Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
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Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 34
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For My Child

One pastime Aizen never tired of involved playing games of mental strategy with his various subordinates and opponents. He enjoyed making them dance like puppets on strings attached to his fingers and pulling those strings using nothing more than a few well-timed words or a threat wrapped in a smile. He had one going now that would keep him preoccupied for the next twenty-four hours or so. This game wasn�t the elaborate, years-long endeavour of intense and careful manipulation that had led to the Gotei 13�s inevitable defeat. That had been, literally, his crowning achievement, the game he was most proud of winning. However, sometimes a short, intense round with one of his pawns was preferable.

�I should have paid attention sooner to the younger Kurosaki, or Jaegerjaquez as she goes by these days. She is a most amusing opponent.�

Karin was far more intelligent than her brother had ever been. She also had far better control over her emotions. The girl hadn�t inherited her brother�s raw strength and had little formal schooling, but somewhere she had acquired a fine mind and the ability to come up with creative solutions. She found the little openings that his laws had inadvertently created and cleverly wiggled through them. Sometimes she missed a mark, but more often than not she kept herself and her chosen companions out of his clutches. Of course, he had never figured that one of his favourite toys would fall into her grasp, but his irritation at �losing� Szayel was short-lived when he contemplated how such a development would add an element of challenge to their current match of wits. It was no fun if he had to resort to using his overwhelming strength to take what he wanted. It would be bad form to do so, the equivalent of tossing the chessboard across the room and gods were above tantrums. That ability to plan, to think on her feet and strategize was what separated Karin from her hot-blooded brother.

Besides, the outcomes were so much more amusing when those beneath him thought they actually had a chance at winning the contests he set before them. Karin was a worthy opponent and as such, it made the times he got Szayel under him taste all the sweeter. He would be the first to admit that having to work for a prize improved his appetite for it.

Tonight would be one of those nights. He�d ordered Gin to prepare the basement for an evening of carnal lust, and the best part was that he was only a move away from forcing Szayel into a position where he would willingly spread his legs for his god, all without Aizen breaking his word to Karin about punishments. In fact, he would place money on Szayel�s consent to follow him down the stairs and into the room that the Espada feared so very much. Oh yes, he looked forward to this particular �win� and the cherry on top of the sundae would be watching Karin simmer in anger the next morning, while he forced her to finish punishing Szayel for failing to provide the data he wanted.

Aizen hadn�t truly expected Szayel and his son to complete the machine and bring him the decoded information in the span of a mere two days, but he would use their �failure� as a convenient excuse to reassert his dominance over the scientist and add another nail in the coffin of Szayel�s free will. There was also that pretty son of his. The boy was too young now, but Aizen was sure that in a few years� time, he could start grooming the boy into the perfect toy. Abisara had such lovely skin and Aizen was sure that a few artfully placed bruised would only enhance it.

He closed his eyes and let the power of the Throne flow through him. It wasn�t as much as he would have access to once Unohana finally gave him a proper heir and the mingling of their bloodlines rendered his �Royal� as well, but it was enough to let him see everything under the sky. Sound, however, remained elusive. He focused his vision on Szayel�s precious Science and Research Building, watching it like a hawk until his victims came out into the light.

There they were� little Vindula, fluttering about in excitement and Abisara, walking solemnly beside his father. The girl was all sunshine and innocence and how a shifty and treacherous creature like Szayel had spawned her astounded Aizen at times. The boy, on the other hand, was sharp and realized that he was walking into a dangerous situation. Szayel walked stiffly with a forced smile on his face as he answered one of Vindula�s many questions. There was one more, less-welcome addition to the little band and Aizen frowned as the setting sun reflected off vibrant red hair. Renji accompanied them and most of the redhead�s attention stayed on Vindula as she did a spinning leap into the air, her cellophane wings glittering as they helped her rise up several feet and twirl before she gracefully landed a few yards away.

While he hadn�t anticipated Abarai Renji tagging along, he knew just how to get rid of him. He planned to separate Vindula from her father and brother, and it would be easy to shove Renji off with her, assuming the tattooed half-wit didn�t stay on the street. If Renji did follow the scientist and his children past the Palace gates, it would be one more thing he could use to make Karin punish Szayel. He had explicitly invited Szayel and his children to the Palace, making no mention of Szayel�s �pet.� The last time Szayel had brought him, the redhead had conveniently, and surprisingly, interjected himself into the discussion he�d hoped to use to set Szayel up for another round in the basement. The result, while entertaining in a different kind of way, had left him feeling less than satisfied. Aizen wasn�t going to let the red-haired annoyance deter him this time.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he gave the idea some serious thought before discarding it. He could force Karin to punish her pet in a sexual manner if he so desired, but he decided against it for now. That bit of double-teaming might push Grimmjow over the edge. Unlike Szayel, Grimmjow lacked the common sense to fear him. It might even give the Sixth the incentive to snap back at his �creator.�

Dealing with Grimmjow required a different, more hands-off approach. In this case, all Aizen needed to manipulate him and keep his so-called �loyalty� was to allow the beast some free reign. Like any cat, it would prove useless to leash him, and as long as Aizen fed it, the creature would reluctantly come when he called it, or reminded it who controlled the can opener. Too much attention, either positive or negative, would have the cat hissing and clawing. Grimmjow, unlike Szayel, wasn�t the sort to break easily and would have no qualms running away to find a new owner if Aizen pushed him too much either way.

