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Prize of Victory 1.5
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
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Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach nor profit from my works.
Chapter List
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Destruction

Jushiro watched with a heavy heart as his mother and siblings finished packing up their personal belongings. The few servants that the Ukitake family employed stayed busy running between rooms with laden arms and bundles of supplies. As the morning wore on, the help seemed near the breaking point, harried beyond words. His sisters were going back and forth, sometimes between one another and sometimes with their inner clotheshorses, about how much they could reasonably take with them into the middle Districts. The resulting chaos, while lively, only reminded Jushiro that after today, he might never hear their voices again.

Starrk hadn�t wanted to kick them out, but aside from his mother, the rest of his family could not withstand the Primera�s power for long. Jushiro�s two youngest sisters were already showing signs of strain. As much as he hated to do it, it was either let them go or watch them perish.

He thought it ironic that their safety lay in leaving the inner Districts altogether. While things could get rough once one reached the Twentieth District, the hazards would not include regular encounters with Aizen�s troops. The Arrancar wouldn�t stray far from their leader and the novelties, like abundant food and luxurious dwellings, the closer settlements afforded. Starrk�s reiatsu wouldn�t be the only problem if they tried to stay. If Starrk and Lilinette decided to leave and take up residence in the Seireitei, there would be no one to stand in the way of a Numeros Claiming one of his sisters, in an attempt to upgrade his or her den. The Ukitake Estate was conveniently located and large, and it wasn�t a matter of �if� someone would take it, but �when.�

That horrid thought kept him from voicing any objections when his esteemed mother decided to relocate the majority of her brood to a less conspicuous location. The woman in question knelt in front of a large carved trunk, sorting clothing into different piles. From what Jushiro could tell, she was making hard choices as to which of her kimonos and yukata would least stick out in a less prosperous District. The pile of plain clothing on her right grew by one gray yukata, a blue obi and a pair of linen tabi. Then she looked over her shoulder at him and frowned, the lines around her mouth deepening.

�Will you be all right dear?�

Her constant concern was something he�d taken for granted all these years. The idea of living without it, without her counsel and care, suddenly made his stomach feel as if it were full of lead, heavy and painful. What he did not want was to make her feel the same way, so he put on his most reassuring smile.

�I will be well enough, but I fear for you and my sisters,� he confessed, his answer coming too quickly. Kiku put down an armful of clothing and rose from her crouch to stand. Then she picked a path around boxes and piles of folded bedding to embrace him. Jushiro rested his cheek against the top of her white-haired head in turn. Thankfully, she could not see him wince. Bending even that far was painful and his muscles complained the longer he held the pose. He was still only half-healed, despite Unohana, his mother�s and Nanao�s ministrations. In addition, there was the whole business of the Claim, the stresses of which he deliberately kept hidden from her.

One did not share these sorts of things with a parent.

�Don�t be such a worrywart, Jushiro. We�ll be much better off where we are going. Remember to take your medicine daily and to keep an eye on poor Nanao-san. Shunsui�s death is a terrible blow to us all, but it seems to have hit her the hardest. Oh, and you mustn�t forget to grieve yourself. Please don�t bottle it all away,� she gently admonished. �Shunsui would be the first one to tell you that.�

He wished he could say �I know, and I will,� but his tongue fumbled over the words. Starrk had gone back to the battlefield and picked up the body, returning with it. The Primera had informed him and Nanao that he intended to give Kyoraku Shunsui a proper burial once Aizen had called his upcoming meeting to a close. Kami evidently expected everyone to appear at the 1st Division, per the Kido-based broadcast earlier that morning. The message had been short and not exactly informative, but the black smoke still billowing into the sky from behind the Seireitei�s walls made him dread what he would find.

�We will be okay, Nii-san, it will be just like going on a long vacation,� one of his younger sisters piped up from the doorway. His mother stepped back and allowed the girl to take her place, her slender arms wrapping around his shoulders. �I know you will come to visit when you can.�

�I�ll do my best,� he agreed, hugging her tightly. He might not actually have the ability or the opportunity to do so, and therefore he kept from making any further promises.

�Oi, you lot ready to go?� Lilinette demanded. She�d apparently followed his sister and now leaned against the doorjamb, her impatience unmistakable.

�As ready as we will ever be,� Kiku answered, not the least bit put out by Lilinette�s gruffness. Some days, he wondered if anything could throw his mother for a loop. It certainly seemed to him that she managed to take every emergency in stride, including every one of his coughing fits and attacks, from childhood to the present day. His mother returned to sorting. When finished, she placed her ornate silk kimonos back into the chest and piled the smaller stack of drabber, more practical garb into a smaller basket, which Jushiro carried for her to the foyer. Outside, the servants relayed each chest and bundle to a hired wagon. Soon his family and the baggage would climb aboard for the uncomfortable ride to a more rustic District.

Starrk watched all of this with a morose expression, from a spot he�d staked out near the front gate. When the head servant had accounted for the last Ukitake daughter and box of household goods, the Espada got to his feet and walked to the front door. He scratched the back of his neck and addressed Jushiro, though his eyes remained on Lilinette.

