45 – Acquaintances

45 – Acquaintances

The three of them escorted him out of the Forest of Menos to a cave on the surface. He was lead down a stairway into a room with a stone table in the middle. It was quite sparse and minimalist, but what were you going to expect from Hollow. At least until they are turned into Arrancar even the Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde are just a little above sentient beasts. Interior design isn't really meant for them. Neither is comfort it would seem from the lack of anything to sit or sleep on.

Tier Harribel was nowhere to be seen and the other three were still too nervous to re-start the conversation after it broke down in the forest. After a long awkward silence Hisashi decided to try breaking the awkward atmosphere.

"So... I don't think you ladies ever introduced yourselves." he volunteered.

They looked at each other, though he had made them nervous in the forest the walk back without unleashing his spirit pressure and killing intent had managed to calm them down quite a bit.

"I go by Cyan Sung-Sun." the snake Hollow eventually said first out of the three.

"Emilou Apacci!" the unicorn deer Hollow rushed to say after Sung-Sun broke the ice.

"And I'm Franceska Mila Rose." the lion Hollow ended up saying last.

(and together we are... the "Tres Bestias" *jazz hands* jk jk)

"Ah... nice names." he says not sure how to keep the conversation going.

"Of course. Have you taken a name yet?" Sung-Sun ends up asking hoping to get some information at least before Tier Harribel shows up. That way she can at least make it seems like she isn't completely useless as a subordinate.

'Should I tell them my actual name? It's not like it means anything to any Hollow or even in Soul Society. At this point only a two humans know my name. Although I can't be completely honest about my origins nor skills a little bit would be good to start on the best foot with them.' Hisashi mulls over in his mind.

"Saito Hisashi, you can just call me Hisashi though." he ended up saying trying to lighten the mood some more.

"Oh and it's nice to meet you three." he added.

The three of them stared at each other awkwardly.

"So the three of them told they wanted to talk." he said to get back on topic.

Harribel looked at him curiously.

"No, I think I already have my answers. We thought there was an Adjuchas rampaging in the Forest of Menos and you weren't an Adjuchas and you definitely don't seem to be rampaging. At least not anymore if you were before." she says having made up her mind.

"No problem, who would mind being invited to spend time with some charming ladies." he smiles.

They are all quite confused, the trio most of all. The two muscle heads had no idea how to be part of this kind of conversation, meanwhile Sung-Sun seemed surprisingly a bit embarrassed despite her usual haughty act. Harribel was slightly more comfortable with it as Vasto Lorde begin to at least exhibit a more human-like emotional spectrum than Adjuchas. However even she is thrown off a bit by the casual banter that they haven't really run into when dealing with other Hollow and it is throwing her off her usual cadence.

"Oh and I noticed a big hammerhead shark looking guy searching for you. He seemed to be out for blood and based on my senses he was more powerful than you are. I would prepare for the worst, maybe even move in case someone has tipped him off to your hideout." he warns them.

She was quite cautious, but mostly dubious when he mentioned they seemed stronger. She was only familiar with one Hollow on her level.

"Hmm... that sounds a bit familiar." Tier said looking up trying to recall what it reminds her off. She looks at the other three.

"Didn't I cut a shark-like Adjuchas when we confronted Barragan back then?" she asked them.

Apacci tilted her head in thought, Sung-Sun nodded immediately though.

"You did Harribel-sama." she answered her diligently.

"He was weak though." she said quite sure of herself.

"Just giving you a little warning. I don't think you can defeat him as you four are right now. Maybe if you team up perfectly, but even then I doubt it. He looked strange. He was missing his mask if that means anything." he tried dropping some information for their benefit and to inspire trust in himself for future dealings with them.

"I think we learned what we needed to. You seem to be in control of yourself, how about you join our group? We can help keep each other safe increasing your chances of survival and we have hundreds of years of experience we could share." Harribel said, she had formed the group for female Hollow to protect themselves from the male ones, but he seemed quite unusual and she was interested in learning more.