A couple days later, early in the evening Fear woke up to start his training. It was a pain in the ass to get up without much sleep, but Gentler had been insistent on the militaristic regimen.

The colt knew that, while he didn't agree, Saway would have been more than okay with it. It left him feeling groggy as he made his way outside the abode to get ready for his gallop. Chirp was there waiting for him, doing a few stretches, extending a leg and bending toward the ground, then moving to another. Wrapping his legs over his body.

“Hey hey hey! It's Fearei!” Chirp was loud and proud, glancing to him with his dynamic golden eyes, brimming with energy. “Don't worry,” he said, reading the colt's sour face, with its deep frown, furrowed brows, and wrinkled snout, “you'll get used to waking up like this in due time. Early to bed, early to rise, et cetera et cetera.”

“I really don't know,” Fear replied bluntly. “But if you insist,” He conceded without argument, moving over to him. “So you do this all the time?”

“Nah,” Chirp denied, “not always. But I'm making a special exception for you. Eventually you're going to need to do it on your own so my siblings and I can get to work, but for now I'm gonna join you in your training.”

Fear lifted an eyebrow in interest at the younger colt, before getting into the groove of stretching along with Chirpy, splitting his legs apart and dipping low to the ground, greasing up his joints. “Well thank you.”

Chirpy shook his head as he stood up, waiting for Fear to finish. “No, thank you. You saved my father. Whatever you did, you did well.”

Before Fear knew it they were up and galloping, the air brushing through Fear's mane and caressing his body as he pushed onward, pumping his legs against the ground in a steady rhythm, Chirp sprinting right alongside him. It was rather peaceful, albeit difficult as the time passed. Eventually Fear's muscles were feeling the strain of each movement, acids building up in the cells faster than they could be removed by his circulatory system. His breathing quickened, and his cheeks flushed red. His diaphragm was working overtime while Chirpy seemed barely winded.

Fear was slowing down, and Chirpy was too, but only so he could keep pace. “Remember,” Chirpy spoke carefully, “don't push yourself too hard or you'll regret it and won't be able to keep up with the regimen.” Fear gave a singular nod in response as he panted, his lungs burning and heart hammering in his chest. He could feel the blood flowing. It was freeing and so terrible at the same time.

Running like this didn't feel pleasant on Fear. It was nice to just move but at the same time there was nowhere he was headed, giving the whole exercise an awkward sensation that he couldn't place nor could he remove from his mind. The lack of a destination nagged at him, leaving him feeling nervous. But he threw himself into the task nonetheless, even as his legs shook from the strain. He tried to alleviate it by telling himself the destination was the farmhouse, but that seemed fake. Still, he pressed forward.

Unfortunately for the oldest colt there, he had to walk the rest of the distance home because he was just too worn out.

By the time he was done, Fear was on the verge of collapse, sweat dripping down his body, tongue dry from how much it was hanging out. His muscles felt like they were going to give out on him.

“Stand up on your hindlegs against the wall, it'll help you breathe,” Chirpy was quick to supply.

Fear nodded, standing as tall as his small form would allow, leaning against the homestead. He felt the difference immediately. It was small, but obvious. His lungs opened up far more than they did when he was standing naturally. It felt good. Weird, but good.

When he finally caught his breath Chirpy was back, holding out a canteen. “Here you go Fear. Drink this.”

Fear grabbed the canteen in his telekinesis, unscrewing the cap and taking a couple huge swigs.

“Hold it in your mouth for a bit, it'll make it last longer.”

The inexperienced colt obeyed, swirling it around inside his maw, bulging out his cheeks, pushing it about with his tongue, before finally swallowing a little while later. It felt good and refreshing, lubricating his parched throat. He felt so hot.

As if reading his mind, Chirp continued. “The heat will abate. Your lessons with Mom will also help with that, but the sweat will cool you down either way!” He was more excited than he should be, and it annoyed Fear.

Still, that was one task done for the day. It hadn't been that hard, but what Fear didn't know was that keeping it up was the most difficult part of improving yourself. Consistency was the only way to get better.

==========================================================================================

Not much later Fear met Rose in the back of the house for his telekinesis training. There were too many rocks to count, from small ones to large ones.

