https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYyYE0B6Hvo

Life seemed a little more definite for Fear as of late. Understanding more about who he was made pieces fall into place, giving him understanding he'd never had before. Yet there were still missing parts of the puzzle. He'd talked it over with Amelio and found out she'd never experienced sensory overload when she was young due to her empathy. Why had he been different? Why did he search for something he could not find? What was he looking for? Something told him that the answer to these questions were the same, and when he found out he'd never be the same again. Sim had given no more than a noncommittal grunt, and Amelio had cited brain abnormalities as a possible cause.

Fear had noticed over time that Sim was often ambiguous with his answers. And pushing for answers rarely got him anywhere. Sim was tight-lipped and Amelio had been a good little daddy's filly throughout. Even if she knew the answers to certain questions she would not betray her father. While Sim never told a lie, he was never bluntly honest either, which was something Fear could tell hurt the stallion.

Things were still snowy, with lots of crunchy alabaster icing coating the ground; however it was all far more clear and crisp, completely lucid. The group could see for at least a mile, as if they were looking through rinsed lenses. It felt as if they could shatter the monochrome picturesque scene with a simple buck of their hooves, with how sterile and chilled it all was. Jazz music filtered through the air, creating wibbly wobbly vibrations and keeping them all company during their trek into the Stalliongrad city limits, passing through a solemn, traditional residential zone that was near the outskirts. Fear's and Amelio's sixth sense on alert. So far things had been silent and empty. As usual, Sim seemed to know where he was going. The stallion had said it was because he'd seen a map of various stables multiple times on a pipbuck, Stable 47 being among them. Fear couldn't believe his luck honestly – it seemed too good to be a true, but Sim was obviously sincere. No hint of deceit in his explanation.

Truth be told, Fear knew essentially what a pipbuck was, and they were going to a place that had a lot of them. Before now he'd never seen one, not even on his mother. His mother had told him they were given to everypony, or nearly everypony within a stable. They had a lot of memory storage, and were basically terminals for the foreleg that allowed ponies to do many things. Like use the Eyes Forward Sparkle spell, something that his empathy was similar to in that it allowed a user to differentiate between hostiles and friendlies. There was also the Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell, which his mother's talent was very much like. In that his mother could speed up her perception of time in order to have longer to think or analyze a situation. The primary difference was SATS allowed for instant targeting with a firearm, and oftentimes even a melee weapon. The comparison caused him to miss his mother ever more. No matter how much she seemed to be there, she clearly did not have the same capabilities she used to. She could no longer brainstorm and help him through things. Fear whipped his head from side to side rather vehemently, trying to shake out the thoughts and pull himself from this particular swamp he'd sunken into many times before. To help with that, he tried to think of other questions he could ask about changelings, a subject he still didn't know enough about in his opinion.

“So how exactly is your memory so good, Sim?” Fear's questioning nature seemed to never end. He was always diving into the smallest niches for information to the point it'd make other ponies frustrated, Sim clearly found it very entertaining. As demonstrated by that disarming smile he always wore. He seemed to especially enjoy the way Fear always managed to find a way to steer the conversation back to one of his previous questions.

“Well...” Sim's eyes rolled this way and that, collecting the right words. “I have a few specific memories stored on a sort of... Alternate space. Kind of like on the air? It's a modification of what makes up a changeling hivemind. A spell taught to me by my mother. It exists around me, constantly fueling back into me and anypony attached to me as long as I have the magic to upkeep it. It takes the form of an illusion or a daydream when I access it. Amelio can also connect with it sometimes. I might allow you to as well someday.”

Fear was in wonder at the idea changelings had some way to hold memories safely with magic, cocking his head to the side and looking at the strange, dazzling stallion. “I assume it takes more magic the more you're storing.”

Sim grinned, his eyes looking off to the side as if to see behind him. Impressed with how quick Fear was at figuring things out. He knew the colt would be a danger to anypony trying to hide a secret given enough experience interrogating others. “Yes, and I often switch things around to make it easier to hold. Someday it'll all be given to Ame when it's my time to leave this world. If you run out of magic or energy, or have others constantly accessing information and putting it back over and over again, the memory starts to deteriorate. Which is why some need to be refreshed, and it's better to only use it sparingly.”

Fear shuddered a bit at the morbid revelation. Losing memories was not something he was comfortable with, nor was he comfortable with Sim eventually dying and leaving Amelio and him on their own. They'd hardly been together and he already felt this way. “Alright then. Moving on. Meels, you, and I all like art. We've talked about some of the playbooks and novels you have at your parents' home in Neighvada.”

Amelio nearly swooned at the mention of those books. “The story about the reindeer of Hearth's Warming past, present, and future are my favorite!”

Fear just shook his head, smiling bemusedly toward the filly. “Exactly. Are all changelings like that? Do they all enjoy art, Sim?”

The stallion fell deep in thought for a moment as he tried to figure out how he was going to explain. Becoming inundated with explanations that overlapped each other. “Changeling aesthetic is a...” Fear kind of knew what that word meant. “Strange thing.” Sim was silent for a moment longer, trying to recollect. “I see the beauty in everything, including changeling lifestyle. I see magic in what is usually practicality. There isn't much actual art in changeling society, but there are good feelings. All lings have a purpose and a place, even drones. They all contribute something. They sometimes tell stories.” His thought process changed tracks. “Emulae loved pony art and...” Sim was clearly trying to get his words in order, experiencing something rather heavy. “Some changelings have taken the practice of doing the same kind of art as ponies, tried to keep traditions alive. Sort of? But with their own species. Using their own way.” He paused. “Something I realized long ago, and that you should too, is that there can be art in every little thing. Even in order, even in practicality, there is something to be admired that can stimulate the mind.

Fear noted that Sim was on the verge of rambling, but found the lesson interesting. The stallion wasn't quite like his mother when it came to teaching.

“Whether it be the beauty of chittering conversations, the dance of a fight, the muted colors used in hive construction – which are mostly greens and blacks, with some purples, yellows, and whites depending on the hive – you can find art everywhere. It's like finding a silver lining. Though things every changeling loves to do are relax, enjoy a good meal, and converse with each other. They love to learn and evolve, and often they'll relax in slime pools.”

Fear was curious, it wasn't quite the answer he was looking for, but what he focused on was the last part. “Okay, what's a slime pool like?” It didn't sound gross to him. Something about it was comforting.

