Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 101
- 102
- 103
Tentative Plans

�Sit,� Grimmjow gruffly ordered as soon as they were in Unohana�s office. The privacy it afforded allowed Karin to give up on her pretence that nothing was wrong and that her wounds were mere scratches. Ichigo saw the change and frowned.

�Karin, are you�?� he began, but she held up her hand, stopping him.

�Give me a minute,� she said weakly as she slumped into the closest chair, scrubbing her eyes with the heel of one hand. Karin then shut them and did her best to slip into Jinzen for a few minutes. She needed to recharge and they hadn�t yet dealt with the next batch of Arrancar. She dared not sit on the sofa � its cushions looked far too inviting and if she sat on something that comfortable, she�d be tempted to lie down.

If she did that, there was no way even her mate would be able to keep her from falling asleep. A brass band would have trouble rousing her. No, it was better to stay here, on a hard-backed chair and stay awake.

After freeing Byakuya, they�d fully intended to go after Barragan�s pets. However, the three never made it to Kyoraku Estate. Instead, they�d run across too many other Arrancar who decided that going after Grimmjow as a way of gaining an Espada�s rank was a good idea. That resulted in two badly bloodied Hollows they�d turned over to the 4th Division rescue teams, who trussed them up like geese ready for roasting. A third Arrancar ended up skewered and purified when his pet turned on him, moments after Karin dissolved the Claim surrounding the man. Grimmjow had put the kibosh on pursuing individual Arrancar after that, especially when the liberated 1st Division officer told them that he�d seen more than a few injured Arrancar also taken to the 4th Division for treatment.

Ichigo had suggested that they use the officer to order any unattached Arrancar to the Palace, instead of running around trying to break Claims piecemeal and fending off opportunistic Numeros at the same time. Grimmjow had liked the idea as it meant less work for them. Karin had instructed the grateful young man to pass a message to any other Arrancar he met: they were to report to Starrk at the Palace and bring any pets if they had them, no exceptions. If they gave him trouble, he was to say Aizen had issued the order. Karin hoped the Shinigami was a good liar.

In hindsight, it was a smart decision. Grimmjow had steered Karin back to the Palace to find that Toshiro and Jushiro had done the same thing, telling those members of their Division whom they felt they could spare to spread the word and to use Harribel and Starrk�s ranks to make the orders stick. That resulted in a courtyard full of Arrancar and their Claimed Shinigami, milling around in confusion and wondering aloud as to Aizen�s whereabouts. Ulquiorra, standing sentry at the gate, checked names off of a list of Claimed shinigmi supplied by Toshiro�s 3rd Seat. When enough Masters and pets had gathered, the silent Espada motioned for them to follow him into the Palace.

Hachi, being a Kido Master and a fast thinker, had devised a rather ingenious trap consisting of three Kido-enhanced rooms in the Palace�s main section. He�d hastily prepared these in such a way that any Shinigami or Arrancar that entered them could not exit again. The first room held the remaining Palace guards. They had witnessed Aizen�s downfall and knew what was going to happen. Confining them was essential; the rebels couldn�t afford to have them blabbing to their comrades and causing further chaos. Ulquiorra directed the rest of the unsuspecting Arrancar into the second room and their pets into the third. So far, most of the Numeros who had pets had already summoned them, with the exception of three since two of the Shinigami had sustained injuries while dealing with the explosions and fires in the Rukongai and were at the 4th Division receiving treatment.

Anxiety permeated all three rooms and their occupants. Once they felt like they�d accounted for enough Claimed Shinigami, Starrk began the thankless task of escorting the Arrancar, one by one, into Aizen�s former throne room. Ichigo, Grimmjow and Szayel lay in wait for them there. Confronted by three Espada and a hybrid strong enough to pummel those Espada if he chose, few chose to argue when the Primera explained the Seireitei�s new, Aizen-free reality and the new rules. Any protests were short and uttered only once before Grimmjow and Ichigo silenced them. Meanwhile Karin, Nemu and Yuzu walked into the room containing the Claimed Shinigami to give them a modified version of the same speech before Karin got to work.

