civil, we all just barbarians and cheats and bêtes de foire, huh?” La Croix asked wryly, striding towards the portal before he hesitated and paused, smiling briefly over his shoulder at the mare. “Maybe I got me a lesson in humility or two though, yeah.”

La Croix paused, then added dryly, gesturing pointedly at the large winged unicorn who was still trying to use the zebra as a wall between himself and Luna: “Also, y'all might be ouaouarons, but y'all are a lot less annoying than this here poulet.”

Moonflower huffed loudly, but before he could retort, Cadence called clearly: “Form up, escort positions! We don't have all day!”

Cadence was already waiting in front of the portal, and Moonflower grumbled even as he broke off to one side, while La Croix half-bowed to Luna, Scrivener, and Morgan. And the sapphire mare smiled wryly even as she led her partners into the middle of the group, saying softly: “I must admit... for all I may loathe the Swan... she has done well turning chaff into grain.”

She could sense Sombra taking up position behind them, and the mare smiled wryly again before she looked back and forth between Scrivener and Morgan, who were both nodding slowly in agreement. And they could all feel that energy in the air: not just from the portal, but the excitement of traveling to Decretum, seeing what changes Hecate had brought there over the years that had passed... and more than that...

Luna's smile widened, and then she looked up as Cadence called sharply: “Forward!”

Without looking back, Cadence ran into the vortex, and Luna followed without hesitation or fear as Twilight and Scrivener fell back slightly. La Croix and Moonflower herded them on either side, but the escort wasn't needed, the three more than eager to run into the portal, charging into the swirling vortex of energy.

They exploded out of the other side of the tunnel of energy and onto a wide metal platform, Luna grinning widely, her eyes glowing with joy and amazement as she looked back and forth at the inside of some kind of massive facility that for all its steel and synthetics was vibrant, had a life and liveliness to it that she envied and adored-

Her instincts roared: not with warning, but with joy, as Luna half-turned towards a behemoth of steel that was charging straight towards her, and the mare roared as the enormous mechanical golem swung a steel claw in towards her, reacting immediately and leaping up to meet it as Scrivener and Morgan both broke off to either side, each automatically turning to face similar threats.

Cadence could only stare in shock as Clockwork Titans converged on the ponies they had brought through the portal: elite war constructs, with massive mechanical bodies that were nearly a perfect imitation of Hecate's own steel form, but topped with snarling dragon heads with glowing crimson eyes. Not just golems, but fully-autonomous androids controlled by Decretum's central AI, machine-warriors even she had trouble fighting one-on-one against.

And yet the Valkyrie laughed loudly as she danced backwards under the assault, the android's fists punching dents in the titanium floor of the portal dock as it chased after her. Morgan and Scrivener mirrored the Valkyrie's battle-joy as they danced around their own opponents, even as the rest of her team of Irregular Hunters came through the portal and then stumbled hurriedly out of the way of the melee, staring with confusion.

The Clockwork Titan fighting Luna leapt suddenly forwards, swinging both claws down in a savage tomahawk, but Luna grinned savagely as she caught the machine's attack, her eyes glowing as she laughed louder before shouting: “Hecate, thy toys are weaker than I remember! Now let us see if they are more brittle, too!”

Luna leaned forwards with a roar, shoving the Titan backwards, gears and servomotors squealing as the android stumbled on its huge steel hooves, trying to catch its balance. And as it stumbled, Luna's horn lit up with black light before she snapped it savagely forwards, and the golem was blasted off its hooves by a tremendous flare of blue flame that exploded in a massive gush of sapphire hell, embers and flames hailing down over the floor.

But where the flames landed, they turned to blue and black ice over the steel as Luna's horn continued to glow, her mane bursting into azure hellfire, her grin spreading wider as dark ice twisted rapidly over the steel floor in front of her. And then, as Cadence stared in disbelief, the sapphire mare flicked her horn sharply upwards, and the black ice exploded upwards from the earth as it lit up with a malicious blue glow, swirling violently out to either side of Luna.

Luna's eyes blazed with power as ice and fire transformed into a pair of massive claws that floated ominously in the air on either side of the sapphire mare, and the Clockwork Titan seemed to hesitate for a moment as it stared at Luna: the last, lethal mistake the Titan would make, as Luna's horn gleamed and her grin widened.

