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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
- 63
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Ajuga yawned as she woke up before stretching like a house cat and crawling out of her nest. She bounded out of her room and across the hall to her parents. Both of them seemed to be dead asleep.

Slinking low to the ground, she started to stalk her way over, carefully avoiding the floorboards she knew to be the squeaky ones from trial and error. Finally in position she settled in, getting ready to pounce.

�Don�t even think about it,� her mother muttered sleepily and yet with that warning tone of voice that all children knew to heed.

Ajuga huffed in annoyance, changed her stance slightly, and launched herself as Karin rolled onto her stomach.

�Bloody hell,� Grimmjow growled as Ajuga collided with his now-exposed chest.

�Morning Papa,� Ajuga cried happily while Karin just chuckled and shifted so she was facing the rest of her family.

Ajuga sat on her father�s chest, staring down at him and positively glowing. She knew his irritation would last only a moment before pride would take over, and she was right. After he wiped the sleep out of his eyes he smirked up at her.

�Good one, brat,� he praised her, ruffled Ajuga�s hair. �You didn�t get past your mother again though, did you?�

�No,� she pouted, looking grumpily in her mother�s direction.

Karin was already rising out of bed and throwing on a simple yukata.

�You can�t even get past me,� Karin pointed out to him as she tied the belt.

�That�s because you cheat,� he countered.

�Indeed,� she agreed.

�Hungry mama,� Ajuga complained, bounding off of her father�s chest to bounce about her feet.

�Yes, I suppose you would be,� Karin sighed. �Since I know you haven�t had anything to eat since lunch, right?�

There was something in her mother�s voice Ajuga couldn�t identify, and strangely she got the feeling her mother wasn�t even talking to her. In fact, her father seemed overly eager to change the subject.

�How about I feed the brat and you go take a shower. You have big day today.�

�Indeed,� Karin agreed.

Ajuga looked between her parents confused before shrugging her shoulders and bounding across the room to leap into her father�s arms before settling on his shoulder. She was starting to get big and she realized she wouldn�t be able to perch there much longer. A pity, because the view was always so great from up here.

�Food Papa,� she said plaintively.

�Alright, alright, let�s feed that hole of yours.�

She giggled and settled in as he pulled a yukata on as well and they went to the kitchen.

�Mama knows, doesn�t she?� Ajuga asked in a rather loud whisper once they were alone.

�So it would seem,� he agreed with a grumble.

�I never say anything,� Ajuga quickly defended herself.

�I know brat, I swear she has hidden spies all over this damn place.�

�I�ll find them,� Ajuga promised, bearing her teeth.

�Find what?� Hana asked curiously, spoon poised in midair as they entered the communal kitchen.

�The spies,� Ajuga answered, jumping down from her father�s shoulder to bound three steeps before landing on one of the chairs.

�There are spies here?� Hana asked confused, looking from father to daughter and back.

�Yep, Mama has them hiding.�

�Oh, I see,� Hana nodded. �It must be a training test to find them.�

Both girls missed their respective representative parents roll their eyes.

�Thank you, Grimmjow-san, for letting me have Karin,� Nanao said respectfully and bowed to him.

�She presented a good argument,� he grunted before taking his place at the table. �Quite the spread you got going on here,� he waved a hand at the fully set up table. Large breakfasts weren�t something the household did often.

�Well, I am afraid no one is as good as Yuzu-chan was at this sort of thing, but a promotion is a promotion and I wanted to thank Karin for coming to my rescue,� Nanao answered.

�What�s a pre-ocean?� Ajuga asked curiously.

�Promotion,� Nanao corrected. �It means a rise in one�s rank.�

�Going from Omega to Beta,� Grimmjow explained.

�Oh. Mama is already Beta though, and Papa is still here� Ajuga seemed confused.

Nanao gave Grimmjow an equally confused look, but her father gave a bark of a laugh and pulled out a chair.

�She is going from Omega to Beta in the organization,� he explained.

�Oh,� Ajuga said in sudden understanding, then smiled with happiness.

�She is going to be the Beta,� Nanao stumbled a bit at the strange term, �of my Unit that helps defend our home.�

�Is Papa an Alpha then?� she looked up at him.

�I am not a member of the Shinigami forces,� he grunted in clear irritation. �But I am one of the Alpha�s of the Hollow forces.�

�Of course you are dear,� Karin waltzed into the room, her hair damp from her shower and dressed in the Uniform she always wore when training.

Shortly after her arrival the other members of the Estate started to show up and they settled about for breakfast with everyone congratulating Karin on her promotion. For the first time that Ajuga could think of, her mother was going to be away from her all day, and not just today, but most days.