Sim nodded his head a little, rubbing a hoof along his chin. “They're essentially recesses in the ground full of a strange slime. I've only experienced one once when my mother took me on a trip. They feel cozy to rest in, for a changeling it's like being back in an egg. For a hybrid it's like being back in the womb or egg, whichever you developed in. The calming, hypnotic glow to it all leaves you in a trance and regresses you back to better days, even if you've never experienced those better days. There are restorative properties to it for fur coats and chitin, and gives a gentle glisten. It flows into every crack and leaves you feel like you're being molested, but not uncomfortably. It's more like it knows exactly where to touch you to relieve all your stressors, but it's not alive.” Sim shrugged, shaking his head. “It's a little like an alien mud bath, but far more sticky. It just melts right off when you get out though. Prolonged exposure to the substance allows a changeling to become more flexible in how much love they can store too.” Sim rested his head against a hoof and sighed. “I haven't been to one in ages. I'd like to go again. They're usually found underground where moisture has built up and changelings have lived.”

Fear lingered on that description, trying to imagine it. Deciding to dwell on that rather than his previous thoughts. He wondered if he'd ever get a chance to have such a magical experience. “

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtJdHfc11nE

It had been a rather long trot but the group eventually made it to... Where was this? Fear looked up at the sign on the multi-story building they were in front of as his two partners entered without much fanfare. Fear cocked his head to the side, trying to read the dirty, gritty thing. Par's'l I'd's'ries. Fear wondered what it could have once said. As it was it made no sense to him. But Sim seemed to know. He clearly recognized the letters... Somehow. The stallion was certainly strange. But he quickly followed in after them.

The deserted lobby was grand and a little extravagant, with many planters, hanging from the ceiling, between rings of couches, and rimming stairwells leading upward. Except every planter had nothing but dry, brittle plants remaining if anything at all. The dirt was gray and dead. The lighting in the messy place was non-existent, and supplies scattered all over the ground and stuffed and strewn haphazardly in desks, cubbies, and across the ground. The only light came from the exterior. Fear looked around the intricate waiting room, seeing doors on the upper levels, and hallways on the first floor. The stairwells had glass and steel wire railings, some kind of art nouveau thing. What used to pass for lighting in the place had come from paper shade orb lamps.

Fear noticed he'd been left behind a moment later and quickly reached out with his sixth sense to find the others again, racing toward one of the hallways and through a door. It was some kind of reception area with a desk, some more desiccated planters, some rickety old chairs. Sim was currently tapping slowly over a keypad lock, entering a series of numbers that he seem to have memorized. Yet it was clear Sim wasn't as good with terminals as Storm had been. Just by watching him. Amelio was looking over his shoulder.

“What is in there, Dad?”

Sim grinned. “A surprise. I told you I've seen maps before. And stable locations are often the same. With reception areas like these that are out of the way. This one just happens to be in a pharmaceutical company.”

Fear watched as the keypad beeped and two cylindrical steel rods that were holding the door in place shunked out of their sockets with a loud mechanical noise. Allowing them entry.

Sim opened up the door and gestured into the black abyss that led downward. “You two want to go first or would you prefer me to?”

“Is it safe?” Amelio asked.

Sim shrugged. “I mean, you tell me. You two are the empaths.”

Fear laughed. “There could be robots.”

Sim pointed a hoof at Fear. “Right you are Fear.” He paused. “But if you two don't want to see it before me that's fine.” Sim's horn took on a white glaze like a heated up piece of metal, before that molten energy slithered up his horn and formed an orb of light that illuminated the area. “Follow me you two.”

Fear and Amelio obliged, with Fear closing the door behind them after Sim requested it. “So what's down here, Sim?”

Sim just smiled. “Stable 47, Fear. Your home.”

Fear wasn't sure he believed Sim. No, he believed that it was Stable 47 (though he didn't know what to expect) but he didn't believe it was his home. “What was the code for that door anyway? And how'd you know it?”

Sim wasn't surprised. The question was bound to come up. Fortunately he'd been prepared. “129472. I learned it from the hacker pony that showed me the map of the stables. She'd been to a lot of places, and had gathered a lot of information.” Sim hoped Fear wouldn't ask for a name. He couldn't lie about the name. Fear would know something was up. The mare who'd given him the locations had also gotten them from other terminals, so that part wasn't a huge deal.

Fear didn't ask. Whether because he knew better or because he wasn't interested was uncertain. Sim would probably offer that information anyway if he was going to.

As they got to the bottom of the next set of stairs they were in a large, open, dusty room with four columns holding up the ceiling. Motes of grime littered the air, floating about after having been stirred after who knew how long. Amelio was the first pony to gasp when she noticed the amount of equine skeletons littering the ground around... Fear gasped second at seeing the great big steel door that was more a giant gear than an entrance to a facility. It was gray and maybe a little rusty with 47 painted on it in big, blocky, yellow letters. The paint was chipping away so it appeared faded. Fear moved up to it, pressing a forehoof against the solid, dense metal. It felt smooth, and like it could withstand numerous explosions.

“How do we get in?” Was Fear's first question, while Amelio tried desperately to avoid stepping on or near any skeletons, walking daintily with a disgusted expression on her face, staring at the corpses with a shudder rocking through her body. Skulls, ribs, spines with tail docks, tibia, and so many other various pieces were sprinkled around, some connected to the whole and others... Not.

Sim gazed around as his spell lit up the room for the most part, casting shadows of the three of them and the columns. Empty of everything except for death. “Well provided the cameras are still functioning, they'll see us eventually.” It was at that point Fear noticed a speaker connected to the wall next to the door. He started looking around at the ceiling in the corners for a camera.

The first thing that happened was a spotlight flicking on and beaming down at the front of the door. A spotlight that flickered a few times and looked as if the glass had been partially damaged. They could feel the heat radiating off the old thing. Fear lifted his foreleg to shield his eyes, while Sim and Amelio just contracted their pupils and looked somewhere that wasn't directly at the light. Soon enough there was a loud crackle and a fizz. A ringing sounded out from the speaker next before everything cut off and a voice erupted. The only other sound being Fear's radio.

Her voice was beautiful, eloquent, strong, and powerful. The voice of a singer and a leader. It was rather aged but still full of determination. A commanding tone laced into the words. There was a tinniness to it from the speaker. “You do not look like Steel Rangers. Who are you?” The words had a hint of threat to it that could not be denied. As if they were one step away from being shredded into strips.

Fear hesitated. Amelio and Sim kept silent. Fear stiffened and held himself tall a moment later, narrowing his eyes, still not finding the camera. “I am Fearei Shatter. This is Simulacrum,” he gestured to the stallion, “and Ameliorate Reverie,” then motioning to his closest friend. “We are...” He looked to the others again. “Guests I think?” Fear looked back at the door, then spotted the camera out of the corner of his eye and looked to that, stepping over to it. “My mother told me she came from this stable.”

The camera focused a little as the mare remained silent for a moment. “What was her name, why are you carrying my daughter on your back, and what proof do you have?” There was an accusatory tone. After all, who would not be wary of seeing their daughter on a small pony's back?

