Deep within Flicker’s heart, a new pain lurked, and he didn’t like it. Unmoving, impassive, he seemed to lack emotion as he just stood there, blank faced, and he had a painful awareness of how he might seem, which made it worse somehow. The sound of Hennessy sobbing was somehow more unbearable than the sounds of his little sister crying, but he couldn’t say how or why. He could comfort his little sister, but he didn’t know how to comfort Hennessy.
“Hennessy, you need to do the right thing and press charges. Your mother will not, she is a battered mare and no doubt incapable of making her own decision upon this matter.” Doctor Sterling’s words were a soft spoken whisper, and the fact that he called Hennessy by name spoke volumes about the situation.
“I can’t,” Hennessy replied, shaking his head, “I just can’t.”
“Your mother needs you to be strong right now, the right thing needs to be done.” Doctor Sterling’s mustache bristled and his ears angled over his scowling face. “He can’t hurt you anymore, there is no chance of reprisal, you are out of his reach—”
“No, I ain’t!” With a gasp, Hennessy fell to the floor and curled up into the fetal position. “Every day, he still hurts me! The memories! It hurts so much and I can’t make the memories go away! Every day I hear his voice and hear the things he said!”
Closing his eyes, the doctor let out a sigh, then stood there, unmoving. Not far away, Piper, who did her best to act like an adult most of the time, began sobbing like a foal. She sat down, bleated, and then covered her face with one foreleg when she could no longer hold everything in. Flicker felt something within his stony self crack. A part of him wanted to kick Hennessy and demand that he get up, cursing his weakness, but that part was overpowered by something new welling up within him.
Moving to Hennessy’s side, he stood beside him. Reaching out his forelegs, Hennessy grabbed Flicker’s right foreleg and then buried his face against Flicker’s fetlock, rubbing his wet, teary face against it, seeking comfort. With the stillness of a headstone, Flicker stood there, looking down as his friend writhed on the floor, clutching his leg, and Hennessy’s tears were damp against his flesh.
Lifting his head, Flicker looked Doctor Sterling in the eye. “I’ll get him to do the right thing. Give me some time. Miss Pie, you’re with me, pull yourself together.” Tilting his head down, Flicker felt an unwelcome pain as he looked at his sobbing friend. “Come, Hennessy, let’s go and get you straightened out.”
“Flicker, do you really think you can get him to do what needs to be done?” Doctor Sterling asked.
“I don’t know,” Flicker replied, being honest, “but I think I know how to get him to help himself.”
The doctor nodded. “Alicorn speed,” he said to Flicker in a solemn, tight voice that was rough and scratchy with feeling. “He’ll remember this, you know, you being here for him during this low point. Many would flee this situation, as it is awkward and painful.”
“It’s not in my nature to run from much.” Flicker reached out with his mind, lifted Hennessy from the floor with absolute ease, and draped the limp, wailing earth pony colt across his back. His side suffered a painful twinge, but he ignored it. “Come, Piper, we must away.”
Sniffling, Piper pulled herself together, finding some reassurance in Flicker’s authoritative command. It cut through her pain, her confusion, the fog of the situation, and gave her direction. She paused for a moment to look at Doctor Sterling, and he gave her a tilt of his head, a faint nod, the last bit of reassurance that she needed to keep going. She felt her flagging spirit lift and she took her place at Flicker’s side.
This would always be her place, she realised.
The spring night was warm and the streets were crowded. Flicker moved through the traffic as if the burden upon his back was weightless, not caring about Hennessy’s weight or bulk. The earth pony colt wasn’t so much sobbing anymore as he was just leaking, he was too exhausted to be an active participant in his own grief.
Biting her lip, Piper kept up, moving with Flicker, who moved like a pony possessed. She had been on her legs for far too long today, and each step was agony. Each leg felt like it was on fire, she could feel her healing muscles all quivering, clenching, going tight, but she dared not complain. She knew that Flicker had to be in pain, even if he didn’t show it, and as for Hennessy, it was obvious that Hennessy was broken from his pain. Piper marvelled at Flicker’s ability to just keep going and she thought that his stamina was almost mechanical.
In one year, he had become a machine, and she knew that she would do the same, as she intended to be his equal. They were the next generation and there were some big shoes to fill. In much the same way that Flicker idolised Doctor Sterling and did everything to try and emulate the good doctor, Piper idolised Flicker and did everything she could to be just like him. He was the bar, the standard, he was the goal that she had set for herself, and she was determined to be his equal, even if it killed her.
When Flicker turned the corner, Piper realised where it was that they were going.
What a difference a warm night made. The Chapel of Night was busy and the street leading to it bustled with ponies of all types. Ponies sat out on the sidewalks, begging, some of them had cups, or hats, or something for bits to be put in. Most of the beggars were crippled in some way, and many were disfigured. Flicker moved past them, ignoring them, and it wasn’t because he lacked compassion, it was just because he was a pony with natural blinders focused upon his task.
Inside of the chapel was a crowd and the smell of scented candles filled the air, along with sweat, the stench of alcohol, and desperation. Some of the ponies were prostrate at the base of the statue, praying, others were weeping, some were praying and weeping, and others just suffered in silence.
The crowd parted around Flicker like magic, and he moved through them in the same way that a well made blade passed through a rat. The sounds of misery made Flicker’s ears perk, and some deep part of him that he was unaware of at the moment was moved to sympathy. A one winged pegasus, also missing an eye, was begging Princess Luna’s statue for restoration and peace.
