Chapter 19: A Terrifying Resemblance

[Wilfora]

Time: Unbeknownst
Place: Hueco Mundo – Turning Grounds

Stray shook, still remembering that dreaded night, though it had happened many, many moon passes ago. In a world where the moon never fully set but managed to travel, tonight was the same night as that long day years ago.

There was little Stray could do then, and just as Shira had at one point, she prayed that the hollow backed up into a corner of the grounds would be alright when this was done and over with. She already felt a stronger bond to it since it shared the place she herself had once been. That time had been when she had gotten her own hollow hole. When grandfather had backed her up, then plucked away the flesh that had been her own. She had seen it as punishment then, but when Shira had suffered the same fate just a few moons later, she put the puzzle pieces together.

Now she watched the small adjuchas, content that it would be fine. Or at least that’s what she wanted.

However, to the young, quivering adjucha below, things were not alright. He had never fought a day in his life. He’d always crept along in the forests, fasting on leftovers, hunkering down behind trees to stay out of sight from others and plain old avoiding everyone and everything that moved.

Now faced with at least six of them, there was nothing left to do. There was nowhere to hide, or run to, and duck behind. Backed up against a wall, skidish and fearful, wondering when this terrible nightmare would end. But no matter the amount of time that passed, they inched forward, anxious for the taste of flesh. A small clan against one measly adjucha; the delight.

Two of them dashed forward in attempt to knock the singled out adjucha off guard. They zigzagged, keeping their pattern of movement undistinguishable. Arms drifted in the wind that they themselves made, behind them, as claw and tail spikes grew, extending and shaping out of the skin. These were seasoned adjuchas; those definite I’ve killed my fair share of tougher opponents, adjuchas.

The targeted adjucha backed up, his back pressed to the rough surface of the cavern wall. Its body shook, fearful of the oncoming creatures it didn’t know how to deal with.  He brought his arms up in front of his face, crossed, so he wouldn’t have to see them anymore. Tingling traveled the nerves in the adjucha’s hand. He noticed and slowly uncrossed his arms to look at his fingers. Tiny pieces of nearly invisible thread were attached to each digit at the tip.

Stray stared at the pitiful creature who was trying to make sense of something that needed explained to him. However, she knew better than to interrupt a learning fight. Nothing would change for that adjucha if it didn’t learn for itself. She’d learned that herself the hard way when she had been little. Fearful of the creatures before it, the adjucha sighed, and put its hands back where they had been when the feeling had first begun. Its resolve flickered before he decided it wouldn’t hurt to try before it was too late.

One hand clawed the air in a side swipe, hitting nothing. He hung his head before hearing rocks tumbling after something crashed into a cliff-side. Startled, he looked up quickly and saw that the adjucha that had been on the right was no longer near the other one. The one that had been running on the left had stopped, staring at the landslide. It was quivering as it turned to look at the adjucha that was staring at his hand, not understanding what had just happened.

Hoping it wasn’t just a one-time thing, he swung the other hand away from his body in an arc. The other adjucha bounced and rolled on the ground before coming to a stop.

The hollow looked at his hands, slightly scared of this new power that had arisen from within him. Tiny threads flickered in the soft moonlight. He managed to trace them with his eyes to the adjuchas that were slowly getting to their feet. They were in slight pain.

Quickly, he discovered that if he moved one finger, an entire limb was controlled and pulled towards him. This will prove interesting… he thought to himself. A crooked smile appeared on the once harmless face. He dropped his hands to his sides, going back to the previous weak looking adjucha’s body language.

Only time would tell if he would live or not, Stray thought, watching intently from her outcrop. Only time would tell...

The adjuchas from before were standing now, both looking around wearily. They didn’t have a clue as to what had thrown them, but they hoped it wouldn’t do so again; they were hungry after all. The two of them looked up, eyeing the small, mentally subdued adjucha whose back was up against the rock face. Exchanging a glance with each other, they crept forward carefully before going full tilt at their supper again.

He cringed, gritting his teeth. This was something new to him, letting them come to him. He didn’t like it, but watched quietly as they came forward at him. They had begun their zigzagging movements again. When they drew upon him, the lone adjucha flared his hands out, then curled them in a bit. His hands now looked like claws.

