"AAAAAAH!" Hilbert cried out as he woke up in the middle of the night. "Oh, crap."

Spark, who was alerted by Hilbert's sudden screaming, quickly ran up to his creator. The robotic goat hamster let out a few zaps between his horns, being concerned for Hilbert.

"I'm fine, Spark...I'm fine." The boy still panted from his nightmare. "I... just need to find a way to stop that marra from getting into my dreams."

This wasn't the first time these nightmares happened, but Hilbert was getting pissed off by them. Spark looked confused as to what this marra had to do with Hilbert's nightmares and Hilbert could see that and explained in the simplest way possible.

"She's a spirit of nightmares." said Hilbert, trying to avoid saying any sensitive information while the marra could still be close by. "I saw one of them on my way home from town. They terrorized a small girl when she was sleeping. And I need to find out how I can keep the marra out. Now, let's scan my brain for any residual energy from the marra. We can start from there."

The two worked all night without stop, making something that'd keep the marra away for now. Soon, using the magical energy of the marra and her weakness of being unable to phase through leather belts, he was able to make an invisible barrier around his home that stops the marra from getting inside. Things went according to planned which caused Hilbert to smile, but it didn't last long because he realized there was still a target the marra had: Hilda. She will have to fight her fear for her friend. He only dealt with some random scary stuff since the marra did not know his greatest fear and it was still awful to go through. He couldn't imagine how hard it'd be for her. Perhaps, he could help her a little; help her overcome her fear early so she wouldn't suffer. But his plan will have to wait until the morning.

A few days later…

"Okay, just like we practiced." Said Hilbert reassuringly as he held his sister who was riding a bike.

Hilda took a deep breath before wearing a determined expression. She nodded to Hilbert's words before she began cycling forwards on the road. As she struggled, Hilbert, who was wearing some self-driving roller skates, spoke to her. "You can do this!"

It's been a few days and Hilbert dedicated himself to getting his sister to overcome her fear of riding bikes through them. At first, they practiced in a small area where she could practice without falling too much and now, they finally made it to riding it on the road.

"Hilda, you jumped off a cliff that one time. Riding a bike shouldn't be that much of a problem." Hilbert crossed his arms with an unamused expression.

"Yeah, but I was still on my feet!" Hilda retorted angrily as she cycled unsteadily.

"C'mon, can't be that complicated." Hilbert rolled his eyes.

"Speak for yourself! Those things drive themselves! It's much harder than it looks."

"Are you sure about that?" The boy smirked as he pointed at the bike she was riding.

It took a few seconds for Hilda to register what her brother meant, but when she did, she was quite astonished. She was riding it without a problem! It wasn't long before Hilda started enjoying how she overcame her fear. It's only been a few days since she started practicing and she was already cured of it. It made Hilbert feel happy that he did something good for his sister.

"I told you that you got this," Hilbert was proud of his sister before he eventually roller skated on a road without him knowing. Immediately, he got hit by a car.

"Out of the road, bozo!" the driver yelled.

"Hilbert!" Hilda instantly stopped to check on her brother. She picked him up and moved him near a haystack for him to lay on. "Are you okay?"

"Ow," Hilbert winced in pain for a bit. "Well, apart from the fact that I got harmed by that driver, thankfully I am fine."

"Hilbert! Hilda!" A familiar voice chirped. The twins turned to the source of the voice to see Vivian approaching.

"Why the hell are you skipping like Red Riding Hood?" Hilbert was annoyed.

"Why the hell you've been ran over like a chicken?"

Hilda got in the middle. "We should probably move Hilbert back home, so he won't get harmed any further."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Hilbert dusted himself. "Shouldn't you be meeting up with your friends soon?"

Suddenly Hilda remembered that. "Crap, almost forgot! Sorry, gotta go." The girl got back on her bicycle.

"Yeah, make like a tree and leave." Hilbert chortled.

Hilda gave her brother an unamused expression before cycling away to David's house where she was meeting up with her friends.

