Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 37
- 38
- 39
Emotions

�This is so exciting!� Orihime squealed in delight. �I still can�t believe you are both having babies at the same time! And you, Rangiku-chan. Twins! How is Nnoitra-san handling the fact he�s going to be a father?�

�It�s hard to tell, so far,� Rangiku answered with a small smile on her own face. �Although, the last two poker nights ended early and he didn�t consume nearly the amount of sake he normally drinks. Wish I could say the same for our �guests.��

�He�s made up for it with a marked increase in bragging,� Tatsuki added dryly.

�Can you blame him? Rangiku is having twins!� Orihime squealed again. The Shinigami woman sighed and shook her head, then nudged Tatsuki�s shoulder.

�He brags about your pregnancy too!� Rangiku pointed out. �It makes Tesra blush ever so cutely.�

�Alright, you have me there,� the brunette reluctantly admitted. �He is rather adorable when he blushes. I don�t think Nnoitra�s ever given Tesra this much positive attention before and he doesn�t quite seem to know what to do with it.�

�So, any sign of more children for you Orihime?� Rangiku asked.

�None planned, but we aren�t using protection either,� Orihime conceded with a light blush.

�And no doubt, with the number of battles going on, you�re getting it as often as we are,� Tatsuki smirked at her old friend.

�Tatsuki-chan!� Orihime gasped, her pink cheeks going even pinker. �You shouldn�t talk about such things in public,� she admonished.

�Don�t �Tatsuki-chan� me, missy. You�re the one screaming so loudly while Ulquiorra rides you that the entire neighbourhood knows what�s going on in your bedroom. Hell, you drove your own son out of the house in a bid to escape� what was it, round two or round three that morning?� Tatsuki inquired, taunting her friend mercilessly.

Orihime�s face turned tomato red in embarrassment while she stuttered and suddenly it was �game on� in an attempt to see how deeply they could make the Fourth�s mate blush.

�You know, there is one good thing I have always had to say about Nnoitra-sama,� Rangiku said, cutting in with a thoughtful look on her pretty face.

�What�s that?� Tatsuki asked. The taller woman�s expression promptly turned wicked.

�The things he does with the tongue of his are positively sinful!�

�You two are impossible!�

Orihime threw her hands up in the air in exasperation and her face turned a shade of red normally reserved for those suffering from sunburns. Tatsuki remained unapologetic, grilling the other human woman in pursuit of salacious details.

�Oh, come on Orihime-chan! There have to be things that Ulquiorra does with that tail of his and those wings. You know, stuff that leaves you shivering!�

�Yes, but Ulquiorra prefers that we don�t talk about our sex life,� Orihime sniffed. Her companions gave each other a significant look.

�Bullshit!� Tatsuki coughed into her hand.

�Bless you,� Rangiku replied in kind, an equally unrepentant look in her eyes. Tatsuki nodded and rounded on her childhood friend, with a look on her face that told Orihime her friend had decided to move in for the kill.

�Thank you, Rangiku-chan. Listen here, Orihime-chan� men love it when you talk about your sex life, as long as what you say is positive. They just pretend they don�t like it, but in truth, it strokes their fragile little egos and��

�Oh look, there is Karin-chan and Soi Fon-san, with Szayel-san!�

Orihime interrupted Tatsuki�s lecture, sounding deeply relieved to see a sorely-needed distraction walking down the street towards them. Her friends turned to look in the direction she had pointed and the brunette put her hands on her hips, a puzzled look on her face.

�That�s odd,� Tatsuki said, brows knitting.

�What is?� Rangiku asked.

�Why is Szayel-san with them? He never leaves the confines of his Division, if he can help it.� Tatsuki�s frown deepened and she dropped all of her attempts to dig at things that Orihime would rather keep private in favour of figuring out why the Seventh Espada was out and about this morning.

�Hmm, maybe they had a meeting or something.�

Now that Tatsuki mentioned it, Orihime also found it strange that Szayel was somewhere other than his precious Science and Research Building. He knew all of the pregnant women were coming today for their weekly checkups. She�d seen him enough while she was pregnant with Diaemus to know that normally, he would have been getting his lab ready and bouncing around in a state of barely-concealed excitement. Instead, he was walking beside Karin with a worried look on his face and acting as if a rain cloud had taken up residence over his head.

Everyone exchanged �good mornings� once their two small groups merged and together they continued on towards the large, glass-domed building.

�How are you two feeling?� Karin asked after giving Rangiku a hug.

Tatsuki made a face.

�The morning sickness is still a problem, but not enough of one to keep me from the battlefield. Although, I�m sure that if Tesra thought he could get away with it, he would chain me to the house the way Nnoitra chains Rangiku,� the human woman answered with a trace of amusement coloring her words. �I have to keep reminding him that I am pregnant, not sick, and that exercise at this stage is good for me.�

Rangiku took up where Tatsuki left off.

�I have morning and afternoon sickness, and to make matters worse, I have been craving fried pickles and taiyaki of all things.�

�At the same time?� Karin gaped at the taller woman. �I can remember craving near raw meat, but not that particular combination! Are you maybe craving chocolate ice cream and fish by any chance?�

The strawberry-blonde shook her head and stuck out her tongue.

�No, thankfully. Otherwise, I am healthy as can be. Nnoitra-sama has forbidden me from participating in any close combat, so I have been stationed with the Kido squads. Fortunately, Haineko is an effective long-range weapon and I am not too bad with the mid-level Kido spells,� Rangiku answered, her voice tinted with exasperation.

�Really? Grimmjow didn�t have a problem with me training when I was pregnant. In fact, I swear he got harder on me!� Karin recounted.

�Training and battle are two different things,� Szayel spoke up. �In addition, Ajuga was already born by the time the Swarm began their incursions into the Soul Society.�

�Hmm, I suppose. Still no word from the lower ranks of any successful pregnancies?� she asked. Szayel got a thoughtful look and adjusted his cracked glasses as he seemed to sift through his memory for the information his �mistress� wanted.

