"Was it worth it?"
I stared down at my hand. It was shaking, but it wasn't from fear...
I stared down at my hand. It was shaking, but it wasn't from fear...
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Skittering Hollow (Bleach/Worm)
- Thread starter Planeshunter
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Statistics (45 threadmarks, 74k words)
User Total Planeshunter 45 -
Loading…
000 - Death is only the beginning.
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
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So! Planeshunter here, nice to meet you!
This will be my first attempt at writing here, my first attempt on posting a quest and my first attempt at managing votes. So this can be wrong in so many ways it's even funny. I'll still do my best to make it a good ride.
Knowledge of Bleach is highly recommended to follow the plot, and knowledge of Pokemon, Worm… maybe Naruto? Isn't necessary but should enrich the experience. There'll probably be minor references to other franchises for inspiration/shits&giggles.
Now, without further ado. On with the show!
This will be my first attempt at writing here, my first attempt on posting a quest and my first attempt at managing votes. So this can be wrong in so many ways it's even funny. I'll still do my best to make it a good ride.
Knowledge of Bleach is highly recommended to follow the plot, and knowledge of Pokemon, Worm… maybe Naruto? Isn't necessary but should enrich the experience. There'll probably be minor references to other franchises for inspiration/shits&giggles.
Now, without further ado. On with the show!
"Was it worth it?"
I stared down at my hand. It was shaking, but it wasn't from fear.
"Would you do it all over again? Knowing what you know now? Knowing that you end up here, at gunpoint?"
"I… know I'm supposed to say yes," the words made their way past my lips. "But no. Some-somewhere along way, it became no."
"Just about everyone comes to this crossroad," she said. "Some get seventy years, some only get fifteen. Enough time to grow, to take stock of who you are. Enough time to do things you'll regret when you run out of time."
"Don't- don't regret it. Was- had to. Saved lives. But I would do different, given a chance."
There's a moment of sudden, utter silence, and a vague sensation of vertigo accompanying the instinctual knowledge that something is suddenly wrong.
Incoming conflict.
Obeying sharp instincts I've learnt not to disregard, I turn around. The invincible woman who's wiped the floor with my face more than once and had me at gunpoint not five seconds ago has jumped back with a panicked expression, right in time to avoid… something.
Something massive that just shattered the tree trunk she was sitting on, leaving only a crater. Something she cannot see or feel in any way, beyond the displaced air around it. But even that feels wrong. Almost as if…
There's a snapping sound, a painful crunch, and then darkness.
First is darkness.
Since darkness is being noticed, something else has to exist. That or the darkness is self-aware. In any case, there's an I.
I perceive, thus I exist.
But I don't know what I am.
Am I in the darkness? Am I the darkness?
Am I… powerless?
I attempt to move, but there's nothing to be moved.
I attempt to focus, but there's nothing to focus on.
I attempt to cry, but there's nothing to cry with.
Is there really darkness around me? I don't have eyes to see with anyway.
No… I am not alone.
There's… me. Confused, inquiring, yet unbending. I am who I am, and god help whoever tries to change that without permission.
There's… others. Confused, scared and suffering. They could use a shoulder to lean on. Even if my hands are full, I can't bring myself to thoughtlessly discard their problems.
And there's… it. Hungry, egoistical and dark. That which surrounds me and keeps me blind and deaf is trying to subsume me into itself. It won't ever win the fight, unless I surrender first. But that might hold its own merit? I know nothing, and the darkness knows enough to at least try and absorb me.
Choose your path:
*Me. The path of Ego Unbending. You fight for control with tooth and nail, until everything else is erased by your overwhelming presence. Even if you win, you'll remain lost, without a clue about wheres, whys or hows. But you'll remain yourself, and everything else can be worked out later.
*Us. The path of Collaboration. The others need you, and you need them. Together you'll rise against the darkness and triumph. Victory is all but guaranteed, but you'll stop being just you. Then again, you'll be more than the sum of the parts.
*It. The path of Submission. You don't fight. The darkness is stronger and more knowledgeable than you. Even if you were to win, you would only harm the whole. You'll focus on influencing that whole from inside instead. This path is hard, and involves retaining a sense of self through the merger. Victory in Surrender.
