Chapter 50
“Do you think I have lied somehow, or have been misleading?” Flicker demanded as he was filled with a keen, almost painful awareness that everypony was just staring at him with confused, blank stares, and some of them looked doubtful. “Have I ever been dishonest about anything? Why the interrogation?”
“Lad, I don’t think yer lying, it is just very ‘ard to accept the truth,” Wicked replied as he moved a little closer to where Sterling Shoe was sitting. “All these ships blown up, the ‘arbour is in ruins, some of the city caught fire, and right now, every little detail is important. Now again, tell me what ‘appened.”
Biting his lower lip, Flicker gnawed upon it for a short time as he prepared to repeat himself yet again. “I went aboard the ship and started to do my job. I didn’t notice that the ship had slipped from its moorings. A talking rat came on the intercom and tried to be witty. He said that I was going to die. After that, things get a little bit confusing. I went to the navigation cabin and found the controls wrecked. The steam boiler was about to explode. Metal bits came up through the floor and I jumped out of the window. On the deck there was a rat with a parachute—”
“It’s obvious what we are dealing with here,” Mister Balister snapped, “and asking the boy to repeat himself yet again would be impugning his honour. I’ll not have that and I’ll cross steel with anypony that does!”
“Balister!” Wicked bellowed as he turned to glare at his scowling subordinate. “No one is impugning anything… it is just, right now, we are surrounded on all sides by small, furry saboteurs that live in our walls and down in our sewers and at any moment they could start setting our cities on fire, or start blowing up our factories.”
“Holding Flicker out to the fire will accomplish nothing!” Balister took a step closer to Wicked and continued, “I stand by what I said, continue interrogating the boy at your own peril. I’ll not let you kindle his resentment during a time when unity is demanded.”
“Mister Balister makes a fine point,” Doctor Sterling said in a weak, wavering voice. “If you wish to continue asking questions, do so when tension and temper have died down, Wicked.”
Wicked’s face sagged and his ears drooped. He looked at his old, dear friend, his eyes going soft and sad, and his lower jaw quivered a bit before he managed to say, “That was a close one, Shoe. You very nearly had yer brain turned to jelly.”
“I’ll be fine.” Doctor Sterling might have said it, but he didn’t look it.
“This rat was smarter sounding than Rat Bastard. He spoke differently. Given the state of the ship, I think it is obvious how smart he was, and he was using a parachute. He made plans and planned to survive.” Flicker’s brows furrowed as he thought aloud. “I’m thinking that Rat Bastard was some kind of first or early attempt. Rats breed fast and I think that, over time, we’re going to see more new rats. Smart ones, ones with magical gifts. It is clear that this is an army bred for purpose to be used against us and play against our most instinctual fears.”
Rubbing her head, Piper struggled to sit up in the bed where she was laying. One eye was bloodshot and with every movement, she winced and hissed. She looked around the room, smacking her lips together because her mouth was dry and tasted awful. “And not a one of you have mentioned that you’re happy that Flicker is alive, or that you are glad that Doctor Sterling didn’t have a fatal stroke from overexertion. All I hear is arguing and that makes my head hurt! It’s dreadful! Something just tried to kill my friend and all you are doing is arguing! In my room no less! All I want to do is lay in bed and have my head stop hurting! But no! There is a fight in my room! I just want to think about how I managed to grab my friend as he started to fall… the single most difficult thing I have ever done in my life, and how close I came to giving myself brain damage in the name of friendship! Now, all of you, shut up! Or at least keep it down!”
Having said what was on her mind, Piper fell back down into her bed with a grunt and a huff. She lay there, trembling, in pain, and her ears twitched in time with her shallow breathing.
“Honestly, I’d like to know how Flicker seems to be mostly fine,” Mister Pepper said in a low, respectful whisper. “He came in here with his brains scrambled like eggs, coughing up blood… and he was bad off. Now look at him.” White Pepper’s soft voice was filled with doubt and curiousity. “That’s not natural. The wound on his side is almost healed over as well.”
“That’s probably just due to the body spackle,” Doctor Sterling said in reply to White Pepper. “As for the rest of him, I don’t know.”
