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Prize of Victory	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 87205 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make profit from this snippet

Chapter List
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�Oh you have got to be kidding me! I thought you said I wouldn�t have to go because I am not a Shinigami,� Karin complained as she put on the elegant Kimono she only wore during Claim Meetings.

�It�s an official meeting and everyone is expected to bring their pets,� Grimmjow snorted, explaining it to her again.

�Do the Taichou need to dress up or do they get to go in uniform?� she questioned irritably.

�We have to dress up as well, but we are wearing our haori,� Jushiro answered as he entered the room. �You look stunning as usual, Karin-chan,� he complimented warmly.

�Thank you, Jushiro-san. But I do hate wearing this stuff,� she sighed in annoyance. �Who is going to watch the kids?� she questioned, clearly still looking for a way out.

�Lilinette-chan. She doesn�t have a pet so her attendance isn�t required,� Jushiro answered.

�The horror,� Karin chuckled. �Is there going to be anything left of the Estate by the time we get back?� she questioned.

�Oi!� Lilinette protested as she walked in with Starrk. �Everything will be fine,� she assured them. �And it�s �Lilinette-sama� to you, Shiro-chan,� she rounded on Jushiro.

�Hai, hai,� came the white-haired Shinigami�s good-humoured agreement, hands held up in a placating manner.

�Are we ready to leave?� Nanao asked from the doorway.

She was also wearing a Kimono just like Jushiro�s with her haori on top. True she wasn�t necessarily Claimed by Starrk, but it still denoted the fact that he �owned� her. Karin wondered how much less of a hassle they might have gone through growing up, and more recently with Tatsuki, if they�d had something to denote ownership like an armband or something.

The group headed out to the top of the large hill that could be seen from anywhere in the city. They arrived via Shunpo/Sonido rather quickly and Karin spotted the other Espada and their pets as they approached the platform under a shattered arch.

There were an impressive number of Arrancar and their pets here. She hadn�t realized just how many were under Aizen�s command until she saw them all gathered here. There had to easily be over one hundred. If one were to add in their pets, there were well over two hundred people on the hill.

�Karin-chan, Jushiro-san, Nanao-san,� Orihime greeted them warmly.

�Hey,� Karin greeted back as they took their places.

Her eyes rested in the platform. The only thing on it was a table with a cloth covering it. There was something, or rather many things under the cloth that pulsed with a familiar power.

�It can�t be,� Karin thought in disbelief.

Aizen walked up onto the platform and silence instantly fell upon the crowd.

�My dear Arrancar,� he smiled at them politely.

�Dear my ass,� Karin snorted mentally.

Beside her she swore Szayel flinched slightly as Aizen�s eyes swept over the crowd and he launched into his speech. Karin ignored it, or tried to. Blah, blah, loyalty, obedience, blah, blah. He definitely had a silver tongue. It was too bad she knew him for what he was.

Her focus was on the table and what she suspected was under that cloth. Finally, Aizen said something that caught her attention.

�Since I know you will fight to defend the Seireitei as you have in the past, and since you have displayed such obedience to your Kami, I have a gift for you. Ukitake Jushiro. Step forth please,� Aizen requested in his smooth voice.

Karin could tell Jushiro was nervous and she didn�t blame him. Being called out in front of such a large audience by Aizen would make the most stalwart person balk. But still, he stepped up onto the platform and knelt before Aizen.

Aizen moved a portion of the cloth aside and picked up a katana still in its sheath. Jushiro�s eyes widened in shock and Karin swore she saw tears in the corner of his eyes.

�Do you, Ukitake Jushiro, swear to only draw Sogyo no Kotowari in defence of Seireitei and Kami, to never use your Zanpakuto on anything but my enemies and the enemies of your Master?� Aizen asked.

�I swear, Aizen-kami,� Jushiro answered an obvious catch in his throat as his eyes gazed upon Sogyo no Kotowari.

�So be it,� Aizen held the katana out.

Hesitantly, as if afraid it was a cruel joke and Aizen would withdraw the weapon, Jushiro held his hands out and accepted the katana. He bowed deeply and descended from the platform as Aizen waved him off.

As he came closer Karin could tell there were definitely tears in the older man�s eyes. She couldn�t fully understand what the other was feeling; though having no Zanpakuto of her own, she did comprehend what had just happened by utilizing her �sight�.

From what she knew, it was as if Aizen had just returned a portion of the others soul to him. She could see the desperate merging of Ukitaki�s reiatsu and that from the Zanpakuto. She had no doubt now that the blades were very much alive.

�Ise Nanao, step forward please,� Aizen turned his attention to Starrk�s other pet.