Chief among the changes was the immediate abolishment of Claims. This did not go over well with the Numeros at all, but no one had expected the Arrancar to embrace such a policy. A few perked up at Starrk�s assurance that Claims could be recast after both parties underwent psychological evaluations and had the terms of their Claim drawn up in writing. In addition, they would have to seek approval from a committee appointed to oversee the agreements� validity. Only then would a Claimee�s Arrancar partner be allowed to recast a Claim as a sanctioned status, recognized by both the Shinigami and the Arrancar. Furthermore, any Arrancar found casting a Claim without an official agreement would be subject to immediate banishment, though Karin figured death might also be an option for those who tried to use Claims to raise an army of slaves. Sitting in Unohana�s office, she found herself grateful that she and the rest of the rebels had killed or had already deported those who would have tried such a tactic.

Karin still wasn�t convinced that a council running what was essentially a military organization was a good idea, but she also recognized it as a stop�gap measure until the Taichou could come up with a better solution. There were many Shinigami and Arrancar with a Claim between them who truly loved one another. Karin considered her relationship with Grimmjow one of those and knew that Tatsuki and Orihime felt similarly.

Most of the Shinigami in the first batch she�d seen had been relieved to have their Claims broken. A few had openly wept for joy and some required restraining, lest they try to kill their former Masters. Karin and Ichigo explained the reasoning behind the leniency to their respective groups: the Realms still weren�t on solid footing and the purification of too many Arrancar, who represented the amalgamation of thousands of souls, might throw things off again. It wasn�t mercy as much as practicality, though some of the angrier Shinigami appeared ready to take that risk. Nemu had to go so far as to sedate two of the more vengeful of the formerly-Claimed, while Yuzu did her best to comfort the others.

They�d started with Unohana�s list of Arrancar she deemed abusive and dangerous. Szayel and a small crew comprised of several of Szayel�s researchers and few Kido Corp members saw to the banishments, once Starrk and Lilinette herded the Arrancar back out into the courtyard. The expulsions were quite public. Those getting the boot had their reiatsu signatures recorded so that the Science and Research Division could prevent them from returning to the Soul Society from Hueco Mundo. Those signatures would also serve as a method of identification should any of the exiled Arrancar try to cause trouble in the Living World.

After they cast out the worst of the worst, they began another round of winnowing, using a roster of those who had a mixed history with their pets. In Karin�s opinion, getting rid of the most problematic Arrancar had been easier than working their way through Unohana�s second list. This group had seen what happened to the first and displayed slightly better behaviour, though as a whole, they were still hostile and fearful. A full third of them were tossed headlong into a secure Senkaimon after losing their pets. The remainder of that group earned a pass courtesy of those they�d Claimed. Several of the ex-pets spoke up for their Masters, buying those Numeros a tentative, though revocable pardon. Starrk and Ulquiorra took these Arrancar aside for a short, two-on-one talk that Karin guessed involved a warning that they were on probation and that there would be more than one set of eyes watching them. Every last one of those Arrancar came away from those meetings subdued and visibly shaken by whatever threats Ulquiorra made.

The second cycle of Claim breakings had drained Karin considerably, partly because they had taken twice as long to conduct and because her long, emotionally-charged day had begun to catch up with her. Nor was she done, to her immense frustration. The hardest part lay ahead. If the �abusive� and �occasionally-abusive� Arrancar hadn�t wanted to give up their pets or their dens, she could only imagine how those with cubs on the way or who referred to those they Claimed as �mates� would take it when they felt their Claiming bonds disintegrate. She knew Grimmjow would butcher anyone who tried to break the Mating Claim they shared.

There were also wounded Arrancar here who would need judging and a few odds-and-ends they�d have to sweep up, like the Palace guard that Renji had beaten. Hachi had told her not to worry about it, that he would drag that Arrancar to the 4th Division later that evening, when there was no risk of him spilling the beans to the rest of his fellows about the Claim breakings.

�Oh Karin, you look as if a herd of oxen stampeded over you!� Unohana exclaimed as she walked into the room and shut the door. The healer had shown the three to her office before leaving briefly to send a message to the remnants of the Palace staff.

�I feel like it,� Karin admitted and Unohana�s gaze grew shrewder as it wandered over the bandages on her feet.

�How long have you had the pain-numbing Kido up and why are you using it?�

Karin�s face fell and Grimmjow tightened his grip on her shoulder. She shivered slightly as what had happened just before noon came back to her, but kept her composure. Aizen was dead, his soul destroyed. He couldn�t hurt her, or anyone, ever again.

