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

It took Fear awhile to come out from below deck, no way was he ever going to spend that much time around irradiated water, it was terrifying in all the worst ways. The idea of getting radiation sickness still sent chills and goosebumps flowing over his body whenever he thought of it. It brought out a shiver and made him squeeze his eyes shut. The ship had a pretty high waterline length, allowing it greater speed in the sea.

But that was all past when he came up from the cabins and greeted the sun, wholly and truly. Sleep could not do justice to the majesty that was this high hanging orb, hovering in the sky like it was kept up through sheer fusion power. It blared across the landscape, reflecting like twinkles over the waters, brightening the clear skies. Fear hadn't expected it, but alongside the feeling of warmth melting into his fur, there was also a keen smell that lingered on everything. He had very little associations with it, so it was far more lucid. The best descriptor one could apply to it was that it smelled like fresh laundry, in a sort of abstract way that Fear couldn't place because he'd never experienced it. It was a faint scent, and not exactly like that, but it was close enough. That was how it felt. Fresh. Clean. Pure. Energizing. Regenerative. Fear stood stock still on the deck, holding his head high, letting his eyes fall shut, and let it just bathe over him like he'd never felt it before. He could hear the sound of seagulls cawing in the distance, wandering over the waves looking for fish to eat.

All of a sudden the feeling of movement was far clearer. The sensation of the boat rocking, and how it was like the world moved underneath him and he was just along for the ride. He felt out of control, boundless, and free all at the same time, his heart beating faster, a sense of elation penetrating him to his core. Chest tremors was the primary symptom he experienced at that moment. Less due to anxiety, and more due to excitement. By no means was he at peace, it just seemed like he could go for a run, gallop among vibrant, fragrant flowers despite the smell of salty sea at his beck and call. His chest quivered and his jaw dipped, taking in a big, deep breath. It wasn't even stagnant out here on the open waters. It was... refreshing. And something he knew he'd be addicted to. How did ghouls handle not having this anymore? Fear opened his eyes, looking up at the sun and immediately regretting it, wincing, hissing, and pulling away. It was really bright. Now that the sensations were starting to settle he realized that all this time he'd had a foreleg held above his head, trying to block out some of it. It was hard to see. He had to squint. Fuck, the sun's harsh. Fear blinked a few times.

Still, he wasn't getting used to it. Having spent so long under cloud cover, in the shade, left him vulnerable. He looked to his comrades, all of whom were standing with him staring out to sea. Gentler had his arms crossed and he was appreciating the cool, gentle breeze that fluttered through his cloak. Acrid looked like he'd seen a ghost. And Faith was marveling, nearly prostrating herself while she visibly and audibly wept. She looked like she'd seen a goddess.

Fear glanced back to the sun, keeping his head bowed. Yeah, goddess was right. Fear knew what the sun was in essence, as Luna had told him. A ball of incessantly pulsating fusion energy, a conglomeration of magic and physical nature that created a type of plasma far outside of most's control. It was supposed to be huge up close, but here it looked more like a ping pong ball. Fear's eyes met the sun again, staring at it, squinting harder. When he looked away there was a black and purple mark in his vision that he blinked away. It was strange, seeing something so bright and mysterious. In the dream world he could easily look at it, more of a fixture or a memory than an actual construct.

During all his musing Fear didn't notice the sounds of seagulls tapering off. Everyone was still in awe, but Fear was focusing on the road ahead. They still had the plan in mind right? It was going to go well. He tried to calm himself down. It was difficult, because the majesty of the sun inspired connections in his brain long thought dormant, teasing something primal in him. Something about himself... he tried to put his hoof on it, or rather his hoof pressed against his chin as he fell once more into a reverie, his chest purring from the sheer level of enthusiasm pouring in him.

Amelio often compared him to a sun. Fear ruminated on that thought, it was an interesting idea, that he could be as strong as a ball of plasma one day. Starting out in the low end of the spectrum and slowly climbing his way up by eating more and more knowledge, practicing his rear end off in the hopes of one day being the best. Then again, he didn't want to be the best... just wanted to protect, maybe guide. As Fear stared at the orb of light hanging over him in the horizon, mysterious thoughts penetrated his fugue. Thoughts about his afterlife, thoughts about his previous lives, thoughts about the world at large, where it was headed, and whether it was supposed to heal. Were they supposed to fix this world one day or was it supposed to remain this way for them to learn from? Were they supposed to eventually die out like a candle's flame or were they supposed to improve? My failures have taught me much, but is Saway right? Must we learn purely from the things we cannot do and the aggression we harbor toward each other? Or are we more than this? More than ourselves? Are we meant to become incredible? Fear hummed to himself, the sun inspiring all those feelings deep within him. How could you be as mighty as a sun? He'd always been a weakling, and it hadn't been until his mother died that he'd become... capable with telekinesis.

