Into the Wilderness [Open]

This world and many others yet to be found are a playground for The Hollow. They play with all their might, they feast with such voracity they leave behind a soul breaking noise. They command such presence, both in awe, in fear or perhaps both? Only the witness knows their days are marked by the laughter from the hungry.

But here, on the edge of Rukongai. It was serene. The patch of green and the wet smell of grass stirred the wolf hollow into unpleasantry. This place was much like the land she used to walk on, she thought. Her head lowered to whiff the earth and life sprinted up into her nostrils; this was unsettling. Chityri flared. She barked, such empowering miamsa!

But it was no miamsa, for she, the four will soon remember.

She steered across the mismatch of land. A patch of green here, an barren earth there, a copse in full bloom yonder, a tree husk near. Such inconsistency stirs the coat of her blackened presence. Her kin made their movement on this land not too long ago. Their taint still lingers; faint but striking for the nose of the wicked. Life too lingers. She ignored the imprints of her kin and kept her appearance low. It was daytime and thus, a difficulty she shall endure.

And endured she shall.

A derelict town she found and nary a sound sing to her ears. A lapse of judgment she mused? Out from the wilderness and into the rows of settlement. The blade markings on the wall, the door hanging off its hinges. Conflicts were made and were decided with abandonment. However, the stench of her own does not reside here.

Curious, she thought. What decides them to flee from their sanctuary?

Reika decided to go on patrol one fine day - it was her first ever as the Fifth Seated Officer of the Third Division. She had responsibilities for making sure that the Rukongai was safe for all of the pure souls within it. It was her original home before becoming a shinigami. Yes, her youth was filled with turmoil and strife, but she found the slums outside the gilded gates of the Seireitei to be peaceful - filled with the wild antics of thousands of souls. The dull roars of life were peace to her.

Yet today, her first patrol would take her to the far-flung outskirts of the ever-growing districts. Where gangs and hollows seemed to lurk on the edge of all that was the civilization of the afterlife. Very few even ventured out here unless it was to scavenge leftovers of previous residents, or do some unsavory activities, and pluck some rarer herbs for healing and gods no what.

It had been some time before entering the academy that Reika had been here. That old familiar howl of the wind gave her an eerie chill down her spine. That wind, it reminded her of all the scary stories she was told in her youth about ancient hollows and other beasts that lurked in the land, capturing souls to feast upon with wanton abandon.

Reika had found solstice though. She had invited her dearest friend, Yuki Kameko to join her. That little shinigami brought such peace to her heart, such solstice, she couldn’t help but invite her. Besides, Yuki always seemed to itch for a good fight when it came up. It was all a win-win in Reika’s book. A friend at her side, the unknown in the front. The Rukongai was ready to be conquered by the dynamic duo!

Soft footsteps entered the derelict town of ancient, failing structures that had been lost to time. “Ready, Yuki?” Reika inquired as her left hand rested on the sheath of her zanpakuto. “Reports say that there have been sights of lingering hollows in the vicinity. So we have to keep our guard up. Let alone if there are members of any Rukongai gangs out here. We’ll have our work cut out for us…”

She paused and looked down at her short companion and smiled. “I’m glad you’re here.” Her tone was cheerful as she smirked at Yuki, her blue eyes alight with happiness. What a perfect way to start off my first patrol.

Absence of key ingredients of civilization provided a boon for the monster of the night. Chityri concluded from a ribble rabble of thoughts flooding through her own collective madness that it was safe. Safe from all the wandering eyes. Safe from inquisitive thoughts. Safe from judgment. Yes she shall lie in the spot as she wished, alone in the war tattered hut on the edge of the town with no one to utter a rational response.

"Who are you," Chityri growled deeply. Like all hollows they are not of sound mind. Unlike all hollows she was aware of self. She uttered the same line again and again as her pale white mask rested against the wooden flooring. How long had she been moving? How long had she had a rest? How long had she barked in anger? Was the pain of loneliness absent from her heart?

She uttered a word.

'Pain'.

Her form quaked, shuddered. Her body curled into the ball to stave off the trembling urge. Hunger was cruelty. It felt like the walls of her insides clawed by bony fingers - many of them. They demand tribute, Chityri, why are you so selfish! it grumbled. She refused to buckle. The hollow does what she likes as she pleases. She was in full control of herself. If she'd like, she'll tear down this ruin and the next. From here to the center of this uncharted world had flattened. Anything to cease this pain! The clawing was merciless, creeping towards the inside of the mask. Scratching, shaving. When she felt the back of her eye pushed. The bony fingers were escaping. Any more and the eye will pop and she snapped. A once sotto voice broke her composure, ringing out in a desperate rebuke.

'взять себя в руки!'

It ceased. A new smell arrived, two of them, and the hunger snapped the wolf into action. A union of clap followed by a ripple of applause. Chityri found herself briskly pacing towards the smell. Humming Ravel lamently to herself. Her hunger will be the composer for the day.

And the clap clapped in three.

Long shadows hide dark things. Boreas' voice came as a harsh whisper against Reika’s mind. She found herself looking at the broken ruins of once-proud homes and shops around her. It was easy to picture herself back in the first district of the Rukongai - to see the streets bustling with life, the buildings standing in what was once their full glory. Now, now they stood derelict and undisturbed as if time had forgotten them to a bygone age.

