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Prize of Victory	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 87207 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make profit from this snippet

Chapter List
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Confrontation of the Past

Family

With everything that had happened after the attack it took a while before things settled down a bit. Ukitake and Nanao spent hours at work, barely coming home to sleep. It was made worse with the fact they both apparently lost their respective fukutaichou to the beetles.

Even Grimmjow and Starrk were rarely home with the constant patrols. But today it would seem Ukitake was home before midnight. Karin left Ajuga asleep curled up on the futon next to her father while she met up with a clearly exhausted Ukitake.

�Karin-chan, you are up late.� Ukitake greeted her tiredly.

�Yeah, I have been waiting for you.� She admitted.

�Oh?� He looked at her curiously.

�I have some questions. About my father.�

Ukitake looked at her surprised, before his face softened and he gave a soft nod of his head in understanding.

�I figured this day might come. Would you join me in my chambers for a pot of tea?�

She nodded and followed him into his set of rooms. She had never been in his set of rooms before and she noticed that it was set up rather homely with a fair number of family pictures.

�Is this Hana-chan�s father?� She asked, picking up a photo of him with a man wearing the Kimono she had noticed Nanao wore a lot.

�Hai, that is Kyoraku Shunsui.� Ukitake agreed, setting the kettle to boil. �We were students together and the first Taichou to graduate.� He recalled fondly.

�Hana-chan sure got a lot of his features.� Karin noted, setting the picture of the two smiling men back down.

�More then that.� Ukitake chuckled. �Her mischievous behaviour is only partially Lilinette-chan�s fault. She comes by it honestly. I honestly pity Starrk-san as the girl gets older.�

Karin nodded and sat down at the table.

�Just wait until Ajuga-chan decides to start stalking larger prey. Then Starrk-san will surly get no rest, because we all know Lilinette-chan and Hana-chan will set her up to it.� Karin chuckled,.

Ukitake joined her for he knew she was right. Starrk was definitely going to have a field day with the three girls when they got older.

�What is the story with Starrk-san anyway? He is far different from the other Arrancar.�

�He was so powerful that any who approached him died, as such he suffered a lonely existence until he split his soul and Lilinette was born. Even then none could approach them.�

�I see.� Karin smiled softly, understanding the unbearable pain of loneliness herself.

How it had hurt to watch the other girls frolic with their mothers and hear their praise. Her father had not been the best role model either.

�So, my father.� Karin prompted.

�Yes, of course. I am one of the few that truly knew him, the others were Urahara, Yoruichi, Unohana and Shunsui. Of course Yamamoto-jiji did as well. To everyone else he was just another Shinigami.

�He rose through the ranks quickly, as expected of someone with his background, and eventually took over the Third Division before Shunsui or I even graduated.� He chuckled.

�So he was a Taichou?� She asked surprised.

�Indeed.� Ukitake confirmed, pouring the boiling water into the tea pot and finally joining her at the table.

�Was he always so excitable and crazy?� She asked.

�You have no idea.� Ukitake chuckled. �The Kyoraku family actually tried to have him charged for corrupting their son. The case fell through though because Shunsui was crazy enough as it was before he met Isshin and there was too much recorded evidence to disprove it.�

Ukitake sighed and had a faraway look in his eyes, a slight smile on his lips as he clearly remembered better times. Karin let him daydream for a moment while she poured them both a cup of tea.

�Forgive me. It has been a long time since I have had a chance or cause to reflect upon those times. They were so very long ago.� He apologized.

�It�s alright.� She assured him.

�Anyway. Isshin was someone special, that�s for sure. You see, he was the last son of the Reio and came to Soul Society to make something of himself.�

Karin nearly dropped her cup in shock.

�What?� She looked at him in surprise.

�It is true, Karin-chan. Royal blood flows through your veins. Because of who your father was the information he was royalty was kept a secret from the rest of Soul Society. Isshin trusted us with the information of who he was, but I must confess I never knew he had children.�

�Then Kurosaki�..is not my father�s name?�

�No. My best guess would be that it is your mother�s, or a name Isshin came up with after he left Soul Society.�

�Why did my father leave?�

�I am afraid that is one answer I do not know.� He confessed.