The door to Piper’s room opened and two ponies entered, making their way into the already crowded room. Wicked moved aside and so did White Pepper. The first pony that entered pulled back her hood, revealing an arctic blue mane and piercing arctic blue eyes. Behind her, her much larger companion kept his hood up, and for a second, his eyes glowed within the voluminous shadows.
“We meet again,” the cloaked mare said to Flicker as she bowed her head. “There is something odd about you… let’s see… what was your name again? Flicker… that’s right, Flicker.”
The colt, spoken to in such a manner, began blushing and he backed away from the mare as she let out a muted, musical laugh. Hearing her speak, hearing her laughter during such a dark, dangerous time, Flicker felt hope ignite inside of him and his spirit felt renewed. Flicker ran out of space to keep backing up, and the mare continued her approach. She lifted one hoof, held it out, and touched him.
Flicker’s legs went weak and his whole body itched. Warmth flooded through him and there was a most curious sensation. The world went blurry but Radiant Hope remained in sharp focus. Sound muted and ran together. Flicker found himself staring into the mare’s eyes, drawn in by some unknown compulsion.
For just a second, he saw Radiant Hope as she was. Her mane became a flickering, waving curtain of aetherial fire billowing around her head and neck. She was like the princesses, the Royal Pony Sisters, but then the image went away, and Flicker found himself staring into the eyes of a fallen goddess, the tragedy of which threatened to make him weep.
With a cry, Flicker’s knees gave out from beneath him and he would have fallen had Radiant Hope’s companion not held him up. The silent shadow behind her had power, a terrifying amount of raw power, and Flicker could feel it crackling all around him. His eyes remained locked with Radiant Hope’s as reality around him stretched thin, like taffy pulled too long and too hard.
“We meet again, Lima Bean. I did not think I would find you here.”
Fᴏʀ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀs I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴠᴏɪᴅᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ. Yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ Lɪᴍᴀ Bᴇᴀɴ's ʟɪᴍᴀ ʙᴇᴀɴ. I ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ғʀᴏᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴ. Yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴅᴏᴏᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴀʀᴇ sᴇᴛ ʀɪɢʜᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴɪᴏɴ.
“I expected no less,” Radiant Hope replied, bowing her head. “I will atone for my sin and do whatever it takes. My shadow and I have accepted our fates. Redemption isn’t such a tough road to walk. For whatever it is worth, I don’t resent you anymore and I thank you for giving both of us a second chance.”
Bᴜᴛ I ʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ. Bᴏᴛʜ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ. Sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɴᴇᴇᴅʟᴇss ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜғғᴇʀɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇᴅ. Bᴏᴛʜ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟɪғᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀs ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀs I ᴡɪʟʟ ɪᴛ.
“And what of the colt here? What has he done to deserve a zebra godmother? What terrible sin has he committed to deserve such a cruel fate?”
Wᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴛʀᴜᴄᴋ ᴀ ʙᴀʀɢᴀɪɴ, ʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ I. Hᴇ ɪs ᴍʏ ᴄʜᴏsᴇɴ ʀᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴘᴏssᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ. Hᴇ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ I ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ ʟɪғᴇ, ᴀs ɪs ᴍʏ ᴘʀᴇʀᴏɢᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ.
“So you cursed him with life too?”
I ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴇ ғɪɴᴅs ɪᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ.
Radiant Hope let out a lingering sigh and shook her head. “Let me heal him and take a few more steps down my road to redemption. Please? I know that you and I have our differences, but he is innocent, and shouldn’t be made to suffer.”
Yᴏᴜ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴛᴏ sᴜғғᴇʀ. Mᴀɴʏ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ. Yᴏᴜ ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴏᴏғ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀᴄᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴍʏ ᴡɪʟʟ. Aɴ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴇs ʟᴏsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴇʟғɪsʜɴᴇss. Dᴀᴍɴ ʏᴏᴜ.
The mare bowed her head. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Dᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ʙᴇɢᴏɴᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴇ.
“Very well,” Radiant Hope replied, bowing her head once more.
Blinking, Flicker tried to figure out what was going on. His eyes were dazzled and filled with flashes of light. His whole body itched all over and he felt far too warm. Squinting, he looked into Radiant Hope’s face and saw a smile, a sad, sad smile. He felt a little peculiar and it didn’t take long to figure out why.