The massive claws of ice lashed out, seizing the Clockwork Titan and hefting it into the air like a toy before slamming it cruelly down into the platform. The Titan bounced once, mechanical systems squealing in denial before the enormous fists of ice and fire savagely began to pummel the helpless construct, metal and flakes of frost flying in all directions as the Titan was steadily crunched down into the floor. And through it all, Luna only laughed, her horn gleaming as she quickly, almost effortlessly, reduced the Titan to nothing but broken parts and scrap metal.

“Enough!” shouted a cold, crisp voice, and Cadence looked stupidly up as Hecate strode out onto the platform, the Empress of Decretum looking measuringly at Luna Brynhild as her remaining Clockwork Titans quickly retreated from combat. Neither Scrivener nor Morgan had done more than superficial damage to the androids, and they were both glaring at Luna, who was only grinning widely as she stood proudly over the broken remains of the golem she had literally punched into the platform, her huge claws of ice and spirit-flame floating on either side of her.

Hecate glowered down at Luna, as Luna slowly drew her eyes over the mechanical Empress, and then she laughed loudly before saying cheerfully: “Thou always knows just how to welcome me!”

“I was appraising your abilities. Which I see have grown since the last time we met.” Hecate said irritably, scowling down at the wreckage of her golem before she flicked a claw to the side, a holographic screen appearing. She tapped a few quick commands over this, then muttered: “Ridiculous. I already regret letting you in.”

“Oh, shush, thou art glad to see us, I can see it in thee.” Luna huffed loudly, and then she stepped forwards suddenly, and to Cadence's further disbelief, she simply hugged Hecate's leg, before the mechanical empress flinched and gritted her teeth in fury as the huge claws wrapped her in a a half-embrace, half-grapple as well. “And I am glad to see thou, and that thou hast been so productive!”

“Uh. Luna?” Scrivener cleared his throat loudly, and Luna glowered, then squawked as Hecate firmly punted her off before she tore free from the icy claws, seizing one of these and flinging it to the ground. But instead of shattering, it simply bounced back towards Luna with the other enormous hand of ice, and Luna grumbled loudly on her back before the claws of ice daintily grasped her and pulled her up to her hooves, the mare shaking herself off. “Maybe you could put the giant hands away now.”

“No.” Luna said staunchly, one claw waggling a finger firmly in the direction of Scrivener before the Valkyrie grinned widely as she turned her eyes back towards Hecate, asking: “So what has thou been doing? What is... all this?”

Luna gestured naturally, easily with the huge claws floating on either side of her, and Hecate slowly rubbed at her forehead before she said waspishly: “I have been working to protect the worlds. What have you been doing with your little vacation with your harem, apart from learning some new circus tricks?”

“'Tis not much of a harem. 'Tis only two mares.” Luna said mildly, glancing over at Scrivener and Morgan, who both looked at her sourly, and Luna groaned loudly before she complained: “Fine! Fie on thee, very well, I shall put the Jötunnfang away.”

Luna paused, then one of her icy claws reached over and firmly ruffled up the enormous stallion's mane before the huge hands burst apart into blue smoke and embers that vanished quickly from sight. Scrivener Blooms sighed tiredly, rolling his eyes from beneath his messy mane, and Twilight smiled briefly as she shook her head slowly, while Luna only grinned proudly and winked playfully over at the ever-unimpressed Hecate.

But Cadence was trembling, staring at the Valkyrie with disbelief, and humiliation, as the Swan writhed inside her. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed: was the Valkyrie truly that powerful? Before, when they had fought, had the Valkyrie just been playing with her? What was this power, what was this strength, how was it possible that-

“Cadence. Get your team in order and leave for debriefing, I will not repeat myself again.” Hecate said shortly, and Cadence blinked several times and shook her head quickly before she looked dumbly up at the Empress of Decretum, who pointed sharply towards one of the exits. “Thorn is waiting to debrief you, and then we will be discussing your performance... or lack thereof... during this examination. You have all disappointed me.”

“Hecate, do not be a great bitch.” Luna said grumpily, and Hecate twitched before slowly turning her eyes towards Luna, even as Cadence flushed and dropped her head in shame. “I do not like the Swan, and I think she is stupid and smelly, but she has not done terribly considering the fools thou hast given her to work with.”

Hecate scowled darkly, and then she leaned down and said coldly: “Do not tell me my business, Luna Brynhild, or you will find yourself on the hard end of my hoof.”

