Live hunt (solo)

The arrancar named Madoka had opened a portal to the human world. Amago wanted Stratus to accompany him on his important trip. Since his arrival in the strange place he was unsure what exactly he was supposed to be doing. It seemed Moledale hadn't explained everything to him, luckily he the arrancar didn't ask him too many questions. He had thought about escaping, but he had no clue where to go. So instead he went along for the ride. There wasn't much he could do if they decided to kill him, what choice did he really have? The tall man waved his hand and a horizontal fissure appeared in the air. It split further and further until bits retracted like a door and a black void stood before him. Madoka gestured to Stratus to enter. Very slowing he stepped into the waiting maw. He'd experienced the feeling many times before, but this time was different. The darkness was there, but there was a path now, not just a something pulling him. It had only been seconds since he stepped through that he found himself at another opening. Just looking out the hole he knew he wasn't in the cavern anymore. The first sign of this was the clouds in the sky. Not once in Hueco Mundo had such a thing grazed the ebony sky. As for the second clue it was the fact that the orange color of the setting sun. Rarely did the hollow venture to the human world during the day. Something about the dark was comforting. Perhaps it had something to do with the infinite night the permeated Hueco Mundo. It did indeed feel odd looking at the orange red sky, but that discomfort was replaced the sudden appearance of Madoka. Having that person stand behind was more unnerving than anything Stratus had ever felt. With ease the man had picked him up and nearly smashed him like a bug. If not for Amago he might have been turned into a pancake. Without Amago around he wondered if the other would attack him with renewed animosity.

"Hurry and suppress your spiritual power." the man grunted. Stratus was startled, but quickly complied. He stepped through the new opening into the human world and promptly started to fall. He had been so nervous with the arrancar behind him that he hadn't noticed that the portal was hanging several feet in the air. He managed to turn slight and tried to grab for the edge of the gate. His fingers missed and he could only stare blankly up at Madoka as he watched him fall. It wasn't like a fall from that height would kill him, but it did hurt. As he tumbled through the air he clipped the sided of a building and ricocheted towards another before slamming into the ground back first. His heavy form had gained enough speed to push his body nearly two inches deep. Cracks formed all through the rocky alley. Stratus continued to stare blankly at the sky. Seconds passed and Madoka appeared next to him. "Are you done?" he asked rather flatly. The man's expression wasn't one of mirth, but that's what made it more aggravating. Not like he could do anything to the arrancar.
"Yes." came the equally flat reply. It took little effort for him to pull himself free from pavement and stood up. Madoka regarded him as he did so, but said nothing.
"Let's continue then." He vanished in a flicker. Sonido again. Stratus reached out with his senses. Suppressing his own energy while to detect anthers' power was tricky to do. While he couldn't get a solid lock, he had a vague idea of the direction. A very faint presence. It must be hard for such a powerful being to completely hide themselves. With a grunt the hollow leaped up the walls he had previously knocked against. He scaled the building in seconds and took off across the roof toward what he hopped was Madoka. As he got closer he became more confident in his guess. In less than a minute he go visual confirmation. Stratus had thought about using sonido, but he wasn't sure how far he could go with the skill. Also doing so would would require him release his energy some more. As he neared the roof the arrancar turned to look at him. Again he said nothing instead he pointed down at the street corner below. The night almost upon them the people of the city still walked the sidewalks carefree. At first Stratus figured that the four humans were what they had come for, but noticed something odd. One of the four humans was floating behind the other. Chains wrapped around the young woman walking, but she didn't seem to notice. A bound spirit, it looked like a young man. It wasn't often he saw such a thing of the few times he had he encountered it he enjoyed the easy meal. Generally he preferred working for his supper. After awhile he just left such things alone unless he was really hungry. Was this what Madoka wanted? Some pathetic spirit?

Once more there was the hiss as Madoka sonido from the rooftop. Stratus quickly scanned for him, and then stopped. It would seem the man hadn't gone far at all. Down on the street stood Madoka. He stood right in the middle of the sidewalk as the group of humans they had been watching. The arrancar didn't move he stood as still as a statue. Just as the group drew walked past Madoka's hand flickered. Stratus barely caught the motion at all. Just as suddenly the girl dropped like a stone. Even from the distance the hollow could tell she was dead. The other two people with her rushed to her side. They shook her and called her name, but there was no response. After she fell Madoka grabbed the chains that still clung to her body and yanked. From the prone form rose the spirit of the recently deceased girl. Madoka vanished again only to reappear next to Stratus with both souls beside him.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the girl screeched as the man's spirit tried to embrace her. "Get away from me, get him away from me
"Joyce, you're here with me!" he said with his hands out. "We can be together forever now."
"You're dead! Get away from me!" she continued to scream and punched the other spirit. "We broke up and you killed yourself...." it was then she noticed Madoka and then noticed the hollow next to him. "What the hell are you!?"
"Come, the master awaits." Was all Madoka said as he opened another portal. The arrancar held both souls by the tangled chains. Stratus wondered why this was an important errand. Was Madoka getting food for Amago? Without bothering to ask he stepped into the portal to return to Hueco Mundo.