Szayel, on the other hand, valued his lab and equipment too much. Unlike a cat, he could use that to chain Szayel and the Seventh had the intelligence, and the common sense, to fear his master. The scientist would sooner break than lose his toys and he knew that there was no escape from Aizen�s scrutiny. Any attempt to flee would brand him as a traitor and he would surrender his freedoms with it. If Grimmjow was a cat, Szayel was a parrot with clipped wings that could flutter about in his cage, or from perch to perch but was too intelligent to attempt to escape through the cage door because it knew that on the other side lay nothing more than a room with no exit. While the room did have a few places to hide, it would only hide him for so long before Aizen would find him. If he dared to attempt an escape, that cage door would close, the brief scent of freedom would be forever taken away and he would be placed in an even smaller cage, maybe even have his wings surgically removed instead just having a few feathers cut.

�You called for me?�

His wife�s voice broke through his reflections, dispelling the image he had of the Sixth and the Seventh as metaphorical animals.

Dismissing his �other sight,� Aizen turned his gaze towards Unohana, who stood before his Throne in a completely serene manner. She had arrived before their guests, exactly as he had planned and anticipated, still wearing her Taichou�s uniform.

�We are going to be having guests. Little Vindula-chan requested permission to explore your garden, and I thought she would enjoy your company while doing so.�

He smiled at her. If she was surprised, she gave no sign of it.

�I already ordered the servants to have tea and refreshments prepared. Please change into something more befitting the consort of a god,� he ordered and waved her away dismissively.

She gave a bow of her head and silently exited the chamber. The fact she�d said nothing to him was no surprise; she�d proven immune to any verbal baiting he�d tossed her way early in their �marriage� and he didn�t feel like wasting any time trying to provoke a reaction. It was enough that she kept quiet, continued her work at the 4th Division and spread her thighs dutifully for him in the pursuit of an heir.

He had given Gin instructions on her attire for the evening while entertaining the little girl and his other toy waited for her in her quarters to see that she wore what he�d picked out. Afterwards, Gin would retreat to the basement to wait for him there. With his preparations made, Aizen relaxed on the Throne, anticipating the match that would shortly begin and the trophy that would no doubt be his.

It was hard to say who hated this more, Szayel, or the ex-Shinigami walking next to him. There was only one concern on either of the adults� minds and that was the welfare of the children. While Aizen had, as of yet, to raise his hand against any of the hybrid children, that didn�t mean that he wouldn�t if he thought it would serve his purposes. The only one who didn�t seem to notice that anything was amiss was Vindula, who was so excited she practically buzzed. It was as if she was a hummingbird let loose in a field of flowers and she was currently pestering her brother about everything at the Palace.

Szayel thought that it was just as well. It kept her from following the conversation he was having with Abarai.

�Your presence might make things worse. Kami-sama was strict about the guest list,� Szayel said in a quiet, yet firm voice as his eyes shifted to the man striding at his side.

Renji had one hand on Zabimaru�s hilt and both eyes on the children walking before them.

�You think the bastard is going to pull something?� Renji asked, but there was very little doubt in his voice. His words were more of a statement, as if it were a given.

�I think it�s a matter of �when,� not �if,� Abarai.�

Szayel let out a depressed sigh and nodded his head. He doubted things would go pleasantly, and the only thing he could do was try to mitigate the fallout. Aizen had �summoned� him too many times for him to expect anything other than pain and humiliation. This time, unfortunately, his children were involved, thanks to Aizen�s unreasonable demands and his daughter�s inability to sense a viper when she encountered one. He was going to have to ask Renji to make sure that he kept Vindula from asking for any more �favours� from Aizen, or just kept her from interacting with their ruler if possible.

�I am worried for them,� he confessed softly, his own eyes watching his children, particularly Abisara.

If things continued this way, his son was in danger of sharing the same fate as his father. Vindula was no threat to Aizen, but Abisara had a sharp mind and Aizen had noticed it before he�d had a chance to hide the child�s intelligence. Of course, his own boasting hadn�t helped matters, but he had never considered the possibility that Aizen would target his children. He cursed himself for being so foolish and naive enough not to have foreseen it. Aizen was a Shinigami and they weren�t above hurting children if it benefited them.

�You really think my presence will make things worse?� Renji asked through gritted teeth.

�Yes,� Szayel answered without hesitation. �If Aizen-Kami doesn�t want you there, then I can assure you he will find a way to get rid of you. Do you want a repeat of last time? You�re fighting on the lines now. I would think that would be difficult with a shredded back.�

They walked in silence for some time, both of them stewing in their thoughts. If anything, the grip Renji held on Zabimaru�s hilt tightened so much that his entire hand was white from the pressure.

�I�ll wait by the gate.� Renji finally forced the words out, and Szayel could tell the redhead did not like even that option. �But if I detect even the slightest hint that Vindula-chan or Abisara-kun are in danger, I am busting my way in and the consequences be damned.�

Szayel nodded his head in agreement, and surprisingly, found the words reassuring. He didn�t doubt for a second that his pet-in-name-only would do just that, and as Szayel had put the word out that Renji was under Claim-induced orders to protect the twins, the oaf might even get away with it too. If Aizen punished anyone for it, it would be Szayel, for failing to control his �property.�

�I would sooner spend a year in Aizen-Kami�s basement than see any harm come to my children,� he thought determinedly.