“Do hooves have not-hard ends?” Luna asked curiously, and Hecate slowly closed her eyes before the sapphire mare smiled suddenly, saying quietly: “I have missed this, friend. Thou never did allow me to trample all over thee. 'Tis thy most frustrating and most endearing characteristic.”

Hecate sighed tiredly, then she shook her head slowly before looking moodily over at Cadence. The ivory mare nodded hurriedly after a moment, half-saluting awkwardly before she turned and cleared her throat, calling awkwardly: “Team, fall... fall in.”

Sombra strode quickly up beside her, smiling reassuringly as La Croix and Moonflower followed after a moment, and Cadence took a breath before she turned and led them away. She wasn't completely with her team, however, staring blankly ahead and moving mostly on autopilot as she shivered a little, her body trembling a little as she saw the Valkyrie laughing in her mind: laughing, like it was all nothing more than a stupid game, wielding fearsome, frightening power with ease.

Cadence blinked as a hoof touched her shoulder, and she looked up to see her father smiling at her gently, the stallion saying quietly: “We're here, mi amore. But we need you here too.”

Cadence laughed a little, dropping her head and biting her lip for a moment before she gave a quick nod, taking a slow breath before she murmured: “Right. I... I am. I'm here.”

Her eyes flicked back up to the sealed double doors in front of them, and she cleared her throat before gazing up at the crystal eye above the door, saying quickly: “Cadence, Team Leader 0-0, present for debriefing.”

There was a loud click as the eye glowed, and then the double doors slid smoothly open, allowing Cadence and her team to enter the debriefing room. They assembled and saluted, although to Cadence's surprise, Thorn seemed a little agitated today, the stallion pacing in front of the glowing map of Decretum instead of seated at the table.

He gestured at them quickly, and Cadence nodded before she began to remove her equipment, as did the others. Weapons and armor were all placed on a mobile stand, which scanned their gear as it was placed down, determining what repairs were needed and verifying what they returned. Anything missing or broken would have to be replaced, after all, and keeping a record of what had been lost helped cut down on theft and other problems.

The others were already sitting at the table by the time Cadence was done, and she joined them, although she noticed that Thorn didn't, the stallion turning towards them and asking in almost a sharp voice: “Well? What happened?”

“I...” Cadence hesitated, frowning slightly at Thorn and studying him. He seemed both nervous and excited all at once, and she had never seen the stoic stallion so emotional. He was completely different from the cold and distant assistant to Hecate that she had known, the pony who a lot of Orphans half-joked might be another of Hecate's androids; his dark eyes were so intense...

She cleared her throat as she realized that gaze was locked tightly on her, and she shook her head quickly before saying finally: “We engaged the enemy, but they were not-”

“I know what they weren't. Tell me what happened.” Thorn interrupted, leaning forwards over the table as he pressed his front hooves into the wood, making it creak. Cadence blinked at this, and Thorn caught this before he winced a little and cleared his throat, leaning back and taking a breath before he said in a quieter voice: “Tell me what happened, please. We know who and what you engaged. What I need is to know the particulars of the engagement and your assessment of the targets.”

“Yes, sir.” Cadence rose her head, then she took a slow breath, swallowing her pride and her anger and most of all, the Swan, before she said in a voice that shook only slightly: “Engagement was a failure. We were absolutely outclassed, and if this had been an actual engagement instead of a training mission, we would have been annihilated.”

Moonflower and La Croix both began to lean forwards, opening their mouths, but Sombra calmly reached up and grasped both of the stallions, pulling them back into their seats. Thorn and Cadence ignored the others, their gazes locked before Thorn said quietly: “Explain.”

“We tracked them and encountered them shortly after deployment.” Cadence looked down, unable to hold Thorn's gaze any longer before she murmured: “I sensed the Valkyrie long before we saw her. My... my team tried to hold me back, but I was reckless and moved directly to engage her. Only her. I put myself at great risk, and furthermore, I was the one who started the confrontation. I did not try negotiation, I did not assess the enemy in any way. I leapt in, hoof-first.”

Cadence smiled briefly, glancing away. “The Valkyrie defeated me. Easily. Moonflower engaged the one named Morgan, and my father... I mean, Sombra, engaged the last, Scrivener Blooms. Their combat halted when we discovered that they were not whom we were led to believe and they resolved their confrontations peacefully. I did not break off my engagement. I continued to attack the Valkyrie until she incapacitated me. I realize now that...”