Karin frowned as she digested the news.

�Does Aizen know?� She asked.

�That Isshin is your father yes, but not that he is of Royal Blood.�

Karin nodded. This was definitely a dozy, and could explain the strange strand of DNA Szayel had discovered.

�So, if that strange DNA is from the royal line, than does that mean that both Ajuga-chan and I have Royal Blood flowing through our veins.� She wondered.

She wanted to ask more, but was far too aware that Ukitake could be forced to talk if she revealed something Aizen might one day be interested in. It wasn�t that she didn�t trust him or Starrk-san, but if Aizen said talk, Starrk would be forced to make him talk, through the Claim if necessary.

�Does anyone else have Royal Blood?� She asked curiously.

�Well, it is said the four great noble families are descendant of the Royal Line, as well as several of the other noble clans.� Ukitake mused.

�The Four Noble Families?� She asked.

�Hai. The only two left now are Kuchiki and Kyoraku.�

Karin frowned at that information and vowed to have Hana�s blood checked the next time they visited Szayel. If the same DNA strand was in hers than there was a fair good bet it was Royal Blood that was messing with Szayel�s equipment.

�By the way, the Kyoraku family is unaware of Hana-chan�s existence. They suffered some heavy loses and I know Shunsui doesn�t want the kind of life a Noble lives for his daughter. It would break Nanao-chans heart to have her daughter taken from her.�

�Taken?� Karin asked coldly.

�Since she was conceived out of wedlock, the family has a legal right to Claim her.�

�I can assure you I will let no such thing happen.� Karin growled dangerously.

Ukitake smiled warmly at her.

�So I see. You have much in common with your brother.�

Karin felt a brief clench of pain at the mention of her brother and how her last words to him had been so harsh. More so, she recalled the creature he had turned into and what he had done to Szayel.

�Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Ukitake-san.� She thanked him politely.

�We have known each other for some time, and I have a feeling we will be living together for even longer. Please, call me Jushiro.� He requested warmly.

Karin couldn�t help but to smile softly.

�As you wish, Jushiro-san. Once again, thank you for the information.�

�It was my pleasure. If you will excuse me, I should get some sleep. Tomorrow promises to be another long day.�

�Of course. Good night, Jushiro-san.�

�Good night, Karin-chan.�

Karin finished the last sip of her tea before bowing her way out and returning to her own room. Ajuga continued to sleep like the dead curled up like a kitten next to her father. Karin couldn�t help but to smile softly and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her daughter�s furred ear.

Her ear twitched at the movement, just like any other cats, causing Karin�s smile to widen slightly. Ajuga made a funny noise and twitched her pawed feet.

�Chasing mice again, Ajuga-chan?� Karin asked softly.

�At least something as big a boar. She�s my daughter after all.� Grimmjow mumbled, blinking blurry blue eyes up at her.

�Of course, what was I thinking?� She humoured him.

�Where were you?� He asked.

�I had to ask Jushiro-san something.� She answered.

�Jushiro?� Grimmjow questioned, making room for her as she crawled into bed next to him.

�He said we are past the point of being so formal.�

�Sounds like him.� Grimmjow grunted.

Ajuga twitched some more and made some more mewing noises.

�Yep, definitely a boar.� Karin chuckled before giving her mate a kiss and settling in beside him to get some sleep of her own.

Tomorrow she would have to head to the Science Division to speak to Szayel, consolidate their information and have Hana-chan�s blood checked out. She hoped that the results would be negative, but with their luck she doubted it.

　

　

　

It was with great sickness in every inch of his being, heart, mind and soul, that Byakuya followed Yammy to the Science Division. He could not believe his family had agreed to this abomination.

�Oi, where is that pussy Szayel.� Yammy bellowed as they barged through the front doors.

�Yammy-sama, Kuchiki-sama.� Nemu bowed politely to them both. �Szayel-sama is indisposed at the moment.� She informed them.

