Nightmares

"Uh... yeah." Twilight blushed and dropped Hollow, "You see, Rarity... This looks really bad, doesn't it?"

Rarity nodded and began to try untying Hollow. "Yes, Twilight, yes it does. Let me ask the question again - What do you think you are doing to this poor colt?"

Twilight slapped Rarity's hoof out of the way, retying the tight knots of rope the held the Unicorn down. "King Sombra is trying to use him to hurt the ponies of Equestria," she explained, "and I need to get the Elements of Harmony to help me destroy the dark magic that he's absorbed!"

Rarity's mouth hung open, forming a small 'O' shape before she snapped it shut. "Well then... I'll get a hold of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, and why don't you gather up Fluttershy and Applejack?"

"Good thinking," the purple Alicorn exclaimed with a smile and a nod, "Mrs. Daisy Petal, you and your friend take him back to the library and whatever you do, don't let him out!"

Ice Ridges and Daisy nodded in unison, the latter lifting Hollow in her magic and galloping back to the literal tree-house that was the library. She stumbled inside and slammed the door hard behind her, lowering Hollow onto the floor and proceeding to untie him.

"Twilight said we just couldn't let him leave the library, but she didn't say anything about untying him!"

"Thanks," Hollow choked as his mother removed the muzzle. He shivered and lay on the floor, not caring as his freckled cheek rubbed against the cold wooden floorboards. "I'm tired..."

The colt staggered to his hooves and slowly walked over to a shelf, browsing through the books until he found one on magic and spells titled, 'Magic: Tricks and Illusions for a Beginner's Entertainment.' He took that out, before sliding down to the far end of the same shelf, pulling out a heavy leather-bound tome that read 'Dark Magic and The Concequences.' Hollow smiled, flipping to the table of contents and looking down the list of the most infamous dark magic users of Equestria's history until he found what caught his interest. It wasn't Sombra, but in fact a young Prince of Equestria called Despamore. It had never occured to him that one of Equestria's rulers, for as long as anypony could remember, so godly pure, could be capable of becoming corrupt and spreading the fear and pain that dark magic undoubtedly would bring. Even though it wasn't part of his original objective in pulling out that book, Hollow flipped to the page of the respective Prince and began to read.

Over a thousand years ago, long before the rules of Princesses Celestia and Luna, and even long before Discord reigned, Equestria was ruled by a beloved Prince called Despamore Spectre. His subjects loved him, for he had saved them from a creature that has always been called 'The Masima,' a being of dark intentions who could feast on a pony's hatred and anger like a rabbit on carrots and beets.

The Masima had consumed and controlled the previous Princess before Despamore, known as Princess Goldenlock. She was once kind, but the Masima found her jealousy for her younger brother, who was indeed the Prince himself, and used it to control her. The poor young Prince was forced to slay his elder sister, for there was nothing that the Masima had not devoured, and what hatred was left consumed what remained of the Princess, and she was no more. After that bloody battle, Despamore longed to enact his revenge on the Masima, who had been the reason for his sister's death.

As time went on, his lust for vengance grew but little, and instead he began to search for a 'cure,' something that could counteract the Masima's effect on a pony to destroy the foul monsters and save the host. He was finally able to create a being of his own, one that, in theory, would amplify the happiness and love in a pony, and he named it 'The Brengulch.' It was thought to be unbelievably lucky that the Brengulch had been created, for a great outbreak of the Masima virus had burst through the veil and was trying to twist and destroy the young fillies and colts of Despamore's kingdom. He released the Brengulch, and they began to attack the Masima. But, something went wrong with the longed-for creation.

Instead of destroying the Masima as they should have, the Brengulch became Masima themselves, and the entire hoarde rounded on the young Prince. At first, it was believed that he was destroyed just like his sister, but before anypony could confirm that, the Masima disappeared and the Prince stood unharmed. It was a miracle, or so the grateful ponies thought.

Within the next years of Despamore's life, the remnants of the virus seemed to have disappeared, though it was later discovered that it had corrupted him. He began to seek for new magic spells and powers, and upon discovering the tome that contained all dark magics known to Equestria, the Prince could not resist the temptation and fell to that darkness. He used the newfound powers to torture and enslave the subjects that had once loved him until the parents of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna dethroned him and ended his unfortunate life. It is said that Despamore laid traps of his dark magic all across Equestria so he could spread his legacy to anypony with enough ambition to harness the corruptive powers.

Hollow continued to flip through the book, reading several other legends and articles about the bearers of dark magic, and found that they all ended the same way, and that they were all rumored to have laid traps. Almost every user he read through had been innocent and fairly normal before they either stumbled upon another user, a corruptive trap, or some kind of book or scroll that contained the information.

Interesting... Hollow thought as he closed the book and slid it back on the shelf, I wonder, will I turn out like that, like Despamore and the others?

He was just about to open the other book when he noticed Twilight and the others watching him. They were here. Already. Great.

"A fascinating, read, that book. Don't you agree?"

Hollow jumped at the sound of Twilight's soft voice, despite the fact he knew it was coming. "Y-yes," he replied shakily, "I suppose it i-is..."

"Finished?" Hollow nodded and Twilight continued, "Okay, tell me, how do you feel?"

"F-fine," The Unicorn replied, clay eyes wide, "I'm fine, just a little spooked..."

It was then that Rainbow Dash flapped up to Twilight, rose eyes half-lidded in annoyance, "Twilight, you haven't even told us why we're here!" She paused, flying up to Hollow as soon as she saw the purple at his eyes. Rainbow picked up the book he had yet to read with a knowing grin, "Oooooh, illusions, huh? Workin' on your Nightmare Night costume early or something?"

Hollow shrunk back, shaking his head with a fearful peeping noise.