Nanao approached the platform and Karin swore the woman was holding back tears of joy and excitement as she kneeled before Aizen. The vows were repeated and she was handed a dagger instead of a katana.

It repeated through the ranks and even Byakuya had a hint of tears in his eyes as Senbonzakura was returned to him. Being unable to speak, he had simply nodded his head at Aizen�s questions, as had the one called Soi Fon.

The only one skipped was Renji. He sat as he always did, silently staring off into space with that eerie vacant gaze unless Szayel gave him an order. Karin frowned at that, wondering why the redhead had been omitted. The others had gotten their Zanpakuto back, even Nemu, so why had Renji been passed over? She vowed to ask Szayel about it later.

　

　

In the hell he�d been assigned to since their defeat and his enslavement, and with all of the pain, suffering and humiliation he�d endured in the years since, none of it matter at this moment as Byakuya held onto Senbonzakura.

The Zanpakuto was sobbing in his mind and he was hard-pressed not to break into sobs himself. Only his innate sense of dignity, born from decades of self-discipline as the head of the Kuchiki house and the expectations of a nobleman kept him from doing so in public.

The Zanpakuto had been able to feel his pain over the years, but had been unable to assist him. He spoke soothingly to the blade, but truthfully all he wanted to do was find a corner and weep.

Despite all that, like Karin, he also noticed Renji had been omitted and there was no sign of Zabimaru. To his shock the thought sent Senbonzakura into a full on fit of rage. Clearly the Zanpakuto knew something that he didn�t, something that infuriated it.

Now wasn�t the time for it though and he forced himself to pay attention to what was going on. The other Shinigami were called forth one at a time and assigned divisions, but he noticed the former Taichou and Fukutaichou were not.

After dismissing the lower ranks Aizen turned his attention back to them. It was difficult to focus, but he forced himself to listen to what the bastard had to say. They were not to be assigned a division, but to remain by their Master�s side as their weapon.

They were dismissed and he followed Yammy back to the Estate, trying to ease Senbonzakura as their minds linked for the first time in almost eight years. The biggest concern was going to be releasing both his Shikai and Bankai.

Typically a phrase was required to unleash ones Zanpakuto, but he was unable to speak. He would have to learn to release Senbonzakura wordlessly. While not impossible, it required a deep connection with ones Zanpakuto and their years of separation already put a strain on their relationship.

Byakuya was pulled out of his thoughts roughly by a harsh slap to the face he should have seen coming. Senbonzakura cried out in his mind, but he did his best to reassure the blade he would be fine while also trying to give Yammy his attention.

�What did I tell you about getting that metal stick back?� Yammy snarled.

�That it wasn�t an excuse to ignore you,� he silently answered. �Much as I wish I could.�

He bowed his head in way of apology and he could feel Senbonzakura�s shock at his submissiveness to this horrid creature. He assured the Zanpakuto he would explain later. It was damned nice being able to �speak� with someone again and have an answer.

�Chu. Lucky thing Aizen-kami informed us this was an expected reaction and to let your prissy ass get away with it. Go,� Yammy growled. �Spend the day with your stick; but tonight you had better pay me back for letting you play with that toy or so help me I will snap that thing into four pieces and make you wear the shattered hilt like a necklace! Understand?� Yammy threatened.

Byakuya gave the other a nod of his head and bowed once more.

�Get lost then,� Yammy grumbled.

Byakuya happily followed that order and disappeared in a Shunpo to retreat to one of the gardens near the back of the Estate. He settled against one of the trees in the lotus position, Senbonzakura lying across his lap.

It was the same tree he had used over his lifetime to speak to his Zanpakuto. It was here he had first learned Senbonzakura�s name, where he had first achieved Shikai. He slipped into Jinzen and found himself finally back in his inner world.

It was a complete and utter wreck. He hadn�t exactly been expecting it to look as perfectly ordered as he remembered it, but there was so much damage to his psyche that recognition did not come easily. It was a true indication to just how badly Yammy had broken him.

The once beautiful gardens and towering sakura trees were now nothing more than a rotted, putrid, diseased wasteland. The neatly laid stone walls that once lined the gardens were reduced to rubble and only recognizable by a slight rise on the ground.

In all of the dingy darkness of the place, only one small light shone. A single spec of green next to where the spirit of his Zanpakuto waited for him. The little light of hope that had come to him when Senbonzakura had been returned to him. It looked so tiny, so frail in comparison to the devastation around it.

�Byakuya,� Senbonzakura greeted him with exhaustion and sadness in his voice.

�Senbonzakura,� he returned, finishing the trek to his Zanpakuto�s side.