Fear steeled himself a little, gritting his teeth and holding himself confidently, a confidence he didn't entirely feel. He pulled the pendant off from around his neck with telekinesis and held it up to the camera. “She was your daughter?” There was some awe in his words. Just some. He shook his head a little. “Her name was Brainstorm. I couldn't bear to live without her so... I stuffed her. And she always carried this pendant with her.”

Silence reigned once more. It was a little while later that the voice picked up again. “How can we trust what you say, and that the pendant you carry is the right Seer’s Eye?”

Fear stumbled a little, running a hoof through his mane. Swinging his head from side to side. How could he prove any of this? “I uhh... I don't know.” Seer’s Eye? Is that what it’s called? “I mean is there really a way you can trust either of us three?” He paused. “I can at least tell you what I've seen in it though. I've seen miraculous things. It's saved my life a few times by showing me visions of possible futures. Where to go sometimes. And it's shown me things I should avoid. It's really weird because it seems to have a mind of its own. It only shows me things it...” There was uncertainty. “Thinks I need to know?”

Amelio looked at Fear in earnest curiosity, her ears flicking. Sim was just silent, as if not surprised by any of this. Though like always, it didn't show. He'd been hiding things from Fear since the start.

Fear continued. “I've seen this thing called an exoverse before,” he said, trailing off. “Where many timelines exist. It's maddening. And it's tempted me a few times to go scrying through it in more detail, to look at those special timelines. But... I don't want to end up like my mother. I just want to... I just want to change things?”

The mare finally spoke up. “Welcome to Stable 47, Son of Breinstorm. We are trusting in your nature as a pony.” The way the voice enunciated the name made it clear that Fear's spelling and pronunciation was wrong. There was a subtle nuance to his mother's name that was hard to speak, but it seemed possible to do.

Fear, Amelio, and Sim looked at each other in wonder, Sim less so, before a moment later the sound of grinding metal echoed in the room. The vault door beginning to roll away, sliding over its tracks in order to reveal the interior of the shelter.

There was a dimly lit foyer on the other side. Full of pipes running along the walls, gun metal gray colors. Rather bland and drab. The entrance had a catwalk-like, cheese-like grating rimming it with a few steps leading down onto bumpy metal plated flooring. The foyer led to a corridor that split off into three different paths. The middle leading to an elevator that went further down.

“Stay at the entrance. I will be there to see you soon and guide you around.” Then the speaker cut off with a crackle.

Sim was the first to make his way in, marveling at everything with a straight face. Taking in the sheer technological wonder. Amelio followed in on his heels, their hooves clanking on the metal. Fear went in next while thinking about what his mother had told him about stables. That they were created by a corporation called Stable-Tec, founded by Applebloom, the president, with the vice presidents Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. That every stable was created to protect groups of ponies from the inevitable destruction of Equestria. Some even had zebras in them? He couldn't remember for sure. And that nearly every stable had been devised not only to preserve life, but also with some kind of experiment in mind in order to find out what went wrong in the past and fix the mistakes in the present. For the future.

Waiting felt like an eternity as they sat around, all three of them not wanting to go against orders, especially with the ceiling turrets trained on them, and even more because Amelio and Fear were afraid they'd get lost if they tried to explore without a pony to guide them. Sim spoke up after a while. “Never thought I'd be here...” There was a sense of longing to his voice, before he swung his head from side to side. Modifying his statement. “In a stable.” Amelio made her way over to her father and nuzzled into his side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M2rDHGE1cs

The mare came in some time later. “Hello you three. My name is Freiya Song.” She was absolutely beautiful. Especially her voice, which they could now hear in its full glory. The siren-like nature of it. It was calm, melodic, dutiful, and brimming with purpose. Yet there was an inherent compassion that spoke of a mare that, while willing to do horrible things for the sake of her ponies, she was also a mare that would gladly take time out of her schedule to visit a pony at the clinic to sing them a song with her darling voice.

The others were somewhat in awe of the sight. Admiring Freiya's long, curly locks of peppermint crimson and white mane, thick and swirly tail of the same colors. Her excellently groomed and trimmed charcoal gray coat of fur. Her kind, dynamic, and energetic emerald green eyes that seemed to sparkle just right. The white freckles on her cheeks combined with her agely wrinkles along her forehead, cheeks, eyes, and body. Her long, conical horn as sharp as a pin with a groove flowing over it in the shape of an eddy. A large, indigo ribbon tied into her mane, and the sweet, fandango pink treble clef with a heart in the middle for the swirl on her flanks as a cutie mark. Further, she looked even more professional given the clothing she was wearing. The pale blue stable barding meant specifically for utility, with pockets on the shoulders and a zipper going down the middle, with a faded yellow gilding and blocky 47 printed on both the popped collar and back. Then there was the pipbuck on her right foreleg – a technological armlet; a dark gray bracelet with buttons, wires, speaker, and a dark-green screen with all sorts of information calibrated into it, from text storage, inventory management, and maps all the way to radio reception, combat assistance, and vitals. It had ports, a recess for holotapes, as well as an extendable cable built in that allowed her to jack into terminals. While large and in charge, it wasn't as bulky as one would expect, nor as weighty.

Freiya gently tilted her head to the side, eyes lidding as she stared at Fear. “So... This is my daughter's progeny.” The mare closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. A smile dared to form on her face, warmth flowing into her eyes. “My sweet, deafening little storm cloud had quite the son.”

Fear was reluctant, raising a foreleg and bending it at the knee, unsure of what to make of all this. The uncertainty etched into his face.

“It seems your mother followed her father's naming conventions when she had you. That is sweet.”

Confusion flowed onto Fear's face, twisting his muzzle up. “What?”

Freiya was considerate for a moment. “My late husband, Silver Speech, was a lover of puns and portmanteaus.” Given the look on Fear's face, Freiya elaborated. “Those things when words can be used in more than one way, or when words are combined to form one.” She dipped her head. “Breinstorm.” There was that pronunciation again. “R-e-i was his idea. And it seems our daughter put 'rei' in your name as well.”

Amelio looked as if she'd been struck. Fear didn't notice it, but Sim did. He could almost read her mind. He knew what was going through her head. Amelioreit. After all, he had told her of that once. The filly looked to her father, and her father just shook his head as if to say 'not now.' Amelio was uncertain, but obeyed.

Freiya continued. “Come here, Fearei. Give your grandmother a hug. Growing up in the wasteland is no easy task, I am sure.”

Fear hesitated, but slowly moved up to her, wrapping his forelegs around her neck and squeezing tight.

“That Garand is a weapon she took from here, by the way. I am glad you have taken care of all her belongings.”