*Write-in. Write-ins are optional and give you the chance to propose alternatives, but they're subject to absolute veto privileges. If I don't consider a write-in in character, realistic, possible, or plain don't wanna deal with writing that, it will be discarded. That's why they're handled as separate tasks, and treated more like suggestions than votes. How they're handled in relation with normal votes (overriding, merging, etc) will be at my discretion.
[x] [Path] Me
[x] [Path] Us.
[x] [Path] It.
[x] [Write-in] Knock Yourselves out.
Note: The plan is to close votes in 24 hours, but let's see how it goes.
Last edited:
Character Sheet
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
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Weaver
Species: Adjuchas Hollow
Traits:
Traits reflect and influence your behaviour. While it's possible to take actions against a trait, doing so will grate on you. Actions too blatantly against one of your traits won't even be contemplated.
Perks:
Perks are one-time modifiers or power ups. They perform as advertised and that's it, there's no leveling them.
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses are the opposite of perks. Negative modifiers that work in a certain way and that's it. There's no leveling them.
Powers:
Powers are exceptional actions you can take, both in combat and outside it. Powers can improve with use and training, leveling up, prestiging and branching.
Power Level: 67/100
Concentrated Essence: 162/212
Traits:
Traits reflect and influence your behaviour. While it's possible to take actions against a trait, doing so will grate on you. Actions too blatantly against one of your traits won't even be contemplated.
You don't turn tail, you don't bow down. To the point where others might consider you suicidal. Case is, you somehow manage to pull it off, surviving and even taking down challenges above your weight class through guts and wit. Grants the Perk Escalada(Escalation).
You view figures of authority with distrust, and refuse to conform to the mold. Attempts at recruiting you will be met with wariness or even plain hostility, unless they come from someone you already trust. Even then, you'll always chafe under other's directions, and aim for the freedom to do 'your own thing'. Grants the Perk ?????.
There are many things in this world you cannot trust. Yourself isn't one of them. You aren't inclined to second guess yourself, and even situations specifically designed to cause hesitation will be solved with unwavering swiftness. Grants the perk Unflinching. Never stop! If you retreat, you will age. Be afraid, and you'll die.
A mysterious trait derived from carrying within you the light of another's soul. You are unaware of any specifics.
Perks:
Perks are one-time modifiers or power ups. They perform as advertised and that's it, there's no leveling them.
Granted by the Trait - Rise to the Challenge:
(Active/Passive)
A conceptual skill based around 'Growth'.
Active: Temporarily increases this Hollow's raw spiritual power to rise to the level of an opponent... For a cost. Afterwards, the user's growth becomes stunted for a duration depending on the power increase. Escalada only affects raw power, and cannot compensate for superior skill or techniques. Escalada cannot stack with itself, nor be reactivated during the 'stunted' period. It won't work against an opponent with 'infinite' spirit power.
Passive: The growth potential becomes literally second to no one. This skill affects only raw potential, without considering factors such as 'effort' or 'environment'. Thus a creature with a lesser potential might grow faster under the right conditions.
(Active/Passive)
A conceptual skill based around 'Growth'.
Active: Temporarily increases this Hollow's raw spiritual power to rise to the level of an opponent... For a cost. Afterwards, the user's growth becomes stunted for a duration depending on the power increase. Escalada only affects raw power, and cannot compensate for superior skill or techniques. Escalada cannot stack with itself, nor be reactivated during the 'stunted' period. It won't work against an opponent with 'infinite' spirit power.
Passive: The growth potential becomes literally second to no one. This skill affects only raw potential, without considering factors such as 'effort' or 'environment'. Thus a creature with a lesser potential might grow faster under the right conditions.
Granted by the Trait - Rebel: You are unaware of this ability or it's details.
You can be surprised, like anyone else, but you don't let those surprises startle you. Be it a dramatic revelation or just someone putting a hand on your shoulder with the worst timing, you can ignore penalties derived from surprise. Within reason.
A representation of a past feat, the ever-burning flames of life carried by the one who took down the cruel sun. Allows you to resist fire-based attacks to a high degree, and outright ignore them up a certain power threshold.
Adjuchas and above with this Perk gain the Power Fuego Mistico (Mystical Fire).
Adjuchas and above with this Perk gain the Power Fuego Mistico (Mystical Fire).
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses are the opposite of perks. Negative modifiers that work in a certain way and that's it. There's no leveling them.
