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Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
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Experimentation

�I think I have it,� Szayel announced happily.

�That�s great and all, but how are we going to test it?� Karin inquired as she stared at the yellow liquid in the test tube Szayel proudly held up for her inspection. �Because I really have no plans to let one of those damn things take a bite out of me to see if it�s effective.�

The last time one had tasted her blood, the Swarm had almost taken her and the experience left her shaken and extremely worried about her daughter. A new thought had recently entered her head over the whole Royal Blood thing. Even if the Swarm tossed her on the Throne, the power she would gain and Aizen would lose was infinitesimal to the power Aizen already had at his command. At first, her concern had been over him killing her and her family, but now a new and more probable scenario occurred to her and gave her something new to fear.

With the Throne�s power behind her, she would be stronger, and more compatible for conception with someone of his strength. In all likelihood, Aizen wouldn�t kill her for taking on the role of the Spirit King, or at least, he wouldn�t kill her until after he got an heir out of her. She would sooner be dead than watch Aizen kill her mate and then rape her for however long it took to produce a child. She didn�t even want to think about what he would do to Ajuga, whether she would share in her mother�s fate or her father�s.

�If it came to that, I would kill her myself to spare her,� she thought determinedly.

�Fortunately, I have already thought well ahead and have an experiment that I would like to perform. I do, however, require several vials of your blood.�

Szayel gave her the equivalent of the hopeful, big-eyed treatment Ajuga used to use when she wanted to go hunting as a child.

�Why several?� she asked suspiciously. �You aren�t still trying to crack the code are you?�

�No, I have deleted all such research,� he confessed softly.

�You, delete data?�

He nodded at her shocked exclamation.

�There is no telling if Aizen might decide to look through my files. I dare not keep such information around where it might be found,� he answered softly, almost conspiratorially. �The repercussions far outweigh the usefulness of the information itself, no matter how intriguing the data. For now, memory will have to suffice, and I have contemplated erasing that, if not for the failsafe your Claim represents. An instruction from you would keep my mouth shut under even the most extreme torture.�

As terrible as that image was, it was a small relief to Karin to know no physical data existed and Karin wish she had thought of it much sooner. It was moments like this that made her appreciate Szayel�s intelligence and his ability to plan. His other comment bothered her, but she knew that it was a possibility, especially with the way Aizen liked to toy with his prey. No one knew if or when they would snap under pressure, and the secrets Szayel kept would be devastating, not only to her, but to his family as well.

If Aizen ever learned that Szayel had known about her Royal heritage before Karin Claimed him and ordered him to stay quiet about it, well, Karin didn�t even want to contemplate what might happen to Nemu and the twins.

�I need several samples because I need at least one vial as a control to make sure that the locusts will respond to the taste of your blood alone. I need the others to find the formula�s required saturation level, to find the point at which the locust no longer responds to the stimuli,� he answered, bringing her thoughts back to the subject at hand.

�That makes sense�� she nodded, and then paused and raised one eyebrow �Wait� locusts?�

�When you gave me the challenge of �bug dope�, I knew I was going to need a few� test subjects. I had Nemu collect a few live specimens during the last battle. Unlike Mushi,� he sighed at the use of the nickname, �these seem to have the mental capacity of a bowl of oatmeal. The trade-off is that they�re much easier to feed. Gathering grass is less difficult to procure than the dung that Mushi�s prefers. They do appear to share Mushi�s animosity towards Hollows, however.�

Szayel absently rubbed his arm, as if he�d experienced said animosity in an up-close and personal manner.

�Having them here will let me see if any telepathic communication exists between the locusts and Mushi. I would like to conduct the first study of such interaction after obtaining the blood samples if you don�t mind.�

�That depends on what it is this experiment entails,� she looked at him suspiciously.

�Nothing you haven�t done dozens of times already. I just want you to see Mushi. If he does see you and conveys your presence telepathically, then we might see a marked change in the locusts behaviour. I have acquired four specimens, and we�ve keeping them penned at varying distances from Mushi�s enclosure. We might be able to procure a distance measurement as well.�

Karin knew an argument that was lost before she even entered it, so with a sigh, she held her arm out towards him. His golden eyes lit up with delight and he practically skipped over to where he had the equipment waiting to draw her blood. He was truly excited and she almost didn�t need the Claim to feel it as well, with all of his giddy prancing.

