I couldn't sleep. I don't know why. I just couldn't. I had knocked myself out for the first time in seven years and had to have woken up just a few, read: 20 minutes, later. Can't I just stay asleep? NO! I just have to wake up and not be able to sleep afterwards!

Maybe it's the unfamiliar enviroment. No, never bothered me before. Nerves? Impossible. I am always in control of my emotions... almost. Worry? Could be. A logical assumption. Right now Xolhowl could be doing Gods know what, not to mention the other Fragments. Still does not completely explain it.

I groan in mild annoyance and stand up. I try to make as little noise as possible so I won't wake up Eve. She needs her rest.

We took refuge and set up shop, so to speak, in Twilight's basement. It was rather... I don't know the word. Eerie? Let's go with that. And I mean it. This looks like a perfect place for a secret lab, which I presume it sort of was sometimes. Creepy thoughts, GO AWAY!

So, I got up and started going up the stairs. I needed to get some fresh air or I'd go insane. Probably. Maybe. I don't know! GAH, I'm so confused! Infuriating as this is, I try to remain calm.

I open up the door silently and walk out to the main room of the library, the main hall or whatever it is called. I go straight for the front door.

”A night stroll, hmm?”

I won't lie. I jumped slightly. … Hey! Give me a break! I'm anxious enough as it is. Being caught offguard like that is not helping the matter.

Anyway, I turn towards the speaker and what do you know, it's the intellectual scholar himself, Sage, reading a book in the candle light.

I compose myself, with slight difficulty before speaking up. ”Perhaps.” Good. Stay vague.

”Don't start with that. I know my things.” Darn! ”My hypothesis is that you couldn't get any sleep, most likely because of pent up stress, desided to get some fresh air and here you are.” He concluded his so called hypothesis by flipping a new page on the book.

OK! That's it! I must know what he is reading.

”What are you doing up so late?” Damnit mouth! Don't talk until I tell you to!

”So put it simply, I could not get any sleep.”

”I can see that.”, I say with just a tad bit agitated tone. I can't really control it at the moment.

”Let me finish.”, He snapped at me. The nerve. ”As I was saying, I couldn't get any sleep. I have been studying for a while now and I just can't sleep. So instead of trying, I read.... Let me correct my previous hypothesis. It's not the stress that keeps you up it's-”

A few pieces starts clicking into place as I remember something. ”You have my insomnia!”, I exclaim, trying to keep my voice down.

Having a sleeping disorder that makes you unable to sleep is a pain in the ass. Kept me up three days straight, each morning making me feel worse and worse. Weird, I haven't experienced it in years now.

”Yes, this seems to be the case.”, Sage says from behind his book. ”It seems the part of your soul which I was born from contained your sleeping disorder, or what was left of it. An echo, if you will.”

”I see.” But now that book is toying with me! ”What are you reading anyway?”

”Wha-”, He starts. ”Oh, silly me. I nearly forgot you can't read yet. Worry not, that will change.” That brings little to no comfort. ”Now, this particular book tells about Equestria's history and the most notable recent events. It appears Ms.Twilight and her friends have done some great things.”

”Didn't Twilight tell you to call her just Twilight?”

”She isn't here, now is she.”

Good point. Now, what have Twilight and-

”And I'll answer before you even ask.” SUNUVABITCH! ”Ms.Twilights and her friends exploits include defeating the malevolent Nightmare Moon, who after a millenia of imprisonment on the moon escaped her prison. Ms.Twilight and her friends used powerful magical artifacts called The Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon, who in all actuality was Princess Luna herself, possessed by a being called Nightmare.”

Interesting. So one of the princesses has not been around for quite a while

….

Wait.

”Did you say a millenia? As in a thousand years?” A nod for an answer. Wow. Must have been lonely up there. I'm actually sympathizing with the bad guy- girl- mare- whatever.