Fear's emotions spurred him onward. His conflicts developed him. His failures made him mighty, but his successes were also products of his current self. He tried his best to learn from the little things he did wrong, in order to do them right the next time. When I fought Solanum way back when, I announced myself before I killed him. Have I truly learned to harness the element of surprise more thoroughly? Fear chuckled to himself. Man, if the others could hear my thoughts right now they'd tease me for reading so much. The star was calming, thought-provoking, and mind-numbing. Which were all bad things for what was about to happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJXy5JRDtnU

Gentler had told Fear stories, but it still wasn't enough to prepare him for what emerged from the water staring intently at them. Fear took a few steps back, his jaw hanging open in shocked silence, the others slowly coming out of their own stupors as shifting mereon eyes glared into them like they'd trespassed on sacred land. The creature was huge, about three times larger than their boat, with slimy pale green skin. A cthulhu-esque monstrosity with leathery, sliced up wings and various fins lining its body to aid in swimming, its feet flippers. Fear pulled his sword free from its scabbard, getting into a battle ready stance, shooting a glance to his comrades as the abomination, the Watcher, the Overvalkying rose from the surface of the water into the air, a few slender tentacles writhing behind it, coming out of its tail bone. Flailing.

Fear got low to the deck and used his telekinesis inside the nearby helm to bring the ship to a stop.

Faith burst from her place to grab her weapon.

Gentler made himself a smaller target.

Acrid was frozen in place with wide, fearful eyes.

The plan had been simple. Acrid was supposed to hide out in the cabins, Gentler was supposed to paralyze it, Fear to draw its attention, and Faith to blast it to bits with her Alicannon.

That wasn't quite how it worked out.

It wasn’t so much due to being caught unaware, as it turned out to be a little more than even the rumors and stories described.

Fear tensed up, bringing the sword close to his face. He didn't have time to focus on the others, because in those matrix eyes he sensed power and speed beyond his wildest imagining, far beyond what Drax was capable of.

It was the first time in a long time that the young stallion felt truly afraid and discouraged. Paralyzed almost, but less by a psychic pressure and more by actual, genuine intimidation.

He saw it coming like it was second nature. Fear dove to the side just as a whip-like tentacle came crashing down on the ship, severing it nearly in half, immediately taking on water. Everyone was knocked nearly off their hooves from the impact. The metal screeched, steel tore. Fear barely had time to move. He looked back, horrified.

The creature was more intelligent than it let on. Of course by destroying their mode of transportation they were dead in the water, no matter how well they fared otherwise.

Fear grit his teeth.

He leaped off the boat, making hoof-sized pads of telekinesis to launch himself into the air bit by bit, bringing sword to greet tentacle. The Watcher intended to smash their boat to pieces and leave them dead to rights.

He wouldn't let that happen.

Fear barely had time to react to the change in intention as the Overvalkying read his body language and came to meet him. It didn't matter how much you could read intent if you were trapped into a move.

As Fear brought the sword up and around, he had barely enough time to throw himself in a somersault with telekinesis, another tentacle coming around and whiffing with deadly precision where his barrel had just been, nearly nicking his horn.

The Overvalkying wasn't done yet, bringing a tentacle down on where Fear was at that moment in an effort to slam him back down into the boat. The flying ones were the most dangerous.

Fear audibly gasped as his mind lit up with fire. He knew then he couldn't avoid the tentacle because it would hit the boat and shatter their transport even worse. He couldn't take that hit either.

Instinct flared up as his body finished its flourishing spin. Time slowed down, his body was whirling, the tentacle coming down onto his head.

No time, no slack to pay attention to his comrades. Whatever they were doing was far beyond him right then.

Fear brought the sword up and around, with one mighty hurrah, his horn sparking as enormous amounts of magic surged to his defense, too quickly for comfort, in order to swipe through the tentacle with his sword.

Aura overlays came and went over his horn and the sword.

The tentacle connected with the sword.

Sword cleaved in an arc.

Tentacle shoved to the side with a loud metallic CLANG.

Fear was falling, still spinning. Dizziness overtook him, unable to tell up from down.

The Overvalkying pirouetted like it was nothing.

Fear didn't even feel it when the hand swung around and impacted with his body, too thrown off course. One second he was hanging in the air, the next something connected with him, the third he was flying through the air out into open sea.

There was a scream.

Fear didn't realize it was his own. Eyes wide, jaw open. Sword falling leaving his field of influence and falling toward the boat.

Panic overcame him.

Fear forced himself to think.

Slow down momentum.

Fear obeyed his instinct, bobbing his head once and trying to control himself, still caught in a constant somersault, needing to throw up. He closed his eyes tight and surrounded his body with telekinesis, draining the momentum from his body. He was yards away from the boat. He was falling.

The Overvalkying was getting ready to destroy everything.

Fear's life flashed before his eyes.

SPLASH!

The young stallion crashed into the water, his screw necklace nearly slipping from around his neck, barely avoiding entering head-first. However his side ached. He hissed.

Tried not to breathe in.

Water all around. Murky.

Fear opened his eyes. It stung. His ribs were sore. His entire right side twitched in buzzing pain. There was nothing he could do but get back to the ship and rely on the others!

First thing's first. His intuition spoke to him like it was another entity altogether, yet still him. Ever since the ocean in the Surreal's dreambubble, he'd been learning more from Emulae. Transform. Fear pumped changeling magic into his hooves and neck, altering biology on a complex and terrifying level, at a rapid speed. Slits formed in his throat and his hooves grew outward and elongated, forming temporary gills and flippers respectively. Fear immediately burst into action, using intellect rather than street smarts to swim his way back.

