The Start of a new Journey

After Alice presented herself to Solo and his companions, Luka remembered something and yelled

Luka: My baptism! I have to get back before I'm late! Sorry if I couldn't help you, bye.

Then Luka left the place while waving at them, meanwhile the rest watched him leave until he was far enough and Alice turned to Solo.

Alice: Why didn't you stop him?

Solo: Why should I? He is busy and in the end I planned to search for him because he needs to give me some informations.

Alice: What information?

Solo: It's not important right now, How are you feeling? That crash should hurt a bit.

Alice: I am ok, thank you for asking, but I have a question.

Solo: Ask away.

Alice: Why aren't you afraid of me? I am a monster and I could decide to either rape you or kill you.

Solo: Nah, you can't, you are too weak to kill me.

Alice narrowed her eyes and asked him with a dark tone.

Alice: What do you mean?

Then Lime decided to talk with enthusiasm.

Lime: He is a monster like us!

Alice: A monster? Him?

Lime: Yes, he said he was an Arrancar, do you know something?

Alice: Arrancar? I never heard of this race.

Lime: Oh…

Alice then turned towards Solo with a curious expression and asked.

Alice: What is an Arrancar?

Solo: I don't want to explain it, so I will just say I am a really strong ghost.

Alice: G-ghost?!

Then she suddenly disappeared from everyone's sight and Solo turned towards a tree while raising an eyebrow, Lime noticed it and glanced to the same direction just to see a trembling Alice behind a tree.

Alice: S-Stay away f-from me!

Solo: Don't tell me you are scared of ghosts…

Alice: N-no… I'm not…

Solo: It's ok, I'm just classified as a ghost, in everything else I am human-like, my body isn't transparent, I don't transform in scary things 'Well, not scary at least…', and etc...

Alice: R-Really…?

Solo: Don't be such a kid and get away from the tree.

Alice: I-I'm not a kid!! Now I'll get back!

From being angered, Alice didn't cared anymore if he was a ghost and got in front of him while trying to intimidate him, which was unsuccessful.

Alice: So you are a monster too… What do you have that is different from humans?

Solo: *Sigh* This…

Solo just opened his white uniform and revealed his hollow hole to Alice, who was a bit frightened but she managed to relax.

Alice: And where is your heart?

Solo: I don't have one, this is the main trait of my race, our heart disappears and becomes a mask, that if broken under certain conditions, it will make you stronger, the remains of my mask is this collar here.

Then he pointed at the white collar around his neck, that was just under his number.

Alice: And what is that number?

Solo: That's my rank, almost every Arrancars are ranked from the oldest to the youngest, and their ranks start from 10 and over.(He doesn't know about Yammy being both the 10th and 0th Espada).

Alice: From 10? And what represent that 0?

Solo: Like I said, almost every Arrancars are ranked from the oldest to the youngest, while the remaining 10 are ranked in strength from 9 to 0, which are respectively from the weakest to the strongest.

Alice: So it means that you are the strongest Arrancar?

Solo: Yes, and the Arrancars with 1 digit are called Espada, got it?

Alice just nodded and then her stomach grumbled a bit.

Alice: I'm hungry… Do you two have food?

Solo: I don't need to eat, so I don't have anything.

Lime: Me too…

Alice: Then let's go to Luka…

Alice then crawled towards Illias Village while Solo and Lime looked at each other and shrugged before following her.

[later]

Solo, Lime and Alice were at Luka's house, which Alice somehow found it and no one noticed them walking there. Right now Luka entered his house while being exhausted and noticed them.

Alice: You're slow.

Luka: Wh… What??

Solo: Hello, brat.

Lime: Hi

Luka: How did you find my house?

Solo just pointed at Alice

Solo: She knows…

Alice: By scent. Smelling your unsophisticated scent once was all it took.

Luka: More importantly, how did monsters like you and the Lime enter the village?

Alice: It's easy to trick humans… Just who do you think I am?

Solo: They just ignored us.

Alice: Tsk… Stop ruining my moment…

Luka: ...I could get why Solo and Lime come here, but why did you come too?

Alice: I am hungry.

Solo/Lime: 'That's really straightforward…'

Solo: Well, Luka, how did go the baptism?

Luka: Bad… Illias wasn't at the temple...

Solo: Hey Lime, who is Illias?

Lime: She is the Goddess that created the world, how can you not even know that?

Solo: Well, I know different gods, more or less… There was Barragan who always boasts about being the God of Hueco Mundo because he can control time, but he is still weaker than me, then there is the Soul King, but he's another story entirely.

So is Illias the only goddess existing here?

Lime: No, we consider the Monster Lord as a goddess too.

While Lime was explaining Solo about the deities of the world he currently is, Alice and Luka were having a talk.

Alice: So you want to create a world where humans and monsters coexists? Foolish… Now, give me food.

Luka: Huh?

Alice: Make yourself useful.

Luka: *Sigh* I only have dried meat.

Alice: Dried meat… You make me sick… Oh well, I'm tired… I'll just have it as an appetizer I guess.

Luka: Hey guys, do you want some too?

Solo: I don't need food, you can take it yourself.

Lime: I am good right now.

Meanwhile Alice grabbed her dried meat and eaten it with an unhappy look until she raised an eyebrow.

Alice: It's not too bad after all. The seasonings and spices were done well… It compliments the meat.

Luka: Really? I practiced how to cook in preparation for my journey. I'll need to know how to cook for when I set up camp… though I wasn't able to become a Hero....

Solo: Hey Luka, what do you think means being a hero?

Luka: It means to save people from dangers.

Solo: And you need permission from the goddess to do it?

Luka: ...No… I can do it even without being baptized… Thanks Solo, I'm going to defeat the Monster Lord, even if I am not baptized!

Solo: Well, what do you plan to do?

Luka: I wanted to go to Illiasburg for some things, you want to follow me?

Solo: I have nothing else to do, what do you think, Lime?

Lime: ...Sorry Solo, but I can't leave from my house… I like staying here.

Solo: It's ok, Lime, one day I will visit you again.

Lime: Really?! Yay!!

Alice: I will come too. I planned to travel the world, and I want to see how you will fail.

Luka: Mh, then let's go.

Then Alice left, while Solo and Lime left together in a place for their last 'moment together'(I see what you did there), meanwhile Luka was saying bye to everyone in the village.