The trip back was interesting to say the least. Both spirits screamed in horror as they traveled between the dimensions. To the humans it had to be a truly frightening place. Stratus didn't like the place much himself, it had to be hellish for the simple souls. Still like last time the journey was pleasantly short. In less than a moment they were stepping out into the white desert that was Hueco Mundo. The screaming stopped as the spirits observed their surroundings.
"Where the hell are we?" the man questioned, but he didn't get a reply from either hollow instead he was pulled forward toward the massive mount sitting before them. This was the first time Stratus had seen it too. It was so unfathomably high, how could he have missed seeing it? Just how far East was he from Las Noches? The rock was surely it's equal in size; it would be visible from far away much like the other structure. Even as he marveled at the mountain Madoka walked calmly toward it pulling the enchained spirits behind him. Stratus brought up the rear.

It took nearly five minutes to reach the mountain proper. The sniveling of the human spirits ended rather quickly as they were forced to walk the white sands. If they hadn’t started to walk Stratus was sure that Madoka would have just dragged them. It was best that they kept quiet. Any questions they asked of their captor was only met with silence. They didn’t even bother to ask the monstrous Stratus any questions. So they kept walking and wondered strange world they had been taken too. The male spirit tried to comfort the young girl. At first she had pushed him away, but now they seemed to get along better. The hollow noted that the man’s chain was still tied about the woman. Her own chain was tangled within the man’s. Stratus was curious, but kept his mouth shut. Just like the souls he was sure he wouldn’t get an answer from the arrancar. Once they arrived at the mountain it was difficult to see the entrance. It was almost an optical illusion the way the rocks make it look like a solid where the opening was. They entered the dark cave Madoka hand never leaving the chain. It was like a labyrinth. The series of tunnels reminded Stratus of the caverns in the Menos Forest. Actually there was a small difference, he didn’t have to stoop to move through the tunnels. There was little light to see by, occasionally Stratus would bump against a wall or almost trip on the uneven earth. Slowly as they progressed further the illuminating crystals increased in frequency. Soon it was like walking in with torch. The humans started to cower and moan. Indeed walking down a dark cave was quite scary for the moral souls. Even with more light it Stratus had no idea where they were, he had to rely on Madoka to lead the way. The trip seemed even longer with no one talking. Just when he was about to break down and ask the arrancar they came to a familiar room. It was the large room with the massive pit in the center. Madoka stepped right up to the edge without a moment’s hesitation. The humans weren’t so eager, nor was Stratus.

“Come.” was all Madoka said and Stratus moved closer. He grabbed and lifted the hollow effortlessly over his head. With Stratus in one hand and the chain from the souls in the other he jumped down the pit. The two spirits could not resist arrancar’s strength and were pulled down with him. They screamed in unison as they descended. Honestly Stratus wasn’t too happy with it either, but didn’t want to seem so pathetic in front of the humans. As they dropped he noticed that it was getting colder. It wasn’t like the last time he had come here. As he thought about it, he didn’t recall falling that long. The humans were still screaming. They had been for awhile now. Stratus looked at the arrancar, but his face was like a rock. While he was expecting them to stop any moment, they didn’t. Stratus began to get worried. At first he counted the lights as they dropped. After twenty he got bored. It seemed to be getting darker, he could no longer see the top of the pit anymore.
“Hey, where are we going?” he finally asked sounding more nervous than he would like.
“To the bottom.” was the only answer as the continued to descend. By the time they stopped the humans had stopped screaming. Either from being tired, or they had finally gotten used to it. If Stratus had a watch he would have know that they had been falling for over thirty minutes. When they landed it was still cold, but another chill ran up Stratus’ spine. There was something strange about this place. It was dark, but the shadows felt odd. Even thought his shadow permiated everything, they could see within a couple of feet.
It was like a vapor, like the very air was darkness itself. Almost as if something dark and sinister lurked all around them and yet the shadows hid it. It was a grumbling of something old and very powerful. A feeling very hard to put into words filled him; fear. Whatever he felt the humans must have felt worst as the man started to scream loudly. Madoka had released his hold on the chain and stepped away from the duo. The man grabbed the sides of his head as he released a blood curdling scream. Worried the woman rushed to his side, but he didn’t hear her words. The chain that hung from his chest broke and scream took on an inhuman tone. In the slight haze that surrounded them Stratus could see the hole in the man’s chest. Suddenly the darkness rushed at him.
“Stay close.” Madoka said standing right to his side. He could see it now, the shadow within shadows moved to embrace the man. The man was gone now, and he could hear the woman sobbing. Stratus felt a sudden pulse of energy burst from the direction of the man. The darkness moved away and the man was gone. In his place was a beast. A white boney mask like an angler fish sat atop the 6 foot monster. It’s arms covered in a greenish fur that ended in three fingered claws. A spiked membrane rand down it’s spine to the fur covered legs. Without hesitation it leaped at the woman. She screamed, but it was over instantly. The newly formed hollow looked up from it’s half finished meal and roared. Blood dripped from the corners of it’s white mask.
“You will travel to Earth and bring forth sprits in the same manner.” Madoka began. “A least one per day for the growing army.”
“What!?” Stratus looked at the darkness around him it seemed to moving again, but didn’t get any closer. “What the hell is this!?” He pointed to the shifting shadows.
“This is the birthing place.” Madoka replied flatly. “It’s best you learn to fly soon or getting out of here alone will take you all day.” With that said he approached the other hollow. The monster hissed at the approaching arrancar, but then it froze. Stratus felt what bound it in place. Madoka has released a wave of spiritual pressure. Stratus noticed the darkness move again, but quickly turned his head back to the Madoka and the hollow. The beast had stopped hissing.
“Come.” he said and grabbed the beast by the neck like an errant puppy. Stratus moved closer and was lifted like before. He had more questions, but he didn’t want to stay down here a moment longer.