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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
Chapter List
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Niece

Ajuga shivered as sob after sob wracked her body. What had she done? In her arrogant quest to prove to everyone how strong she was, to chase down an opponent she knew was stronger than her, she had doomed them all, and left her mother to be raped by Aizen. She recalled the few times she had smelled the remains of Aizen�s release on Szayel. This time it would be her mother, and there was nothing she could do about it. That thought was enough to set off a fresh round of weeping.

The arms wrapped around her tightened and the wings shifted a little closer, sheltering her in a warm cocoon that only slightly eased her pain. She found it odd that, yet again, she was hiding under Diaemus� wings and finding comfort in the act instead of mortification. She�d been crying so much that her nose was stuffed, and the overwhelming smell of apple blossoms around them didn�t help, but she did manage to pick up on the presence of a third person. With one reddened eye, she peeked through a gap between Diaemus�s wings and his body and looked down to see Hana sitting against the trunk of the tree in which she and Diaemus were currently perched.

�You knew?� she accused her friend in-between sniffles.

Her Shinigami friend let out a deep sigh and looked up at the two of them. �Yeah,� Hana admitted, with a touch of remorse in her voice. �I overheard Zee talking to Karin-san about it the first time they met. I don�t think anyone knew I knew, except Diaemus, but that�s only because I was the one who told him.�

�You knew too?� Ajuga muttered sullenly against the chest of the young man who held her. He imitated Hana with a sigh of his own and a similar confession.

�Hana confided in me, in the hopes of keeping your heritage safe from the Swarm to prevent this exact scenario. The gambit clearly failed.�

�Who else knows?� she mumbled into his chest.

�Szay and your father, I suspect. Possibly Nemu, since she is Szay�s mate and lab assistant. I don�t know of anyone else who knew� at the time.� Hana counted off the list of those in the know on her fingers. Ajuga sniffled again and nodded at the names. At least the list was short and the few on it would have been in positions to know anyway.

�Any other life changing secrets you�ve been keeping from me?�

Hana tilted her head back and regarded the two hybrids and Ajuga could see the concern in Hana�s eyes. Still, it was hard not to be bitter about finding out one�s friends had known about something so important and hadn�t seen fit to let her know.

�Nope. That�s the extent of it. I am sorry we didn�t tell you, but since Karin-san didn�t tell you, I thought it would be best if I kept what I knew to myself. I knew what Aizen would do if he ever found out, and the less people who know the better. I only included Diaemus because, unlike me, he can keep up with you in battles. One taste of your blood and the Swarm would have grabbed you, just like they tried to grab her. That�s why Karin-san didn�t like you fighting, and why the Swarm kept targeting her. Not because she didn�t believe in your abilities, but because she was afraid to lose you.�

Then Hana lowered her voice and picked at her travel stained hakama.

�Remember that night, when I made you promise me that you wouldn�t go back to the Palace?�

�Yeah.�

Now it was Hana�s turn to bite her lower lip and work it between her teeth. Ajuga couldn�t help watching the girl�s face. The young Shinigami seemed to go back and forth with herself about something for a minute before she reached up and scratched a spot in her forearm.

�There�s a reason for that. Aizen once sent Gin to come get me and take me to see him. He made sure Mother was kept busy, so she couldn�t come with me. I could see Gin wasn�t too happy to drag me up there, but it isn�t like he had a choice. I think I was� eight maybe?�

Diaemus�s breathing became shallower and Ajuga felt him tense under her cheek as her friend went on to describe her �tea party� with Kami and the blood test he�d wanted to perform on her, as well as the slick manipulation of the truth with which Szayel had saved her. The revelation made Ajuga squirm, especially knowing that Hana hadn�t been able to tell anyone about it.

�So, it isn�t just you. Karin-san and Szay knew about it, but I certainly don�t have as much Royal Blood in me as you and your mother. Wouldn�t have stopped the Swarm though and it wouldn�t have stopped Aizen either. If he remembers what Szay told him, he might decide to collect me too. So you�re stuck with me,� she finished and gave Ajuga a faint smile.

With this new information, a lot of her mother�s actions suddenly made a hell of a lot of sense and Ajuga felt guilt creep into her thoughts as she remembered her reactions to the limits her mother tried to impose on her. There was also a surprising amount of anger at finding out her mother had kept something this important from her.

Silence fell around the three of them, broken only by the occasional twitter of a bird here and there and yelling from the other end of the orchard. Hana and Diaemus had pulled her away from the Garganta before she could climb back into it to get back to her mother and hauled her here, where she�d promptly lost it, crying like a snotty little cub on his shoulder. They�d left the adults to argue amongst themselves, which seemed like the smartest thing to do at the time.

