Skittering Hollow (Bleach/Worm)

Spoiler: A/N

Man the holidays are wreaking havoc on my schedule. Family visiting and *shudders* group activities! It all eats at my time. This means in spite of taking longer than usual this update was a bit of a rush job. Sorry if it shows.

Once I woke up from my well-deserved rest and munched my Home, I had finally decided what to do about that nasty vicious cycle of hunger thing. That is, screw that. Screw Nature, screw instincts and screw that Prey or Predator bullshit. I won’t go as far as to say it was a mistake to even start that path, but really, back then I didn't know all the facts. Neither do I now, to be honest, but I know enough.

If hunger grows when grow, and I grow when I eat, it’s time to be stubborn and stop eating. I mean, I’m some sort of supernatural caterpillar inhabiting a world without the basic decency of following physics, who says I have to eat just because I’m feeling hungry? Who decided that? Not me, that’s who.

With my newfound resolve, the first thing I do is check the traps around the skull-things nest and munch on everything that got stuck there.

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754,000 EE obtained. Karmic Debt paid!!

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… What? Don’t look at me like that! I might’ve just resolved to stop hunting down another to feed myself, but I didn’t do it out of any sense of remorse. It was just me trying to get back control of my life for egotistical reasons.

That means I’m not going to let a different problem fester because of it. That power out of nowhere, that… Escalada, it asked for a price, like everything else. I could feel it all the while, somewhere inside. Do you know what happens when you default on a Karmic Debt? Neither do I, and if I never find out it’ll still be too soon.

… This is when I try meditating or something. If this was a cultivation novel I would discover how to feed the light of my soul through introspection and fasting. Or maybe I’d rise my power level namekian-style. Of course, that doesn’t happen. Because I’m interrupted. By a phosphorescent spider with a glowing skull tattooed on its butt. I’m starting to notice a theme in this place...

Spoiler: I feel the need to explain/justify some things

If/when you incur Karmic Debt again, don’t expect it to go away so easily. This one was a freebie since it was both the first time and there was a convenient excuse nearby.
Also, if someone is wondering how or brave caterpillar can reference genres that most definitely never surfaced on Earth Beth, please remember she subsumes a lot of other ‘lights’ back in the beginning. Some general knowledge bleedover is to be expected.

It says something about my luck, or maybe about Murphy’s sense of humor, that the only time I’m not looking for a fight either actively or passively is when something else manages to find me. I mean, if we count the skull-things as a single encounter, I’ve had a grand total of three of those, this one included.

Then again, the thing and I did cause quite a stir with our fight, it makes some sense for something to catch wind of our duel and…

And…

Honestly, what’s this spider planning on doing? It’s not acting aggressively and it doesn’t have a bone mask, so I’m kind of out of my depth here.

… Which says things about my life experience. And not exactly nice things.

… No, I’m not going to poke it, that’s what almost did me in with the Mofo.

… And I just resolved not to eat anything else, so no munching it.

… I could… cocoon it? But I don’t really see the point.

Just then, the spider rises its back legs and abdomen and does some sort of weird dance in front of me, before retreating a couple of meters to start dancing again. Then, after making sure I’m paying attention, it retreats another couple of meters and dances once more. Does it want me to follow it?

Does it really thing I’m that naïve?

It retreats another couple of steps, and wiggles its butt a bit more.

Retreat, wiggle.

Retreat, wiggle.

It’s actually kind of hypnotic.

Retreat, wiggle.

Retreat, wiggle.

Not in the mind-control sense, just like… Feels like I could watch it forever.

Retreat, wiggle.

Retreat… dammit can’t see it anymore from here.

Let’s see… there it is.

… Damnit. I accidentally started following it in earnest. B- But! I’m not completely stupid, you know? I’m sticking to the tall branches, and I’m pretty sure I’ll see any ambush before the ambushers can see me! If this is a trap I’ll be ready!

Somehow, more phosphorescent spiders join the first one, coordinating the wiggle dance while holding a formation loosely resembling an arrow. Suspicious… But since I’m already here, I should at least check. Curiosity killed the cat, but I’m caterpillar.

After a while of carefully following the spiders we reach something that could be generously called a clearing. I mean, yeah, there’s a more or less wide area free of trees, but clearing somehow implies the place will be… clear. Instead, the branches and other things that look like spider webs enclose the place, giving it a shadowy and eerie atmosphere. And trust me, getting more shadowy in a forest of permanent night with trees taller than life has some merit.

Grove! That’s the word! Sneaking closer, I finally make out a figure in the middle of the grove, apparently standing asleep.

I... don’t know what to call it. The lower body of a spider, pitch-black and with thick hairy legs, the upper body of a four-armed man, skin as dark as the lower body. The white mask on its face sports tribal markings that reminds me of those African tribes documentaries and a wide, genial smile.

The creepiest thing, though, it’s probably the huge pot fused with its frontal body and hugged by two arms and two legs.