Fear would have held his breath for longer, but he hadn't caught much. The gills were imperfect, terrible things. They felt uncomfortable and the water filtering into them burned like salt in an open wound. It nearly froze him to the spot, but his concern for his family overturned it. He pumped his legs, all four, pushing himself forward. His vision vignetted and he could see bright splotches of rainbow light from the nerves in his retinas threatening to die on him. In some ways he felt like he was suffocating, not getting enough air. Breathing out through his mouth in order to deposit the water getting inside of him.

Have to hurry!

Fear rushed as fast as his newly-grown flippers would take him, equines not made for swimming. His eyes rolled into the back of his skull, trying to push out the feeling of chilly death creeping into his brain, its fingers lacing around his lobes and threatening to claim him. He hurt all over, especially his lungs. Like they were going to burst.

What do I do when I get there? Are the others following the plan? Can Faith blow its head off?

Fear shook his head. No time for that right now.

Taking as deep a breath as he could, not stopping to enjoy the sights of undersea life, Fear got close enough to the ship and filled his body with magic, morphing into shadows and fusing to the underside of the... not wrecked ship? What happened?

Fear needed a break. He needed to take a moment and rest. His body hurt even in the shadows, as if his form would fall apart into threads of shade. But he couldn't have a reprieve, he needed to get to the deck. He slid underneath, up along the side, and let out a cry of even worse pain as the sunlight tried to sear away his flesh and scatter him into nothingness. He couldn't even take less than a second of the agony.

The young stallion let go of the ship, suddenly out in open air despite it having sunk half a foot, breeze surrounding his entire form. Fear flailed, grit his teeth, and screamed. Again. Someone catch me!? Fear looked up at the rim around the ship, realized no one was going to be able to save him. His eyes widened, pupils dilating. And he did the only thing that came to mind.

Use magic.

Fear's horn hurt like Tartarus in that single moment, feeling like his thaumic gland was going to blow up, not used to having this much emotion funneled into it in such a short time.

Telekinesis surrounded his body and, while he did not have the strength to catch or float himself, it gave him a few extra seconds of descent in order to catch his wits and hyup off more telekinetic pads. Fear jumped to the railing of the ship and wrapped his forelegs over it, hind legs skittering against it, clacking against metal, and eventually clambering up it and getting himself onto the deck, completely soaked in salt water.

Still, it wasn't done yet.

Fear was given a single moment to take stock of the situation. The boat was repaired. Acrid was cowering. Gentler was giving it his all to stay on top of the Watcher and pepper it in blows. Occasionally his gauntlets and greaves managed to dent it, and other times it seemed like he was running up it vertically like a ninja. And Faith was using the Alicannon to slam away tentacles while charging up energy to fire, which the creature seemed apt to dodge, all while the two tried to predict its movements and fight them both off at the same time.

It wasn't until that moment Fear realized he was panting and coughing up remnants of seawater. Fear pushed himself up and galloped toward Acrid with a stuttering step, reaching out with a hoof and picking up the sword with stickyhooves.

CLANG! Faith's weapon slammed home into a tentacle, knocking it off kilter. CRASH! Another tentacle came down, with Faith using her earth pony might to get in the way of it and shove it off, before firing off a bolt of energy from her weapon. VWOOM! At a tentacle that was trying to chop through the ship. It nearly blasted it to pieces, but the creature pulled away at the last second. Faith's dance continued in that way, seemingly random in motion. She was reactive, the Overvalkying aggressive.

Gentler's movements on the other hand were planned out and concise, attached to its spine with a gauntlet, then slamming a fist into its shoulder blade, nearly cracking it. He rolled to the other side, falling a little, attaching to its rear, and leapt up at a diagonal angle, grabbing onto the opposite shoulder. Then vaulted himself over and brought a leg around, slamming the greave straight into its face to leave a dent. The Overvalkying's hands tried desperately to catch and yank him off. The only conclusion that Fear could make was that It was like it was laced with some type of metal. Gentler was on the attack, slamming home again and again, but it continued to recuperate and claw at the cat. The combination of attacks was leaving it harried and incapable.

Fear didn't know what to make of any of it. His magic was getting low, he'd need some of the laxweed the squad brought with them after this fight. He was at a loss for words, at a loss for plans. He couldn't help the two like he was, and it seemed only a matter of time until his comrades' stamina fell apart and they failed here and now.

As Fear looked over the boat, seeing how the steel was discolored and unpainted in the parts it'd been repaired, another conclusion came to him. The cowering Acrid had managed to awaken his metal manipulation. He shot a glance at the older stallion and reached out a hoof to him, an idea coming to him. Then he looked back to the sun, gnashed his teeth together, and glared. Acrid took the proffered hoof, confidence coming back to his eyes.

“I thought you were dead for sure Fear!” Acrid sounded so terrified, his voice barely above a whisper.

Another VWOOMPF as Faith's weapon fired off again, this time at the base of the tendrils. The Overvalkying had heard the charge of energy and avoided it. It was a science experiment, and had killed many. Probably a collection of battle data inside whatever passed for a brain in its skull.

Fear gave Acrid a disarming smile and shrugged. “Gonna take more than a little overpowering to bring me down.” His heart palpitated. “I have an idea, but I'm gonna need your help Acrid.” He didn't give him an opportunity to respond. There was no time. “Can you summon the power you used to fix this boat in order to protect us from the sun?”