Eventually, the reiatsu flaring and the shouting had stopped. She pulled free of Diaemus�s grasp, but not before giving his hand a squeeze in thanks for giving her somewhere safe to bawl her head off. He returned it and then stretched. Ajuga could see he didn�t look so good either. He had to feel as bad as she did, having left his parents behind. Orihime was probably a wreck by now and Kami only knew what Aizen might make of Diaemus�s disappearance this time around. The two climbed down from the fragrant branch to stand next to Hana, who had her hand cupped around her ear, listening for any further outbursts.

�Huh. Sounds like they have stopped being stupid. We should probably get back before they come looking for us,� her friend said. Ajuga nodded and for the first time since they�d tumbled out of the rip Szayel�s device created, really took in her surroundings.

�It�s pretty. Where are we, exactly?�

�Somewhere in the Living World,� Hana answered. �Wherever it is, I have a good idea of who lives here. Come on. You want to meet your uncle, don�t you?� Her expression brightened a little as well. �Maybe Yuzu-chan�s around too. I haven�t seen her in so long!�

�Uncle?� Ajuga asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

�Kurosaki Ichigo. I thought your mother told you about him.� Hana paused and turned around. �Didn�t she?�

Her mother had mentioned a brother once or twice, and she had definitely heard the name �Kurosaki� drop from her father�s lips on occasion, though the way he said it told her that she�d be better off not asking him about it. Hana was the closest thing she had to a sibling, but she�d always wondered what it might be like to have a brother. Would she and a brother or sister be like Vindula and Abisara, teasing and fighting back and forth?

When she glanced at Diaemus, as if that might help her make a decision, he just shrugged and said �I was unaware your mother had family other than you and your father. I wonder if he�s as formidable as your mother.�

Hana gave him a dark look for mentioning Karin and Diaemus immediately looked contrite. Ajuga nodded, not wanting to think about things lest she start crying again. She�d already drenched one of his shoulders and she wasn�t sure if he�d offer her the other one.

�Let�s go,� she sighed, making up her mind and wiping each eye. There was nothing she could do about the red in them though. �We�re gonna have to meet him sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.�

Hana gave her a grin and the three made their way towards the spot where the Garganta had disgorged them earlier. Whatever it was that her father had done had managed to attract quite a crowd.

�Ah, Ajuga-chan, there you are,� a tall, athletic-looking, dark-skinned woman greeted her. This must be Yoruichi�s human form. Her voice sounded much different, more feminine, higher pitched and at the moment, beyond irritated, but her scent and her reiatsu signature hadn�t changed. Her �Wanted� information mentioned shape shifting capabilities, and she was pretty distinctive-looking. Ajuga could see why the leader of the Escapees would choose to slink around in the far-less-conspicuous form of a cat.

It wasn�t all that hard for Ajuga to pick out her uncle from the rest of the Escapees. He had to be the one who had one fist clenched in the lapel of her father�s jacket and the other pulled back in order to throw a punch. He�d also gone pale and still the moment she and Diaemus had walked up. Yoruichi hooked one of her thumbs at the man in question.

�Ajuga Jaegerjaquez, I would like to introduce you to your uncle, Kurosaki Ichigo. I�m about to make an example of him, so please, don�t mind the bloodshed. He was warned.�

�So, you�re my uncle?� Ajuga asked, hardly impressed with the human. She grew even less so as he spluttered, shortly before his eyes hardened and he lunged anew at her father.

�What the hell did you do to Karin?� Ichigo shouted, throwing the threatened punch at Grimmjow�s jaw.

�What the hell do you think I did to her? We have been mated for a fucking decade you idiot!� her father snapped back and then smirked as he blocked the blow with one hand. Unfortunately, Ichigo swiftly cocked his fist a second time and instead of tossing it, he yanked her father off-balance and forward, straight into his knuckles. Grimmjow responded with some filthy language and a stomp to her uncle�s instep. Then the fist fight really got started. Yoruichi threw her hands up in the air.

�Alright. That�s it. Sorry, Rukia, but I�m neutering him now,� she declared angrily, cracking her knuckles and taking a step towards the fight. The three teenagers shared the same, �uugh� look between them at the sight of adults behaving badly.

Fortunately for everyone, the cavalry chose that moment to arrive.