Granted by Species - Hollow: You gradually lose Existence Essence simply by staying alive. If your Existence Essence becomes Zero and Oblivion Compensation triggers again, your Power Level will decrease by 1. This can undo Hollow evolutionary stages, but a baseline Hollow cannot go below 5 while in Hueco Mundo, and will quickly recover up to that point upon arrival. Vasto Lorde Metamorphosis or ????? will nullify this Weakness.
Powers:
Powers are exceptional actions you can take, both in combat and outside it. Powers can improve with use and training, leveling up, prestiging and branching.
The power to produce and shoot strings of fluid that quickly solidify into a silk-like substance upon leaving your body. The fluid is produced by converting Reiryoku in real time, thus working independently from storage capacity. The threads don't stick to you, unless you want.
At this level, you're competent enough to create a comfortable Home spacious enough to house someone ten times your size without running into any problem.
At this level, you're competent enough to create a comfortable Home spacious enough to house someone ten times your size without running into any problem.
The ability to exert many of your other powers through your threads. It only work with Power already maxed and only for the first Tier.
The ability to produce more than one thread simultaneously without any loss of skill. At this level, two additional threads can be produced.
The ability to move your threads as a limited form of telekinesis. It only works on threads and only as long as they're in contact with your body.
At this level, you can only cause slow and simple movements.
At this level, you can only cause slow and simple movements.
The power to project your hunger outside your own body, draining Reiryoku from the environment or other creatures. Hollows own hungering nature grant a limited protection from this.
An evolution of the draining capabilities of Chupavidas, Drain Wisdom allows to consume memories and knowledge instead of Reiryoku. At lower levels, the process is crude and blatant, causing pain and having the majority of the memories lost in the process, only brief glipses can be obtained by draining an intelligent being's whole memory.
Warning: Mastery of this skill improves at a very slow pace.
Warning: Mastery of this skill improves at a very slow pace.
An increase in scope for Chupavidas, instead of simply draining, Energy Manipulation opens a wider array of options. At this level, slightly bending a flow of alien energy, or inversing the flow or Chupavidas to grant your own energy to others instead becomes possible at an increased cost.
The ability to passively draw energy from your surroundings. At this level the effect is indiscriminate and shouldn't be used around allies. The aura can be activated or desactivated at will.
The power to manipulate your own hair and produce poison through it. Level of manipulation and strength of the poison increase with Lv.
Poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin, and now you can wield both! Healing Salve doesn't affect yourself.
A defensive move that allows the hardening of your hair, turning it into a spiked caparace of sorts. Phisical attacks against you will be met with poisonous thorns, provided your reaction speed allows you to activate your armor in time.
The ability to freely move your thair as a limited form of telekinesis. It perfectly synergices with Thread Manipulation, and increasing your mastery of either will affect both.
The power to derive strength from Hueco Mundo's moon. By bathing in moonlight, you can diminish the effects of the Oblivion and increase your own regeneration. The effects of this power can be increased by meditating under the moonlight, but are unavailable outside Hueco Mundo.
At this level, it grants the following bonuses.
-Oblivion Compensation reduced by a flat 24980 EE
-Power Level cannot decrease below 21 while in Hueco Mundo, and will gradually rise up to that level simply by remaining in Hueco Mundo.
-All bodily regeneration increased by 60%
At this level, it grants the following bonuses.
-Oblivion Compensation reduced by a flat 24980 EE
-Power Level cannot decrease below 21 while in Hueco Mundo, and will gradually rise up to that level simply by remaining in Hueco Mundo.
-All bodily regeneration increased by 60%
Swift dodge leaving behind a shed exoskeleton to take the hit for you and deceive the enemy. Kawarimi no jutsu, nin-nin!!
The ability to generate and manipulate fire. As proficiency increases, so does the degree of control and destructive power of the fire.
The set of powers innate to all Adjuchas, mastery of each power progresses separately.
Powerful non-elemental blast of energy of enormous output and relatively low charge time. The Fuck-you laser you always wanted.
Using Cero involves a swift deployment and compression of high amounts of reiryoku. While a single performance doesn't carry any negative effects, repeated use will quickly pile up stress, ultimately causing it to become unusable while the body recovers. Usual Hollow Regeneration doesn't diminish this downside
A power allowing very basic access to and out of Garganta. The knowledge to access the in-between world is instinctive, but aiming the exit somewhere else takes an anchor or beacon of some sort.
