"Normal speaking"

'Thoughts'

"Inner voices"

MEANWHILE - light hearted rather disruptive scene breaks

MEANWHILE WITH THE CONFUSED PHILOSOPHER(S)

What do sentient beings mean when they talk about "self?"

Long has this been a topic of debate in human history with countless theories and beliefs. If there was one thing humans excelled at, it was disagreeing with one another. I won't bother with the historical, socio economic, political, and religious reasons as to why humans had this issue. That's a long story, and lesson, for another time.

As I have journeyed through my life I have spent a great amount of time asking the question: "Who am I?" It is difficult to articulate. To be honest, I have not tried to put who I am into words; If such a thing can be done in greater depth than describing characteristics of my personality and behaviour.

I am a collection of my experiences.

I am who I am. Who is that? That is me.

If you find yourself asking "what should I do?" ask "what could someone in my situation do?"

You may find the answers come far more easily that way.

Interesting how removing the "self" enables one to act better in their own interests.

Curious, no?

The self is not a set thing. It is not constant. It is not rigid. It is malleable and ever evolving as you encounter different situations.

The concept of self may be definable, but each individual will have their own meaning as it applies to them. If one is aware of and understands what their own self is, I applaud them. It is not easy and requires a lot of introspection.

Imagine not knowing any of that. You have no past experiences to mold you into something. You have no expectations to embody. You are free to create yourself anew without a past to define your future. It is a chance not given to many.

Kotoba found himself in such a situation. He, of course, knew nothing of my beliefs and realizations. That was something he would have to figure out for himself one day.

Many times he tried to remember who he was or to even locate any memories of his past. Long would he sit and contemplate, alone in the night. This time, he was not alone. Chasing his past in order to move forward was an understandable, if not predictable course of action. He did not know that he was able to forge ahead and create himself. He knew he existed and had a past. The encounter with Harribel all but solidified the fact in his mind.

He was someone. Had been. Past tense.

His only thought was to find out who that was. Becoming someone new in his current state had not fully settled in him. Kotoba did not know what to do.

His mental and philosophical dilemmas were not at the forefront of his mind at that particular moment. Instead, he was focusing on his first friend.

While Kotoba lounged on the sand, Apacci was working on getting the hang of her new body. She knew that physically she was relatively unaltered but she still wanted to test herself since her evolution.

She was noticeably quicker and stronger than she used to be. Apacci stamped her front hooves on the sand several times before launching herself forward.

There is something endearing about observing a hamster in a wheel. The infinite movement that gets them nowhere. Obviously the hamster does not have a destination or a grand plan. The hamster runs in the same direction, going nowhere regardless of how much they try.

Of course the hamster is probably aware it isn't travelling anywhere and it is merely running to get some exercise. The point, however, remains the same.

The amnesiac Hollow might have made a similar comparison to himself if he knew what a hamster was. The metaphor was unfortunately lost on him as he tried to unravel his past.

Kotoba watched Apacci darting back and forth across the sand; ducking, weaving, dodging, and leaping. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

That had been a welcome change in her behaviour. When they first met and had gotten to know one another a little bit, she had been depressed, defeated, and borderline suicidal. That had a lot to do with accepting her death before his intervention but it had taken several days to better recover from the ordeal.

He imagined having someone else to talk with meant she was actually dealing with her problems rather than burying them as she continued moving across the sands of their home.

During that time, Kotoba had been conscious of the space he left between them. He didn't really know what to do to help her in the first place. He made an effort to listen to her when she spoke,

to avoid jumping to conclusions and passing judgements on her actions necessary for her survival.

She seemed to appreciate the gesture at least.

He settled on maintaining a steady reiatsu level because that seemed to help her stay calm. While not as noticeable while she was awake, it made a big difference while she slept.

Speaking of which, that was another thing confusing him.

They were spirits. Souls. Why did they need to sleep? It made no sense to him. It honestly surprised him how he never thought about that until recently. What was he doing all the time? His memories consisted of four things: Moon, sand, voices, and the ever present nagging sensation he was forgetting something. Not that it was very helpful.