�Bull shit. He can make time to see me.� Yammy growled. �I need him to do something.�

�I am sorry, but he is very busy.� Nemu said again.

�What ever he is doing can�t be that important.� Yammy snorted, storming through the building.

Reluctantly, Byakuya followed behind him. Arrancar and Shingami ducked out of his way as Yammy marched to the room they could feel Szayel�s reiatsu coming from.

�Oi. I got a job for you.� Yammy barked, kicking the door clear off it�s hinges.

Instantly a child began to wail in terror and a rather furious woman turned her glare upon them. A glare that threatened death and even caused Yammy to pause a moment. Although rather it was the glare or the obvious fact Szayel was looking a fair bit younger that made Yammy pause was up to debate.

�Do you have a shred of decency?� Karin snapped in anger while trying to calm a now hysterical Ajuga down while Hana looked like she was barely holding back tears of her own.

�I, uh.� Yammy looked at them a bit stunned.

�What is so important you had to barge in here busting down my doors, Yammy?� Szayel asked just as coldly.

�I got a little project for you.�

�Whatever it is can wait unless if it is a project from Kami himself. I am busy enough with projects as it is.�

�It won�t take long.�

�Really?� Szayel looked at him with a raised brow.

�Yeah it��. What the hell?� Yammy questioned, striding up to him.

Byakuya hated to admit it, but he was confused. Granted following such a simple brain as Yammy�s wasn�t easy, but there was nothing he could see in the room to distract the brute from his mission.

�When the hell did you get Claimed?�

�Claimed?� Byakuya looked at Szayel in surprise.

�It is none of your business, Yammy. A simple experiment to determine the length of a Claim verse reiatsu levels when the Claimer has a smaller pool than the one Claimed.� Szayel answered smoothly.

�So why are you Claimed?�

Szayel elegantly face palmed, and if Byakuya was not above such things he would have done the same. Was there no end to Yammy�s seeming stupidity?

�Please, Yammy, you are giving me a migraine with your stupidity.�

�That makes more than one of us.� Byakuya silently agreed.

�Whatever it is you want done, leave the information with Nemu and I will see if I can make time in my busy schedule to look at it.� Szayel sighed in exasperation.

�Fine, but I better hear back from you soon or�..�

�Yammy, if you do not stop terrifying my child I will show you exactly what I did to bloody up Nnoitra.� Karin interrupted with a snap.

Yammy looked at her shocked. Byakuya was just as surprised by her audacity to speak back to one of the Espada like that.

�Lucky Aizen-kami has an interest in you and that brat.� Yammy snarled.

�Good for me then.� She offered him a golf clap. �Now get out before I inform Aizen-kami you saw fit to interrupt one of his experiments.� She threatened.

Ajuga stopped crying and was glaring at Yammy, as was Hana, all be it from behind Karin�s leg.

�If you don�t mind, I need to get back to this rather important project.� Szayel said.

�Fine, fine.� Yammy growled, turning and stomping back out.

They were halfway down the hall when Yammy suddenly stopped.

�Was it just me or did Szayel look younger?� Yammy asked confused.

Byakuya held back a groan as pain spiked through his brain at the other�s stupidity, but did give his head a small nod.

�Interesting. Wonder if old man Barragan asked him to figure that project out.� Yammy mussed before continuing their trek down the hall to leave their request with Nemu.

Truthfully, Byakuya was just pleased Szayel seemed far too busy to fulfill the request. Nemu, on the other hand, took the request at heart and even offered an alternative to their plans.

�You can do that?� Yammy asked in interesting.

�Hai. It is easier and more reliable than your request. All I would need is a sample from Kuchiki-sama and yourself.� She confirmed.

�That doesn�t sound fun at all. The first way sounded funner.� Yammy frowned.

�More fun. Funner is not a word.� Byakuya corrected absently.

Honestly, Nemu�s way of gaining a child from the two of them was far better in his opinion. Samples of their DNA in a test tube was far more suitable than implanting him with a fêtes that would need to be surgically inserted and removed once the child was grown.