�Mostly just some bruising,� she replied, which wasn�t exactly a lie. She didn�t want to have to take time out to deal with the cuts caused by the broken glass. �I didn�t want to be seen limping while we handled the Arrancar and the Claim issue. We can�t afford to show weakness or some idiot will get it in his or her head to try to be the next Kami. Don�t bother worrying about my feet. Szayel did a good job with them when he found me.�

She stared at the ceiling and then gave Unohana a very tired smile.

�That being said, I have some good news. Neither of us is pregnant.�

The healer�s posture changed and the only thing that betrayed just how relieved the other woman was about that was the way she gripped the edge of her desk, as if she was trying very hard not to sink to her knees in front of others.

�You do have some medical training, so I will take your word for it, for now. However, I expect to see you tomorrow for a thorough follow-up.�

�I will, Unohana-Taichou,� Karin said and she meant it. She wanted to make sure she hadn�t picked anything up from Aizen. The bastard had had many partners over the years. She doubted any of them had been willing and there was no telling what sort of STDs he might have given to her.

�Of course, Grimmjow had a lot of partners before me too, though all of them were quite happy to hook up with him and thanks to all of the bloodwork I�ve had done over the years because of Ajuga, I�d know if he�d contracted anything from them by now.�

While she�d been preoccupied, Unohana had moved on to her brother, greeting him kindly.

�It is good to see you again, Kurosaki-san. However, as pleased as I am to see you have returned in good health, I must express my displeasure with you for having permitted your younger sister to run herself so ragged. As for you, Grimmjow��

Unohana glared outright at the Espada.

�You should have known better.�

Karin felt a jolt of fear from her mate at the shorter woman�s chastisement. He gulped nervously and shifted a little closer to her, as if she could somehow protect him from the fearsome Taichou�s wrath.

�We couldn�t wait for a better time. Breaking the Claims had to be done before bedlam set in,� Karin said in both men�s defense. �Although, the more I think about dealing with the Arrancar who have pregnant mates or who are pregnant themselves, the more I think doing so will result in the civil war we were hoping to avoid. Not knowing where their mates are or if they need help will drive them bonkers. They might not be capable of rational thought if we do this the way we handled the last two groups.�

�It�s not an �if� or �maybe�, Taichou. I guarantee you�ll have more bloodshed,� Grimmjow grunted and now that he wasn�t in front of a pack of Numeros, he allowed his fatigue to show.

If Karin was tired, her mate was as well. He had gone up against Aizen today, and he�d taken a beating. He still sported injures that needed tending and his hair was still a little frizzy from his unexpected meeting the shield. Grimmjow had also pinned down a few unhappy Arrancar and a couple of surprised Shinigami today too. He stank of sweat and blood and he still wore his shredded, borrowed clothing, though the dark blue color hid the blood drying on it. Her brother, on the other hand, was relatively scratch-free, thanks to the Hollow half of his soul and his insanely high reiatsu.

�Indeed,� Ulquiorra agreed. He�d taken up a spot in the corner, shoulders leaning against the walls now that he was back in his regular state. �I, for one, would not permit any to do so should Orihime be with child.�

That admission, coming from someone as logical and as stoic as the Fourth Espada, proved how important the next several hours would be.

�You plan on letting them recast their Claims in a month, assuming both parties are amiable to it, yes?� Unohana asked.

�Yes,� Ichigo answered and scratched the back of his neck, an old habit he�d retained from his teenaged years. Karin found the sight of her older brother, not quite at ease in front of a powerful woman, oddly reassuring. �It was Nel�s suggestion. Our original plan was to let the Claims just fall off since we didn�t know we had a way to break them. She reminded us that not everyone might want his or her Claim removed.�

He folded his arms across his chest before continuing.

�It would be best to set up a registration system to keep all of the Claims above board and consensual rather than to have people going behind our backs. Even with that, there are sure to be misunderstandings. No matter what we do, there will be differences of opinion as far as Claims when it comes to the Shinigami as a whole. Some will be for it and many will be strongly against it and against allowing any of the Arrancar to stay. At least this way there is some sort of structure in place to handle the bonds.�

Unohana listened, before she glided behind her desk and took the only other seat in the office. Karin thought it interesting that neither Ichigo nor Grimmjow, as tired as they were, had dared to park themselves in the older Shinigami�s designated chair. Lacing her fingers together, she regarded each of them in turn.