MEANWHILE THE NEXT MORNING? OR WAS IT THE NEXT NIGHT? DAMN SPIRITUAL REALMS NOT ORBITING PROPERLY

Tier Harribel raced across the sands, flickering in and out of sight in bursts of sand and static. She leapt up the cliff and piles of rubble from the blast that caught her attention earlier. The Vasto Lorde's mind was a mess.

'What was he doing there…'

She knew it had to be the same Hollow, in spite of how much she wanted to believe it was not the case. Yet for the life of her, there was something different about him. He had the same scent as before but it was off somehow, like a decaying carcass. Recognizable, yet changed. Her eyes hardened as she flew over the edge of the cliff and landed in a crouch before vanishing once more.

She shuddered as the memories of the event came unbidden into the forefront of her mind. It was years ago. She hadn't kept track of how long but it was well before she first met her current companions. Half of Hueco Mundo sensed the explosion of reiatsu as the fight began. Even from a great distance, she watched the blended mix of ice and fire raging against a colossal inferno of all consuming flame.

'That Shinigami was truly a monster…to overpower two opponents like that simultaneously...''

The woman was worried. She didn't fully understand the situation in the past but it was something that both the Hollows and Shinigami were drawn to. Whatever went down, it was big.

Big enough that the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 fought personally. At least that's what she heard from one of the survivors.

There was something different about this 'Kotoba' that she couldn't put her finger on. His mask was so similar to the one she had seen long ago but there was something unsettling about it.

It was almost the same. The black and white contrast, the red lines. Even the scar was the same. She didn't get long to look at it but she could almost feel something distorted in the fracture.

Wait…

She paused mid step, skidding to a halt on the sand.

He didn't have silver eyes in her memories…

Looking back on it, it was such a simple thing but so easy to overlook.

He had crimson eyes when she last saw him. What could cause such a change?

She paled.

'It had to have been her.'

She wracked her brain for any more information about the soul she once knew. It was so long ago.

She only met her twice. She dearly wished she hadn't the second time. It almost cost Harribel her life. Just what was someone like that doing in Hueco Mundo anyway? The woman's only visible feature was her bright silver eyes, every other part of her was obscured in mist and frost.

Why did she take away his corpse?

It made no sense.

She remembered watching the fight days earlier. How the fire and ice merged together, forming an equilibrium strong enough to withstand the greatest fire zanpakuto in history. Even if they eventually fell, it was still quite the feat.

That begged the question how Kotoba formed and took on that mask. He clearly was not the Hollow she knew but Hollow powers cannot be transfer like that, to remove a mask is to practically kill them. Why would anyone try to remove their own mask?

This Kotoba was much larger than the Hollow from her memories. 'Did he devolve?'

There was so much she didn't know.

Her mind was spinning as she drew nearer to her sanctum. Sensing the reiatsu on the air Harribel easily picked out the markers of her two girls. Thankfully there were no unfamiliar presences in the area.

'But what is Kotoba? Is he a fusion of them?'

The Vasto Lorde ascended the staircase to her sanctum, her heels clicking loudly on the stone floors. Following several twists and turns through the catacombs, she entered a small atrium where two Hollows awaited her.

"Welcome back, Harribel-sama." Both of them greeted her simultaneously.

The large golden lioness lounged on the floor, resting her head on a small dais in the centre of the room. She perked up when the newcomer entered the cave

Harribel nodded to her. "Mila-Rose,"

The other occupant rose up to the ceiling, her pale white and lavender scales glistening in the crystalline illumination. The snake bowed her head to their guardian.

"Sung-Sun, how were things while I was out?"

The large snake made to speak but was abruptly cut off my the lioness. "Maaa it was boring. Nothing happened Harribel-sama."

Sung-Sun glared down at her friend. "I was about to speak, you still have no manners whatsoever I see! How many times have I told you how to behave properly?"

The lioness scoffed. "You always got something critical to say, don't you! Why you gotta be looking down on me all the damn time huh?"

The snake peered down her nose at her loudmouthed companion. "It's not like I have to try very hard, in fact, it's more difficult not to."

Mila-Rose sputtered indignantly, muttering curses under her breath. "I'll get you for that one…"

Harribel approached the pair and sat on the edge of the dias between them with a heavy sigh. Sung-Sun, ever watchful, commented on her mistress's odd mood. "You seem unusually tense, Harribel-sama. Did something happen today?"