�Oh my, we seem to have additional company!�

Almost everyone turned to see a very pretty woman with honey-blonde hair approaching. For some reason, most of the Escapees quickly stepped back and gave her room to approach. She was dressed stylishly, save for the apron tied around her slender waist. However, she didn�t march up to the two combatants, nor did she attempt to break up the scuffle. Instead, she moved to stand before Ajuga and her friends. The woman scrutinized Hana for a few seconds before Ajuga saw recognition dawn in her brown eyes. She reached out and clasped Hana�s hands in nicely manicured ones.

�Goodness, Hana-chan! Look how much you have grown!� she exclaimed. �You were so much smaller the last time I saw you!�

�Yuzu-chan!�

Hana practically squealed in delight as gave the lovely woman a hug. �You�re smaller than I remember!�

Yuzu blushed and beamed at the young Shinigami.

�That�s because you have grown taller!�

When a particularly foul curse uttered by her uncle scorched the air and Ajuga�s ears, and she heard her father repeat it along with the �oof� as someone�s fist hit someone else�s solar plexus, Yuzu gave Hana�s hand a quick squeeze. Her expression changed in the short march over to where the punching continued unabated

�You two will respect my wishes to behave while on my property, or you will find yourselves removed from it,� Yuzu demanded. Both men halted in mid-swing and actually looked cowed, though Ichigo got in one last punch to her father�s chin before releasing him. Yuzu�s eyes narrowed at that and in a flash, she had her uncle backing away from the finger she jabbed at him. �Ichi-nii, stop trying to kill Jaegerjaquez-san. That is no way to treat guests on my estate!�

Ajuga watched her take a deep breath and then leaned forward towards her uncle. She almost found his petrified expression funny, since the younger woman was so much smaller than he was.

�Do not make me get the spoon.�

If Ajuga had any doubts about whether or not this woman was related to her mother, they�d just been put to rest. Yuzu, content that she�d made her point, turned on her heel and walked back over to Ajuga and her friends, all sunshine and smile once more.

�Better. Now let�s see here. You must be Ajuga-chan. I can certainly see Grimmjow-san in you and a bit of Karin-neesan too! You have her hair and her chin and I�m certain that you have her smile.�

Ajuga suddenly found herself in her aunt�s arms. The blonde gave her a large hug and stroked her tangled, messy hair soothingly. After a few seconds of hesitation, Ajuga returned it with a growing sense of gratitude.

�Umm, nice to meet you Yuzu-san?� she stammered out. Her aunt pulled back after a moment and patted her cheek.

�There is no need for such formality with family. My, you must have been just adorable as a cub. I hope Karin-chan has pictures she can share. Are you an only child or do I have more nieces and nephews to look forward to?� Yuzu asked, her eyes shifting over where Grimmjow shuffled nervously and Ichigo looked ready to jump him again if the answer was anything but no.

�Um, no, it�s just me.�

�Oh well, and who is this young man?� Yuzu asked, turning towards Diaemus.

�Diaemus Cifer,� he introduced himself and gave her a formal bow.

�How wonderful!� Yuzu exclaimed, pulling the startled boy into an embrace too. �Orihime-chan and Ulquiorra-san had a child! Do you have any brothers or sisters?� she asked, ignoring the snapping and snarling coming from Ichigo. Ajuga thought it was just as well that Ulquiorra wasn�t here. She wasn�t sure she wanted to watch her uncle take on two opponents at once.

�I have no siblings at present,� he answered dutifully, then winced as he realized what he�d just said. Diaemus visibly wilted under the glare her uncle gave the boy. At that Yuzu rolled her eyes and turned around, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. Off to the left, she thought she saw the guy with the eye patch, Kenpachi, cringe just a bit.

�Ichi-nii, stop that this instant! Come give your niece a proper greeting! Dad would have been all over her by now! You are being very rude, and I will not have it!� Yuzu snapped, causing everyone to jump to attention.

Ichigo, still glaring at Grimmjow, finally walked up to them. Ajuga sized her uncle up as he made his way through the grass, with the one called Rukia trailing behind him. Ajuga wasn�t impressed with his temper and she didn�t think too highly of his willingness to go after her father every few moments. Then again, she�d learned the hard way with Zee that looks could be deceiving. So she scrutinized him. He seemed leery of her aunt, but that was the only �weak� thing about him.

He didn�t look much like her mother, but then neither did Yuzu. The orange hair that just brushed his collar needed a trim and if she looked really closely, she could see the tiny lines that were just beginning to form at the corners of his eyes. It was hard to tell what his age was, but he still seemed �older� to her, and now that he wasn�t trying to pummel her father into the dirt, she could tell there was something very heavy weighing on him and that it only seemed to get stronger when he looked at her.