�Most of the pregnancies will last longer than a month. If I may make a suggestion, perhaps more of them will be amenable to the temporary loss of a Claim if we excused their pregnant women from their duties for a month and allowed them to �den up� for the duration. Let�s call it a month of �required rest�. After a mental evaluation of both partners, conducted by my staff, we�ll allow them to re-Claim their mates.�

�It seems like a good idea. Without the Swarm invading every few days, and with Ajuga and Diaemus balancing the Realms, we can probably afford to hand out some early maternity leave, especially if we back it up with �doctor�s orders�,� Karin said and looked at Unohana for approval. �We�re no longer going to have to deal with heavy patrols, so the males, Arrancar and Shinigami, could also take a break to stay by their sides if necessary.�

Grimmjow stretched, popping a few of the vertebrae in his back and rubbed the half of his chin not covered by his mask fragment. He also had a dubious expression as he brought up something they�d almost overlooked.

�What about the pregnant Arrancar? There aren�t as many of them, but I can�t see them wanting to let go of a potential protector. Moreover, almost all of the expectant Arrancar females are on the �of least concern� list, so we didn�t have �em slated for exile. What do we do if a Shinigami attached to one of them decides he�s not cut out for fatherhood?�

Ichigo blinked and then latched on to that question, adding one of his own to it.

�Yeah� that�s something we hadn�t considered� and on a related note, what do we do if a pregnant Shinigami wants the Claim on her broken and wants to be left alone?�

�Then that is what will have to happen,� Karin declared. �We break the Claim and that�s that.�

�Wait a minute� weren�t you the one that said no child should be denied a parent?� Grimmjow frowned, and she could tell her response had ruffled her mate�s proverbial fur. If that was the case, he needed to get over it.

�That�s right, but parenting and Claiming are two different things. In the Living World there�s such a thing as �joint custody,� where parents who have separated take turns spending time with their child. If one of the parents slacks off or doesn�t support the child, the authorities step in and deal with them. Just because a child�s parents don�t get along doesn�t mean that society shouldn�t hold them responsible.�

Ichigo�s eyes narrowed at that.

�So you�re saying a previously-Claimed Shinigami, who might not have had a choice in the whole thing, should resign themselves to parenthood and the responsibilities, whether they want it or not?�

Karin took a deep breath and tried to keep her temper in check. Her sibling had a good point, but in her book, the child and its welfare took precedence.

�Look, from here on out, every case is going to be unique. Some of them might still want to be couples without a Claim involved. There are others, and I�m going to include the Shinigami in this too, who aren�t parent material. Take Yammy for an example,� she pointed out. �Would you let a creature like that anywhere near a child?�

While he didn�t show it outwardly, Karin felt Grimmjow�s disgust at the idea.

�What if any of the women, now free of their Claims, want an abortion?�

Ichigo�s voice decreased in volume as he brought up the uncomfortable topic. Her brother seemed determined to play the role of devil�s advocate today. Thankfully, Karin didn�t have to answer him.

�I doubt you�ll get such a request,� Unohana assured him. �However, that might not hold true if more pregnancies come to light in the next month or two, especially if it involves a Shinigami who belonged to a Master you banished today. It takes time for HGC levels to rise high enough for a blood test to detect them. We should deal with each case as it comes up. Let�s go with the original plan for now and afterwards, I�m ordering you to get some rest. Karin, you need a good night�s sleep and you�ll function better with it tomorrow than without.�

�True enough,� Grimmjow grunted.

�Very well. Would you like me to have one of my subordinates escort the pairs here, one by one, or should we give each couple a room of their own and break the Claims there, if the Shinigami in question decides they want to undergo the month-long confinement?�

�Individual rooms,� Karin began as she scrubbed her face with the palms of her hands, before another voice vetoed her.

�No, bring them here,� Starrk drawled, speaking up for the first time since they had entered the office. He�d been so quiet that Karin had almost forgotten he was with them. �Dividing them up will take too long and stress them out all over again. We�d lose Sementall�s nice, peaceful aura too. By the way, that was a smart move, Unohana-Taichou, though I�m not sure how long your prize pony can keep it up.�

Starrk�s compliment made the corners of Unohana�s mouth turn up in a faint, fleeting smile and she tapped the surface of her desk with one finger.

