‘Well, kid, now you know the two main ways to get me out there. Just remember, the longer I’m out, the stronger I get, but you’ll get unstable.’ Fury thought to me, from about five feet away. Still, I had a piece of him, a single round link, around my wrist. We figured since he only seems to gain power while three or four links long, one link in the waking world would be enough for a quick summon. Glad he knows his limits.

“I’m already crazy, what’s a little more instability?” I smirked as I felt him chuckle in my mind.

‘You’ll get worse, kid. A lot worse. Even we don’t know your true depths of insanity, but one must be pretty fucked in the head to put a Hollow under their command without even being aware they are doing it at all. If you overuse my powers, you’ll get more… how should I put it?’

“Pinkie Pie like?” I asked, afraid of the answer.

‘Yup.’ I shivered in horror. One with my powers, a mean streak, magic, AND a Pinkie personality? Oh Gods above! ‘My sentiments exactly, kid.’

“Uh, and if I overuse Etnad’s powers?”

“Imagine yourself becoming like a true and full Hollow. In my case, you will get more aggressive, more stable, and more calculating. Then you’ll start truly craving souls, and you and I will merge, then things all go to hell. You’ll deny yourself for a time, a long time, but you may lose yourself into the depths of sin. You’ll get hungrier and more sadistic, more perverted, and you’ll end up trying, and hopefully failing, to devour all of the souls in this world.” Etnad made a good point for not surpassing my limits too quickly.

Apparently I had spellseals all throughout my soul. These seals kept my powers in check, allowing only a fraction through, but they are recent. Damage may have been done already, but not… too much. They work to keep me from overwhelming myself while using my powers. In short, I can go for an hour at full power, three hours at half power, or indefinitely at one tenth without trouble. Problem is, the seals only work on my Hollow power. Fury is always at full. “Guys, why couldn’t I set something up so I can use my full power without corruption?”

‘Well, you could, but either you’ll have to make it cut our ties, meaning we can only talk at certain times, or in your mind, by cutting the feedback from you, or by limiting your power growth and adapting your power level maximum to our combined levels.’

“There might be other ways, though. Hit the library. Do research. Maybe the Princesses know something.” Etnad looked worried about that last part.

“Don’t worry, mate. Princess Celestia is a last resort, and she’ll be nowhere near you. But, next time she’s near, try some of my shielding techniques. Maybe we can bypass your weakness to light magic if we aren’t above ten percent max. From what we gathered during our tests, her power can only affect you if you directly contact it.” I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Alright, I’ll try, but if this doesn’t work, send her away.”

‘Kid, you gotta go. You’re waking up.’

“How can you tell?” I was seriously confused, until Etnad piped up.

“Look up.” And sure enough, when I took his advice, I saw something odd.

“So, it isn’t night here, it’s an eternal eclipse. Cool.” As the sun lit up brighter around the moon, I felt groggy as hell.
~~******************************************************************~~

“Ugh.” Man, I felt like shit, but I was getting better.

“Ah, you’re up! Wow, quick recovery. I’m nurse Redheart. I’m going to go get the Doctor. Do you need anything?” A female nurse, huh? Haven’t had a female nurse in forever.

“Caffeine, high concentration, please, and a book on which species are present in Equestria, if I’m to stay here for any length of time.” I mumbled, still groggy.

“Um, okay. Coffee it is. How do you take it?”

“Black, extra strong. Triple brew if you can.” I know, I know. Not good for the machine. Or me, but hey, I’m a Necromancer who’s already half dead.

“Alright, but it’ll be a bit. I’ll brew a fresh pot, my own blend. Sure you only want a triple? I prefer quadruple brews myself.” She asked. Finally, someone who knows coffee for energy!

“Oh man, a quad brew gal? I think I might be in love. I’ll take it, and you have my undying gratitude!” Finally, my eyelids decide to respond, giving me a really fuzzy, really, really bright view. “Mind closing the blinds, too?” She must have heard the pain in my voice, given how quickly she reacted.

“I don’t know about love, we’ve barely met! Not to mention you look young enough to be my son! You couldn’t be more than fifteen!” Oh, I like her.

“You’d be surprised. I’m a lot older than I look.” I said cracking a grin. Now that I could make her out, she was a cute one. She had a white coat, pink mane done up in a bun, which actually looked good on her, and the red cross with hearts in each corner for a Cutie Mark.

“Maybe. I’ll think about it.” She said giving me a sidelong glance, just a hint of naughtiness hidden with those big baby blues. Damn.

“Wow, now that I can see you, that little ‘In Love’ joke doesn’t seem a joke, and I’m the one who made it!” We both chuckled at that awful jest, before she walked out.

“Well, now what?” I casually scanned the room, taking note of my surroundings, which were the usual you would see in a long-term room at a hospital. The only odd part were the clothes on the dresser across from me.

Not but five minutes had passed before a brown earth pony with a black main in a white coat walked in. “I’m Doctor Splint. I’m glad to see you’re up, you took quite a beating.”