�No, but that doesn�t mean that there might not have been some that were miscarried. In fact, there could be a few �undiscovered� pregnancies now. There exists, on average, a considerably larger gap in power between the lower-numbered Arrancar and any Shinigami below Fukutaichou class and that might have something to do with it.�

�That is true,� Rangiku agreed, sounding contemplative. Orihime, for her part, looked a little confused.

�If there are such large differences in power between the various Numeros and those they have Claimed, why haven�t we heard about more deaths from failed Claimings?� Orihime posed the question and the Espada stroked his chin before answering.

�Oh, well, the gap in power has to be quite large for a Claim attempt to result in death,� Szayel informed the women, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of lecturing on one of his favourite topics. �For example, if Ulquiorra were to exercise a Claim over a Shinigami, the Claim would not result in a death unless he attempted to Claim someone possessing the average power of a typical 4^th or 5^th Seat. If he went any lower than that, or if he chose to try to Claim one of the unranked Shinigami, his Claim would result in the mortality of the attempted �Claimee.� For those ranked at the 5^th Seat or higher, the Claim would last for a very long time, easily over a year, but that person would survive.�

The scientist held up one finger in a cautionary gesture as Orihime�s eyes got a bit bigger.

�That being said, power imbalances are relative and what holds true for an Espada might not hold true for the Numeros, depending on the parties involved.�

�I am not a Shinigami, and yet I handle Tesra�s energy just fine,� Tatsuki added, elbowing her friend. ��and he impregnated me without any problems. There is absolutely no stress in our relationship, of course, but from what I have seen and overheard, most of the Arrancar are at least trying to treat those they�ve Claimed a bit better these days. They�re probably suffering less, at any rate, than during the first few years��

�True, but all of the Shinigami �pets� have been out on the battlefield, and that creates a different sort of strain,� Rangiku pointed out. �The battles with the Swarm were well underway before anyone realized that �stress� was a problem when it came to conception.�

Karin nodded and stretched as she walked, eyes trained on the blue sky overhead.

�That�s a good point Rangiku, and I don�t see it going away any time soon. The fighting has been intense since the Defence Net went down. It�s almost as if our enemies are trying to do as much damage as they can before they take their usual spring break. I�m sure they�re trying to keep us too busy to build another Net to keep them out.�

The little group of women and Szayel made it to the main entrance of the Science and Research Building while they conversed and Orihime stared up at the large dome that covered it. Its glass glittered beautifully in the early morning sunshine, the facets reflecting the white of the clouds and the azure hue of the sky. Sometimes the human healer wondered if someone had actually carved the entire thing out of one very large diamond.

�PAPA!!!�

A childish voice screeched as soon as they were through the sliding front doors.

Vindula was a pastel blur as she flung herself into her father�s arms, clutching the front of his borrowed uniform tightly and crying, her wings buzzing a mile a minute and her body shaking. Instinctively, the women took a collective step back, both to avoid being struck by a stray wing and to give Szayel a bit of breathing room to deal with his distraught little girl. Renji strolled up behind her. It was obvious that the two had been waiting for a while in the reception area, probably for Szayel�s return.

�I was so worried about you Papa. Ji-ji said you were okay, but you never come home yesterday! Where were you Papa?� Vindula demanded tearfully.

Szayel let out a soft sigh and picked the girl up, carrying her so that her chin rested on his shoulder. His arms formed a makeshift seat for her. Thus, he could hang onto her while still making progress towards the usual examination area. His golden eyes closed while he spoke gently to his daughter.

�I was foolish again and didn�t get enough sleep. So after my meeting with Kami-sama, Karin-sama ordered me back to her house so I could get some proper sleep without any interruptions, or attempts to sneak off to work,� he answered her question with a smile. �I am sorry I worried you, Vindula-chan.�

�See, I told you your old man was fine,� Renji winked at his charge, reaching out and ruffling her hair with one hand, tugging gently on one pig-tail�s worth of long black curls.

Orihime turned and winced as she got a good look at the redhead. He appeared to have been in some kind of fight, if she was any judge of injuries. None of them seemed serious, but he was covered in livid bruises and scrapes and she counted more than a few cuts that looked as if someone had inflicted them with a sword.

�What happen to you? You look like you were mauled by a lion!� Tatsuki asked with a low whistle of appreciation for some of the darker marks.

�Something along those lines,� Karin muttered for him in an annoyed way.

�Hey, I gave as good as I got! You should see the other guy!� Renji crossed his arms defensively, his right eye twitching, and the rest of the women were left to share a collective look of bewilderment.

�Why do men feel like they need to resolve all their issues by fighting?� Karin sighed. Her �pet� gave a �tch� noise, shaking his head at damage.

�I am sorry, Karin-sama, but not even my extensive knowledge and research have been able to provide a satisfying answer to that question,� Szayel answered, adjusting his mask fragment as he did so. He turned hard eyes on Renji, who didn�t look the least bit sorry for appearing as if he�d just lost a fight with an enraged gorilla.

�I hope the examination room is ready, Abarai.�

�Yeah. Nemu prepped it first thing this morning. Abisara-kun�s been working on some sort of portable radiation sensor-thingy since yesterday morning, but I did manage to get him into bed for a few hours last night,� Renji reported. �Damn near had to tie him to the bed, but three chapters from Thornton�s Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems and the sound of that toy of his put him to sleep.� Then the redhead reached up and scratched the back of his neck and yawned. �Damned near put me to sleep too��

�How is he doing?� Szayel asked softly. Renji�s shoulders drooped for a second and his demeanour shifted to �all business.�

�Feeling guilty, like the entire thing was his fault. I told him to get over it, that he wasn�t to blame and that Aizen would have found a way to be an ass even if you two had found the answer in time. He�s still a little upset that he got you in trouble, but he�ll get over it once he sees that you�re back.�

�Did something happen?� Orihime asked, concerned.