It caused Reika to wonder what in the world had happened here. Did the people give up? Was life way too tough out here for the common spirit? Was it because of the gangs or perhaps the hollow attacking? The young shinigami didn’t exactly find herself wanting a history lesson on the broken district, yet as she walked those empty streets, her fingertips tracing along the deep scratches along broken doorways, she couldn’t help but wonder.

Hey, queen of the clouds. Reika found herself snapping back to reality after being lost in thought.

What’s up?

Looks like your little wolf pup might have caught something.

Yuki? She’s a friend. Come on now.

Oh, whatever.

It looked like Boreas was right. Yuki was easily spotted headed toward a group of small huts. The young shinigami couldn’t help but follow her friend, her left hand steady on the sheath of her zanpakuto, ready to draw at a moment's notice. They had to be ready for anything out here - they were alone. There was no chance to call for help. It was no wonder why few dared to venture this far out.

Blade marks and blood splatters, old from the looks of it. Reika lingered behind little Yuki, peering over the little shinigami and into the dark. “See anything?” She said in a hushed tone. There was nothing to be perceived in the unlit blackness before them, yet it felt off. Like something was watching them. Perhaps it was just nerves, being so far out from backup. Maybe it was first-time jitters. The was no way of telling.

The young redhead found her right hand wrapping around the hilt of her blade as that unease turned into inner turmoil. Was that growling? Every muscle in the youth’s body seemed to tense up. Humming? Was this some kind of guttural music? It didn’t matter - the sound made her skin crawl. “Yuki, something’s coming. Ready yourself.”

A wail and cackle filled the air, Chityri unhinged mind filled with glee. Stench of food wafting through the air like passing by a fast food after work. The thought of the smell bawled the pale wolf; finally witnessing the two with her only eye. Drool dripped and hung against the jawline of lupus like hollow. It was so nice to see you.

She approached with a snapping career and a sudden halt, erratically barking at her food when they got close. She saw that they wield swords but she cared not! The wolf kept her restraint but the impulsive urge to charge pound into her soul. You must eat. You eat. You eat all!

'Do me a favour and lie down, hmm?'

Chityri could not control herself. She felt it being the Chinese dragon with many people holding a piece of the body. 'Calm down! They'll fight us, yes!' she uttered. A shift in tone sparked a cause of concern, but what more of a concern? Chityri is a Hollow! She consumed many souls before them.

No. No. No!

Stop it!

I cannot eat that.

Leave me!

The souls rebelled and took claim of hollow as the reluctant wrestled back. The beast growls at two, inching ever so close.

Reika had a few misadventures with Yuki into the human world. She had begun to rely on the little shinigami’s keen senses. So as soon as Reika heard her say that she could hear something, that she could smell something, her body tensed up. The young shinigami’s fingers had an iron grip on her weapon as her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness before them.

“Just a few.”

There had only been a handful of times that Reika had been sent into the human world. Each of them was just some simple rank and file hollow. Nothing to be too worried about, even for a simple newbie like her. It was the same routine in the Academy. The instructors wouldn’t have done anything to put them into the path of complete danger. Something about this though made the young shinigami’s skin crawl.

It could have been the empty town, the ancient blood splatters on the wall. There was no telling as the youth’s mind seemed to race. Why did this set her on the edge worse than dealing with a strong shinigami like Watari? There was no telling for her - something had to be done.

Kill it. Be done with it you coward.

Shut the hell up.

You won’t be saying that when you need me.

Well, right now I need you to be quiet.

Your funeral, kid.

Silence filled the air as Reika stepped in front of her companion. Just the soft treading of her footsteps on creaking old wood filled the air as the shinigami pulled her weapon from its sheath, readying for anything. A howling wind ran through the rafters, causing Reika’s hair to stand on end. Her face showed strain as she fought every nerve in her body to run.

“Come out! In the name of the Gotei, I command you to show yourself!” Her voice was hard but still showed her hesitance to say such a thing. Whatever was in there, be it soul or hollow, Reika was ready to face it.

Reika shifted before her, taking point. She didn't mind. This would be good experience for her! If need be Yuki could support her. But Reika was no pushover. Most likely she would be fine. Whatever was out there didn't feel too much like a threat for her, but then it could have been concealing its true capabilities. She just had to be prepared for that possibility, and she felt as though she was.

Yuki's suspicions were confirmed by the wailing and cackling of some entity. A creature emerged, barking mad in what she could only assume was hunger. It growled as it approached. While wolf-like in nature it wore a mask. Clearly this thing was a Hollow.

Sink your blade into it!

No.

Do it!

This is her prey.

Restraint is good.

No!

She could feel Katsumi clawing at the back of her mind and seeking the potential prey laid out before her. Resisting wasn't difficult at the moment. Kokoro, she assumed, assisted in this matter. It didn't need to be her putting down the poor creature. Reika's blade would do the trick. While her hand remained upon the pommel of her weapon she did relax her grip slightly.

Her head lowered slightly towards the beast. A polite greeting. Still, they weren't here to make friends. For all they knew this creature was responsible for whatever had taken place here. It couldn't be allowed to leave.

"It doesn't appear to be too powerful."