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
- 107
- 108
Epilogue

Three Years Later

Upon waking, Karin yawned and stretched, only to discover the temperature in the room was much too cold for her liking. Cursing winter, she tunnelled back under the blankets in search of the furnace that was her mate, snuggling against him as best she could to absorb the extra body heat. It was a task made more difficult by the size of her belly, but she managed to slide back into a pleasant doze. Unfortunately, a series of kicks from within jolted her back to full consciousness and helped drag a not-quite-willing Grimmjow with her.

�Dammit, isn�t it a little early for kicking,� her mate complained as her belly rippled against his skin with each of their baby�s movements. �That was my kidney, brat!�

�You sired the cub, so you shouldn�t act so surprised.�

The blue-haired Arrancar rolled over to face Karin and with some effort, she kissed him long enough to get him to share a sleepy smile with her. Unfortunately, any thoughts of going further were put on hold as Lilinette banged on their door with her fist.

�Oi, Grimmjow, Karin, breakfast is almost ready. Hurry up! You two have important stuff to do this morning and if ya don�t get up now, you�ll never waddle there in time!�

Karin groaned, but nevertheless rolled onto her hands and knees and hissed as her bare skin broke out in goosebumps. She disliked sleeping in clothing since her mate would eventually remove it anyway. Grimmjow easily climbed to his feet before he offered her a hand. Her body, particularly her aching back, protested as she tried to get it vertical. She couldn�t remember being this uncomfortable while she�d carried Ajuga, but then, she�d been much younger then and she supposed that was part of the difference.

�I swear you�ll be the one to carry the next baby! I don�t want to hear a word otherwise� and before you say anything, we both know Szayel could pull it off.�

Grimmjow had the good grace to cringe as she smirked evilly at him. He reached up and scratched his scalp, further tousling his already messy hair.

�Scary thing is that I can see you putting him up to it.�

He kissed her again before they set about getting dressed. Karin�s uniform no longer fit properly, so she settled for a yukata of heavy black and blue wool and tied her Fukutaichou�s armband securely around her upper arm. Meanwhile, Grimmjow rummaged through his half of the closet and came up with a clean pair of black pants and a long-sleeved gray shirt. She watched him tug the former on while half-awake, hopping on one foot until he could button them at the waist. Karin particularly liked the way the Living World trousers accentuated his backside. She leaned on his arm as they left the bedroom and made for the kitchen. Lilinette had been telling the truth about breakfast, since she could smell tea and eggs cooking and her stomach responded loudly.

Jushiro and his mother were already awake and seated at the table. Ukitake Kiku was a charming woman and Karin was as fond of the elderly lady as she was of the odd menagerie that had greeted her upon her return to her old home. Kiku was especially fond of Starrk, who she credited with �saving my darling boy,� to the point where an outsider might not have known which man was actually her son based on the amount of affection she displayed. The male half of the First had blushed more often since the Ukitake Elder�s homecoming than he had in the entire time Karin had lived with the divided Espada. She found it hilarious and somewhat touching.

Kiku�s many daughters hadn�t been idle during their fifteen-year banishment. Some had married and had started families, while a few of the more adventurous had begun businesses. None of Jushiro�s siblings had chosen to come back to the Estate, save for the occasional visit. That left a lot of empty space to fill, and as a result, the two oldest members of the Ukitake family were happy to let Starrk�s pack stay on in exchange for help maintaining the place. She suspected they�d also be quite lonely without the crowd the Estate had accumulated over the years.

Grimmjow helped Karin take her customary seat and Jushiro quickly poured two cups of tea for them. His mother, already halfway through her first cup, inclined her head.

�Hello dear! You look radiant this morning,� the matron of the Ukitake clan declared. Karin chuckled, knowing diplomacy when she heard it. She had one more month to go, if that, and the strain her heavy belly put on her lower back was taking its toll. The usual adjectives to describe a pregnant woman, �glowing,� �radiant� and so on seemed out of synch with reality.

�Thanks, but I feel more like a bloated catfish.�

�Nonsense! You�re quite lovely today. You could take a few notes from Karin-chan, Ju-chan. Are you still having trouble finding someone suitable to wed, and perhaps carry on the family name? You can�t use your health as an excuse anymore!� she admonished. Karin had heard this gripe, one of many variations on the same theme, countless times over the last few years. True to the script that mother and child usually followed, Jushiro held up both hands in supplication and inched his chair away.

�Ah, no Mother� with all of the work we�ve had to complete�we�ve been so busy��

His explanation, in Karin�s opinion, sounded weaker and weaker each time he made it. It fooled no one at the table, but as she had before, Kiku let her son�s excuses slide and nodded sagely into her cup as she drained it, though her next words had just the tiniest edge to them.

�Mah, mah, of course you have your duties. I�m certain you�d marry them if you had your way. No matter� there will be plenty of young voices in this house soon, and it�s always a pleasure to visit with dear little Vindula-chan. I hope she drops by today with those seed packets she promised.�

�If I live to be her age, may I look as good as she does and have half of her wit,� Karin prayed and let her first cup of tea work its magic, chasing the fog from her brain.

�She�s not �little� anymore, �ka-sama,� Jushiro reminded his mother and Grimmjow murmured �ain�t that the truth� to back up the Taichou. �She dropped by my Division yesterday, as a matter of fact. She wanted to know if Lilinette would like to learn how to make tempura batter. Her brother received a shipment of carbonated mineral water from the Living World and she says using it makes a big difference. I think she talked Abisara into giving her a few bottles.�

The elderly woman�s eyes lit up when she heard that and before Lilinette could respond, answered in the girl�s stead.

�Of course we�d be interested! That�s very generous of her!�

Vindula�s love of all things beautiful had never faded, and with the return of the Ukitake matriarch, she�d found a kindred spirit. Between the two of them, the gardens at the Ukitake Estate had never looked so good. Kiku had also taken Lilinette under her wing with regard to gardening and cooking, and the First�s temperamental female half had preened shamelessly when �Shiro-kun�s mother� commented on how well she�d managed the old Zen garden. Between Kiku�s careful supervision and Vindula and Lilinette�s enthusiasm, the rest of the adults living at the Ukitake Estate could go about their busy days without worrying about who had dinner duty, or fret about the overgrown landscaping swallowing someone whole.

Nanao chose that moment to shuffle into the kitchen, hiding a massive yawn behind one hand. Starrk followed closely behind her. Kiku took one look at the sleepy Shinigami and motioned for her son to pour another two cups of tea, using up the last of the clean cups in the set.

�Ah, Nanao-chan, Starrk-kun, how nice of you to join us! Get off of your feet dear. I wish the two of you weren�t such workaholics! You ought to be here at home, being doted on at this stage in your pregnancies, not larking about the office or worse, swanning off to the Living World to perform konsos.�

Nanao smiled at Kiku�s over-protective maternal rant as Starrk pulled her chair out for her. Like Karin, she wore a heavy yukata and slippers, but unlike her Fukutaichou, her Taichou�s haori hung over her shoulders like a cloak, probably for the same reason Karin had donned an extra kosode to ward off the cold. Nanao had recently confessed to Karin during one of their lunch breaks about the irony of it. She used to get upset at Shunsui for his lackadaisical wardrobe choices and yet here she was, doing the same thing, though for a much different reason.

�I made your favourite,� said Lilinette cheerfully from her spot near the stove. Quickly turning it off and putting the spatula down on the counter, she began bringing the serving dishes, piled high with omelettes, pickled vegetables, steamed rice and bowls of miso soup to the table. Karin swore she heard the table legs groan as a fifth platter of tamagoyaki joined the first four. Grimmjow whistled in appreciation at the scope of the meal.