Granted, producing a child with Yammy�s DNA corrupting the line was something he was shocked the elders had even agreed to. Yes they needed an Heir, but producing one with Yammy of all creatures was enough to make his pride cringe more then the thought of Kurosaki daring to sleep with Rukia.

He had to hold back a shudder at that sudden thought. Kurosaki had better be doing nothing more with Rukia other than making sure she remained safe from Aizen�s clutches and this hell. Regrettable, Byakuya was not that naive.

�Isn�t there a way to make this method as fun as the other one?� Yammy demanded, breaking Byakuya from his thoughts.

�I will need semen samples from you both to proceed.� Nemu commented, holding up two glass vials. �Do you have an egg donor?� She asked.

�I think those old fools mentioned something along those lines.� Yammy snorted.

Nemu looked to Byakuya, who gave a reluctant nod of his head. The elders had declared they had an egg donor ready should they receive positive feedback from Szayel and they could proceed.

�I will need the eggs as well.�

He gave another nod of his head as he accepted the vials from Nemu.

�Well, come along, Chicchai Hime. We should get these vials filled and pick up those eggs.�

Byakuya wanted to sigh in exasperation. He just knew that Yammy was thinking of something along the lines of a chicken egg. Something they would just pick up and bring with them.

Still, if Yammy continued to mess this up then it just meant that it would take longer to �grow� an heir. As far as Byakuya was concerned that was just fine. Perhaps he might even find a way to dispose of Yammy�s samples so that the child could be fathered by him alone.

Nemu did say that there wasn�t a guaranteed success rate because of how difficult it was to fertilize Shinigami and Hollow eggs. After all, if it had been easy Szayel would have already had a horde of unique offspring running amok to experiment on. There were also still no conformations that Hollows and Shingami could breed with each other as of yet.

　

　

　

�Wonder what they wanted?� Karin groused after Yammy and Byakuya had left. �Whatever it was Byakuya-san seemed less than thrilled.� She noted silently.

�Knowing Yammy, nothing important.� Szayel frowned.

Of all people to have noticed the fact he was Claimed, it had been that idiot. Still, the excuse he had come up with was a rather good one. Karin had forbidden him from mentioning the fact she had Claimed him, it was a secret he was to take to his grave and beyond.

Just like the secret of her blood. Szayel had been beyond shocked to learn about her Royal Lineage. It definitely explained the strange strand. Hana had been thrilled that this time she got to donate some blood as well.

�Well, shall we run this through the machine?� Szayel asked.

Ajuga squealed in delight and Hana cheered as he set both girls down on his chair so they could be amazed at the pretty colours flashing across the control panel.

�Do mine first.� Karin ordered.

�As you wish, Karin-sama.� He bowed to her.

�Szayel.� She warned irritably.

She found it uncomfortable to be addressed that formally, even by him. She had been surprised that he seemed to take to the title happily. Somehow she had a feeling he only added the �sama� to her name because he knew it made her uncomfortable.

�Hai, hai.� He waved at her.

The newest piece of equipment started up its cycle to decode her DNA. As much as Szayel wished for it to be so, somehow he doubted this run would yield results. In over a year he hadn�t had any success yet with decoding her DNA.

�It�s neat. What is it?� Hana asked.

�That is a strand of DNA.� He explained.

�DNA?� Hana looked up at him with real curiosity.

�That�s right. It�s an anachronism for Deoxyribonucleic acid.�

�What is that?� Hana asked.

�It�s what determines how your body is built. What color your hair will be, or your eyes.�

�Really! So without looking you could tell my hair colour?� She asked excitedly.

Hana seemed genuinely interested and before he knew it he was lost in explaining the basics of the �human� body to her.

�Szayel, stop the machine.� Karin suddenly shouted.

His brain was still caught in shock at her sudden cry, but his Claim enforced body quickly obeyed.

�What?� He looked at the monitor, realizing the machine was just touching on the strange strand of her DNA.