�I will be back as soon. Remain here and get ready for Aizen-kami�s meeting,� Starrk ordered. Jushiro concluded that he might have meant the instruction for both him and the Primera�s smaller half. �You have my permission to defend the den from any intruders.�

He wanted to go with them, but he hadn�t fully recovered yet and he would only show them down. Worse, if Aizen ran meetings the way Yamamoto ran them, he�d be on his feet for hours, or worse. He needed to prepare, mentally and physically, for such an ordeal. Aizen was the sort to gloat and after such victory, there was no telling how long the bastard would pontificate. There was also the matter of leaving Nanao alone with so many Arrancar running around freely. The Fukutaichou was strong enough to fend off most of them under normal circumstances, but in her current mental state...

�Does Ise-san need to come too?� he asked. Nanao hadn�t left her assigned room since he�d awakened, according to his mother. Kiku also informed him that the woman had eaten, even if it was only half a bowl of udon and several mochi at lunch. It was better than nothing and a sign that her military training had prompted her to seek nourishment, if only to keep her reiatsu levels at their optimum during a period of high danger. She was not the sort to let sorrow sidetrack her in a time of crisis and for that, he was grateful.

�This time,� Starrk replied and then shrugged. �As for the future, I�m not certain if Aizen will require her presence.�

Jushiro interpreted that to mean that Starrk knew as much as he did, which was damned little. There was nothing left to do after that but to say his goodbyes. He also bowed deeply to the servants that had chosen to accompany the Ukitake tribe into exile, in gratitude for their staunch loyalty. Starrk and Lilinette led the little caravan away after that. Jushiro kept his eyes on the street long after the cart had turned the corner and used the heavy post of the Estate�s gate to keep his body upright. He discarded the thought of running seconds after it presented itself, brushing it away as one would an annoying insect. The Claim around him meant he wouldn�t get far and he valued his family too much for such a futile act. Starrk had already demonstrated, at Jushiro�s request, the power of that bond and he swallowed hard when he remembered what it was like to feel someone else take complete control of his physical form.

No, he did not want to experience that kind of helplessness ever again.

After half-an-hour of unproductive loitering, he gave up and did his best not to inhale too deeply. The air was hazy with the smoke that had escaped the Seireitei and he could taste the char on his tongue. Breathing the tainted air for too long might send him into a relapse. Erring on the side of caution and not wanting to know about what might still be burning, unseen, on the other side of the great walls, Jushiro returned to his quarters to take a much-needed shower.

When he opened the door to his room, he discovered one of his older, overly formal kimonos and its matching obi laid out on his still-unrolled futon. It was one of his better civilian garments too and its reappearance reminded him of just how long it had been since he�d had any occasion to wear it. The motif of embroidered green pine boughs on white silk was one of only two winter ensembles he owned and he wondered how long the little Arrancar had to dig through his possessions to find it. In truth, he�d wanted to wear his uniform, but Starrk had nixed that and Lilinette had insisted on the kimono� or, as she put it, else.

Jushiro wasn�t sure he wanted to find out what �else� might entail.

That made him think about the Estate�s only other non-Hollow occupant. Had Lilinette picked out Nanao�s clothing too? The Fukutaichou�s things were, to his understanding, still at the 8th Division, so whatever his new masters wanted the woman to wear had most likely come from among his sisters� castoffs.

It took almost an hour to scrub away the grime and dried blood from his body. His mother and Nanao had cleaned up the worst part of the mess, but he still wasn�t what he would consider clean. The shower could only do so much and Jushiro wished he had another hour to soak his tired muscles in a tub of hot water. Instead, he reluctantly dried himself once the water streaming from the showerhead grew tepid.

After dressing, he wracked his brain to remember which room now belonged to Nanao and when that failed, fell back on tracking her down via her reiatsu. Once there, he rapped on the doorframe to announce himself, only entering when he heard her acknowledge him from the other side of the door. He expected to find the woman curled on her futon, a study in misery, but that was not the case.

Nanao�s dark hair was damp and she was in the process of clipping it up in its usual style. Her eyes remained puffy from crying, but otherwise she looked as prim and proper as ever. He was surprised to see her wearing Shunsui�s pink haori over a subdued gray yukata. The thing was clean save for a few faint blood stains that he doubted would ever come out no matter how often it was washed. Someone had mended it as well, and since his sisters and his mother had been busy packing, he guessed that Nanao had been the one to stitch up the tears. The garment was much too large for her and when she stood the hem touched the ground, but she didn�t seem to care.

�You seem� much better.�

Her critical gaze raked him, starting with the top of his head and ending with his feet. It was obvious she was looking for any signs of ill-treatment, much as he�d just done to her.

