Chap 1- A Hollow Start

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩 𝟏- 𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭

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{ 𝐀 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 }

𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘.

A feeling of emptiness or a lack of substance. I thought it may get better the more I eat. I don't hunger, not for other hollows anyway. It's just a way to ascend past this limited form. Towering, hulking forms that shuffle in a dense forest.

Trees taller than our own bodies. My own body is tall. Taller than the other ones who roam here. The voices screaming in my body are hungry, so...

"𝑹𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑮𝑮𝑯-" The howl of another towering being.

Tearing its throat out with my teeth and start to eat as it stills. It wasn't much to chew on. No taste, but there never was. A large gulp and I swallowed the rest of the other tall one. So again, I wonder.

The next target approaches but this time, it doesn't even realize it's being killed until my teeth bit through its head. And another one eaten.

I feel myself getting heavier with each one eaten. More background voices that want to take control. When I became this, I did not want to eat regular souls. I fought others like me. I ate until I became too heavy and fell through the sands. Into this forest as a tall one.

It's rather boring. At least before, I heard the cursing of others like myself. Now, everyone I see is a beast. Too busy fighting to lead the body. Here comes another..

'𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇'- I bite into the back of its neck and pull back.

Lacking arms makes this really difficult but I continue eating. Until I start to sway from my increased weight. Something isn't right. I'm being squeezed in. The long black cloak covering my tall body is shrinking. The noises are getting farther away, thankfully.

Truthfully, I felt myself break down into a more compact form like the one I had before. After a few painful moments, I blinked. Far shorter now, I looked around at the giant trees and the towering tall ones. Oddly enough, I didn't feel very threatened by them.

I felt my legs flex as I jumped and cut one's face in half. It died immediately under my white claws. Hm.. claws?

Taking a look down, I see four white feet and a tail. Some kind of bipedal creature then. I ran once more, picking up speed through the power of my leaps. My claws left gashes in the trees as I tested my power on the tall ones. I ate them after my kill. It would be a waste to leave them be, even if they don't fill me up like they used to. So then..

Looking up, back to where the endless desert was. Back to where the strong are. I can't help but smile in anticipation as I leap off the branches and the tall ones. I soar above the sand and take in the view.

The white sands... the odd trees and the ever-present moon hanging in the sky. I look up at it, taking in its beauty before shaking my head.

"No.. not in a place like this" I mutter, hearing my voice again.

I scarcely remember it. A female's voice. But dull, deep, and monotone. I don't remember much. Flashes, mostly. But I can piece together my past existence as a human more so now. A father, fleeing from.. somewhere with his family.

A foreign place. Skilled fighters. A betrayal. Wandering alone. And the most important part in my mind.

𝑨 𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅.

"How I'd like a sword right now" I mutter again, feeling the sands shift once more.

That's it. This familiar feeling besides hunger and emptiness... Battle!

I feel something let itself loose within me. A roar of challenge. As a bug rises out of the sand. Its long body covered in white plates and sharp insect legs. Avoiding its swipe, I jump to its side and leap onto its body.

It's hard. Hard enough to only get its armor scratched up by my claws. It throws me up in the air but I instinctively know what to do.

Adjusting my body as its pincers try to cut me in half. Instead, I land on its face somewhat gracefully and listen to my instincts, tearing out an eye from its unprotected face before jumping off onto a dune, spitting out the yellow orb. Too gooey.

'𝑺𝑲𝑹𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬!!'- It screams in agony and rage as it thoughtlessly charged once again.

I swiftly jumped away and threw my hefty body into its underbelly. Soft and unprotected, it will do. Seeing it launched into the air via my tackle, I leaped off the dune and drove my claw into its soft flesh.

Dragging it down to its head, I felt its body wrap around mine and try to squeeze. My own plating holds and I push through, reaching its head and ending the fight.

Letting loose another roar before chomping down on my vanquished foe. Through the bites, I see flashes of its own life. Not my concern though, this man was not worth being remembered. Not with how he treated others. I felt myself get just a bit stronger. Slower than before but that's natural. It seems my foe knew more about this place than I.

Hollows, Hueco Mundo, Gillian, Menos, Adjuchas, 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒐 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒔. That last one made me shudder. We remember more with each step up. Vasto Lordes being the last step resemble humans more than any other stage.

That is what I'll aim for, then. To remember what I lost. To regain some small semblance of my past self. Maybe then, I won't feel so hollow.

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{ 𝐀 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 }

𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓.....

Although I don't seem to feel the need to, it is still one of the few things that pushes me forward through this place....

Many others have been trying to take my place, but kicking their asses away was the only way to keep me at the top, weaklings banding together to try and pry my rightful place away from me, unlike these morons, this place is mine.

Mine alone, the one to top it all. Not needing help from others to keep it, nor needing to group up to control it.