�I know I am eating for three now, but the other two don�t have stomachs that big,� Nanao protested as Lilinette shovelled scoop after scoop of rice and eggs on her plate. �In fact, I distinctly remember that Unohana-Taichou told me not to gain too much weight. It isn�t healthy!�

Lilinette�s response was to shake the serving spoon at Nanao.

�No back talk! You need sustenance, so I suggest you start eating, right Starrk? Nothing going to happen to our pups!�

The table erupted in laughter as Nanao, defeated by Lilinette�s declaration and her scowl, sighed and began to eat. Starrk, doing his best not to appear as if he were hovering over his mate, pushed a conciliatory cup of hot tea in her direction. His reward was a grateful look. For her part, Karin was starving and if she thought she could get away with it, she�d eat her plate along with her rolled omelette. She wasn�t carrying twins, but just like Ajuga, her cub had his or her own healthy appetite and wasn�t afraid to inflict it on her.

Breakfast was a pleasant affair. Most of the conversation consisted of making digs at the one member of the household who had yet to produce children. Jushiro took it in stride, though Karin almost felt bad for the older Shinigami as his mother genteelly nagged at him about finding a nice young lady to marry. His panicked expression when she slyly brought up the subject of matchmakers was more than worth it, if only to see the Seireitei�s elder statesman reduced to a red-faced teenaged boy.

�Well, we need to hurry if we�re going to make it on time,� Nanao sighed, unable to eat another bite and inadvertently rescuing Jushiro. �The meal was wonderful Lilinette-chan! Your cooking skills have definitely improved!�

�I second that!� Karin chimed in, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. She�d done her best to make a dent in the tray of sliced, stuffed omelettes and to her chagrin, she�d probably put away more of the pickles than necessary. She had no recollection of craving salty, sour things during her last pregnancy but she wanted them now and by the handful if possible.

Lilinette�s cheeks pinked at both compliments, though she did her best to hide it by grumbling about how �some people needed to get moving.�

Grimmjow helped Karin to her feet as Starrk did the same for Nanao. The first thing on today�s agenda was a meeting that none of them wanted to miss. Karin in particular had been counting the days, starting on the first of December. Today was the winter solstice and it was also the day that her daughter would return to the Seireitei with her Consort, to consult with the Council. Three months had passed since she�d last seen Ajuga and she�d become pregnant after the fall equinox and Ajuga�s return to the Royal Realm. Karin was uncertain if her daughter knew she would soon be an older sister, despite the clairvoyance the Throne granted it occupant, or whether she was still in the dark about her family�s expansion.

Their mates helped them deal with their footwear and pulled warm cloaks over the shoulders to keep them warm. Starrk had declined any position of power, content to sleep the lazy days away at Jushiro�s Estate, dote on his mate and occasionally remind the Numeros that he wouldn�t put up with too much unruliness. Since Nanao had become pregnant with his twins though, he�d taken to escorting her to and from work, sleeping the day away on their couch while they completed their daily tasks.

Szayel was close, or so he professed, to devising a method that would allow entities other than Arrancar to create two-way Claims, but until that day came, Nanao refused to let Starrk place such a bond upon her again. Karin couldn�t refute her logic for doing so, and Starrk had accepted her reasoning, though he displayed the same twitchy possessiveness she�d seen in the less-powerful Arrancar with un-Claimed mates.

Grimmjow didn�t mind Starrk�s presence at the 5th Division at all, since he had his own job to handle and couldn�t protect Karin at all times, as he would have liked. The former Sixth led the newly created 7th Division, composed entirely of the Arrancar who had made themselves useful by defending the city. Ggio Vega would be at the meeting in his capacity as Grimmjow�s Fukutaichou.

Not every Arrancar had signed on for the long-range patrols. A few, such as Cyan Sung Sun and Sementall, had formally joined other Divisions. Those two now reported to Unohana-Taichou. Sung Sun fulfilled the role of a nurse�s assistant, changing pillows and bringing meals when she wasn�t slipping into the nearest closet with Iemura. Meanwhile, Unohana had �suggested� to Sementall that he work in conjunction with her people, using his Resurrección to keep trauma victims and their families calm during crises. The stallion valued his life enough to agree. The alternative involved some sort of potential dust-up with his father-in-law and like any rational creature, had chosen a lesser evil.

Not every outcome, unfortunately, had been as positive.

A few of the Arrancar spared during the second round of Claim breakings had decided to leave on their own, but most had knuckled under and had agreed follow Starrk�s directives. The Council had immediately imposed laws that prevented the Shinigami population from trying to exact revenge on the Hollows abiding by the new rules, mostly to avoid turning the inner Districts into a war zone as Arrancar fought to keep their dens and their heads. A week after the coup, long-suppressed anger and rage finally overcame the Shinigamis� shock at their restored freedom. The first case of Shinigami-on-Arrancar violence had come before the Council three days later, followed by others as the friends, family and sometimes the formerly-Claimed decided to strike back after more than a decade of enforced helplessness. Regrettably, the Arrancar they targeted weren�t the actual perpetrators and often had former pets and pregnant mates willing to defend them. The Taichou had had their hands full trying to keep what passed for peace between the two sides intact while the remaining Espada and fraccion had to keep the Numeros from using lethal force to protect themselves. None of those who sought revenge had managed to kill an Arrancar outright, but the Shinigami population at large learned that the Council was more than willing to put them on trial for unwarranted violence.

In the months that followed, they also found out that some of the abusive Arrancar they�d initially banished hadn�t given up on taking back what the new government had stripped from them. Three of the Arrancar they�d exiled to Hueco Mundo had managed to open up a Garganta, thanks to one of Szayel�s staff members forgetting to input the proper codes for the lockdown between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. By the time a mixed patrol of Arrancar and Shinigami tracked down each intruder, two had Claimed a new victim apiece and the third had re-Claimed his previous pet, plus two civilians. The pursuit squads had found and apprehended the first two but the third had regrettably escaped to Hueco Mundo with his captives before anyone could stop him.

That had let to a permanent ban on Garganta travel and the establishment of an equally permanent and very fortified Shinigami base in Hueco Mundo. Szayel and his Division had transformed his old laboratory into a remote station, to monitor the sunless, sandy world from behind several protective barriers, in the hope that they could serve as an early warning outfit and prevent further incursions. The Divisions had launched a rescue operation, but after three weeks of searching, had come up empty-handed, save for a few bloodied pieces of clothing. That failure had haunted the Seireitei�s troops for a long time and Karin prayed that nothing like that would happen again.

A young woman�s voice, calling to them from behind, cut through the human woman�s brooding.

�Mother! You look wonderful! How are you feeling?�

The two couples stopped in the middle of the rebuilt plaza and turned to see Hana hurrying towards them, holding the hand of a young child who had to run to keep up with her. A pack of restless hybrid cubs, wearing cloaks with the kanji for �Kyoraku Academy� stitched on the backs, trailed behind her. Abarai Nelliel and a servant who wore the same crest as the children accompanied them, both of them doing their best to keep their small charges in line.

��take-ji, Karin-san, Grimmjow-san, Otou-san,� the girl added and her smile widened just a little more when Starrk blushed at the affectionate title she bestowed on him. �This is Lloydght Surry. Surry-kun, say hello.�

Everyone�s eyes fell on to the hybrid boy hiding behind her leg. The small blond child pushed back his hood to reveal his little rounded white ears and big blue eyes. He also nervously flicked his fluffy white tail with its small black tip, at being the focus of so much adult attention. It was hard to believe that such a shy child was the product of an Arrancar with Franque Lloydght�s reputation, but there was no denying his heritage.