“Okay Fear,” she said, remembering how he preferred to be addressed, “we're going to start small and simple, with your focus, then moving onto endurance. We'll switch every day between endurance and strength. You ready to grind yourself to the bone?”

Fear hesitated, standing in front of the filly as if he was staring at a drill sergeant. “I don't...”

Rose bellowed, “good! Now, pick up as many of the rocks as you can.”

With a solemn nod Fear acquiesced, his horn gaining a warm white aura. It extended to a bunch of tiny pebbles and small stones, levitating them into the air, as many as he could carry. This wasn't so bad.

“Okay, now.” Rose floated a few of her own, and started doing a bunch of little designs with them, varying between figure eights, stars, moving them all at once up and down separately from each other, and back and forth, pushing her mind to do more than one activitiy at a time. “Follow my motions.”

Fear was reluctant, not sure he could do it, but he agreed and started, beginning with the figure eights. It wasn't long before he dropped a few rocks and had to pick them back up on Rose's command, his mind already getting discombobulated from the effort.

Next it was stars. Fear swept his rocks around, some going flying as he tried to keep up with Rose's speed, causing him to blush fiercely and cower away.

“You're doing well so far Fear, don't stop yet,” she encouraged, pushing Fear to grab his rocks and try again.

Fear was already utterly disoriented, a haze settling over his mind from the effort in commanding multiple things at such a swift pace, by the time they'd moved to levitating each rock in separate directions. It was too much for Fear to handle and he eventually collapsed onto the ground holding his head, kicking his hindlegs out behind him rabidly from the sensation of his mind breaking down into bits and pieces. It was too much, it almost hurt, but it was more of a prickle than a pain. It left him gasping for air.

Rose sighed. That was bad news. Fear cringed. “Alright we'll move to endurance.”

Fear nodded, unable to refrain from letting out a whimper, causing Rose to smile softly in pity. She wasn't sure he could do it, but tried to hide it from the empath.

Unfortunately she didn't do a good enough job and Fear was left doubting himself.

“Alright, Fear, this'll be simple. All you have to do is hold a bunch of medium sized rocks, heaviest you can manage, and lift them as high as you can into the air and hold them there.”

Fear nodded, again, rather sullenly, unable to look Rose in the eyes, staring at the ground. He swept his magical aura around a bunch of rocks, not as many as he'd carried originally, a bunch of rather weighty ones, and tried to heft them into the air. It was difficult at first, his telekinesis almost failing to respond from how tattered his mind already was, but he pushed through it and with a bunch of brute force lifted them. Higher... higher. Until they were about ten yards in the air above him. He held them there for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few minutes, before they all fell out of his grip and crashed in a heap to the floor with a bunch of thuds.

Rose had Fear keep doing that until the colt was fragmented.

==========================================================================================

Next up on the list was sparring with Gentler. Who had no intention of going easy on the colt. Fear stood across from the Abyssinian, wanting it all to end already and he hadn't even finished the day's worth of practice. Gentler motioned for Fear to come at him, and already he knew he wouldn't be able to constantly surge after the cat with all his strength. He could hardly lift anything, still recovering from telekinesis training.

Fear however obeyed and lunged at Gentler, swinging wildly.

Gentler simply moved out of the way, grabbing Fear by the hoof, and shoving him by the back of his head into the ground. Defeating him instantly.

And it just repeated until Fear's legs were trembling under him from exertion, from fighting. He was becoming more and more disconcerted by the insurmountable wall facing him. Sure, Gentler gave advice but it was hardly worth anything, and he was being told he couldn't use the sword yet because he was training his telekinesis elsewhere. Further, they'd agreed that Fear would train with the sword in his sleep because Luna could keep everything realistic with her power, it wouldn't tire Fear out technically, and it would be practice with using a sword that wouldn't fly to his defense automatically.

Still, Fear persevered. Eventually learning to coax Gentler into making the first move. Despite that, Fear was trying his best not to cry. Especially when Gentler told him he'd eventually be training with weights!

==========================================================================================

Soon enough Fear was inside the house, in the living room, training with Mirage. She was guiding him through meditative practices, helping him control his breathing and aiding him in deflecting intrusive thoughts. In the background one of Mirage's records was playing.

