Turning around, Ren saw a small girl draped in rags, lying on the ground without a shred of dignity, laughing her head off.
The little girl had grass-green, shoulder-length hair. Her Hollow hole was located where her left eye should be, surrounded by a ring of white bone. Aside from that, the rest of her body looked remarkably human.
Key descriptors: Loli, petite, and energetic.
Who is this now? Ren wondered. However, having learned his lesson from Ulquiorra, he immediately thought of the Espada. Comparing the girl before him to his memories, the answer became clear.
She looks like Starrk's subordinate, Lilynette Gingerbuck.
He quickly scanned the surroundings, searching for Starrk's silhouette. At the same time, a trace of fear flickered in his heart! After all, the original story described Starrk as terrifying; his passive Spiritual Pressure (Reiatsu) alone was enough to crush nearby Hollows. Since Ren hadn't reached the Vasto Lorde level yet, he was worried about being accidentally pulverized.
As he tensed up, Ulquiorra also looked curiously at the laughing girl. He couldn't understand why she was so amused.
"What is wrong with her?" Ulquiorra asked.
"I don't know. She doesn't seem very bright," Ren shook his head. While answering Ulquiorra, he continued to scan for Starrk.
However, he was destined not to find him. At this point in time, Lilynette had not yet split from Starrk.
After a while, Lilynette stood up, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. She addressed the two of them: "Nice to meet ya! I'm Lilynette! What is that thing you're eating? Can I have some?"
Indeed, Lilynette had been lured over by the scent of the barbecue. In all her years in Hueco Mundo, she had never smelled anything so enticing. Without hesitation, she had followed her nose right to the source.
She had arrived just in time to see Ulquiorra's stiff attempt at a smile, and she truly couldn't hold back her laughter. Now that she had laughed her fill, she remembered why she came and stared intently at the meat in Ulquiorra's hand.
Ulquiorra looked at Ren. Since Ren was the one who prepared the food, the decision to share rested with him.
"Oh, sure. Come join us," Ren said, feeling a wave of relief. As long as she wasn't here for a fight, everything was negotiable.
Moreover, since he couldn't find Starrk anywhere and had sensed Lilynette's Reiatsu more closely, he reached a conclusion: Lilynette had not yet separated into two entities. This meant the little girl standing before him was a top-tier Vasto Lorde—the strongest class in Hueco Mundo! If he truly offended her, his life might very well end today.
"Woot!" Lilynette appeared in front of them in an instant. She snatched the meat from Ren's hand and began devouring it.
"Mmm~ So good! I've never had anything this tasty!"
Watching the smiling Lilynette, Ren didn't dare lower his guard. He had survived the climb from the lower levels of Hueco Mundo by being extremely cautious. When facing beings stronger than himself, he always preferred to hide or evade.
This was arguably the biggest crisis he had faced since his rebirth. He was flanked by two Vasto Lordes! Ulquiorra was somewhat predictable, but if he recalled correctly, Lilynette loved to cause trouble.
She has the power of the Primera Espada and a penchant for mischief. That's incredibly dangerous!
While Lilynette was busy eating, Ren gave Ulquiorra a look, signaling for them to make a quick exit. Having spent so much time together, Ulquiorra understood Ren's intent immediately. He stood up to follow.
Seeing them prepare to leave, Lilynette followed while still holding her meat. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"
"None of your business," Ren replied.
"Don't be so cold! This stuff is delicious. Let's travel together! You handle the cooking, and I'll handle the hunting. You're still an Adjuchas, right? You must want to evolve. I can provide all the food you need for your evolution," Lilynette said non-stop while eating.
Ren had no intention of stopping. With Ulquiorra around, few in Hueco Mundo could challenge them. Even without Ulquiorra, he could grow stronger on his own; Ulquiorra had never actually hunted for him. His current success was his own doing.
So, Lilynette's offer shouldn't have moved him... except that it totally did!
Who would turn down an extra bodyguard? Especially one at the absolute peak of Hueco Mundo! The reason he hadn't agreed yet was his own concern.
Maybe I can take advantage of her good mood to set some ground rules, so she doesn't go completely wild later, Ren thought.
Seeing no reaction from the two, Lilynette frowned in annoyance. "Hey! Say something!"
Ren turned around and said calmly, "You want to come with us?"
Lilynette's face stiffened for a second before she quickly pivoted. "Who! Who said I wanted to be with you?! I just want more good food! Besides, I'm stronger than you, so consider this an order! An order! Got it?"
"Oh."
Ren gave a dry response. He was now certain that Lilynette wasn't here just for the food. If he remembered correctly, the Primera Espada was desperately lonely and craved companionship. That meant the power of choice was actually in his hands!
Feeling much more secure, Ren looked at Lilynette. "You can join us, but only if you follow one rule."
"What rule?" Lilynette perked up instantly, her big eyes blinking at Ren. She practically had 'Please take me in' written across her face.
Ren smiled. "It's simple. If I tell you to stop, you must stop your attack immediately!"
"That's it? No problem!" Lilynette agreed without a second thought.
Seeing her smile, Ren beckoned to Ulquiorra. "From now on, we're partners. By the way, my name is Ren. What's yours?"
Since Ulquiorra hadn't stated his name yet, Ren couldn't just blurt it out. Ulquiorra thought for a moment and spoke: "Ulquiorra Cifer." In their corner of the world, Hollows often had such names, so he followed the template.
"Too long. I'll just call you Little U," Ren waved it off. He sat back down by the fire and addressed them both. "Come sit. We're a team now. I hope we can help each other out and not stab each other in the back."
"Of course we won't!" Lilynette laughed as she finished her meat. Then, she looked at Ulquiorra with a battle-hungry gaze. "Hey! You're a Vasto Lorde too! How about a fight?!"