”Then there was the escape of a being called Discord, the personification of Chaos. He fed on the surrounding chaos and broke free from his prison. The Elements were used to seal him inside a prison of stone, in a form of a statue.”, Sage continued.

I really didn't like the sound of that. Shade is the most chaotic guy I've ever met. I immediately start seeing images of what his actions might cause. I should tell Twilight about that. She seems smart enough to know what to do about that.

”Last, but not least, was the changeling invasion in the city of Canterlot. The capital of Equestria and the home of the princesses.” What the fuck is a changeling? ”The changeling queen infiltrated Canterlot on the wedding day of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and captain of the royal guard, Shining Armor.” There's a third princess? ”Twilight is Shining Armors younger sister, so she and her friends were invited to help with the wedding” Twilight has a brother?! ”They managed to foil the changeling swarms plans and defeat them. I hear that the changeling queen, Chrysalis is now bargaining for peace with the princesses.”

What? WHAT!? They tried to take over the capital and now they are making peace! How. Does. That. WORK!?

Okay. Calm down. It's not your problem. These matter do not concern you. Calm. The fuck. Down

….....

Aaaaaand better.

''Sup?'

NO! FUCK YOU!

'Sheesh. What happened to you? Why so cranky?'

Ignore it Hollow. Ignore the voice. Deep, calm breaths.

'….. You're fucking weird.'

NO! I mean, you shut up.

'…... Aaaaaaalrightey then!'

The Jim Carrey quoting voice does not exist. You are not going insane like your prick of a brother. It's just the nerves and the lack of sleep getting to you. It is a figment of your imagination.

'I swear to Syliphsis, I'll kick your ass if I ever get a body of my own.'

Oh yeah? That is as likely to happen as someone giving Shade a weapon. No one is crazy, stupid OR retarded enough to do that.

[FORESHADOWING!]

{God damnit, -insert name here-! Get out of my story!}

[Come on, it's so obvious. Everyone knows.]

{That does not give you the right to waltz in here like you own it.}

[You are such a whiny bitch.]

{Well you are a sad little boy who has whiny, bratty friends that need to be put in a mental asylum for the safety of others. Take that!}

[Not cool, bro. Not cool.]

{That's life for ya. Now get out of my story!}

And who, or what, the hell is Syliphsis?

'The God of Lost Souls, trapped in an eternal flux of suffering, pain and misfortune.'

Huh. That sounds dark. How do you know that?

'www.GodsOfTheMultiverseWIKI.org'

….. Get out.

'But I just unpacked-'

GET OUT!

”Hollow? Are you alright? You seem to be distracted.”, Sage asked, slightly concerned, which basically means he didn't really give a damn.

”A voice in my head won't shut up.”

”.... Pardon?”

Crap, I talked without thinking! ”Ignore that. I'm just tired.”

”Ah, alright.” He didn't buy it. He put his book down and stood up. Or is it float up, you know, since he doesn't have legs.... Forget it. ”Now, what is bothering you?”

”What.”, I say like and idiot. What? The question suprised me. Plus, I'm tired.

”Do I need to spell it out for you? Something is bothering you, I can both see and feel it. What is on your mind?”, Sage says and folds his arms over his chest.

I weight my options. On one hand, I could just stay silent, but that would make me look suspicious. On second hand, I could avoid the subject. My gut does not like that idea, since it most likely would cause Sage to force the information out of me. On the metaphorical third hand I could just tell him.

I deside to go with option three. Seriously, as much as Sage somehow manages to infuriate me, he's smart. Really Smart. He's the part of me that represents Intelligence for crying out loud!

I take a deep breath to calm all my remaining nerves. The ones that are not half asleep and cranky, anyway. I sit down and don my usual sitting position. If you don't know what that is by now, shame on you.

”I've just been thinking about the Soul Fragments.”, I began slowly. ”I'm worried of what they might be doing at the moment. It would technically be my fault if anything happened and that is not a comforting thought. I guess my conscience just can't handle that fact.”