“Lad, yer whole of body again, and yer mark, Lad, yer mark…” Wicked’s voice trailed off.
Whipping his head around, Flicker looked at his cutie mark. His pelt had regrown, all of it, he was hairy again and not bruised. But his mark—the flaming rat was different, the rat now engulfed in silver flames, just like he had seen when he had set the parachuting rat ablaze. Turning his head, he looked at Radiant Hope once more.
“I had nothing to do with that,” she said as she backed away and moved to Piper’s bedside. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have much work to do. It was good meeting you again Flicker.”
“Thank you so much… I don’t know how to repay you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Radiant Hope replied as she shook her head. “Flicker…” the mare hesitated and she paused.
“Yes?”
“Nevermind.” Radiant Hope just smiled, turned away, and faced Piper. “Now, young lady, let’s get you sorted out, shall we?”
In silence, Flicker mused upon some new knowledge. Disruption. His silver flames were an anathema to the undead. He wasn’t sure how he felt about his cutie mark changing, but he wasn’t too bothered by it, just thoughtful. The late afternoon sky was red and hazy with smoke. The scent of fire lingered over Canterlot, burning the nose and making the eyes water.
He rather liked the silver flames, as they reminded him of Doctor Sterling.
As for the good doctor himself, he was sitting nearby, looking out over the city as they all spent a little time relaxing upon the roof of the guildhall. Which really wasn’t a hall, but more of a tower, and Flicker didn’t know why they called it a hall. Doctor Sterling seemed to be in good spirits, which was surprising after the events of the morning. Surprising, but not impossible, as it was difficult to be in bad spirits after a visit from Radiant Hope.
Distracted, Flicker was not prepared for an affectionate assault from a hesitant earth pony. Hennessy flung himself against Flicker and wrapped his forelegs around Flicker’s neck, clinging to him with everything he had. Hennessy drew in a deep, shuddering breath and then just sat there, holding Flicker, who become just about as animated as a statue.
“I nearly lost you,” Hennessy whispered as he squeezed Flicker hard enough to make the colt’s eyes bulge in their sockets. The earth pony rubbed his cheek against Flicker’s broad, well muscled neck and redoubled his grip. “You’re the first pony I’ve really, truly been in love with and when things started exploding, I felt my heart stop! I thought I was gonna piss myself.”
Flicker, unmoving, did not respond. Piper’s eyes met his own for a moment and he sent her a wordless, unspoken plea for help, a mental cry for assistance, but Piper didn’t seem to get the message. No, now she was all weepy eyed, watching and gushing over what she saw. Flicker hated her just a tiny bit for not being able to read his mind. A wheeze flew out of Flicker’s parted lips when Hennessy applied just a little too much earth pony strength to his efforts.
“This city stinks with fear,” Wicked muttered as he stood near the edge and looked at Canterlot. “Ye mark my words, nothing good will come of this. This’ll be like striking a match in the sewer.” The old stallion let out a weary sigh and shook his head. “This’ll be a war with no recognised front. The world isn’t ready for something like this.”
“Grogar has declared war against life.” Doctor Sterling looked over at his friend and his ears drooped. “As a doctor, I’ve waged war against death. I am sure that there is something poetic and meaningful to be said here, but I can’t think of what it might be.”
“There’s your answer,” Piper said as she pointed to Flicker and Hennessy. “There’s your poetry and your meaning. This is what we’re fighting for. I get that now, I do. I feel like I’m a different pony now. Today has changed me.”
“And given you new legs,” Doctor Sterling added.
“And given me new legs.” Piper smiled and nodded. “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go and hug my friends with my new legs…”
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Has Radiant Hope showed up before?
Things are about to get seriously heavy, methinks...
As if we didn't know that already, but here's the strongest evidence yet, belike.
Flicker needs some new titles Rat Bane, Exterminatorfor the gods, The ratinator, Scion of life and ender of undead, Bane of those who run from death. Equus, Percussor Rattus (Horse, Killer of rats in Latin) and my favorite Phaseolus lunatus Mortem (Lima bean of death also latin) .