�I agree with Starrk-san. Unless the woman truly wants out of the bond, we should keep them together for the interview and break the Claim here. They can use the sofa against the wall to sit and I�ll have a few more chairs brought in for you gentlemen. Most Arrancar will do almost anything to get to their cubs if they feel threatened.�

She sighed and regarded each of the Espada in the room sternly.

�We could hold them for a day or two here, on the pretence of more testing and data gathering, but the Arrancar will eventually want to return to their dens. If we make them understand they cannot leave the Seireitei via Garganta, and we inform them that we�ll designate a chaperone to make certain there�s no wrongdoing in the next month, I do not see why they can�t go home. At the moment, my Division�s members have their hands full and their primary duties involve treating the injured.

�That plan is sound,� Ulquiorra agreed. �None of the Numeros will dare make a fuss with the four of us present and the task will go faster.�

�Grimmjow?�

Karin looked up at her mate, who regarded everyone else in the room irritably. He raked his fingers through hair that would need a good washing.

�Yeah, let�s do it Starrk�s way. You know what I would do if I felt our Claim suddenly vanish,� he added, addressing Karin specifically and giving her shoulders a squeeze.

�Not that it matters, but my Hollow agrees,� Ichigo spoke up, a scowl on his face at being excluded from the conversation. Karin was going to have to sit down with her brother and talk when circumstances allowed. Briefly, she wondered if Ichigo had ever told any of his family the truth about what was really going on inside that head of his. Their parents, or at least their father, would have to have known something was wrong with him. One way or another, she would get the whole story out of him and if that failed, she�d ask Yuzu.

�Very well. I will have the mess hall put together supper for you. Afterwards, I will get Harribel and Toshiro, if he�s arrived, to help her bring them in for the breaking. Before I go, however��

Unohana reached into her sleeve and pulled out two small cloth-wrapped packages, and held them out to Grimmjow and Karin.

�Take these. I want you both to consume their contents in the next five minutes, especially you, Karin-san. While you deem your physical injuries �minor�, your reiatsu level is too low to continue your work. This will help, to a small degree, but it�s no substitute for a full meal and rest.�

Karin took the bundle and undid the ties, discovering several of the shiny packets she�d seen Diaemus and his father drink when the former made it back from the north. The reiatsu-infused gel would get her through the next few hours and if she finally got to eat a meal in peace, she�d be well on her way to recovery. Grimmjow dangled one of the packets of nasty-tasting gel from his fingers, but declined to say anything other than �thank you� to the Taichou.

Additional murmurs of gratitude rose from the others in the room, Karin among them. Lunch hadn�t sat well, for obvious reasons and she was afraid her stomach would start gurgling soon. Unohana rose quietly and glided from the room to find them something more substantial, which left the four Espadas, herself and her brother alone to wait for the first of the couples.

�Why does it feel as if our work has just begun?� Karin sighed.

�It�s going to be bumpy for a while,� Ichigo observed. Grimmjow snorted at his brother-in-law and rolled his eyes.

�Che! Hollows follow the strongest. We killed Aizen, so we are the strongest. What we say goes, which is why you didn�t hear a lot of protests when we started the banishments. The Numeros aren�t going to be the problem. The real issue will be Shinigami wanting payback now that Aizen�s gone.�

�Let�s back up here. My sisters killed Aizen. We just softened the bastard up for them. It was a group effort,� Ichigo growled, taking Grimmjow by surprise. Karin sighed and wished her brother had inherited some of their mother�s tact. While that was technically true, they couldn�t allow that truth to circulate if they wanted the Arrancar�s cooperation in the future. �Remember, that�s one reason why we all agreed not to seal anyone�s powers.�

When her mate opened his mouth to argue, or give in to his belligerent nature, Ichigo�s tone changed.

�Most of the unseated Shinigami can�t scratch an Arrancar, no matter how hard they try. They�d have to be officers to have power enough to crack a Hierro. Truthfully, I�m more worried about the stronger Shinigami bullying the Arrancar.�

�Who�s overseeing the mop-up?� Karin asked Starrk, changing the subject. A battle this big usually resulted in an incredible amount of damage and cleanup duties, such as searching for anyone who might be missing or trapped in the debris left behind by the violence.