If things did go badly and Renji had to break in to rescue the twins, he would gladly take full responsibility for it as long as it kept Aizen�s hands off his progeny.

Szayel had to admit something to himself and that was that it might be time to find a way of ensuring his children�s safety by putting them beyond Aizen�s reach. He hated to contemplate it, but he had to consider what was best for Vindula and Abisara. Getting them out of the Soul Society completely would be a last resort, but if it came to it�

What made it more tempting was that he had to perfect vehicle with which to do it. That turquoise-haired strumpet, Nel, held Renji�s Claim and the redhead could even make a run for it with the children in tow without any fear of Aizen forcing Szayel to track him down. While taking a Senkaimon was out, Szayel had other, unofficial ways of opening a Garganta that no one would trace directly back to him. If memory served, he still had a device that he�d developed years ago, one that would allow the user to open a Garganta without having to expend the energy to do so manually. With some effort, he was sure that he could shrink the necessary components to a portable size and instruct Abarai to use it, if he kept the directions simple and the words small. The only obstacle was that the device was in Hueco Mundo, in one of his storage facilities. He supposed he could retrieve it on the pretext of bringing in machinery and parts in order to build the detectors that Aizen wanted so badly, but that would take some time.

Who knew that he�d be truly happy that the tattooed half-wit was still around, at least cognizant and chained by Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck? Unlike the rest of the Claimed Shinigami, Renji had no orders not to defend himself with the full power of his Zanpakuto. In addition, Renji would willing sacrifice his life if it meant keeping the twins safe, and that was one of the few reassuring thoughts Szayel had these days.

The gates rose up before them, and Renji shared a dark look with him that reiterated his promise even as he took a spot by the gate and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and glaring straight ahead. The two Arrancar guards at the gate eyed the ex-Shinigami with a mixture of wariness and boredom, but otherwise let Szayel and his children pass unhindered. Vindula�s eyes darted everywhere as she took in the majesty of the Palace Aizen had constructed for his personal use. She had only gotten to see the place once after all, and that had been nearly two years ago when she was younger.

Szayel often wondered why Aizen hadn�t stayed in the Imperial Spirit Realm after taking the Throne and killing its former occupant, but had concluded that it was far more practical to rule here rather than in a place that required such complex spiritual gymnastics to enter. Aizen was a textbook micromanager, and after he finished slaughtering every living thing in the Imperial Spirit Realm, little remained there, other than the architecture itself. Szayel thought that was a shame, for he would have loved to see it. Maybe he could get Aizen to let him in one day, but he doubted it. Such secrets had the potential to be dangerous, especially in the hands of someone as mentally powerful as he was.

Szayel was also at the point where the urge to use such secrets against Aizen might prove too enticing to resist.

�Vindula, don�t touch anything,� he warned his daughter when he noticed she had fluttered over to one of the bonsai trees bordering the path they were walking down. If that wasn�t enough, Abisara chimed in, his small voice far more subdued that his father would have liked.

� �dula, stop it. You�ll get us into trouble.�

She looked at him disappointed, but obediently returned to Szayel�s side when he gestured her over. Vindula obviously didn�t want to do anything wrong and be sent home before she could see more of this stunning palace. There were times he simply did not understand the girl. She had always been obsessed with beautiful things, and he wondered where his daughter had picked up such an interest in loveliness, to the point of vanity. He certainly hadn�t bequeathed it to her and he knew his mate hadn�t encouraged it. Their nanny was hardly a connoisseur of taste and aesthetics, given his unbecoming choice in body adornment. He didn�t even bother pondering the rest of his staff. The geeks that made up the scientifically minded lot were more likely to find a beaker of sulphuric acid spellbinding than clothing, silks or flowers.

�Kami help me when she discovers jewellery��

A servant met them at the main doors leading into the Palace proper. For safety�s sake, he grabbed Vindula�s hand before she could flutter off as the silent minion led them down splendidly appointed hallways. Her eyes were wide open in stunned delight and he swore the only thing keeping her at his side was the fact he had a firm grip on her hand. The decorations had changed since the last time she had been here, swapped out for new ones that reflected the current season, early as it was.

Abisara, for all he tried to imitate his father�s purposeful demeanour, also seemed impressed with his surroundings as he took in the display of wealth. The boy�s hands twitched as his son resisted the urge to touch some of the artwork they passed. Fortunately, Abisara was carrying the reports and thus had something with which to occupy his hands.

They finally entered the Throne room, and Szayel felt a chill run down his body as Aizen�s eyes swept over his two children and landed on him. He shivered involuntarily as those brown eyes looked him up and down and he swore that Aizen was mentally stripping him with his gaze. What appeal he had eluded Szayel. It wasn�t as if his body held any secrets from their lord and master and he would have thought the novelty would have worn off by now.

He felt his mouth go dry and his steps faltered a bit as they approached Aizen and bowed with a polite and subservient �Kami-sama.�

�Excellent, I am so pleased you could come,� Aizen said, giving them a beatific smile. �I believe my wife is waiting for you, Vindula-chan, unless, of course, you would rather stay here with us while we talk about your father�s findings.�

�No thank you, Kami-sama.�

Vindula did a poor job of hiding her dislike of such an idea.

�Very well,� he waved her away.

Vindula was quick to escape the grip Szayel had on her hand and ran excitedly over to where the servant who had led them to the throne room stood waiting for her. Szayel felt only marginally better now that one of his children was out of harm�s way. She would be completely safe with Unohana. The sound of the door closing behind his daughter�s exit echoed throughout the room and sent icy fingers of terror up his spine.