The Vasto Lorde glanced up at the white snake, Mila-Rose turning to look at her more carefully. "You could say that…"

She briefly explained her encounter with Kotoba and Apacci and how she offered them a place among them.

She told them nothing of her personal revelations and memories. That was something she wanted to stay buried.

Mila-Rose rolled across the floor lazily. "So he took down five other Hollows and fed them to her while they were still alive? What kind of Hollow does that? It doesn't make any sense!"

Harribel stared at the floor as the pale snake coiled herself beside them. "Harribel-sama, why did you not bring them back with you? That was your intention no?"

Sung-Sun had always been rather astute.

"It wasn't a good time. I had been chasing them and both of them were on the defensive. Besides, I think they will seek us out eventually." The Vasto Lorde explained. 'When he figures out I know about him he will come to me anyway.'

"They should be alright together at least. I don't think we need to worry about them."

"If you say so Harribel-sama." The lioness droned.

The blonde stood, drawing the eyes of her companions. "That reminds me, there's someone else we need to see. He's been hounding me for a while now and I think it's time to pay him a visit."

Sung-Sun tilted her head to the side, gazing curiously at the Vasto Lorde. "Who would that be?"

Harribel's eyes hardened as she glanced over her shoulder at the large snake. When she spoke, her voice was cold.

"Barragan."

MEANWHILE IN THE CAVE HOUSE

One night, about a month after getting established in their new 'home,' Kotoba was lying on his back on the dais while Apacci sat beside him, his tail wrapped around her leg. Resting together and snuggling was a bit difficult due to their different body types but it was something they both enjoyed greatly. The intimacy and comfort with someone they each trusted was a new and very welcome experience.

"Ne, Apacci" Kotoba broke their companionable silence as he stared at the ceiling of their cave. "Have you ever been to the human world?"

The female lifted her head, careful not to stab him with her sharpened antlers. "Not that I remember. If I tried to go there now it would just draw the Shinigami and you know I can't fight very well."

"Hmm…" He gently scratched her neck as he pondered. "What would you say if I proposed we go there for a day or so? We're both Adjuchas, so if we mask our reiatsu we should be able to keep a low profile a while."

The pair had spent the last weeks in and around their cave and both of them were grateful for the sanctuary it provided. They experimented with the insulating properties of the stone and discovered that if either of them released even a large amount of their reiatsu, it was nearly undetectable from outside. Unfortunately, this worked for reiatsu being exerted outside as they were effectively cut off from the outside world. They agreed it was a small price to pay for a good place to hide away from the constant dangers of Hueco Mundo.

"I suppose we could try it. We should be fine as long as we don't encounter any captains or high ranking officers right?" Apacci was understandably reluctant. There were many things the female Adjuchas got worked up about, and while she may be headstrong, stubborn, impulsive, arrogant, rude, short-tempered, impatient, and a little petty, she did not take unnecessary risks. Particularly if those pertained to her own safety and especially Kotoba's. Now that she actually had a reason to live not just for herself, she was much more cautious than she was before, making sure she approached situations as rationally as possible... Kotoba would often tease her that she still had a long way to go on that front.

"I want to go do something together. I haven't been there since my memories start so I may have gone before but I would like to go exploring." Kotoba got up, Apacci releasing him with a disappointed sigh.

"Do you even know how to make a garganta?" She asked as she got to her feet.

He rolled his shoulders absentmindedly. "No, but it should just be instinctual right?"

Soon after, the Hollows exited their cavern and stood side by side on the sand outside. Kotoba reached out, concentrating reiatsu in his fingertips, and 'tore' at the space before him. A black seam appeared before his clawed fingers that split open in front of them. The gap widened until it was large enough for the pair to enter together and Kotoba took a tentative step into the void.

"That was easier than expected…" Apacci giggled.

He released a steady stream of reiatsu through his feet, creating a solid path for them to walk on to prevent themselves from descending into the infinite void of the in-between dimension. The platform formed beneath him as he entered the tunnel, Apacci following a moment later.

Once the two Hollows fully entered the transport dimension, the gate resealed itself behind them.