�Thank you. I feel better,� he replied, then gently asked, �How are you doing?�

She hadn�t given him permission, but he gingerly took a few steps towards her, partly to get a closer look at her. Grief clouded her features, before she schooled them again, affording a brief glimpse of the turmoil beneath her controlled exterior. �As well as I can, I suppose. It�s just��

She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence and hung her head, turning away lest he see her start to cry. Jushiro rushed to her side and before she could tell him anything to the contrary, grasped one of her arms. He drew her to her feet and into his embrace. Nanao stiffened, and then returned it when she realized she wasn�t the only one with eyes full of saltwater.

�I miss him,� she whispered into the front of his kimono. There was no need to elaborate on whom she meant. �I can�t believe he�s gone. If not for this,� and here she plucked with one hand at her too-long pink sleeve, indicating the haori, �I would still expect him to come through that door, bottle and cup in hand, with that ridiculous hat��

One of his hands rose tentatively, not sure if he should stroke her hair the way he would one of his sisters, or give her some space per their usual professional statuses. When she did not pull away, he threw caution to the wind and placed his hand on her head. He hoped that she�d interpret it as a fatherly gesture. She needed to know that someone else was hurting as much as she was, and if he was honest, Jushiro needed this as well, with his family�s departure for parts unknown.

�As long as we don�t drown our collective sorrows in strong drink, we should be able to cope,� he thought, knowing how Shunsui would have reacted if he were in their shoes. Neither of them could afford the luxury of liquid painkillers at present. As painful as he found it, he also needed to give her some information.

�Starrk retrieved his body from the city,� Jushiro muttered against the top of her head, fixing his eyes on the wall. �We�ll bury him tonight, if possible. I know that this might be asking too much, but is there a place you think would be good for a memorial marker?�

�Behind his favourite distillery, among the casks.�

Nanao�s mumbled reply wasn�t hesitant and it made him chuckle weakly.

�I think he would enjoy that a little too much, with all of those accidental spills.�

This time both of them smiled wanly at the image that conjured. Nanao shook her head, probably to dispel it and her shoulders slumped.

�Traditionally, he would be buried on the Kyoraku Estate, but� well� he was never that close to his family.�

He was suddenly glad she was too short to see his face, because she might not take the grimace his mouth made very well. Starrk had informed him that the Second Espada, Barragan Louisenbairn, had taken that manor for his den. According to both halves of the Primera, Shunsui�s immediate family was likely dead and the rest scattered. Moreover, no Hollow would allow a rival anywhere near his or her abode for something as frivolous as a burial. Lilinette treated the idea scornfully. Coyote Starrk was a bit more diplomatic about it, but in the end, had explained that Hollows ate the dead and then forgot them. There were no memorials, save in one�s stomach.

�There�s always his favorite tree on that one hill overlooking the Shinōreijutsuin. I�d often find him sleeping beneath it, particularly when it was time for him to do the monthly acquisition reports.� Nanao looked up at him then and added, �It�s pleasant there, in the summer. I think he�d like it there, under the shade of the branches.�

He knew the tree she was speaking of, had known it since long before she was born. It had been a favourite spot of theirs since their days at the Academy, and laying Shunsui�s ashes to rest there sat well with him.

�I think that�s a fine idea. He always did like the view.�

�Oi, you two ready to go?� Lilinette bellowed from somewhere near the main gate.

They immediately stepped away from one another and turned towards the door. Nanao used her sleeve to dab discretely at the corners of her eyes, while Jushiro employed a few fingers. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. The Espadas� return meant the Primera had escorted the Ukitake family for as long as their limited time allowed. Jushiro breathed deeply, testing his lungs. They still sounded reedy, but the feeling of imminent suffocation and the need to cough were absent. Nodding to Nanao, he led the way through the nearly empty estate, back through the front door and down the gravel path to the main gate.

Lilinette was alternately pacing and tapping her foot impatiently, while Starrk dozed against the trunk of a tree growing just inside the gate. With his arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed, he seemed to be a counterpoint to his partner�s irritable energy. When the girl saw them approach, she came to a halt and scrutinized them, probably to make certain they were dressed as ordered. They must have passed inspection, because she promptly pivoted on her heel, stalked over to her taller half and kicked him in the shins. The she punched him in the gut.

Starrk�s pained yelp was almost worth it.

�Oi wake up, it�s time to go, ya lazy git!� Lilinette shouted, inches from Starrk�s ear when he bent over from the blow.

Starrk growled and grumbled, but pushed away from the tree and straightened his spine. As he did so, the sleepiness and pain evaporated, and he regarded Jushiro and Nanao with a serious expression. His next words carried an unmistakable warning.

�I don�t know what we are going to find on the other side of that wall, but it�s probably not going to be pleasant. Kami-sama may have let us take you as pets, but if you act up, he won�t hesitate to punish you himself. I can�t and won�t interfere. Just stay quiet, unless he speaks to you and don�t do anything stupid, or rebellious.�

The numbness in Jushiro�s stomach from earlier grew a little colder as he listened, knowing the advice was more for Nanao than him. Starrk could render him silent in an instant, but his control over Nanao was in name only. If she couldn�t keep her tongue, Aizen might order Starrk to Claim, and probably kill the Fukutaichou. Jushiro would gladly get down on his hands and knees a dozen times a week to prevent that from happening.