�Now then, your report,� Aizen gestured at the two remaining males. �I trust you have good news?�

�I am afraid not, Kami-sama,� Szayel confessed. �We have gathered a considerable amount of information, but the residual radiation from the wings of both the living specimen and the deceased ones has worn off. We have been unsuccessful, thus far, in getting the specimen to activate her wings for us.�

�I see,� Aizen frowned at them, displeased. �So you have failed me.�

�Yes, Kami-sama. I have failed you,� Szayel confessed, bowing his head and waiting for him to summon Karin so that she could administer his punishment.

�The signature did last a while, did it not?� Aizen asked, shifting his gaze and directing the question not at him, but to his son.

�It did, Kami-sama,� Abisara answered, the boy�s voice wavering only slightly.

Szayel was impressed, but Abisara didn�t know Aizen the way he did. There was no reason, as of yet, for Abisara to fear �Kami-sama� the way Szayel did for he had done his best to hide what Aizen did to him from his children, and Aizen was very good at portraying a kindly front. He�d had well over a century to perfect the façade, after all.

�So you would say that the failure to capture a radiation signature in that time was your fault?� Aizen asked.

Szayel made to protest, but his words died in his throat as Aizen shifted his eyes towards him. He felt his entire body go numb in fear and he could hear his own blood rushing so loudly in his ears that he barely heard his son agree that their failure was his fault.

Szayel understood now. Aizen hadn�t requested for Karin to come because he had planned to punish Abisara for their joint failure all along. As far as Aizen was concerned, Karin�s Claim of ownership didn�t extend to his children.

�He wouldn�t!� Szayel prayed desperately, even though he already knew Aizen would.

This was not outright torture. This was simply a punishment, one Abisara had unwittingly agreed to. So long as Aizen didn�t take it too far, very few would protest, assuming they ever learned of it. It was simply not in a Hollow�s nature to share a weakness, hence the reason he had never confessed to the others that Aizen had raped him several times, and despite the fact that it was one of his kind�s few taboos.

�If I may say so, Kami-sama, the signature was weak, and we had no idea that we would be looking for radiation when we began searching for the energy signature. It took time to build the appropriate machine. Since it would be too dangerous to introduce a secondary specimen to the first for obvious reasons, may I suggest that we design several portable devices and send Karin-sama and Starrk-sama out in the field again to gather readings from active portals,� Abisara flawlessly suggested.

Szayel suddenly felt the weight lift off him as Aizen�s gaze shifted back to Abisara, intrigue now on the man�s face. In fact, it seemed Aizen was actually interested in what Abisara had to say, and even Szayel found himself listening intently.

�An intriguing idea,� Aizen agreed. �I will have you work on that once you get home. Make several. I see no reason why we cannot send out several people to try and find the portals.�

Szayel felt himself breath a bit easier. The two of them might get out of this yet and he silently praised his son for his quick thinking. He made a mental note to give some vocal praise latter. His son deserved to know when he did something right.

�I shall start immediately,� Abisara assured Aizen, his chin out, shoulders back, green eyes clear and unblinking.

�Good. Unfortunately, your failure to anticipate and have such technology ready for the first round of specimens is very displeasing to me, and something I would consider a failure. Do you not agree?� Aizen asked.

Just like that, all of the fear was back. Szayel willed his son to remain silent, but Abisara dutifully answered that he agreed that he had been shortsighted in that respect.

�Children have a considerable amount to learn,� Szayel finally interjected, unconsciously moving closer to his son and drawing Aizen�s attention back to him. �I blame myself for not thinking of such things ahead of time.�

�You are both at fault, for this was a joint project, was it not?� Aizen asked.

Szayel decided that he did not like where this was going.

�Now, we all know that Karin-sama will be delivering your punishment Szayel, I shall instruct her as much in the morning, but as for Abisara-kun here�� Aizen�s smile fell upon the young boy and it was nothing short of predatory.

Szayel acted quickly, without even thinking about. The need to protect his son overweighed and overrode any other rational thought. All he could think about was Aizen forcing him to watch as their ruler tortured his son in the same way that he had been tortured. At that moment, fear trumped reason and he reacted out of instinct to save Abisara.

�I will take my son�s punishment for him, as it was my fault he was inadequately trained,� he offered.

Abisara turned and looked up at his father in surprise, while Aizen just smiled at him in pleasure, in that way that a cat would look at a mouse that had wandered into its food dish. Seeing that horrific, serene smile on Aizen�s face made Szayel realize he had walked right into Aizen�s well-laid trap. Szayel�s fear for his child had blinded him to the danger lurking right in front of him.

Of course Aizen wouldn�t have harmed Abisara too much. He was too intelligent for that. He also wouldn�t risk word getting out that he�d started punishing the children for their parents� transgressions. A small lashing or spanking would have sufficed. Aizen had known, all along, that he would do anything to defend his son, and as such, had suckered him into taking the bait.

�Father?� Abisara frowned at him.

�It�s all right son. Your inability to get the desired results is my fault after all.�

He tried to give Abisara a reassuring smile, but he was not so sure he pulled it off.

�You desire to take Abisara-kun�s punishment upon your own body?� Aizen asked, not because he hadn�t heard Szayel�s declaration, but because Szayel swore that he was playing with the Espada now, rubbing the fact that he had all but consented to be tortured in the scientist�s face.