While Flicker waged war against the rats, others battled against the harpy menace.
With a heave of his body and some help from his telekinesis, Flicker dumped Hennessy on the floor in a somewhat gentle manner, and then held the earth pony colt in an upright sitting position. When Piper had trouble reaching them, Flicker used his telekinesis to push somepony out of the way, he snatched Piper, who squealed in alarm from being grabbed, and then yanked her though the crowd to be at Hennessy’s side. Going ragdoll in her confusion, Flicker bent Piper’s legs for her and sat her down beside Hennessy, pressing the two together to leave room for others.
While Flicker’s kindness might leave a little to be desired, much like his scrubbing in the shower, it was a reflection of his nature. The hard colt had a hard kindness that didn’t have much in the way of softness. He stood guard over his friends, looming over them, making certain they weren’t jostled or molested. Not far away, an older mare wailed—it made Flicker’s ears twitch—and she clutched a framed photo of a young stallion wearing golden armor. Around her neck hung two stars, one in blue enameled steel, the other was smaller and golden. Staring at her, Flicker’s slow but steady mind made the connection, and feeling her pain, he bowed his head.
Now Flicker understood the statue of Princess Luna. The way she cowered, her expression of pain, her look of frailty—in this chapel full of misery, a proud, arrogant looking Luna would have no place, no meaning, no value. It looked and felt as though Luna’s statue felt the pain of those around her, heard their weeping, she was aware of the pain and suffering present. For Flicker, this realisation was profound, and his respect for Prince Gosling grew. The young prince knew what he was doing and how to reach his subjects.
This statue of Luna appeared to have a keen awareness of the suffering of her subjects, and it touched Flicker.
In the flood of noise, he could hear Piper and Hennessy talking, but he had trouble making out what was being said. He did not know the proper etiquette of standing guard while somepony prayed, he didn’t know if he should bow his head, so he just stood there, confused, and feeling the pain of others.
In silence, Flicker waited for Hennessy to sort himself out. Flicker had brought him here, carried him even, and now it fell upon Hennessy’s withers to find his way, find his courage, to find his direction. Flicker was confident that Hennessy would do the right thing. Faith was important to Hennessy, and Flicker thought about his instructions from Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
Perhaps he could learn to share in Hennessy’s faith and develop an interest?
Several police ponies and guards wearing golden armor stood in front of the Canterlot Police Command Station. It was, like so many other buildings in Canterlot, a tower, a big five sided one, with balconies sprouting off the sides for pegasus ponies to come and go. The front double doors were enormous, made of black iron, and had stylistic iconography of alicorns on them. One carried a set of scales, the other bore a flaming sword and a golden shield.
Hennessy sighed as he stared up at the doors, and couldn’t seem to move.
“You know what must be done,” Flicker whispered.
“Yeah, I do,” Hennessy replied, also whispering, “but I’m so scared and it hurts so much.”
“He can’t hurt you anymore.” Piper gave Hennessy a nudge. “Do you know what would happen if he tried to hurt you? Lord Death of Murder Mountain would descend from his mountain, and then all manner of unpleasantness and comic book levels of violence would take place. And I’m pretty confident that I would get in on that action as well.”
“Is that what I’ve done?” Hennessy asked, his words trailing off, and he did not further elaborate.
“I don’t follow.” Piper sidled a little closer to Hennessy, and brushed up against his side. “Do explain?”
“It feels like I’ve ran away from one monster and found another to protect me.” Hennessy began to tremble, then shook his head. “Flicker, I’m so sorry for saying that, I don’t mean it in a bad way, I’m sorry—”
“Quiet,” Flicker commanded, “that’s enough.” And at his command, Hennessy went silent. Flicker, unaccustomed to comforting others outside of his family, moved a little closer himself. “You are going to go inside of the police station, and you are going to report a crime, and not just on your mother’s behalf. You will report on what has been done to you as well. There is going to be a Warden in there, no doubt, and he or she is going to peek inside of your mind, it is going to be uncomfortable, and you are going to endure it. When everything's said and done, I am going to take you away from this place, we’re going to get a spot of tea and maybe a bite to eat… and Piper is going to give you the sympathy you need.”
“And just what will you be doing?” Piper asked, narrowing her eyes at Flicker. “He could use some sympathy from you as well.”
“I have too much on my mind,” Flicker admitted, and then the muscles in his neck went rigid as his jaw went firm.
“Like what?” Piper demanded, her brows furrowing. “What could possibly be more important than comforting your friend?”
“Resisting the urge to go south and committing many heinous acts of murder, for one thing.” Flicker’s voice was a low, cold, emotionless deadpan and he looked up at the alicorn bearing the flaming sword and shield. “Hennessy, it will be a mercy for the Wardens and the police to find your father and your brothers. If you don’t act, I just might. I am almost sick with rage and it is only my own strict adherence to law and order that is holding me together right now. But law and order must be tempered with justice, which demands to be meted out. It must be done.”
“I… I actually appreciate you saying that.” Hennessy’s whispered confession was scratchy, and the earth pony was looking up at the alicorn holding the scales of justice. “Somehow, that makes this a little easier. Will you stay with me?”
“If they will let me, yes.” Flicker nodded. “I promise, I will be with you every moment I am allowed.”
“Me too,” Piper added.
Hennessy, swallowing, took a single step forwards. “Mother, forgive me for what I’m about to do…”