Per Starrk, Jushiro knew the Primera had already told Nanao what had happened to Shunsui, and about Starrk�s involvement. He could not read her mind, and part of her reaction to the news might be due to shock, but he was under the impression she did not blame the Primera nearly as much as she blamed Aizen. Jushiro had heard Starrk�s admission himself, that if not for Aizen�s interference, the monstrously powerful Hollow would have remained in Hueco Mundo indefinitely and the Soul Society unaware of its existence.

There were people on the streets, but they moved as if they expected something to jump out at them at any moment. Starrk and Lilinette attracted the most attention, but the majority of the Plus souls they encountered paid Jushiro and Nanao little heed. Without their uniforms, he and the Fukutaichou resembled nothing more than a pair of well-dressed minor nobles, not Shinigami. Whether Lilinette had anticipated and chosen their attire for this reason, he couldn�t say.

The acidic, choking smoke grew thicker as they moved past the gate. Once inside, Jushiro stepped from a bad dream into a full-blown nightmare. He and Nanao froze, taking in the multitude of corpses piled high near the entrance, on both sides of the great portal. The formerly white paving stones had turned brown with darkening, congealing blood and flies formed seething black clouds over all of it, as far as he could see. He had expected a mass slaughter, had tried to prepare for the horrors, but as Starrk and Lilinette ushered them through the city, the only word that came to mind was �genocide.�

Somewhere to his right, he heard Starrk say �Breathe.� His lungs obeyed the Espada�s instruction, though Jushiro did not remember holding his breath at all, and the result was a round of coughing. A smaller frame slid beneath one of his arms and Nanao�s face, devoid of anything but grim purpose, swam into view.

�Ukitake-Taichou, we have to keep going,� she murmured. Jushiro wished he could say something, anything to her, but his raw throat wouldn�t form the words. Therefore, he let her drag him forward, through the maze of stinking death towards the 1st Division.

�Is anyone still alive?� he wondered, as each turn revealed new, ghastly sights. There seemed to be no end to the bodies, to the broken, scattered Zanpakuto and pools of blood.

When they neared their destination, Jushiro finally saw signs of life, answering his unspoken question. Unfortunately, none of what he saw was encouraging. Here and there, he spied armed Numeros herded ragged groups of Shinigami through the wide-open gates of the 1st Division. They moved like zombies, with stricken expressions and covered in soot from the fires. They also clutched the remains of their shredded clothes to their bodies like shields, especially the women.

Aizen had yet to make an appearance. As more arrivals crowded the courtyard, the Numeros busied themselves by setting up a perimeter. In contrast, the Shinigami leaned against one another, or collapsed, falling to their knees when they could no longer stand. Some had huddled together and others sat alone, all equally trapped, equally miserable. The exceptions belonged to those Shinigami sporting the green utility sashes of the 4th Division. Led by Iemura Yasochika, the healers darted here and there, patching up the remnants of the Gotei 13. Jushiro spent his time doing a quick headcount and came away with a disheartening figure. The 4th Division accounted for a full fifth of the remaining Shinigami. The next largest group wore the laboratory coats the 12th Division assigned their researchers, but that squad had never been particularly large.

At first, he was at a loss to explain why so many of the 4th Division were still on their feet and unharmed. Then Starrk supplied an answer that shocked and appalled him.

�Aizen declared he would take the Taichou of the 4th Division, the healer with the braid, as his mate.�

�What? Why? That makes no sense!� Nanao gasped. Starrk�s eyes narrowed and she drew back, suddenly aware of her outburst. Jushiro wanted to second that, but thought better of it. The announcement made no sense to him either. In all of the years that he had known Aizen Sousuke and Unohana Retsu, he could safely say that he�d never noticed any kind of sexual attraction for one another. Respect, yes, but desire? No, there had to be some other reason, one that did not include romance, though he suspected the 4th Division�s continued health had something to do with it. Lilinette nudged him with her elbow, though not hard and pointed towards the elevated walkway. Yamamoto-Soutaichou had used it to address his assembled Division each day and that was where the Primera guided them.

The rest of the Espada and their captives already occupied it and Jushiro jaw clenched when he saw the others� various states. Hitsugaya Toshiro looked tired but intact, doing a good job of keeping up a professional demeanour. The only thing missing from his person were his Zanpakuto and his haori. Kuchiki Byakuya, on the other hand, was clearly in pain. He also wore a woman�s kimono, and one meant for a young woman at that, the long furisode sleeves making silk puddles to either side of his kneeling form. Soi Fon appeared livid, with her arm in a sling, though she remained silent, probably due to a Claim-enforced order. Their eyes briefly met and Jushiro felt a little burned by the rage he saw in her gaze. He could only imagine what Barragan had done to her. The only completely undamaged Taichou was Unohana. From this distance, all he could tell was that she wore her full uniform, including her haori. Rather than kneeling with her fellow captives, she was hard at work among the incoming survivors. Every now and then, he caught a glimpse of the bright, healing Kido as she used it on an injured Shinigami.