Looking up, he found the adjuchas frozen in place. Moving a finger on his left hand up wards, the leg of the left adjucha shot up, kicking its owner in the face. He grinned enthusiastically and did the same with the other adjucha. Both were confused and on the verge of collapsing but did not slump to the ground.

A name… he needs a name… Stray thought to herself. At that moment, the adjucha seemed to meld into the shadows of the rock face, and the other two were pulled along. Ryohei will work... you shadow demon, Stray mussed, licking her lips. Or at least for now… She frowned, remembering how they loved to name themselves. Still the creature looked like a delectable meal; one Stray knew she couldn’t have. The creature pranced happily forward out of the shadows. It had fed and had apparently enjoyed the short lived feast.

Ryohei walked forwards, staring at the remaining portion of the group that the other two had been a part of. He crouched down and looked at the others hungrily. Stretching out his hands toward them, he felt the lines slink out. Power spilled out quietly as the invisible threads curled their thin fingers towards the new puppets.

He saw a couple of the adjuchas cringe, and a few began to back away slowly. However, it was too late. By then the threads had attached themselves to the group and now they all began a slow but steady dragging through the sand to the adjuchas. Ryohei sprung up onto a rock formation and perched there, looking over his food. He pulled them all toward him roughly. Some of the stings detached from the adjuchas and they rolled in the sand a few meters before regaining their sense of balance to stop themselves. They crawled, until they were back up on their hands and feet.  

In front of them, the three of them saw the rest of the group, bobbing slightly as they came towards them. Claws were seen protruded and ready to slice away prey. Suddenly, they surged forward, their faces skewed in pain and discomfort as they launched an attack on their party members. Soon, the three that had been detached from the puppet strings had been dealt with.

The creatures were then turned on themselves and they began to fight, slashing away at one another. Soon, only one of them was left. Ryohei reeled the threads in; soon the adjucha was before him. It was teeming with energy, thanks to all of the other adjuchas that had died already. He ripped one of the many arms it had and chewed on it. The other adjucha howled in pain. Its arm began to regenerate, however it was slow. In the meantime, Ryohei tore off a few more arms and sloppily ate those as well.

He finished a few moments later, finally finished toying with his food. Charcoal waves of smoke drifted over him, masking his being from the world.

The cloud expanded itself momentarily, shaping to a new form that was taller and broader in the shoulders too. The smog like substance then began to dissipate, slowly at first, revealing the legs. The booted feet were a deep dark maroon and almost blending in with the midnight black skin. Thick bands of silver wire were wrapped loosely around the thighs and torso, while the hands and arms were left jet black and bare of any other color.

However, it was the mask that drew Stray even closer to it. It was all teal with streaks of red and white in it. The red became zig-zags that trailed from the eyes, over the cheek bones and curling under the jaw-line. The forehead was shaped as a hammer, only it curved around the face, covering half the face.

Chest fallen, it watched as Ryohei came towards him. Then the creature was gone. It had no desire to join its dead siblings. Stray found the creature at the other end of the valley searching for a way out. It found no such thing unfortunately.

By then, Ryohei had caught up to the escapee. He watched as the final pretty pranced from area to area, looking for a way out. It was funny to see. Why doesn’t it look up? Stray sarcastically asked herself.

One of the ears on the lost adjucha twitched.

“-I am a loser-,” Stray cussed quietly as she watched the adjucha look up, and saw the freedom before it. Bat like wings snapped open, something Stray hadn’t seen before when she had looked at the little creature. It leaped for the sky, stretching its wings towards the open abyss of pitch black sky.

It never made it. Claws hooked into its leg, puling it back into the deadly maze. Ryohei had his prey hooked. He pulled the flailing creature to him, ripping the beating wings off. They were tossed to the ground, where they twitched, slightly flapping and bled.

However, just looking at the trembling bat thing before him, Ryohei then realized that killing this adjucha would be pointless. Controlling him would serve much more of a purpose. While he kept the capture in his embrace, he wound a single thread around its neck. Ryohei’s hooked hands retracted and the adjucha collapsed before him. Ryohei pulled the thread taunt, dragging the adjucha to its feet.

“Well, well; an adjucha that can stand up to my harsh treatment. About time you showed.” Ryohei smirked, pulling the adjucha closer to him. It wobbled on its feed, shaken from the events that had just transpired. However, nothing could change the current situation. Something was crushing its windpipe and the arrancar seemed to be the source of the constant pain being felt.