“F-Fear, w-whenever a f-faulty emotion c-comes to you. J-just...” Fear was incredibly irritated by the stuttering, but he dealt with it. “Just accept it f-for what it is, and focus on something, a-anything. B-be it your breathing. Th-the sounds around you, l-like my music. O-or your own heartbeat.”

Fear took the advice and tried his best, thoughts of how awful this training had been so far occasionally entering his head. It was terrible, he'd been so excited at first but now he was just exhausted. Fear tried to block it out but had a hard time. He couldn't stop thinking, mind couldn't stop racing about how bad he felt. And Gentler was treating him like an enemy and it was-

Mirage, seeing Fear's breathing becoming frantic, pulled him out. “F-Fear!” She shouted. “Calm down. B-breathe.”

Fear took a deep breath through his snout, letting it flow through his larynx, and felt it settle in his lungs. He held it there.

“One... two... three... four... five... six... seven, and o-out.” Mirage was too good at this.

Fear slowly let the gust of air out of his mouth, goosebumps trailing up his spine.

“S-soon w-we'll move t-to actually generating a-and n-nullifying illusions. L-like shattering g-glass, making s-someone think they're injured. Th-things like that.”

Fear tried again. Overall it was difficult to focus on something that wasn't what he wanted to pay attention to, but he was getting there. The music helped. It was hard getting his breathing under control.

By the end, Fear was uncertain about himself, but not as disheartened as after his practice with Gentler.

==========================================================================================

Emulae was tutoring Fear next – outside again, helping him access his transformation magic more effectively, teaching him how to generate it at a far more rapid pace, and helping him cement his carapace armor.

Fear was determined to figure that last part out if it was the last thing he did. It would help immensely in his training with Gentler.

“When it comes to growing your hair out, all you have to do is focus on pulsing the magic into the strands of hair, one at a time.”

That was the hard part, Fear thought as he tried to get the hang of it. It was trying to separate each individual hair. All he could focus on was clumps, and it was causing everything to get all funky. He tried to push magic into it in order to grow it, but it was becoming a mess. Emulae had to show him how to shed the hair afterward and grow it back.

Fear realized how far away he was from ever being able to turn invisible. This was just so much work, it weighed on him and caused him to slump over as he tried to access it.

“Eventually I'll have you attempting to sneak around the house and steal snacks, Fearei.”

The colt was so certain that was impossible he didn't even want to try.

Eventually, though it seemed like such a distant idea, Emulae was going to teach him how to generate and trap in more body heat, and how to cool himself off, how to create more of his body, grow his hooves out, and... and... so many other things. It was impossible. Fear wanted to throw a temper tantrum.

But he didn't.

==========================================================================================

After that Fear was exercising with Faith. Doing push ups, crunches, shoving rocks around with brute force, and so many other activities that swept Fear's mind into a tizzy, he didn't even know which end was up as his muscles grew sore and ragged.

Faith was kind and a good guide, but dear Celestia, was she a slave worker. She pushed him to the brink and beyond, forcing him to try his best. He was struggling just to get by even a little bit. His breath coming out in huffs as every muscle in his body quivered viciously like they were about to pop, or even tear apart at the seams, the tendons about ready to rip into shreds. But Fear continued. He didn't know why he was continuing as he did the monotonous work, pushing himself further past his limit, but he was.

What's pushing me? Why am I doing this?

Fear's inner voice came back with a vengeance. Because you need to protect everything that's dear to you!

But why do I have to? Why can’t anyone else do it?

Because you put forth the idea. You're the one who has to prove the ideals! Spearmint is depending on you to shove Solanum's beliefs down his throat!

Fear continued bending his body in strenuous ways, curling his abdomen and shoving himself up off the ground, the exercises interspersed between each other. Constantly flowing through them and back to the beginning until he was trying to shove boulders with his body. It was such an effort in futility.

I can't do this! Why does everypony expect this of me? I'm just... I'm just a colt.

You're a colt who can do anything! Believe in yourself!

Fear huffed and shoved, putting all his effort into it, budging it an inch as he oomphed along. His inner voice wouldn't quit, but he sure wanted to.