The lower ranked officers had fared little better. Rangiku knelt, head down, next to the tall Espada with the too-wide grin. What he could see of her face alternated between fury and depression. Ayasegawa Yumichika seemed better, but that might only be because of his experience with the 11th Division and his former life in the outer Rukongai. If one survived either of those blisteringly violent environments, their current circumstances might not seem so insurmountable. At least, that was what Jushiro hoped. The Second Espada paid the 5th Seat no mind, acting as if neither Yumichika nor Soi Fon mattered to him at all.

A tug on his sleeve from Lilinette, and a jerk of her small chin indicated that he should mimic the others. With Nanao�s help, he sank to the boards and arranged the folds of the kimono around his bent knees. She did the same, staying close in case he needed her assistance. From this vantage point, Jushiro could see just how few Shinigami, officers and non-seated troops, remained. He wanted to examine each face and uniform in the crowd below, to see how many of the 13th Division had managed to get through the invasion. He thought he identified about twenty of his troops, but the poor state of many of the uniforms made a full count impossible. Worse, he could not feel the raucous energy of his 3rd Seats.

A majority of the Arrancar had a Shinigami beside them, most with obvious bite marks on their necks, evidence that Aizen�s forces had Claimed more than just the officers on the platform. Toshiro�s case in particular bothered him greatly. Jushiro couldn�t help but think of the other Taichou as a child, despite knowing the white-haired youth�s true age. It all reinforced his understanding that compared to what the others had undergone Starrk had treated him gently.

Suddenly the huge double doors of the 1st Division�s main hall opened and Aizen strode through. No one else was with him and Jushiro pondered what Gin�s absence might mean. At the same time silence fell across the courtyard, save for the sobs of those unable to hold back their tears. The traitor was back to his normal appearance; the strange transformation he�d undergone just before he�d Ascended had dissipated and he smiled beatifically down on the assembly, sweeping his arms wide.

�Excellent, everyone is here. Let�s get started.�

Jushiro felt another surge of horror. There had to be five or six hundred Shinigami gathered here and that was being generous. If that meant the rest had perished... The implied death toll almost made him physically ill. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see how pale his colleagues had become. Soi Fon�s death glare faltered briefly, before intensifying and one of Rangiku�s hands went to her mouth. Nanao�s complexion took on a greyish cast, though she kept scanning the ranks.

�As you can clearly see, I have won, and ascended to become Kami. However, the Realms will not balance themselves. Therefore, if you are not serving your new owners, you will strive to fulfil your original duties. I will remind those here that your most sacred task is to protect the Spirit King and I will expect nothing less than your best in that endeavour� unless there are those who wish to retire?� He uttered this in such a way that left no doubt in anyone�s mind that �retirement� was a euphemism. �For now, those who have not been Claimed, and who do not belong to either the 4th or the 12th Divisions, shall remain here in the 1st Division barracks until I reassign you. This brings us to the subject of leadership.�

Aizen put both hands behind his back and regarded the Espada expectantly. All save for Barragan and Yammy perked up.

�I want at least two of your pets to lead the reformulated Divisions. Is anyone willing to let me borrow them as needed?�

Starrk spoke up before Jushiro had a chance to ask him to do so, or express any gratitude. Having some small amount of authority in mending the disaster that had befallen the Gotei 13 would ease his soul slightly. Had the Primera sensed his desire through the Claim, or was it expedient on Starrk�s part? He wasn�t certain.

�You can have mine,� he yawned. Lilinette reacted by glowering at Starrk, likely irked that he�d thwarted whatever plans she�d had for Jushiro�s time, but kept quiet. If she had any protests, she kept them to herself in Aizen�s presence.

�My pet will serve you as well.�

This came from Harribel and there was no reluctance in her tone. Toshiro blinked in surprise and turned to stare incredulously at the blond Espada, though like Lilinette, he raised no protest at Harribel volunteering him.

�Good. I�m pleased with your generosity.�

Aizen took a few steps towards the edge of the platform and raised his voice anew. �The rest of you will begin the process of cleaning up and rebuilding. In the coming days, my Numeros or I will inform you of the new rules regarding your conduct and responsibilities, as well as your statuses in my realm. You will know them inside and out by the time I give you your new assignments. Today is the first day of a new era of perfection in my kingdom and you will all work to further its goals.�

It was as good as a dismissal for the rank and file. Aizen retreated and with a gesture, indicated that the Espada and their captives could go too, though he held up one finger and pointed it at the First and the Third.

�Starrk, Harribel, I will require your pets� presence for several hours. Leave them with me. I will send them home when I�m finished with them.�

Harribel and Starrk bowed, complying with Aizen�s order. If they had any qualms about it, they remained unspoken. Meanwhile, those in the courtyard without Claims tried to organize themselves as best they could and Jushiro heard Iemura�s raised voice, shouting directions to someone. Nanao slipped her hand briefly into his and squeezed it. He squeezed back, in effect telling her he would be all right. Both halves of the Primera spirited the woman away, though whether they meant to take her back to the Ukitake Estate or more likely help her track down any living subordinates, he could not tell. Eventually, only he and Toshiro remained on the platform, the other former officers dragged away by their captors. There had been no chance to say anything to any of them.