Acrid looked to Fear with wonder. “How did...?”

“Can you!?” Fear was firm.

“Y-yeah I can. Why?”

Fear nodded once, and whipped his tail to the side while glaring at the abomination. “Get ready to protect us with a shield of metal!” Then he called out to his comrades. “Gentler! Get ready to come down to the boat! Faith! Get ready to come over here!”

The two didn't even spare Fear a glance, but the young stallion knew they'd heard. He felt their intentions shift.

It was time. Time to assure their victory. That one, single thought rang through Fear's head like a church bell, sending off pulses of emotion flowing through his brain like static electricity, charging through his systems and making his legs tingle uproariously. He couldn't risk holding back. It was now or never to enact this plan. He stomped a hoof on the deck and let out a loud cry inside his mind, bringing to bare the faintest senses imaginable, summoning wavelengths that were normally invisible to the mind. He focused on the sun, focused on himself – his own internal warmth, and the warmth of the star that was going to be their guaranteed salvation.

Fear stepped forward, then leaned back, as if physically yanking on the sun's presence, bringing it to bare like a polished weapon. He could feel their wavelengths match, just like he'd practiced in the dream world. So much effort learning, trying to find and sync. All it needed was a little lucidity and some oomph. And then... Fear screamed. “GENTLER! FAITH! COME!” Fear's voice transcended space, magnified by magic. As if he was not telling his comrades to come, but calling out to the powers that be, deep in the vast reaches of space.

The Overvalkying seemed confused as it lashed out, trying to catch the two who assaulted it so, only for them to rush off and escape from its clutches. Just as it looked toward Fear with a hint of trepidation, seeing something in the young stallion's eyes that bothered its simple mind, the cowering stallion rushed forward and stomped its hooves on the deck, bringing up a thin wall of sheet metal that put itself together, doming over them, like everything around Acrid was made of nanomachines.

Fear screamed harder, matching the sun wave for wave, energy for energy, sprite for sprite, and enhancing it with sheer will, directing it with focus. His body twisted to the side. He couldn't see that blinding light anymore, completely overcome by shadow, but he felt the heat inside his mind, the light that shone on so much in their world. White filled his eyes, and his jaw dropped open, legs going weak. So... much... power! Fear almost lost himself in the cascade of strength ebbing against his mind, in the ocean of energy coalescing around his soul. It... was... intoxicating. He focused that plasma, collecting it as a single point, as if through a magnifying glass, concentrating the warmth and energy, the sheer ultraviolet rays.

The Watcher was about to crush the ship, lifting a tentacle to do the deed, but stopped and pondered for a moment as it felt something growing on its back. A pinprick of tingles that slowly expanded outward, before it stretched over his entire form like a blanket. Then it was burning in. It happened so quickly, that the only thing the creature could think was that someone else had joined the fray.

It flapped its wings and flailed, trying to get whatever was on its back, off. It wasn't helping much, and as it turned to face the sun, its mereon eyes nearly charred away into nothingness as the light intensified, becoming a beaming solar flare that seared into it's entire body. It lifted an arm to shield itself, feeling its own body begin to sizzle and blacken. Melting away. More and more heat singled on that one little point, burning a hole through its chest slowly but surely. The Overvalkying did the only thing it could: dive into the water to escape.

Fear sensed it, heard the splash, and let the spell go, gasping for breath like he'd spent hours deprived of oxygen, and collapsed to the ground.

It hadn't worked! Not like he'd expected. All that effort gone in one shot. There was no way he could bring himself to connect with the sun again. The Overvalkying was still alive, still going strong. It would be back soon enough.

Fear couldn't bare that thought. They were supposed to get rid of it!

Faith knelt down by Fear's side, stroking through the panting stallion's mane, trying to comfort him. The air behind the metal curtain was sweltering like the desert.

“I don't...” Fear tried to speak. “The Overvalkying's going to come back soon. I'm sure of it.”

Acrid balked. “What!? What are we supposed to do!? What did you do Fear!?”

Fear shook his head. “I don't know... I'm out of ideas.”

Gentler lifted a finger. “I have one idea. It's crazy but it might work.”

Fear glanced to the cat with newfound hope. Faith looked pleased.

Acrid seemed terrified. “What is it, Gentler?”

Gentler huffed and crossed his arms. “Acrid's going to have to be the one to save us. It seemed like the Watcher had some kind of metal laced in its body.”

Fear knew exactly where the Abyssinian was going with this, sitting up as his eyes brightened. “Is it possible? Acrid can you randomize it's entire body with your power?”

Acrid took a couple steps back. “What!? Me!? I don't... don't know. I barely was able to pull the ship back together. It's still got some water in it!”

Fear barked. “We don't have time Acrid! Can you or can you not do this!? We have no other choice!”

Acrid summoned as much courage as he could, breathing in deeply, chest rising, straightening his face, straining his muscles. “I can. Maybe. If Gentler gets me up there so I can touch it at its core.”

Gentler propped a thumbs up. “Can do, Root.”

Fear turned to Faith. “Faith can you distract it? I'm out for the count right now, as loathe as I am to admit it.”