High above the streets of Karakura Town, the spiritual centre of the world for some reason or another because nobody else ever seems to have these problems, a black tear appeared in the sky. The two Adjuchas emerged and stood atop one of the major bridges across the river that ran through the city.

MEANWHILE I-HANG ON A SECOND LET ME TAKE THIS CALL "NEW PHONE WHO DIS?"

In another part of the city, a cell phone rang. The black garbed, katana bearing, individual casually flipped open their device to see what new information the Soul Society was sending her way. She fumbled and almost dropped the denreishinki several times in shock. The device was her only means of communicating with the Souls Society and it was her lifeline. Let it be known that Kuchiki Rukia always took her duties as a Shinigami quite seriously.

She did not always receive a report from the Twelfth Division, the ones monitoring spiritual traffic to and from the Human World, but when she did, it was when she was right in the middle of something.

Rukia had been on patrol the past two weeks and there had yet to be anything out of the ordinary. If you count daily Hollow incursions and rampant spirits ordinary. There was something strange about this city and that didn't include the orange haired boy she saw with a ghost from earlier or the odd shoten owner with the green hat.

She grumbled to herself as she checked the report for a third time just to confirm. There was a garganta that opened several minutes previous and it seemed a Hollow emerged before disappearing immediately afterwards. The Soul Society had no way of tracking their moves if they were somehow able to mask their reiatsu.

The black haired Shinigami gripped the hilt of her zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki, the weaponized piece of her soul reassuring her. 'I hope this isn't something beyond what I usually deal with…should I call for reinforcements?'

Pressing the buttons on her device she prepared her request. It would take some time to process and even longer for reinforcements to actually arrive...she held off on sending it.

'Strange, I can't even sense any Hollow reiatsu so they must be hiding themselves...but why? What do they want here?'

The young woman shuddered. She hoped she wouldn't encounter them as long as they were here. Hopefully Ukitake-taichou wouldn't mind her for calling for help if she needed it. With that in mind, Kuchiki Rukia set out on patrol once again, hoping she would have a quiet night.

MEANWHILE, said Adjuchas were seated comfortably together on the top of the bridge, looking out over the water and the real moon in the sky.

It was a full moon.

"It's so different than the moon in Hueco Mundo…" Apacci stared at the giant orb high in the sky. The moon in their home dimension was static, unchanging, yet where everything was a battle for survival, she had come to appreciate the consistency. This moon was very different. It had the same patterns and markings but it felt so much more alive. Like it was a direct part of something and not a distant observer.

Kotoba felt a strange unease as he watched the satellite. The moon was similar but there was something very different that unsettled him. He didn't know what was causing it was but something was off about the area.

"This region is incredibly dense with reiatsu. Can you feel it?" He asked his companion.

Apacci raised her snout to 'smell' the surrounding areas as he had been showing her to. After several seconds she looked over. "It does seem dense but without anything to compare to I don't know if that's normal. What made you say that, hmm?"

The male scratched his chin. "I'm not entirely sure. It feels forced somehow. Almost as if…"

His partner interrupted him by sprawling herself across his lap. "Can I help you with something?" He asked rather blandly as he observed Apacci stretching out on top of his lower half.

"Oh shut up already!" She grumbled. "I'm bored...but this is kind of pleasant." She looked up at him with one eye. "This is nice change of pace I guess. We should try and come here more often. There isn't much to see in Hueco Mundo anymore. Once you've seen a thousand sand dunes you've seen them all."

She had a point. Both of them had yet to encounter anything remotely interesting in Hueco Mundo beyond the nightly monotony of rock and sand. There was the Menos Forest but venturing there was pointless. It was brimming with other Hollows so unless they needed to feed there was no reason to go there.

The human world was different.

The pair looked out over the town at the sprawling suburbia. Something tugged at Kotoba's instinct, causing him to look over his shoulder towards the city's centre.

Apacci stretched her legs on the small platform, her hooves not quite reaching the outer edges. "At least we won't have to worry about Hollows here. I don't think Adjuchas come here very often. As long as we avoid any patrolling Shinigami we should be able to relax for a while."

Kotoba finally identified the itch bothering him. It smelled of frost and lavender.

"Well...I hate to say it but you might have spoken a bit too soon."