�Jushiro, Nanao and Toshiro are currently doing so, though I suspect the last will be back soon, if he isn�t here already,� Starrk answered readily. �If so, the Third might be able to spare one of her fraccion to help the Taichou.�

Someone knocked on the door and Grimmjow shouted for whomever it was to enter. Two of Unohana�s healers stepped through the door, carrying two trays and surrounded by a delicious smell. Karin thought that she wasn�t in the mood to eat, but once she�d taken a bite, the rest of her meal of fish, rice, and vegetables quickly followed. The accompanying tea washed away the sickly-sweet taste of the gel she�d swallowed earlier.

Another surprise followed when Szayel walked into the room, Abisara by his side. There was no sign of Vindula or Nemu. The room was starting to get crowded as everyone shuffled about to find space. Abisara ran to Karin, who hugged the child and wondered why his father had brought him here, when by rights he ought to be in bed. He hadn�t been well this morning and she pressed her palms against the boy�s forehead and cheeks to see if his fever had gotten any worse.

�I thought you would be asleep, now that you�ve retaken your den,� Grimmjow snorted. Szayel gave him a withering look, but waved the other�s words away with one gloved hand, as if he thought they were too ludicrous to contemplate.

�Alas, I�ve a veritable mountain of work and you know it Grimmjow. I doubt any of us will get a visit from sweet Orpheus for quite a while. Nemu and Vindula are back in our private quarters at the Division, but that�s beside the point. I�ve come here to bring up something the rest of the Espada have to consider before we proceed.�

The scientist brushed a few strands of pink hair out of the way and turned his golden glare at Karin, unhappy with what he saw before him. Abisara stood mutely at his father�s side, listening intently. Karin wasn�t certain she wanted the boy to hear the more �adult� aspects of the conversation, but also realized it was no longer her call.

�I know you desire to break everyone�s Claims as quickly as possible Karin-sama, but your physical state is absolutely wretched. You can�t keep going like this� not without rest.�

�Thanks, Szayel, for your expert, if melodramatic assessment,� she shot back with more sarcasm than she should have used. Without missing a beat, he adjusted his cracked mask and smiled at her in a way that would have unnerved anyone else.

�I�m the one who bandaged you, so I�ll take that as a compliment. With that in mind, I would suggest that you leave a few Claims untouched, if only for a few days. Choose the ones that you know you can trust.�

�Huh?� she asked, not quite understanding what he was getting at. From the smugness she could feel via her Claim on him, he�d either come up with a solution to a problem he had yet to reveal, or something he�d tucked away in a spare laboratory had mutated into a new life form in his absence. She narrowed her eyes and debated whether she ought to force it out of him.

�You�re tired, Karin-sama. It�s obvious, and there are quite a few couples in that hall. You need to pace yourself. Leave a few Claims in place and tell everyone that you�ll get to them in the next few days, but that you need some time to recover from your ordeal. Doing so will help disguise the nature of the Claim you hold on my person until I can fix my mask, which shouldn�t take long� a week at most. I hope.�

�What the hell are you babbling about? Everyone thinks I�ve Claimed you, more�s the pity!� Grimmjow snapped. Szayel snorted and managed to make doing so look elegant.

�Yesterday, I finally worked up the courage to ask our dear Nelliel the identity of the person who repaired her mask and restored her adult form. I was quite surprised to discover it was that immense Vizard who, over time, used his Kido to solder her mask back together. During today�s banishments, I set aside a few minutes to ask him if he would do the same for me. It took persistence��

�You nagged him, you mean,� Karin muttered, finally seeing where the Seventh was going with this.

�Call it what you like, but he agreed to help me. Until then, of course, I need to remain Claimed, lest I revert. I can�t afford to become a child. Being reduced to a teenager, or worse, a toddler after your brother�s unfortunate intervention��

�If you bring that up again, I swear I will deck you, Szayel�� Ichigo groaned.

��was less than helpful. If you refrain from breaking a few Claims until you feel �better,�� and here he brought both hands up to make a set of air-quotes with his fingers, �will provide an excellent cover story for me. You can withdraw your Claim after Ushōda-san makes my mask whole. It�s a nice, neat solution that will keep me from having to hide out in my laboratory and will allow Grimmjow to dodge any accusations that he�s not playing by the new rules.�

Szayel�s delight at finding a way of repairing his mask was apparent to anyone with eyes. It wouldn�t have surprised Karin if he clapped his hands together and squealed like a schoolgirl.