Whatever happened now, Szayel decided it would at least happen to him, and not his son. As such, there would be no further reason for Aizen to keep the boy here and Szayel very much wanted his son gone from this room, as quickly as possible, no matter the cost.

�Yes,� he answered without an ounce of hesitation.

�Very well,� Aizen agreed. �Abisara-kun, you are dismissed. I look forward to seeing the new portable devices. How long do you think it will take to make them?�

�A week, maybe longer if the components give me issues,� Abisara answered after thinking about it for a moment.

�Excellent. Inform me once they are completed. You may go. Why don�t you join your sister for some tea and sweets with my wife? Your bodyguard is waiting by the Palace gates, is he not?�

�Yes, �Ji-ji is waiting for us,� the boy replied dutifully, though he didn�t seem enthusiastic about leaving his father.

�Good. I am sure he is more than capable of escorting you and your sister home once your visit with my wife is over. Good evening, Abisara-kun.�

Aizen gestured with his hand that the boy should follow the path the servant had taken with his sister. Szayel tried to give his son a look that would reassure the boy that he would be all right, but again, he wasn�t certain that he managed it. Szayel could see the smaller version of himself weighing whether or not to go and the Espada hardened his gaze, trying to convey to his son the importance of getting out of there in one piece.

To his great relief, he saw his son barely nod up at him before he turned back the menace that sat on the Throne.

�Kami-sama.�

Abisara bowed and retreated, though he did toss his father a worried look as he left.

If the first echoing bang of the doors closing had been a death knell, he had no idea what to call the second. He felt his chest tighten in fear as Aizen rose from his Throne and stalked towards him, his smile taking on a sinister edge now that it was just the two of them. His mouth was very dry now and his body was trembling. He flinched as Aizen rested a hand on his cheek.

�I will see you downstairs. Do make sure to bathe first, it would seem you have slacked off in that regard in your desperation to appease me. I prefer my playthings to be as perfect as possible before I start moulding and decorating them.�

Unable to speak, he gave a terrified nod. He hardly needed an escort; he knew the way well enough. Try as he might, he couldn�t get his trembling under control. Gin was waiting for him in the basement. Neither one of them bothered exchanging words as the pale, gaunt man led him to a tub of water that was used as often to initiate the feeling of drowning as it was for cleaning. At least the water was hot and since he would already be naked, that meant his clothing would likely survive.

�The punishment has to fit the crime. He won�t be too harsh on me tonight, right?� he prayed to whatever real deity might be listening.

He knew Gin would already have a set of instructions as to what to do with him, so he let the silver-haired man direct him with hands alone. Once he�d been washed and dried, Gin led him to the cot he hated most. He didn�t even bother resisting as Gin indicated that he was to lay down on the thing face-up and to cross his hands above his head. Gin didn�t restrain him, which surprised him. Then Aizen�s personal slave left the room, leaving Szayel alone in this chamber of nightmares, the only sound being that of his rapid, fearful breathing.

Aizen arrived sometime later, a malevolent grin on his face as he sauntered up to his victim, shedding his own clothing as he did so, not appearing to care where they landed. Aizen sat on the edge of the little bed before finally speaking.

�Ah my dear pet, it has been some time since I last enjoyed your flesh,� Aizen purred, gently letting his fingers trace the contours of Szayel�s face. �You mistress has done a good job keeping you out of trouble, and I find that I miss the playtime we once enjoyed.�

The hand moved to caress his neck, before turning into a single finger that trailed down his naked body.

Despite himself, he let out a little whimper, but at least managed to stay in the ordered position �Kami� wanted. He understood what was going on now. Should he resist or fight, it would be nothing for Aizen to summon Abisara back.

�On the other hand, having to watch Aizen rape me could be considered a form of punishment,� he couldn�t help but to think dejectedly. He would sooner his children not be forced to witness such a thing.

The finger continued past his chest and down towards the nest of pink curls between his legs. It was so very hard to keep his hands crossed above his head and not curl up defensively, more so when Aizen started to rake his fingers through the still damp hairs.

�So, since this punishment was meant for your son, I suppose I shall hold back for now. As much as I so desire to see your blood splashed against your beautiful skin, I shall abstain from that� for now.�

Aizen finally moved fully onto the cot-like bed, settling his legs on either side of Szayel�s head. It was clear what the other wanted from his stance and Szayel accepted the flesh pressed against his lips, letting it into his mouth. Aizen was at least clean so he tasted like nothing. Truthfully, he would rather do this than have someone take him without any form of lube at all.

�Mmm� you are so talented,� Aizen hummed, softly thrusting his hips forward to obtain more friction. �I cannot wait for the day when your transgressions are great enough for me to strip you of your rank and titles.�

He didn�t dare dwell on such a thought and concentrated instead of trying to get Aizen off before he could do anything else to him this evening. It was unlikely, but one never knew. He could tell Aizen was close by the way the shaft his tongue lavished twitched; Szayel redoubled his efforts and let out a little whine when Aizen suddenly pulled his hips and his cock away from him.

�Yes, so very skilled.�

Aizen�s voice still sounded composed and that made things feel so much worse.

He braced himself for the pain and humiliation he knew was coming as Aizen shifted down his body. Aizen lifted Szayel�s legs to his shoulders and hooked his knees there, the Espada�s calves draped across his ruler�s back. Szayel squeezed his eyes shut and turned to face the wall, unwilling to witness this if he could avoid it.