Unohana joined them after the collected Espada departed. Jushiro wished he could ask her what the hell she was thinking, marrying such a monster. Toshiro�s eyes hardened when she approached, but like him, had enough self-discipline to wait and see what would happen.

�Come with me to my new offices. I presume you know the way.�

He exchanged a look with Toshiro, but followed Aizen through the doors. He felt Unohana�s presence behind them. She said nothing until they reached the Soutaichou�s office and he wondered why she was there, when she was so obviously needed elsewhere.

The answer turned out to be �playing hostess.� Once inside the familiar room, she went to a sideboard that Jushiro knew from experience held several expensive tea sets and Yamamoto-Soutaichou�s collection of teas from the Living World. While she used Kido to heat a kettle of water, the usurper gestured to a pair of chairs someone had placed before the desk. This too was familiar � he and Shunsui had occupied those chairs many times, for many reasons, over the last millennium � but seeing Aizen Sousuke in Yamamoto�s place was both surreal and nauseating. His disgust did not keep him from gingerly taking his seat, mostly out of long habit.

He was, unfortunately, unprepared for what happened next. Aizen�s fingers grasped the edge of his kimono�s neck and pulled it aside. The smug traitor made an approving noise when he saw the bite on the back of Jushiro�s neck. Then he did the same to Toshiro, though he frowned as he got a good look at the smooth flesh. Rage equal to what he�d seen in Soi Fon flared in Toshiro�s eyes and for a second, Jushiro thought the youth would round on the traitor and attack the man for touching him. His neck had no mark and the older Shinigami hoped that maybe he�d been spared. Aizen�s chuckle quickly disabused him of that notion.

�Ah, of course, Harribel would not need to bite you to Claim you. However, I trust one has been cast?�

�Yes,� Toshiro admitted after an uncomfortable moment of silence. The flush on his face confirmed that this �Harribel� had had her way with him. Satisfied, Aizen took his seat behind the desk, and partook of the tea that Unohana placed before them. Neither Jushiro nor Toshiro touched their steaming cups. Eventually, the new Spirit King deigned to speak to them.

�By now I�m sure your Masters have told you that you, along with your fellow Taichou, are to be Claimed at all times. If the Claim fades, I will execute you without delay.�

They answered �Yes� in unison and Aizen smiled, while Unohana discreetly moved to stand next to the door. He laced his fingers together and rested his clasped hands on the desk in a businesslike manner.

�Very well. I have a list of commands for your Masters and you will convey them this evening. The list includes suggested punishments for insubordination, should you ever think to betray me, or attempt to use your positions to stir up a rebellion, up to and including the complete slaughter of your respective Divisions. I am not Yamamoto Genryusai and I will not tolerate the sort of� shenanigans and indulgences he put up with from many of those who professed to lead. I will show no leniency for any breach of the rules.�

�There are enough Shinigami remaining, apart from those attached to the 4th and 12th Divisions, to staff three reduced Divisions. Once I re-establish the Shinōreijutsuin and amend its curriculum, I will begin adding its graduates to those Divisions. As the new Spirit King, I will assume the office of Soutaichou and take command of the First Division, as well as the Kido Corps. You,� and here Aizen indicated Jushiro with a wave of his hand, �will helm the 2nd Division and Hitsugaya Toshiro will lead the 3rd Division. You will answer to me as you did the late Yamamoto Genryusai.�

A sidelong glance revealed Toshiro�s blush long gone. In fact, the young man�s lips pressed together into a thin, unhappy line. Aizen�s anger at Gin�s last-minute betrayal was no secret, but Jushiro hadn�t expected him to exact revenge on Ichimaru�s Division members. Had the 3rd Division been truly decimated during the invasion, or had something far worse befallen those that had once looked up to Ichimaru Gin? Moreover, Toshiro had openly despised Gin. Was this appointment a dig at the former, the latter or both officers? Jushiro knew better than to ask. When Toshiro slowly nodded, signalling his agreement, Aizen�s smile broadened, until it became positively beatific.

�Now that you have your assignments, I want you to take a count of the surviving Seated and Unseated Shinigami. They are to collect their belongings tonight and return here no later than one hour after sunset. Do not include the Claimed in your count � whether they return to their duties or not is up to their new owners. You will deliver these reports no later than tomorrow evening. I do not expect anything from you, Unohana Retsu, unless one of your people desires a transfer to a different unit.�

A full casualty report would take time to compile, which explained the extended deadline. He did not look forward to putting that list together, not wanting to read all of the familiar names as casualties. Some might have managed to escape; Jushiro would not put it past the members of the Onmitsukidō to go to ground, waiting for a chance to strike back. There were also the Shinigami assigned to specific geographical places in the Living World, who might not know what had happened yet. Jushiro fervently hoped that if they encountered any of the Arrancar sent to fetch them, they had the sense to run.