“Eh, news spreads fast, huh, Doc?” God how I wish I had a carrot for that one. I sat up on the edge of the bed, while he pulled out a step stool.

“It helps that most of the town was at market that day. Most saw first hand what you did. It was admirable. Stupid, but admirable. Ah, but to be young and able to do such things. In any case, I’m here to answer questions and see how well you have recovered.” He pulled out a stethoscope.

“I’m not as young as I look, Doc. But I’m feeling better. Well, sort of. I’m rather groggy. Nurse Redheart said she was going to bring up some strong coffee.” Man, why are stethoscopes always so cold?

“Oh, my. Well, it’ll take care of your grogginess right quick, but it is rather strong, to say the least.” And now he pulls out the reflex hammer.

“Uh, Doc, that’s not such a good idea.” Oh, boy, he isn’t listening.

As soon as the hammer came down on my knee, on my left leg, which he was standing right in front of, I accidentally sent him flying about ten feet, into the door.

As he peeled himself off, I grimaced, expecting to get in trouble of some sort, but to my surprise, he actually laughed!

“Well, strong reflexes. Sorry, son, but given the Apples live here, that’s the only way for me to accurately judge it. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Okay, I have to ask, are you guys made of IRON? Seriously, that should have broken most every bone in your body!”

“No, we have special spells in place on everything in the hospital. Everything here is enchanted so that it cannot bring harm. Unfortunately, we can only tune it to ponies.”

“Huh… That works.”

“Well, you seem to be in good shape. I’ll send in your… Visitors, now.”

Wait… “Why the pause, doc?”

“You’ll see, kiddo.” And he closed the door. Without really answering my question.

Great, as if that couldn’t have been ominous. Well, no use getting worked up over it.

More waiting. And more. ‘I wonder who it is? Hopefully not a contingent of guards.’

Five long minutes later, and the door opens, bringing with it a horrible burning sensation. Thank you, boot camp and military service, for the pain resistance you have bestowed upon me.

“Hello, Princess Celestia.” Without even turning my head or opening my eyes. Man, that must be creepy.

“Hello. I would like to ask you a few questions, as would my sister.” Wait, sister?

“Greetings.” An indescribably beautiful, if slightly cold, voice stated.

I immediately snapped my head their way and opened my eyes, seeing them standing right inside the door, guards behind them.

“P-princess Luna?”

I, was in an instant, kneeling on the floor before her, head bowed, left fist upon the floor, right fist over my heart. My rapid movement caused the guards to tense and draw their weapons.

“Luna dea sum in umbra. Ego in vobis est, et postea usque ad mortem, ab incunabulis ad aeternitatem, ab urbe condita: ego semper in angaria. Sicut olim sic erit, ut et corpus spondeo, mentem meam tibi anima mea, ut tibi videbitur, ut in conatu, quia ego te, Luna dea est.” *

“W-what? Thou... Thou cans’t mean such. Nopony hast taken the Oath in two thousand years, and thou knowest it? Thou pledgest thineself by it? Upon meeting Us for the first time in thine life? Thou art playing me for a fool! Thine tricks shalt work not!” And she goes into full Alicorn Goddess mode. Well, “Ad mortem” may come a little quicker than expected.

“I seek not to trick you, Divine Goddess. I have meant every word. I am prepared to die, should you decide such is my fate.”

“I can tell he’s tellin’ the truth, Princess. I ain’t got no clue what he done said, but he meant every word, with all his heart.” Oh, so Applejack is here to, and vouching for me? Interesting. Note to self, give her a bear hug and a great big bag of bits in gratitude. Once I have bits to give.

“Thou... I mean, you are sure, fair Applejack?” Luna set back down, looking rather normal.

“Eeyup. He ain’t lyin’. I still ain’t sure we can trust him, but he ain’t lyin’, at least.”

“Thank you, Applejack. To what do I owe the honor, Princesses? Surely the avatars of the Goddesses have more important matters to deal with than a lowly Hollow such as myself?”

“So then, it is true. You are a Hollow, then. Tell me, Dante, why is it you know our names? Why do you pledge yourself to me in such a manner?” Luna now, at least, looked more curious than furious. “And how do you know the Lunar Oath?”

“On my world, I was a moon worshiper, your Highness. That pledge, I made on my world, and have made in Hueco Mundo. I mean every word, and until told otherwise by you or the Moon Goddess herself, shall obey every order to the best of my ability, until I am no longer able to do so.”

“Why do you still bow?” Celestia asked.

“I have yet to be given permission to rise.”

“Oh... Please, rise, look me in the eye when you speak, Dante. 'Tis most uncomfortable to speak as you are.”

“Of course.” I rose, and looked her in the eye, standing at attention.

“Now then, on to the questions we came to ask. Why are you here?” Celestia trotted up on the edge of my vision, as she asked the question. Yes, THE question.

“I am here on the Moon Goddess’ behest. She stated your world would need my power in the coming days. Thus, I have come to help Equestria until such a time as I am no longer able to.” All this, said without breaking eye contact with Luna.

“Why do you not look my sister in the eye?”

