1 Monkey Awakens in The Hollow Sand

First there is quiet. A deep and eerie silence. 

Until there was a being.

He couldn't feel anything. 

He couldn't see anything.

He didn't even feel as if he had a body.

Ah who am I? 

I wonder?

Am I awake?

Am I alive?

This feeling? 

"Ah hello?"

Suddenly a voice spoke. For the first time. A voice spoke. A consciousness was felt. 

A mind came to be, and the first thing this consciousness did....

Was laugh!

" Hehehehe! I am.... Bikou" 

Eyes opened wide for the first time in years. The cold wind blew across the white mask that covered its face, shaped like a monkey's. Bright red fur, encased underneath an armor of white bone, wrapped around the creature's body and a long orange tail circled itself around the creature's waist. The creature had feet shaped like hands that gripped the sand beneath it. Eyes that shined as bright as fire itself. 

The monkey like monster rose from the sand and looked around at the desert around itself. 

Hueco Mundo's giant moon glared down on the wasteland from the pitch-black sky, bathing the newly awakened Hollow in radiant light. Dust swirled all around the Hollow's face, the brisk brushing past his cheeks, blowing his hair in the wind. 

" This is... Las Noches." Bikou muttered. His small ape like frame. " What do I do now? I wonder. I don't remember much about how I got here." Suddenly Bikou felt a strong throbbing pain within his head and his stomach. " I'm hungry! So hungry! Need to eat something." 

Suddenly as if picking up on a beacon, Bikou senses something of great power in the distance and is drawn towards it.

Bikou began running towards the signal. His feet carried him across the plain at blistering speeds. Almost like a beast possessed. A beast in danger of ceasing. Mindless and feral.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer!

He grew closer every step, and that feeling, that sense grew larger and larger until he could feel more.

A battle?

Upon reaching the scene, Bikou was confronted by a large gaggle of hollows, of varying sizes, all vying for blood.

The echoing sound of hollows roaring filled his ears. It was unpleasant. 

One of the larger hollows took notice of Bikou as he approached, his spiritual pressure. " Who are you? Get lost, ya runt."

He turned and launched his giant pincer like claws right at Bikou, intent on killing him with one strike. 

This, however, was not what happened.

The moment, the Hollow's pincers struck the sand, where Bikou was standing, Bikou disappeared in a surprising showing of speed.

" What?"

A moment later, Bikou appeared right next to the Hollow's face and took a large bite out of his mask, tearing through the flesh underneath. 

" Gnaaaaah!" The Hollow let out a loud and pain roar. Shrieking as blood splattered from his face and onto the sand.

The other Hollows fighting nearby stopped to look at what happened, in surprise. 

" No way. Barris?!" One of the smaller more humanoid like hollows gasped as Barris, the scorpion like Hollow, was injured.

This was surprising to the Hollows in the area, seemingly implying that Barris was strong. 

Bikou landed on the sand of Hueco Mundo, still chewing the flesh in his mouth. And the moment he finally swallowed. The moment he did, his thoughts began flowing back, and the constant pounding in his head disappeared. 

With blood dripping down his face, Bikou turned to face the large hollow. " Sorry about that? I was just so hungry. Couldn't help myself. But I think I got a handle of it now." 

" Do you know what you've done?!" Barris yelled in agony. " You've eaten my mask! I'll never be able to grow! I've spent years hunting, and now I'll never evolve into the next stage! I'm stuck like this!"

Bikou chuckled slightly under his mask, hiding the blatant disrespect under his paw. " Sorry. I didn't know that. I'm kinda new here." Bikou told the beast. He lunged at Barris again, now with a clearer head, though still very hungry. 

" Gaaaah! Die!" Barris lashed at Bikou with his tail.

Bikou, acting on instinct, dodged the poisoned pincer and started running along the length of it, until he was once again right in front of Barris' face.

" Nooooo!"

Bikou punched a hole through Barris' mask, entering straight through his mask and exiting out the other side of his head. Blood and brains flowed freely, staining the sand red with blood. 

The other hollows in the area all halted and stared at Bikou as he turned and started eating Barris. Starting at his head and slowly devouring the beast down to the last vestige of his pedipalps.

Bikou crunched down the last of his meal and let out a loud and satisfied sigh. " Man, that was good. I feel so much better now." Bikou muttered. He flopped down onto his back and stated rubbing his belly. 

" Okay, so I think I got this figured out... I gotta keep eating, or I'm going to revert back to being mindless." Bikou spoke. He then looked to the other hollows in the area. " Is that right?"

There was a silence among the other Hollows, who knew not what to say or do. 

" T-That's right."

Bikou laughed. " I see. I see. So, this place is all about survival of the fittest, huh? I don't mind it." Bikou muttered. He turned his head towards the remaining Hollows and smiled. " Hey, sorry about all this guys." Bikou lunged forward and started tearing through each of them with his bare paws.