Szayel pulled a stool over and she sat down, resting her arm on her knee while he set about prepping the vials and finding a tie for her arm. She was not the least bit concerned by the prick of a needle and watching her blood flow into the tubes hardly bothered her.

�Intriguing. I was unaware you were still following Karin�s blood so long after her pregnancy.�

Both of them froze, and the gleeful feeling coming from Szayel did an abrupt 180-degree turn, sliding directly into abject terror. It was a fear she shared. Karin�s mind quickly raced to formulate an appropriate excuse for the blood draw.

�Aizen-Kami,� they said simultaneously, giving a bow from their places as the best they could, her with a needle in her arm and Szayel holding the needle.

�My cycle is late and since I was here checking on my pet, I thought I might as well get him to run a test. If the pregnancy test comes back positive, he�ll already have all of the other blood work he needs. I thought I�d save some time, given the Swarm�s recent attack patterns.� Karin shrugged and tossed this off in as bored a tone as she could manage, as if it was something she�d decided to do on the way to the market.

�Would you not be capable of seeing the new reiatsu forming inside you?�

�Not this early on,� Karin replied. �It takes at least a month for the energy to show up and be discernible from that of the mother.�

She wasn�t late at all, but the excuse was plausible and Aizen dropped the subject, indicating he accepted it. It was the best she could come up with on short notice.

Szayel finished collecting her blood, his hands trembling only slightly.

�To what do we owe the honour of your visit, Kami-sama?� Szayel asked as he gathered his samples and disposed of the needle in a biohazard box.

�Have you managed to pin down the radiation type from the subject�s wings yet?� Aizen asked. �I�d like to see what progress you�ve made.�

�No, Kami-sama,� he answered in a broken whisper, and Karin felt a bolt of his fear hit her, nearly matching the fear she felt for him.

�I have given you a decent amount of time. Tell me Szayel, is your ineptitude at the root of this issue, or is this a failure on your son�s part?� Aizen asked with a hint of a dangerous smile. �Abisara-kun built and runs the machine, is he not?�

�I�. yes Kami-sama,� Szayel forced out.

Karin did not like where this was going. She hastily got to her feet and put herself between Aizen and his target, drawing �Kami�s� attention to her. It was terrifying having that handsome, yet malicious gaze focused on her, but she stood her ground. As she once told Szayel several years ago, she took care of the things she owned.

�Aizen-Kami, did you set a specific timeline for Szayel to provide the information?� Karin asked, pleased her voice was firm.

�No, I suppose I did not give him a deadline,� he replied and then paused, as if considering the development. �I will give you and your son two days, Szayel. I expect you both to report to me that evening, regardless of your findings.�

�I will make sure to clear up my schedule,� Karin assured.

�There is no need for you to attend such a boring and dry meeting. Should I feel the need to punish your pet for his incompetence, I will be sure to summon you,� Aizen assured her.

Karin eyed him sceptically, but he hadn�t left her an opening to try to extract Szayel from what was clearly a trap. She hated this feeling of helplessness when it came to dealing with their so-called ruler. He�d boxed her in and there didn�t seem to be a way out, other than the one Aizen wanted her to take. If Aizen did decide to assault Szayel, she wouldn�t be able to do anything, other than try to be the one who had to do it and thus mitigate the severity of the penalty the bastard imposed.

In truth, Aizen didn�t even have to play these games with them. He had the strength to do as we willed. The fact that he enjoyed making them squirm like worms on a hook certainly pissed her off, but Karin grudgingly admitted that he at least gave them a thin chance to weasel out of being tortured, provided they overcome the obstacles he continually tossed in their paths. If Aizen truly had his way, Szayel would be a permanent fixture in Aizen�s basement.

�Of course, if Aizen were to push too hard, his �loyal subjects� might start pushing back. The last thing we need is a civil war on top of the war we�re already fighting,� she thought.

�I trust you will let my wife know of the results. I was pleased to hear that Nnoitra and his fraccion are expecting children. You do have a work-up on each woman, correct?� Aizen inquired and looked at Szayel expectantly.

Szayel, not expecting the topic to switch to something he deemed more comfortable and �safe�, even one he enjoyed, mentally stumbled before he regained his footing, and latched on to it the way a drowning man would cling to a thrown line.

�Yes I do, Kami-sama. Would you like to see them right now?�

�Yes. Are you done here Karin?�

Aizen turned his falsely benevolent gaze her way.