I am left alone to eat and battle. Although boring most of the time as the others seem to be just puppets who don't know how to move, which benefits me greatly, just needing to move quickly and chomp their masks away, ending their Weakness and Will for good.

Just to have more of these hellish voices added to the mix, more trying to climb, just to have to same fate as the ones who tries before.

They all already know, I will not show any weakness, and even if they try whispering, I will just kick their mouths shut. Trashes who try to tag in on doing so are my absolute most joyous way of having fun. Tossing them to the depths of nothingness before taking control once more.

Following the only urge and Instinct I seem to have since arriving here, To Feast on those who wander around this forest.

It feels so blurry, yet so clear. Like the day I was made aware of this place. There was someone at the top before me, he.... no...they were a bunch of weaklings grouped together trying to take prey on others.... But almost ended up being the prey.

Had to kick them away to shift the turns in the battle, taking what was destined to be mine, the one who gets to climb to this seat gets to keep it, then I shall never leave it.

Fragments of memories flood my mind just to be ignored. Nothing that calls my attention, besides a few ones that seem familiar at times.

Still can't quite put my finger in them, as most came in blurry and wouldn't connect like a missing puzzle that I only had one piece.

But I knew there was something. That 'something' gave me a new objective.

To discover what it was.

So as I move this giant body of 'mine' around, dodging a red beam of energy and getting closer to yet another one like mine, but still different.

*𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑮!!* - With my mouth opening wide I bite his mask off, tearing it apart, feeling my 'fullness' grow yet again as I eat it.

Another set of fragments was added to the mountain... Red liquid and bodies of strange creatures everywhere, some still swinging strange sharp objects killing each other, and that's where it cuts.

But it doesn't excite me. No, why use such an object? What's the purpose? Getting rid of the excitement?

Not being able to find the final reason behind it I once more hear another new patch of voices, like I thought. Another tag team was what was controlling this one.

Weaklings. Not being able to hold anything by yourselves.

How can such cowards think they can climb up? Kicking them back down easily, I sat back down to continue my hunt to show them their place.

There were a few uniques who tried by themselves, and I respect them. But many had given up with time, seeing I never showed a sign of weakness from where I stood.

At times some would tag, but different from the dishonorable weaklings, they would take turns. They would try to climb each at a time, but already having a deal if one actually got on top they would share. Their attempts were the ones that I would simply kick down without further humiliation.

After all, after seeing their tries would be in vain, they simply sat down by the lowest level, watching the newcomers fall short after.

Moving through the trunks of the tall trees, further ahead I see multiple like me, about a dozen of them.. trying to climb by eating those around them..... But..... If they wished to go on so much.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕.

With 'my' masked jaw opening, I feel the air shift as red energy spins to life around the center of my mouth. Seeing those a few meters in front of me noticed my presence as their head turned toward me... Their jaws were slightly distended. Probably aiming to do the same as me.

But such wimps would never harm a veteran.

*𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐌!!*

Firing mine that was already charged and ready before theirs. It travels through the trees, cutting through them like they were made out of paper. Their bodies fall to the ground, luckily their masks didn't seem to be destroyed.

Would have been a waste.

Moving forward, and getting to the first two, I lower 'my' body, awkwardly eating them, as 'my' body seems to lack the limbs you would usually need.

Not that big of a problem though. They taste like nothing.... Only disappointment, given that most were led by groups of tagged ones.

Only one was led by a half-decent leader. Even if less by a decent one. It doesn't matter, this seat is mine. So putting him with the rest. I move towards the other body, repeating the process....

The texture is always so sandy and dry.... Some fragments have shown me wonderful textures.

Why must the ones who fill me up the most be so dull?

Hmmm?!

*𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐇!!*

Falling to my 'knees' I see the sand being parted under me. For some reason... I can't move.... The voices of newcomers stopped too....

" 𝐒𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐂𝐇!!!!!!" - '𝑴𝑶𝑽𝑬!!'

A roar scapes my throat as I get agitated.... Those around here will get to me.... I don't know if I will be kept together after being forcibly ripped away.... Maybe those leaders were as strong as me? And now are weak cuz they are in another's domain?!?!

𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄! 𝐈 𝐀𝐈𝐍'𝐓 𝐃𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄!!

𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑨𝑮𝑨𝑰𝑵!!!

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..... Again?

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When was '𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏'?....

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Tsk....

Not the time!!! Move!!! Why have those shitty voices who only knew to backseat shut up now?!!?

.... I... I can't move, be it 'myself' or the giant body that was also considered mine...

No... This isn't fair...

I kicked their asses for so long... Did the weaklings finally band together to do something against it? Heh, obliviously they would. Couldn't put me down, had to pull some type of trick....