Which species was wiped out? Centaurs? Draconequui? And will we ever get a story about Radiant Hope and her shadow? What about Flicker's... hypothesis... about the Rat Bastard?
So many questions, and so little answers..
I'm still here, all the way into Tartarus and out the other side.
Trying to figure out what the 'entire species' that Radiant Hope cost Lima was. Possibly the crystal ponies, but they're not lost, at least not for good. Maybe the Umbrum, but their fate was decided long before Radiant Hope became involved, at least if I've interpreted the comic right.
7807644
Also, was she an alicorn before?
7807646
She was a princess, but not an alicorn.
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Radiant_Hope
This should help you.
7807649 The guy in the cloak is Sombra?
7807649
And which race did she wipe out? the Empire was saved, and the Umbrum sealed away
7807668
I have altered the series of events... pray that I do not alter them further.
So we have two cures ponies (or not so much ponies) that try to redeem themselfs to death
interesting
and flicker got an upgrade in flames... +unti-dead magical flame
Huh.
So that happened.
7807672
This history is getting worse all the time....
7807686
Changes were made so that Grogar would have allies.
7807672 Yes, Lord Vade- I mean Lord Kudzuhaiku.
7807690
Well, yeah, I gathered that, but you said that you altered the series of events and to pray that you didn't alter it further, and then I said that it was getting worse all the time?
You know? Getting worse all the time?
7807700
Oh, I get it, but I thought I'd just drop a spoiler for people reading all of this and going WTF, mang?
You really are getting rather dramatic. There have been so many revelations, miracles, power giftings, injuries, new characters being introduced, action sequences, sudden and unexpected events, enlistments into secret organisations, and so on and so forth, that I'm afraid I'm rather losing track of everything that has happened.
7807747 The fun thing is though when you re-read the stories of the Weed World a lot of stuff starts popping out at you.
Now hopefully he'll report to his superiors in S.M.I.L.E. (if i'm using the right secret agency) that the enemy is aware of him and targeting him.
Keeping up? I'll write a summary of the events so far when I get home and you can be the judge.
EDIT: I'm already having doubts about my grade.
i am iffy about using a character like this from the comics.......
the comic she apepared in was easily one of the worst. it was absolute garbage. in large part because of her
And just because I also think it's apropos....
7807686
7807672
It's a bus?
No, It's a four wheeled passenger train with experimental rubber wheels that runs off of a liquid fuel made from the souls of dead dinosaurs.
And it's going down the staircase to tartarus.
With RATS!!! Tarratus!
7807873 You forgot to mention the metal of the bus is forged of the bones of mother earth and the rubber tyres come from the blood of a rubber latex tree and the window glass is the charred remains of the beach sand spirit.
7807885 it's also known as the bus of damnation.
And the streets are made of condensed alicorn farts.
Whoo! Cut the brake cables! Full speed to Tartarus!
51
[youtube=EtoMN_xi-AM]
Na na na na BatRat na na na na na BatRat
7807915 The only problem I have with this is the fact that the
roadstreet would disintegrate anything that comes into contact with it... instantly.7807956 *starts shoveling more coal* It shovels the coals and makes it go! Wheeeeeeeee! ___\0/___
Hah, yes, exactly.
Hope and Death know each other? Makes sense.
Okay, I think that cutie mark change has to confirm it, the silvery fire is the Lima Death influence and not something like Flicker’s talent adapting to the undead rats. Even if the latter could happen, there's no precedent in either canon or the Weedverse that I have read for a mark changing on its own.
I'm really curious what the adjustments to the Radiant Hope background story are, her comic arc was...disappointing.
7809276
No precedent for cutie marks changing? Tarnished Teapot might have something to say about that!
7807649 Is the dark mysterious stallion with her Sombra??
7920141
I never got a notification for this and I just saw it.
Yes.
This should be 'ᴘʀᴇʀᴏɢᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ' I think.
Any talk of walking, talking ratmen is clearly made by delusional madmen that are to be reported immediately. There are no underground empires underneath our cities. Any who believe in such ridiculous fairy tales shall be swiftly executed for spreading falshoods.
I'm really loving this interpretation of death.