Fear started to tear up, his eyes becoming glassy.

“You are home now, Fearei.”

Fear squeezed his eyes shut as salty water began to drain down his cheeks. His face twisting up in pain.

The hug lasted a long time, Amelio confused all the while. But eventually, like all things, it came to an end as Fear sniffled and hiccuped before pulling away.

“I do not know if it appeals to you,” Freiya began, “after all, I hardly know you. But would you like to be our next overstallion? You have brought such a valuable item to us. Valuable to our survival. It is only right we offer you the opportunity to learn and grow as your mother did, so that you may be able to take the place she once held.”

Amelio's confusion was replaced by unending envy. She glared daggers at her friend for a moment. It was terrible he was being offered such a position so easily! Without even proving himself first.

Fear... Didn't know what to make of this offer. He took a step back, closing his eyes and holding his head in a hoof. The fact of the matter was... I don't deserve it. I killed that colt. His father. I left a mother without. It's been haunting me for a long time. I don't know how long. Ever since I parted ways with Crate and Angel I guess? Ever since I fought Chrono Corona. He looked up at Freiya. I realized I didn't deserve to go back. I became what hurt me. And I don't deserve this now. I'm probably too stupid to be in that position anyway. Even with all the teaching and books in the stable that my mother could appreciate while she lived here. I'm nothing like her. She was more incredible than I'll ever be. Fear shook his head. “No. I don't think so. But Amelio might be.” He gestured over to the filly, surprised he hadn't heard a plea from his mother. Perhaps he had this decision all under control. Sort of.

Amelio's look of envy switched immediately to one of gratitude. Her cheeks rising up over her eyes from the smile she gained.

Freiya was startled, but content. “Is that something you would like Ameliorate?” The filly was clearly proud that the mare had remembered her name so easily.

Amelio acknowledged Fear. “What would you do if I became overmare?”

Fear thought about it, shrugging. “I don't know. I don't think I can stay cooped up in a stable. I'd probably just leave again eventually.”

Freiya saw the conflict in Fear's eyes. “You could always be one of our scavengers, Fearei.”

Unsuredness penetrated Fear. He remembered his changeling heritage. His guilt. No, I don't deserve to live in a place like a stable peacefully. “Thank you, but no.”

Amelio nodded. “Then as loathe as I am to admit it, I do not accept it either. I wish to stick with Fear. I care about him immensely.” If anything she was probably a little obsessed. She admired him from what felt like afar.

And that was something Fear was very aware of. I really don't deserve her loyalty. I don't deserve any of this.

You do deserve it my little Nightlight. You need to move on.

Fear focused on that. I'll make my own decisions, Mom. The tone was a little rebellious.

Freiya gave a nod too. “That is fine. I will at least try to prepare a gift for you and your friends before you leave, as thanks for letting me see my grandson and bringing my pendant back.” She paused, uncertain. “You are bringing the pendant back right?”

Fear shrugged. “I mean... I don't want to grow addicted to it. What would you use it for anyway?”

Freiya smiled wearily. “The Seer's Eye can be used for many things. It can be used to gather information that is no longer available in books. With it at our disposal the only thing limiting us is materials. We will also be able to be aware of potential threats before they come. An experienced scryer can easily determine what is and isn't. It can also inform us of the best thing for us to invest in with enough time and effort spent gazing into its depths.” She reached out to Fear. “Do you understand the full nature of the Seer's Eye, Fear?”

Amelio was at a loss for words, just staring at the ground. Everything was a little much. Sim's lips were just pursed.

Fear shook his head. “No, I don't think I do. What is it, exactly? I didn't know it even had a name.”

Freiya rotated her eyes in a wide arch bemusedly before chortling at the fact her daughter had never explained it. “It was a long-term joint experiment between the Ministry of War-Time Technology and the Ministry of Arcane Science. It was an experiment to discover what made the Crystal Heart from days long past tick, and how to replicate its ability to see various destinies, and improve upon it. The original Seer's Eye is lost to time, this is just a recreation. One of our distant ancestors, Rei Fate, was the original wielder. She was a fortune teller. Her talent was giving light to others. And Equestria needed to understand that talent.”

Fear thought back to Chrono Corona. The odds are unlikely, but I suppose that with the limitless timelines out there, it was inevitable that one would be this one. “Why can destiny be changed? Isn't it a fixed source of power?”

Freiya grinned, showing the life still left in her. “Destiny is transient and malleable by its very nature. There are very few certainties, and what certainties there are, aren't as certain as you'd expect. There are so many opportunities and possibilities. So many ways cutie marks for instance, can manifest. So many ways an individual can go about their life. They can give up their destiny and even foster a new one so long as the power is there. So long as it is, it can grow. But when it is cut off, there is no going back.”

Fear was baffled, and it showed on his face. “Isn't that all forbidden magic though, like soul stuff?”

Freiya chuckled. “It is indeed, but there were so many experiments back then, and the Crystal Heart was a natural occurrence. Most fields of study were forbidden, and those that weren't were under heavy lock and key. But that's enough about this.” She shook her head. “I only have one more question before we get the lot of you sorted out. Is there any possible way you'd be willing to let my daughter stay here?”

Fear snorted, rolling his eyes. He had little control over himself in that moment as he sarcastically remarked: Not unless you have something of equal value to exchange.

Freiya's eyes squinted knowingly. “We... Might have something like that for you to appreciate. If we could make a doll of your mother, my daughter, would you be willing to let us have her body back?”

Fear legitimately considered it. Genuinely. He couldn't really decide, looking this way and that as if he could find answers in the corners of the properly lit room. “I mean... Maybe.” Fear's voice was as quiet as a whisper. How can I say no to THAT? Fear recalled Angel's words that his mother would always be with him. They wriggled into his skull and made a home so long ago, and they were constantly coming back.

Amelio finally piped up. “It is alright if you are not willing to let go yet, Fear. Someday you will be ready, but you do not have to rush it.”

Fear held his head in a hoof. What would Mom want? “Why did Mom leave the stable anyway?”

Freiya pressed a hoof into her forehead, sighing. “She was always such a freedom lover. Could never sit still. She was all over the place, getting into every nook and cranny, learning every little thing she could. Becoming skilled at hacking into things and looking at restricted files. She even managed to find some we never even knew about with her developing skills. She wanted to be a teacher, to pass on everything she learned. To write non-fiction. She wanted to aid the wasteland itself. We could not stop her. She was set to be the next overmare, but soon after the ceremony she just... Took off with the Seer's Eye and her specialized pipbuck. She couldn't stand to be held down.”

Fear couldn't help but giggle a little. “Yeah, that's Mom. I'm not surprised it took her so long though. She always had difficulty following through with risky moves. She reprimanded me for being reckless a few times.”