Rainbow Dash felt her stomach lurch. "What?"

"It's n-not an illusion." Her heart had seemed to rise up to her throat as she heard the words, and she felt genuine fear as she heard the voice, layered and cold and strangely childish.

"Twilight," Rainbow said blankly, "You're just joking with me, right? This kid can't be him! I mean," The mare tried to throw her hooves up in the air for enphasis, but being in midair, all it did was make her flail a little to the left, "I still have nightmares about getting ponynapped and turned into a slave or something!"

Hollow lifted his head and rose from his submissive crouch, a low rattle rumbling in his throat as he bared his fangs, "You think I asked for this? I never wanted this!"

Daisy Petal nudged her way out from behind the Element Bearers, looking determined, "Hollow, please calm down! We need to discuss this like civilized ponies, and I think a certain purple princess is to blame for the last more violent outburst! Can't all of you see, he's scared, and that means he'll try to defend himself, whether with words or hooves I don't know, but wouldn't you be feeding whatever's inside him by showering him with accusations and hatred?"

Twilight was blushing quite furiously, but her eyes were wide as she realized that Daisy was right. "You're... so right! You're a genius!"

The purple Alicorn slowly edged towards Hollow, accepting no interferance from the others and holding them in place with her magic, stiff as boards and unable to speak. She held out a hoof to Hollow, whose slit-pupiled eyes darted about as though he expected anything to jump out at him. He remained crouched in an defensive position as he slowly edged back towards Twilight, and equally slowly putting his hoof over hers.

Twilight nodded, "Okay, now just channel some magic into your horn," she whispered softly, her own horn glowing softly pinkish, "and I'm going to get rid of the bad magic, okay?"

"O-okay," Hollow replied shakily, his horn glowing dimly with dark purple-black energy.

The purple at his eyes, which had begun to fade, was now glowing and flickering just as powerfully as ever. He whimpered as his curved, smooth horn brushed against Twilight's straight, ridged one. Tears rolled down his freckled cheeks and sweat beaded at Twilight's brow, her teeth clenched as she tried to cleanse what had wormed its way in through the colt's core magic. A bright purplish glow radiated from where their horns met, pulsing in time with Hollow's whimpers of pain and fear. Each whimper slowly grew into a wail as Hollow jerked violently, trying desprately to escape the sensation.

"I'm sorry," Twilight whispered under her breath, "I'm trying!"

She knew she couldn't hold it, and with that knowledge, she knew she had to let go. A small explosion of purple and black and green sent Twilight backpedaling into the other ponies. Hollow's eyes glowed green, wide with fear as bubbling purple, green and black energy fizzed and dribbled down from his horn. There was another small explosion of magic, leaving Hollow on the ground, covering his eyes with his hooves. He slowly uncurled, unintentionally putting his back to the others. His horn wasn't curved and discolored anymore, fangs gone, eyes round-pupiled as they were meant to be. The colt shook his head in grateful disbelief.

"Hollow!" Daisy Petal cried, trying to push past Twilight and the other Element Bearers to get to her son, "Hollow Dreams!"

He didn't respond for a moment, staring wide-eyed up at his mother. "I-I'm okay," Hollow finally said, thin, childish voice no longer layered, though still flat-toned. He rubbed his head with a hoof with a groan. "Why does it hurt so much?"

There was a sinister edge to Hollow's innocent question as the colt stared expectantly up at his mother, then turning back to Twilight. Despite Hollow's sanity and physical appearance seeming to have been restored, his movements were jerking and impulsive, like the way birds will rapidly turn their heads back and forth while sitting still. Daisy could see Hollow occasionally sniffing the air intently, ears swiveling back and forth and back again, tongue flicking rapidly at his lips as though he were trying to contain it. The colt cocked his head to one side until it was almost rotated a full ninety degrees, eyes glittering with perpetual curiosity.

"What do you mean, sugarcube?" Applejack said, breaking the twisted silence, "What's hurtin' you?"

"M-my head, I th-think." Hollow's voice quavered and faltered. He seemed to show immense difficulty in finding words. "Why d-does it hurt?"

"I don't know sugarcube," said the Stetson-wearing mare as she hesitantly edged closer, "but I do know, that with my friends, I can help you stop hurtin' and get you some good rest an' food and all you'll need to start feelin' mighty fine again. Will ya'll let me do that?"

Hollow nodded wordlessly, gaunt frame quivering violently as he stumbled up to his hooves. He was hurting inside, a fierce, burning ach growing in his chest. What few memories that lingered in his sluggish mind were blurred and barely intelligible at best. Why had he acted so viciously? Why had he all but dropped his own regular speech patterns and personality? Exausted and half-insane, why had he done what he'd done? Hollow didn't know, but the spinning world around him brought little comfort. Applejack's green eyes were filled with concern as the colt wobbled on his spindly legs.

"It hurts! Why does it hurt?"

"What's the matter, sugarcube?" said Applejack, "Is somethin' wrong?"

Hollow shook his head, "I don't know," he stumbled forward, "It hurts... real bad..."

He wanted to say more, but was abruptly cut off by a deep, stabbing pain through his skull, as though knives were being shoved and twisted through his eye sockets, accompanied by powerful bouts of dizziness. Hollow whimpered and clutched his head, closing his eyes and wating for it to stop. It didn't. It was getting hard to breathe, and the longer Hollow stood there, the heavier his limbs became. he sunk down to the floor, hardly seeing through the clouded haze that was his vision, incapable of hearing through the blood that rushed loudly in his ears.

Through the haze, Hollow was able to see a purplish shape that he thought was Twilight. She was standing over him, and a chaotic spectrum filled the colt's vision, stars dancing madly behind his eyes. Slowly, but surely, the colors and stars faded to black as Hollow finally lost conciousness.