�Nothing for you to fret over,� Szayel waved the question away and the way that Renji, Karin and Szayel�s expressions closed off suddenly made Orihime decide to drop the subject.

�Alright.�

She let it go, considering all that needed to be done for the expectant mothers this morning. Orihime was well aware that she wasn�t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she wasn�t the dullest either. She had seen the cruelty Aizen was capable of inflicting. She�d seen it in Hueco Mundo and had been there, cleaning up the damage when Szayel had been nothing more than a quivering, bloody mess. Something bad had gone down in the last day or two, which explained why Szayel was with Karin this morning. Instead, she vowed to get the story out of the other human woman later.

If it was one thing she�d learned over the last fifteen years, it was how to differentiate between the problems over which she had little control and the ones she could help solve in the here-and-now.

�Would you like me to heal those wounds, Renji-kun?� Orihime asked, putting on a bright smile for his benefit.

�I suppose,� he said and grinned at her sheepishly. �They don�t really hurt, but you never know when the Swarm will show up and it would be stupid to risk another injury because of a current one. To be fair, you should offer to do the same for Grimmjow.�

His triumphant smirk as he tossed in that last part faded quickly when Karin glared at the redhead, who had the good sense to take a few steps and get at least an arm�s length away.

�Grimmjow?� Tatsuki and Rangiku asked at the same time, with an equal amount of surprise. Even Soi Fon�s eyes grew larger when she heard that. Karin rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand, looking very put-upon all of a sudden, especially when everyone turned to look at her, instead of Szayel, for an explanation.

�The two of them seem to have this stupid agreement to beat each other into the dirt when one of them in having a bad day,� Karin answered with a sigh. �Forget about healing Grimmjow, Orihime. The idiot can suffer!�

�How often does that happen?� Rangiku asked looking from Renji to Karin. Karin�s lip curled in disgust.

�Surprisingly, not as often as I thought it was going to be when I learned about their mutual, testosterone-driven stupidity,� she said with no small amount of sarcasm.

�No doubt because you put the fear into them,� Orihime chuckled.

�I�m right here, you know�� the redhead snorted.

�Hmm,� Karin agreed, and continued to glare at Renji, while Szayel gave his �pet� a disgruntled look of his own. Renji, oddly enough, looked unrepentant about his bout with the Sixth. If anything, it seemed to Orihime as if he was trying very hard not to grin at the both of them.

Maybe Karin was right and they�d both lost their minds.

Renji stood still while Orihime quickly healed him, the damage disappearing beneath her golden shield. Most of it was superficial and the task didn�t take long. When she was done, Szayel handed a soothed Vindula back to her caretaker and the entourage continued down to the examination room. They traded idle chatter with one another, with the exception of Soi Fon. Unable to speak, she remained silent, although she paid close attention to the conversation. Nemu waited for them in the prepared room. The worried look on her face immediately morphed into relief as the Espada walked up to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and then moved his hand to her cheek. The touch was fleeting, but it did the trick. Nemu visibly relaxed and bowed her head, reaching up to touch the hand on her face before she turned back to the computer consoles.

Szayel disappeared briefly, and returned a few minutes later wearing a new, clean, properly�fitting uniform. He also appeared more like his normal, excitable self with experimental subjects ready for his inspection. Whatever had happened couldn�t have been overly bad, Orihime decided. Vindula had recovered as well, but she resisted all of Renji�s attempts to get her to leave the room. Obviously, she had missed her father a great deal and now seemed reluctant to let him out of her sight.

�If only Diaemus-kun showed me that kind of loyalty and affection,� Orihime thought wistfully.

The three pregnant women had switched into gowns behind a screen while Szayel had retreated to change his clothing. It was a good thing Szayel kept his labs and the examination rooms at a comfortable temperature. Some rooms had to be kept cooler, but for the most part his entire complex was actually welcoming, something Orihime had never expected from the Arrancar. Of course, before she�d gained some firsthand knowledge while carrying Diaemus, all she�d had to go on were less-than-complimentary rumours told to her while she�d been an inmate in Hueco Mundo.

�Now then, who�s ready?� Szayel asked as he patted the hospital bed.

�I�ll go first,� Tatsuki volunteered without hesitation.

�Soi Fon-san, if you would follow me,� Nemu gestured to the other table.

Soi Fon, understandably, had little trust in Szayel and was far more comfortable having Nemu look her over. Orihime recalled her own apprehension when she found out Szayel would be overseeing her pregnancy. However, she now found she was comfortable around him. Knowing what Aizen had done to him helped a considerable amount on that front, as it was easier to sympathize with a fellow victim.

�How have you been feeling, Tatsuki-san?� Szayel asked, and started the examination. The human woman�s expression took a thoughtful turn.

�I feel okay, I suppose. I still have some morning sickness, but no cravings or aversions as of yet. Tesra is taking good care of me and making sure my meals are well-balanced. That boy can cook!� she sighed blissfully.

�Tell me about it,� Rangiku added with a sigh. �You should try his fried rice!�

�Tesra prepares the meals for the both of you?� Szayel asked, jotting the information down.

�Nnoitra made us move in with them two days ago,� Tatsuki explained. �He said something about looking for a bigger den and keeping everyone together for safety sake.�

�Understandable,� Szayel hummed as he poked and prodded at Tatsuki�s stomach. �Cubs, especially newborns, are particularly vulnerable. It�s easier to defend them if your entire pack is in one dwelling. A reasonable decision on his part, based on logistics.�

�Can�t you do the ultrasound first, before you start doing that,� Tatsuki complained when his hand found a sensitive spot. �My bladder feels like it�s going to burst as it is without you pushing on it. Seriously, why do we need full bladders for this anyway?�

Szayel gave the grouchy woman an indulgent smile, but didn�t stop the exam.

�Positioning. A full bladder makes it easier for the ultrasound machine to find and tune in on the growing child,� he replied, brushing some of his pink hair out of his eyes.

�I�ll take your word on it,� Tatsuki huffed uncomfortably.