The mare closed her eyes, looking down shamefully, unable to admit it. That the Valkyrie had just been toying with her, that Luna hadn't nearly been using her full power.

Thorn studied the ivory mare silently for a few moments, and then he shook his head slowly before asking calmly: “La Croix, where were you?”

“Hiding. This ain't on Cygne, boss, this one be on my head.” La Croix said quietly and sincerely, and Cadence smiled faintly over at the zebra as he reached up and silently squeezed her shoulder, as the Loa looked nervously but determinedly up at Thorn. “I knew who those cocodrils were the moment I saw 'em. I worked with 'em in the past, see, back when they was way down under. But that was why I was scared of 'em, I... I wasn't too good to 'em in the past and I just be a great grande coward, so I hid. I hid and I deserve to be punished for it, boss, and... this all be on my head.”

“Oh, it is not, you... great stupid witchdoctor.” Moonflower grumbled, raising his own head. He rubbed lamely at his smaller wing, and then he said finally: “I... may have... antagonized and underestimated my foe. Not that she got the upper hoof on me at any point in time, of course, but... I certainly was... not paying attention to what was going on as I should have been. I may be quite nearly omnipotent but I fear that I do tend to get... caught up in things.”

Thorn sighed tiredly and shook his head, and then he moodily looked towards Sombra, and the black unicorn bowed his head before he said softly: “My opponent had a great advantage over me as well. None of us were any match for our foes, and none of us were prepared for the battle we faced. And I allowed myself to be distracted instead of seeking a more peaceful solution.”

The sapphire stallion sighed quietly again, letting his eyes draw over the quartet before he said finally: “All of this will be taken into consideration, along with the fact that you were set against unfair odds. You... did return with the subjects, and you are all intact. While your engagement was a failure, all the same, you completed the assignment and assessment.”

Thorn halted, then he tugged at the collar of his cape before he asked suddenly: “Tell me more about them. How... were they eager to come back to Decretum? Did they seem to be... I mean...”

Thorn lost his composure for the first time that Cadence had ever seen, the mare frowning slowly as she looked up at him, and then she blinked as she stared at the stallion, drawing her eyes over him with disbelief. Dark eyes, a sapphire coat, silver-white hair...

She looked incredulously at Thorn, then shot a look at her father, but the black unicorn was only smiling quietly, as if he recognized it too. It was more than enough to confirm Cadence's suspicion as she looked back at Thorn, leaning towards him before she asked disbelievingly: “You... are you... how can you be, though?”

Thorn blushed slightly, looking uncomfortably away, and La Croix frowned, then covered his mouth with one hoof, pointing at Thorn with the other and mouthing wordlessly. Only Moonflower seemed not to understand what was going on, the winged unicorn frowning as he continued to play absently with his too-short wing before he asked curiously: “What? I don't think it's very unusual. They did certainly seem all too happy to come with us, after all. I mean, I was not nearly that happy to come here myself...”

Moonflower paused, and then he scowled slowly, narrowing his eyes at Thorn before he suddenly sat up, his wings flapping out and nearly slapping Sombra out of his seat as he asked sharply: “Wait, those... those barbarians aren't going to be replacing us, are they? I will... I will go on strike if Hecate decides to bring those new ponies into the Orphanage, I will go on strike, I say, and without me you can all just wallow in misery as the worlds burn down! We are the very best of the best and if I'm going to be stuck here for my crimes against Equestria, then by Tartarus I will not allow myself to be replaced!”

Moonflower puffed out his chest and his cheeks, raising his head proudly as Cadence looked at him with disbelief and Sombra slowly straightened in his seat, sighing tiredly. La Croix simply grasped his hat and pulled it slowly down over his head, while Thorn stared at Moonflower before he rolled his eyes, moodily flexing his mechanical leg before he said tiredly: “I will be sure to make a note of that, Moonflower, and I'll let Queen Hecate know. But I don't think they're going to be here for more than a few days. Hopefully enough time to...”

Thorn looked down for a moment, biting his lip before he shook his head and smiled briefly at Cadence. She was still staring at him with disbelief, and the stallion cleared his throat before he said finally: “Your evaluations will be completed and sent to you by the end of business tomorrow at the latest.”