A part of her felt torn. Her mother had always been there, a constant presence at her side. It was rare that Karin wasn�t there. But now her mother was going to be gone all the time.

It was depressing enough that Ajuga hardly tasted the food as they ate breakfast.

�You will keep an eye on the rugrats Lilinette?� Karin asked after everyone had eaten.

�Of course,� she smirked.

�In ways I will approve of?� Karin asked with that tone Ajuga knew meant no nonsense or someone�s rear was going to end up hurting.

Lily-chan pouted, but did agree they would stay out of trouble.

�Do you have to go, Mama?� Ajuga asked unhappily and tugged at the hem of her uniform.

�I am afraid so,� Karin kneeled down and smiled warmly at her.

�Kay.�

�You behave for Lily-chan now, alright.�

�I will,� she promised.

Her mother gave her a hug before nodding to Nanao and the two women left.

�Alright girls,� Lilinette called their attention to her. �Since we can�t pester Starrk today, who wants to go see what Szayel is up to?�

The pain of separation was instantly gone.

�Yay, let�s go see Szay,� Ajuga cheered, bounding away from her chair and towards the front door.

The three girls set out to visit the Scientist. It was always fun to visit Szay. He always had such interesting, pretty things, and his voice got so funny and high when they touched things, like the data console, the screens and especially the test tubes�

�So what do I do with this?� Karin asked as Nanao handed her a wooden chip attached to a band of cloth.

�You tie it somewhere on your Uniform, typically the left shoulder, but it can be worn anywhere. It shows you are the Fukutaichou of the 5^th,� Nanao explained.

Both women were in Nanao�s office while the division gathered in the main courtyard. Karin really didn�t have much knowledge on how the Gotei 13 worked, either before or after Aizen�s conquest of the Seireitei, but Nanao assured her that was not an issue. The Divisions currently operated under War Time status and what she really needed was for someone to get her troops training underway. Learning things like paperwork would come with time.

�Are you sure this is a good idea?�

�Well, honestly, I was a little upset at first that you refused to wear our Uniform, but in retrospect, I think it�s a good idea.�

�Why�s that?� Karin asked, tying the badge around her left shoulder.

�It shows them you are not trying to be something you are not.�

�Taichou, everyone is assembled,� a voice called out from behind the closed door.

�Very well, I will be right there,� Nanao called back. �Nervous?� she asked.

�A bit,� Karin admitted. �But I know what I am going to say and do.�

Nanao nodded and the two women left the office. Karin stopped at the last corner leading to the training field while Nanao continued and stood before all one hundred and twenty some odd members of the division.

�What have I gotten myself into?� Karin wondered. �This is a far cry from my old soccer team. Still, it can�t be that much different, just more than one team making it larger. I just need to break it to smaller portions.�

Karin wasn�t really paying attention to what Nanao was saying, as she studied the men and the few women in the Division, picking out the ones she figured might give her a problem.

The potential troublemakers seemed few and far between, and appeared to be among the younger Shinigami. Nanao had explained the gap between them, pre-Conquest and post-Conquest. Most of the current troops were pre-Conquest and Karin had never seen such a large group of whipped dogs in her life.

Yes they were paying attention to their Taichou, but their shoulders were slumped, they looked weary, and there was almost no life to them.

�No wonder casualties are so high amongst the Shinigami ranks. Most of these poor bastards look like death would be a welcome companion.�

Grudgingly, she understood that her current perspective might be that she�d been spared most of the fallout of the Victory, being protected by Grimmjow at the time. She had only heard the horror stories after of the weeks of mass murder and rape. She couldn�t blame them, really.

Karin put those thoughts aside as she noticed Nanao had nearly wrapped up her speech. She stood up tall, straightened her shoulders, and forced an air of confidence around herself.

��.and thus I introduce to you, the new Fukutaichou of the 5^th Division, Kurosaki Karin,� Nanao finished.

There was a large amount of stirring amongst the ranks, complete with whispers that only increased in volume and number as she strode firmly up to Nanao�s side and they all noticed that she was wearing a modified Arrancar uniform instead of their own garb.

She looked out over the crowd before stepping down off the platform and began to walk down the clear line in the center of the two columns, like a general inspecting her troops.

�I am not a Shinigami. I am not an Arrancar. I did not go to your academy. Like my renowned older brother before me, I am a human. However�� she spun about and continued down a different path through the ranks, �� I have been personally trained by the Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.�

There was a large amount of bristling in the crowd at her announcement and a few shocked gasps met her ears.