Senbonzakura was wearing nothing more than a simple white kimono dressed with pink sakura blossoms. His armour lay beside him, rusted and in desperate need of repair. His long, black hair was left free to flow in the slight breeze and clearly also needed attention.

Byuakuya realized just how shattered his soul was as he looked at both his inner world and the state of Senzbonzakura. But there, right at his Zanapkuto�s feet was that single sprout.

He knelt before Senbonzakura and cupped the little plant that struggled so desperately to thrive. A second later Senbonzaura�s hands enfolded his, offering silent comfort. The little sprout grew half an inch, and with that half an inch Byakuya felt a very small portion of the burden on his soul lift.

He tried to remain stoic, but with the warmth of Senbonzakura at his side he failed. It started with a single tear escaping, and quickly escalated until ragged sobs racked his body. Senbonzakura said nothing, simply held him and rubbed his back as he cried like he hadn�t done since he was a child. Even the death of his beloved Hisana hadn�t caused this much weeping on his part, at least outwardly.

When he ran out of tears and managed to regain a small semblance of control, he told his Zanpakuto everything he had been through. From Yammy�s violent use of his body to the lack of any support from his so called family. Senbonzakura remained silent and held him, just as he had the day Byakuya�s parents had died, the day that Hisana had drawn her last breath, and the night before Rukia�s scheduled, blessedly interrupted execution.

�You must think me weak,� Byakuya said some time later, voice thick with pain.

Hands with ragged nails smoothed back his hair with strokes meant to comfort.

�Hardly. Few could have gone through what you have, and fewer still who could have survived alone. I am here for you now Master,� Senbonzakura promised.

�Thank you,� he whispered, his fingers tightening in his Zanpakuto�s clothing.

It was good to hear his voice again, even if it was only in his inner world. Looking around, they had a lot of work to do putting it right again, if it ever could return to its former glory.

Somewhat recovered, Byakuya finally worked up the courage to ask the question that had been bothering him since the meeting. Why had Renji been omitted from having Zabimaru returned?

Miles away, Karin was asking a rather uncomfortable looking and slightly terrified Szayel something similar�

　

　

　

�Okay, explain that again without the big scientific terms� Karin ordered crossly.

Szayel flinched at the obvious anger in her voice. True he was technically more powerful than she was, but all of that meant nothing under the weight of her Claim and the fact that she was the only one keeping him from regressing to nothing more than a blubbering child as Nel had become. Or worse.

Nnoitra had simply walked away from his regressed rival, leaving her for dead with her two useless, and equally mask-less fraccion. He doubted Aizen would show the same kind of mercy should he end up in a similar state.

�It was just another experiment. I wanted to see if affecting a Shinigami�s Zanpakuto had an effect on the Shinigami. I did all sorts of various tests and came to some rather intriguing results,� he explained.

Karin must have noticed him warming up to the subject because she quickly cut him short before he could get lost in excitement.

�Right, skip past those to the end again. I don�t want to hear about all the things you did to a defenceless soul. Seriously, you might as well have gone about hacking limbs off of trees,� she growled in agitation.

�The final test I did was to completely destroy the Zanpakuto. I had no idea at the time that when Shinigami go on and on about how their Zanpakuto are part of their souls they mean it literately and not as some mushy sentiment.�

�So you completely destroyed his Zanpakuto?� Karin asked in disbelief.

�Yes. I have heard a lot of screams in my time, but the one he gave out when I did that was on a completely new level. When the power flux died down he was as you see him today.�

�So you literarily destroy a fragment of his soul,� Karin frowned in clear anger.

�I didn�t know that was going to happen at the time,� Szayel quickly defended himself.

His body was still in pain from Aizen�s punishment and not all the bruises and cuts had healed as of yet. He did not want to suffer any more pain or humiliation and with how much anger Karin was giving off, another punishment looked to be forthcoming.

Then, as abruptly as it came, it went, folding itself into a different shape, one that felt more like disgruntled resignation.

Karin sighed and collapsed against the back of the chair she had quickly claimed as her own in his private apartment. She had been by a lot lately to check on his research on her blood and the wounds Aizen had given him. He might have called it �hovering� if he�d had any references to motherhood in his own sketchy memories.

�Wonderful,� she sighed, sounding as if his revelation was anything but that. �Just wonderful.�

She grimaced as if she had a sudden headache and seemed to be deep in thought about something. Szayel, not being a glutton for punishment, left her to it. Finally, she focused on him once more.

�Go get the stool, tweezers and a pair of medical scissors, and bring them back to me,� she commanded, rolling up her sleeves.