�Hullo.�

Cheeks reddened with both cold and embarrassment, the boy uttered his one word, bowed and ducked right back behind his protector.

�We�re working on greetings,� the young woman explained.

Hana was still one of the 3rd Division�s Seated officers, but after Aizen�s downfall, the girl had taken a sudden interest in her biological father�s legacy. Thanks to the war and Barragan�s purges, the Kyoraku Clan consisted of a few distant relations, mostly old men and their aged wives who had gone to ground and a three-times-removed female cousin, who, it turned out, had been scrubbing the mansion�s floors for years without a clue as to her ancestry. It was no contest; as Kyoraku Shunsui�s daughter, Hana had the strongest claim to the title of Clan Head.

Her far-flung relatives were quite happy to overlook Ise Nanao�s less-than-noble bloodlines. The title of Taichou and her mastery of the Kido arts were a fine substitute for noble genes in that Clan�s book. Unlike the Kuchiki Clan, the Kyoraku family were also far more pragmatic when it came to the selection of spouses and concubines. Karin guessed their practicality stemmed from necessity coupled with a fondness for alcohol and an inbred aversion to hard work. After Hana, the next-most-well-thought-of member of the Clan was Kyoraku Jiro, a man fliting with old age and anything that wandered by wearing a skirt. He had spent the majority of Aizen�s rule running an underground distillery in the southern 29th District and ironically, supplied Omaeda Marenoshin�s tavern with workaday booze. Upon meeting Hana, he�d bowed deep enough for his forehead to scrape the gravel beneath his sandals and thanked her for absolving him of the onerous responsibility of leadership. He�d also offered her his best bottle of bootlegged sake as a welcome-to-the-family gift.

At first, it wasn�t much of an inheritance. Hana found herself in charge of a devastated Clan that might have died out if not for Kyoraku Shunsui�s fortuitous one-night stand and bankrupted if not for Kyoraku Jiro�s negligence in paying his taxes. Barragan had squandered everything else. Lacking any real resources, faced with an Estate that needed vast repairs and servants that needed regular paychecks, Hana had subsequently rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She�d approached the Council, along with Ushōda Hachigen, with a scheme to convert the Kyoraku Estate into an orphanage and establish a school for the hybrid children who had lost parents over the years to their duties or whose mothers hadn�t wanted them. Some of the formerly-Claimed Shinigami had been unable to bond with or accept their oddly-formed children, and others had been unable to handle a hybrid child by themselves after losing the sire, during either the Swarm�s invasion, exile or other unforeseen calamities. Nine hybrid children, some orphaned, some relinquished and one because his parents had agreed to move in, currently called the Kyoraku mansion �home�.

Thankfully, Hana�s plan incorporated reaching out to those who understood hybrid children and Hollows in general for help. Her first choice was someone that Unohana-Taichou and Ukitake-Taichou had already tapped to head what amounted to the Rukongai�s first real �security� force. Unohana refused to allow anyone possessing a Bankai to let it sit idle during the Seireitei�s time of need. Abarai Renji and those under his command would act as law enforcement officials for the first forty inner Districts. Their duties included maintaining the peace between the Arrancar and the Pluses who made those Districts their home and working with Grimmjow�s Division to coordinate Arrancar patrols of the Rukongai�s rougher, outer reaches. Unlike the Onmitsukidō, Renji�s people worked out in the open. The relatively lawful inner Districts had wanted some kind visible authority to deter crime, while the Arrancar served a similar function for the violence-prone denizens of places like Inuzuri and Kusajishi.

Thankfully, it was a position that allowed Renji the luxury of being home at a decent hour. After a long talk with his wife and with his former Taichou, the redhead had officially retired from his position as Kuchiki Byakuya�s Fukutaichou and donned a white haori marked with the kanji for �security�. When asked whom he wanted as his second, Renji brought up the names of a waitress working at a teahouse in the garment district and a sweet potato farmer living out in the sticks. He also asked Yoruichi if she could pass a message on to Shirogane Ginjirō, wherever the hell the old coot had hidden himself, regarding a new pair of reishi-detecting sunglasses� purely for business purposes.

Renji and Nel had summarily taken up residence at the Kyoraku Estate, helping with the remodeling to stretch out the monies that Hana had secured from the Council. In addition to housing and educating hybrid orphans, the great house served as a daycare for other hybrid children while their parents worked, or whose parents just needed a break. The rates were reasonable and the Shinigami Women�s Society held occasional fundraisers that helped keep the orphanage in toys and other necessities. Karin knew how much energy such children possessed and the thought of trying to raise one alone, while serving as a member of a Division, seemed like an impossible task.

Nel, happy to have something to do that didn�t involve baring Gamuza, had thrown herself into the role of �den mother,� which included her and Renji�s son Katsurou. Between the former Third, the mansion�s staff and a recently-hired slew of instructors, none of the youngsters lacked for supervision or protectors. Chief among the last was Ushōda Hachigen. Hana had extended the Kyoraku hospitality to her teacher, for as long as he needed a place to stay. The huge, preternaturally patient Vizard split his time between teaching a rambunctious herd of half-Arrancar children during the mornings and training eager young minds in the fine art of Kido at the Academy in the afternoons. As someone who understood what it was like to have a dual Shinigami/Arrancar nature, he was much better at handling the occasional tantrum brought about by a child�s Hollow instincts than a Shinigami or a Plus would be.

�Do you think Ajuga-chan and Diaemus-kun will have time to stop for a visit during their trip?� Hana asked her, forcing Karin�s thoughts back to the present. A short distance away, a quarrel had broken out between three of the children.

�I see the Gilga twins are at it again.�

Grimmjow�s dry observation made Hana turn around just in time to see the first of two cute strawberry-blonde girls tug on the hood of a small boy�s fur-trimmed cloak, pulling it down. The minute he pivoted on one hooved foot, she quickly donned an innocent expression. Their victim glared at them from beneath shaggy red bangs and he formed two fists.

�Cut it out!� Karin heard him yell and take a step forward, lowering his head as if to charge. It would be a long time before the small set of black horns that sprouted just above his eyebrows could do damage to anyone but no one seemed to have told that to the child.

�Uh oh,� said a small voice and the adults looked down at the child hanging on to Hana�s hand. Surry had his lower lip between his teeth, worrying it as he watched the ongoing drama. �They always bug Katsurou-kun.�

�That�s because he reacts, Surry-kun,� Hana muttered irritably. �If he didn�t, they�d bug someone else.�

�That�s what �m afraid of,� the little boy replied. Thankfully, intervention came in the form of one turquoise-haired overseer and another little girl that reminded Karin eerily of Ajuga at a similar age. Nel materialized behind the twins and placed a hand on each girl�s shoulder. Their eyes grew bigger, knowing they�d been found out but her full disapproval fell on the boy, who looked up at his mother with a face that implored �but they started it!�

�Katsurou, what did we discuss yesterday? As for you two, Nnalla, Nnerra, please keep your hands to yourselves until we reach the park.�

Nel�s tone suggested that all of them had best obey. A short round of �Hai� and �Yes Ma�am� rose up from the assembly of bundled children. Katsurou pouted while his mother wheeled the Gilga girls into an �about-face� and pushed them ahead of her, until Avispona came up behind him and nudged him with her shoulder. It was no surprise the two were friends, being so close in age. Karin saw the dark-haired child bend her hooded head forward and whisper something inaudible into the boy�s ear. Katsurou�s eyes narrowed as he listened and when he grinned conspiratorially, the human woman knew there would be some kind of payback later. It was too cold for that retribution to involve mud, but she wouldn�t put it past Renji�s son and Soi Fon�s daughter to give as good as they got with whatever they had on hand.