"What?!" She cried. "Don't tell me they know we're here!"

Kotoba began running his fingers through her mane and outlining her new plates along her spine. She sighed contentedly at his touch. "I picked up one Shinigami but unless she was hiding her powers very well, you could probably take her by yourself. She had a power spike when she likely detected us. I'm a bit worried if she'll call for reinforcements though…"

"Hang on a second there." Apacci spoke rather accusingly. "How did you know it's a she?"

The taller Hollow facepalmed. "That's the part that stuck out to you? Not the fact that she knows we're here somewhere in the city and she may have called for help? You wanted to know how I knew her gender?"

The female growled in frustration. "That's beside the point!" The doe stamped her hoof against the metal. "You always nitpick everything I say!"

"Are you kidding me right now Apacci? That's my line!" He stared at her incredulously.

"It doesn't matter!" She yelled, growing increasingly agitated. "I just want to know how you knew? Why are you making such a big deal out of this?!"

"I'm not! You are!"

"No, I'm not! I'm just curious!"

He fell silent for a moment, staring at her incredulously. "Is this really happening right now?"

"What are you talking about? You started this." She stated arrogantly.

Kotoba facepalmed again. "I could tell it was a woman because of her scent." He explained slowly. "You know I have very acute senses and her reiatsu smelled feminine...that and she's standing right over there..."

Apacci's head whipped around to the direction he indicated and gasped when there indeed was a short black haired Shinigami clutching her katana in a shaky grip and staring at them with wide eyes.

He examined the reaper standing before them. She was very petite, likely not even reaching his hip. Her sword was barely the length of his forearm. Kotoba imagined that if it came to blows, it would be difficult for her to take him down...he hoped.

Apacci had explained little bits of what she knew of Shinigami to him over the last few days.

"Do you know how Harribel was able to move so fast?" Kotoba asked one night in their cave. It had been bothering him for a while how she was able to do that. Not only did it seem useful but practically a necessity for stronger Hollows.

"I think it's called sonido. It's a way to move in short controlled bursts but I don't Adjuchas can do it. I've tried but I never figured it out." she hung her head in embarrassment. "If I did, I probably could have escaped those guys…"

Kotoba seated himself against the wall of their home. After shifting to accommodate his spines, a thought came to him.

"Is that sort of movement only available to Hollows? I assume Shinigami can do it too right?"

"Yeah," his companion nodded. "Theirs is called shunpo. I don't know much about it but it functions the same as what we can do."

He leaned his head against the wall, as he thought on the new information. I was definitely something to try and learn if they wanted to survive.

Apacci chucked to herself. "At least I hope we can do it anyway…"

Apacci tried to get up but his powerful hand held her down. "Kotoba! What are you doing!"

"We have no reason to fight one another Shinigami-san. I apologize if our appearance here disturbs you."

Rukia was completely dumbfounded. Not only was this Hollow speaking, but it was being surprisingly polite. 'What should I do!? I didn't think I'd run into them by accident!'

Kotoba calmly watched the young soul reaper endure her mental panic. "What's your name, Shinigami-san?"

The black haired girl appeared stunned. "K-kuchiki Rukia...Thirteenth Squad… " she managed to stammer out after a long moment.

"Rukia-san? I am Kotoba, and the one I am currently restraining is my partner Apacci." He spoke calmly.

"You fucker let me go!" Apacci screeched.

"Not when the second I do you will go attack her." He turned back to Rukia. "I suggest you be on your way before she changes her mind." At her hardening expression, he quickly elaborated. "That was not a threat, I would rather not cause an incident here."

The Shinigami stared at him, dumbfounded. "Why are you like this?"

"What to you mean?"

Rukia ever so slightly lowered her stance but kept her sealed zanpakuto in front of her. "I've never heard of a Hollow that came to the Human world and not attack people. Nor have I heard of a Hollow that speaks like you do. Just what are you?"

Apacci had relaxed somewhat as Kotoba continued to massage her neck. "What I am is not important. What matters is how you are going to handle this situation." His eyes locked once again on the Shinigami, daring her to look away.