She wasn�t, but she knew an attempt at a dismissal when she heard one. The excuse she had given didn�t really warrant her staying any longer now that Szayel had her blood. Fortunately, she had no plans on leaving Szayel alone with this bastard. Judging by the spike of terror she got from him, Szayel didn�t want her to leave any more than she wanted to leave him alone with his tormentor.

�Today is my day off. I wanted to stay and get the test results, rather than waiting a day for them. In addition, Tatsuki-chan and Rangiku-chan are good friends of mine. I would like to see the report Unohana-Taichou and Szayel have compiled on each of them and I see no point in making him repeat his findings twice. That is, if you do not mind my presence, Kami-sama,� she said and looked at Aizen.

That earned her a thin-lipped smile, and he almost looked pleased with her reply. He�d probably been testing her in some way, and she�d passed whatever hurdle he�d placed before her. Karin hated the convoluted games he played, using the people below him as pieces, but at least it seemed like she would be able to remain, which was good. She didn�t trust Aizen alone with Szayel, and she got the feeling that Aizen knew it.

Unfortunately, that allowed him to continue to try to mess with them.

�Of course,� he conceded, and then turned to the scientist. �Szayel, your reports.�

�Yes, Kami-sama, Karin-sama,� he bowed to them both before moving over to the main computer so he could call up both women�s files from the Division database. A few minutes later, two side-by-side files appeared on the screen overhead, and Szayel opened the first bundle of documents, which included a number of graphs, ultrasound scans and pages with test value results expressed down to the decimal point.

�Tatsuki Lindocruz; approximately three weeks along. Given Tesra�s base creature, I predict she will give birth any time between the middle of May to early June. So far, the fetus appears completely healthy, as does Tatsuki herself. Both parents seem quite excited about their first child. I see no reason for concern regarding the safety of either the child or the mother.�

He pulled up the graphs and the images so that �Kami-sama� had a better view of the information. No one could accuse Szayel of not being thorough enough when it came to tracking the development of the hybrid children.

�Good. What of the other one?� Aizen asked and Szayel opened the second set of files, collapsing the first and pulling up new sets of data.

�Ah yes, Matsumoto Rangiku. She appears to be three weeks along as well, give or take. The father is, of course, Nnoitra Gilga. Hers is a much more interesting case. Her pregnancy seems to be taking the same route that Nemu�s took, albeit with a few minor differences.�

Szayel�s voice held a bit of excitement now. �The young are developing in eggs, within her womb. Unlike my own twins, her children show up on the ultrasound, and the shells appear as translucent coverings in the pictures.�

With a few taps to the keyboard, Szayel brought up a series of images, showing that indeed, there seemed to be a thin, see-through shroud around each of the tiny, curled forms.

�As Nnoitra�s base creature is a praying mantis, I predict she may lay those eggs as Nemu did, and I expect her to do so during the same time as Tatsuki Lindocruz, between the middle of May and early June. While Nnoitra hasn�t declared any interest in the children, I believe he told her that she could keep them and she will have the assistance of Tesra and Tatsuki in raising them,� Szayel reported.

�You use the plural. How many children is she carrying?� Aizen asked, sounding interested now.

�Two,� Szayel promptly replied. �Nnoitra and I are both insect-based and I suspect that fact contributes to multiple births in the event of a Shinigami mother. Of course, until more pregnancies show up, it is pure speculation.�

�It�s a good thing our human and Shinigami halves kick in, at least when it comes to quantity. I can�t imagine giving birth to a litter. Picture four to six Ajugas running around,� Karin muttered, given her head a shake to dispel the image.

She wasn�t positive, but she thought she saw Aizen purse his lips and wince as she brought it up. Szayel shivered, and he had a matching look of horror that went with it. The world wasn�t ready for that many small versions of Grimmjow running around. The Realms were unbalanced enough as it was. That many duplicates of her daughter could seriously throw a wrench in the attempt to keep things on an even keel.

�Papa, Papa, look what �Ji-ji and I found!�

Vindula�s childish voice pulled the attention of the three adults away from contemplating a six-pack of Grimmjow�s progeny and towards the little girl excitedly skipping their way. �Oh, good afternoon Kami-sama!�

Vindula bowed politely before him. Aizen graced her with a smile that made Karin grit her teeth. �Ji-ji took me to the park and we found some daffodils growing next to one of the gazebos,�

She showed them the flower buds, clutched in her small hand, picked a little before they might have bloomed.