He was armed, just like any other Shinigami, but he didn�t �feel� like one to her. There was something off about him, something that made the fur on the back of her neck stand up. There was something dangerous, lurking just below the surface. In a way, it was like the feeling she�d gotten when Barragan had tried to grab her, before Diaemus�s father had stepped in to stop it. She was in the presence of something much more powerful than she was and while his body language was stiff and uncertain, Ajuga got the uncomfortable impression that if Kurosaki Ichigo wanted to, he could defeat her without breaking a sweat. Looking off to the side, she saw that her father had gone still, watching her uncle like a hawk, waiting for the slightest sign that the powerful man before her was going to do anything other than talk to her.

�So he knows it�s there too. Was that why Papa went after him?�

�Um, hi,�

He met her awkward greeting with one of his own, an equally uneasy �hi,� scratching his scalp as he looked her up and down. The sense of menace ebbed and she was left with a human male, obviously in his prime, who looked as if he had absolutely no idea with to say to her next. They stared at each other and Ajuga suddenly became aware that after two weeks in captivity with scarcely a chance to bathe or comb her hair, she probably looked frightful. Running her tongue discreetly along the inside of one fang, she also decided that she definitely needed a toothbrush.

�So, uh� how old are you?� Ichigo asked.

�Nine,� she answered.

Her uncle looked her up and down in disbelief.

�Nine? How�why� are you absolutely sure?� he stammered.

Ajuga huffed in annoyance, folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes.

�Of course I�m sure! Hollows age twice as fast as humans do,� she explained.

�Oh, okay�that explains�� he gestured at her body, and whatever he was going to say died on the vine.

Now she just felt cross and frowned up at him. Very few in the Seireitei had made a big deal of her looks or her growth rate and the last one she could remember acting this way was Renji, when she was much smaller and had tagged along behind her mother and Orihime. The redhead had been scared and shocked when he�d seen her, but she�d given him a pass on that because he�d just �woken up� and Ajuga knew what she was like when someone yanked her awake out of a sound sleep. It wasn�t her fault her uncle knew nothing about Arrancar. She hoped he wasn�t as thick as that bastard Zee.

�Yeah it does,� she shot back, her hands going to her hips. �So you�re my uncle huh? You don�t look that strong. No wonder Papa won Mama from you so easily.�

Ajuga heard two roars of unbridled laughter erupt nearby. She recognized her father�s raucous bark and the second spilled from the mouth of the one-eyed mountain with the long, spiky hair. The little girl on his shoulder giggled uncontrollably. Most of the others acted as if they wanted to laugh, but were trying to hold it back, favouring her with smiles instead. Her uncle looked like he had swallowed a hornet, before shooting another nasty look at her father.

�So, you got any kids or anything? Any cousins I should know about?�

Ichigo looked back down at her and then at the short woman behind him who smelled as if she�d all but bathed in her uncle�s scent that morning. Ajuga had a few questions about that, such as why he hadn�t introduced her, but since he was doing such a great impression of one of the koi she�d often fished for in Byakuya�s garden ponds, Ajuga guessed that she could let that go for now. The woman only raised one eyebrow at her uncle, but said nothing. Ajuga thought the gesture and Rukia�s cool expression itself, seemed familiar. There were more mysteries here to sniff out than she�d expected.

�Ah, no,� Ichigo managed to get out.

�Nor do I,� her aunt piped up and tucked Ajuga�s arm into hers. �So that means no distractions while we spoil you to make up for all of the years we missed!�

Ichigo looked like he had just been saved from shark-infested waters and Ajuga was relieved his sister had read the situation right and stepped in. This awkward conversation had worn itself out and she didn�t want to continue it.

Her aunt Yuzu was a different story. Ajuga knew she was going to grow to love her aunt. The woman reminded her of her mother, minus her mother�s hard edges and her combat skills. Then again, she was also dying to know why everyone, including Ichigo, seemed to be terrified of the idea of a kitchen implement in her hands. Thinking of her mother made her lower lip tremble and her eyes threatened to start watering again. Her aunt must have noticed her wrestling with her self-control, because she squeezed Ajuga�s arm gently and then faced the motley assembly, raising her voice.

�I want to officially offer all you sanctuary and hope that you will partake of our hospitality. I�ll have the staff prepare rooms for you right away. Something dreadful has obviously happened, or you wouldn�t be here. I would suggest we get you each a meal and a hot bath, maybe not in that specific order,� she added as an after thought as she took in their appearances. �Afterwards, you can fill us in on what has been going on in Soul Society and tell us why Shihoin-san brought you here.�

The formal-sounding declaration, as well as the use of Yoruichi�s family title, told Ajuga that there would be no arguing with her aunt. Not that she wanted to. A shower and some real food sounded wonderful right now, and as she expected, no one protested. The pretty woman patted her hand one more time and went to speak with Nemu, Renji and Szayel, bowing respectfully to the three at first and then giving Nemu a sympathetic hug as well, which the other, usually silent woman returned. The members of Szayel�s little pack looked downtrodden and deeply upset over their inability to retrieve the twins. She didn�t blame them. The two men were especially crestfallen, neither of them looking at one another. Vindula and Abisara�s absence was yet another dark cloud hovering over them and yet another reason for her to hate �Kami� all the more.