Faith smiled sweetly, serenely. “I'll see what I can do Fear. Leave it to me.”

It sucked having to rely on everyone but himself right now, but if it was how this was all going to go down then... well. Fear couldn't think of anyone else he'd rather depend on in this situation. They had this on lock. “Well? Get to work guys.”

The group nodded. Gentler pulled Acrid up onto his back, getting him comfortable. “You ready to do this Acrid?” Gentler was oddly reverent for a second.

“I don't know. But I suppose it's all I can do for now. Thanks for this Gentler.” The older stallion steeled himself.

Faith readied her weapon on her back and prepped the shot.

All that was left to do was wait.

Which didn't take long at all.

When the Overvalkying realized the danger was over, its body still overly warm, it resurfaced to get back into the fray. It's prey must be very stupid if they didn't think to run when they had the chance.

Acrid didn't know what to make of any of this. Was he really going to be the hero in this situation? He had to try his best! He nestled on Gentler's back and grit his teeth. “Thanks Gentler,” he whispered.

Gentler harrumphed and adjusted the stallion, holding his rear with his hands. “Hold on tight Acrid. We're going high.”

Acrid nodded once, and glared at the steel curtain separating them.

Time stood still for a few moments, Fear hiding, the Overvalkying taking a more cautious approach and not immediately attacking, waiting for its prey to reveal itself.

Faith jumped out first, aiming the Alicannon at her foe and firing off a bolt of concentrated energy. It vworped past the abomination that knew by now she was the most dangerous one of the bunch, and beset her in attacks.

The Overvalkying brought a tentacle down on Faith. Faith took the brunt of it, lifting the Alicannon up and skewering it on the horn. The equine-made creation let out a shuddering roar as it promptly flicked its tentacle away to send Faith flying, but she'd already anchored a hind leg and yanked her weapon out of the wound.

Faith didn't let up. “Come get me you son of a bitch!” She shouted, climbing up onto the railing of the ship, wielding her weapon, and lunging out into the open sea, leaning back and plowing the spear-like tip into her enemy's stomach.

An earth pony, coming out onto the water like this!? Did it think it could fly!? The Overvalkying was confused. It showed by its hesitance.

Faith let out a war cry, charging her weapon, putting both forehooves through her weapon's grip, planting her hindhooves against the abomination's body, and leaping off of it, shlucking the Alicannon out in one deft movement and flying through the air back toward the ship, twirling horizontally like a ribbon.

The abomination finally reacted, lashing out with another tentacle, completely caught off guard. Thinking for sure the little one was going to try to fire its weapon off inside his body.

Faith merely brought her weapon around in an arc and, instead of bashing the tentacle away, simply shoved herself off of it even further, giving herself more height, more air. Her twirl came to an end as she hung in zero-g for moments on end... and fired.

The Overvalkying brought its arms up over its face to shield itself from the shot. The energy injected into the creature's strange flesh, and immediately exploded, vaporizing a giant hole in one of its wrists, causing the hand to descend rapidly, hanging by nothing but a thread. The creature leaned back, roaring out from pain, cringing inward, unaware that the real threat had just gotten onto its body.

Gentler was running up one of its tentacles. “Get ready Acrid! Now's your time to shine!” Gentler, while running vertically along its back, leaned forward and leaped. “Hyup!” The cat twisted, dropping his cargo off onto the creature's neck and arced through the air with a flourish, coming down in front of the Overvalkying's face and bringing a repulse charged heel down on its skull.

The Watcher didn't even know what hit it, one second it was staring straight ahead at Faith, the next its chin was against its chest and it was dipping back toward the sea, its wings failing it for the briefest of moments.

Acrid slammed his forehooves into the base of the creature's neck, and synchronized with the metals in its flesh. The harmony between the two reached a crescendo, and with a cry, Acrid brought all the power in it surging forth, every single abnormal piece of mineral in the creature's body exploding outward like a puffer fish. Flesh tore, blood erupted, organs restructured. A body, randomized.

Gentler nearly toppled over as he landed on the creature's remaining hand, then lunged off of it to catch Acrid as the creature descended toward the water.

Slow motion was normally a metaphor, but in that moment it was real. Acrid jumped with his hindlegs as the Watcher exploded into pieces under him, a piece of that flesh still fused to him, a chunk of body. Raising up into the air.

Gentler greeted him, wrapping him up in a hug and activating the spell in his greaves, instantly magnetizing to the piece of flesh Acrid had been riding on. He held the older stallion, and carefully oriented himself in the air, before jumping and repelling himself off the chunk back toward the ship, flipping in the air and landing on the boat's metal curtain with his greaves, still cradling Acrid in his arms.

Life was silent.

The Overvalkying had been defeated.

Everyone was okay.

Their ship was, while damaged, not incapacitated for good.

If only they had the resources to have a genuine celebration.

Acrid shrugged a shoulder while in Gentler's embrace and bat his eyelashes. “You know, since cats eat fish this might last you a few weeks if we collect its body parts.” A teasing smile crossed the older stallion's face.

Gentler rolled his eyes and frowned. “I can still drop you in the water you know.”

Acrid laughed. “Can't blame me for trying to lighten the mood.”