Moonflower huffed loudly, but Cadence nodded quickly before she saluted as Sombra and La Croix both bowed their heads politely. Thorn nodded back, then he bit the inside of his cheek before he said impulsively: “Cadence, La Croix. I want to speak to you further for a moment. Sombra, Moonflower, you are both dismissed.”

“I'll wait for you outside, mi amore.” Sombra said gently, reaching up to squeeze his daughter's shoulder with a smile, and Moonflower peered suspiciously at Thorn before he slowly slid out of his seat, an uneasy look on his face as he made his ways towards the double doors.

Cadence smiled at her father as he left, while La Croix shifted nervously in his seat, smiling lamely at Thorn. The door slammed shut behind Moonflower and Sombra the moment they stepped through, and Thorn took a slow breath before he looked at Cadence, asking quietly: “Why was the Swan's reaction to the Valkyrie so violent? Hecate didn't expect the level of aggression we saw.”

The ivory mare grimaced, unable to help but ask: “Was the entire confrontation monitored?”

Normally, that was restricted information: Hecate didn't want her soldiers knowing when or how they were under watch, and she didn't want them to know how thoroughly they had already been evaluated. It helped measure their honesty and reliability, and helped make sure they would always be pushing to do their best in every mission.

But this time, Thorn shook his head before he muttered: “Just the broad strokes. We couldn't risk creating too clear a signal, it would have helped Hel's Archives home in on their position.” He stopped, realized he'd probably said too much as he scowled a little, and then he prompted: “Well?”

“Valkyries are... they replaced the Swan Maidens. We hate them... I mean, the Swan hates her because the Valkyrie was held up as 'better' than her, because the Swan Maidens were discarded after the Valkyries came into being, because the Valkyrie has a... not demonic, but a... corruption...”

Cadence struggled to find the words as Thorn surveyed her silently, and then she sighed and gave up before saying simply: “The Swan hates her. The Swan hates her more than the Swan has ever hated anything or anyone. Brynhild, the Valkyrie, is... anathema to us. To... to her, I mean.”

Cadence quieted, and then she rubbed the back of her head before mumbling: “And she's... she's stronger than me and it... drives me insane.”

Thorn smiled briefly at this, and then he shook his head and said quietly: “There's always a bigger fish, Cadence. You may be the best fighter we have in the Orphanage, but you know as well as I do there are stronger things than you out there.”

“Yeah.” Cadence looked down, and then she closed her eyes and shook her head briefly before she smiled faintly as La Croix reached up and patted her on the shoulder gently.

“Now, don't look so down, Cygne! Ain't your fault at all... believe you me, those trois spent a lot of time way down yonder in that nasty ol' bayou of Nanny Hel's, bein' turned into the worst of the worst. You weren't around to see it, but there were some pretty nasty times in these here parts...” La Croix said kindly, nodding to the mare. “Just because they stronger don't mean you ain't strong.”

“Speaking of which, La Croix. I didn't realize that you had known... the subjects. It wasn't listed in the reports.” Thorn said calmly, but there was a certain anxiety in his eyes as he asked: “What can you tell me about them? Were you involved in their training in Helheim, and what do you know about their abilities?”

La Croix looked awkwardly at Thorn, then he cleared his throat before saying bluntly: “Boss, no offense or nothin', but... those ouaouarons be fou, but they fou like the renard, you hear? I ain't very good at math, now, see, but I can still add un plus un together, and they clearly didn't come back with us just 'cause we asked them kindly. Why don't you just go talk to them?”

For a few moments, Thorn was impassive, stoic, calm as ever and then he slowly lowered his head as he silently reached up and touched his mechanical leg, and Cadence softened as La Croix gave a faint smile.

Thorn rubbed slowly along his metal forelimb, and then he sighed quietly, shaking his head and muttering: “You two are dismissed. Go about your business.”

La Croix shrugged a bit, and then he turned and headed towards the door. Cadence, however, lingered for a few moments before she blurted out: “Thorn, were you... how well did you know your parents? How... I mean, Luna is...”

Cadence looked nervously at Thorn as La Croix winced a bit from where he was lingering at the doorway, and Thorn scowled for a few moments, making her think that she had just committed professional suicide with her dumb question. But after a few moments, he shifted a little and said finally, almost grudgingly: “I... spent the first ten years of my life in Helheim, living with my parents. They have a strange... 'game' with Hel, where they run, and her demons try to capture them. Because they're supposed to be prisoners in Helheim, Inquisitors and Hunters can drain their energy and drag them back down to be imprisoned.