“Because you did not give me permission to break eye contact. You ordered me to look you in the eye.”

“I see. You may be at ease.” At this point, naturally, I took her advice.

“Now, Dante, why do you defend our little ponies?” Another from Celestia?

“I defend them because I have the power to do so.” I said, causing Celestia to think for a moment.

“That is not the reason, that is the way.” Luna chimed in.

“I disagree. I have to power to defend them, therefore I defend them. Though it is true that isn’t the entire reason, it is the entire reason it matters. I could go on for hours, but mostly it is instinct.”

“So you act on instinct?” some random guard piped up.

“Yes. Don’t you?”

“No, we think our actions through before taking them, like we were trained.”

“I... see. Princesses, are your standing military and police force separate?”

“Yes and no. Our guards are divided. Army, and Peacekeepers. Peacekeepers protect towns from within, the Army from without.” Luna explained.

“And these are Peacekeepers, I assume?”

“No, standing Army.” Celestia added.

“And they take time to think about every action they take?”

“Of course.”

“That’s... Really ineffective, to put it mildly.” Luna looked like she was about to chew my head off, but Celestia stopped her.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, unless they are also used for domestic defense, as in, as Peacekeepers, they need to react instantly. The moment an enemy shows itself, they need to drop it. No thought, only lessons so ingrained into their minds, it becomes instinct. Second nature. That way, they can react in a moments notice against the enemy, without any time wasted. Maybe it’s different here, but in my world, a quarter seconds hesitation on the battlefield is a death sentence. In that quarter second, some enemy soldier with faster reflexes just shot and killed you. In that quarter second, a soldier of the past would have found that the enemy who just jumped over the cover he was using, had introduced a sword to his brain. A soldier who had reacted in time would, in the first scenario, have shot the enemy, and in the second, would have had his own sword up to block his enemies swing, and deliver one of his own. For cops, yeah, you need to think everything through until it is kill or be killed. But on the battlefield, you need to act on instinct, because it is always kill or be killed.”

“You make a good point.” Luna admitted.

“Now, back to matters at hoof.” Celestia, who had listened to my entire rant impassively, began, “Dante, as a Hollow what drives you to protect others?”

“As a Hollow? Nothing. As a matter of fact, as a Hollow, a pure Hollow, I would be killing all of them and devouring their souls. But I am not a pure Hollow. I am still human, with human morals. It is my human half that drives me to protect. I cannot sit idly by while the innocent are harmed. If I have the power, I will protect any and all that I can, assuming they are not guilty of one of the Three, and unrepentant.”

Celestia shifted her expression into concern. “Your protection is conditional?”

“Yes. Those guilty of rape, murder, or enslavement of the free will of an innocent being are my prey. Should they be repentant, and seek redemption, or at least to spend the rest of their days paying back the infinite debt that such acts incur, they shall fall under my protection. For those three sins, the Three Prime Evils, are unforgivable in life. Only in death may they be forgiven, but only if the sinner is truly repentant, because what they did was evil, not because they suffer for the act.”

“So, in all honesty, you seek to protect others?”

“Yes, I do. I intend to give those who do not control their actions rest, as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Hollows. They do not control their actions, their inner Hollow is fully formed, unlike mine, and mad with hunger. It controls their body, their mind. It forces them to kill and devour without end.”

“And how do you intend to free them?” Luna inquired.

“Simple. I will slay them again. The Hollow is not the true soul. The soul is trapped inside, and by killing the body of the Hollow, the soul is set free.” I sighed, and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Hollows can move on when they are slain. The soul is freed from the darkness and sin of the Hollow. I’m not sure mine can...”

Luna moved closer, a confused look on her face. “What do you mean? Are you not also a Hollow?”

“I am... But I’m not. It... it would be easier to show you. May I show you what I mean?”

“Very well.” Celestia said. “You may show us. Indeed, I would very much like to know what sets you apart.”

“First things first. Celestia, are you able to limit or suppress your power? So that it won’t touch me unless you actively try to use it on me? I didn’t want to offend you, but your magic burns.”

“Why didn’t you mention it earlier?!”

“Like I said, I didn’t want to offend you. I might be slightly insane, ten thousand years in Heuco Mundo will do that, but I do still have self preservation instincts. I think.”

Celestia looked bewildered, but she closed her eyes and began breathing deeply and slowly. I felt the burning sensation lessen and vanish.

“Done. Please, in the future, mention such things.”

“Alright. Well, lets do this.” I stood up and moved further away. When I stopped, I turned, and focused on drawing out my power. I brought my left hand up, and raked it from top left to bottom right across my face. I felt and heard my Hollow hole open with an audible, fleshy rip.

Author's Note

* “I am in the Shadow of the Moon Goddess. I exist to serve you, until my death and thereafter, from cradle, to eternity, from deepest chest, for I am forever in your service. As before, so shall it be again, that I pledge my body, my mind, and my soul to you, to use as you see fit in any endeavor, for I am yours, Moon Goddess.”

Yes, that translation came from Google Translate. I'm not fluent in Latin.