The ability to project a field of non-space around a friendly target for recovery pourposes. It must be used from Garganta.
Allows the usage of high amounts of energy to restore the body to pristine condition. Regeneration only works on wounds that can be healed naturally, 'merely' reducing the time it takes.
Power Level: 67/100
Concentrated Essence: 162/212
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MysticReaper
Getting out there.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2018
- Messages
- 22
- Likes received
- 9
[x] [Path] Me
ThatOneShadyGuy
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- May 20, 2018
- Messages
- 64
- Likes received
- 134
It sounds fun but Me sounds more like Taylor
[x] [Path] It.
[x] [Path] It.
NuclearBirb
A mysterious birb.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1,753
- Likes received
- 8,527
[x] [Path] Us.
globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2016
- Messages
- 3,604
- Likes received
- 13,957
[x] [Path] Me
mrttao
Gone for Good
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2015
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- 46,129
- Likes received
- 153,054
Vote Tally : Skittering Hollow (Bleach/Worm) | Questionable Questing [Posts: 3-14]
##### NetTally 3.0.3
Task: Path
[X][Path] Me
No. of Votes: 6
[X][Path] Us.
No. of Votes: 4
[X][Path] It.
No. of Votes: 2
Total No. of Voters: 12
##### NetTally 3.0.3
Task: Path
[X][Path] Me
No. of Votes: 6
No. of Votes: 4
No. of Votes: 2
Total No. of Voters: 12
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
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- Oct 4, 2019
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- 6,973
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- 348,418
Still two hours till the vote ends, but it sure seems like we have a winner.
Jubjub3000
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2019
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- 1,772
- Likes received
- 7,691
My vote goes for "us"
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
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Alright, ladies and gents, votes are now closed!
As mrttao kindly tallied, the winner is: [x] [Path] Me
So yeah, that's a thing. Honestly was expecting the 'Us' path to win... B- But never fear! I had atotally hopeless great plan for each and every single possiblity. Now I'll retire to pull my hair and despair polish the next scene. Please wait warmly!
PS: Jubjub3000 please use the current voting format. We use a tallying program that won't recognise your vote otherwise
As mrttao kindly tallied, the winner is: [x] [Path] Me
So yeah, that's a thing. Honestly was expecting the 'Us' path to win... B- But never fear! I had a
PS: Jubjub3000 please use the current voting format. We use a tallying program that won't recognise your vote otherwise
1986ctcel
Connoisseur.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
- Messages
- 32,363
- Likes received
- 55,319
Then don't put in options that you don't want to write or don't have plans for.Alright, ladies and gents, votes are now closed!
As mrttao kindly tallied, the winner is: [x] [Path] Me
So yeah, that's a thing. Honestly was expecting the 'Us' path to win... B- But never fear! I had atotally hopelessgreat plan for each and every single possiblity. Now I'll retire topull my hair and despairpolish the next scene. Please wait warmly!
PS: Jubjub3000 please use the current voting format. We use a tallying program that won't recognise your vote otherwise
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
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Nah, don't worry. The whole point is giving you guys options and see where that takes us. It was just a bit of self-depreciating humour.
Larva 1.01 - Welcome to Hueco Mundo
Planeshunter
Verified Slimegirl Whisperer, Lord of the Useless
- Joined
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- 348,418
[x] [Path] Me
No.
I am. I don't know who I am. Nor why, nor how, not even what. But I am. Therefore I refuse to stop being. Maybe, if I had something else to offer, I would try and help others. But the only thing I own is myself, and I will never give that up.
I have to put myself together first, helping others is a luxury I cannot afford.
So I push back. Against both the ever present darkness trying to smother me, and against the specks of will that are the others. I don't have much, just a sense of self, but I give my all to this task. Because doing something else would spell instant doom.
Even like this, I can feel the pressure around my self gradually increasing, as the darkness seems to pay attention to my defiance and react accordingly. In an attempt to raise my own effort, I focus with all my might in… well, me.
Slowly, I realize something else. I might have no memories, I might have no knowledge, but I'm still something more than mere existence. Because I have a will, I have a personality and capability to choose. Didn't I choose not to be consumed, after all?