==========================================================================================

Fear was so, so incredibly sore. Every piece of his body screamed at him for mercy, but he knew mercy wouldn't be coming anytime soon as he laid in bed groaning like a zombie. Nothing would ever be the same. He was just going to keep punishing himself with this... was this punishment? Punishment for his sins? Had he still not done enough? Fear's mind was ravaging itself, tearing it apart, trying to get to the heart of the matter as the aches in his body, in his brain, spread so deep it felt like it was in his bone marrow, deep in the crevices of his mind. It was in the core of his being.

The colt was agony incarnate.

Sim came in a little while later as Fear took his break, opening the door with telekinesis and gently shutting it behind him with a little click. “Fear?”

Fear ground out threateningly. “What?” His voice was ferocious. A startled look crossed his face, and then an apologetic one, his eyes wide and tense, his mouth curving downward at the tips. “I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean...”

Sim waved a hoof. “It's alright, don't worry. Besides, after what you've been through today, and what you're about to go through, I understand the anger. The day's almost done, but you're still not through. Do you have more strength in you Fear?”

Fear's inner voice sounded out before his brain could respond. “Yes! Definitely! I'm not giving up! Who said anything about giving up? Not me!”

Sim stared at Fear, concerned. “Alright. Well, I thought it'd be a good idea for you to learn how to eat love while fighting. In order to drain energy from your opponent.”

Fear's face fell gaunt at the insinuation.

Sim noticed. “Don't worry, you're not going to fight me. Yet. But in order to get your meal for the next couple days I'm going to have you drain it from me so you become more adept at it.”

Fear' face softened, and he nodded once, his lower lip jutting out and trembling. “A-alright Dad.” It would taste good, but it wasn't like the heart cherries. Still, it couldn't be that hard, he'd practiced already with the ponies in town. Not a lot, but at least ten times! Maybe twenty. Fear hadn't kept count.

“Oh, and I'm going to teach you how to store love for future use so you can power yourself up when tired. It should help. But in order to do it we're going to need to practice once a day until you have a surplus.”

Fear gawked at Sim. “How...?”

“How will I generate that much love? Don't worry, Fear. I got that taken care of. All I need to do is think about your mother and sister.”

Fear's expression immediately floundered for something more lighthearted. “Well is that all?”

Sim hummed, picking it up from Faith. “Well, no. We're also going to get you practicing implanting suggestions in order to harvest love.”

Fear sighed, burying his face in the pillow. It was nearing daybreak.

==========================================================================================

At least Fear wasn't famished anymore when he returned to the castle of dreams, Canterlot. At least that's what it was to him nowadays. Fear hesitated in the courtyard for minutes on end, just catching his out of control breath and calming down. He didn't know what the others had in store for him, but not having any relaxation, neither night nor day, was going to wear on him, he knew. It was already grinding him into powder at the mere thought of not getting a single moment's rest.

Could he really beat a king with this much training? Over a period of three months? Everyone seemed to think so.

Fear didn't think so. He wasn't sure he could even beat Lumi, when three of his allies had failed to beat him.

Eventually he made his way into the castle, meeting up with Saway, who was quick to do their usual magical hoofshake and salute. At least it was familiar. Everything seemed to blur up until the point Saway uttered the magic words.

“So, colt, I've been thinking about what I can teach you that the others can't. Well, my Princess could probably teach you this, but I'm a better... teacher for it.” She rolled her eyes. “Because I'm literally fused to nightmares. I call it the Nightmare Pressure. It's an overwhelming psychic force that emits from you and paralyzes your enemies with fear. It fits you perfectly given your name.”

Fear was at a loss for words, and it showed on his dumbstruck face, jaw hanging open, slightly off kilter, his eyes lidded, a little drool forming at the corner of his mouth.

“Come on, it's not that big a deal, colt.”

Fear wasn't so sure. “Well, okay. How do I call upon the nightmares?”

Saway smiled sinisterly. “I'm glad you asked, colt.” That caused Fear to shrink away, his ears flattening against his skull. “You start by calling on the darkest depths of your imagination, where every monster you've ever encountered lies. Where the raider inside of you hides at night. Your murderlust, everything. You call on it and you bring it to the surface. You pull it into your eyes, and you share it with everyone no matter who they are.”