“They... allowed themselves to be caught after Móðer... Luna... was pregnant with me.” Thorn continued, loosening up as he talked. Cadence studied him, how he opened up, how it seemed like he'd been waiting his entire life to tell this story to someone. “Even though they're prisoners, they have the same status as noble demons in Helheim... their cage is a mansion. I was raised there, and I was taught all about the Archives...”

Thorn reached up and touched the ring around his horn gently before he smiled briefly. “Helheim is not an optimal place to grow up, however, so they 'escaped,' and brought me to Decretum. Hecate adopted me, and my parents... had to go back to running.” He halted, then shook his head slowly, murmuring: “But they're not just running away. I know that just like us, they protect the countless variations of Midgard. They're heroes, great heroes, and... I'm a secretary.”

Thorn smiled faintly, shaking his head slowly as Cadence smiled a little back, and La Croix chuckled quietly. “Well, least you have parents, boss. I don't got any. Well, I guess Bondye sort of counts, but... he weren't ever much of a papa.”

Cadence hesitated, and then she said finally: “We all have different paths in life. I... admit that I'm rather surprised...” She studied the stallion silently for a few moments, wondering how he could be so quiet, so very different from the Valkyrie, but still, now that she knew what she was looking for, she could see both Luna and Scrivener in him. “You should go see them. They even brought a friend with them, Morgan.”

Thorn cocked his head, and La Croix snorted in amusement before he said mildly: “Cygne, Morgan there ain't their friend. Well, she is, but she 's closer than that.”

Cadence frowned curiously over at the zebra, and La Croix smiled slightly before he said mildly: “She means Twilight.”

“Oh, yes. Twilight is their partner, all three of them are my parents.” Thorn explained absently, and Cadence's jaw dropped slightly, which made the sapphire stallion gave a small, wry smile. “I forget sometimes that that's... strange.”

“Oh, no, I... just didn't expect that.” Cadence laughed awkwardly, looking lamely off to the side for a moment before she cleared her throat and mumbled: “I guess I knew but I wasn't sure if... I mean... well, anyway, they're... I'm sure they'll all be really happy to see you.”

Thorn nodded a little, biting his lip before he sighed and looked at the two almost uncomfortably. The Loa and Swan Maiden looked back, and after a moment, Thorn cleared his throat before he mumbled: “Thank you for listening. Now uh... I have to assemble your reports.”

He gestured at them lamely to dismiss them, and Cadence smiled slightly before nodding. La Croix only shrugged, then tipped his hat to Thorn, replying mildly: “No worries, boss. And hey, if you want to replace Moony, none of us will complain, right, Cygne?”

Cadence sighed and rolled her eyes, slapping the back of La Croix's head lightly, and the Loa grinned even as he flinched away and hurried to the door. The ivory mare gave a brief smile to Thorn, who smiled hesitantly back as the zebra and winged unicorn made their way out.

For a few minutes, there was silence as Thorn paced nervously around the room, and then he took a slow breath before bringing up a holographic screen in front of himself. He looked into it silently as it blinked slowly at him, waiting for his input, until finally, he said quietly: “Contact Mother.”

There was a beep, and a moment later, Hecate's face appeared on the screen, the mechanical mare flinching slightly as something exploded behind her before she turned away, her image going staticky as she shouted furiously at something out of view: “Will you stop breaking things for even a moment? You two, control your idiot mistress!”

There were a few shouts and distorted swears, and Thorn looked uncomfortably at the screen before Hecate turned back to face the camera, glaring into it and snapping: “Thorn! If your debriefing is done, then get down here immediately and come and foal-sit these morons!”

“Uh. Yes, Empress Hecate. Immediately.” Thorn said lamely, and the link shut down, cutting off what sounded like an excited yell. The stallion stared for a moment into the thin air where the screen had been, and then he cleared his throat before taking a few quick breaths as he turned around to hurry towards the door, not even knowing what he felt, or what he should be feeling.

He only knew that he had waited more than ten years for this moment. And now that it was here... he had no idea how the hell he was going to go through with it.

Comments

[BlackRoseRaven]

7581151

Thanks. Name screwups always elude me for some reason.

[BlackRoseRaven]

7580831

They'll pop up on rare occasion, yeah, but they're much more secondary in these stories. A few other old friends will be showing up too once the story really gets rolling along.