Hana saw it too and stifled a groan, especially when another hooved boy, this one with bristly brown hair and a curly pig�s tail sidled up to Avispona, dragging a smaller, white-haired girl with dragon�s wings and reptilian pupils into the hushed conversation.

�Oh great. Now Eddy and Livvie are in on it. Hachi told us to let them blow off some steam today, since we don�t have any lessons this morning. That,� she said and pointed with her chin at the four underage schemers, �doesn�t bode well.�

�I remember thinking something similar when you and Ajuga would disappear with Lilinette,� Starrk told the group, to Hana�s embarrassment. �I usually ended up wet with something not long afterwards. It wasn�t too bad during the summer, but wintertime...�

�Would it be too late for an apology, Starrk-ji?�

Hana�s plea made every adult around her chuckle and Grimmjow guffawed until Karin elbowed him. Surry�s ears perked up and she guessed that this was information the children�s benefactress hadn�t shared with any of them.

�It�s the oldest known form of parental retribution,� Nanao informed her daughter. �The curse states: May you have a child who takes after you in all ways. It�s really an elegant demonstration of karmic justice, don�t you agree?�

Hana brushed her bangs out of her eyes and pulled a face.

�Yeah, I get it. Thankfully, I�m not responsible for them twenty-four-seven. Speaking of Ajuga, do you think you could ask her and Diaemus to come by the orphanage this afternoon, even if it�s just for a brief visit? I�d love to see them and I think the kids would enjoy it too.�

�No promises, but I�ll remind her to try,� Karin warned, trying not to get Hana�s hopes up. The amount of time the Royal couple could afford to take for personal visits was limited and every second counted. Still, she couldn�t see Ajuga and Diaemus turning down a chance to rendezvous with their oldest friend and fellow troublemaker.

The young noblewoman shared a quick round of hugs with her mother, Starrk and Ukitake before she and little Surry departed with the herd of youngsters. The five adults continued on their way towards the 1st Division. They were the last to arrive, but that was no surprise, since pregnancy and Shunpo didn�t mix well.

�Well, well, well� look who decided to show up!�

�Shut it, Zaraki-Taichou,� Grimmjow sneered at the one-eyed menace, who curled his lip and mouthed the words �ready whenever you are, kitty,� back at him.

Zaraki Kenpachi had taken over the 1st Division, which stunned everyone who thought that Unohana Retsu or Ukitake Jushiro would have been a better and possibly saner choice. When he announced he didn�t give a rat�s ass about being Soutaichou, the Seireitei let out a collective sigh of relief. The madman�s motives for taking the place turned out to involve veiled references to �training in the Muken,� which everyone who knew what that term meant decided was fine, as there were fewer things to destroy at the dungeon�s lowest level than there were topside.

In addition, the 1st Division already had a relatively equal mix of Arrancar and Shinigami in its ranks, thanks to Aizen. Kenpachi wasn�t the sort to care if the people under him were Hollows or Shinigami, as long as they did what he told them to do, fought to their last breath and gave him a decent sparring session from time to time. The Arrancar respected power and Kenpachi was more than powerful enough to keep them in line with strength alone. The Division�s Shinigami were just grateful that they no longer had to process all of the duplicate paperwork their previous Taichou required of the other Divisions, especially if they made sure to bribe their new Fukutaichou with sweets.

Jushiro, Toshiro, Unohana, Nanao and Byakuya still represented their respective Divisions while the Council had re-designated Szayel�s domed den and laboratory as a proper Division unto itself. The scientist seemed amused at finding himself the Taichou of the new 8th Division, though few understood exactly why he found the number funny.

Karin saw Tia Harribel in attendance, though she wasn�t standing next to her mate. Instead, she stood with her Shinigami counterpart in her capacity as the joint Headmistress of the Shinōreijutsuin. Unohana had offered her a position much like Grimmjow�s, but she�d turned it down. Instead, she�d asked if there was something closer to home that she could handle. The blonde had been a surprisingly good choice to help salvage the Academy�s curriculum Aizen had so drastically changed when he�d seized control. She�d helped implement a few new classes, with the idea that the Seireitei would eventually need some concessions in secondary learning for the hybrid children that showed both desire and aptitude. Moreover, the class on Claims now included a rigorous and mandatory section on the laws pertaining to them, for Shinigami and Arrancar alike, as well as a catalogue of potential punishments for breaking those laws.

Harribel was a welcome addition to the school, with her calm demeanour, and her striking looks, if what the students whispered to one another when they thought no one could hear them was any indication of her popularity. Classes were no longer limited to just potential Shinigami either. Several of the Numeros had already enrolled in the school in order to learn how the Divisions organized themselves. Ggio and Sung Sun were recent graduates and Abisara, if the rumours were true, would likely be the next to attend.

The acting Fukutaichou were here today as well. Yachiru hung off of Kenpachi�s shoulder and Karin briefly wondered if the girl�s perpetual childlike state was similar to that of Lilinette. Neither had grown or matured since she�d know them. Lilinette�s arrested development made sense, if one took into account her relationship to Starrk, but Kusajishi Yachiru�s eternal girlhood remained a puzzle.

With Soi Fon�s death, Omaeda, Marenoshin had stepped into her position as Byakuya�s second. Surviving members of the Onmitsukidō had accompanied him, sliding from their skulking exile to resume their former careers. Since the reinstated 6th Division had the fewest members, they�d converged upon it, seeking employment. Their presence had several side benefits for Kuchiki Byakuya. They�d had taught him their sign language and his inability to speak meant little to the shinobi. The focus of the 6th Division went from performing konso to gathering intelligence and providing the Council with accurate information to disseminate through the rest of the Divisions as needed.

Grimmjow did his best to hide how much he disliked leaving Karin�s side as protocol forced him to take his place next to Ggio, his current Fukutaichou. If Ggio was here, then that meant Tesra was out in the field today with a patrol. Karin�s Fukutaichou�s duties made it difficult to keep in touch with Tatsuki but if memory served, the other human woman and her mate were expecting another child. Karin wished them luck; their little household already had four active children. Then Karin grimaced as she recalled the Ukitake Estate would also have three infants and Lilinette as their self-appointed ringleader. She was suddenly thankful Ajuga and Hana were relatively independent adults.

In the end, the Soutaichou�s position had gone unfilled. The Council had decided against giving any man or woman that kind of power ever again. When they needed to speak as one voice, Unohana did so, for she was free of a Claim, was not an Arrancar and because public speaking wasn�t Kenpachi�s forte. Likewise, the concept of a sequestered Central 46, staffed entirely by nobles, had gone the way of the dinosaurs. Any protests by what remained of the Noble Houses were feeble at best or in the case of the Kyoraku and the Kurosaki Clan, non-existent. The Spirit King and Queen had politely told the Kuchiki Elders to fuck off during a speech put together by Shihoin Yoruichi, the gist of which threatened to strip any House that continued to whine about such things of its noble status completely. Ajuga credited her aunt-in-law Rukia with the idea.

None of the Shinigami in the room had Claims on them and the only active bond was the Mating Claim she and Grimmjow shared. Nanao�s assessment regarding her subordinates� perception of a Claimed Taichou had proved prophetic. Until Szayel could find a way of establishing reliable, two-way Claims between individuals, no matter what their race, none of the Shinigami officers could or would allow an Arrancar to cast a one-way Claim on their person.

