Relentless darkness scarred and scored the scene much like the radiation and taint seeped into the ground. A pall of all-consuming emptiness swallowing up good spirits. These shadows would be far more oppressive than anything Fear had ever dealt with in his life, if they weren't so familiar to him. It was the darkness of death and everything that inevitably led up to it. It was in a phrase, entropy of the highest caliber. An uncontrolled beast that knew no limits and devoured all you loved. All positivity was swept out of those in situations like these like a knee to the gut, where all seemed lost, and was replaced with dire, existential dread. Even those who laughed about it were just coping with the heftiness. No one could hear the damned cries of those who had gone before, because they were dead. So who knew what was left on the other side?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEHzW9rqcH8

Fear and Sim were together, standing around Amelio who laid on her back on the ground. Her eyes occasionally opening to stare up at the cloud cover above her. Fear was weeping already. He could feel Amelio on the cusp. Close to leaving them forever. His breath left him too because of it. Sim was stoic, the only sign on his face that he felt anything being the deep frown and sunken eyes. He'd clearly lost some sleep over his daughter's condition, it was weighing on him heavily. Fear could feel it in the stallion's soul. He was mourning too, just internally.

Amelio gestured for her father to come closer, beckoning with a hoof ever so softly, like the motion wasn't there at all. Sim acquiesced, moving down to muzzle level with his daughter. Amelio whispered. “Closer. I need... To tell you.”

Sim looked over to Fear, then nodded and held his ear to Amelio's maw, covering up the side closest to Fear with a hoof.

Fear wanted to listen. So desperately he wished to know what she was saying to her father. He was sure there were supposed to be no secrets between them, yet...

Sim nodded a moment later, pulling up and looking down at his daughter with a heavy-set expression. “I will tell him. For you, for us. And I will teach you.”

Fear questioned readily. “Tell me what? Teach her what?” As curious as ever, even when tears slipped down his cheeks.

Sim denied the colt an answer. Instead after a moment an understanding passed between father and daughter. Amelio's dull eyes lit up for a bit, scrolling from side to side as if analyzing something inside her head. Then giving a firm nod of understanding. “It is... Complicated. But I think I can do it on short notice. There is only one opportunity after all.”

Fear watched with interest as he cocked his head to the side.

The moment between Sim and Amelio, who both had their eyes closed, went deep. They felt each others' resonance as a spell between the two was cast. One of the mind and soul, not the horn. Amelio could see within her a chain, a crimson wire-frame chain that made up a four dimensional polyhedron. Amelio felt out its texture. How it spun and spiraled, twisting around ceaselessly. Throbbing and beating like a heart. The chains of destiny. The power of destiny. It was complicated and unfathomable, and Amelio knew this was as close an approximation as she'd ever get of the power that was now at her hooftips. Sim guided her along the journey over their forbidden connection. Having experience with her dreams made it easier for Amelio to see this far inside of her being. And right now it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Amelio and Sim touched their hooves together. Didn't matter the body part really.

Fear's curiosity only heightened. There was a gentle buzz in the air. Something felt like static. “What are you doing?”

Amelio whispered sullenly. “My final act as daughter and... friend. Giving you both a final gift before I leave, possibly forever.”

Fear assumed she meant their uncertainty that there was an afterlife. Amelio hadn't told Fear, didn't want to get his hopes up for nothing.

Amelio winced as she delved further in and clipped out a humongous chunk of the infinitely-sided polyhedron. Tearing it away and feeling something very wrong. So very, very terribly wrong. The sense of dread was unbearable. Her face twisted up into one of pure discomfort.

Sim was there for her, reaching in and doing something akin to surgery, fixing what was leftover and making a three dimensional heptahedron. It was a far cry from what used to exist within her soul. It was so small and vulnerable, the color faded. It looked like strings, barely functioning. It hardly moved.

Amelio gasped hard as she transferred the excised fate tissue, made of pure energy, to Sim. The potential was volatile and heated, writhing around and flailing about out of control. Sim's eyes sparkled at the presence of destiny so close to him he could taste it. He licked his lips as he pulled it into him, face twitching as well as he unthreaded the remains of his, so much smaller than Amelio's, and looped the extra slack around delicately, using hivemind memory in order to achieve it. It was only his second time doing fatum sanitatem, so there was a little sloppiness to it, but it'd be good enough. Sim remembered what Fear's looked like before he'd added to it. More like a polygon than a four, or even three dimensional shape. Suitably, Fear's destiny had looked like it was laying in wait to latch onto anything it could.

Sim felt the power of fusion deep within him. A prismatic glow surrounded his entire body as an amethyst hue returned to his hair, mixing with the platinum and looking like he'd simply regressed in age a couple decades, regaining some youthfulness. His cutiemark recovering its color. The mirror becoming a blazing sapphire, the ornate frame gaining a golden luster, the depressed mask becoming a cool violet, and the joyful mask becoming a sunny pale honey yellow.