“Isn't that... isn't that dangerous?”

“Only if you can't pull it back on command.” Saway said it like it was no sweat at all. “Besides, if worst comes to worst you have me and everypony else here ready to beat some sense into you. So don't worry.”

Fear still wasn't sure. “Alright, if you say so.” He uttered awkwardly. Fear plopped his hind end down on the floor and closed his eyes, seeking deep inside of himself.

“It'll be easier for you here in the dream world than out in reality, so you'll eventually be able to do it outside too.”

Fear didn't know which was worse, the idea that he'd succeed in calling forth the nightmares to his mind or the idea that he'd fail. Either way he didn't have to wait long. It wasn't hard to reach back to what he used to be. It was clawing at the surface waiting to be unleashed, having been starved for much too long. Suddenly Fear felt very hungry, almost starving. His stomach was emptier than it ever had been, and his mind was hazy with the need to feed on... on violence. Fear opened his eyes, pupils slitted. A pressure, however weak, started to flow from him, making Saway feel like she'd become an empath for an instant from the... however faint, terror she felt.

“Whoa colt!” Saway immediately reared back a hoof and slammed it across Fear's face, knocking the sensation loose and back into the abyss as spittle went flying from his mouth.

Fear held his cheek. It hurt as much as reality. Or at least he thought it did. He couldn't tell if he was actually feeling it or if he was imagining it. “Aww, fuck that hurts.” He rubbed at the the spot he'd been punched.

“Again.”

“Again!?” Fear was livid.

“Yes. Again, colt.”

Fear immediately withered. “Fine.”

“As you continue practicing you'll learn to control it more, and eventually become strong enough you can overwhelm your opponent's mind.” While Fear tried to get it just right, which was feeling impossible, Saway told him about her time negotiating with changelings during the war, trying to get them on their side. She never succeeded of course. Chrysalis had always wanted nothing to do with the war. She knew it was going to turn ugly real fast. Just trying to infiltrate pony society in order to gather love was a dangerous effort due to the Ministry of Morale. Changelings who were caught were ultimately put into re-education centers to be brainwashed into loving ponies in a far more unhealthy way. To the point they'd turn their back on everything they ever knew.

Fear blanched at the thought.

==========================================================================================

Luna knew Fear was going to be completely battered, nearly broken, by the time it was her turn with the colt. But unfortunately she would show no mercy. “Welcome back, Fearei. It is good to see you.”

Fear nodded, rubbing his swollen cheek. “Yeah, good to see you too.” He didn't sound too thrilled.

“Hard night and day?”

Fear nodded sorrowfully. He didn't have the strength to speak.

“Well I'm sorry to say but we have to get to work, we don't have time to revel in self pity.”

Fear audibly whimpered.

“I'm sorry, Fearei. This is difficult, but just think about how much you'll gain.”

“What will I gain?”

Luna tilted her head to the side and smiled at Fear softly. “Strength the likes of which no one else could imagine. Eventually you'll be able to take on the world.”

“Yeah, but I'll still get killed by guns.”

“Hm, maybe. But if you conclude your training with flying colors you'll be more than capable of beating creatures into submission before it comes time to raise guns.”

Fear thought about that. He was silent for a moment. “You sure?”

“Very sure, little Fearei.”

Fear forced a smile onto his face. “Fine then, sure. What were you going to teach me again? I've had a long... time.” Fear didn't know what to call it. Night? Day? It was a mix of both at this point. He'd had a long dream too. It felt like an eternity. The trials weren't nearly this hard.

Luna gave a firm nod. “I will first be teaching you how to harness the shadows, how to pull them around you and manipulate them, then I will be teaching you how to walk within the shadows. And after that, when I think you are ready, I will teach you the Starlight Shredder spell.”

Fear's eyes sparkled. “What's that?”

Luna's smile only increased in intensity, becoming furtive. “It is a special spell I used on your sister when she first came here. It is a combination of spells and shadow manipulation, where you create pinpricks of light within the dark and use them to assault your enemies. The more magic you funnel into the spell, the more dangerous it becomes.”

Fear whistled. “Whoo, that's pretty incredible.” He paused. “You really think I can learn that?” He asked suspiciously.