"Do my eyes fool me? Isn't she usually scared of those things?" Asked Vivi in confusion as she watched Hilda leave. "Did you have anything to do with that?"

Hilbert cleared his throat. "I may or may not have...helped her through it." he said with an awkward smile. "I think she might have some terrible visions riding that thing unless I helped out."

"Aww, you don't want your sister to enter a horrible nightmare. You're such a softie." Vivi teased while happily patting his head.

Hilbert pushed her hand away quickly. "Don't be an ass."

Vivi blew a raspberry. "Geez, fine, hobo,"

Hilbert playfully punched Vivian's arm in retaliation, causing her to laugh. It wasn't long before they made it to Hilda's home together.

After greeting Johanna, who got worried after hearing about Hilbert getting hit by a car and having her check him to see no significant injuries, the two children went inside Hilbert's room and shut the door behind them.

"You know, your room is a lot less futuristic than it should be." Vivi looked around at Hilbert's room. It was somewhat normal looking.

Hilbert just shrugged as he put away his roller skates. "This is fine by me."

"Is that a hoverboard?" asked Vivian as she saw a skateboard without wheels in the corner.

"Yup, Mom would kill me if she saw that thing being used outside again." Hilbert remembered his mother's angry face from the last time that he used the hoverboard.

"What happened?" Vivian asked curiously.

"Let's just say that there were a lot of casualties with that thing involved," Hilbert sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Suddenly, Spark entered the room saying something that scared Hilbert. "Oh crap, we need to fix it."

"I think I got some of that. Something about a generator being broken?" Vivian focused on Spark's words.

"I'll tell you on the roof." Hilbert grabbed her arm as they both went to the top of the apartment.

"So, you mean to tell me that you have something to ward off the marra completely?"

"Yes, it's just that the marra kept terrorizing me in my sleep!" Hilbert sounded annoyed as he fixed the barrier generator that was broken by a bird. "I got enough of being tortured!"

Vivi narrowed her eyes. "What if Hilda asks about it?"

Hilbert pondered. "You know, this could really help her out. The downside is that it didn't seem to work when I tested it out on another person."

"So, it's one of those one-usage inventions you have," Vivi theorized as she sat down on the roof.

"Yeah,"

Vivian couldn't help but sigh. "Can't you make another one?"

"I could, but it is complicated," Hilbert sadly frowned. "Testing it was not an easy task. I worked all night to get this baby working, but it was pure luck that it worked. I fear that the next time I create that, it could be a fluke, or worse, it could explode. I don't want Hilda to die. Or Frida or David."

The two sighed before going silent, trying to figure out what they should do. They were interrupted by the voice of a blue-haired girl. "Hilbert!"

The two jumped before falling off the roof. They ended up landing on Hilda.

"Ow! What were you two doing there?"

"I'm the one that should be asking that," Hilbert muttered.

Hilda rolled her eyes in response. "Well, if you must know, some girl has been magically giving David nightmares and we're going to the library to see what she's all about."

"And what does this have to do with me?" the boy asked.

"In case you might be some use to help David. Now, let's go." Hilda rolled her eyes before forcibly pulling Hilbert away and leaving without hearing his reply.

"H-hey! Wait! Slow down!" Hilbert begged, but Hilda didn't listen.

Vivian watched Hilda pull her brother away at fast speeds in astonishment. "Guess we're going too then," she rolled her eyes before following the twins. Sadly, Spark had to stay at home. Nothing particularly exciting happened on the way to the library; if you don't count Hilda cycling as fast as possible to get there. Hilbert, for a second, really believed that he was the one with a fear of bikes now. When they got to the library, they met up with Frida, David and later Vivi.

"She told my nightmares to her friends. That's not fair; I deserve a royalty or something, don't you think?" asked David tiredly.

"Hmm, possibly," answered Vivian absentmindedly as she seriously thought about the question.

"Definitely," added Hilda nonchalantly before continuing "but first, we need to find out just what's going on."