There was a long silence that felt like hours, while in reality it was only around ten seconds. It was broken when a certain Unversed started laughing into his fist in an attempt to muffle the noise in an attempt to not wake up anyone.

Yeah, Sage is kind of a prick.

”What's so funny?”, I half scowl, half threaten, half stay neutral. Don't question me, it's possible.

”I... Well...It's just...”, He muttered between snickers. It took him a minute to regain his composure. ”Ahem. As I should have said before my inappropriate response, you shouldn't worry about that.”

Not worry. Not worry? I have every right and reason to worry.

”Let me tell you somethin I know of the Soul Fragments that should put your mind at ease. They are not all as simple as good or evil as you seem to view them as.”

”What are you getting at?” He is purposely antagonizing me. I just know it. And I'm ashamed to admit it's working.

If Sage had a mouth, it would have a smug smirk glued over it. Asshole. ”Well, Soul Fragments come in different varieties. Enemy, Hostile, Neutral and Friendly.”

Yeah, that text that keeps popping up when I see a Fragment..... That is never gonna be explained, is it.

”Enemy and Friendly are pretty obvious. Enemies are your basic enemies and will most likely attack you. Friendly ones are your potential allies and mostly good natured. Hostiles are violent and aggressive, but not necessarily evil. They are mostly just agitated or scared and feel threatened, kind of like a cornered wild beast. It is Neutrals that you need to watch out for.”

”Like you?”, I but in.

”Yes.”, He answered simply. ”Neutrals are unpredictable and can be either good, bad or something in between and change sides when they see it fit them. They are the most independent of all the Fragments. That is what makes them the most dangerous of them all. You never know until it's too late.”

So now he is telling me not to trust him?

…. I can work with that.

'Now we are thinking alike.'

Shut up. Something is still bothering me though.

”Why are you telling me this?”, I asked.

Sage just stood silently for a couple of seconds before grabbing my shoulder firmly. ”To verify that your worries are genuine. I'm not sugar coating it for you. The Fragment's will most likely do terrible things, but worrying about it will only make things worse. Relax and cherish the fact that there are other Fragments out there that bear your ideals and virtues that will defend others from the more wicked Fragments.”

I gave it a while to sink in. It made sense. By worrying, I could lose my focus and possibly get someone hurt while distracting myself. ”A swordsmans greatest enemy is his mind. If it get's clouded, his focus is wavered and his sword may stray from it's path and turn against him.”, My father had said. Screw that magnificent bastard. Funny how Sage made me remember that.

I sigh and mutter a weak ”Thanks.” He seemed to have heard as he let go of me and nodded.

”Now off to sleep with you!”, He ordered. ”I can handle a few hours of sleep but you need to be in top shape. Now chop chop!” He clapped his hands twice in emhasis

”Yes, mom.” I say say jokingly and head back to the basement.

….

Good god, that sounds weird.

'You are getting the hang of it.'

Shut up.

[-At the same time-]

Two shadowy forms were behinds the library window, looking inside.

”Is that Him?”, A large figure with a deep burly voice asked in a sluggish tone.

”Yes, yes, indeedy It might. I am very certain that He is It.”, Another form, this one smaller, it's voice, more high pitched replied. ”Now all we need to do is form a plan.” The figure chuckled wickedly ”And I have a perfect one lined up for that, oh yes, I do.”

And then the two figures just vanished.

More exposition and boring stuff- But what is this? Do I feel something sinister go bump in the night? Maybe. Come in next time for answers/more questions!

Writer's block, I hate you. So. Fucking. Much. You make my life living hell. Now be ashamed, damnit!

Also, will put Quest of a Nobody on hold for a little while as I prepare a new story to submit to this merry community. It should be glorious, but I've been proven wrong before.

The one using this gag till it dies,

Doctor D, The Undertaker Next Chapter: Visions Of The Future, Part I Estimated time remaining: 29 Minutes