Freiya chuckled. “Yes, that is my deafening little thunder cloud. Always so full of energy, but always so anxious. Never certain.”

Fear nodded a few times in understanding. “Well, I want to be what my mother couldn't. So I'll give you her. I'll make the reckless decision. Mom's not here well enough to stop me, and she deserves to finally rest.” Maybe there was a hint of resentment still left, but it was small.

Freiya gave a nod in return. “We will get to work on the doll right away.” She turned to the others that had so far been mostly silent. “And what would you two want as gifts?”

Amelio was startled out of her reverie by the question. She hesitated before asking a question in return that had been on her mind for awhile. The reverence she had in her voice for Freiya was immense. “You said your daughter discovered many things and that the Seer's Eye can find out even more. Do you know anything about dreamwalking?”

Freiya ahhed. “Yes, we have a book on it in fact. There weren't many copies of it. It was given to us solely because the skills talked about in it can be used with the Seer's Eye. However, multiple ponies here have read it and we can compile the information into a new copy once more, if you want it?”

Amelio shifted from hoof to hoof, gratitude present on her face. “R-really? That would be splendid, thank you. Are you sure?”

Freiya nodded again, this time with closed eyes. “One hundred percent. Besides, Storm would want that information to get out of this stable a little. Teaching was her life.” She then turned to Sim. “And Simulacrum, what is it you desire?”

Sim gave a charming smile. “Please, call me Sim. And do you have any extra pipbucks? I've always wanted one.”

Freiya thought on it for a bit. “Certainly. I suppose we can gift you one. You know we will be able to find you if we ever need to right?”

Sim grinned, tilting his head to the side. “That's the plan, yes. I wish to be able to store information on something, and to be able to hack terminals easier.”

Fear was curious about that. Perhaps his spell was not perfect? Sim had said as much.

Freiya's face softened. “In that case, yes, we can do that for you. Would you like a copy of the songs I've written and sung with my late husband to go with it?”

The stallion's face brightened like an intense light bulb, clearly enticed. “Yes! I would love such a thing! I might even bring them to Tenpony Tower someday and have them copied so the wasteland can enjoy them like Fear is right now.”

The radio was still going strong as a matter of fact even down here. Well, almost. There was a little white noise. Barely noticeable.

Fear took the pendant back off again and hoofed it over to Freiya. “Here. Take this. You guys need it more than I do.” There was a hint of concern in his voice, as if he couldn't bear to part with it, but he was anyway. After all, it'd saved his hide a few times and it was a reminder of his mother.

Freiya took it and put it around her neck. The Seer's Eye glimmered like a glint in somepony's eye.

“Your choices are so important.” Freiya and Fear said at the same time. They looked at each other and then smiled.

“Come with me now you three, I will show you to the rooms you'll be staying in for a few days.”

Fear followed Freiya out.

Sim called to Amelio. “One moment please Amelio.” Then he called after the others. “We'll be right behind you. I just need to speak to my daughter real quick.” The stallion waited for them to be out of earshot, watching them head down the elevator. Then turned back to Amelio. “Ame, I'm sorry to have hidden this from you, but Fear is your brother.”

A multitude of emotions crossed Amelio's face, but there was an ever present awareness as if she'd suspected it. “So... He is the one you gave that to.” She looked off to the side as she said it, pursing her lips. Then looked down at the ground, almost feeling as if she was betraying her father. “I still love him you know. I... I cannot get enough of him.” She paused. “When did you know?”

Sim smiled. “When I first saw your mother on his back and her pendant around his neck. And I don't expect you to stop. There's a lot of your mother and me in both of you. It's not surprising you find yourselves attracted to each other. But please, do not tell Fear yet. I do not want him to know. I want to keep it secret for as long as possible.”

Amelio honestly wasn't even certain Fear could be held down by just one mare. It was true many changelings indulged in polyamory due to their very nature of being reproductive. But Amelio was more monogamous. Still, she was a good filly. She listened to her father. She was against keeping it secret, but she knew about Sim's disease, and she understood what was at stake. She respected her father. She nodded once. “I will keep it secret Dad.” She turned her head toward the elevator where Fear and Freiya had disappeared to. “So that is my mother, hm?”

Sim confirmed with a grunt and a nod. “Yes, Storm is your mother. The one who helped me in Chicoltgo, where you got your saddlebags from.”

Amelio wrapped her forelegs around Sim's neck, hugging him close. “I am sure he will be happy to know you are his father.”

Sim was wary, it was carved into his face. “I just don't want to hurt him, Ame. On accident or on purpose. I've always loved him.”

Amelio closed her eyes. “I understand. I will help you take care of him. It is a good thing he never heard the stories you told me about your efforts in Chicoltgo.”

Sim nodded uncertainly, not even sure if Fear knew about Storm's part in that. “I was also happy he did not ask about your shared mother when it came up awhile back. I was surprised he didn't ask why I reacted to him the way I did when we first met, but I suppose he was just used to those reactions.”

The two parted from the hug and headed for the elevator.

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

It was a day or two later. The stable's cafeteria was incredibly colorful overall. After all, it was a place where many ponies met up to have food and shoot the breeze. With red and white checkerboard linoleum tiles and multi-colored tables, booths, and chairs. There were also pieces of art on the walls from ponies in days long past that had used what materials they could get a hold of, either from outside the stable or inside, in order to spruce up the place. It was also filled currently, though not to the brim, with colorful pastel ponies in stable barding, each with a pipbuck of their own. All with a general genetic understanding of color theory.

Fear and Amelio had come to the cafeteria in order to have something to eat, and were currently nomming on canned veggies, brought straight from the wasteland. A recent and clandestine acquisition. It supplemented what little farming they could do. What little fruits and veggies they could get were frequently deformed or malnourished, as if they hadn't quite had the catering they needed.

“So that's what Mom told me. That Discord is constantly bringing things in from another dimension or something so that wastelanders always have more, even though it's never enough. Keeps the chaos but allows us to survive.” Fear shook his head.

Amelio looked sour. “That sounds stupid. But it does explain how we are still discovering things to scavenge to this day.”

Fear nodded as he took a bite of his string beans. “How've you been sleeping lately by the way? I haven't asked yet.”

Amelio looked off to the side. “To be honest it has been almost a dream come true, having a bed like this. I have not gotten to sleep in one many times. And while the pillows are clearly old and well-used, it is nice to have something to lay my head on.”

Fear grinned and winked. “You do know you're always welcome to lay on me right? I can be your pillow.”

Amelio rolled her eyes and grinned right back. “Of course you would offer. I am sure you just want to get between my legs.” She joked.