“Most certainly.”

“Well alright then, let's get busy.” Fear lowered to the ground, his tail sweeping back and forth.

“We will start with meditation.”

“Aw fuck!” Fear exclaimed. Well, he'd be practicing meditation in sleep and waking it seemed.

==========================================================================================

Fear was uncertain about the majority of his training, especially right now as he faced down both his sister and mentor. Both Amelio and Saway. “Please have mercy on me,” he squeaked out.

Amelio shook her head wildly. “Not on your life, Fearei! You have a mission to beat this... this Solanum and bring glory to our family, to your new hive!”

Fear cocked his head to the side, smiling despite himself as he held the manifested wooden training sword in his dream telekinesis. “What, really? You think it's like a hive?” Something about that felt good.

Saway shuddered. “I don't wanna be part of anyone's hive.”

Fear's face fell.

“But, colt.”

Fear's face lit up again.

“If you can beat me and your sister in combat one day, I will let you call me part of your family. Hive. Whatever.”

Fear was nearly bouncing up and down.

“So let's get started,” Saway declared, and was immediately besetting Fear in a number of swings.

Fear struggled to keep up, using the sword to try and block it. Saway seemed to know just how to strike in order to lure him into a corner, before 'stabbing' him with her training sword, leaving him furious.

“Hey! No fair! I wasn't ready!”

Saway smirked. “Tough luck colt, your enemies will always get you when you're not ready. Now, en garde!” Saway was immediately assaulting Fear once more.

Fear flailed as he tried to keep up, Amelio soon joining in when Fear least expected it. It was a pain in the ass as the wooden swords clacked together incessantly. Pushing Fear to the breaking point.

==========================================================================================

“So Princess Luna told me everything.” Nyx's voice was as calm and invigorating as ever.

“Everything?” Fear tilted his head to the side as he talked with the ancient pony.

“Everything. She explained that you're going to go up against a changeling King and war for power.” Nyx lifted his head slightly. “You really know what you're getting into?”

A deep sigh escaped Fear's lips, scratching his head with a hoof. “Not even slightly anymore.”

Nyx was silent for moments upon moments, leaving Fear uncomfortable. “Well, I'm going to teach you the basics for befriending creatures and keeping those friendships. You know, just in case he's willing to listen to you.”

Fear was hopeful. “You think he will?”

“No.” Nyx was succinct. “Not even slightly. But it doesn't hurt to try. And it'll help if you have to convince his hive to go without him.”

Fear glanced off to the side. Then down at the floor. “Okay, what'cha got for me?”

“First of all, you need to be confident. Hold yourself high. Second, you need to love yourself with all your heart, and demonstrate through an ear that's eager to listen that you have love to share. You want to have others do all the talking, and only respond when they have a question or are interested in you. You have to demand respect, have a backbone, a presence to everything you do, but cater to others. You have to show mutual interest in each others' hobbies, everything. You have to learn how to enjoy the smallest of things, and hope that they reciprocate.”

The colt wasn't at all sure about this.

“Further,” Nyx continued, “you have to understand a creatures' society and way of living. You have to ask questions, get to know everything that makes them who they are. You have to learn if they are an outcast, or if they are popular. You must educate yourself all about them, make them your entire world, memorize every little thing about them. You have to be unassuming, disarming, and calm.”

Fear was even more uncertain. “Do you really think I can do all that?”

“I don't know,” Nyx admitted. “You seem friendly enough, like you already have some of those attributes naturally. But you also seem like a pony that is full of himself at times. You seem like you're always thinking and not always listening. Which reminds me, you also have to learn to read others.”

Fear sat back on his haunches.

“But do not worry. I will be teaching you how to befriend others by creating the constructs of creatures that I've met during my time alive. You will converse with them, pacify them, and learn about them. They will become as much a part of you as they have of me.”

“Sure. Let's begin I guess.”

Fear's lack of confidence made it more than difficult.

==========================================================================================

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZrddJPGp1I

As Fear woke up blearily, all the memories of his sleep and the previous night came back to him in full force, gushing against him and leaving him sputtering, nearly falling apart. In fact, he did fall apart. His body trying to raise, and then falling back to the pillow. He was in such agony, and his soul was hurting. His darker emotions were bubbling to the surface from his time with Saway. Everything was eating at him, it was too much to bear. It started with a hiccup, then a tear, then a full on weeping session as Fear cried into his hooves. Getting snot and tears all over his fur.