It hurt when Aizen penetrated him, even with saliva coating the intruding appendage. He was simply too tight and Aizen too big for him to feel anything but pain. Aizen did, however, pause once he was fully seated, giving Szayel a brief amount of time to try to adjust. Aizen shifted his hips slightly, and then started thrusting into Szayel at an oddly sedate pace. It still hurt and he felt a small amount of tearing, but nothing compared to the agony he normally endured while the Shinigami used him.

He breathed heavily to try to get through the pain and started reciting the entire periodic table of elements in his head, complete with their atomic weights and their assigned letters. For once, Aizen permitted him to keep his eyes closed so that he could visualized the chart as well. His breathing never did even out fully, but he was able to get his body to relax enough that the pain wasn�t blinding and after a point, began to dull as the nerve endings overloaded and got used to the stimulus. Through it all, Aizen kept up a slow and steady pace. It was unlike anything he�d ever done before.

Szayel went through the table twice before he realized that this was exactly what Aizen had planned. Despite his best efforts, his eyes snapped open and he stared up at the man still thrusting leisurely into his body in shock. The movement began to get painful again as the saliva that acted as lube dried up. He felt parts of his insides tear further and another round of blood temporarily slicked Aizen�s member.

�My record with Gin was two and a half hours. How long do you think you can appease me?� Aizen asked with what Szayel swore was an insane glint to his brown eyes.

�I�I�� he stammered, horrified at the very thought of a never-ending bout of painful friction and damage.

He almost preferred the more violent use of his body to this. At least those rough sessions tended to end within an hour or two. However, to suffer like this for an entire night? The sad part was he didn�t doubt that Aizen had the stamina and mental discipline to pull off such a marathon torture session.

Aizen let Szayel�s legs fall from his shoulders and sat up before continuing. Szayel winced at the new angle and once more forced his eyes shut and turned his head away. He felt tears gather at the corners of his closed eyelids and no amount of wishing prevented them from leaking out. Worse, he knew this wasn�t going to be the end. After all, Aizen had promised him Karin would bestow another round of punishment in the morning.

He�d carefully tucked Vindula and Abisara into bed and left them there, watched over by a very concerned Nemu. She did a good job hiding it, but Renji knew she had been just as upset as the rest of them over Aizen�s summons, and just as relieved as he was to get the children back home within the relative safety of Szayel�s Division.

Abisara had said only that his father had volunteered to accept punishment for his own failings while Vindula had gone on excitedly about how nice Unohana-sama was and how beautiful both the palace and the gardens were. In fact, she wanted to share everything with Yumi-san, the one who had originally introduced her to everything pretty. She complained about never getting to see her �Silk Prince� as she�d nicknamed him.

He�d kept his mouth shut about that, though he did wonder what she might have thought of Ayasegawa Yumichika, the former 11th Division�s 5th Seat in the days when he�d sported the same bloodthirsty grin as Madarame Ikakku and Kenpachi Zaraki and the same blood splatters after a battle. Damn the man and his silks and teacakes for corrupting Vindula.

Renji turned his thoughts away from that messed up situation before he could dwell too long on it and back on the spectacularly fucked-up situation in his lap at present. Nemu was the one helping Abisara get over his guilt for leaving his father to take his punishment and that left Renji to work out his frustration and stress by speed walking through the halls. He had never felt as terrified as he did when those two beautiful, wonderful children walked through Aizen�s gates, leaving him to stew in the shadows outside like a chained mutt. As much as he hated the way Aizen had referred to him, maybe the �dog� metaphor was appropriate. The redhead had tracked both Abisara and Vindula like a bloodhound, his entire body twitching and ready to move at the slightest indication of trouble.

He had never been that good at detecting reiatsu, but he had always been able to follow the twins, to find them even from a distance. He�d almost barged in when he had felt Abisara�s minor distress and had only stopped himself from doing something rash because Zabimaru had intervened, sharply growling at him to calm down and pointing out that the boy�s upset was hardly at a level that would indicate a serious problem.

�A pity it�s so damn late. I could really blow off some steam with Grimmjow right about now,� he thought.

The Espada had offered to let him do so after an incident the previous year that he would rather not recall. He�d shown up at the Ukitake Estate a few times after that and the two had gone out for a few Bankai vs. Resurrección sparring sessions, but this late at night Grimmjow would probably be sleeping, if not doing other things with Karin. No one here could even hope to spar on him at the level he wanted, other than Nemu and right now her children needed her more than he did. This left him with a great deal of steam under his collar and no one or way to vent it. The hallway patrol wasn�t doing much for him either.

�For fuck�s sake, the children are safe. I should be relieved, not anxious,� he cursed inwardly, a scowl marring his features and unwittingly sending two passing scientists scurrying out of his way in fear.

Eventually, he made his way to one of the staff break rooms, where paper bags that could contain either a researcher�s lunch or a deadly viral experiment filled the refrigerator. Grumbling to himself, he poured a cup of something dark and black into a paper cup from one of several pots sitting on Bunsen burners, all of them plugged into an electrical strip that housed too many plugs and not enough outlets.

He�d hoped it was just strongly brewed tea.

It wasn�t.