Szayel chuckled, but he did move the machine over and everyone crowded around to look at the image once he�d applied the necessary gel and the paddles.

�Can I see too, please Papa?� Vindula begged from where she wriggled in Renji�s arms.

�There isn�t too much to see right now love,� he responded.

Vindula�s entire posture sagged.

�But I am sure your mother will show you Soi Fon�s baby. She�s much farther along.�

�Really?� Vindula asked excitedly, turning her gaze to her mother and the former Taichou. �Can I? Please?� she begged, turning big, watery eyes towards the two women. Soi Fon snorted softly with what sounded like amusement before giving the little girl a smile and nodding, indicating it was alright with her.

�Yes!� Vindula cheered.

Szayel was right; there was not much to see of Tatsuki�s child yet. If anything, the baby looked like some sort of itty, bitty, unborn fish. Rangiku�s twins were smaller than that, resembling tiny worms within the membranes of their respective eggs. It was too early yet for there to be any real development and it would be a while before the developing fetuses began to resemble children. Once Vindula got to see the images of Soi Fon�s child, she finally let the now-mended Renji lead her out of the examination room to get a late breakfast.

�You know, something just occurred to me,� Karin said while Szayel and Nemu concluded the exams and finished collecting the needed samples from each.

�And what might that be, Karin-sama?� Szayel asked.

�We know most of the Arrancar are treating those they Claimed better than they used to, and the pressures of battle shouldn�t be too much for those who are trained to deal with it. Now, I know Grimmjow refreshes my Claim far more frequently than necessary because, let�s face it, it�s the best damn sex around��

�Amen to that,� Tatsuki agreed with a laugh. �I get Tesra to refresh mine all the time, although he hasn�t done so since I told him I was pregnant.�

�Now that I think about it, Nnoitra-sama hasn�t refreshed mine either,� Rangiku added and looked at Karin curiously. Szayel�s expression abruptly shifted to one that proclaimed �aha!�

�I see where you are going with this, Karin-sama. With the increase in battles, there has been a dramatic increase in sex, and re-Claiming. Theoretically speaking, it should be safe to cast a Claim on a pregnant woman and any spillover of the excess reiatsu would result in the unborn child being Claimed as well. However, a large difference in power between the lower ranks of Shinigami and their Claimers, not to mention the increased frequency of re-Claiming would put undue strain on any resulting embryos, especially those in their early development. As a result, miscarriages would be common. Most of the Claimed females would never know they were pregnant in the first place.�

The scientist looked absolutely elated.

�Exactly,� Karin agreed. �In a twenty-eight day period of fertility, any conceptions and miscarriages caused by too-frequent Claimings might simply play out as a normal cycle.�

�But what can be done about that?� Rangiku asked. Szayel held one finger up in the air.

�The answer is relatively simple. We just request all women take a pregnancy test before their Masters re-Claim them. As long as there�s a reasonable amount of time between Claims, we can determine if the woman has conceived. In theory, that would prevent any Claim-induced miscarriages. Orihime-san, could you bring this up with Unohana-Taichou? You will be seeing her later today, will you not?� he asked.

�Tomorrow morning, unless a battle occurs. I would be happy to bring it up with her.�

�Excellent. Well then, you ladies seem in good health and everything appears in order. I have work I need to begin immediately. Nemu, will you please see our guests out?� Szayel dismissed them.

�Of course, Szayel-sama,� his mate said and bowed before indicating that the rest of the women should follow her.

�I�ll catch up in a minute. I want to look in on Mushi for a moment.�

Karin waved goodbye before she followed Szayel out of the examination room. Nemu nodded her head in agreement and led the rest of them back to the main lobby.

Looking around, Orihime couldn�t help comparing the outside of the structure to the inside. The Science and Research Division building�s interior was as lovely and well-crafted as its exterior. It was open, well lit, and exquisitely decorated. Even the numerous labs and subterranean rooms were bright and cheery and while there, it was hard to remember that one was underground at all. It was nothing like the dank and gloomy place she�d first imagined it to be. She didn�t know if the Seventh had designed it, or if it had looked this way when Nemu�s father ran the place as the base of the old 12^th Division, but whoever had created it at least had a grasp of aesthetics.

�I�ll see you later, okay?� Tatsuki gave her a hug, dragging her back to reality.

�Alright. You two should be careful now!� she ordered them, wagging a finger in their direction.

�With the men in our lives, I don�t think we could be adventurous if we begged and pleaded for it,� Rangiku noted as she drew Orihime in for an embrace as well.

Tatsuki and Rangiku left, chatting about some of the things they should pick up at the market on their way home. Orihime waited so that Soi Fon wouldn�t be left alone while Karin finished seeing to whatever it was she had to do with Mushi. While it was unlikely that Barragan would storm into Szayel�s domain, she wouldn�t put it past him either. With her here, he might think twice before attacking someone Claimed by another Espada.

�So, how is living on Starrk-san�s estate?� Orihime asked to break the silence.

�Pleasant,� Soi Fon wrote out on her chalk board.

�That�s good,� Orihime offered her smile. �You are looking much better, like you�re finally getting enough to eat.�

Soi Fon nodded her head in agreement and placed a hand on the growing curve of her belly, before her expression turned melancholy.

�Yumichika tries his best to keep information flowing, but it has been difficult.�

�I bet,� Orihime sighed unhappily, reading the other woman�s answer. �Has anyone found a solution yet?�

�Karin thought the Third might be of help, but with so much going on she hasn�t had time to bring it up.�

�Hmm,� Orihime agreed, understanding what Soi Fon meant. Things had been very busy. Between battles and cleanup, followed by more battles, it was a wonder anyone had any leisure time at all. She could just imagine what those who had to do paperwork on top of it all were feeling. Some days it felt like she spent more time at the 4^th Division than she spent in her own home. Ulquiorra was visibly tired and less amorous than usual, between the battles and the stepped-up patrols.