The small amount of equilibrium he had reached abruptly vanished at her orders as a thousand different tortures came to mind. There were many unpleasant things she could do with such equipment and the possibilities raced through his mind, some of which Aizen had done to him over the years.

He returned with the tools and Karin directed him to remove his shirt and sit. He did so, hands trembling slightly and silently waited for whatever punishment she was going to assign him.

He jumped as the cold metal of the scissors touched his flesh and the first snip reached his ears.

�Oh relax,� Karin muttered. �I�m just checking the stitches. They should be ready to come out.�

He swore there was a hint of amusement in her voice and when he glanced at her he realized she was clearly, silently laughing at him. What absolute Gall! Terror turned quickly into indignation and he let out a dignified, �humph� before turning his attention forward again.

�Nemu is quite capable of tending to my needs,� he said airily suggested.

�I don�t doubt it,� Karin agreed as she finished snipping the bandages wrapped around his torso off to reveal his nicely healing back. �But as I told you before,� he could practically feel her smirk widen, �I take care of my property.�

He bristled, but couldn�t refute the fact. In the Hollow world she definitely owned him. He was just lucky he hadn�t been demoted to being her pet or some similar degrading position. At least she let him continue on as if nothing had changed, other than the fact that she now required him to follow a semblance of a moral code.

Such an annoying thing, that moral code. Karin had requested that Unohana give him the 4th divisions Code of Ethics and then informed him he was expected to follow it to the letter.

It was a good thing they didn�t really have a budget because the sheer amount of painkillers they suddenly needed to bring in would have blown it. Since when did test subjects have �rights�? Thanks to Karin�s meddling ways, half of their experiments had ground to a screeching halt.

The 4^th division Code of Ethics was very well thought out and left very little room for leeway. It was frustrating as all hell. What was worse, Nemu had memorized the four encyclopaedia�s worth of material in one read through and constantly warned him when they were approaching the boundaries of one of the rules.

�These are healing nicely,� Karin commented as she removed the stitches.

�Of course they are. My products are all perfect!� he sniffed, affronted that any remedy his laboratory concocted could be anything less than flawless.

�So you like to keep saying,� she agreed with an amused smile.

There was softer tugging on his skin as she skilfully removed the stitches.

�Where is Nemu, anyway?� Karin asked about halfway through her work, breaking the silence.

�Performing Jinzen. Aizen-kami instructed us to let them have the entire day to �reconnect with their Zanpakuto� and they were �not to be disturbed.�� he quoted.

�I see. They all looked about ready to break down into tears when Aizen handed them back. It was like they found out their long, lost, presumed-dead lover was suddenly alive. Even Byakuya-san looked ready to break down.�

�From the understanding gained from my research, I believe they were basically returned a portion of their soul,� he concurred.

Silence descended again as she finished removing the last of the stitches before applying more of the cream.

�Looking very good. They might not even scar.� she mused. �You can get up.�

He stood up and checked her work in the mirror. It would take a little longer to fully heal, but he was positive that any scarring would be minimal and he would be back to his full, perfect glory in no time.

�Well, I think I need to head home. Let me know immediately if anything turns up in the research.�

�Of course, Karin-sama,� Szayel bowed elegantly.

The slight twitch of her eye brought a small smirk to his face. Somehow he doubted she would ever get use to the formality.

　

　

Karin returned home and quickly sought out Ajuga. She found her daughter in the back garden with Jushiro and Hana. A scan of the house showed Nanao was also in one of the gardens.

There were two additional presences next to Jushiro and the kids that vaguely reminded her of the white-haired Taichou. When she came into the clearing she spotted the two girls dancing with what appeared to be catfish, one made of water the other lightning.

They were the most amazing things she had ever seen. Hana was chasing the one made of water, giggling as her hand passed through the liquid and yet still came out dry. Ajuga was pouncing after the one made from what looked like liquid lightning. Lightning arched to her daughter when she got close, but it failed to hurt her in any way.

�Her innate Heirro,� Jushiro answered her unasked question as she walked up beside him.

The girls didn�t even notice her presence as they continued to play with the two fish.

�Sogyo no Kotowari I assume,� Karin guessed,

�Yes,� his smile widened ever so slightly.

Karin noticed the katana had changed into two blades connected by a rope with five charms.

�My Shikai,� he explained.

�I see,� she turned her attention to the girls and fish. �They are amazing and beautiful Jushiro-san,� she commented.

�Thank you. It has been so long since they have played that I simply couldn�t deny them.�

Ajuga squealed in delight as she finally caught her fish, going right through the body of electricity and laughing louder as she came out the other side, residual energy cackling about her.