"We did not come her to feed or hunt. Any conflict that occurs will not be caused by us, I hope you understand that." The comment was directed at both the Shinigami and his fellow Adjuchas. He hoped Apacci understood his message and didn't get too worked up. Even if they killed the Shinigami here, it would likely bring more after them in the future.

However, if they let her go and she told her superiors of their existence it could also cause problems.

'Shit…either way this likely won't end well...'

The trio fell silent as a horrendous scream rent the air. Each of them felt the reiatsu enhanced cry of a Hollow.

The soundwave had no effect on Kotoba who smirked as he identified the scent. 'Someone's hungry tonight…'

Apacci shrugged off the reiatsu. It might have irritated her but since her evolution she hardly felt any pressure from the other Hollow. It must have been a regular Hollow, not even a Gillian, hardly a threat to either of them.

Rukia shuddered as the reiatsu pressed down on her. With a cry like that, it could only mean another one had arrived. She glanced between the Hollows before her. So far they had done nothing to threaten her, quite the opposite in fact. Rukia wasn't sure what to do. Both the Hollows were masking their spiritual pressure quite effectively, especially the male. If they were to fight she would be at a huge disadvantage.

Her hands clutching her sword were trembling. Even Sode no Shirayuki seemed reluctant to engage the Hollows.

Fortunately for Rukia, the spined Hollow made the choice for her.

"Kuchiki-san, while my companion and I are not a threat to you or this town at this moment, our new arrival is very much the opposite." He carefully extracted himself from Apacci and stood on their platform. His eyes never leaving the Shinigami.

"I propose a compromise. We will depart and you will be free to deal with the newcomer. I must warn you though, he is very hungry." His words twisted and warped with a strange darkness. "If you seek to interrupt him before he feeds, you should be on your way."

A black seam appeared across the sky directly behind the two Hollows that split open into a gaping black hole. Kotoba guided a silent Apacci into the garganta while he faced the Shinigami. "I wouldn't take my time if I were you. That one seems to have found a tasty morsel."

Rukia remained still as the two Hollows stepped into the garganta and it sealed up behind them. It was nearly a minute before she moved again, lowering her zanpakuto and returning her blade to its sheath.

Her phone beeped suddenly causing her to scream and leap into the air. Composing herself and catching her breath, Rukia checked to see a message from the Soul Society informing her of the newly arrived Hollow.

Frowning, she cast one last glance where the two had disappeared before detecting the general location of her new target. If nothing else happened tonight after dealing with this Hollow, she planned to send a report to the Soul Society as soon as possible.

She hoped she wouldn't run into any unforeseeable complications.

MEANWHILE WITH THE PLOT

"Well that was interesting…"

The brown haired, bespectacled man stroked his chin thoughtfully as he watched the screen. It was the middle of the night and the monitoring crews had been dismissed hours previous; leaving the space free for his use. Not that he needed an excuse. He was a captain after all.

The Hollow had been delivered as planned to Karakura Town. He unleashed it close enough the the Kurosaki residence that it would seek the boy and draw the recently deployed Shinigami.

The two visiting Adjuchas was certainly not something he had anticipated. As a man assembling the entire chess board, such an intrusion was most unwelcome.

"We did not come here to feed or hunt. Any conflict that begins will not be caused by us. I hope you understand that."

He listened to the recording of the taller Hollow. It was a strange one, for certain. With what seemed to be a pacifist disposition no less. Definitely something to keep an eye on for later.

The man made a mental note to investigate the new players in his game. His recent meeting and subsequent domination of the self proclaimed "King of Hueco Mundo" had gone smoothly. The timing of the Vasto Lorde's visit was impeccable as it allowed him to continue his plans.

The puppeteer's eyes followed Kuchiki Rukia as she leapt from house to house as she drew closer to her destination.

Aizen smiled. "All according to plan…"

AN: Well well well... that marks the start of the first arc in the timeline.

Poor Rukia, it seems like she may not be able to send off that report right away as she is going to have a few other things on her mind.

So...am I being mysterious enough with Kotoba's origins? Are you curious? Don't worry, I'm fairly confident that it abides by the laws of nature in this universe but with how crazy things get later on in the series with Ichigo and Aizen, what I have won't be beyond the realm of possibility.

I'm amazed how many views this is getting! Thanks for everyone who is checking this out!