Amelio on the other hand, went limp as her eyes rolled into the back of her head from exhaustion, panting heavily. Or at least she would if her breathing wasn't so labored. Her cutiemark had gone from pure black to a wishy washy gray, not even shimmering with shafts of light anymore. Her hair having turned silver as if from old age. She made a motion to Fear for him to come hither. Fear complied. “Before I leave... Fear... I just want to tell you...” Amelio took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Squeezing them. “That I love you. And I trust you. No matter... what happens, I believe in you.” Fear was holding Amelio's hooves in his as Sim pulled away from Amelio, looking down at his daughter with a cocktail of gratitude and sorrow in his eyes.

Sim's dying torch had been reignited by the passing of his daughter's own flame.

Fear finally broke down completely, burying his face in Amelio's chest, sobbing his heart out once more. “I don't want to lose you Meels! I can't lose another pony! Not... Not like this.” Fear's voice had a hint of solemn resignation to it. As if he knew he had to accept it, despite everything demanding he not.

Amelio shook her head. “Shush, Fear.” She tried to quiet his crying. “You have to... say goodbye. If only for a little while. If things go right, I will be back.” An ominous air followed the comment.

“What do you mean?” Fear choked out, barely holding back tears in that moment.

“You may see, you may not. I make... no guarantees. Now Fear, I must sleep. Promise me you will... treat my body with sanctity and... burn it.”

Sim nodded, giving a little grunt. “We will.”

Fear grit his teeth, pulling off only to nod as well. “Yes. We will. You have my word. I'll let you go.” It took all of Fear's strength, according to the sound of his voice.

Amelio grinned up at her brother. “You have grown a lot in a short time... Fear. I am proud of you. Now, it is time for us to say goodbye. Possibly for... good. Who knows what the future holds? The Seer's Eye... showed you many destinies. Make yours... the greatest you can.”

Fear burst out crying once more against Amelio's chest, getting her fur a little soggy with tears and messy with snot.

“You loser. How am I... supposed to sleep with you wailing on me like this?” Amelio's tone was teasing.

Fear laughed in the midst of his crying. “Shut up. I know you can put yourself to sleep,” he countered.

Amelio smiled and closed her eyes, horn lighting up. “True enough, little Nightlight. Cast away the darkness for me. Make my last dreams pleasant.” Fear was the red star that lit up the dark side of Amelio's moon.

Fear hiccuped and smiled. “Always. In waking or in dreaming, I'll be there.”

It took a few moments, but Amelio's body eventually went quiet, her breathing regulating. And soon after it just... Stilled.

Fear cried even harder, clenching his eyes shut, confused about everything that just happened, smearing his face from side to side. Sim shed a few tears too as he grabbed his daughters saddlebags and put them on his back. “My little filly,” Sim whispered longingly, regretfully. An aching emptiness filled both stallion's and colt's heart. Loss weighing both of them down and nearly drowning them. Suffocating them.

Finally, Fear spoke. “Why didn't the pendant warn me this was an outcome?”

Storm's voice was silent.

Sim spoke up instead. “It probably didn't see it as necessary.”

Fear glared at Sim as if to demand: not necessary!? But instead he shook his head from side to side violently and cried harder, his eyes screwed shut. “What did I do wrong?” There's no one left to stop me if I go rogue and try to control everything. Well, maybe Sim.

Storm's voice echoed in his head. Your friend will always be with you in your heart.

Sim moved over to caress his son, wandering around Amelio's body to do it. Not wanting to desecrate her by walking over. “You did nothing wrong.” His voice was comforting and fatherly. So confident. “Life is just unfair sometimes. I have all sorts of stories about life being unfair. All you can do is gather the pieces and try to move on.”

Fear lashed out, yanking away from Sim and shoving him away as much as his short legs would enable. “Life shouldn't have to be unfair! Life isn't unfair. Ponies make it unfair. I don't... Don't know where to begin.” I wish I could see the future. Something definite right now of all times. Fear was angry at the stable for making him give up the pendant. But he knew Amelio would tell him he did the the right thing.

You did the right thing, my little Nightlight. Of course Mom would say that too.

Sim tried to give Fear a little time, just looking at his son sadly.

Fear continued. “Ameliorate's dreams will never live. Is this punishment? Was she roped into my sins? Is it my fault? Did I cause whatever killed her?”

Sim shook his head, cooing to Fear. “It was nothing you did. This isn't punishment. Trust me, I've been around awhile. Karma doesn't truly exist. Ponies are given chances for redemption all the time and sometimes they just run out of time. Sometimes life is unfair. I know it hurts, son. It's all about choice.”