Faith held Fear down on the deck, with the young stallion feeling the blood of his younger self pump through his veins, and Saway's advice on how to be badass coming back to mind.

“Hah! You're so slow if I ate your brain I'd be eating escargot!”

Faith's eyes revolved in their sockets and she sighed, knowing exactly what Fear was doing. “Nice try honey. Don't quit your day job.”

Fear huffed, having had another one liner about sushi prepped on the back burner but decided not to try. Maybe it was too late to try the badass route and now it just came off as gloating? He had to work on this badass thing some more.

On further thought, Fear realized he should ask Acrid if he could fix his garand with metal manipulation later. For now... he needed some damn laxweed. His cusp nerve was sore, and his thaumic gland was throbbing in his skull. Along with the agony in the rest of his body; it felt as though his bones were nearly popping out of their sockets.

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

Luna lifted a hoof and rested it on Fear's shoulder. “I'm proud of you Fear for not only learning to use the Solar Flare in advantageous situations, but also for learning how to depend on others despite your strength. Each and every time you come here that fact never seems to change. I'd almost dare to say your luck is bound to change soon and you're going to sard up.”

Fear lifted an eyebrow and stared at Luna with a lack of amusement. “Sard? Really? You know it doesn't matter how antiquated your language is, a swear is a swear right?”

Luna blushed and grinned wryly. “Just making sure you're paying attention, little Fear. I'm surprised you did not take offense to the fact you might mess up eventually.” She bapped him on the shoulder and stood tall.

Fear rolled his shoulders, then shook his head sullenly. “I mean it's a fact of life, I'm starting to learn. It's not all a perfect straight run.” He looked up at the alicorn with a sense of peaceful wisdom. “There are setbacks sometimes. I know my time will come.”

Luna smiled ruefully and gave a small nod of her head, closing her eyes. “Indeed you are right, it shows amazing growth that you recognize that now.”

The young stallion waved a hoof, lidding his eyes and grinning. “It's not that amazing, thank you though. I'm just glad I didn't end up going down your path and end up thinking I'm always gonna mess up everything.”

This time it was Luna's turn to look sheepish. “Eh. Little Fear, when you make such serious mistakes at the wrong time, it's difficult not to think that way. To not want to try. Learned helplessness.” Luna raised a hoof again and turned it so the frog was facing up. “Such things, I'm sure you understand.”

Fear bobbed his head, feeling content. “Yeah. I do. Also I know the Solar Flare is far from mastered but I don't think I'll be using it again any time soon. Takes a lot out of me, far more than the Starlight Shredder. Matching my wavelength with an actual sun is overwhelming,” he sighed out the words.

“True,” Luna admitted. “But it is still impressive you managed to do it. It shows a tie to magic I have not seen for a long time. It is not like you will be moving celestial bodies anytime soon without... aid. But it is still a huge step toward mastering the world around you.” She cast her head from side to side. “But that is neither here nor there right now. I wished to speak with you of an idea I had. A power you are now ready to harness.”

“Why now?” Fear queried.

“Because of your maturity, little Fear. You may be young but you have far surpassed most ponies your age in wisdom and development. Maybe it is the changeling side of you, or maybe it was out of necessity that you grew. Either way you are progressing at an almost alarming rate, and I want to see you continue this trend.”

Fear hummed, peering to the side at one of the stained glass windows. Something about the creation of Power Armor. It had been a turning point in the war after all. “Okay. What is it?”

Luna's lips twisted up in mirth, narrowing her eyes and leaning down to eye level with her protege. “I know you find teleportation impossible.” It was true, Fear was as bad at it as he'd become good at everything else around him. He just didn't have the patience nor the presence of mind for it like Amelio likely would have. It was an ability that required intense concentration and flawless calculation. A single misplaced thought, feeling, or mental equation would leave him in the floor, or his body randomized. It had done both. Which is why he only practiced it in dreaming. He was easily distracted in the best of circumstances, even with his skill in meditation. Fear still had nightmarish visions of himself mangled beyond recognition.

Which is why Fear was suspicious. “Where's this going exactly? You sound like there's an alternative way to get the same result. You wouldn't have brought it up otherwise.”

“Thoughtful and smart stallion, yes,” Luna responded. “I think this alternative method may be for you to create a tulpa, a figment that you may reinforce with magic and then switch places with. It is slower than teleportation, but not significantly.”

Fear mused on it. “What exactly is that? You say it's a figment, but what kind of figment? Is it just imagination or something more?”

Luna tilted her head to the side bemusedly. “It is a separate, distinct personality to your own. It lives within your mind and takes up space like a roommate. It is fed by positive emotion primarily – feeding it negative is dangerous. It is similar in nature to my sister's and my swords in a fashion, but it is far more...” she looked up, considering her words. “Free.” She continued after a moment. “You are everything to your tulpa, because no one else can acknowledge it under most circumstances. It takes an incredible amount of magic to be able to manifest it physically.

“And the reason,” Fear finished, “you didn't think I should learn this sooner is because you thought it unhealthy to have something like that in my head that I would grow to depend on too much emotionally?”

“Yes,” Luna completed.

Fear walked in place a bit and threw his head from side to side wildly as if shaking out a bad feeling. “That's fair.” Then he continued. “Though to be honest I think I already had something exactly like that...”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Fear confirmed. “These tulpas... you can talk to them and they sometimes respond, right? Like a guide or an inner part of you, but not with your voice?”