The rest of the meeting was blessedly short. Aizen handed them their new haori, with the appropriate kanji embroidered on the backs and gave them their first task. Starting immediately, they were to assist the rest of the un-Claimed Shinigami in cleaning up the battle debris and disposing of the dead. Their new leader wanted the bodies gone before rats, scavengers and disease got a foothold within the Seireitei�s walls. The only concession Jushiro managed to wrest from Aizen involved allowing the individual Divisions to cremate their dead members, sorted by the insignia on their uniforms, rather than dumping the bodies into indiscriminate heaps and burning them. The deadline for this mirrored the casualty report, meaning the survivors would light the pyres the following evening.

With that, Aizen dismissed them and Jushiro spent the rest of his day numbly assisting the macabre sorting of corpses. As the day wore on the number of 13th Division casualties grew longer. He never did find the remains of Kotetsu Kiyone or Kotsubaki Sentaro. Not knowing what had become of them or how they�d died was both a blessing and a curse, in that his final memories of them would be pleasant.

Starrk retrieved him at sunset. His crew had gathered up many of the dead, but others would have to work throughout the night to finish the job. Between the fires, the explosions and the various energy-based attacks the Arrancar used, there might never be a good reckoning of the dead. A low-level Shinigami hit by a Cero might disintegrate upon contact and there was no telling how many would end up with the designation �missing in action.�

They walked through the wreckage in silence, passing through the gates and out into the Rukongai and once he was out, he treated his lungs to some less-sooty air. Starrk finally broke the silence, not looking at Jushiro. His hands remained in his pockets.

�I assumed you would want to go back to work. Was I wrong?�

�No. Thank you. I appreciate it,� he answered honestly and reached into his uniform to pull out a folded piece of paper. �Aizen told me to give you this. He wants you to enforce the instructions on it using your Claim.�

Jushiro reluctantly handed it to Starrk. He had already read it, his despair increasing with each elegantly written line. From a tactical standpoint, the restrictions made sense. Starrk read it and then let it burst into flame in his hand. �I trust you will follow them to the best of your ability,� he grunted. �Even if I were to enforce them with the Claim, orders only last so long if they are not refreshed frequently and I am not wasting that much energy on you.�

Well, that was useful information. He wondered if Aizen knew there was a cost his minions incurred every time they invoked their Claims.

�I noticed not everyone was there. I could have sworn the Espada with the blue hair had taken Ichigo�s sisters and I did not see Inoue Orihime or her human friend.�

The tired Espada scratched the back of his neck.

�Grimmjow wouldn�t have Claimed them,� he replied, sounding almost bored �He would hold them as I hold Nanao. We don�t have many taboos, but sex with a cub is one of them. Not even someone as dimwitted as Yammy would stoop so low, or tolerate anyone who broke it. As for the other Espada, those few who had taken Claims amongst the civilians didn�t bring them either. The meeting was only for Shinigami.�

�What about torture?�

Starrk shrugged.

�No real rule against it. It�s not unheard-of to kill cubs, to remove the competition, but it�s wasteful. Naturally-born Hollows are very rare, and rumored to be highly fertile. Like Shinigami, we have low birth rates. Any cubs, particularly female cubs, would likely be adopted for future breeding purposes, rather than killed or tortured.�

Jushiro made a face and Starrk must have felt his disquiet, because he received a hasty clarification. �Grimmjow isn�t into torture, and if he did decide to Claim them when they get older, he would likely court them instead of just taking them, though it would be within his rights. As brash as he can be, the Sexta does possess a sense of honour.�

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn�t realized that Starrk was leading him, not to the Estate, but to the very tree that he and Nanao had been talking about earlier that day. She and Lilinette were already there with what looked like several baskets of prepared food, as well as one full of saké. Shunsui�s shrouded body lay atop a rude funeral pyre put together from deadfall tree limbs and dried bark as kindling. Jushiro hadn�t thought about what the other three had been doing while he�d been working, but it was clear to him now that they had been preparing for this moment.

The temptation to pull back the shroud, to see his friend�s face one more time was overwhelming, but Jushiro kept his hands at his side. Nanao�s eyes were shadowed, hidden behind her glasses but even in the dark he could tell she�d been crying again. She and Starrk had likely been the ones to place Shunsui�s corpse on the pyre and he did not want to traumatize her further. That brought up a sticky problem for which no one had planned: the time it would take to reduce the body to ash. He had to report to Aizen at sunrise and he did not want to have to leave Nanao to guard the pyre. Allowing Starrk to help things along with a Cero seemed utterly wrong, in many different ways. Thankfully, there was a workaround, and one that he thought his friend would find fitting, even funny. Taking a bottle from the basket, Jushiro startled the others by uncorking it and pouring the liquor over the silk sheet covering the body.

�One for the road, my friend. May it ease you into your next life,� he muttered, shaking the last drops over the covered feet. Stepping away and handing the empty container to a wide-eyed Nanao, he picked up Lilinette�s lantern, using the flames within to light a dry twig snapped from a nearby shrub. Without preamble, Jushiro touched the burning tip to the alcohol-soaked fabric and then flung an arm up to shield his eyes. The saké-fueled flames roared to life. Within minutes, an inferno engulfed the structure and the body.

