3 Monkey and the Shark

" After her!" 

Somewhere within the sand dunes of Hueco Mundo a shark was running for her life as two large male Hollows chased after her. One was large and robust, obviously favoring brute force. And the other was large and thin, almost as thin as a pole, with long scythes for arms, like a mantis. 

' Damn, they caught up already?' She cursed herself for allowing herself to be injured in the first place. She pushed her tired body through the sand as fast as she could, feeling the wounds on her backstabbing her every moment, like sharp razorblades on sore and tender flesh.

" She's slowing down."

" Good, I'm starving."

The two hollows began closing in on the shark as she surfed through the sand, however, she was losing speed and fast. 

.................

Bikou was picking his teeth with his fingers as he walked the sand dunes of Hueco Mundo, having just finished his last meal. His spiritual pressure was growing at an abnormal rate and so was his abilities. During the time he had spent wandering the desolate wasteland, he had begun honing his skills, hoping to decrease the strain, that using his abilities, placed on his body.

" That was so boring, man. Like really boring. My power's gone up again. And there's not much going on here. I don't know how all those colonies can just sit around doing nothing but waiting to eat." 

Within Hueco Mundo, weaker Hollows were known to gather together and form colonies to survive stronger, more advanced levels of Hollows. A good defensive strategy. And also, a good way to help them hunt, as moving in packs ensured a better chance of survival and victory.

Though, this is not always the case. 

" Eh, whatever.... Guess, I'll just keep on looking for the next..." Bikou paused for a moment as his eyes ventured forward towards the spiritual pressure's ahead of him. " Hm?" He wondered. 

He could feel three signatures' moving towards him. Two were pretty big and steady, but the other one was waning every moment. 

Bikou continued moving towards the spiritual pressures, and soon, his eyes gleamed within the distance two giant Hollows, chasing after, what appeared to be a shark. 

" Oh?"

As they approached, the Shark noticed Bikou walking towards her. 

" This is my chance! I'll use him as a distraction and get away!' The shark rushed towards Bikou, intending to use him as a scapegoat, in order to get away from her pursuers, however....

Bikou looked at the Shark and smiled before lunging towards her.

The Shark stopped from the sudden shock and tried to alter the course of her trajectory; however, she just didn't have enough time and space to react as she wished.

Thankfully, the hollow she intended to use as bait, didn't attack her as she believed. Instead, the monkey leaped clean over her head, and in a surprising show of speed and power, ripped through her two pursuers in one swift movement.

" HAH?!" She gasped.

She watched as blood, sprayed all over the sand. 

Bikou stood in the middle of the two bodies, just letting the blood drip all over him. After taking a moment to drink in the blood, Bikou turned his attention to the Shark.

" Well, hello there, young lady. You alright?" Bikou asked.

" What?"

" Well, I asked if you were okay."

" What do you care? What Hollow goes out of their way to help someone?"

" Well, I'm not one for murder, let's put it that way. A fight between warriors is one thing, and to die fighting in battle like that, well there's nothing better. But picking on someone weaker than you? Now that's just boring. Where's the fun in that?" Bikou asked the woman.

The Shark stared at Bikou in confusion. 

"OH?" Bikou realized his words must have confused the young Hollow. " Sorry, that must be confusing. I think it's easier to think about it like this... It was.... My instinct."

" What?" She asked.

" Instinct. Isn't it obvious?! Everything works on instinct! What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? Who do I fight? How do I fight? All of it is answered simply by using instinct. Instinct is what drives Hollows to do what we do. When we eat, it is our natural instincts that drive us to eat. Why? So that we can survive and keep our individuality. Instincts tell us to eat to keep going. That is a common factor for all of us. For me, however, my instinct commands me to fight, and grow stronger and feast! Train hard! Eat well! And rest plenty! That is my instinct... But I also refuse to attack or kill something weaker than me. There is nothing to gain. There's just no point. Do you see?"

A weird explanation, but the truth.

From the very moment, Bikou awakened in Hueco Mundo, everything he's done has been him simply acting on instinct. 

" I see you're as crazy as those two were." The Shark said in response.

" Well, maybe so. But then again, maybe not. Hahahaha!" Bikou laughed at the shark, cackling like a mad man. " Any way, I'm not gonna kill ya, so you can go, or you can eat these guys and get stronger, I'm sure it would do you some help."

" What?"

" I'm saying you should eat these guys and grow stronger. Consume them, follow your instincts. And when you get stronger, just maybe you and I will have a match." Bikou told the woman. " Hey, what do you say?"

She hesitated for a moment, keeping her eyes locked closely on Bikou. She realized in her injured state, she couldn't hope to beat him, and she definitely wasn't outrunning him. Her best bet would be to play along and hope he was honest on letting her go.

" I'd say you're pretty crazy."

" HA! Maybe! Maybe!" Bikou told the woman. " Anyway, see ya." Bikou started walking away from the Shark, waving at her as he did.

' What? He's really just going to let me go? Just like that?' She wondered. ' Who is this Hollow?' She lifted her body from the sand and stared at the monkey Hollow. " Hey, what's your name?!" She asked.

Bikou looked back at her and grinned. " Bikou." He sneered. " What's your name?" Bikou asked.

" Harribel. Tier Harribel."

" Harribel? Ha! Not a bad name. Well, bye Harribel. Hope to see ya around!" Bikou exclaimed.

Harribel watched as Bikou vanished from her sight far into the unsettling winds of Hueco Mundo, still reeling from her own injuries, and certainly from the enigma that was Bikou. 

But thankful, nonetheless, for having been able to survive another day. 

Harribel turned her attention to the two corpses before her and slowly began surfing towards them. " He was right about one thing. I need to get stronger, and to do that, you guys are going to feed me." Harribel opened her jaws wide and began devouring the Hollows completely. Tearing through bone and muscle with ease. 

In a complete twist of fate, it was the two Hollows, that became food for Harribel. Filling her stomach and increasing her power at the same time. 

An increase that Bikou could feel at quite the distance.

" Hey, she took my advice! She'll get really strong! I can't wait! hahahaha! Hey, maybe, I'll try fighting a soul reaper next. I haven't beaten one of those before. Hey, how do I get there in the first place? Hm?"

Standing before Bikou was a horde of Hollow's.

At least fifty strong.

" What is it?" Bikou asked.

" We are humble servants of our lord. He has requested an audience with you, the monkey."

Bikou's ear plucked upward. " A message? You're not here to fight? Well, that sucks."

" Our lord has gone out of his way to request, no, demand a meeting. You will come with us."

" Oh?" Bikou sneered at the Hollows. His white face mask turning upwards into a smile. " Look that sounds like... Oh, you know what-"

Bikou raised a finger towards the group.

In the distance, there was a Hollow watching from a seated throne. This Hollow was a skeleton which wore a dark purple cloak and had a gold crown positioned atop his head. And there from his throne, he could see it. A large red explosion in the far distance. 

"Hm!"

To be Continued

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