�Yes, that�s certainly great, but I fail to see��

�You can leave mine alone and in the meantime, break what�s left of Nemu�s Claim in the next few days. She and I discussed things and she�s agreed to stay with me. The Claim between Lindocruz and his human mate can probably remain as well, and you can leave the Claims on those whose Masters are incapacitated and hopefully, tied down, in this Division, until tomorrow. I�ve already heard of Nnoitra�s Gilga demise, so the one on his former pet will fade on its own, as well as anyone else who lost their Master. I am sure Unohana-san could give you a list of people who can be trusted, as well as list of Arrancar casualties. After all, it would hardly do to wear yourself down to nothing so soon after your victory.�

�Szayel, I get it. You can stop preening now,� Karin chuckled and shook her head.

�I do not see how �truth� could possibly be mistaken for �preening,�� he scoffed, but the hint of a smile on his face ruined the image of affronted indignation.

�Looks like preening to me�� Grimmjow mumbled.

�Karin-san, you should break my Claim on Nanao, just as you did Jushiro�s,� Starrk interrupted. He sounded unhappy yet insistent. �It would benefit our cause if I gave up both of them, not just one.�

His lazy eyes traveled to the corner and the green-eyed Arrancar standing in it, who straightened and tensed under the Primera�s scrutiny.

�You should consider it as well, Ulquiorra. You�re in no danger of losing Orihime. I told both the Arrancar and the Shinigami that the Espada would abide by the same rules imposed on the Numeros. It would look bad if we make them give up their Claims and keep ours. Hypocrisy will make dealing with them harder than it has to be in the future.�

Starrk�s words belied the reluctance on his face, but Karin knew he was right. They didn�t need the Numeros accusing them of �do as I say, not as I do� high-handedness.

�I�m sure we can get Orihime to publicly announce that she�s fine with it and that she�s looking forward to the end of the month. That will help as well,� Karin said supportively. Ulquiorra�s face contorted with discomfort and Karin wasn�t certain if it was the idea of losing the Claim, or having his mate gushing publicly about what should be a private thing between the two, but in the end, he nodded.

�Tatsuki will chime in and echo whatever she says,� Karin added and then hesitated before asking, �Are Grimmjow and I the only couple with a Mating Claim?�

The thought had never occurred to her before, and she wondered if any of the Numeros had mated with one another, rather than taking Shinigami mates.

�You two stand alone in that regard, as far as we know,� Szayel shrugged. �Speaking of Mating Claims, I have some theories regarding your ability to see and manipulate reiatsu. You might be able to do so for the sake of others, or at least, assist me in my research in making a device that would permit non-Hollows to share their reiatsu in a similar manner. I�m certain my brilliant son would be able to help.� He then beamed down at his solemn-faced son, whose cheeks pinked at the compliment. �In fact, if I were you, I would let the couple you see tonight know we�re starting such research. Knowing that they might eventually be able to have a Mating Claim rather than just a one-sided bond might soften the blow.�

Szayel tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, golden eyes unfocused as if he were putting together a plan and calculating its associated risks. He threw his hands up in the air shortly afterward.

�Why not just plow ahead with it then? I�ll set up the necessary workspace and assign some technicians to the task in the morning. Maybe I can rope a few of the Kido Corp into it too... they�d be excellent references when it comes to the Shinigami side of things. Just the idea will help keep order, no matter the outcome. Hope is a powerful thing after all and the only way we�ll know it it�s possible it to try.�

Karin could tell Szayel�s enthusiastic speculation intrigued the other Espada, especially Ulquiorra and oddly enough, Starrk. He was also getting ahead of himself, his mind already sprinting forward before the rest of him could catch up.

She left off answering his question, because Unohana returned, informing them that they were ready to begin and that as a precaution they�d locked down any injured Arrancar, and Kenpachi Zaraki, until they could make a full recovery. Karin figured that was as good as it would get and made a request.

�Unohana, can you give us a list of Arrancar who you think we can trust for a few days if we leave the Claims on their mates intact? I don�t think I have the strength to break them all tonight.�

�That should not be too difficult,� Unohana replied and her smile of approval meant Karin would get a breather. �I will add Cyan Sung Sun to it. She�s become something of an unpaid intern here. Tomorrow I will extend the possibility of a salary to her and see if she�s interested. Her loyalty to her Mistress makes her a low risk.�

Ulquiorra pushed away from the wall and stuck his hands in the pockets of his uniform. He bowed his head and his eyes settled on the floor between his black boots.