Karin finally arrived with a pensive look on her face that vanished as they exchanged hugs and promises to see each other later. Orihime finally turned and made for home herself, pausing at one of the local food markets to grab a few things for dinner that night. She hummed happily, enjoying the beautiful sunny day and the unseasonably warm weather.

Unfortunately, what she walked into when she arrived home made her wonder if she had taken a detour into the twilight zone. She heard the raised voices when she opened the front gate, long before she got to the door and it took her a moment to recognize the second one speaking loudly in frustration. The first one was Ajuga, but the second�

�Is that Diaemus-kun?� she thought with some astonishment. �I have never heard him raise his voice like that. What�s going on?�

She jogged the last little bit and rushed inside, freezing when she took in the scene in the living room. Ajuga paced back and forth with her ears laid back and her tail thrashing in agitation. Her fur bristled and her hands were flexing madly like she wanted to claw something to shreds. For a moment, Orihime actually feared for her furniture.

What worried Orihime was that her normally stoic son didn�t look much better. Diaemus�s tail twitched wildly and his hands were clenched into fists. A mixture of naked disgust and raw anger had settled on her son�s face and she�d never seen him display that much emotion before.

However, that wasn�t the most surreal part. Ulquiorra stood before both children and he too seemed extremely displeased and uncomfortable with whatever was going on. It was rare her mate showed any emotions, but right now he looked ready to explode.

�What is going on here?� Orihime asked, drawing the attention of the two children and one perturbed adult to her. If she hoped her arrival might diffuse some of the hostility in the room, she was sadly mistaken.

�Aizen hurt Szay again!� Ajuga answered with a vicious snarl. �Today I finally found out about all of the other shit that bastard has done to him, shit he has no right to do, especially after Papa Claimed him and gave him to Mama as a gift!� Ajuga growled this out and added, �Worse, he was going to hurt Abisara-kun too!�

Orihime felt the blood drain from her face as one of the conversations she�d heard earlier in the day, between Szayel and Renji, echoed through her mind. She recalled Renji saying that Abisara had been upset over getting Szayel in trouble. From Ajuga�s furious expression and Diaemus�s distress, Orihime realized that the �trouble� had been more severe than she�d imagined. Suddenly, little Vindula�s near-hysteria as she greeted her father made much more sense.

�What do you mean when you say Aizen-Kami was going to hurt Abisara-kun?� Orihime demanded, completely forgetting about the basket of ingredients she still had in her hands.

Ajuga took a deep breath and stared in on what Orihime would later learn was a third retelling of the story, although the older woman noticed that she didn�t identify her source for the information. It wasn�t just what had happened last night; Ajuga told her about things Orihime knew nothing about, incidents going back long before Ulquiorra had taken her to Hueco Mundo. The girl hadn�t yet been born when some of the events she spoke about occurred, which mean that whoever had told her these things had first-hand knowledge of them. She�d only known about one of the terrible incidents and she recalled that the scientist appeared broken and ready to kill himself. Now she learned that Aizen had levelled far more abuse on the Seventh Espada that anyone suspected.

A more detached part of her was pleased to see that Diaemus seemed just as disturbed as Ajuga by the revelations. It was good to see evidence that her son had such a strong moral compass and she was glad that he found Ajuga�s report appalling. Another part of her wished that her son had never learned of Aizen�s cruelty. Diaemus had always respected Aizen�s power and leadership, a trait he picked up from his father, and to have that image shattered had to be painful for the boy.

However, it was the very end of Ajuga�s rant, the part that she�d originally walked in on and interrupted, that made Orihime feel as if someone had shoved an icicle through her stomach. What Ajuga told them also caused a look of horrified disbelief to flash briefly across Ulquiorra�s face as well and Orihime suspected that this was the first time he�d heard this as well. Aizen had threatened to harm Abisara, and had raped Szayel all night in his place when the scientist had pleaded to take his son�s punishment. Orihime had to sit down on the sofa, putting the basket of food on the cushion next to her, because she couldn�t trust her legs not to give out.

When Orihime turned to her mate, the agony she saw in his eyes told her that something inside of him had shattered. She suspected it was his view of the Shinigami he�d idolized and he was rapidly scrounging around for the pieces to try to put that image back together.

�Sleep deprivation is hardly an unfitting punishment for a child.�

Ulquiorra was the first to break the silence, but Orihime noticed his voice lacked real confidence or conviction. It was almost as if he was trying to reassure himself that the punishment was not excessive instead of trying to convince the three of them.

Denial, Orihime knew from personal experience, made for terrible glue.

�Bullshit,� Ajuga growled dangerously. �Aizen fucking raped him, took him face-to-face as only mates have a right to do. Sleep deprivation my ass! Szay was only supposed to take Abisara�s punishment. Do you really think Szay couldn�t keep himself awake if that is what Aizen wanted out of him?�

Diaemus spoke up before Ulquiorra had a chance to answer Ajuga�s question, or berate the girl for daring to go toe-to-toe and eye-to-eye with him in an argument. Orihime could tell that Ajuga�s had certainly hit a sore spot. However, it was Diaemus�s next set of questions that really shook her mate, probably because her son chose to wield his father�s favourite weapon against him: logic.

�Tou-san, are you implying that Abisara deserved to be punished just because he was trying to assist his father in Grantz-san�s research? When Grantz-san was unable to complete it on time, does it make any sort of sense for Aizen to punish the boy for assisting, instead of the person supposedly in charge of the project?� Diaemus inquired, and he almost sounded as if he was imploring his father to truly think about the situation. �He is only five! He�s not even old enough to start hunting on his own yet. It is unreasonable to expect so much out of such a young child!�

That seemed to stump her mate for a moment, and Orihime had to admit that her son made some excellent points. Ajuga stepped up before Diaemus could continue.

�We have gotten away with considerably more than that over the years. Face it, Ulquiorra-san, this has nothing to do with punishing Abisara and more to do with Aizen being an abusive asshole and using any excuse he can to rape Szay!� she snarled, overriding anything the other hybrid might say.

