WARNING: This was written in 2017! This is an old, unedited story that I decided to repost at the request of some very persistent server goers! Some of you who know my writing may recognize it, some of you may not! 

It is not good! I will be editing it in the future but for now it is stankified 2017 writing. There are grammatical errors. It is like, not good. It's ancient. I wrote it when I was a wee, wee little lad. 

Go in knowing I likely will not be updating this! At least not until its glaring issues are fixed. If you're here for nostalgia, welcome back, I hope you enjoy. Just know that there are terrors awaiting you!

Hollow's pov

Where....... Where am I?

I struggled to open my eyes. They felt glued together, as though I hadn't opened them in a very, very long time. I could feel my eyelids stretch as I forced them to part with each other. They stung and I closed them again, blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the sudden change. I was inside of something, floating in a sort of... blue liquid. It was thick, but it didn't feel moist at all! It almost felt like... heavy air.

I'm in a tube... a glass tube. But glass, what is glass? Why are their tubes sticking out of my body? Wait... what are tubes? What is any of this? What is blue, what does the word glued mean? What is it to float in something? What's air, and how do I know it feels heavy? What is heavy? Why don't I know anything?

I could feel something... something welling up inside me as questions filled my mind. I think it's called panic, but I can't be sure. I can't really be sure of anything. I clenched my eyes shut. Who am I? Where am I? What's happening? I don't remember anything, I don't even have a 'last' memory to look back on.

I found it hard to breathe. Do I even know how? How am I even breathing in this stuff, anyway? Something's wrong. Everything is! I'm not a person without my memories. I'm not anyone without them. I don't have a personality, or a life. I know I'm not a baby, I should have more knowledge than this! I'm an empty... empty thing! I don't even know what I am.

"Calm down, Hollow."

I completely stopped as the soft voice filled my head. It was the only thing that felt even relatively familiar. Hollow... is that my name? I think it is, who else would the voice be talking to? It's in my head... or I think it is. Or maybe it's in the thing inside my head. What's it called... a brain? Is the voice in my brain?

"Yes, I am speaking in your mind, and Hollow is your name." The voice filled my head. Is it just my thoughts, or is it something separate? "My name is Hikari. I am the Goddess of Light. I have been sealed inside you for some time now." She told me. I became even more confused. If she's been in me for so long why don't I remember her?

"You've been in a coma of sorts for... well, ever since you came here. You've been stuck inside of your own mind with me. I've taught you many things over the years, and for some reason those memories have gone dormant now that you've woken up. Do not fear, Hollow. I believe they will come back with time." She said in what could only be described as a... soothing tone. I nodded my head slowly.

"Now, open your eyes, Hollow."

I hadn't even realized I had closed them again. My eyes flew back open with ease this time, and the memory of sight and color came back to me as I peered through the glass. The dim room was full of other tubes all around me. I spun around. I seemed to be in the front... or maybe it was the back. A few tubes were broken, but it was hard to see too far. Like the others, my tube was covered in dust. The whole room seemed to be filled with the fine substance.

Chairs were knocked over, or maybe they were stools. The shadowy outline of tools could be seen left out on nearby tables. Whoever had been here... whoever put me in here had left in a hurry. I wondered why. I suppose something could have happened. I wonder if this place had been discovered by outsiders... that wouldn't explain why I was still here, though.

Something flashes through my mind, like a picture. The memory yellow eyes. They were the eyes of an animal... a... a snake! Yes, I believe that is the word. Hikari told me about them. Snakes are sly, dangerous creatures that can go unseen in darkness. They have sharp fangs that make for lethal weapons, and long forked tongues. Their scale covered bodies, which vary in length, can twist and curl in ways no other animal could.

I looked down at my tube covered body. I felt like I should take them out... but I was scared. Would I be hurt if I took them out? I guess I'd have to pull one out to find out. I don't really have a choice, right? If I want to get out of here, I'll have to pull them out one way or another. I can't really take them with me.

I pulled one out, but it didn't hurt. Surrounding the holes created by the tubes was a soft yellow light. I blinked at them curiously as they closed up slowly. I could only assume it was the work of Hikari. It had to be. Because as far as I know, humans do not glow yellow. Unless they do... maybe they do. I'll have to ask someone.

I looked up, pausing when I saw my own... what is it called? A... A reflection! Yes, my eyes stopped on my own reflection. My hair was short, and multi-colored. It reminded me of something... it was like a rainbow.

...Rainbows. They appear after rain and consist of a variety of colors. People enjoy looking at them. They say leprechauns hide their pots of gold at the end of a rainbow. However, I have to ask, at which end do they hide their gold? Maybe it switches when someone gets close...

The next thing I noticed were my pink eyes. Well... no, they were red. Right? It looks like both colors have... what is that word? It's when two or more things are combined. Ah... ah, a mixture! You can mix colors to create other colors. For example, mixing red and blue makes purple!

I looked away from my reflection and hesitantly tapped on the glass. When nothing happened I tried to do it harder. It didn't do anything. So I kicked it. I kicked it as hard as I could, and a small crack formed. A small smile came onto my face, and a new feeling swelled in my chest. I tried to recall it, but couldn't come up with a word to brand it with.

"Hope." Hikari answered my thoughts. I smiled a little more. Hope... I like this feeling. It makes me want to keep going. It's making me want to escape and go. I just don't know where. I guess I'll just have to go, and let time tell.

I kicked the glass again, mustering up as much force as I could and putting it into the blow. The nearly-unnoticeable crack became much bigger, and clearer too. Flipping around in the liquid, I decided to try something else. Using my elbow, I rammed it into the glass. It stung for a second, and I winced. That must be pain.