�She�s warm and tingly,� Ajuga cried happily.

The fish chuckled.

�Do they have separate names?� Karin asked.

�Technically no, since they are the same being regardless of the fact they are in separate bodies.�

�So are Starrk-san and Lilinette-chan,� Karin pointed out.

�True. But they are an entity that has split into two. Sogyo no Kotowari is still Sogyo no Kotowari,� he explained.

Karin sat down beside him as they watched the girls and fish continue to play. The sound of joyful laughter filled the garden and Karin couldn�t help the smile of contentment that spread across her face as she watched the antics. It was a perfect moment.

　

　

When Rangiku finally came to bed that night, clutching her Zanpakuto as if terrified it would disappear if she let it go, he honestly didn�t expect her to smile so warmly at him nor lean in to offer him a hesitant kiss.

�Thank you,� she sniffled, on the verge of happy tears.

Like most men of any species, Nnoitra definitely didn�t want to deal with a crying woman, even if the wench was bawling out of apparent happiness. He set himself to the default reaction of most males to any waterworks, which was nonchalance.

�It was Aizen-kami who returned them,� he muttered.

�But it was you who said yes and let me fight again,� she pointed out.

She placed Haineko beside the bed on her side before stripping and crawling under the covers to join him. She shuffled up against him and started to trace a hand up and down his chest.

Now that was unusual. Nnoitra blinked in surprise. She never instigated contact between them unless he ordered her to. He looked down to see her glowing face, joy dancing in her eyes and was momentarily struck dumb. It was amazing how something so simple as returning her weapon to her had such an effect. He almost wished he had thought of it sooner.

�I want to thank you,� she whispered sexily.

That was about all it took to get his �sword� up, looking at smouldering grey eyes that promised him heaven, with those breasts pressed up against his flesh.

�Well, I am all for being thanked,� he smirked at her, turning on his side to face her.

�Then please, let me.�

�I ain�t holding you back,� he pointed out with a lecherous smirk.

Kami she was sexy when she was being so wilfully obedient. Nothing like that know it all, �I am better than you and you are just a mindless animal,� bitch Nel had been.

Her touch started out hesitant, as if afraid she would be punished for daring to touch him so familiar or without his permission, but when as he did nothing but smile encouragingly at her and make pleased noises, she slowly grew more bold and her touches became more firm.

The rest of the night passed by in a slow haze of pleasure and he made a mental note to reward her in the morning for paying such wonderful attention to him without needing to order her first. If this was how she acted when certain freedoms were granted, he wondered what other sort of voluntary reactions he could get from her for other small things.

�She definitely ain�t like that bitch Nel,� he thought pleased as he finally let them both drift off to slumber at the wee hours of the morning.

　

　

　

As usual /love those reviews. I am pleased everyone liked Grimmjow and Karin�s I love you scene and that it didn�t come off as corny or anything.

So yep, everyone but poor Renji has their Zanpakuto�s back and what happened to the red head was finally explained. Now I don�t know if destroying, and I don�t mean simply snapping in half or melting down I mean completely DESTROYING, a Shinimgami�s Zanpakuto would have this effect, but considering they are a part of a Shinigami�s soul I believe this is what would happen, or something close to it. It is also something you know Szayel would experiment with.

Because my Boyfriend and I are trying for children of our own we did some extensive research on pregnancy and I was honestly surprised at what we found. The egg is only fertile in a woman�s womb for approx. 24 hours. So even if accidents or the like occur, or you have sex once a week or even every second and third night, it�s still a small chance to hit that window. Not to mention enough sperm needs to survive a rather perilous journey to make it to the egg that they can break down the protective barrier and the lucky one can slip in.

Karin and Grimmjow were having sex damn near every night, which is one reason why she was the first to get knocked up, and unlike Shinigami human�s bred like rats. No one else shared the intimacy they did at the beginning of their relationship.

There is a reason Aizen has still failed to get Unohana pregnant, and it will be revealed. Things wont be pretty when Aizen does learn of Karin�s heritage, but both events are a long ways away yet.

I have already written well past Orihime�s birth, and I don�t think there will be many, if any, disappointed readers, so the child is already named and I think you will all like it. There are currently no other children planned past these three as I wanted to keep the OC�s down, even though I honestly think children tend to be far more heavily accepted since they kind of aren�t there in the Cannon.

As far as I have been able to determine there are no plot holes at the moment. Everything will be revealed and come to life in time.

This Chapters Question: If you could have a half Arrancar child, what would you hope it looks like?

Next Chapter: Accidental confessions occur. Oooooo confessions.
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Prize of Victory