�Grimmjow�s training is intensive. He fights no-holds barred, gives no quarter, and mistakes are paid for in bruises and blood,� she saw several of them wince. �I have also received extensive Kido training from Ise-Taichou and participated in several lessons with the 2^nd division. Is there anyone who wishes to question or challenge my battle prowess?� she suddenly demanded sharply, coming to a stop.

The group of gathered Shinigami shuffled nervously, but no one said anything to contradict her so far. She let the faintest hint of a smirk touch her lips before quashing it and continuing on her march through the ranks.

�What is the primary goal of the Gotei 13?� she demanded.

Silence descended once again in response.

She stopped walking.

�I believe I asked a question, I expect an answer,� she said firmly, louder this time. �Let�s try this again, and I had better hear a response or the lot of you will run one hundred laps around the Division, backwards.�

Several feet shuffled uncomfortably at the threat, and she didn�t blame them. Running backwards was a pain, but doing it for 100 laps would have left them unable to walk for a week.

�What is the primary goal of the Gotei 13?� she demanded again.

�To protect the souls of the departed and the balance between the worlds.� The collective response was ragged and somewhat hesitant. The pre-Conquest Shinigami sort of mumbled it while the post-Conquest Shinigami were slightly more firm in their answer.

�Again!� Karin ordered sharply.

�To protect the souls of the departed and the balance between the worlds!�

The response this time was firmer.

�Again!!� she snapped. �Let me hear you say it like you mean it. If you do not mean it, then why are you here?�

This time the response was roared at her in sync. Now she let the smirk that touched her lips remain.

�Then tell me, what has changed about that mission in the last hundred years?� she demanded.

Confused silence answered her question.

�You,� she stopped before a random member.

He straightened his back at being addressed.

�What has changed about that simple mission in the last hundred years?�

�We were conquered,� he answered hesitantly, clearly unsure of his answer so much that it sounded more like a question.

�And?� she pressed.

�Ah�,� he stammered a bit.

�So because Aizen-kami is now the one in charge, he has ordered the Divisions to cease their missions?� she questioned.

�Well, no,� he stammered.

�I see,� Karin stepped away from him.

He sagged in relief now that he was no longer under the withering gaze she gave him.

�So I ask again, what has changed about that mission?� she demanded, of no one in particular.

�Nothing,� one of the post- Conquest women answered.

�Exactly,� Karin said in satisfaction as she looked at the one who had answered in approval. �Absolutely nothing has changed about that mission. The only things that have changed are the enemies doing the majority of the threatening and the man sitting in the chair.

�All of which means nothing to the core goal of that mission and the beliefs behind it. Out there are the souls you all swore to protect, huddling in terror and unable to defend themselves. Your duty to perform konso on those souls, to help them move from the living world to this one, remains intact. Your duty to protect them and the Seireitei from these giant flying cockroaches is the same!�

�Yes, Aizen-kami�s Hollow forces are gleefully slaughtering the bugs but do you think for even a moment that they care about those souls? Do you think they worry about collateral damage? Answer me!!� she barked.

�No,� The division answered.

She was pleased it was stronger than the first answer she had gotten out of them.

�So then, who is going to protect those defenceless souls? Who swore an oath, an oath I now swear before you all as my witnesses; to protect those who cannot protect themselves? To uphold the balance of the worlds? To teach these cockroaches what it means to threaten those weaker than themselves?� she ended in a shout.

�We, the Shinigami of the 5^th division,� the crowd answered.

�I can�t hear you!!!� she shouted, cupping one hand behind her ear for emphasis.

�We, the Shinigami of the 5^th division!!!� they answered louder.

�Please, my two-year old could do better,� she taunted, giving the assembled troops a dubious glare.

�WE, THE SHINIGAMI OF THE 5^TH DIVISION!!!!� they roared.

Karin let a wide smile spread across her face as she turned to face a beaming Nanao while they continued to chant the answer.

�That�s what I like to hear,� she roared back, interrupting the chant. �Do not ever forget your mission, or that there are those weaker who depend on you to be strong!�

They cheered, and she let them do so for a moment before bringing them back down.

�Units five and seven remain for training, the rest of you sorry bastards, get back to your assignments. The new training schedule will be posted first thing tomorrow morning.

�If you are not going to show up expecting to give 110% of yourself, then the Division exit is right over there,� she pointed to the exit. �Dismissed!! Units five and seven, begin warm ups!� she barked.

�Hai, Fukutaichou!� everyone responded and the gathering dispersed while Karin walked back up to Nanao.

�That was brilliant!� Nanao exclaimed. �I have never seen so much life in a Division, not even since before the war started!�

�Indeed,� Karin nodded her head and turned her attention back to the two units that had been selected to stay behind.

There was a bounce in their steps as they went through the warm-ups and smiles on several faces. The chatter was much more open and the atmosphere a lot less depressed.