�I see.� She murmured. �You are right, it does look like some kind of Kido. I saw a flash of reiatsu from the sample and a very complex,� she paused, clearly trying to find the words for what she saw, �spell I guess,� she settled on, �flare up. I have never seen such a weaving, I don�t think I could unravel it if I stared at it for years on end it�s so complex.�

�Well, at least you saved my equipment.� He declared.

�Indeed.� Karin frowned. �Check Hana-chan�s.� Karin ordered.

�Right.�

They pulled out her vial of blood and inserted the one containing Hana�s before setting the machine on its cycle.

Hana leaned forward eagerly as her strand slowly unravel on the screen.

�That�s me right?� She asked excitedly.

�Yes.�

The machine ran through it�s cycle and once more he found himself answering Hana�s questions. Her strand was almost complete done when Karin shouted in warning and once again his body reacted before his mind could register her shout of warning.

�Well, this is interesting.� He mused.

�And you will not say a word about it. Strange, it almost made it to the end of her strand. A more distant relative perhaps.� Karin mused. �Jushiro-san did mention the Noble Families were distant relations.�

�An acceptable hypothesis.� Szayel agreed. �Apparently you are far more interesting than I first figured, Hana-chan.� He smiled at her.

Ajuga made a protesting sound and looked to be pouting.

�Oh don�t worry Ajuga-chan, you are still my favourite test subject.� He smiled at her.

She gave a squeal of delight and reached towards him. He caught her as she tumbled out of the chair and swung her up into his arms, earning another delighted squeal as she reached for his glasses. He was now long practiced in keeping them out of her reach.

�Have you ever thought about having children of your own?� Karin asked.

�Of course. Nemu and I are trying now by natural methods.

�Nemu?� Karin asked amused.

�Indeed. She seemed rather happy to participate. I am going to give it a total of ten years before going for other methods. As you know birth rates are low among our respective races.�

�I suppose it�s only natural a woman would crave a child at some point in her life.� Karin shrugged.

�A genetic responsibility as ingrained as a males need to mate.� He agreed.

�Well, keep up the research and as usual keep it from anyone else.� Karin ordered, gathering up the brats.

�As you wish, Karin-sama.� He bowed deeply towards her.

She sighed at him, but didn�t order him to stop.

�Now, let�s see what on earth that imbecile Yammy wanted.� He hummed.

�Oh, and Szayel.� Karin popped her head in the room.

�Hai, Karin-sama?� He smiled innocently at her.

�If Yammy request that you alter Byakuya-san in anyway, or do anything else Byakuya-san clearly doesn�t want to do, refuse. Make up some plausible excuse. You have done enough damage to him as it is.� She scowled at him.

�Hai, Hai Karin-sama.� He sighed tiredly. �Curses, there goes any fun I might have had.� He moaned inward.

　

　

　

And there we have it. Although hardly a new idea or concept, it actually is going to play an important role in this story. Isshin is dead in this story it would have been Yoruichi who informed Ichigo and the Escapee�s about his father. There actually is a reason the Escapee�s don�t show up here very often, but it wont come up in the story for a very long time. You will just have to trust me in that I do have a reason as to why and it will be revealed later.

I am so pleased everyone enjoyed the chapter with Tesra and Tatsuki. That pairing was honestly not originally part of my grand master plan and snuck up on me, but when it did I was like, sweeeeeet. I love this, I am going to run with this.

One of these days I might write a fict with one of your pairing suggestions Mof&f. The thing is by the time you read a posted chapter I am already FAR ahead, or in the case of Crossbreeding and Trail, the story was already finished before I started posting. POV, all 49 chapters of it, is only halfway posted to what I have written. I haven�t actually numbered the chapters, but based on average length I would say I have just shy of 100 chapters written.

According to my BF�s calculations, I have a good 10 months worth of material. As such, I am going to do another DOUBLE POST. So stay tuned and spam that refresh button. I got company coming over in a few so it might take a bit of time for it to go up.

Oh, this chapters questions: Who saw the Royal Lineage coming up?
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Prize of Victory