The next time she saw Aizen, Ajuga vowed, it would be to sink her claws into his face.

What little conversation there was fizzled out as Yuzu turned and led them through the orchard to a stone path that she indicated led towards her house. Ajuga hoped it was big enough to house them all. There was certainly enough land surrounding it. The newcomers and the collected Escapees walked in silence for a good two minutes before someone finally broke it.

�Where is Nel?� Renji asked hesitantly.

At that, all of those who had spent the last fifteen years eluding capture came to a halt and looked at one another uneasily. No one answered him. Ajuga�s eyes went from unfamiliar face to unfamiliar face and for some reason their expressions became furtive. The young hybrid wondered if there was supposed to be someone else with them. From their collective reaction, she guessed that they were one person short of a full party and tried to remember each of the drawings she�d seen on the posters in Jushiro and Nanao�s offices over the years.

Renji saw the looks they gave one another as well. Their lack of an answer only served to return him to the agitated state he�d been in when he�d marched through the gate.

�Renji� she�s�� the small, slender one called Rukia began, her eyes apologetic, only to falter when Ajuga�s uncle put a restraining hand on her shoulder. Ajuga didn�t miss the squeeze he gave that shoulder either, or the way he silently shook his head.

�Oh, she�s with my husband, upstairs, in the east wing,� her Aunt Yuzu replied, trying to diffuse the tension, though even her ebullient voice sounded a bit subdued. �You see, he�s a well-regarded physician. It was such an unusual case and there�s no one else qualified to handle something like this, so they brought her here, so that he could help her��

�Husband?� Hana interjected, her friend�s eyes getting a bit bigger. �You got married, Yuzu-chan?�

If the blonde woman had a reply prepared, Renji�s venomous outburst prevented her from elaborating on her marital status. Fresh terror and a look of betrayal filled the tattooed Shinigami�s eyes as the redhead finally lost the last of his patience.

�You lying bitch!� he growled through clenched teeth, flinging the invective at Yoruichi for some reason. Then he turned and made for the house at top speed down the path through the trees. The dark-skinned woman, in turn, folded her arms across her chest and watched him go. Her mouth set itself into a thin, unhappy line at the insult, but she made no move to follow Renji as he disappeared. She also said nothing in her defence. Neither did any of the others, though Szayel did toss a concerned look Grimmjow�s way. Her father rolled his eyes.

�He�s still got a Claim on him, so she can�t be all that bad off,� he growled irritably.

Yuzu brought her fingertips to her lips, her distress evident. �Oh no. I think I just made things worse!�

The giant with the missing eye shrugged and then scratched his chin with the hand that wasn�t holding his jagged-edged Zanpakuto, even as Ajuga tried to puzzle out why Renji wouldn�t have a Claim. Szayel was standing right there after all.

�Not like he wouldn�t �a found out what happened eventually,� the brute muttered before the one named Hachi cleared his throat and pressed his chubby hands together in a Buddha-esque manner. It seemed to be some attention-getting signal, because everyone present gave him theirs immediately, even Yoruichi.

�Be that as it may, it is not our place to say anything, per Nel�s wishes with regard to her mate,� he stated, all but shaking a fat finger at the rest of them in admonishment. �Furthermore, I agree with our hostess. We�re all ready for some sustenance. I certainly look forward to any meal which you had a hand in preparing, my dear Yuzu-chan.�

�Mate?�

Ajuga stared at the rotund gentleman with the closely cropped, pink hair and the serene demeanour as he patted his vast stomach. He resumed walking at a sedate pace, in the same direction Renji had taken, with his hands clasped behind him as if nothing was wrong. The girl felt her jaw drop and to her right, she noticed that Hana�s had as well. The announcement had even confused Diaemus, who frowned and turned to Szayel. His green eyes went from perplexed to deeply suspicious as he narrowed them at the scientist.

�Szay?!� Ajuga screeched as she took in Szayel�s suddenly sheepish, uncomfortable grimace. One of his boots began to trace small nervous patterns in the grass beneath his feet.

�Err, ah� surprise?�
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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