The Spider Express
The Hollow World, like its inhabitants, has an endless hunger. It gnaws at those who wander its sands and sleep under its sky. In a desert where nothing ever changes, it's so easy to get lost.
At least the sand doesn't cling to your pants.
You clutch your compass tighter. As long as you have it, you can always make it back to Las Noches. To something in this nothing.
For now, you scout. It's a pointless duty, and one you were never commanded to do, but it's better than lazing about. Even if it's hardly less boring, it feels right.
You stop and look around, brown eyes wide behind your mask. The moon is only half-full. It's evening. There's hardly a breeze.
Was it nothing?
You draw Polilla. You could have sworn-
Sand tumbles down the dunes, and this time you're sure. Something's moving. Underground.
You take to the sky and stand there instead. You're not going to let yourself be food.
One of the dunes moves. A white horn bursts through the side, followed by one grey leg. Then another. And another.
That's... a lot of legs, you decide, as the beast shakes off the sand that had covered. Now that it isn't masquerading as a dune, you can see it fully. It looks like a horned spider. With, somehow, too many limbs, and a hollow hole punched horizontally through its abdomen.
It's weak, you decide. Just a regular hollow, not so hungry as to need more than the air and sand of Hueco Mundo.
You ready Polilla and prepare to dive.
"Hello!" it rumbles, and you pause.
Hello?
"I have slept long. What are you?"
You are Nemo Elcorbuzier, Arrancar #48 in service to Sosuke Aizen.
The beast hums contemplatively. It sounds like an earthquake.
"Never heard of him," it shouts up at you.
You don't sputter, but it's a close thing. Aizen's ruled Las Noches for... well you're not sure, really, but quite a while.
"A ruler? Now that's a rare thing," the spider replies. "Come down here, we can hardly have a conversation shouting at each other."
You descend cautiously.
"You are a small morsel, aren't you?" it asks. "Surely you can't be that fast with legs that short."
You're not sure if you want to be offended or wary of the implication. You're faster than it, you're sure.
"Pah, maybe in a sprint," it scoffs. "But over a journey I think my legs will hold up better. I can rest some while others walk, and you cannot, biped."
You're skeptical.
"A proof then. Let me carry you to this lord of yours, and see if the leaving was faster than the return."
And why should you trust it?
"We are both Hollow, you and I, and yet it is not our bellies that are empty," it answers. "Now will you let me aid you on your journey and see this Las Noches?"
...Fine.
You climb into the abdomen of the beast. Now that you're here, you can see what looks like seats carved into the dark chitin of the hole. Little more that divots, filled with white sand, but they are reassuring and you settle down into one.
And it is well that you did, because the beast is not gentle as it moves. However, despite the bruising your backside has suffered, you begin to see the pillars of Las Noches pass by far sooner than you'd expected.
The spider stops before the great gates. They're unmanned, as usual. No threats exist to Las Noches in Hueco Mundo. You're alone.
You disembark from the beast. It should hide, under the dunes. Another arrancar might think it good prey. You should give it that much advice, as thanks.
"Thank you, small thing," it rumbles. "It is good to be of use once again."
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: ORIGINALITY, WHAT'S THAT?]
[Find a lonely arthropodal taxi service to help you out and also discuss the meaning of life.]