“Yes... sometimes.” Luna agreed. “It is not a constant facet of one, but that is common. Some of my finest warriors wielded them as a sort of... psychological friend. Those that didn't wield my swords. I taught Saway how to develop one as an alternate method of teleportation, in case she was ever in a situation where she could not make complex calculations on a whim.”

“What happened to it?” Fear stared with puckered lips and squinty eyes at Luna, feeling uncertain about where this was going. Saway would have mentioned it, but she didn't. So Fear had a theory as to why that was the case.

“The nightmares devoured it.” Luna stated simply. “When it took residence in her soul, it also took residence in her mind, removing that separate identity from her. Consuming it. There is only room for the nightmares in most cases. If anything, I would dare to say that her tulpa allowed her to sate the nightmares.”

Fear shuddered. Having a separate personality, an ally to you consumed by something new and frightening as a sacrifice was not appealing. What if he was a tulpa and someone had done that to him? “Moving on.” Fear coughed into a hoof. “I think the death of my mother caused a manifestation of her to incarnate in my mind. It would explain how I heard her voice. Do you think that's accurate?” Fear leaned from one side to another, feeling antsy. “I've fed it various emotions I suppose, and it seems to have a will of its own in how it talks to me. Will that work?” Fear's voice was quick, not allowing room for response at first.

Luna hrmed. “I think it just might be. Knowing the nature of them, I would also wager that your contact with your mother in the space between the lives had some level of input on her. That personality I mean,” she corrected.

“I suspect as much too. I didn't mention but I met that personality... tulpa... whatever,” Fear shook his head, “again while I was in my acid trip.” The young stallion smiled broadly. “So that explains that. I guess she's definitely one.” Something was needling at Fear's mind, something really important and suspicious. He ground a hoof against his chin in thought.

Luna was in wonder at the young stallion, that he'd managed to create one of these on accident of all things. “You must've thought for a long time that it was your mother's spirit guiding you. I will teach you how to summon this tulpa in your dreams so you may speak to her in person.”

That clicked something, causing Fear's eyes to widen and dilate. “Oh... wow. Hmm... and yeah. I considered that was the case sometimes, but she never told me anything new. I figured either if she was a guide she wasn't allowed to tell me anything new, or she was just a figment of my imagination because I missed her so much.” Fear twirled a hoof. “I assumed the latter more often than not because I never felt her presence. Her soul.” Fear's cheeks puffed out and his lips wrinkled up. “But...”

“But?” Luna prodded.

“But I just remembered I felt her presence once. But... I don't think it was her. Not now at least.”

Luna was taken aback, putting a hoof on her chest. “Who else could it have been? I'm sure it was your mother looking down on you, Fear.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Fear looked from the stained glass windows back to Luna. “Hey I gotta dismiss myself now your majesty.” He shot her a wink. “But I'll be back later tonight. I gotta consider this pretty heavily.”

Luna was shocked, a bit, but understood. “I understand little Fear. Take all the time you need. It must be agonizing to know it was never your mother who was with you all that time.”

“Huh?” Fear questioned. “Oh, yeah. I suppose so.” Fear coughed into his hoof and spun around. “I'm gonna head to the gardens for now. Be alone with my thoughts. Thanks for your help Luna.” And with that he galloped off through various abrupt changes in scenery.

It wasn't even a couple minutes when he made it to the castle garden. “Discord! I know you're there. Show yourself.” Fear's voice was less... demanding. And more... used to it. By now.

Discord swirled out of a vortex in front of Fear, looking around curiously with a paw on his chin. “Hmm. You know Fear, I'm starting to think this is our little hang out spot, don't you? Are we on a date?” He elbowed the young stallion teasingly.

Fear just barked out a little laughter in disbelief. “Only if you want it to be, cutie.” He elbowed Discord right back, who was floating with his body at about eye level.

Discord convulsed and pulled back, blushing. “Oh you! You weren't supposed to do that!”

The young stallion sat on his haunches and shrugged both shoulders emphatically, creasing his lips downward and cocking his head. “I have no idea what you mean. I am always myself.”

The draconequus writhed through the air, then coiled around Fear and nestled down. “I know why you called me.”

“Is that so?” Fear questioned with a teasing tone.

“Yes. I was listening to your conversation with Lulu. I know how clever you are by now and you're not being surprising by asking me.”

Fear's face twitched. “I think that's an admittance of guilt, don't you? We're not nearly on that same a wavelength.” He stomped his forehooves against the ground.

Discord's body squeezed Fear's tight and used a paw to shove him down, causing the young stallion to wriggle and squirm to try and get free, before he eventually realized he could just phase through. He tried... and it didn't work.

“Hey! Stop changing how dreams work!”

“Never, Fear. And no,” Discord continued, “it is not an admittance of guilt. It is obvious that you'd suspect that I had something to do with it.”

“But how would you know I felt my mother back then after I fought Chrono Corona?”

Discord guffawed and brought an elbow up, noogying it into Fear's skull painfully. Fear felt it intimately and yelped. “You told Lulu just now you silly goose! Of course I'd know.”