Fear nodded. “Well there is that, but I also want you to be comfortable.” The sincerity in Fear's statement was intoxicating.

Amelio blushed, hiding her face behind a hoof. “Ugh, Fear...”

Fear shrugged. “The bunk beds are good but I'm even better.”

Amelio just hid further, squeaking and cowering.

Fear turned the conversation away. “So Amor Fati. The next overstallion. What do you think of him?”

Amelio thought on it, spinning her can of food around in circles. She felt kind of nauseous so it was difficult to eat. Her hooves also felt a little prickly. Eventually she began to eat though, not wanting it to go to waste. “Well, he seems rather nice, albeit a bit... Zealous. I hope he will be good for the stable.” She finally stated. “I know he had a crush on your mother when she was around.”

Fear looked off to the side. “Yeah, him calling me out wasn't particularly pleasant,” Fear grumbled. “Still though, I agree, he seems to have the stable's best interests in mind.”

The filly's head hurt a little bit, but she easily ignored it. “Thank you by the way, Fear, for giving me the option to be the next overmare. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. The thought was sweet of you.”

Fear shrugged once more. “Well it was nothing really. I knew that was something you'd love. I'm just sorry I held you back.”

This time it was Amelio's turn to flirt. “Fear, with you I am never held back. Especially since you seem to enjoy me commanding you around so much.”

The colt's face actually flushed red at that. “Yeah, well, you're a good leader so there!” He tried to tease back. Unfortunately Amelio didn't quite take the bait, counting her first win over Fear.

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

Fear was in the overmare's office a couple days later. A place with old bookshelves, a terminal, turrets, and knicknacks of all sorts. Including a painting of the alicorn Princess Luna on one of the walls. It was overall rather barebones, but it worked for what it was. Freiya was with him, pulling something out of a box that she'd recently been given. When she lifted it out and floated it over to Fear in a crimson aura, Fear was at a loss for words. He stood there for a long time just... Staring.

It was a tiny plushie, smaller than him, built like his mother. With two gray eyes. It wasn't exactly like her but it was... It was good enough. Fear levitated the plushie over to him, sitting back on his haunches and wrapping it in his hooves, holding it against his chest. It was strange how small it was. It easily fit in his grasp. It wasn't quite the same as the corpse, that much was sure. It couldn't cuddle him back. It couldn't spoon him. But at least this... Could give him comfort. He wondered if he was getting too old for it.

Freiya spoke a little while after. “I am glad you like her so much. Bendy Button spent a lot of effort on her, and tried to get her likeness just right. I know it's not quite the same but, we tried with what materials we had available.”

Fear nodded. He... “I understand. Maybe in pre-war Equestria it could have been better, but I accept this.” He constricted the plushie a little tighter.

“By the way, Fear, I had a proposition for you. I wanted to know if you'd like to deliver my daughter's eulogy. I figured the honor should go you since you knew her the final days of her life and... I just thought I should offer.”

Fear looked up from the floor at Freiya. “What's a eulo...” His eyes widened. “Oh right, that thing ponies do at funerals.” He remembered from his novel. “I mean, I suppose I could.” He shrugged. I don't know if I'm worthy, or if she'd think me worthy. It feels like I hardly knew her.

You knew me just fine, my little Nightlight. Stop deprecating yourself. You'll heal in due time. You have ponies who believe in you.

They only believe in me because they don't know what I've done.

Crate and Angel believed in you. Everypony believes. I believe in you.

Fear was surprised he was hearing his mother's voice. But it was her, clear as day. Sort of. It was more like a thought, but it had her voice to it. Her lilt. “I... I suppose I can try. I might need help though.”

Freiya nodded. “I will gladly help you Fearei. I was hoping you'd ask. Just let me know when you want to do it.”

Fear managed a smile. “By the way, I've been wondering.” He gestured to the pendant around Freiya's neck. “Tell me more about it. I don't really understand it and I've always been curious.”

Freiya didn't know where to begin. “Well... I guess. What did you want to know?”

“I don't know, like... Are there rules to using it?”

“Well, for instance every time a pony puts it on for the first time, they will inevitably be given a vision of their own mortality. Something that's unlikely to happen, but still plausible. It tests your mettle by showing you something that would break a lot of ponies. Make them question themselves, or terrify them into giving it up. A pony might confuse it for a daydream however if they don't know exactly what they are seeing. Sometimes the Seer's Eye will, in order to bring you to terms with the power you wield, show you multiple outcomes of a situation.”

Fear recalled the daydreams he'd had the day his mother died. Of being left to bleed out. Of being used as a slave. Of his mother's body being violated in front of him. His teeth ground together. “What did you see when you first put it on?”

Freiya looked to the side ashamedly. “Well, it is certainly something I will never forget. The Seer's Eye was very hard on me. It knew I had experienced a rather cozy life. A sheltered one. It made sure I knew exactly what was at stake for a leader when I put it on. It showed my late husband being captured by Steel Rangers and tortured into giving the location of the stable, the code for the door... And... It was. Very vivid.” Freiya's voice was a little stuttery. “It's seared into my mind. We were not treated kindly. The Seer's Eye showed me one of the worst possible outcomes.”

Fear rubbed his head with a hoof, just imagining it. “That's... That's awful.”

Freiya nodded. “The more sheltered you are from the harshness of life, the more you do not understand pain, the more noble your aspirations, the harder your vision will be. I learned from it that I needed to do everything in my power to keep the stable safe, but I also learned from it self-control. I did not let it break me. I wielded the Seer's Eye as any leader should. If you do not learn self-control, the Seer's Eye will use you, you will not use it.”

Fear felt uncomfortable. “Is there anything else you can use it for? I thought about looking into other timelines where I was doing well, or with my mother.”

Freiya smiled sadly. “Yes you can use it for entertainment too. But you should not let yourself become engrossed in those visions, lest you be lost forever. We've had ponies in the past who've fallen prey to it. The ponies under an overmare or overstallion watch their leader closely to make sure they are not becoming corrupt, nor that they are breaking from the pressure of the Seer's Eye.”

“That makes sense. You have to work together after all. I'm glad it doesn't make a pony invincible.”

Freiya bat a hoof. “Hardly. Difficult to take down, but not invincible.”

Fear looked at the stable barding and pipbuck on Freiya. “By the way, I've always wondered, how are the pipbuck and barding made?”

Freiya looked down at herself, pressing a hoof against her chest. “Well, we have some automatic sewing machines that use recycled materials. That is, when we need new ones. Usually we just reuse the old ones. Often ponies have a difficult time parting with it due to growing up feeling it against their body. As for the personal information processors, we were given all the ones we have now during the war by Stable-Tec. We have the blueprints for how to build them on the main terminal just in case we find the resources to make more, but usually we just try to keep the population at a certain level because coming up with the components for new ones is problematic.”