�Please send in Orihime first, if you are done with her, Unohana-Taichou.�

�I shall.�

�She is probably still catching up with Rukia in their recovery room. That�s where she was when I checked in with my wife,� Ichigo supplied, then scratched his head. �Renji got his ass kicked again.�

�Oi! Red�s no slouch. He gave as good as he got,� Grimmjow snarked, defending his occasional sparring partner.

�Not saying he didn�t, but he has a bad habit of attracting injuries when he charges into a fight,� Ichigo explained and then shrugged. �He�s Nel�s problem now though. I hope he�s got a good excuse up his sleeve to give her when she gets here.�

A derisive �Hah!� exploded from Grimmjow�s mouth. �Look who�s talking! I recall pounding your carcass into the pavement more than once, Strawberry!�

�I would like to see you try it now,� Ichigo returned, standing up and baring his teeth.

Karin abruptly ended the debate by glowering over her shoulder at her mate. Grimmjow�s retort died on his lips as her silver eyes locked on to his. The warning in them was plain and the Espada shrank a little. Completing her first objective, she did the same to her brother and his smug expression vanished.

�Somehow, Ichi-nii, I�m sure Rukia-neesan would love to know her husband is acting like a spoiled teenager. It will be nice to talk to her again, after all this time.�

With that threat hanging in the air, the pissing contest was over and at least one Espada decided the warning was his cue to leave.

�Well, I have a full plate. Good luck here!�

Szayel excused himself in the awkward silence created by Karin�s threat, taking his son with him. Abisara waved goodbye to Karin before his father hustled him out the door.

�Get some sleep, Szayel,� she called after him, �and be certain you take Abisara�s temperature before he goes to bed!�

�Let�s start,� Ulquiorra declared and then squared his shoulders as he prepared for the first breaking. Karin decided that making things look �official� was a good start. She abandoned her chair in favor of sitting in the one behind Unohana�s desk while Ichigo and Grimmjow flanked her. Starrk and Ulquiorra stood like guard dogs on each side of the exit. It was a configuration meant to convey authority and intimidate those who thought little of flaunting such.

Nevertheless, it fell apart the moment Orihime walked through the door. The copper-haired woman took one look at Karin and rushed forward, throwing her arms around her and nearly dragging her across the surface of the desk as she babbled about how worried she�d been and if Karin was all right and whether she was hurting anywhere. Before Karin could stop the other, Orihime�s hairpins encased her from head to toe. Every injury, from the semi-healed to her most recent cuts and bruises disappeared under the golden light. It was hard not to give into the sniffles already plaguing her friend, who looked just as tired as she did and probably hadn�t had the benefit of a meal.

�Orihime��

Ulquiorra called his mate�s name, stopping her in the middle of telling Karin how thankful she was, for the sixth time, to see her. �Karin is going to break our Claim. Removing it will be a show of faith to the other Arrancar.�

�Oh, really?� Orihime�s face fell at the news. She bit her lip and regarded her mate with hopeful eyes. �You will be able to renew it later though, right?�

�I think the entire world just stopped,� a shocked Karin thought. Ulquiorra smiled softly at what sounded less like a question and more like a plea.

�If you are amiable to it,� he replied, �and preferably vocal about your desire to remain my mate.�

�Well, of course!� she exclaimed with a toss of her head, and then asked, �Is there anything else you want me to do?�

�No, other than to stay beside me while we proceed, as proof to the Numeros that their mates won�t necessarily flee with their unborn children or leave them to fend for themselves.�

�No problem,� Orihime agreed, moving to stand beside him. She even snuggled up to him in a blatant display of affection and loyalty.

�Careful now� we want to reassure them, not nauseate them,� Karin inwardly groaned, but stayed quiet as she reached out to remove the bright green energy that surrounded Orihime. When she was done, she had to do a double take; the woman had been Claimed for so long that Karin realized she�d forgotten what Orihime looked like without the verdant cloud encasing her.

Shortly after that, Unohana returned with the first couple. The healer also slipped her a note containing the names of at least five couples with Claims she felt Karin could ignore until later.

With no other options, Karin got out of her chair and braced herself for a very long night.
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2