�Ajuga-chan, language,� Orihime warned, but her voice lacked any kind of strength.

Perhaps her son had decided to get serious with his argument because he folded his arms across his chest and his green eyes, so much like his father�s, narrowed.

�Szayel-san belongs to Grimmjow-san, does he not? Just like Mother belongs to you? Are you telling me you would silently accept Kami-sama doing to my mother what he does to Grantz-san because she was say, unable to heal someone soaked in beetle acid, even though such a request would be unreasonable?� Diaemus inquired sharply, with what almost sounded to Orihime like sarcasm.

She gaped at her boy, never having heard such emotion from him before. Tears threatened at the corners of his eyes. A part of her wanted to envelop him in a hug for thinking so much about her safety, for knowing he really did care about her. The other part felt for Ulquiorra, placed between a rock and a very hard place by his child. Diaemus had never raised his voice to his father, had never shown Ulquiorra anything but quiet obedience. Her mate was woefully unprepared for his son turning on him and calling his father�s loyalty into question.

If Ulquiorra was unprepared, Diaemus gave him no quarter, stepping up his relentless verbal attack.

�Do you mean to tell me, Father, that you would have let Aizen-Kami punish Mother for such an insignificant thing or raise a hand against me when I was still a cub learning how to fly?� Diaemus asked, his entire body vibrating with pent up emotions and stress. �Do you love him that bloody much, that you would put Kami-sama before our well-being?�

Orihime could tell that their son�s pointed line of questioning had begun to get to Ulquiorra. Maybe it was the mental images that accompanied each query. They had certainly unsettled her. The thought of Aizen hurting her son made her ill. She could tell her mate was deeply disturbed. Even after all of this time and an amazing amount of progress over the years, he still had trouble dealing with feelings. Confronted now with the truth, Diaemus had all but asked his father to choose between the son and mate he loved and the leader he�d followed for so long, the same man who had given him a purpose in life all those years ago.

Maybe, she thought as she stood up and put her hand on her son�s arm, she wasn�t entirely sure she wanted Ulquiorra to answer right now, lest he end up backed into a corner from which pride would give him no easy way out.

�Diaemus, I think that�s enough,� Orihime said, fully entering the conversation.

�Don�t tell me you agree with him!� Diaemus exclaimed as he looked her way.

�I believe that no one should ever hurt someone else. You are both upset. I can understand why and I can sympathize. Nevertheless, yelling and screaming at your father is not going to change or undo the things that have already happened� she explained, her even tone belying the turmoil that lay beneath her calm façade.

�But�� Diaemus started to object.

�Diaemus Cifer!� Orihime said coldly, taking her son by surprise. �What do you think would happen to your father if he stepped in and tried to stop Aizen-Kami from doing anything he wanted to do?�

Her son�s mouth opened and closed a few times before his entire body slumped in defeat. Even Ajuga backed down, all of the fight suddenly going out of them with that simple question.

�Believe me, I truly understand why you�re both upset,� Orihime assured them both softly. �It is the same anger and frustration Karin-chan and Grimmjow-san feel every time they have to deal with the aftermath of one of Kami�s� whims. It is wrong, so very wrong.�

Orihime felt tears of her own threaten and she hastily blinked her eyes to keep them at bay, at least for now. �However, I need you to consider this: would we be doing Grantz-san a favour by trying to intervene? Or would we end up in his shoes as well?�

Neither child had a proper response for that question. Instead, they ended up looking at their feet. Ulquiorra didn�t appear to be any better, despite the fact he had remained silent while she placated the children. If anything, he seemed to be turned inwards, his expression identical to that of a lost puppy rather than a feared Espada.

�Ajuga-chan, Diaemus-kun, why don�t you two take a walk, maybe even spar a bit? It won�t fix anything, but it might help you work off some of your steam,� she suggested.

Diaemus looked like he was about to protest, obviously still wanting some sort of confirmation from his father that Ulquiorra would never let something like this happen to her, or him, but Orihime gave her son a look that told him to drop it for now.

�Yes mother,� he finally acquiesced, then turned on his heel and walked out the door without another word or another glance at his sire.

Ajuga scowled, but thankfully chose to follow Diaemus, leaving her alone with Ulquiorra. Orihime quickly put what needed to be refrigerated away before grabbing two spare blankets out of the hall closest, draping them over her arm. Throughout it all, Ulquiorra continued to stare emotionlessly into space, or at least, that was how it would look to an outsider. She knew him better than that though, better than anyone. His arms and shoulders were tight and she was sure his hands were balled into fists inside of his pockets. The fight to control his emotions had put an incredible amount of strain on him and the human woman knew that it would eventually have to find an outlet.

Walking up to her mate, she pulled him into her embrace. He shivered and let out a breath, his arms slowly wrapping round her as he focused on her. She intended to bring his thoughts out of the spiral of despair and back to the reality around them.

�Do you remember that place we made love years ago, before Diaemus was born? It was on a hill that overlooked the city,� she asked, murmuring the words in his ear.

�Yes,� he answered, with only a hint of the tension he was under in his voice.

She reached between them and grabbed Murcielago�s hilt before pulling the sheathed Zanpakuto free and pressing the hilt of the blade against his palm.

�Can you take me there,� she requested and gave him an imploring look for good measure.

For a moment she thought he was going to refuse, but then nodded and took the Zanpakuto from her.

�Tozase, Murcielago,� he whispered.

Orihime let out a shiver as his power rushed over them and he changed in her arms. His grip tightened around her and the world blurred as he took them to the spot she had requested. She let out a sigh and stepped away from him so she could lay the blankets out on the grass. Once she was satisfied, she slipped out of her clothes and looked up at him expectantly, her flesh starting to shiver in the chill air.

�You are being foolish,� he commented, his voice back under control. �You�ll catch a cold at this altitude.�

�Then it�s up to you to take care of me and keep me warm,� came her retort and she offered him a smile.