“Since you haven’t attacked yet, young one. I shall surmise you’re not looking for a fight.” It breaks the silence, giving me the scare of my life and then letting out a jovial chuckle. “Yes, I know you’re there, you might as well come out into the open.”

Holy crap it can talk! Maybe I should call it a ‘him’ instead? No wait, focus on the important part! He knows I’m here! Should I run? Fight? But how would I fight it? I can’t go around spamming Chupavidas anymore I’m on a diet!

“Come on now, no need to be shy” He insists. “My name is Anansi, and others have generously dubbed me The Wise Spider. It’s such a rarity to find a fellow non-confrontational Hollow, won’t you indulge me with a bit of conversation?”

Suspicious…

This is all far too suspicious.

My gorgeous hair is standing on point, so suspicious this situation is.

The smart thing to do would be to turn tail and leave, and never again get close to this particular grove.

Bu- But!! This Ananasi fellow is capable of coherent conversation! And, as opposed to myself, he seems to know what’s what in this crazy nonsensical world.

Maybe I should indulge him a bit?

Maybe?

Maybe…

Yeah, I think I might.

Heck I’m doing it.

Carully, eyeing everywhere, with a strand of Disparo Demora discreetly tied to a bent branch and ready to slingshot me the hell out of this place if things get ugly, I slowly walk into the clearing.

… It’s an ominous and badass kind of slow walk.

No, it has nothing to do with the tense thread on my butt threatening to send me flying if I’m not careful with my steps. No, you shut up! Who’s telling this story, huh? … That’s what I thought.

What comes next… Yeah, I’ll skip it, if you don’t mind. I mean, nobody wants to hear about my cringe-worthy attempts at bluffing a basic explanation out of someone far older and smarter than me. Pathetically trying to posture all the while, at that. It wasn’t just embarrassing, along the whole conversation I couldn’t shake the feeling of a bear trap slowly closing on me. It was really unsettling.

At least Anansi was forthcoming with information. I am a Hollow, we are all Hollows, because this is Hueco Mundo, the world of the Hollows. Also I am dead. Because that’s what Hollows are, restless spirits that turn violent and hungry as they dissociate from their humanity. I also have a hole piercing my chest, that I never noticed because my gorgeous mane covers it. Creepy, but kind of cool.

Not everything is bad news though. Turns out there is a point to the hunger. Hollows evolve and, when they reach the peak, the hunger abates. First I would become a gestalt of tortured souls like the Thing who ruled the Skull-things, that’s called a Gillian. Then, assuming my own willpower is enough to take control of the whole gestalt, I’ll emerge as an Adjuchas, which are badass Hollow way stronger than I am now. From there, just keep hunting and feeding till, with some luck, I’ll evolve again and become a Vasto Lorde in some thousand years or so. Optimistic estimation.

“And that’s the gist of it, my friend” Anansi interrupts my musings “Of course, there’s more I could teach you. About the Garganta, the Human World, Seireitei and the Shinigami. But I make a business out of wisdom. The starter package was a freebie, but if you want the full content I’m going to ask for something in return.”

“Of course.” Nothing is free in this world, after all.

“It’s nothing too bad, I assure you.” And yet, at his words I can feel the teeth of the metaphorical bear trap sinking on my metaphorical flesh “Here, take a sip of my Pot of Wisdom. It’ll infuse you with all my knowledge and expertise. In return, I will learn anything you learn. Pure symbiosis.”

As he reaches for his pot with a ladle to offer me the contents, I freeze.

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You’ve been offered a great wisdom… for a price.

Distrust. Yeah… No. you’re not putting strange things in your mouth and there’s no guarantee the Pot will only perform as advertised. Or that it’ll perform as advertised at all. Pleasant and cultured as he tries to come out, the asspider guy still triggers your shady warnings.
Trust. I mean… why not? Take a ship and open up your mind. Anansi has been forthcoming and helpful. If he had dishonest intentions he could’ve tried to ambush you already, with all those minions he has and everything. So maybe you should take his offer. Knowledge for knowledge is a fair trade, and you are sorely lacking in that department.

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[x][Offer] Distrust.
[x][Offer] Trust.

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Regardless of your choice, you have new knowledge that might make you rethink some of your previous choices.

Abstinence. The new information changes nothing. Even in the best case scenario, that you evolve into a Vasto Lorde in record time, who knows how a thousand years ruled by your hunger would change you? It’s still time to become Mahatma Caterpillar!
Restraint. If you didn’t pick that before, you’re not going to pick it now. The new information makes this option plain stupid
Trust. You should’ve trusted your instincts. For once, it seems like the path to freedom goes through self-indulgence. Let’s eat our fill and become badass ultra-spirits!!
Frenzy. Same as trust, but you’re not going to wait a thousand years to reach the endgame. You’re not that patient. Devour everything in your path without pause or rest. Starting with this asspider fellow standing right there!

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[x][Choice] Abstinence.
[x][Choice] Restraint.
[x][Choice] Trust.
[x][Choice] Frenzy.

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-Oblivion Compensation! You lose 12195 EE!!