Ask and you shall receive! Phew, I intended to post like one additional chapter to cover how the circus bugs were feeling about Flik. I got more into it than I expected to and the end result got really long-winded. I wound up with FOUR additional chapters. :) I should know by now that being concise is not one of my strengths. So as it stands, there are five more chapters to this story (including this one and the epilogue) all because of my sordid love affair with words. I absolutely encourage criticism because I worry some of these last few chapters sound too forced.

When It Rains
Chapter 8: Coming Home

"Flik is... dead."

A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Onlookers and listeners cupped their mouths in shock and started talking amongst themselves. Gypsy fell into her husband's arms and cried out, "NO!", her voice flooded with penetrating anguish. Heimlich's eyes got wide and brimmed with tears. "Nein! Not Flik!" Dot cried into Atta's shoulder, never having been set down by her older sister since they left the site where Flik's body lay. She hated being reminded of her beloved friend's death yet again.

"What happened?!" Slim asked.

"Hopper... he..." Atta struggled to finish that sentence. Although the reality of Flik's demise had slowly been sinking in, it clawed at the princess' already-crushed heart having to go into detail about it once more. The hesitation in the princess' voice was enough to give everyone an idea of what had occurred. Tears rolled down Atta's face, tracing the paths prior ones had forged. "By the time I found him, it was too late." She was careful not to mention the part she'd played in Flik's death. Atta couldn't tell them the full truth just yet, especially not with little Dot right there. Rosie asked, "Where is he now?"

"I can show you. Follow me." Either perched atop Dim or being carried by their winged mates, the circus bugs followed Atta as she led them to the clearing where she'd left Flik. The princess hoped that the wind hadn't blown him away or a bird hadn't eaten him, although a small part of her also sort of hoped that he had been blown away or eaten, just so the other bugs wouldn't have to see his pulverized remains and so she wouldn't have to see them again. She instantly hated herself for even thinking such terrible things, but seeing Flik over and over again wasn't exactly salve on the emotional wound. Atta felt a pang of relief mixed with disappointment when she saw that the leaf covering the blue ant was right where she had left it. When the insects all landed, Atta finally set Dot down and asked that someone stay with her young sibling. The elder princess didn't want her little sister to have to revisit the gruesome sight of her deceased companion.

"I'll stay," Gypsy volunteered. "I don't want to see his body." The rest of the bugs followed Atta toward the spot she'd marked. The princess spoke in a lowered tone, doing her best to spare her sister's feelings.

"He's under here," Atta said. She grasped the edge of the leaf, her hands shaking – Atta knew nothing she said would prepare the others for the grisly display that awaited them beneath the leaf. "You should all know that... Hopper tore his arms and legs off." A couple of the circus bugs shuddered, and others looked hesitant about whether or not they wanted to see their friend in such a state. "If you don't want to see him like this, now's the time to look away or leave."

None of them moved. They wanted to see their fallen comrade one more time, regardless of the state he was in. The princess sighed and moved the leaf away, revealing the deceased ant. Rosie gasped and turned away in tears. Manny was staggered by just how horrific the damage was and nearly fell backward. Even the normally gabby pill bugs were shocked into silence. Slim stood with his hand over his mouth – as disturbing and gory as the scene was before him, he just couldn't pull his eyes away from the mutilated insect.

"How could Hopper do such a thing? I... I knew he was brutal, but this... this is horrible, even for him." Slim also felt a twinge of fright rush through him. The slender bug couldn't believe that any of them stood up and fought against someone capable of such barbarous violence.

Francis cried as much in sorrow as he did in anger. "Hopper brought him out here to do this to him without any of us interfering." The ladybug's fists clenched and shook at his sides as he fought to keep his composure. Heimlich was wailing unintelligibly and holding his stomach, feeling ill from beholding the awful spectacle.

"I need help carrying him back to the anthill so we can... bury him." It hurt Atta so much to have to use the word "bury" in regard to Flik, but he didn't deserve to be left out in the middle of nowhere to rot. He had a right to a proper farewell. Rosie agreed to help move Flik, and she and Slim gently lifted him onto the leaf that had formerly shrouded him. The weeping spider did her best to not lose her repose and drop Flik, but seeing him with his limbs torn off along with his multitude of other injuries was just too much. She scarcely managed to set Flik down before she collapsed beside him in tears. Gypsy glanced over at her friends and, regrettably, got a glimpse of Flik's limbless corpse. She flinched away, gasping and crying. Dot climbed into the moth's lap and hugged her - the little princess wished none of them had to see Flik in such a dreadful condition. Meanwhile, Francis picked up another smaller leaf to cover Flik. It wasn't so much that any of them wanted to deny the ant's fate – they just didn't want to have proof of it staring back at them the whole time. With Francis holding one end of the leaf and Atta holding the other, the insects flew Flik back to the anthill.

Once they'd landed, Atta asked Slim to hold her end of the leaf while she went to speak to her mother and the royal council. "We brought Flik back here for burial. Dr. Flora and Mr. Soil, would you be willing to help with the preparations?"

Mr. Soil nodded. "Of course, your highness. Please, let us handle it. You've been through enough." Atta put her hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I... I know none of you were very fond of Flik, but please... please give him a dignified burial." Mr Soil answered, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything less, Princess. I know he meant much more to you than to me and I'm terribly sorry for your loss." Gypsy spoke up from behind the princess. "He wasn't just Atta's loss, you know. We've all lost someone important tonight, whether or not you think so."

Dr. Flora sensed an argument brewing. She knew most of the royal council loathed Flik, so she stepped in to quell the mounting enmity and avoid causing further distress. "I promise, Princess, we'll take care of him – the best care." Atta looked on as the two royal advisors walked off with the blue ant's body in tow and vanished into the depths of the anthill. The sight of Flik being taken away cut her to the very core. He was gone, there was no way around that, but burial preparations meant having to truly say goodbye forever. It was something Atta didn't think she could face yet. Dot had cried herself to sleep in Gypsy's arms on the way home, so Atta put her sister to bed. While waiting for the royal council to complete their undertaking, the older princess and the circus insects sat together in an underground chamber, trying to find the fortitude to accept the tragic events of that night.

Author's notes: I apologize that Dim, Tuck and Roll won't play very pivotal roles in the story because they can't really contribute much dialogue. Stay tuned for chapter 9!