Fear grunted. “Yeah but I felt a hoof. It wasn't... couldn't have been her spirit.” Because she'd been surprised to see him on the cusp of the afterlife. Or... well. Storm had said it was the afterlife. But he knew by now she'd misspoke. Creatures weren't perfect.

Discord laid on top of Fear with the part of his body that wasn't covered in coils, smashing him down. “You're going to believe what you wish Fear, I can tell you that much. But it's up to you and 'them' to decide in the end.”

Fear was... strangely enough, able to breathe. But it was still suffocating being covered in draconequus. His voice came out clearly even though it should've been muffled. “Who's 'them?'”

“Don't worry about it Fear. Just go train up and fix your Garand.”

And with that Discord popped away before Fear could really start to take advantage of his embrace.

“Huh. Okay.”

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

While Fear dwelled on the nature and philosophical aspects of 'ice' and held his Garand in a telekinetic aura in front of Acrid, said stallion was busy resting his hooves on the triply severed firearm. Not only was the barrel ripped apart in two segments, but the sten-like trigger was hanging on by a splinter, threatening to crack apart at any second. It was going to be a really difficult fix, and Acrid wasn't sure he could succeed enough for it to be reusable instead of just a decoration from here on out.

Acrid focused, Fear focused. Fear on how to seal magic with the power of ice like Gentler's nullification spell in his gear, and Acrid on his metal manipulation. Surely this wouldn't be too difficult, both of them asked internally. One needed silence, the other just needed something to distract himself with. Didn't want to think about the possibility of his gun being unusable forever. Acrid was meanwhile closing his eyes and focusing on two different images.

One image was of what the gun looked like as is.

The other was what the gun was supposed to look like when complete, both interior and exterior, provided by Fear's illusions and own knowledge of his weapon.

The first important objective was to transform the gun from a completely broken piece of trash into one whole piece of metal, a shell. All he had to do was... finagle it a bit. Let it all melt into a Garand-ish mass, then slowly smooth it out, carve out the tiny exterior details. The hard part was merging the broken pieces of polished wood with sheer metal sculpting, until it looked akin to a far more smoothly transitioned Mother 3 logo. Metal and wood mixing together.

The second thing was to take Fear's memories of what every single part inside looked like... and carefully craft it with fine, delicate bending. A broken wooden stock and sten-like bit becoming fused with metal, then separating in the important sections, slicing clean off from everything else. Surgical incisions made to each part, severing the new spring, the molded follow arm pin and operating rod catch, forming a magazine slide, operating rod, and bolt. Melting, meshing, and kneading metal like it was made of nanomachines to recreate the lock screw, gas cylinder, and hoof guard, reforming the trigger and letting all the pieces... disconnect. Becoming separated parts of a whole machine.

Acrid wasn't... sure if he'd successfully done it, but he'd completed it to all of Fear's exact specifications. It was difficult to get the measurements just right but...

“It looks perfect!” Fear proclaimed, before immediately taking it in his aura and trying to pull the metal apart so he could finish the entire process by lubing up the parts that needed it. All the metal within it looked incredibly... discolored, and like it had once been disfigured. The parts might need replacing eventually, but in essence it was perfect.

Fear lunged at Acrid. Acrid was stunned speechless as he was embraced, his forelegs coming up and hanging in the air.

“Thank you Acrid! Thank you so much! You're my hero!”

Acrid... just hugged Fear back and smiled, closing his eyes and resting his muzzle in the crook of the small young stallion's neck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE1VdrhRUPA

This chapter went in a different direction than I initially planned it to. I didn't expect Acrid to the be the day's hero for instance, I expected Fear's attack to finish the Overvalkying off. As you can see, that was not the case. I also didn't expect Faith and Gentler to play nearly as big a role as they did. I also did not expect Fear to flirt with Discord again in this situation, but that rebellious nature of his comes up when I least expect it. I hope this trend continues.

BR asks Acrid: Have You Ever Been So Far Even as Decided to Use Even Go Want to do Look More Like? Or for that matter, has anyone?

Acrid: I'm sorry what? Are you fucking with me? This is a joke right? I know I can come off as a dick but it's solely to be funny. So... okay, that's pretty funny. Stupid funny.

BR asks a more serious question of Amelio: What was it that caused you to feel peaceful enough to use your namesake so long ago?

Amelio: Did not think anyone would ever ask, to be honest. Essentially Fate aided me. Showed me the afterlife, what came next, all the different realities that exist outside of our own multiverse, lifted the veil on every single aspect of life and showed me how everything fits together in the end, how free will is integral to allowing for deviation, and how nothing is really ever as bad as it seems. It was such an intense flood of peace, that I no longer understand why mortals choose to hurt themselves when those problems are so insignificant. But that is part of the glory of life, of temporary mortality, of the amnesia we experience at birth. It is so that we may make the most of our lives. That may not be the case for your reality, but it is the case for ours. But in the grand scheme of things, all that matters in our reality is learning from the bad times, and enjoying the good times. There is no greater meaning, than the meaning we make by fighting fear with love.

I respect my brother immensely, and while I may not be able to be with him forever because there are bigger fish to fry, I appreciate the time I have with him because I want to be part of his journey to greatness. I may be tainted by Fate now, but in the end I am still technically mortal, with mortal wishes. This me, at least.