Karin and Rukia exchanged bows with their respective Taichou as they took their places. Her sister-in-law had accepted the position of Jushiro�s Fukutaichou, a promotion that was long overdue. The Kurosaki Clan had rebuilt the old Shiba Estate with some assistance from Kukaku and a lot of help from Ganju. The Shiba were even more accepting than the Kyoraku Clan was when it came to its members. Their long-ago adoption of the late Spirit King�s son made Ichigo as good as a blood-relation. That made Rukia�s decision as far as her own relatives that much easier. Karin sorely wished she could have been there when the petite Shinigami had threatened to kill them, but had settled for Yuzu�s vivid retelling of the event.

Ichigo stood to Jushiro�s left side, opposite his wife. He was here today for the same reason Starrk had decided to attend, to see his niece and nephew and Jushiro wasn�t the sort to tell anyone �no.� Her brother had no real rank within the Divisions and she could understand why he�d turned down every position of authority Unohana and Jushiro had offered him. Ichigo had always been a lone wolf as a teenager and the years hadn�t changed his disposition. He was the sort of person the leaders sent into battle to rally the troops and to save the day, not keep them organized and their paperwork neatly filed.

�Who�s babysitting today, Kukaku or Ganju?� she mused, thinking of her charming hellion of a nephew. �Probably Kukaku. Ganju cried the last time Ichigo let his cousin care for the boy. Something about traumatizing Bonnie for life.�

Ichigo�s Hollow aspect aside, Rukia was a Shinigami and therefore, little Isshin would develop like any normal human or Shinigami child. He could take his time growing up, unlike the hybrid children. That did not mean the orange-haired boy wasn�t trouble. Karin appreciated her brother�s sentiments in naming his son after their late father, but there were also times she could tell he regretted the choice.

�Lilinette has been teaching Isshin some interesting ambush tactics whenever she comes by for a visit. I bet he�s been testing them out on his papa. Lucky thing he�s still in diapers. I�m sure he�ll be absolutely deadly once he starts teething.�

�If everyone is here, I would like to call this meeting to order,� Unohana called out. �As you all know, our Monarchs and their escorts will arrive today. Nanao-Taichou, Karin-Fukutaichou, thank you for attending despite your conditions. In as much as we appreciate your continued service, your combined timing is deplorable.�

Most of the room indulged in a bit of laughter at that. Kenpachi�s loud bark, while not the most diplomatic, seemed sincere.

�At least our pregnancies will be relatively short,� Karin said, feeling a bit defensive. She pointedly looked at Toshiro and then Harribel. �That�s more than I can say for a few others.�

Harribel�s ten-month pregnancy ended with the delivery of her and Toshiro�s daughter, but the record holder for longest pregnancy was still Omaeda Mareyo. The poor thing had endured an eleven-month term, something her father brought up when he thought the person to whom he was speaking needed a lesson in �true fortitude.� As a result, those who knew the man avoided the subject entirely if they could help it.

Unohana cleared her throat and the meeting began in earnest. The Council�s chairwoman got down to the usual, mid-month business, comprised mostly of budgetary requests as well as reminders that the deadline for the end-of-the-month as well as end-of-the-year Division reports would soon be upon them. A few of those assembled snickered when she asked Kenpachi to make certain his Fukutaichou did not complete that Division�s reports in crayon this year. On a lighter note, the inter-Division soccer tournaments had been a great success and Karin informed the group that the off-season celebration for the league winners had been well-received. Ichigo had taken over the task of refereeing those matches when he could, which his wife and sister considered a wonderful way to keep him occupied and out of trouble.

A displacement of air near the doorway signalled the arrival of the Scarabs. Whatever unfinished business remained ended up tabled as silence fell over those gathered in the hall. The matching insects stood impressively for a moment before turning to face each other and unfurling their wings. A minute later and the portal opened.

Orihime and Ulquiorra walked through the gate wearing white haori decorated with the kanji for �Zero� on the back, indicating their status as members of the Royal Guard. While Ulquiorra remained his usual, stoic self, Orihime greeted the Council and Division representatives with a bright smile and a wave. Ajuga and Diaemus came through after them, looking little different from the last time Karin had seen them. Her daughter had recently taken to wearing some of the gold jewellery they�d salvaged from the ruins, but still eschewed clothing. Diaemus, on the other hand, wore an ornate yukata modified to accommodate his wings and his tail. Yoruichi, clad in a similar manner to Orihime and Ulquiorra and carrying a heavy-looking basket, brought up the rear. She made a one-handed gesture to the Scarabs, telling them to shut the portal down.

Everyone in the room bowed once, before the semi-serious atmosphere deteriorated completely. With a sigh, Karin waddled a short distance from Nanao while the two bugs charged up to her begging for head scratches as if she were a sweets-peddler and they starving children. Once that was out of the way, she had two seconds to blink before Ajuga threw her arms around her mother.

�Oh Mama, I have missed you, and congratulations! You too, Nanao, Starrk-ji,� Ajuga added quickly as an acknowledgment. Karin took a step back as soon as her daughter released her, but the smile on her face stayed put. While she wished she could draw out their embrace, there were others in line to see the Spirit Queen.

��Take-ji, you should see some of the teas we have up there! I swear I find a new blend every other day. I brought you some more.� Ajuga turned on one clawed foot and drew a wooden box from the basket Yoruichi carried before either Ulquiorra or Orihime could stop her. She then placed it in a surprised Jushiro�s hands. �I wish we had time to brew some now, but you will just have to enjoy it without me,� she sighed, ears and tail drooping until the Shinigami coaxed one corner of her mouth up by opening the container and sniffing the wrapped leaves. His blissful expression did a lot to soothe the gift giver.

�Don�t worry, I will,� Jushiro said and bowed to show his gratitude.

�I didn�t forget about you either Bya-san! I think you will be impressed with this piece!�

Ajuga held her hand out to her consort and Diaemus placed a long wooden box in her palm. She opened it and gently eased the rice paper out before unrolling it.

�I have been working on it for almost a year, and I think this is my best yet,� she told her teacher. There was no hiding the excitement in her voice, nor the hope.

From what Karin could see, her daughter�s skill at calligraphy had vastly improved in the last three months, and the room watched as Byakuya took a few minutes to examine the work. A nod from him had the supposedly all-powerful Spirit Queen bouncing on her clawed toes in glee. He graciously accepted the gift and reached into his sleeve. Instead of the old chalk tablet, he withdrew something new and shiny. Ichigo had been the one to propose the idea after a particularly frustrating family dinner that involved a ridiculous amount of chalk dust flavouring everyone�s food.

As a result, Byakuya now possessed a computer in the form of a tablet equipped with a voice synthesizer. The software came with male and female �tone options�, and with some fine tuning on Szayel and Abisara�s parts, he�d made it sound much more like his lost voice. Yammy had rendered him mute by the time Karin had gotten to know the nobleman, so she had to take his word for it. It helped that Senbonzakura had volunteered his voice for sampling. While materializing one�s Zanpakuto in front of others was a serious taboo, Yammy had already humiliated both master and blade in the worst ways possible. In this instance, everyone could agree breaking that rule was for a worthy cause.

�Thank you Ajuga. Your gifts, as usual, bring me honour. I am pleased and humbled to receive them,� said the voice emanating from the tablet.

Ajuga�s cheeks reddened at her instructor�s praise, looking less like royalty and more like a bashful schoolgirl. Then she frowned and leaned over to look just past Byakuya at the spot where an impatient Szayel waited for a turn to speak to her.

�I think I know where Vindula-chan got all of her nervous energy, because I swear you�re vibrating in place, Szay.�

The Espada tossed his head to get his hair out of his face, revealing his fully-healed mask. The golden eyes behind them narrowed, but even he didn�t dare contradict the Spirit Queen. However, he could feign complete ignorance.