Lilinette was oddly subdued throughout the whole affair. The solemnity was unavoidable he supposed, but Jushiro knew Shunsui would have preferred a large party, with plenty of free-flowing booze and raucous laughter. Unfortunately, they were lucky to be able to give him this small send-off. Those Taichou and Fukutaichou lost in the war would accompany the dead they�d commanded during tomorrow�s cremations, with no special distinction or mourning period. His lone consolation was that his friend would be reborn somewhere in the Living World, but that did little to mitigate his anguish. Therefore, he put on his bravest face and tried to do his late friend proud. Even Nanao took a drink or three as they toasted the departed and consumed some of his favourite dishes.

Lilinette did not remain long after that, muttering something about guarding the den from snoopers, but Starrk had stayed, even offering up a solemn toast to the man he�d defeated. Eventually, the smoke cleared and the roaring fire slowly dwindled. Jushiro could not distinguish what had been kindling and what had been Shunsui and at that point, he decided that it did not matter. Starrk wordlessly retrieved the shovel from its spot near the tree and began to heap dirt upon the hot, red coals, extinguishing them and completing the burial at the same time. In time, grass would grow over the mound but for now, it would remain a blackened scar on the earth. That too seemed fitting.

It was well past midnight before they left, but not before marking the grave with a stone. Nanao used Kido to carve out Shunsui�s name on it.

�You weren�t the sort to want anything fancy, unless you could play it, drink it or flirt with it,� Jushiro thought with some fondness. The ache over his friend�s loss had not diminished, but seeing the kanji etched into the makeshift memorial granted him a small amount of closure. �Maybe this is more your style. Strange, I always thought you would be the one to bury me, Shunsui.�

The walk back to the Ukitake estate was silent, and it remained so as each sought their beds. Without his family or the servants, the quiet became eerie, broken only by the cold wind as it whispered around the eaves and rattled the bare tree branches outside.

Jushiro should have fallen asleep the minute his head hit his pillow, given how emotionally and physically draining the day had been, but slumber proved damnably elusive. Closing his eyes did not help, because the faces of the dead lurked behind his eyelids, their specters waiting for him with accusing stares. Eventually he gave up trying and settled on staring at the timbers in the ceiling. Tomorrow he would have to watch the 13th Division burn. There was no question whether Nanao would be on hand when the 8th Division and its dead went up in flames, but afterwards�

He was worried for her. Aizen had decreed that when it came to the Espada�s pets, their Masters would make the decision as to whether they could resume their duties. Coyote Starrk had given him permission to lead again, but Jushiro wasn�t sure if he�d grant Nanao the same freedom. Without a Claim on her person, she was vulnerable until word got around that she served the First Espada.

�If we�re lucky, Lilinette will take care to spread that news,� he thought. For some reason, an image of the First�s younger half came to mind, her hands cupped around her mouth, bellowing to anyone who would listen that Ise Nanao was most definitely off-limits.

It was surprisingly funny, in the way that highly inappropriate things often were.

Shunsui would have been rolling on the floor. Jushiro would bet all he had on that. The man had never met a lurid joke, a sly innuendo or an outright howler that he did not enjoy. However, try as he might, he couldn�t find the courage to laugh. Instead, he reached up and ground the heels of both hands into his forehead.

It was far easier to summon gratitude.

Death had spared his friend all sorts of horrors, both large and small. Shunsui would not have to see what had become of the 8th Division after their resounding defeat. He would not have to hear that a black-robed skeleton had exterminated his next of kin. He would not have to endure a smirking Aizen occupying their sensei�s seat, making a mockery of everything Yamamoto had tried to build over a thousand years.

Jushiro could not imagine Shunsui submitting to Starrk, or to anyone else, unlike him, to his everlasting shame. In the space of a few days, he had lost everything he�d ever treasured� his family, his freedom, his best friend. The destruction was nearly complete.

What it could not reach were the memories, carefully tucked away in his brain, like the sweets he�d kept secreted in his desk drawer. In a bid for solace, the Taichou sifted through them until he found the one he wanted. Shunsui�s languid drawl came back, flavored with just enough irony and good-natured sarcasm.

�If it's me, it would be a waste not to dance, no matter what.�

It wasn�t as if Jushiro had much of a choice right now. Rolling over on his side, he closed his eyes and pondered one of Shunsui�s favorite phrases. It was supposedly a family mantra of sorts, a fatalistic ode to hedonism in the face of certain death, but Jushiro found merit in it all the same.

�I�ll look after your �Nanao-chan,�, as best I can,� he thought muzzily as sleep finally found him �and try to keep Sensei�s values alive, despite the monster who calls himself the Spirit King. I promise I�ll dance in your stead, no matter how long it takes to destroy him� no matter what.�
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Prize of Victory 1.5	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 14934 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach nor profit from my works.

Prize of Victory 1.5