Fear nodded, a little saddened.

“Do you know what happened to your mother's pipbuck, Fearei?”

Fear thought about it, rubbing his chin with a hoof. “It was one of the few things she told me about herself. She said something about how she crafted a virus on it so that if it was ever taken off of her and studied it would fuck up the machines used to do it. And one day she got the opportunity to fuck up some Steel Ranger shit.”

Freiya wasn't pleased with the colt's language, but waved it off. “Yes, she was always amazing.”

Fear 'oh'ed. “By the way, that reminds me. How come you could never find my mother through her pipbuck? You told Sim you'd be able to find him?”

Freiya looked a little nervous. “Well... Breinstorm was brilliant and clever. Before she left she deleted her pipbuck registry from the main terminal.”

Fear blinked. “Wow, that easy huh?”

Freiya shook her head. “It's not easy. But she knew her way around one. Especially with the aid of her pipbuck. She was capable of many things.” She shrugged. “Was there anything else you wanted to know?” The mare was clearly a little embarrassed they'd been tricked by Storm.

Fear thought about it. “Well, one other thing I guess. How did you and my grandfather get together?”

Freiya smiled again and moved over to a picture frame that was sitting on the desk. It was colorless and showed a small stallion with a pair of square glasses on his snout. “Silver Speech was one of our scavengers. His silver tongue was useful for bartering, and he always had an eye for detail. Could talk his way out of the worst situations. He had a confidence and go get 'em attitude I never did, and he talked his way into my heart. We would sometimes look into the Seer's Eye together. I would guide him through it. We wrote some songs together, and sometimes sang together, using the pendant for inspiration.”

Fear thought of Amelio, and regretted giving the pendant away. Maybe he could have guided her through the pendant. He shook the thoughts from his head though. He wasn't going back. Just moving onward to the future. “Thank you for your help, Grandma.”

Freiya smiled and ruffled Fear's mane with a hoof. “Any time, Fearei. I'll miss you, you know.”

“I'll miss you too.”

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

Fear had been guided to a small room in the stable with a single, square metal locker in the wall, a lever next to it, and a tall podium to the side with a working mic that was connected to the Stable's speaker system sitting on it. Everything was as drab as everything else. This room was hardly ever used except for cremations after all. Using a spell matrix that was still going strong to burn things, drain it of salt, and recycle what was left into fertilizer. With him were Freiya and a long, tall brown pony that looked like he was from Saddle Arabia just about. He wore a white medical face mask and had a solar-themed cutiemark surrounded by a stethoscope. It was a strange thing all in all, and the pony's onyx eyes and short black mane and tail left him feeling eerie. It didn't help his face was so gaunt with sunken eyes, and was seemingly emaciated. Still, everypony seemed to appreciate him nonetheless. His name was Pike. Apparently Storm and him had grown up together and were relatively good friends. The more Fear learned though, the more he found out she wasn't private with solely her son. She was warm and inviting to everypony, but rarely ever made solid connections. Ponies were always left wanting more from her, but less because she was so alluring and more-so because she was so mysterious and she hardly let anything slip. Though it was also the alluring.

The colt was busy going up to the podium and standing on his hindlegs, leaning on it with his forehooves as he thought about his speech for the millionth time. Shaking his head a little, unable to quite believe it.

Pike spoke to him in a quiet, subdued voice. It sounded so far away and almost hypnotic. But it had emotion lingering in it. So it wasn't monotonous. “Good luck Fear. It's been a pleasure to meet you.” The stallion was incredible if Fear was being honest. He was highly intelligent, and had read most of the books in the stable's library at least a few times over. If he'd been a little better at conversing and the talent hadn't been needed elsewhere, he probably could have been the next overstallion. Pike pulled the locker out from its resting position, revealing an oversized tray for ponies to be laid on so they could be shunted inside. The stallion took the stuffed Breinstorm off of his back rather reverently and set her in a dignified position, laying her on the tray, before slowly rolling it shut and twisting the bar that would lock it into place. “Whenever you're ready, Fear.”

Fear nodded, looking to Freiya next. “So I just... Push on this?” Fear set a hoof down on a button next to the mic, causing the thing to beep, a bit of a squeal echoing over the speakers in the stable for a moment.

Freiya smiled to him. “You're more than capable of this, Fearei. Believe in yourself.”

Fear nodded and took a deep breath, already tearing up as he swallowed hard. “Hello, ponies of Stable 47. I know you all don't know me, but you've probably heard of me. I'm Fearei Shatter. I know for a fact all of you have heard of my mother Breinstorm. Many ponies looked up to her for all sorts of reasons. Many loved her confidence, others adored her vibrant energy. Some had crushes on her. Everypony I have talked to, all of you were sad when she left. I can't tell you how sorry I am that happened, but I also can't tell you how privileged I am to have gotten the chance to be her son.” Fear choked a little. “And I'll thank each and every one of you to the end of time for giving me the opportunity to know her. To be with her. For letting her go free.”

There was a pause.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kTgA6hxRlU

“I've been chosen to speak about my mother on behalf of everypony, and I appreciate all your support. More than I could ever say.” Fear coughed and cleared his throat. “My mother was a very private pony, as most of you all know. She often kept her own secrets, kept inside her own mind. Rarely opened up, but was always there to lend a helping hoof.” Fear closed his eyes. “She often fought, albeit in gentle ways, for what was right. She was a sharpshooter of the highest quality. A professional hacker. An avid reader. A wonderful teacher, and an exceptional mother.” Fear stared up at the ceiling. “I remember clearly how she always celebrated my birthday, no matter what we were going through. And more often than not she managed to find a can of tuna for me to eat. She always made me feel special, just like she did with everypony she encountered, even on days that were never really special at all.” Fear pressed a hoof into his eyes. “Mom put up with me even when I was weak and useless. She took care of me and felt inspired by me even when I was barely able to do anything. Even when I was silent, shut down, and overwhelmed with sensory input from my empathy, she loved me. She loved me for how much I loved everypony in the wasteland. And never let me forget it. She adored me for my ability to see the silver lining in the darkest of moments, and I wish I could have seen the silver lining in her death. But no matter how much time passes, I'll never forget her. I want to do her proud. I may have failed a bunch of times, but I know... I know she loves me. And always will. Someday all of us will be able to let go of the pain, but today isn't that day. And I hope the ponies of this stable continue to remember her for what she was: an example of greatness.” Fear pulled his hoof off the button, letting the mic go dead.

Freiya gave Fear a small round of quiet applause. “Well done, Fearei.”

Pike nodded. “That was rather heartfelt. I understand how you feel. I think you managed to connect with all of us. We feel for you, Fear.”