�I have no idea what you�re going on about, your Majesty,� he huffed, though his expression changed from �slightly affronted� to �surprised� when Diaemus handed him a thick folder Yoruichi had pulled from the bottom of the basket.

�This is the data you requested from the sensors Abisara set up two months ago at key points in the Royal Realm. Maybe you can find something in there that will help us speed the repair work.�

�Oh my! Thank you! Abisara had a few issues pulling down the information in complete sets from the equipment here. There�s some sort of interference in the transmission system. He�ll be so pleased!�

Karin hid a smile behind her hand. It was nice not having to taste Szayel�s emotions any longer, though she occasionally missed the intensity of his happier states. Of course, he hadn�t had a despondent or suicidal day since Aizen�s demise, but that didn�t mean his former mistress wanted to go back to the way things were.

�If I ever hear the �sama� honorific attached to my name again, it will be too soon,� she groused to herself. �Even if we�re technically nobility now. Ugh.�

�Indeed,� Ajuga laughed, before accepting the next present, this time from Orihime. This box was larger than the one that contained Jushiro�s tea and taller than it was wide. �This one is for you and Vindula-chan.�

Szayel accepted it and quickly pulled off the lid to reveal a seedling in a pot. He stared at the specimen lovingly and Karin swore she could see the wheels turning in his brain as he did an initial, visual analysis on it.

�Found this one in the back corner of my private hunting grounds,� Ajuga explained. �Not sure what it is, but I�ll bet you�ll have a report for me, complete with its decrypted DNA before I leave� not that I would understand a word of it.� She shrugged before she wagged a finger at him in warning. �Remember, you have to share with Vindula-chan. It�s too cold to plant anything now, but maybe in the spring��

�Yes, yes, what kind of father would I be if I didn�t let my daughter have her gifts?�

Vindula had done the unexpected after the dust had settled. Prior to Ajuga and Diaemus�s departure for the Royal Realm, the girl had begged Ajuga to give her the Palace. She�d been quite upset on the morning after someone had laid waste to the Royal Wing. The wreckage had been truly spectacular and rivalled the damage to the Seireitei. No one had taken responsibility for blowing that portion of the Palace to smithereens and burning the leftovers and if anyone other than the culprit had a clue to his or her identity, they�d smartly kept quiet about it.

That left the remainder of the building, the walls and the many gardens relatively untouched. Faced with such a request, Ajuga turned to her father for ideas. Anything that had once been Aizen�s property now technically belonged to Grimmjow and Ichigo. After the briefest of discussions, the two men, who had no use for the place, threw up their hands and told Ajuga it was entirely up to her. Ajuga then gave Vindula permission to do whatever she wanted to what was left of Aizen�s den as long as her plans wouldn�t break any laws.

At that point, Szayel, who had come with his daughter to speak to Ajuga, interrupted. He had something that he very much wanted to do to one of the interior rooms, which involved a large amount of cement and a lot of backbreaking labour. A week after several of Szayel�s minions finished dumping countless wheelbarrows full of the thick stuff into the torture chamber under the Palace�s throne room to harden, Vindula took control of the Palace and came into her own.

The Palace was no longer a private residence. Instead, it served as a rehabilitation center of sorts. The beautiful architecture and landscaping provided a helpful backdrop for those wounded in mind, body and spirit, reminding them that there were plenty of things worth living for. Unohana had deployed a detachment of skilled nurses from the 4th Division to staff it, and Harribel was in the process of setting up an internship program that would send promising Academy students to train under those healers� supervision, all while helping Shinigami that might never return to active duty. Those needing more long-term care than the 4th Division could provide often found themselves ensconced there.

Vindula personally saw to the maintenance of the many lush gardens, no matter the season. The little girl had gone to the gardeners that Aizen had originally employed and begged them to come back to work. Six months after her rescue, Karin had finally summoned up the courage to go back and see what had become of her former prison, partly to see if she could find closure and partly out of curiosity. The Royal Wing was gone of course, but what had replaced it surprised the human woman.

Nothing remained of the place where Aizen had violated her. Even the foundation of the Royal Wing was gone. A large pond ringed in stone and featuring several strategically-placed trailing willows had replaced it. Multi-colored koi darted among the reeds and water lilies, and congregated beneath an arched bridge that led to and from the island in the middle of the water. Some intrepid carpenter had erected an open pavilion there. Once could sit on the structure�s smooth wooden floor and contemplate the beautiful scenery, no matter the season. Karin�s mid-autumn visit meant she was fortunate enough to see the elegant, five-lobed leaves of crimson and deep maroon maple trees falling into the water.

Normally, she would have dismissed the idea of a young girl designing such a place on her own, but when she pressed Szayel about it afterward, he insisted he�d had no hand in the construction. However, the scientist did steer her in a different direction with regard to his daughter�s silent assistants. The first, which explained the presence of the pond and the koi, turned out to be Kuchiki Byakuya. Vindula had pleaded with the nobleman to allow her and her handpicked gardeners to tour the Kuchiki Estate, ostensibly for ideas, since she�d already seen so much of Ukitake home. He, in turn, had donated the fish.

The second, unseen hand belonged to a certain lavender-eyed man. Szayel�s winged child had pestered Yumichika outright to help her, until he�d given in and allowed her to tap into his well-defined sense of aesthetics. She thought that working on it might have served as a kind of therapy for the former slave. He�d recovered his health, but not his former dazzling looks. Orihime, in fits and starts, had regenerated his eye, but he�d stopped her short of rejecting the scarring that covered one third of his face. When the healer had asked Yumichika why, he�d answered that he�d �earned them.� Initially, Karin had thought that he was referring to Avispona�s rescue, but in time, she�d come to consider that the scars were less a trophy for him than a reminder of something darker and more personal than a sacrifice made during battle should be.

Rumor had it that when he wasn�t on duty at the 1st Division, acting as Kenpachi�s 3rd Seat or helping Ggio with the task of raising Avispona, Yumichika could be found in the company of a young, winged lady, drinking tea and discussing additions to the landscaping. Szayel hadn�t been pleased when he�d spied them in the middle of one of Vindula�s �tea parties�, but so far, the Shinigami officer hadn�t shown anything other than polite interest in Vindula�s latest botanical specimens. Other rumors had it that both Abarai Renji and the girl�s mother had spoken with him regarding the odd friendship. As Ayasegawa Yumichika still had his head attached to his shoulders, Karin assumed that there was nothing untoward between the two. Vindula was still far too young, and too impressionable� and much too pretty for her own good.

Ajuga continued to greet the others, handing out gifts until both baskets were empty. She had nothing for her parents, but to Karin, her daughter�s visit was present enough. She could not be prouder of her and from the feelings that Grimmjow fed to her, he was equally pleased, especially after she made plans to hunt deer with him. Outside of the Royal Realm�s floating cities were vast reaches of wilderness that no one had seen fit to map or explore. The new Spirit Queen seemed determined to rectify that oversight. Now that he was part of the Royal bloodline and Kukaku no longer had to hide away her cannon or her explosives, Grimmjow could technically go to the Royal Realm whenever he wished. In reality, it was easier for Ajuga to contact the Swarm�s Queen and ask to borrow a few Scarabs, as she had today. The two monarchs had come to some kind of understanding while Ajuga had been the latter�s guest.