And I have memories now, don't I? Short, dark memories filled with words of introspection, but memories all the same. From the moment I became aware, every second made me stronger, gave me a firmer grip on who I am. Even without name, even without body, my very defiance is my victory.
But the pressure keeps increasing, and I can feel my resolve cracking. If things keep up like this… No, I can't think like that. This is a battle of wills, just contemplating a possibility makes it more likely. Even so, what can I do? In frustrated impotence, I grit my metaphorical teeth and focus on existing harder.
I won't be defeated. Not here, not like this. Even if it costs me my body, my mind, my soul. I won't surrender. I will keep going until the bitter end. Because there is no other path I'd rather walk. So, I fight. Victory is unavoidable.
With that realization, the floodgates open within and for a moment my existence becomes more. Heavy, like the orb in the sky pulling the tides. Vast, like the cold dark abyssal depths. Ancient, like the shattered aeons. In that moment, I burst outwards, consuming the darkness and making it mine.
As suddenly as it happened, it fades away, but it's been long enough. I am the darkness now. It's… honestly not all it was primed to be. Just a mass of instincts and appetites, wrapped up in flesh. But it's my mass of instincts and appetites now. And a step forward, I know now how to take the next one.
The specks of others I felt with me in the darkness are agitated, probably due to my own rebellion and rise to power. Nevertheless I am now the darkness, and I can smother them as I was almost smothered myself. Reaching for one of the specks of will, I… grasp. The speck immediately calms down, cowed into submission by my superior presence.
The rest of the process is almost boring, consolidating my position and guaranteeing my continued existence. Only the last speck to disappear attracts my attention for a moment, as it has used the others as decoys to actively hide from me. It's… an interesting strategy, that I'll definitely keep in mind in case this situation somehow repeats in the future, but ultimately a worthless effort. The speck's ego is weak, and this is a battle of wills, brutal and straightforward. Even the most refined technique in the world can only buy time against a stronger opponent.
Finally I can relax. I am me, and I'm in control of my fate.
…
That's when the pain hits me.
Congratulations! By taking control of your fate, you've started defining yourself, and have gained your first traits.
Trait - Rise to the Challenge: You don't turn tail, you don't bow down. To the point where others might consider you suicidal. Case is, you somehow manage to pull it off, surviving and even taking down challenges above your weight class through guts and wit. Grants the Perk ?????.
Trait - Rebel: You view figures of authority with distrust, and refuse to conform to the mold. Attempts at recruiting you will be met with wariness or even plain hostility, unless they come from someone you already trust. Even then, you'll always chafe under other's directions, and aim for the freedom to do 'your own thing'. Grants the Perk ?????.
I open my eyes with a groan.
… Hey, I have eyes! That's good, that's good. Because I still have no idea who or what I am, much less where I am or what I am supposed to be doing. Well… no. That's not the absolute truth, actually. Looks like those instincts I claimed before are useful for something, because I know what I look like.
… Fuck. My. Life.
I'm apparently a caterpillar. A very pissed off-looking caterpillar. Just peachy. At least my hair is gorgeous.
A rumbling noise interrupts the pity party, making me very aware of the other tidbit my instincts have kindly pointed at. The fact that I'm hungry. No, scratch that. I'm famished, ravenous and positively starving.
… And surrounded by white sand dunes in all directions, with only the occasional withered tree to add some variety.
Let's look at the bright side. I know what I am: some sort of masked bug with a killer hair. I know what I am supposed to be doing: Finding something to eat, because, you know, kinda starving here. And I even know where I am! In the middle of a friggin' desert. I wonder how difficult will be to find some fresh leaves to munch in here.
Because I eat leaves, right? That what caterpillars eat. Oh, hell I'm screwed.
Also my instincts are screaming that I'm exposed and vulnerable. That must mean that, as scary as I am, there are things out here that rank way higher in the food chain. So… I probably shouldn't stand here and wait for a masked sparrow or something to swoop in and munch my juicy brown rear.
Why am I brown anyway? Shouldn't I be white? To at least hide better against the sand? Why did nobody explain my body how evolution works?
Choose your actions:
Cover. The neverending dunes aren't so neverending, now that you pay more attention. There's a lot of trees behind you, not that far away. It shouldn't be too hard to get there, and seems like a safe bet, food-wise. I mean, that's a real forest, with green leaves and everything!