Fear was at a loss for words for a moment, his crying ceasing like a snap of the fingers. “S-son?” Two emotions flashed through him. First: shock. Next: anger. Fear got up off his haunches and pointed a hoof threateningly at Sim. He didn't know what to say, just pointing maliciously, his leg trembling as it hung in the air. Based on how Fear was shaking, it was clear he wanted to hit something. The feelings were crystal clear all over his strained face. With his clenched jaw and gnashing teeth. Fear looked off to the side, screwing his eyes shut again, more tears cascading down his cheeks. He was about to ask Sim why he left, but then it all came flooding in. All the answers filled him up. Sim was lacking a destiny. Why was he lacking a destiny? Fear slumped forward, feeling as if he'd been struck in the gut. He took a few wavering steps back, throwing his head from side to side in disbelief. His jaw drooped, his eyes bulged out. He was winded, he couldn't breathe. He looked up at Sim. All... all the answers just... lying there. “Why... why did you give me your destiny?”

Sim gazed at Fear pityingly. “You were born without one, Fear. You had what ponies would see as a genetic defect.”

That still didn't make any sense. “Why did giving it up mean you had to leave?” Fear knew the answer, but he didn't want to admit it. Destinies were very personal things. He knew that intuitively.

Sim turned his head to the side, looking away. “I'm ashamed to admit the reason for that.”

Fear sounded uncomprehending, but he understood it all at once. “I'm... I'm the reason Amelio grew up without a mother.” Why didn't they tell him sooner? Obviously his mother couldn't tell him, she never told him anything new. It wasn't actually her, even if sometimes it felt like her. Either way? Probably for the best. “Did Amelio know?”

“Amelio learned of it while we were in Stable 47. She said she still loved you, and I asked her to keep it secret. I didn't want you knowing Fear.”

Fear trembled furiously. Squeezing his eyes shut again and breathing hard, his chest heaving as he stood there, knees buckling. He reached a hoof up to try and grab at what felt like a pierced heart.

Sim proceeded. “You aren't the reason Amelio grew up without a mother, Fear. It was both Storm's choice and mine.”

“W-why...?”

“We both knew that over time, because you had something I could never have again, opportunities I'd never find... and because I would one day die, that I would grow resentful of you. Eventually. Whether I liked it or not. I would not be able to stop those emotions. And one day I might've done something I'd regret with sound mind. It's why I've not been as warm toward you as I am toward Amelio, and why I kept my distance. Why I didn't originally want you to come with us, even though I'm glad in hindsight you did.” Sim's lips pursed. “I'm so, so sorry Fear. I never wanted to hurt you. I thought the best way I could save you was by you never knowing me at all. So I asked Storm to stay silent about me. Storm, wanting me to have a pony to love and take care of, told me to bring Amelio with me.”

Fear collapsed onto his belly.

“I'm sorry for leaving you both. I understand if you blame me and don't want to see me, but you're all I have left, and now that I can protect you and teach you what I want to, I want to be better.” Sim hesitated. “If you'll give me the chance.”

Fear was silent for a long time, hiccuping and sniffling. Still unleashing tears and snot everywhere, his snout plugged up. He could tell Sim was sincere, how ashamed and apologetic he was. Fear laid on his stomach with legs splayed out away from him diagonally. “Amelio... Amelio forgave me. She loved you. It would be wrong of me not to forgive you too. We've both done things we regret, and I don't want to be alone anymore.”

Sim grinned a little despite himself, albeit sadly with eyebrows leaning outward. “Then the next leap will be the leap home.”

Fear felt a renewed pang of anger at himself for not being able to protect Amelio. All while remembering what his mother told him about his time in her womb. What he was like. How he was always happy and emotive, showing her more love than she could handle. And what he was like when he was born. How he did not cry. “Is that why I didn't cry? My... genetic defect?”

“Yes. You hardly had any individuality of your own. You were born to find a hive, or somepony strong enough to serve. Changelings usually have their own destiny and individuality, but sometimes they are inherently tied to their hive.”

Fear thought about it, remembering Amelio saying that only zebras were familiar with destiny and soul magic. He sniffed a little, needing to blow his nose. “Amelio said... only zebras were familiar with destiny and soul magic.”

Sim shook his head. “Changelings have learned all sorts of things from others, just because zebra are familiar with it doesn't mean others don't know about it. Really, changelings are as tied to destiny as ponies, just differently.

Fear began sobbing again, realizing new things about himself. Why he was the way he was. Why he'd shut down so much as a foal due to sensory overload; become silent. It was because he was developing an identity of his own, and until then he'd been inundated with every creature and the world itself. That's why Amelio wasn't the same as him, because of his defect.

Sim tried again, moving over to Fear to hold him, comfort him, and let him sob into his coat as he took out his spark lighter in order to burn Amelio's body.

The resulting pyre lit up that little bit of the wasteland, crackling and popping as flesh and bone sizzled.

DJ-P0N3 had been on the entire time, and the next song broadcast on the radio was bittersweet, and oddly fitting for the moment. Fear had heard it before more than a few times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WzObiHuGgc

The light of the fire continued for a long, long time. Almost unnaturally extended.

Author's Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhtwz6F2wEg Amelio's goodbye. Maybe someday in this timeline Fear will return from a red star to a blue star.