�Poor cub,� she thought as she rubbed her stomach, �your older sister has set the bar quite high. I would be perfectly happy if you had a normal childhood, or as normal as your heritage will allow. At least you�ll have plenty of playmates your own age. You�ll have Nanao�s brats and I hear Tatsuki and Tesra are working on Piglet Number Two� �

She suspected Starrk and Grimmjow of conspiracy when it came to her and Nanao�s too-convenient conception dates. Szayel had once said that certain Hollows could detect when a mate ovulated and while neither Espada had confessed to such, Karin knew that both wolves and cats knew exactly when a potential mate was fertile. That was in line with some animal species instincts when it came to timing births, especially herd and pack animals. If one mother perished, others would be ready to take up the task of feeding. From a human perspective, the idea was cringe-worthy, but she wasn�t dealing with a human mate and neither was Nanao.

She could only hope that the 5th Division�s 3rd Seat could hold things together while she and her housemate worked out a proper schedule.

�Oh good! I�m not too late!�

A familiar voice, pitched loud enough for others to hear it over the buzz of conversation, caused heads to turn towards the doorway. The speaker had pushed one of the doors open and stood on the threshold. For a moment, all Karin could see was the person�s silhouette, but that hardly mattered. She�d recognize that voice anywhere.

Ishida Yuzu, elegantly coiffed and dressed in a silk blouse, black silk pants and a pair of Italian leather pumps worth more than her twin�s annual salary, walked into the hall, dragging a rolling suitcase by its telescoping handle. Her civilian garb and the modern baggage she tugged behind her stood in jarring contrast to the uniforms and traditional clothing prevalent on the other side of the Dangai. Karin didn�t really care; she was just glad that her sister had received the note warning her that Ajuga was due for a visit to the Soul Society.

The blonde only made it four or five steps before a blur of white and black accosted her, almost taking the shorter woman off her feet.

�Obachan!�

�You look well Ajuga-chan! You too, Diaemus-kun! Let me look at the both of you!�

While Yuzu inspected the Royal couple with a critical eye, Karin did the same to her sister, though she tried to be subtle about it.

�Are you running away, Obachan?� Ajuga asked, peering around her aunt and doing her best not to point rudely at the suitcase with a claw. Yuzu looked over her shoulder and laughed, hiding her mouth politely with her hand and shaking her head.

�Oh, no! Your parents and your Uncle Ichigo and Aunt Rukia wanted a few things from the Living World, so I brought them in something that I thought would make the trip in one piece.�

�Someday, if you don�t mind, would you show us the �shadow travel� trick the Quincy use to get around? We�ve tried to figure it out and there�s nothing in the Seireitei�s literature or what�s left of the archives in the Royal Realm that says anything about it.�

This came from Diaemus and when Yuzu smiled at him, Karin finally detected some strain around her sister�s eyes.

�When I master it, I will be sure to tell you,� Yuzu replied. Then Ichigo and Rukia elbowed their way in and the family reunion picked up where it had left off, with Ajuga asking how long she�d be staying and Diaemus nearly begging his in-law to cook a meal for him. After months of Orihime�s �creative� cooking, the Royal Consort was probably desperate for something not covered in hot sauce, anchovies and strawberry jam.

�You see it, don�t you?�

Startled by the question whispered in her ear, Karin turned to find her mate looking shrewdly at her twin. There was no use pretending that she didn�t know what he was talking about, nor could she refute his almost inaudible statement.

�Yes.�

�Do you regret letting her stay with him?�

�It wasn�t my call and you know it.�

�Okay, bad choice of words. Do you regret leaving her with him?�

Perhaps that was a little more loaded than she would have liked, but it was closer to the reality of the situation. Yuzu had decided to stay in the Living World, and her marriage, rather than joining her family in the Soul Society. Karin understood, after several long discussions with her twin, why Yuzu made that decision, but that didn�t mean she liked the result. Loyalty, gratitude and commitment were all fine things, but in Karin�s opinion, her twin had given undue importance to them. No one had been more surprised than Ryuuken when Yuzu told him she would remain in her role as his wife, which told Karin a great deal about the exact nature of the union. Her sister�s marriage was one in name only and on more than one occasion, she�d caught herself wondering if Yuzu was still a virgin. She was nearing her thirtieth birthday too, which only added to Karin�s worries.

It wasn�t that she disliked Ishida Ryuuken; the physician had done a great deal for her family over the years. However, she had misgivings about it. Six months ago, during Yuzu�s last visit, she had confided to Karin that her husband was keeping something important from her. She�d also voiced her suspicions about what that mysterious �something� was. One didn�t become a well-trained nurse without learning to see the subtle visual clues in another human being. The Quincy had kept his dedicated staff in the dark as well, so asking the Tsukishimas if they knew anything that might help her wasn�t an option. While Ryuuken had remained stubbornly silent about it, Yuzu did have social ties with other well-placed members of the medical community, via their wives, but asking too many questions would have kindled gossip. She�d had to be extremely circumspect in her inquiries and what she�d discovered wasn�t good.

Karin felt totally helpless when it came to the situation. Maybe, in the intervening months, her sister might have been able to pin down whatever it was Ryuuken refused to share. All Yuzu could say for certain was that her husband wasn�t having an illicit affair or dallying around the red-light districts. Karin supposed that was a relief, but then, Ishida Ryuuken hadn�t struck her as the sort to indulge in such things.

The topic was both depressing and had visibly distressed her twin at the time. Thus, she�d dropped it and told Yuzu that she would be here if she needed anything.

�If anything comes up, I�ll listen,� Karin whispered to her mate, �but I don�t want to mar her visit with Ajuga. We don�t get to see her enough as it is.�

�Agreed,� Grimmjow muttered and then both of them straightened as the subject of their conversation finally pried her older brother off of her with the promise that she hadn�t forgotten the supply of his favorite chocolate bars.

��and just what are you two going on about over there?� Yuzu inquired, narrowing her eyes at her pregnant sibling, �and exactly when were you going to let me know you were pregnant?�

Grimmjow mouthed the word �busted� at her, while Karin sheepishly took a few steps forward.

�Surprise?�

The hug she received in response said Yuzu had already forgiven her for the oversight. Karin took a second to bask in sisterly affection before her twin could bombard her with questions about her due date and her health. Then she gave some additional thought to Yuzu�s clothing, or lack of it, and drew back.

�Wait a moment� it�s freezing out there! Don�t tell me you forgot to bring a coat!�

Now it was Yuzu�s turn to go wide-eyed at neglecting something so important. She turned her head back and forth, regarding both arms in shock.

�I� oh no!� she stammered. �I was so busy getting everything together and I left from the training room. I can�t believe that I��

Someone flung a length of light grey fabric in a wide arc around her sister�s shoulders. Kuchiki Byakuya took a step back when he finished securing the ties to the cloak he�d worn to the meeting. He then bowed to Yuzu, who reflexively clutched at the knot. The nobleman�s tablet quickly explained his actions.

�Please make use of this for the duration of your stay. Such frigidity is not the norm in the Seireitei and it might see fit to snow. Your sister or Grimmjow will return it to me.�

In the meantime, Kenpachi began making noises about �training sessions and other important crap�, which meant that the meeting was officially over. Unohana brought it to a close so that the Royal Party could take some time to drop in on others not attached to the Divisions. Karin guessed that Orihime and Yuzu would want to catch up with Rangiku and Tatsuki and that Yoruichi would want to see Avispona. She quickly relayed Hana�s request to Ajuga and informed the Shihoin Heir of the child�s whereabouts. With any luck, they�d still be at the park.