The weather had been warm this year and all indicators pointed to an early spring. The grass was already starting to green up and any �warm spots� had early spring flowers growing. In fact, some of the flowers and trees in Jushiro�s gardens that would have normally flowered in April had begun to bud. At this rate, the trees would be in full leaf by mid to late February.

Aizen looked down at the excited child, seemingly bemused, as Renji finally caught up to his charge. His exasperated expression turned into a look of deep concern as he realized who was visiting and how close Vindula was to the very real predator in the room.

�That is wonderful, Vindula-chan. You should put them in a vase of water so the flowers will develop properly,� Aizen informed her with a polite smile.

�That�s what I was looking for!�

Vindula turned to face her father with a wide, innocent smile, completely oblivious to the tension between the four adults. �Papa, can I use one of your beakers, please?�

�Of course Vindula. Why don�t you and Renji go get one from your mother?� he suggested.

�Okay, thanks Papa!� Vindula bowed to Aizen once more and skipped her way back towards an increasingly relieved Reni as she got closer to him and further from her father�s torturer.

�Oh!�

Vindula suddenly paused, causing everyone, minus Aizen, to hold his or her collective breath. �Can I come see your gardens again, Aizen-Kami? They were pretty and Gin-san was really nice,� she added. �I bet a lot of your flowers are almost ready to bloom too!�

Karin could see the tension in the air, and not just metaphorically. Both Renji and Szayel�s reiatsu had gone stormy, and the sheer amount both threw off in reaction to the perceived threat to Vindula almost blinded her. She suspected her own reiatsu probably looked just as bad.

Aizen smiled benignly at Vindula as he answered her question.

�Of course, Vindula-chan. Your father and brother were going to come visit me in two days. Would you like to see the gardens then? My wife should be home and I am sure she would love to show you her garden, as well as spend time with a charming child such as yourself.�

Karin wasn�t sure whose fear was greater, Szayel�s, Renji�s or hers. Vindula-chan, completely unaware of what was going on, smiled back at Aizen while cheerfully accepting his offer. Then she skipped the rest of the way back to her now-horrified guardian.

Renji and Szayel shared a look, one that everyone but Vindula read accurately, and the ex-Fukutaichou made a hasty exit with the little winged girl.

�She�s a charming little thing.� Aizen noted in a smooth voice. �It�s a shame that she inherited neither your intellect nor your powers. Still, the world needs pretty and fragile things to fill it.�

Then he made a show of looking at his hands, as if contemplating his fingernails.

�A pity such things, despite their beauty, fade so quickly and break so easily.�

That was a thinly veiled threat if Karin had ever heard one, and the next jolt of terror that slammed into her from Szayel let her know he definitely hadn�t missed what Aizen implied.

�I believe I have learned all I need to for now. Good luck on your test, Karin,� he said and offered her a smile and she forced out a polite �thank you� when all she really wanted to do was tell him to take his threats and fuck off.

�Yep, Grimmjow has definitely been a bad influence,� she couldn�t help but to think. �And I wonder where Ajuga-chan gets it from.�

Aizen, appearing content for now, finally left. Both Karin and Szayel let out a huge sigh of relief and the air seemed to clear now that the miasma from Aizen�s overwhelming presence began to dissipate.

�I congratulate you on your quick thinking, Karin-sama.�

Szayel delivered the compliment while they both regained their bearings.

�Yeah,� she agreed, and then hesitated. �Szayel is there even a snowball�s chance in Hell you�ll be able to decode the radiation from Mushi�s wings in two days?� she asked.

�It�s possible but,� he nibbled on his lower lip nervously, �very unlikely.�

Szayel�s entire body seemed to deflate and he moved over to a stool to collapse into it.

�At least he promised to call me if he feels the need to be an ass,� she tried to reassure him.

�I don�t think Aizen plans on punishing me at all.�

Szayel�s voice sounded weak and despair replaced the overwhelming fear she had been getting through their link.

�What do you mean?� she asked worriedly.

�He won�t go after me, or at least, I doubt it.� Szayel�s eyes closed in pain. �No, he�ll go after Abisara instead,� he whispered turning tear-filled eyes her way.

�He wouldn�t!� she growled. �Not even Ulquiorra would accept that! Aizen wouldn�t dare cross that line. Even Nnoitra, despite his piggish ways, would protest over that!�

�Only if they found out about it,� Szayel pointed out, his golden eyes bleak. �Accidents do happen. I expect your mate will be out on a mission that evening.�

�Probably,� she agreed.