I can't do this.

For once his inner voice was silent.

I'm not ready for this kind of training. I'm just ten? Maybe eleven? Years old. I'm too weak. How can anyone expect this of me? How can they expect me to take on a King who's as old as Solanum? There's no way, it's impossible. I should just give up.

Fear gasped for air, his sixth sense smearing to the point he couldn't sense anything from just how vivid and intense his emotions were. They crashed against him, leaving him smothered.

I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. Fear continued repeating. I'm just one colt, not even a stallion. It doesn't matter if somehow changelings mature faster than ponies, I don't feel like a changeling, I'm not even more changeling than pony. I'm just a quarter. A lame crossbreed. Spear was right the first time. I wasn't right. “I wasn't right.” Fear sobbed to himself. Sniffling and snorting, trying to clear his snout even as his thoughts thundered in his head. It was like a storm of emotions, his eyes flickering to crimson a few times as he laid in bed.

“Fear?” Faith's voice came from closeby. “Are you okay?”

“No! I'm not okay at all!” Fear was mourning for all the lost potential, regretting ever having gotten his hopes up. “I can't do this, Faith! I can't win. I've already gone through one full day of punishment, I can't do anymore!”

Faith moved over to Fear's bed, sliding onto it and wrapping Fear up in her hooves. Her faint, overripe fruit scent and muscular earth pony body nestled into Fear. Her hooves pulled the colt in close, holding his head against her chest. “Shh... shh... it's okay.”

“It's not okay! Solanum's going to win and I can't do anything to stop him! I'm a failure!”

Faith shook her head. “Not even slightly Fear.”

“Gentler hates me!” Fear pouted.

Faith chortled.

“What's so funny!?”

“Gentler has more faith in you than any of us combined, Fear. All of us are scared of Solanum. We couldn't even beat Lumi, and he wasn't a King, just a hybrid who was born with a special mutation.” Her head swayed from side to side. “You should have seen how Gentler talked about you at the tavern. It was amazing. He was hyping up your story so much it was silly.” Faith snickered and snorted while remembering it. “All while you were resting and contemplating at home how you were going to do all this, making all these plans, Gentler was busy talking you up, how he'd finally found the pony who was going to help save the wasteland.” She sighed in bliss. “You should have heard him, he was so wild and excited.” Faith's muzzle scrunched up in happiness.

Fear snuffled a few times. “R-really? Why didn't he tell me?”

“I don't know, Nightlight.” The name sent shivers running down Fear's spine. It felt good. “Perhaps he didn't want you getting a big head on your shoulders. After all, you'd just convinced a changeling chosen by his own king to rebel.” She squeezed Fear tight. “Look, Nightlight. None of us would be helping you if we didn't believe in you to overcome. You just have to drag all that willpower up from the deepest trenches of your being and wield it. You have to be incredible, Nightlight.”

Fear hiccuped. “But I'm just one pony. I'm just a colt.”

“And you're a colt who killed a psychotic science experiment. You're a colt who brought Princess Luna back to the wasteland – who by the way has come into my dreams and we've swapped stories about you.”

Fear couldn't help but grin at that. “R-really?”

“Really, Nightlight. You've overcome your demons and kept on trucking. You've endured so much. Just endure a little bit more. There'll be peace at the end, I promise.”

Fear blinked the tears away. “You really truly promise?”

“Like Ministry Mare Pinkie Pie used to say: cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

The colt couldn't help but giggle at that. “F-fine. If you're so sure. It's gonna hurt a lot but... but I'll try.”

“That's all anyone of us can ask of you, Nightlight. For you to try your best. We know you can do it.” Faith smooched Fear on the cheek. “Now get ready, you have to meet Chirp downstairs for your run.”

Fear sighed. “Fiiiiiiine.” He rolled his eyes in a wide arc. “If you say so.”

“I do say so, Nightlight.” Faith's words made Fear smile more broadly than it felt like he had in months.

Author's Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=079qsH6j4XI