Civilization. There's a building you can make out far in the distance, is that or the weirdest rock formation you've ever seen. Hard to say, since it's the same white colour as the sand, and kinda far away. You can't remember ever seeing a rock formation before anyway.
To the End of the World! The opposite direction from the rock formation there's a wall of black clouds apparently surging from the ground itself. It's even further away than anything else you can see, and you have no idea what you might find there. I mean, dark clouds sound ominous as heck, but it's your life, and you're a rebel.
Ambush. Yeah, everything looks a bit too far away, and you really should save energy. Better to burrow yourself and wait for something to happen. Like a caravan to ambush, or some game to hunt …where did that last idea come from?
Defiance. Actually… why hide at all? You can just climb the nearest dune and dare the world to do their worst! That's just looking for trouble, but it's still technically an option.
Screw this. You don't like this place, you don't want to be here. And, now that you think about it, you've gotten away with a lot lately, simply focusing enough on it. So maybe you can just wish to be somewhere else very hard?
[X][Destination] Cover.
[X][Destination] Civilization.
[X][Destination] The End of the World.
[X][Destination] Ambush.
[X][Destination] Defiance.
[X][Destination] Screw this.
[X][Write-in] As before, feel free to suggest alternatives.
PS: If you ever wish to change your vote, simply edit your post, don't add a new one.
No.
I am. I don't know who I am. Nor why, nor how, not even what. But I am. Therefore I refuse to stop being. Maybe, if I had something else to offer, I would try and help others. But the only thing I own is myself, and I will never give that up.
I have to put myself together first, helping others is a luxury I cannot afford.
So I push back. Against both the ever present darkness trying to smother me, and against the specks of will that are the others. I don't have much, just a sense of self, but I give my all to this task. Because doing something else would spell instant doom.
Even like this, I can feel the pressure around my self gradually increasing, as the darkness seems to pay attention to my defiance and react accordingly. In an attempt to raise my own effort, I focus with all my might in… well, me.
Slowly, I realize something else. I might have no memories, I might have no knowledge, but I'm still something more than mere existence. Because I have a will, I have a personality and capability to choose. Didn't I choose not to be consumed, after all?
And I have memories now, don't I? Short, dark memories filled with words of introspection, but memories all the same. From the moment I became aware, every second made me stronger, gave me a firmer grip on who I am. Even without name, even without body, my very defiance is my victory.
But the pressure keeps increasing, and I can feel my resolve cracking. If things keep up like this… No, I can't think like that. This is a battle of wills, just contemplating a possibility makes it more likely. Even so, what can I do? In frustrated impotence, I grit my metaphorical teeth and focus on existing harder.
I won't be defeated. Not here, not like this. Even if it costs me my body, my mind, my soul. I won't surrender. I will keep going until the bitter end. Because there is no other path I'd rather walk. So, I fight. Victory is unavoidable.
{Agreement}
With that realization, the floodgates open within and for a moment my existence becomes more. Heavy, like the orb in the sky pulling the tides. Vast, like the cold dark abyssal depths. Ancient, like the shattered aeons. In that moment, I burst outwards, consuming the darkness and making it mine.
As suddenly as it happened, it fades away, but it's been long enough. I am the darkness now. It's… honestly not all it was primed to be. Just a mass of instincts and appetites, wrapped up in flesh. But it's my mass of instincts and appetites now. And a step forward, I know now how to take the next one.
The specks of others I felt with me in the darkness are agitated, probably due to my own rebellion and rise to power. Nevertheless I am now the darkness, and I can smother them as I was almost smothered myself. Reaching for one of the specks of will, I… grasp. The speck immediately calms down, cowed into submission by my superior presence.
The rest of the process is almost boring, consolidating my position and guaranteeing my continued existence. Only the last speck to disappear attracts my attention for a moment, as it has used the others as decoys to actively hide from me. It's… an interesting strategy, that I'll definitely keep in mind in case this situation somehow repeats in the future, but ultimately a worthless effort. The speck's ego is weak, and this is a battle of wills, brutal and straightforward. Even the most refined technique in the world can only buy time against a stronger opponent.
Finally I can relax. I am me, and I'm in control of my fate.
…
That's when the pain hits me.
Congratulations! By taking control of your fate, you've started defining yourself, and have gained your first traits.