Before another word could be said, a book fell onto the table beside Hilda and Frida.

"I believe you'll find that book to be of interest." Said the purple haired librarian with a smile from a ladder before leaving on it.

"She seems friendly." Vivi smiled as everyone headed to the table to see the book that had been given to them.

"Tales of the Marra," said Hilda reading the title of the book before opening it and reading the content inside "Marras are nightmare spirits that are said to haunt the Huldrawood. Look, that's them alright."

"I don't understand, how did the librarian know this is what we were looking for?" asked Frida in confusion.

"It's her job, isn't it?" Replied David calmly.

"Maybe it's magic?" Vivian asked.

"I never magic used like that. Mostly, Hilbert uses it in his devices," Hilda shrugged.

"It does help bypass some of the more annoying roadblocks of nature. But I'd need a stable source of it; that's why our roof is covered with invisible solar panels."

"Was that why you were on the roof today? Was one of them broken?" Hilda was curious.

"Yeah, it was," Hilbert was frustrated. "Some idiot bird slammed its face on it."

"Well, anyway, let's look for anything that might be useful." Said Hilda before they all looked back inside the book.

The book said that the Marra will pass over you, if you strap yourself to bed with a leather belt. Sadly, David was deathly afraid of belts. He can already hear a belt being used even to this day. Luckily, his trousers always fit him just right.

Ignoring that, Hilda cracked a plan. A plan to speak to the Marra...and Hilbert had to participate, much to his, internal, dismay. The plan was simple, David and Vivian go to the twins' house and act like them for the night while the others face the Marra. Hilbert hid in the closet so David's parents wouldn't spot him. Eventually, David and Vivian, disguised as the twins, made it back to the apartment. There was a close call with Johanna, but they succeeded on their part.

"Damn," Vivian muttered.

"I just hope things go well for the others," David whispered.

Alfur joined in the plan with Hilda and the others. He alarmed Hilda when the marra approached. After everything was set up and a device was set up to not let any noise out, the Marra appeared and tried to give "David" nightmares, only to be caught by Hilbert and Frida. Hilda challenged the marra to give her nightmares...but the marra requested something.

"I want him, not you," said the marra pointing at Hilbert.

"What?" Asked Hilda in confusion.

"Oh, it's just that, now, it's personal." The marra started glaring at Hilbert who frowned at this development.

"What's going on?" Frida wondered.

"That bastard made a magic barrier around his house, blocking us," said the marra causing Hilda and Frida to stare at Hilbert. "And it hurt like hell."

Hilbert, knowing that he'd been found, sighed, and spoke. "Yes, I made something like that."

"Why the hell didn't you say anything then?!" asked Hilda angrily as she approached her brother.

"It's a prototype! I won't come here every time the damn thing is broken!"

"You could've just fixed this whole damn thing!" Hilda countered angrily.

"I can help you Hilda, but I can't just make something for every problem you come across!" Before Hilda could reply, the marra cut in.

"Look, as much I like seeing you two fight each other, I got business to settle."

Hilda glared at Hilbert as if she was about to kill him, causing him to grumble before turning to the marra.

"After this, you won't haunt any of us again; right?" He glared at the marra.

"Fine," the girl shrugged.

Hilbert went to David's bed and began trying to sleep while ignoring his sister's burning glare and Frida trying to calm her down. It was time for him to face his fears.

Hilbert woke up in David's room. Everything was normal except no one was there and it was still nighttime.

Hilbert got out of bed and picked up a clock near the bed only for it to melt in his hand.

"Still fake," Hilbert muttered.

Slowly, Hilbert left the room to see...his mom? At the table in the kitchen.

"Hilbert! You let the damn spiders in!" The fake Johanna snapped.

Quickly, the house was flooded with spiders which seemed scary, but Hilbert didn't care.

"Meh," said Hilbert as spiders began covering him.

"What the hell? You're not frightened?" The fake Johanna was flabbergasted.