Aizen always made sure that Grimmjow was distracted when he made most of his moves against Szayel. Thinking of her mate, she realized that he was probably getting anxious with the rollercoaster�s worth of emotions she�d been sending him. In fact, she could feel as much through their Mating Claim. Karin took a deep breath, grounded herself and sent as much love through their link as she could, to let him know she was fine. The burst of emotion was short and of a specific amount, a signal they�d developed to let Grimmjow know that Szayel was influencing Karin. Sometimes, having two active Claims could be a bitch.

�Szayel?�

�Yes?�

�How on earth do you Arrancar handle all these outside emotions? Balancing your emotions and Grimmjow�s with my own is a pain in the ass on a good day. How could anyone handle more?� she asked. �I mean, how on earth can the more violent Arrancar abuse their pets so often and so much when the pain and fear keep lashing into them?�

Szayel paused, as if he�d never really contemplated a Claim from that perspective, and then snapped his fingers.

�Ah. Well, for starters, most Hollows tend to live off negative emotions, and they enjoy it. I suspect, from what I have picked up from you over the years as far as feedback about our Claim that Arrancar physiology and psychology handle and dampen what we feel from our pets. We seem to be designed to do so. As a human, you lack those defences and thus, you feel the full extent of all emotions going through the link.�

He must have realized she was still struggling a little with the concept because he continued.

�Think of it like your �sight�. We Arrancar have built in �sunglasses� to filter the emotions and temper them, removing the sharp spikes that would serve as a distraction. You, as a human, do not.�

�Gotcha. That�s why Yammy can get away with torturing Byakuya so badly and not suffer any ill effects.�

�Exactly. Now then,� he said briskly, rising from his stool, �let us get this testing done so I can turn my attention to decoding that radiation. Maybe I will get lucky and have a breakthrough,�

�Here�s hoping.�

�Oh, Karin-sama?�

�Hmm?�

�Did you actually want me to run a pregnancy test?� he queried, with as innocent an expression as Szayel was capable of making. Karin snorted and shook her head.

�No,� she laughed. �I am definitely not pregnant. Let�s go check out these pet locusts of yours and see if your bug dope works. The sooner we can get Ajuga, Hana and I inoculated the better.�

�Yes, I agree. I have no desire to experience the kind of fright that went through me when you were nearly taken.�

�Aww, I just knew you loved me,� she said in a sweeter voice than necessary and smiled insipidly at him. His eye twitched in response, but he cleared his throat and put on an air of dignity.

�I love my adult form, thank you very much, and I find the idea of sharing a bed with Grimmjow, should something happen to you, quite repulsive.�

The scientist sniffed and tossed a length of pink hair out of his face.

�I would have to kill you for trying to steal my mate,� she sniped back playfully.

They continued their banter, using it as a way to shake off the excess anxiety from Aizen�s unannounced visit. Karin watched as Szayel gathered his wife and a team of staff members that he trusted the most. He informed them they were going to try various radio waves to see how the Swarm reacted, while he personally oversaw feeding one of the locusts grass tainted with her blood. To make certain that the sound wasn�t the actual cause of distress, they planned to play the decibel level twice. Since Nemu would oversee that aspect of the experiment, only those in on Karin�s secret would know that they�d played the sounds more than once and that there was more to this experiment than met the eye, or the ear in this case.

Szayel assigned Karin to observe Mushi, to watch for any signs that the Scarab had picked up a signal from the locusts. With everyone in position and linked by the com system monitored by Nemu, they began the test.

She watched the time and Mushi, waiting for anything to happen. She noticed it immediately when Mushi froze, instantly stopping her fastidious cleaning. Karin jotted down the time and documented the behavioural change in detailed notes. After about a minute, Mushi went back to cleaning herself, but now seemed a little upset. Mushi stopped a second time, but this time returned to her grooming more quickly. Karin made another note in her little book.

�Karin-sama, can you please check on Mushi now?� Nemu requested over the com.

�Roger that,� she responded back.

She wasn�t the least bit worried entering the cell alone with Mushi. She knew by now that the Scarab posed no harm to her. Mushi was instantly excited as she entered the holding cell. Karin offered the Scarab a smile and let her hand rest on Mushi�s forehead as the Scarab eagerly approached her.

�Hello Mushi,� she greeted her. �How are you feeling today?� she asked.