Trait - Rise to the Challenge: You don't turn tail, you don't bow down. To the point where others might consider you suicidal. Case is, you somehow manage to pull it off, surviving and even taking down challenges above your weight class through guts and wit. Grants the Perk ?????.
Trait - Rebel: You view figures of authority with distrust, and refuse to conform to the mold. Attempts at recruiting you will be met with wariness or even plain hostility, unless they come from someone you already trust. Even then, you'll always chafe under other's directions, and aim for the freedom to do 'your own thing'. Grants the Perk ?????.
The Trait Rebel is a product of your Path, and Rise to the Challenge the result of a high enough roll. The plan was for you to also gain a weakness here, but a wild Natural 100 appeared, so we'll skip that.
I open my eyes with a groan.
… Hey, I have eyes! That's good, that's good. Because I still have no idea who or what I am, much less where I am or what I am supposed to be doing. Well… no. That's not the absolute truth, actually. Looks like those instincts I claimed before are useful for something, because I know what I look like.
… Fuck. My. Life.
I'm apparently a caterpillar. A very pissed off-looking caterpillar. Just peachy. At least my hair is gorgeous.
A rumbling noise interrupts the pity party, making me very aware of the other tidbit my instincts have kindly pointed at. The fact that I'm hungry. No, scratch that. I'm famished, ravenous and positively starving.
… And surrounded by white sand dunes in all directions, with only the occasional withered tree to add some variety.
Let's look at the bright side. I know what I am: some sort of masked bug with a killer hair. I know what I am supposed to be doing: Finding something to eat, because, you know, kinda starving here. And I even know where I am! In the middle of a friggin' desert. I wonder how difficult will be to find some fresh leaves to munch in here.
Because I eat leaves, right? That what caterpillars eat. Oh, hell I'm screwed.
Also my instincts are screaming that I'm exposed and vulnerable. That must mean that, as scary as I am, there are things out here that rank way higher in the food chain. So… I probably shouldn't stand here and wait for a masked sparrow or something to swoop in and munch my juicy brown rear.
Why am I brown anyway? Shouldn't I be white? To at least hide better against the sand? Why did nobody explain my body how evolution works?
Choose your actions:
Cover. The neverending dunes aren't so neverending, now that you pay more attention. There's a lot of trees behind you, not that far away. It shouldn't be too hard to get there, and seems like a safe bet, food-wise. I mean, that's a real forest, with green leaves and everything!
Civilization. There's a building you can make out far in the distance, is that or the weirdest rock formation you've ever seen. Hard to say, since it's the same white colour as the sand, and kinda far away. You can't remember ever seeing a rock formation before anyway.
To the End of the World! The opposite direction from the rock formation there's a wall of black clouds apparently surging from the ground itself. It's even further away than anything else you can see, and you have no idea what you might find there. I mean, dark clouds sound ominous as heck, but it's your life, and you're a rebel.
Ambush. Yeah, everything looks a bit too far away, and you really should save energy. Better to burrow yourself and wait for something to happen. Like a caravan to ambush, or some game to hunt …where did that last idea come from?
Defiance. Actually… why hide at all? You can just climb the nearest dune and dare the world to do their worst! That's just looking for trouble, but it's still technically an option.
Screw this. You don't like this place, you don't want to be here. And, now that you think about it, you've gotten away with a lot lately, simply focusing enough on it. So maybe you can just wish to be somewhere else very hard?
[X][Destination] Cover.
[X][Destination] Civilization.
[X][Destination] The End of the World.
[X][Destination] Ambush.
[X][Destination] Defiance.
[X][Destination] Screw this.
[X][Write-in] As before, feel free to suggest alternatives.
PS: If you ever wish to change your vote, simply edit your post, don't add a new one.
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globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
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[X][Destination] Cover.
Jubjub3000
Versed in the lewd.
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[X][Destination] Civilization.
Join aizen and co, become their mascot and bring harmony between hollow and shinigami alike!
Join aizen and co, become their mascot and bring harmony between hollow and shinigami alike!
mrttao
Gone for Good
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rebel trait, we do not join
Jubjub3000
Versed in the lewd.
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Yes but aizen wants conflict so we rebel against his ideals by bringing peace and if we are perceived as weak when we do it then it can be classified as rebelling against what everyone expects because they would expect someone really powerful to be able to make peace between the shinigami and the hollows (intellegent ones anyway)