Bikou stood in the middle of the blood-soaked sands, blood dripping from his paws. Slowly he began eating the flesh of the Hollows he had slain, until nothing remained of any of them. 

" Huh? I'm not starving anymore... But the hunger... It remains. Guess, I gotta keep eating after all. These guys kind of taste horrible. But oh well. Looks like this is my life now." He took a look around at all the sand and the darkness and sighed. "This place sucks..."

...........

Bikou sat on top of a dead tree branch staring out at the desert.

" I don't remember much of anything." Bikou spoke. " All I remember.... I remember how to fight, but that's about it. Guess, that's all I need. Eat well, fight well, and get stronger. I'm a hollow, so naturally my enemies are soul reapers, right? Eh, it's all confusing. Why does it have to be so complicated." He groaned. 

The sand beneath his feet, started shifting and suddenly a large sandworm exploded right towards him.

Bikou jumped over the sandworm and landed on its back. He plunged his hand into the creature's back and tore out a large chunk of its flesh causing the creature to twist and writhe in pain.

" I was in the middle of thinking, but I was feeling a bit hungry, so I guess you'll do." Bikou spoke. Bikou chomped on the chunk of flesh in his hand, before placing his hand on the creature's back. His hand began to glow a deep red. " Cero."

*Wooomp!

A giant red beam exploded from his palm and engulfed the Hollow, killing it instantly. Bikou came to a screeching halt atop the beast. 

" Heh? I barely tried, well that was no fun." Bikou muttered. He looked down disappointingly at the Hollow beneath him and sighed. " I have no idea how strong I am? This is boring, waiting around for. So, so, boring."

Suddenly Bikou felt multiple large energies converging on him. 

Multiple Hollows, of varying sizes, surrounded him on all sides. Five in total. One of them was Humanoid with long bone protrusions from his arms, another one was more serpent like, another one was shaped similarly to a giant bat. Another was giant and had a fish-shaped skull. The last one and the more intimidating member of the group was actually the smallest, a Hollow that took the form of a Lion with red fur and bone white skin. 

Bikou looks around and snickers a little under his breath as the creatures start circling him.

Stepping forward was a giant humanoid shaped Hollow with long bone protrusions from his arms.

" Can I help you?" Bikou asked the Hollow.

" You must be new, here. There's only one thing, we want from you."

" Oh, you want to eat me, right? Great!" Bikou exclaimed happily. He started bouncing around the sand, causing quite a confusion among the group of Hollows. 

" What are you so excited for shrimp? Can't you see we're here to kill you?" The Hollow asked.

" Well yeah, but that's what makes it so fun. I've been stuck just wandering sand for hours, then I decided to sit on this tree, right, and then after that a worm attacked me and I killed it, and I got bored again. But then you guys showed up."Bikou explained. " So do me a favor, and try not to die to fast, okay?!" 

Bikou could sense that the Hollow in front of him was nothing special, he had a large energy, but he was more curious about the lion. Now, he had a feeling to him that excited Bikou.

The five Hollows stared at Bikou curiously before engaging him.

" Come on, now. Introductions are in order, don't you think? My name is Bikou, nice to meet ya."

" What?"

" Well, it just seems appropriate to know the name of your killer, doesn't it?" Bikou asked.

" How fun-" 

*Splash!

Before he could finish his words, Bikou struck the giant with his fist, cracking his skull open.

" What?"

" No way."

" Jugram's been killed?"

The three Hollows were both surprised and confused by how fast their comrade had been killed. But not the Lion.

The Lion stepped forward " Of course, he was. Jugram was a fool. He shouldn't have judged his opponent based on his appearance." He stopped in front of Bikou and growled. " But he was still one of mine! I am Leone, and you're my prey!"

Leone opened his mouth and a red ball formed.

Bikou pointed one of his fingers at Leone and the two fired cero at one another.

The two red beams of energy clashed together before exploding into a blaze.

The blast pushed Bikou and Leone both back quite a distance. 

" Bastard!"

" HAHAAA! Now that's what I'm talkin about!" Bikou exclaimed. 

" Get him!"

The Hollows collectively began charging Bikou. 

Knowing that if he was eaten by them, Bikou dodged in-between each of the four Hollows as they each tried to take a bite out of him. 

Bikou landed back on the sand and turned towards the Hollows and fired another Cero right at the four of them.

Leone countered his Cero with another Cero of his own, causing another explosion.

" He is strong." Bikou muttered. " His cero is as strong as mine..."

The dust cleared and Leone and his group were standing, unharmed. 

" Hey, you're pretty strong." Bikou told the Lion.

" You, too. It would seem... We are... Equals." Leone muttered. " It would be a shame for either of us to die. How about joining me?" Leone asked.

" What?"

" Join my team. Together we can hunt other Hollows and become stronger together. We can evolve into Vasto Lordes together. What do you say?"

Bikou stared at Leone before raising his finger at Leone. " Heh!" With a grin on his face, Bikou began charging up another cero.

To Be Continued!

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