"I faced things worse than this," said Hilbert with a frown. "You're doing a better job of pissing me off than scaring me."

It wasn't the last time Hilbert rationalized his way through the marra's nightmares. Through giants and woffs and heights he kept believing it was all a dream. Then, the marra pulled out something that truly did scare Hilbert.

"Fine, rationalize this." Said the marra with an evil smile.

Soon, everything went black. Hilbert was surprised for a second before he started looking around in a frenzied panic. There was nothing, no ground, no creatures, no sky. He couldn't even see his own body or feel it.

"Uh, hello?" Hilbert asked. "Is anyone here?"

It was his greatest fear. The illusion of death. The fear that all he experienced as Hilbert was merely his mind playing tricks on him and he's just dead. All those memories, all those emotions, all those connections...all fake.

It didn't take much for Hilbert to turn into a panicking mess.

"Stop this," Hilbert said, sobbing without any tears showing. "Come on!"

Nothing.

"Look at little blue hair boy. Gonna cry?" a voice echoed.

"Can't touch this!" another voice echoed.

"What a pathetic child!" a mother's voice was heard.

"Waste of space!" a male voice was burly.

Hilbert curled up into a ball and started shedding tears. "Please stop! You won! Just get me out of here!"

Hilbert woke up shivering, panting, and crying with tear filled eyes. Even Hilda felt bad for him even after what he did and slowly approached him. Hilbert didn't care about her and stared at the marra.

"H-h-how d-did you-" said Hilbert still shivering.

"Your sister told the rat king about your fear. It's a really pathetic fear if you ask me." Said the evil girl with a smile before she disappeared into green smoke and left Hilbert slowly turned to Hilda who had a guilty look on her face.

"You told someone about my greatest fear?!" Hilbert wanted to yell but his still freshly traumatized body didn't allow that.

"I had to! It was to help David!"

"You could have at least made up a fear for me!" Hilbert yelled as he wiped his tears.

"None of this would've happened if you just used your device!" Hilda shot back.

"Did you really think I didn't want to help David?!" Hilbert facepalmed. "Let me remind you in case, most of the stuff I invent blows up in my face! It was good that it worked for me, but that was only pure luck! It wouldn't work every time!"

Hilda, while angry, got confused for a bit. "What do you mean?"

"You're well aware that the inventions I make aren't much of a success, and even when they are, they don't last long," Hilbert shook his head. "Face it, if I tried making that barrier again for you and David, and if something went haywire, the both of you would be roadkill because of an explosion!"

Hilda widened her eyes, realizing that he was the truth. "Damn,"

Frida sighed in relief, knowing that they didn't use Hilbert's invention. The boy however was still pissed off about this recent blunder. "We gotta get back home. Mom would kill us for staying up this late, especially in a house she didn't give permission to stay at,"

Hilda was still a bit angry about Hilbert hiding that useful information, but she still had to follow her brother home. Frida knew the situation was awkward, and she decided not to say anything because it would make things worse.

The next morning, the blue-haired kids exited the apartment to meet up with their friends. Although David is free from having nightmares from the marra, a sour mood still stuck around Hilbert. He was upset at his sibling for revealing a fear about him. Hilbert didn't even bother fixing his barrier with all these stirs of emotions inside him. The boy didn't even stick around for dessert.

"Hilda," Alfur hopped to her shoulder. "Don't you think that was a bit much of what you did?"

Hilda, while still feeling upset at her brother for not letting her know about the barriers to block the marra, started to regret her mistake. "I had no choice. Even if I did make up a fear to covert for him, the marra would have still broken his spirit in some other way."

Frida shook her head. "I don't mean to piss you off, but the both of you are pretty much to blame for this blunder."

David sighed as he agreed. Unknown to them, Vivian felt guilty for her friend since Hilbert meant well, it's just that he just wanted to ensure that no one got killed in the case his invention would be a failure. But there's no denying the relationship between Hilda and Hilbert will get more sour than ever.