'𝑭𝑨𝑪𝑬 𝑴𝑬 𝑫𝑰𝑹𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑳𝒀!!! 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵 𝑰𝑭 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑬 𝑰 𝑩𝑬𝑻 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑬𝑺 𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑬 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑰𝑻𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑺 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑨𝑹𝑬!!!!'

As the words are shouted inside my mind, I feel my vision get darker..... No...

Trying to fight doesn't seem to do anything. And so seeing the gray sand and tall dead trees, my vision fades to pure darkness.

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{ 𝟑𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐎𝐕}

~ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓...

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆..... 𝐓𝐒𝐊!

𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒎!

𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄!!~

* 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐆!!*

" 𝐂𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒!!!!!....Huff....Huff... Cowards....."

Jolting up from its sleep in a sea of seemly infinite bland-looking gray sand and dead quartz-looking trees spread at random across it. Close to one of these trees was a small individual, which just let out a low feminine voice-like roar as it held a strange echo to it.

About a meter tall, with a body similar to a rabbit but covered in white carcass-like armor, by its paws were located multiple sharp like blades claws, that could probably rip through concrete if it tried to.

The overgrown rabbit's face had a strange-looking mask instead of a facial structure. Its material seemed to be similar to the trees around it. Features being very rigid looking as if it was roughly shaped. Two large canines go out of each side of its mouth. The large ears above its head fusing into the mask itself.

The sockets of the animal's eyes were completely black with only red slits being able to be seen, not that it was standing up straight the rabbit's slits roamed and analyzed its surroundings.

' Where... the hell am I..... '- Stretching his paw forward it noticed something was off. - ' My size... those guys too are gone..... My head seems to be way clearer.... The feeling of the need to eat seems to have chilled down quite a bit too....'

Getting its bearings after a long nap, the Rabbit jumps forward a few times, getting used to its new form and information that made itself known in its head.

" Hmmm.... Vasto Lordes hmmm.... Spooky dudes.... I ask myself.....How would it feel to kick one in the nuts....."- Jumping around, without a true goal her armored paw touches something with a weird texture, it was tough like her quartz body armor.

Her mind quickly connected two and two together as she kicked downwards where her leg was, propelling herself up with a loud 'Boom', and raising sand with the strong impact. Soon after her, a large body of the beetle-looking Hollow about six times her size also rose from the inside the sands.

Its eyes completely empty and his mask now had a huge crack in the middle of it, a small paw imprinted in the center of all the cracks, as it was motionless.

Seeing her quick thinking payed off, the Rabbit landed back on the ground, with the beetle body following soon after with a loud heavy impact.

" Well, guess the weaklings around here gonna try tricks like these to get some free food... Well too bad for them they tried to mess with the wrong one."- With its echoing prideful voice, even given the low tomboyish tone we could still assume as a girl.

The Rabbit hops forward closer to the beetle, quickly biting it and feeling how little it fueled the small creature.... But it did give her some interesting flashes of the Hollow's life.

Still, she was trying to put some order in the one she herself had gotten back.... It disgusted her..... Not the humans she saw in it. But their ways, the way she was ceased.

" Attacking me with such weak methods..... As expected from chickens themselves, couldn't handle me in group and had to resort to gunpowder huh?..."-

Tearing the last bit of life away from the Hollow and talking between bites, she left the parts that could potentially mess with her own self aside to any passers-by who wanted the leftovers.

Seeing no more gain in staying around there she hopped away, feeling slightly faster with her jumps, and her legs no felt like she could kick with even more strength.

" Let's see if you can stop my kicks with such weak weapons now...."- With a mocking tone, her eyes lock into something far away, another odd-looking creature. A Hollow.

*𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐌!* - Kicking off the ground she jumps around the sands with absurd speeds, quickly getting to a tall dark blue Adjunchas, about ten meters. His head had an 'X' shape with sharp teeth and no eyes.

The creature mocked the small rabbit with its glare, his arms moved with large sharp claws in a cutting manner towards the rabbit that was close enough now. But to his surprise the small Hollow used its own clawed paws to kick his, breaking the taller Hollow's claws in half to its shock and giving a jumping platform to the Rabbit.

Who got in front of the Hollow, right in the middle of his 'X' shaped head, her legs already cocked all the way back ready to spring forward at full speed.

" Nice try, would've worked on any other jackass. Too bad it was me tho."

*𝐁𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐌!!!*

Without giving further information, she dropkicked his face with both legs, immediately cracking his mask and sending his body crashing down limply.

The Rabbit landed by its side after the Hollow's large body finally crashed down with its large weight.

" Hmm... This.... was more fun I guess... having limbs seems to enhance the experience, won't be bored so soon at least....Also.... Itadakimasu?... Someone told me to say that before eating..... Guess the first Beetle didn't count."

Getting to its side, the small Hollow started devouring her prize, already planning to go for her next one with great excitement. Maybe she could have some fun kicking their asses in this dead 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 place.