Yoruichi�s golden eyes lit up and she thanked Karin before disappearing in a flash of purple and white. The noblewoman, grief-stricken in the months following her student�s death, had agreed to help Ajuga and Diaemus establish themselves in the Royal Realm and continue training them. Now that the two youngsters had a better grasp of what they needed to do to keep the Realms in their proper places, Yoruichi spent more time in the Soul Society. She fully admitted that she wasn�t �Royal Guard� material and hinted that she might step down once her presence was no longer a necessity. Ulquiorra and Orihime, on the other hand, were more than enough protection for their Majesties. In addition, Abisara had recently spent time �top side� to install a security system that would make his father proud. Perhaps in time a few qualified individuals would come forth to round out the Royal Guard�s ranks, but until that happened, Szayel was determined that nothing �endanger his two favourite specimens.�

Yuzu, thoroughly embarrassed, thanked Byakuya for his thoughtfulness and handed off the suitcase full of Living World bounty to Grimmjow. She also promised that she would be back at the Ukitake Estate in time to assist with dinner. That helped mollify Karin�s mate, though he did bare his teeth at Ichigo for referring to him as a �bellhop.� Then his mouth curled up in a sinister way and he reminded his former nemesis that, as he rolled the bag back and forth, he was now in possession of all of the chocolate.

Ichigo�s mouth immediately closed.

Karin put aside her concerns for her sister and let Yuzu go. For her part, all she wanted was to return home for a nap. Judging by the way that Starrk supported a yawning Nanao, she wasn�t the only one ready for a siesta. Ajuga and Diaemus promised that they would make it to the Estate in time for a shared family meal later that afternoon and Yuzu reluctantly told her sister that she would have to return to Living World that night. The rest of her apology for such a short visit was lost as Orihime dragged her off to find Rangiku and Tatsuki.

The Ukitake Estate, and her futon, beckoned and Karin intended to give the latter her full attention. All she had to do was to fend off her pawing partner.

�You can cuddle, but I am bloody well sleeping,� she growled warningly. �Let�s get that bag to a safe place, ne?�

Grimmjow pouted at her tone, but quickly snaked an arm around her and pulled her against him. His body heat helped ease some of the ache in her lower back and Karin discarded any ideas of escaping his clutches. The fingers not curled around the suitcase handle inched downward to rub against the heavy fabric of her yukata. The pressure on her belly instigated a round of �kick the hand� on the part of their unborn cub.

�A soccer player�� Grimmjow said quietly and Karin laughed under her breath.

�You got your huntress. It�s time for one of our children to take after me for a change.�

�Ajuga got your temper.�

�Huh. Personally, I always blamed that on you.�

�Now wait just a second!�

Neither of them paid much attention to the Taichou and Fukutaichou passing to either side of them while they stood arguing. The formalities were over and now it was time to get back to the slow, gruelling work of rebuilding. Eventually, Starrk cleared his throat and that put an end to the banter between the mated pair.

�As your Taichou, I�m ordering us both some bed rest. Other than the Royal visit, there�s nothing terribly important on the agenda for today,� Nanao told her second-in-command. When she adjusted her glasses, Grimmjow quickly clasped Karin�s hand and grinned nervously. The gesture meant that they were both on thin ice.

�Understood, Ise-Taichou. Please lead the way,� Karin said, trying to sound deferential and failing miserably. Nanao snorted at the other woman�s reply, but went ahead and drew her cloak tighter around her shoulders to ward off the cold outside on the long walk home. Karin did the same, but before she could pull the hood up over her head, her mate swooped in and dropped an unexpected kiss on her mouth.

�We made a fine Queen. She�s the best of both of us. The new brat�ll be the same,� Grimmjow murmured against her mouth. His grin widened as he felt yet another kick while Karin made a face. �Just you watch,� he added.

�At least he or she won�t grow up under a tyrant�s thumb,� she replied. Her mate moved away and offered her his free arm. Starrk had already fallen into step next to Nanao and if they weren�t careful, they would end up left behind.

�Nope. He�ll just have a nosy older sister looking out for him, ready to rat him out to us if he so much as breathes wrong.�

Karin raised an eyebrow at that.

�Him?�

��Or her. Doesn�t really matter, long as the cub is healthy.�

Jushiro had left them on the pretext of getting some work done at the 2nd Division office and Rukia had followed suit, ordering Ichigo to �go home and relieve Kukaku before she and Isshin blow up another well.� That left the two couples to retrace their steps and make their way through the Seireitei�s maze-like streets. While the majority of the damage done during the Swarm and the Escapee�s combined invasion was gone, there were still reminders, here and there, of Aizen�s first Victory. The old 11th Division grounds were little more than ruins now and the great metal pillars that had once been part of Szayel�s grand Defence Net remained in their places, silent gleaming sentinels in the wilderness surrounding the Rukongai, of almost fifteen years of an off-and-on war. There had been some talk of removing them but Karin thought it better to leave them in place. They were fitting monuments to the Shinigami that had died trying to defend the Seireitei. In a way, they also served as a memorial to the untold millions of insects that had valiantly tried to rid the Seireitei of a usurper who had endangered countless Realms.

On a more personal level, their creator had suffered greatly and Karin wasn�t certain if tearing them down would mean that everything Szayel had endured at Aizen�s hands had been for nothing. Perhaps solutions similar to Vindula�s rehabilitation centre and Hana�s orphanage would present themselves at some point, to help to chase away the shadows that lingered over the Seireitei and the inner Districts.

Nor was the Escapee�s Victory bloodless. It had cost them some very good people and no matter what the Shinigami said about the dead taking up new lives in the Living World, their absence hurt. The scars left by fifteen years of turbulence and occupation weren�t going to go away overnight, but if fate were kind, they would fade. Those left behind had thrown everything they had into trying to right a ship that had floundered. She, like the rest of them, could only do her best and hope that if the departed souls of those sacrificed during Aizen�s reign could see the changes now, they would be pleased with how things had turned out.

It could have been much worse. Much, much worse.

�You�re thinking too much,� Grimmjow growled. Karin glanced up at him. His bright blue eyes were on the two walking about a yard ahead of them, deep in their own conversation, punctuated by the occasional yawn on Nanao�s part.

�A win�s a win,� he went on, �and when ya win, ya gotta grab the prize with both hands and never let it go. We�ll make what we took back better than it was before. Can�t think of a better Victory than that.�

The determination she sensed from him was strong and she realized Grimmjow meant everything he said. Then he had to go and ruin it.

�Unless I can talk you into something more than just a cuddle when we get back to our room��

�You�re incorrigible and the answer is �no,� you spoiled housecat.�

�You mean �panther,� don�t you?�

�Forget housecat! You�re a tomcat��

�Correction. I�m your tomcat. Get it right.�

Dear god, it�s the end. The final Chapter of Prize of Victory part 2. Yes, there was a time skip, prologues tend to be that way. I know more of you want to see clean up, but lets face it, this is getting too long and was really starting to drag on after the climax of Aizen�s death. Is this the end of POV? No. I know for a fact that Black Fox is working on some more, and I have a few plans myself. I make no promises on how long it will be before anymore is posted, especially with a new little one on the way, and my usual desire to write a good deal ahead before posting.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has posted reviews over the years, and give those who made it from beginning to end, through all the dark and gritty chapters, a special thank you. But, more importantly, I want to thank Black Fox for her amazing Beta skills. POV is what it is because of her, and while the main story line is mine, the amount of depth she added to it is truly astonishing. I doubt you will ever see such grandeur from me again, because half of it is her, so please take a moment to thank her as well. I don�t know how I got so lucky to have her contact me to be my Beta, and by the end, co-author, but I thank whatever motivation it was that caused her to do so.

Black Fox, thank you so much for all your support and help with this story.

End Results for POV 2

Pages: 1650

Words: 765, 085

File Size: 9,333 kbs

Final overall results:

Pages: 2881

Words: 1, 219, 521
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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