Freiya motioned for Pike to begin as Fear pressed his forelegs into his eyes, sobbing his heart out. His entire body was trembling, wracked with sorrow, every muscle under his fur shaking with violent tremors. Tears flowed freely like a dam had been destroyed. A couple years worth of pent up feelings finally leaving him in a huge deluge of negative emotion. There was relief, longing, terror... So many things that Fear couldn't cope with no matter how hard he tried, and he cried it all out, hiccuping and sniffling, the smell of tears and snot filling his nostrils. His snout drained actively as it continued filling up with more and more mucus. Fear shuddered and heaved, shaking his head from side to side. Everything falling away from him even as the crematorium blazed to life and Pike and Freiya came over to him, holding him in their embrace. Trying to comfort the foal who'd lost something dear to his heart.

Everypony in Stable 47 wept.

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

Fear and Amelio were hanging out at the shooting range. The only thing really different about it from any other shooting range was the large mural of a sunset on the back wall made up of paint. The two siblings, though Fear didn't know that yet, had just finished. Fear had been showing off his accuracy and prowess with rifles. They had completed the process by taking all the bullets and casings and emptying them into a bin to be recycled at a later date. They'd been told early on that this was the place where Storm had learned to be the sniper she was in life.

Fear hesitated as they sat in the waiting room of the range. Everything was mostly silent, and they were relatively alone. So they had privacy.

Amelio spoke up before Fear could. “You know Fear, that eulogy you delivered was really beautiful. You expressed your feelings wonderfully. I could tell just how strongly you felt for her.”

Fear looked off and to the side. “Yeah... About that.” Fear sighed, closing his eyes, not looking at her. “Soon after my mother died I... I did something horrible.” He hesitated, trying to summon the courage to tell her. Amelio just listened intently, knowing this was hard for him. “It's been eating at me forever, but ever since the eulogy it's been even worse. And I need to tell somepony before it eats me alive.”

Amelio lifted a hoof and brushed it along Fear's cheek. “What did you do, Fear?” Her tone was curious rather than judgmental. She knew he'd done some horrible things after all, she could hear it in his soul.

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

Fear's chest twitched, his body flinched from her touch. “I uhh... I killed an innocent colt and stallion. He had a mother, the stallion's wife. They're... They're dead Amelio. They're not coming back. The mare, whoever she is. She's not gonna ever have ponies coming back to her.” Fear held his face in his hooves, tears starting anew. He grit his teeth, crying openly. Trying to stop. “She's going to be alone, Amelio. She's never... Never going to have that happiness in her life again. Just like I'm never gonna have Mom again. I did something horrible.”

Amelio wrapped Fear up in a giant hug, embracing him fully. “Oh Fear... Poor, poor Fear. Shh... I understand.” She cooed to the colt.

“I don't know how to make up for it Amelio. Is it even possible?”

Amelio shook her head as she held the colt. “No... I do not know if it is. Hopefully that mare will have a village to take care of her and comfort her where you did not... But that still does not excuse what you did. And nothing will probably ever really be enough. You left a mare without the love of her life, you left her without a precious son. She is probably suffering beyond the norm right now.”

Fear glared, that wasn't at all what he wanted to hear, it just made him feel more worthless.

Amelio didn't stop though. “You spread your illness of loss to other ponies, an illness that grips hearts and shreds them into ribbons. And someday you are going to have to pay for the terrible thing you did.” Fear squeezed his eyes shut. “You are going to have to face the consequences and either endure them or give into them. There may be no forgiveness from the wasteland.”

Fear hung limp in Amelio's embrace.

“But. Fear. As your friend I forgive you. You are going to spend your entire life trying to atone for what you did, and you may never succeed. But the thing is? I believe in the you that exists here and now, Fear. I love you.”

Fear felt his heart lighten by just a bit. I don't deserve her loyalty. But I'll make sure I deserve it. “I love you too Meels, and when you become a leader I'm going to serve you for eternity.”

Amelio nodded, stroking a hoof along his spine. “I hear your soul, Fearei. I hear the stubbornness inside of you. I hear the will of a leader, and the determination to find a way to keep going even after death. I also hear the rattle, the throes of a little colt who is still crumbling apart and needs to find a way to overcome. But I believe in you. I would be lying if I said your bravery and honesty did not inspire me. They are not traits I am well suited for. My name is Ameliorate, yours is Fearshatter. Our parents believed in us, that is why they named us what they did. They believed in these virtues. These acts. What do you think our cutie marks represent Fear? They are symbols of change. Everything we touch can change. We are not perfect, but it is what we are best at. If anypony can do it, it is us, Fearei.”

Fear choked, squeezing his eyes shut and weeping. “I won't let you down.”

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

Fear, Amelio, and Sim were leaving the stable some time later. Maybe a couple days. The gear door grinding closed behind them. They watched it shut, the floodlight remaining on for awhile longer so they could see themselves back to the door upstairs. Allowing them to exit very easily. There hadn't been much to do aside from read and hang out with ponies in the stable, but overall it had been a very enjoyable experience. Fear understood now what home was like, or at least he sort of did. He hoped he'd be able to visit again one day.

They walked together up the stairs, exiting the door and making their way through the reception area. Each of the three carrying their gifts. Fear his new plushie on his back. Amelio, her book on dream walking in her saddlebags. And Sim, an old pipbuck on his left foreleg loaded with the music of a songstress, feeding on slight amounts of his magical energy and with more heart cherries.

Fear had also decided, after his conversation with Amelio, that he would one day return to Manehattan and find the village that son and father had been heading to before he killed them. He remembered exactly where he'd done it too. The sight of the skywagon station was burned into his retinas. There was no way he was forgetting any time soon. Fear was confident and refreshed. Emotionally renewed. Amelio and Fear played 'I Spy' as they wandered through the city to wherever their next leap would lead them.

Author's Notes:

Next chapter is going to be a sex scene between Fear and Amelio while they were at the stable.

Honestly I've been planning this revelation that they're siblings for awhile. But because Fear can sense lies it's difficult to foreshadow it directly. They both have the same mutation, in the exact same way, their cutie marks are both symbols of change - Fear's is a spiral - Amelio's is a delta. I compared their magic to yin and yang when they were in the factory together. Further, I also both foreshadowed and diverted attention away from this by having DJ-P0N3 talk about family at the end of Ameliorate. Even more, in Creature Comforts I have Angel Swaddle describe Fear's father as a dazzling stallion. And the only other character I use the word 'dazzling' to describe is for Sim when you first meet him.

In order to increase the foreshadowing though, I retroactively added what Amelio was going to say when she first met Fear, before he interrupted her. She was going to tell him about all the stories her father told her of his time in Chicoltgo.