Ulquiorra sighed and shook his head before a wave of power washed over her as he changed again to his second, fur-covered form. His black reiatsu engulfed them, beating back the cold. The first time she had felt it, it had terrified her. Now�

�So warm, so powerful, so safe. Is this how a babe feels in its mother�s womb?� she couldn�t help but wonder.

Warm fur brushed her skin as he enveloped her in his arms again, his wings wrapping around her. Orihime let out a content sigh and rubbed her body against his. When Ulquiorra faced a moral dilemma like this, he had a tendency to think too much, his mind racing around in little circles like a dog chasing its tail or a hamster stuck running on a wheel. Orihime intended to make him stop thinking, and she knew just the way to do that. It involved reminding him that she loved him, faults and all. She suspected that after the altercation with their son, he badly needed that reassurance.

Ulquiorra didn�t resist as she led him down onto the blankets, pulling one of them over their bodies and cuddling. It didn�t take long for their body heat to start warming her up, his fur so very soft against her skin. She pulled his head down for a kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and moaning in pleasure. His body stiffened against hers briefly, before he relaxed and returned her kiss.

For some reason he was always more demonstrative in his released state. The reason for that eluded her, but it didn�t matter. What mattered now was that he was open to her, his mind and thoughts on her alone. She almost chuckled at that thought, recalling when there had been a time he demanded the same thing of her while they coupled. How the tides had turned.

He started to respond more aggressively to her touch, and she happily let him, even encouraged him. His mouth broke off from hers and he began to nip and suck at her neck, before working his way down to her breasts. One clawed hand stroked her inner thigh before working its way towards the copper-colored curls between her legs. She had been apprehensive of his claws in the past and she hadn�t been a willing participant back then either, but she trusted him now. He had supreme control over every physical aspect of his body and she knew he wouldn�t hurt her.

She gasped as two fingers wormed their way inside of her before stroking her insides, working up a friction that left her writhing with need. His mouth continued to lay nipping kisses on her breasts, all the while being mindful of where his massive horns ended up. It would be a real killjoy to be bashed or stabbed in the face with them. Her own hands returned the pleasure he was granting her. One hand was tangled in his thick mane of black hair, fingers massaging his scalp in a way that made his green eyes close halfway and his expression turn dreamy. The other hand ran up and down his back, bypassing the hole that went through his chest.

�Onna�� he whispered in a heated voice.

She tugged sharply on a lock of his dark hair with the hand she had buried in it.

�Orihime,� he corrected himself.

�Ulquiorra,� she purred back, shifting her thighs further apart, silently inviting him to take her.

He needed no further encouragement. Briefly, she felt all too empty as he removed his fingers from her. A moment later, Ulquiorra loomed over her and Orihime gasped as he entered her with practiced ease. Her hands found his shoulders and her nails dug in as he started to thrust wildly into her. Green eyes glazed over with lust as her body moved against him, well in tune with his. His feather-like fur against her skin felt better than being wrapped in all the finest silks in the world. The small clearing soon filled with the sound of her moans and loud cries of pleasure as well as his desperate pants while they rutted like wild animals. She knew his thoughts were now solely on her and on their mutual pleasure.

Her insides quaked and she let out a scream of raw joy as the friction against the spot where their bodies intimately joined rocked her over the edge into a sea of blissful contentment. She felt him pause briefly before he started moving at a faster pace, his hands digging into her hips as he sat back a bit so that he could gaze down at her. She must have made quite the sight; her breasts bounced with each sharp thrust he made into her body, her sweat-drenched skin glistened in the rays of the setting sun and her mouth opened wide as she panted with renewed pleasure. Her hair fanned out on the blanket below them like a reddish-gold halo and one of his hands reached out to take a handful of it, letting it run through his fingers.

His back suddenly arched, his tail going out straight and still while the rest of him trembled with his release. The shaft buried inside of her pulsed as spurt after spurt of his cum filled her. Her own walls quivered again as his orgasm triggered another for her and she made sure to deliberately clamp her inner muscles down on him, milking another two spurts from him. That little trick caused his mouth to open in a soundless cry.

Exhausted, he collapsed against her, but he was mindful enough to use his forearms to keep most of his weight off of her. His chest brushed continuously against hers and they both breathed heavily, trying to catch their collective breath in the aftermath. It took several minutes for him to regain some semblance of control over his lungs and moved to lie down beside her before pulling her flush against him. He folded his wings around her and readjusted the top blanket so they were appropriately covered. It definitely didn�t take long for their overheated bodies to warm the little nest they had made.

She really didn�t want to break the loving mood, but if there was a time to try to help him, it was now, before his mind went back to fretting over the dilemma with which his son presented him this afternoon. It wouldn�t do to have him obsess over the revelations, nor try to apply logic to Aizen�s deeds in a vain attempt to justify his leader�s actions, not when the ex-Shinigami had violated nearly all of the Arrancars� admittedly few behavioural standards. At the very least, she could use this time to help let her mate down easy about his chosen idol.

�You know, after the Winter War, I never thought that I would ever be happy laying here in your arms, let alone feel so safe tucked under your wings,� she began, reaching up to stroke his hair and brush a few strands of it out of his eyes. �I never thought that I would be able to love you, to feel something other than pity and sadness.�

She gave him a moment to digest that.

�But then, you changed. It was gradual, but eventually you started to show me that you truly cared about me and you tried to understand what things like my freedom meant to me. I can�t remember the exact moment that I truly fell in in love with you. It didn�t happen all at once and it sort of crept up on me, because I never felt it coming. I just woke up one day and realized that I did.

�Everyone changes over time, Ulquiorra. Look at Grimmjow. Fifteen years ago, he would have been in everyone�s faces, swearing and spitting like a wild alley cat. These days, well, he still swears a lot when Karin isn�t listening, but he has mellowed out. He thinks about the consequences before jumping in. He actually considers the welfare of people other than himself and even you cannot deny that he deeply loves his mate and child and would do anything for them.�

She paused for a moment, letting him absorb her words.