“What do you say? Willing to follow me and do my ever living bidding?” Ryohei once more tightened the tread, hoping to convince the adjucha sooner rather than later. Tiny wings beat furiously, as fingers failed to pry away the invisible threads. Its wings began to grow back to the size they had once been; however, not quick enough.

Ryohei sighed and tightened the threads to the extreme. The adjucha chocked and an almost inaudible squawk came from it, before it slumped to the ground before him. It gave a slight nod before losing conscience.

Stray struggled to understand what occurred. After a moment, she shook her head, tossing the mystery to the wind. If it was important she would find out later when it returned.

Returned…? Ah yes, they’re going to that one place where sister...is… Stray kicked the tree she had been resting in earlier. One place I’m not allowed to go to; not that I’m permitted to leave this wretched world anyway. Damn the lesser one and their ability to come and go as they wish.

—You know why Stray… Shira and I don’t want you to get hurt after all—

Stray growled, angered. “But Minami! You… Sister shouldn’t—!”

—Enough! Your sister is doing what she must, now you do the same!—

A quiet whimper escaped Stray’s lips as she drew up a knee to hide her face in. She’d been scolded again.

“… Yes Minami,” she said quietly. Several minutes pass but there was no reply. “Mina?” More time passes and still nothing was heard in response. “Ah… she left already… she always does that…” Leaving me alone…

—Silly Stray. You know I’m always watching you. Now get back to work.—

Stray pondered what Minami meant. She smacked herself in the face; the new arrancars. She sighed and peered over the edge, wondering how things were going.

Movement had ceased completely. Several arrancars stood staring at her. There was also the one adjucha, but it didn’t count at this point. However, there were no other adjuchas at all. They were gone; eaten by the beasts that loitered about in the Turning Grounds below.

However, there were too many new arrancars. Shira only had use for six or seven of them; there was fourteen. An idea began to form, quietly at first, then hitting her straight on.

Stray grinned from ear to ear, chuckling quietly to herself. She rose to her feet and walked off the cliff edge. Split seconds later she landed upright and continued to walk towards the assembling arrancars, as if she hadn’t fallen that distance in the first place. Her stride was purposeful, her shoulders straight and she stood tall. Nothing would be allowed to overrule her.

Glances were exchanged amount the new arrancars. Many of them wanted to know what was going on. A select few wanted to know who she was. None of them would fully know.

Stray stopped smiling before they would see it. If she was smiling they would think that she would be easy to control. She wasn’t in the slightest and that’s the part she played. She took a stand in front of all of them. Then realizing most of them couldn’t see to receive the instructions, she sighed.

“Arrodillarse” she commanded. At once the arrancars kneeled. They all began chattering, exchanging worry-some glances with one another. They hadn’t wanted to kneel. They’d never even thought about it. Their body just carried out the command.

Stray snickered. “Oir, you lesser arrancars;” She paused, then added, “and pesky little adjucha. Today, by the decree of Espada Unmero, you will descend upon Soul Society. In order to return here, your home, and be established into our ranks, you will kill a shinigami.”

Behind her, a garganta opened slowly. “You will then find me. Once you have, you will be taken before the King.”

Stray heard murmurs of excitement go through the lot of them. She left it go for a moment.

“Silencio!” She paused again, waiting for it to sink in that she would control them. “If you fail in your task may you be damned. The shinigami are relentless and cold. You will die.”

“Ahora se ha ido!”

All of the arrancars that had assembled rose to their feet. Stray stepped aside, allowing access to the garganta. It was only a couple of them at first, but pretty soon they were gone. Stray stepped up to the garganta as if to follow. However, when she reached her hand forward to go through, it closed.

Stray closed her eyes and hung her head. What was she thinking. Of course the restriction was still in place even wither outside of the palace grounds. She hated being trapped here. Wolves were meant to run, not be confined to cages. She stared at her hand before curling it into a fist.

I’ll get sister back from the shinigami. It just won’t be today I guess…

Stray turned her back to where the garganta had been, and began walking away, the strands of her hair and the long coat tailed over coat billowing in the wind behind her; all the whole thinking, send them to their death in Soul Society.