Gagging, he sputtered and forced the coffee down, feeling the stuff start to eat away at his teeth before he gave up and tried to find a box of sugar to pour into it. About halfway into his search of the cabinets and after finding only a few orange ceramic mugs with the phrase �Dattebayo!� stencilled on them, he let his forehead rest against one of the wall cabinet doors and finally admitted to himself what he would have denied up and down a year ago.

�Dammit, I�m actually worried about the pink-haired freak.�

His road to reconciliation, if one could call the state of detente that existed between them �reconciliation,� with Szayel had been very, very rocky, and contained a lot of resentment and anger. It wasn�t until after Abisara and Vindula were born that he began to let go of a bit of that hatred. There had been a few spectacular relapses as well, but Renji liked to think they�d both reached a point where they at least had their love of Szayel�s children in common. He was pissed right now because all he could see was what Szayel had looked like when Aizen had summoned him to pick his �master� up after the last time the sick fuck had used the scientist as a plaything. There had been so much blood� even at his worst, Szayel had never put Renji, or anyone else in the Science Division, through the kind of trauma the Espada endured at Aizen�s hands.

�I saw a lot of shit in the Rukongai, but that�that was over the top. He could be going through it again, right now, all for the sake of keeping Abisara from� from��

Renji couldn�t even finish the sentence in his head, as the images it conjured up were too horrifying for his brain to want to process. Instead, he concentrated on the energy he could feel glimmering around him, a greenish-gold lifeline, to try to banish the ugly fears his imagination had created. Latching on to Nel�s Claim, he managed to get the stabbing, panicky feeling under control and his train of thoughts back to reality, rather than whatever he feared Aizen would do to Szayel�s son.

Instead, he needed to consider what Aizen might be doing to Szayel.

For every foul thing that he had once had to say about the Espada, he had never felt that Szayel was a bad parent. In fact, Szayel was a father who cared deeply for his children, even if he did have a few questionable moral and ethical standards. The one thing that he and Szayel had always seen eye to eye on it was the twins� safety.

Three hours passed since he had returned home with the twins, and there was still no summons for Renji to come pick up his �master�, or any sign of Szayel himself. As three hours turned to four, and then jumped to six, Renji found he could barely contain himself anymore. It had been over eight hours now. The children had spent two hours at the Palace, thankfully most of it with Unohana, before she�d escorted them to the gates personally. From what little he knew of the history between Szayel and Aizen, Aizen had never kept the Seventh Espada at the Palace this long. Something was definitely wrong.

That and there was no more coffee left. Renji felt unusually jittery, his stomach bitched at him and the combination made him want to punch a wall for the sole purpose of watching the plaster crack.

�Fuck it,� he cursed aloud, tossed the cup into the break room trash and stormed out of the building before launching himself into a Shunpo.

Grimmjow was Szayel�s �master,� and if anyone would know what was happening to the scientist, it would be the Sixth. This late at night, or early in the morning depending on which way one wanted to look at it, there was no way Karin and Grimmjow would be doing anything but sleeping. He was through the gate and banged on the door of the Ukitake Estate the moment he reached it and didn�t stop until a very pissed off Lilinette yanked it open.

�Do you have any idea how fucking late it is?� she snapped, and scowled at him.

�I need to talk to Grimmjow,� he demanded.

�He isn�t here. He�s got night patrol,� she answered, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

Well that sucked ass, Renji thought. He considered asking for Karin, but wasn�t sure she could do anything even though she was technically Szayel�s �owner.� While he debated over it, Lilinette spoke up once more.

�What�s got your panties in a wad anyway?�

�Szayel was summoned to the Palace and it�s been over eight hours since he walked in,� he answered honestly. �He hasn�t come out yet.�

A frown crossed Lilinette�s face. The little Arrancar closed her one eye and she seemed to be mulling something back and forth before she opened the door all the way and let him in.

�Come on,� she ordered.

Numbly, he followed her. He expected her to lead him to Karin�s room, but instead he watched, shocked, as she opened the door of what turned out to be a bedroom and literally jumped on top of someone curled up under rumpled pile of blankets.

�Oi, Starrk, wake up!� Lilinette shouted, continuing to jump on and kick the bundle until a very sleepy-looking Starrk sat up, running his hands through mussed up hair.

�What is it Lilinette?� Starrk asked with a loud yawn.

�Stop acting so gross, we got company,� she complained, hitting him over the head with her fist.

�Eh?�

Starrk, blinking, looked Renji�s way. Lilinette hooked her thumb at the Shiingami.

�He says Aizen summoned Szayel over eight hours ago and the Seventh ain�t back yet.�

All signs of sleepy stupidity were suddenly gone from Starrk�s face as his eyes focused on a glowering Lilinette. Then he let out a long sigh.

�What do you want me to do about it?� he asked.

�I don�t know! Something! Anything! Maybe bring Karin with you and go get him. Aizen promised that anything concerning Szayel would be run past her too.�

Lilinette promptly kicked Starrk again and shoved her face close to his, not bothering to control the volume of her voice as she yelled at the other.

�Aizen�s being� sneaky again!�

Starrk reached down, scratched his ribs and once more turned his attention towards Renji, scrubbing his face with his hand.

�What�s going on?� he asked the man hanging on to the doorjamb.

Hesitantly at first, but quickly gaining momentum, Renji stood in the doorway and explained what he knew to Starrk. Starrk listened silently, nodding his head in a few places, before drawing his knees up to his chest and throwing his arms across the top of his bent limbs.