�What is your point?� he finally asked.

Orihime sighed, and decided to be straight with him. She hoped he would be able to accept her next words, and that they helped address the conflict within him where it came to Aizen and the truth about their leader. She would even argue that this was something that he had been trying to ignore, but had eaten at him anyway, since the day he had learned that Aizen had raped Szayel. What Ajuga and their son had told them had forced him into a personal crisis. Aizen�s transgressions and the danger he posed couldn�t be overlooked any longer and it was best if Ulquiorra at least faced it squarely.

�Everyone changes with time, Ulquiorra. I am not going to say that, at some point in the past, perhaps when you first met him, Aizen wasn�t worthy of your loyalty. He probably was every bit the leader you respected then. He might have even truly wanted to change things in the Seireitei the way he claimed. But there is an old saying about how absolute power can corrupt absolutely. Aizen has had absolute power for a while now and he is not the person you once admired. Not anymore.�

He tensed in her arms, but when he made no effort to silence her, Orihime plunged back into the task of trying to frame the situation in a way he might be able to understand and accept.

�Do you remember, back in Los Noches, when Aizen made you my guard?�

Her mate nodded and she let out a breath she didn�t realize she�d been holding.

�Well, there wasn�t much to do there, so I watched everyone, trying to figure out who was who and what they were doing, maybe to help find a way to help my friends. I studied Aizen every chance I got, which wasn�t all that often, I�ll admit, but still��

Orihime trailed off and then gently reached down and placed her hand over the one wrapped around her waist, lacing their fingers together.

�The Aizen I remember, from that time, would never have harmed his own subordinates, let alone a child, for something so trivial. Even after the War�he never raised a hand to Diaemus-kun or Ajuga-chan or even Hana-chan, and we both know that those three have gotten into enough trouble over the years. Even I would have to admit that some of the things they pulled deserved a spanking from Kami-sama. But that has changed. Now he has threatened to harm Abisara-kun when all the child was doing was trying to help his father. That�s not acceptable, by any standard and we both know it.�

She let some of the fear she�d felt earlier seep into her voice with her next words.

�I� I don�t trust that he�ll follow his own rules anymore. If he�s willing to hurt a five-year-old boy because he�s targeted the child�s father, what will he do next? Will he go after our own child for failing to kill enough locusts in the next battle? Will he threaten the other children like the ones Tatsuki-chan and Rangiku-chan carry?

�I am not asking you to desert him, or lead a mutiny or anything,� she told him, squeezing his fingers. �I just think that it may be time to ask yourself whether or not he is still worthy of your absolute devotion, if perhaps some of his orders and ideals might need to be scrutinized.. Perhaps he has gone so long without anyone questioning or challenging him that he�s begun to think of himself as infallible. Everyone is so afraid of him, his power and his Zanpakuto that no one�s willing to step in and say �no� to him, even if it�s the right thing to do.�

She couldn�t think of anything else to say so she stopped there.

Ulquiorra remained silent behind her, but his grip on her tightened. She left him to his thoughts, having shared hers on the subject. It would be up to him now. Despite the turmoil the situation had caused, she found herself drifting off while surrounded by the warmth created by his arms, his wings and the blankets as well as his body heat and this soft fur. When she next woke up, it was to the sound of early morning birdsong and she was tucked into their bed at home.

She stretched and rose, noticing that their home was unusually quiet. Ulquiorra was long gone. She sighed, feeling a little gloomy in the stillness of the empty house and pulled on a yukata before getting up for the day. Diaemus wasn�t at home either and from the state of his room, it appeared that his bed hadn�t been slept in. That worried her a little, but given what had happened the previous day, she could see him going home with Ajuga and having supper with her family. He�d done so many times over the years, often on short notice. What she really hoped was that father and son were off making amends, or at least having a serious discussion.

She unconsciously sought out Ulquiorra�s reiatsu, and fear clenched her as she realized he was at the Palace, with Grimmjow, and Szayel. At first, she was afraid that he�d taken her words as literal advice and confronted Aizen about what he�d learned. Then she realized that the three Espada weren�t alone. Karin, Hana, Toshiro and Harribel were there as well.

�What�s going on?� she worried aloud, speaking out into the deserted kitchen, all thoughts of breakfast abandoned. Then she was hurriedly slipping on her shoes.

Without even thinking about changing her clothing, she dashed out onto the street and made her way towards the Palace, ignoring the strange looks she received from other passersbyers as she dashed around them. The guards let her through the gate, not even stopping her to ask her why she was there. The throne room wasn�t all that hard to find and she used Ulquiorra�s agitated energy as a guide. Short of breath from running, she pushed on the doors to the throne room with all her might and when they opened before her, rushed through them.

She wasn�t sure what to expect, but a near-catatonic Karin, an extremely pissed-off Grimmjow, a half-beaten-to-death Hana and a nervous and sweating Szayel weren�t it. Worse, Ulquiorra had the look of a man who had been punched in the gut with a sledgehammer. The only two who seemed even remotely composed were Toshiro and Harribel. Hana stood between them, leaning on Toshiro�s arm for support, Harribel�s hand in the middle of the girl�s back.

�What�s going on?� she demanded as she rushed to Ulquiorra�s side.

The distraught look her mate gave Orihime stunned her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a gesture of silent comfort, a display of emotion he would never have indulged in public, let alone before Aizen.

�Orihime-chan,� the ex-Shinigami on the throne addressed her, calling her attention to him. �I am afraid I have some unfortunate news for you��

Oh god, why am I so evil? You know what, I think I am just going to move into this here bunker. It may be healthier for my existence in the long run. Love the reviews. They make me feel all warm and cozy.

MudbloodMalfoy: Hana is 15, turning 16. Ajuga is 9, turning 10 (which effectively makes her 18-20ish) Diaemus is 7, turning 8 (effectively 14-16ish). Vindula and Abisara are 5, turning 6 (effectively 10-12).
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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