Mushi clicked and chattered away happily. Karin almost wished she could understand what Mushi was saying, that they had some way to communicate. She had grown attached to the portal scarab. It was even starting to bother her that Szayel kept the thing in such a small enclosure, left all alone for hours on end when the Espada wasn�t running tests on the bug.

�At least I know she�s not being mistreated in anyway,� Karin reasoned.

Nemu joined them after several minutes. Mushi ignored the Shinigami and Nemu took that time to refill the feed box and clean the water trough before replenishing the fresh water. Karin kept her attention on Mushi until Nemu finished. With a sigh, Karin gave Mushi�s head a good head rub and stepped away. Somehow, the Scarab managed to look dejected, but she had learned that no amount of begging or chittering would make Karin stay.

�I�ll be back to visit again,� she found herself promising the poor imprisoned Scarab.

Mushi still looked sad, but made a noise that sounded like resigned acceptance as Karin left. Szayel was waiting for her on the observation deck overlooking Mushi�s cell.

�Well?� they both asked each other at the same time.

Karin laughed while Szayel shook his head in exasperation.

�Mushi reacted at least twice,� Karin spoke up first, handing over her little notebook with the notes she had made.

Szayel eagerly snatched the book and started to review her notes, nodding appreciably as he perused them. It didn�t take long and he snapped the book closed before setting it under his arm.

�The third and fourth samples garnered no reaction. I also tried it out with some leftover blood samples I had from Ajuga�s last round of tests. No reaction. I have no samples of Hana�s blood, but as the product masked both yours and Ajuga�s blood, I see no reason why it would not work on her as well, as weak as the signature is in hers. With your permission, I would like to inoculate you now while you are here,� he looked at her hopefully.

�Do it,� she agreed, feeling a great amount of relief at the results. �Did the locusts show any signs of talking to Mushi while I was in with her?� Karin asked as she sat down in an empty chair while he set about preparing the injection.

�No. However, I conclude that Mushi could have if she desired. She is much more intelligent and probably realizes that the locusts are incapable of getting to you in such a room, and as such didn�t bother sending them the signal to �acquire� you. All four responded quickly however, meaning their range with one another and with Mushi is much further than I may have anticipated.�

Szayel returned to her side with a needle full of the yellow liquid. He paused and looked her dead in the eye.

�I swear to you Karin-sama, that the contents I am about to inject into your bloodstream are benign and contain nothing more than the necessary components required to hide your Royal Heritage from the Swarm,� he vowed.

She gave him a nod to proceed, not even flinching when the needle went into her muscle and he pumped the yellow liquid into her body.

�I do not believe there will be any negative side effects, but let me know immediately if you feel anything is amiss,� he warned her.

�I will,� she assured him. �Do you have two more of those? I can give Hana and Ajuga their shots when I get home.�

�I do. Is� Hana speaking to everyone again then?� he asked.

She�d given him a brief synopsis of what had happened with the girl and the First a few days after it happened, in case Hana decided that she wanted to talk to the scientist about it.

�Yes. She sat down and had a long talk with Starrk and Lilinette. None of them is talking about what they discussed, but at least some of the strain between them is fading. The only real trouble at the Estate right now is the situation with Soi Fon, and I may have a solution to that one,� Karin admitted. �I just need the time to deal with it,� she sighed.

�Good, good. You did say you have this afternoon off, right?� Szayel asked.

�Yes, why?� she asked suspiciously.

�Would you be willing to stay and assist with studying Mushi? Perhaps you can get her to activate her wings so we can get a better reading on the radiation.�

�I will try, but I make no promises.�

�At this point, I will take any help I can get.�

Karin accompanied Nemu back into Mushi�s cell. The Scarab was thrilled to see her for the second time that day, of course. Karin only hoped that she could get Mushi to do what she wanted, but somehow she doubted it. It wasn�t as if she had a way of communicating with the animal. Still, for the next two days Karin spent as much time helping Szayel as she could. All of the other projects Szayel had underway were on hold or handed off to other researchers. Yet, after those two days, no answers were forthcoming. They�d also lost a large portion of the first day to a battle. Mushi refused to activate her wings and thus, they had no opportunities to decode the resulting signature. When one of the Arrancar guards from Aizen�s Palace arrived in the laboratory to �remind� Szayel about his appointment that evening, they knew they had run out of time.

Okay, Wednesday is going to be a long, full day, so an early posting to make sure it gets out on time. Love the reviews, it�s after midnight here and I just got home from work and hour ago, so this is a fast update.
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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