�There is nothing we can do about it Lilinette,� Starrk stated, which didn�t seem to sit too well with his other half.

�We have to be able to do something!� Lilinette retorted. �What if he does something like he did to Shiro-chan? Szayel is Karin�s pet, a gift from Grimmjow, so why is Aizen even touching him in the first place?�

Renji absently noted that Lilinette failed to attach any honorific�s to Aizen�s name, and he wondered what had happened to cause her to lose so much faith, although he had a feeling that it had something to do with Ukitake-Taichou, considering the context of their current argument.

�Lil, Szayel is taking the hits intended for Abisara,� Starrk tried to explain, until his smaller companion made a rude gesture that was clearly meant to cut off her partner.

�Not good enough!� Lilinette shouted, stomping her foot down like a child having a temper tantrum. �We finally have friends Starrk, people who can stand to be near us! I don�t want to lose that,� she snuffled and folded her arms across her flat chest, sounding close to frustrated tears.

�Besides, you know Aizen wasn�t the one to give us this pack, no matter what he promised us. That was Hana�s father. Grimm�s part of it, whether he likes to admit it or not and that makes it our business Starrk!�

Starrk let out a weary grunt before rising to his feet and heading towards the nearby closet to throw something on other than the sheet he had clutched around his hips. Renji watched the show in silence, a part of him memorizing the entire conversation and the information he had learned to pass onto Nel the next time she visited. Clearly, both halves of the Primera, or at least the smaller, fouler-mouthed half, were rapidly losing whatever allegiance they had to Aizen. To Renji, discovering such a tidbit of information was like discovering a diamond mine under the bathroom tiles. Starrk and Lilinette had taken down four of their strongest during the war. The loss of such support would severely weaken Aizen�s forces, and pull Jushiro and Nanao out of the picture as potential enemies.

Lilinette wasn�t finished either, sounding both angry and distraught.

�All his promises are like shiny apples on the outside, but inside they�re all worms.�

Her other half scratched his scalp, looking for all the world like all he wanted to do was tunnel back under the blankets. Instead, his hands began wrapping his obi around his waist.

�C�mon. Let�s go wake up Karin, assuming she isn�t already awake,� Starrk ordered the girl as he tied his obi and shrugged on his jacket. Renji stepped out of the way to let them exit the bedroom and followed in their wake, Starrk a silent form gliding ahead of a grumbling Lilinette.

Karin was awake, and fully dressed. In fact, she told them to enter before they even knocked on her door. She must have also been waiting for word from Szayel because Renji could think of no other reason why she would still be up or have such a haunted look on her face. She knew of the summons since she had been there when Aizen had declared it. Clearly, the fact that Szayel hadn�t reported in to her yet kept her up as well.

Still, she listened to Renji repeat the story once more, and she used some incredibly foul language as he concluded. Apparently, she hadn�t anticipated this happening either. With all of the delays, it was fast approaching nine hours and the uneasiness in the room grew as the minutes ticked by on the clock on the table in the corner.

�Starrk-san, can you think of any reasonable punishment that Aizen would have given Abisara that would last this long?� she asked. The lanky Espada scratched his chin as he gave it some thought.

�Nothing comes to mind,� he confessed. �Not for something that small.�

�Good,� she growled, before getting up and marching past them.

�What are you going to do?� Renji asked curiously, hauling himself to his feet as well. He offered a hand to Lilinette, who eyed it and him before taking it. The redhead pulled her up and she brushed off her bottom before turning to Karin as well. The human woman had paused in the doorway, her expression as dark as a thundercloud and twice as angry-looking.

�I�m going to get Szayel back, for starters,� she growled possessively, �and maybe give Aizen a piece of my mind while I am at it.�

�Karin,� Starrk warned her. �Think carefully.�

�Yeah, yeah,� she replied and took a couple of gulps of air to try to regain her calm.

Renji didn�t blame her for wanting to go and tear out the sonofabitch�s eyes with a garden rake. He felt the same way. His temper had cooled now that the odd little group had decided to do something about it. Provided, of course, that there was something they could do about in the first place. If not, they might end up suffering along with Szayel if Aizen felt like flexing his muscles.

At least he wasn�t the only one thinking about such a scenario. Lilinette shrugged around him and when Starrk gained his feet and stretched, the girl looked up at him expectantly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

�Ya gonna need me, Starrk?�

Renji watched as the taller half of the First put a hand on her head, carefully avoiding the horn on her helmet-like bone fragment and ruffled her pale green hair a little.

�Stay here. Wait for Grimmjow and send him our way. You�ll know if I need you.�

Then he turned his blue-gray eyes to Renji and gestured towards the doorway.

�After you.�

Renji nodded and made to follow Karin, or at least try to catch up to her.

�Please, for Abisara and Vindula�s sake, let their father be in one piece,� he prayed.

* Stands wearily next to the bunker doors.

You know, I promised you all that part 2 wouldn�t be as dark, in fact when I had it all in my head it wasn�t really dark at all. Than I started to write it and holy hell is it turning out to make part 1 look like all sunshine and roses. It�s also going to out page, and probably out chapter, number 1 as we are now up to over 1100 pages. Dear lord.

Okay, I am going to probably do a double post here because the two chapters flow into each other, and I got enough prewritten stuff I feel confident I can stay ahead. Not to mention that the prewritten is nearing the end of the story. I am actually currently writing up the last week, story line wise, of the story so the end is creeping up on me.
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56255 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2