A small hole formed and the odd liquid began to seep out, rolling down the side of the tube. I watched as a small puddle formed on the dusty ground. Dirt and grime rose up from the ground before settling again, some of it falling onto the top of the ever-growing puddle. It was fascinating.

I elbowed it again, my face slamming into the glass as my arm broke through the arm. The glass began to crack even more. I pulled away, taking a deep breath and coughing as the liquid around my head flowed out. Now only my lower half was encased. I pulled my large white shirt down over my shorts before pushing against the glass with my palms.

It didn't do much but crack more, so I banged my fist against it. I flinched when a large chunk broke off and shattered on the ground outside the tube. Peeking outside of the tube, I made the mistake of leaning my weight on the glass. There was a huge crack before I found myself falling forward.

Groaning, I rolled onto my back. There's that pain again, only now it hurts more. I can the glass cutting into places on my arms and legs, making me produce something I believe is called blood. Hikari probably couldn't heal me with those still in there, but I could really get them. Especially the ones in my back.

Coughing and waving dust out of my eyes, I stood up. I was filthy, but that didn't matter. I needed to figure out where to go so I could escape. It should be pitch black in here, but my eyes have adjusted to the darkness I guess. So I began to walk, maneuvering my way around the puddle of blue liquid and the glass at my feet. I still got some shards stuck in my feet, but I made sure to step as lightly as possible, so I could sometimes brush away the glass.

Walking, it's somewhat fascinating. To move at a regular and fairly slow pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once. It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. In fact, it's almost pleasant.

Looking to my left, a large dust covered tube just like the one I had been in was covered in dust. I could see the outline of a figure in there. I wondered if they were still alive, in there, like I was. Maybe they have something sealed inside of them too... maybe they could help me!

I stepped forward and wiped away the moist dust, rubbing it off on my already disgusting shirt. I peered into the tube only to jump back. Staring back at me was a brown, dry face. A decaying one with no eyes. It was like a rotting apple core, an empty shell. It was terrifying, in all honesty.

I ran towards the exit. I was scared to check in the other tubes. What if there was another decaying body? I didn't want to see that again. It spurred something inside of me. Fear, I believe is what you'd call it. I don't like that feeling, but for some reason it won't go away now.

I ran and ran and ran. I ran down halls, coming to dead ends. It only pushed me on. I searched for an exit, or something to help me escape. Running is like walking, but at a faster pace. It was taking a much larger toll on my small, frail body. Much more than walking did. I would have to slow down sometimes, but Hikari did help by giving me something called chakra. I remember her telling me about it, but I don't remember what all she said. All I know is she explained it... but what did she say? It's frustrating to know that you were in a situation, but not to recall it at all.

I spotted a light somewhere down the hall. I could see the dust dancing in the air. I sped up, coughing through all the filth I kicked up. I didn't care though. When I made it to the light, I saw that there was a hole in the ceiling. I could see the blue sky, clouds drifting lazily by. A cloud... a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the Earth's atmosphere, typically high above the ground.

I stared at the hole. I wonder how I'm going to get all the way up there. There's not really anything for me to climb on, and I didn't see anything on the way here either. I can't risk going to search for something either, I'd probably get lost, and this could be the only way out. What do I do? I could try to climb... maybe.

I stood and stared at the hole, willing my body to spring up out of the dark tunnel and into the light. Wishing that I could. I tried to think of what it might be like to suddenly shoot into the air, and to land in the outside world. I tried to think of how I'd do that.

Suddenly, my feet began to tingle. It was an odd, warm sensation. And when I looked down at my feet, they were glowing a gold color. Sort of like the color I saw when the tube-wounds on my body healed. I wonder what it is... it feels like it's building up, like power is gathering there or something. It's sort of a nice feeling, actually...

Before I could even think, all that power released. Like a rocket, I sprung right out of the hole. My eyes widened. I was reasonably high off the ground, and I began to flail around as I tried to find something to grab. Or something to at least slow my fall. I found nothing, and hit the ground before I had time to even shut my eyes or brace for impact. A huge crash sounded, and I groaned. That hurt.

I think I had broke a bone, but as I sat up I felt my limbs crack back into place. It must be Hikari. Man, that hurt really bad, But hey I made... a hole? No, that's not what you'd call it. It's more of a... one of those things on the moon. A... A crater! I made a crater. It wasn't very big, or very deep. More of a shallow dent in the ground, really. But it was a crater nonetheless.

I struggled to my feet, stumbling out of the crater and looking around. A painful pang occurred in my head, and I fell to my knees. I began to remember things. Animals, and plants. It hurt, knowing about air, and remembering things about the trees and things in them. I remembered many things about the outdoors.

"Gah!" I cried out as the pain intensified. Honestly, I would've preferred not knowing what a cheetah is over this pain. It couldn't be helped. I fell to the ground, clutching my head. I laud there for God knows how long. The pain came in waves, easing off before returning full force and knocking the breath right out of my body.

When the pain finally passed, I didn't move for a second, afraid I could trigger it again. My head pounded, and I felt dizzy. The sun had moved, and things seemed brighter. It was just above my head, the middle of the day. It must have been sunrise when the memories started... at least I know what to expect now.

Trudging into the forest, I was careful to avoid spiderwebs and roots. Birds swooped through the trees, and insects buzzed all around me. I'm glad the canopy above me was thick enough to protect me from the merciless sun. It'd be... what is that word? Oh yes, I'd be burned if those leaves weren't there.

But one questioned still ran through my head unanswered.

What now?