�How many do you think will leave?� Karin asked.

�I do not know, hopefully none, but if they do leave then there was no place for them here in the end,� Nanao said.

�Agreed. Will that be all, Taichou?� Karin asked.

�Yes. Keep up the good work and report to me at the end of the shift, Kurosaki-Fukutaichou.�

Somehow, her family name didn�t seem right. She had never really considered it before, and it had never really been brought up, but now that she was technically the Hollow equivalent of a wife, did she even have a right to her birth name anymore? It wasn�t like Grimmjow had ever told her she had a right to his name, nor had he encouraged her to use it. Did Hollows even take one another�s name with a mating Claim?

�Please, call me Karin-Fukutaichou instead.�

Nanao looked at her for a moment, before nodding in understanding. Karin offered her a weak shrug in reply. No doubt Nanao had similar name insecurities having giving birth to Hana out of wedlock, which wouldn�t have been the case had Shunsui survived.

�Very well, I will be in my office should you require assistance.�

Nanao walked off, leaving Karin to turn her attention back to the two units doing their warm ups.

�Fall in!� she shouted.

The two units quickly formed up with their respective leaders at the fore. She walked through the ranks once, silently inspecting her charges before returning to her place at the front.

�Each warrior has their own specialty. Mine, regrettably, is not with weapons save for my own fists and feet. It is not your weapon skills I question, but rather your lack of confidence and teamwork.�

�That said,� she paused to offer them a genuine smile, eyes gleaming enthusiastically, �how many of you are familiar with the game of soccer?�

　

　

　

�Soccer?� Nanao asked her in disbelief as Karin made her report on the walk back to the Estate.

�Well, it�s not like I can teach them to swing a sword. Even Yuzu-chan was better at it than I was. Besides, as I�ve said before, fancy sword play isn�t what is needed against these creatures. What the division lacks is teamwork and co-ordination.�

Karin tugged at the collar of her uniform, loosening it a little now that she was no longer on duty.

�What better training tool than a team orientated game that also focuses heavily on physical prowess�� she questioned. ��as well as boosting company morale and encouraging them to work together as a unit while still relying on their own individual strengths?�

�I see your point,� Nanao conceded. �As long as I see progress, I won�t get in your way. Do with them what you think you need to.�

�I plan to.�

�There were no problems with anyone today?�

�No, but I think they were all a little on the shocked side. They didn�t know what to make of me. We will see what their attitudes are like tomorrow, once they have had time to respond to the fact I am now their Fukutaichou,� Karin answered.

�True enough,� Nanao agreed. �So, what shape do you think we will find the Estate in?� Nanao asked.

�I don�t even want to consider it,� Karin laughed ruefully. �You don�t know anyone we can trust to watch the brats, do you?�

�I wish I did,� Nanao sighed.

They walked the rest of the way in silence as they both considered the dilemma.

�I wonder if Orihime-chan or Tatsuki-chan could watch them,� she suddenly pondered aloud. �Now that Orihime-chan is pregnant, I doubt Ulquiorra will let her anywhere near the front lines much longer, if at all. And having the kids about should help prepare her for her own.�

�Karin, you truly are a genius.� Nanao said admiringly. �That�s an excellent solution!�

�Well, it�s a partial solution. The hardest part will be convincing Grimmjow it�s a good idea to entrust his daughter to Ulquiorra�s �mate�.� Karin said, some hesitancy in her voice.

�Wouldn�t Ulquiorra-sama also be on missions?� Nanao questioned confused.

�Since when do men of any race think rationally when any female relative is involved?�

�Indeed,� Nanao chuckled in agreement as they entered the Estate.

Karin didn�t �see� any reiatsu other than Starrk�s in one of the back gardens. She frowned and headed towards her chambers, giving a sigh of relief when she found the note on the table in Hana�s sloppy kanji.

�Bless that child of yours,� Karin said as she handed the note over to Nanao.

�Are you going to go retrieve them?� Nanao asked, looking at the scrap of paper critically.

�And miss the opportunity to have five minutes to myself for once?� she asked with a raised eyebrow.

�Touché,� Nanao chuckled. �I do know where there is a hidden stash of some rather fine sake,� she offered.

�Honestly, I have never had the stuff, but let�s give it a try,� she offered the other woman a wide smile and they left for the main kitchen.

　

　

　

This was one of the hardest chapters to write and Karin�s speech was re-done many times. Hopefully this came out alright and not too corny.

Huge hugs for the reviews, love each and every one of them. I would chat longer but I am so busy right now it�s bonkers. Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Tatsuki makes it clear that she will NOT be used in any form of experimentation.
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Prize of Victory